A couple shopping tips from a pop up (p'up) enthusiast. I know this is an older thread, but hopefully this will help someone out down the line.
1.) Don't get too wrapped up in brand. I've found most p'ups to be more or less constructed in similar fasion using the same techniques and same materials. You'll find better fit and finish on higher end p'ups over base models, but otherwise...most differences are really just marketing strategies used to differentiate a particular manufacturer from the competition. Pretty much everything inside a p'up...the appliances, light fixtures....you name it is manufactured by just a couple of third party suppliers.
2.) Take your time and do your home work. Whether new or used, you're looking at making a substantial investment in your camping future here. Too many people rush the purchase and end up with something that doesn't really fit their needs. Even if you're not buying new, visit a variety of dealerships as well as road shows and check them out in person. A particular floor plan and/or size may look fine on paper....it can be a whole other story when you're actually sitting in one.
3.) Consider the amenities/options you want carefully. Again, a lot of things look great on paper....but in practice may not suit your needs. It's really easy to get wrapped up in all of the possible options and features of some of these things...but you have to be realistic and consider your camping style and how you will be utilizing the p'up. For example...and A/C, microwave, toaster oven, etc might sound great on paper....but to use these, you're limited to overcrowded RV parks and/or tight (and ugly) hookup loops at other CGs. These types of things are completely useless for someone like me who "dry camps." For me, a fixed indoor stove is completely worthless as I only cook inside when I'm absolutely forced to due to weather....so one of my "must haves" was an indoor/outdoor moveable stove.
The list goes on and on. Like I said, just consider your true wants and needs carefully. It gets to a point with some of these that you might as well just make the leap to a TT. Remember to also consider that every little extra thing is something else to clean and maintain....it's something else that can break. Additionally, it all adds up in RE to weight, so you'll want to carefully consider the capacities of your intended TV (Tow Vehicle).
4.) New or used...that is the question. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Obviously with new, you're getting something that has never been used and something you should only have to perform minimal maintenance on for some time...then there are warranty considerations. Of course, you're also the one taking the depreciation hit and will most likely be upside down right off the lot if you finanance.
Personally, I fall into the used...but not too used category. You can get a lightly used p'up that's just a few years old for a fraction of the cost of buying new and still have something in excellent condition. Keep in mind, the older you go, the more likely you are to encounter add'l maintenance and repair costs. It is for this reason that I usually advise against "vintage" p'ups. They are tempting, becuase the price is usually right....but if you're not a big DIYer and don't enjoy tinkering around quite a bit, you may be bighting off more than you can chew both in terms of your own personal time and add'l costs.
5.) Know when to buy. If you're buying used, do your window shopping during the traditional summer camping season and pull the trigger in the fall when another season has come and gone and lots of folks are looking to unload before having to incurr winter storage fees (not really an issue if you can store it on your property, but many can't) and winterizing of their camper. I've found fall to provide for the best deal/inventory ratio. You can also find some pretty good deals in the winter, but there tends to be less inventory to choose from. Spring will not offer up the best deals, but not the worst either; available inventory increases with people pulling their campers out of storage and you get a lot of "upgraders" in the Spring looking to sell their old p'up. The closer you get to the traditional summer camping season, the harder it becomes to negotiate a good deal due to the substantial increase in demand.
If you're looking new, RV road shows can provide for some of the best deals out there. Often you are dealing directly with a representative from the manufacturer and cutting out the middle man; I've seen folks shave off as much as 25% - 30% off MSRP at road shows. In RE to dealerships, winter is usually the most adventageous time to negotiate a good deal. Sales are generally slow and any revenue is good revenue. To boot, they're usually looking to unload prior model year inventory if they have any remaining on the lot. PY Inventory is your best possible deal from a dealership.
Sorry for the lengthy post. Hopefully this helps someone down the line.
