March and April are months that I associate with thinking about Spring, camping, etc. So, would it be a fair assumption to think that people would trade in their campers for an upgrade?
The reason I ask, my wife and I are looking for our first truck camper together. We wouldn't mind a relatively newer used one. I can't fathom paying 35-50K+ for something we will only be using 9 months out of the year.
We're closely monitoring all of the sites and already have missed out on some good deals.
So, what I'm asking is, do you experienced truck campers think that March-April is a better time to acquire a camper?
Another thing. I purchased a GMC 3500HD 4WD thinking this would cover all we could ever expect to want. After having it weighed (without my wife and I in the truck) it appears that my choices are now quite limited. GVWR of 11,000. With an actual weight of 7,340, leaving us 3,660, minus the 2 of us, and some gear. This isn't looking good.
We would like to get a camper with around a 3800 wet weight. Are we screwed?

We need more information on your truck. Sounds like you bought the perfect truck for a 8-9 foot camper. Judging by the numbers you provided, it sounds like you have made the number one mistake that many people make. Truck campers have become very heavy. Campers in the 10 to 12 foot range with slides require the biggest trucks available. 5500 hundred series trucks are becoming more and more common in the RV world.

There are plenty of options for you to choose from especially if you are willing to not have a slide. I would suggest you spend what ever amount of time that is required for you to fully understand everything about truck campers before you buy the wrong camper. Big bucks are at stake here and mistakes will cost you plenty.

I would think that the spring would be the best time to sell for the maximum price. Fall, from a buyers stand point seems like a better time. People who are thinking about storing there camper for 6 months are more likely to offer better deals.

I've found that the best time to find a camper or anything like that is November and the like. People don't want to pay for storage and you can usually negotiate a good deal on them. Also, it's divorce season. More people get divorced towards the end of the year than the beginning. Campers, motorcycles, boats, etc. are usually the first things to go in a divorce.
Sad to say but it's true.

Campers are getting heavier and heavier as people want more options (like slides) and such but the builders are into fooling the public by using names like Northern Lite, Camp Lite, Lance Lite and Litewieght and none are actually light in reality. You can buy lighter weight TC's but expect to loose stuff like slide outs and solar arrays and huge holding tanks.. Everything has it's price and weight.

Myself, I'd never wan to haul around any camper over 2500 pounds wet but that limits me in my choices too. Certainly no slides right off the bat and probably no hard side either.

I think the only mistake I made was letting my wife have a say in what camper to get. My plan was to keep it simple. Since it was only going to be me doing the camping. Then, she took interest.

It'll work out fine. I'll be close to maximum weight, but not over.

Thanks for all of the good advice. I'll wait for "Divorce Season" LOL

Depending on where you live , divorce season may have already started. Here in Ca, our season starts in January and runs right on through December. Take a look at Truck Camper Adventures site. Mike is an AZ resident who runs the site. The information offered here is very helpful. Questions about weight and the proper pairing of trucks and campers will be addressed. DMV regulations on registration will also be explained. Time spent reading Mikes suggestions and all the supporting articles will properly prepare you for your upcoming purchase.

I got me a great boat off of a client that went through a divorce that started in November. Also got a couple of trailers, a car, and several other things that way and only had to trade work for them. Sometimes being a contractor has it's perks.
So....wooo divorce season.....yeah. Works though.


Oh, and I don't think you're screwed on weight. It'd be close but there's a lot of people out there sucessfully camping that are over GVWR.

Thanks Freespool, I'm already in Truck Camper Adventures. Incredible source of information. I've been watching all of the videos. Best site I've found so far.

Thats funny. After 33 years, I'd loose a hbelluva lot more than a truck camper....

Taking my wife TC shopping with me cost us another $15K. Looking back I am happy that she went along because we ended up with one of the best when we bought our Northern-Lite.

I find the best time to buy anything is when the new models come out. Buy last years model or a trade-in. I just bought a new TC that was marked down 30% because it had been on the lot for 9 months. This does limit your choices, but I have a new camper at a very reasonable price.

TC's are normally discounted 25-30% off MSRP anyway. Suggested retail price and OTD are 2 different things.

I think you missed my point. When a 2017 TC is sitting on the lot next to a 2016 TC, you will always be able to buy the 2016 at a lower price. The discount on anything increases the longer it has been sitting on the lot. You have very little bargaining power with a brand new unit that was just delivered to the dealer. This holds true for vehicles as well as RVs

Pricing depends on areas of the country. For example, here in Tennessee February is normally too late to work the best pricing. In Florida the hot season for dealers is in January and February and you can work the best deals there in July and August. It varies with parts of the country. I am not familiar with the market in the West so can not speak to that.

It is also a little harder to figure discounts, although I don't know a great deal about truck campers. The towable market is white hot and dealers are moving things in record numbers so prices are high. At the repo auctions, every thing sells for way over book retail, two years ago it was $2,000 under low book or less.

No matter what you read, it is still a buyers and sellers market. The best deals will always be on the stuff no one else wants, which makes sense. On my end of the world in Northeast Tennessee trying to find used truck campers is almost impossible. For some of the brands that are generally regarded as better built go on RV Trader tonight and see how many you find.

It is just a very fluid situation.

Steve