Is Spring 2025 a good time to buy a truck OR SUV for your RV trailer?

Thinking of a TOWABLE RV Camper? You’ll need a TOW VEHICLE (truck? suv?) to pull it.

AND… are you considering an RV Travel Trailer or a 5th Wheel RV?

Let’s analyze the current RV – and – “tow” VEHICLE buying market from a different perspective…

All RV trailers require a capable vehicle to tow them

Tow vehicles and the current market conditions for buyers are the topic of today’s post. We will also take a quick look at the RV camper market if you’re considering a purchase.

Travel Trailers and 5th Wheel Trailers: What you need to tow them…

All but the lightest travel trailers require a solid SUV at a minimum to properly tow the camper. I wrote an article HERE about 3 years ago that gets into specifics. My article written in 2022 discusses the towing capacity you’ll need to properly pull your trailer. The content within is as valid today as when I wrote it.

Is Spring 2025 a good time to purchase a new (or new to you) tow vehicle?

The short answer is most likely yes. However, as I studied some of the latest vehicle sales data (referenced below.) The picture became a little cloudier than I first thought.

Let’s start here – a quick look at RV camper sales…

RV sales have been nearly dead for over a year now. This is especially true for Class A (bus style) and Class C (truck chassis with a “big box”/cabover design) motorhomes. Let’s face it, RV’s are a luxury purchase. Many folks no longer have the discretionary income required to purchase an RV camper. When working with my Concierge RV Clients to purchase an RV camper, I find alot of inventory to choose from. And… at least SOME sellers can be negotiated down (which is part of my service) to the RIGHT price.

RV campers of course include both motorhomes and towables. Between the two, there’s been *some* life in the travel trailer sales market and in Class B motorhomes. Virtually every other category has been and continues to be a very strong buyers market.

Our focus in this article is upon towables, and specifically, the vehicles that tow these RV trailers.

News from a few other YouTube Vehicle (truck and SUV) sales channels

Here are some highlights from some of the YouTube video creators (Untamed Motors, CarCents, Car Questions Answered) I watch (semi) regularly to learn about current vehicle sales. After sharing a summary of their collective wisdom (below), we will consult actual (recent) vehicle sales data to see where they’re accurate – and where they’re not.

Here is a summary of what they share in their recent videos:

• Vehicles (trucks and SUV’s) are NOT selling, and dealer inventory is piling up
• Prices of NEW vehicles are falling. This often takes the form of manufacturer incentives AND outright MSRP reductions. This is especially true for older (but still new) inventory that remains unsold. We’re talking about 2024, 2023 and even 2022 models that remain on dealers lots.
• MSRP’s of vehicles have risen SIGNIFICANTLY over the past few years. Some higher trim level 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are now OVER $100,000.
• Interest rates are through the roof – especially for USED vehicles. The average new vehicle interest is 7%. For SOME qualified buyers, the manufacturer has applied a promotional rate of as little as 0%. Used vehicle interest rates run around 11% IF you have great credit.
• Vehicles, both new and used are sitting longer on dealers lots. This costs dealers money due to “flooring” (bank credit) agreements and reduces their all-important cash-flow.
• Auctions are bringing less for dealers who need to “dump” a vehicle. As such, trade-in values have declined.
• Some buyers are switching from pickup trucks to SUV’s to save money. Of course, this affects how much camper you can tow

Recent vehicle sales data: Let’s see how well the YouTubers did AND Whether SPRING 2025 is a good time to purchase a pickup truck OR SUV…

From my own research, I can confirm that vehicle purchasers face HIGH interest rates (as stated above.) Insurance rates have also risen significantly. MSRP’s on trucks are off the charts! A new Ford F350 Lariat is easily well over $80,000. The Platinum and King Ranch are nearing or surpassing $100k. RAM and Chevy / GM are exhibiting the same.

New vehicle buyers ARE being offered incentives including rebates, low interest rates, and even MSRP reductions. Even with these reductions, new vehicle prices are quite high and monthly payments on loans are unprecedented.

Spring 2025: Dealers WILL negotiate on vehicles

A couple of years ago, vehicles were getting scooped up for OVER MSRP. In fact, they were often sold BEFORE they even landed on the dealers lot! No longer is this the case! Dealers are now motivated to sell their vehicles and they DO have plenty of them! The data cited below confirms this.

Caution: If you look at a new but prior year model, realize the moment it leaves the dealers lot it will be a USED vehicle. As a consequence, you will likely NOT get anywhere near what you pay for it. For this reason, you NEED to get a PHENOMENAL deal if you buy a new but older model year vehicle (eg: 2022-2024.) Note: I address this issue with my Concierge RV Clients quite often!

Caution: IF you purchase a USED vehicle from a dealer, you may be wise to have a mechanic inspect it! REPO’s (repossessed vehicles) are becoming FAR more common. REPO’d vehicles are often poorly maintained and YOU will pay the price down the road if you buy one. Dealers are NOT required in most states to reveal the fact that it was a REPO.

A quick look at the best selling pickup trucks (among the big 3: Ford – GM/Chevy – RAM)

Let’s be real, if you’re getting a larger travel trailer OR a well built fifth wheel trailer RV, you will NEED at least 3/4 ton truck. And… since the price difference between 3/4 ton trucks and 1 ton trucks is minimal, I recommend a one ton. And while I’m at it, yes, I’m a BIG fan of DIESEL, 4×4 and crew cabs. Oh, and if you’re getting a fifth wheel trailer, I do recommend LONG BED (8 ft.) trucks! Feel free to call me at 307 269 2546 to discuss my reasons for these recommendations.

From CarBuzz…

Full-Size Truck Sales For 2024 (Note: this includes 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.)

1. Ford F-Series: 765,649 units*
2. Chevrolet Silverado: 560,264 units*
3. Ram Trucks: 373,120 units
4. GMC Sierra: 324,734 units*

*includes electric vehicle sales (which are fairly small – read on for data.)

My take: Let me state at the outset, when it comes to trucks, I’m far more of a consumer than an expert. That said, I view the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra as VERY similar. Correct me if I’m wrong, but they’re both General Motors products. Adding sales together for the two, GM sold nearly 900,000 trucks in 2024. Less than 10,000 were EV’s according to CarBuzz. This makes GM the number one truck manufacturer, followed by Ford and then RAM. Incidentally, Ford sold about 33000 F150 (1/2 ton) EV trucks known as the Lightning. (Data cited from CarBuzz.)

Tip: IF you plan to tow, don’t even think about an electric vehicle! Further, significant advances in battery technology are coming soon! This may make EV’s more viable for towing. Time will tell.

The latest truck sales data presents a truly MIXED picture for buyers

According to OverdriveOnline, used truck sales surged in late 2024. Used truck sales were up 23% from November to December 2024 and up 24% year over year from Dec. 2023 to Dec. 2024. This bump in sales could be attributed to lower new vehicles sales and lower used vehicle values BUT data shows that new vehicle sales were actually UP slightly in late 2024.

This data taken alone would not bode well for folks who are currently in the market for a truck or SUV. It is worth noting, according to GlobeNewsWire, dealer inventories and time vehicles are on the lot are up significantly. Year over year data (as of late 2024) shows average days on dealers lots is up 62% and average inventory on dealers lots is up 33%.

Good time or not to purchase a vehicle intended to tow an RV trailer?

As you can see from the data I’ve shared here, the YouTubers noted earlier are presenting a reasonably accurate picture with one notable exception: Truck and SUV sales are actually UP. In my view, to generate these sales, manufacturers have had to implement incentives, dealers have had to deal knowing that vehicles are both piling up on their lots AND sitting for significantly longer periods of time. For used vehicles, dealers HAVE to buy them at the “right price” in order to sell them in this market.

Overall, I’d say IF you need a truck (or SUV), Spring 2025 IS a good time to buy with the following provisions:

• Be prepared to negotiate (HARD) and as at least one YouTuber noted in a recent video, if your local dealer won’t deal, look at more distant dealers. Certainly one will be motivated to “make a deal.”
• Don’t expect to get top dollar for your trade-in. They HAVE declined in value and dealers got really burned on some deals a couple of years ago when they paid top dollar for trades and then the market began to tank.

If you’re looking for a guide by your side, who also has your back – particularly for an RV purchase, you can learn more about my Concierge RV Buying (and Selling) Service HERE. As always, thanks for reading, please do leave a comment (or ask a question) below, and if you visit my YouTube video above (by clicking on the YouTube button), please give it a like, comment, and share to help the “algorithm” send my video out to more potentially interested parties.

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