The Ultimate RV Buyer's Guide

Buffalo Trail Recreation is family owned and was built on the idea of creating a better buying experience for our customers. From our transparent, no hidden fees and whole sale pricing, to our prep and inspection process, we make it our goal to ensure no customer leaves unhappy. 

Yes, Buffalo Trail Recreation offers RV financing. We work with multiple accredited lenders to find you the best possible financing terms for your credit situation. 

Yes, Buffalo Trail Recreation welcomes trade-ins.

Yes. Not only can we help determine your towing capabilities in person, we also have an interactive towing guide on our website to give you exact specs of what your towing vehicle is capable of. 

Yes, Buffalo Trail Recreation specializes in the sales of both new and used RVs. We work hard to ensure our used RV inventory is clean and in working order for our customers. 

Yes, Buffalo Trail Recreation offers RV service and RV repairs. We are extremely passionate about providing any and all RV owners with the best possible RV service experience. Whether you bought your RV from us or somebody else, we are happy to work on your RV and get you camping again as soon as possible.

The short answer is yes to an extent. The custom options you can spec on your ordered unit are determined by what the factory allows. Get with a sales professional to discuss what custom options are possible for your ordered unit. 

Yes, Buffalo Trail Recreation offers walk throughs on every RV that is purchased from us. This is an included service and does not come with any additional charges or cost to you as the customer. Our walkthroughs are provided by a trained professional. 

Buffalo Trail Recreations Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) includes a check on all systems, including but not limited to: appliances, air conditioner, furnace, water heater, slide outs, audio/visuals, and more. We also check the outside for any voids in the sealant to ensure the RV is water tight. For more information on this, speak to a sales professional. 

Yes, Buffalo Trail Recreation offers a catalog of aftermarket products, including extended warranties. For more details on these products, visit this page or speak to a member of our finance department. 

Yes, Buffalo Trail Recreation is thrilled to assist first time RV buyers in their RV buying journey. Whether you end up purchasing your RV from us or another dealership, we are happy to provide our insight as well as assist with RV service after the sale. 

Buffalo Trail Recreation has two locations, our flagship location (coming soon) is located in Elkhart, Indiana , the RV capital of the world. Our second location is in Midland, Michigan. Buffalo Trail Recreation plans to continue growing our dealer footprint with the addition of more locations in the future.

There are a few benefits to buying from our Elkhart, Indiana location. The first is that we are located in the RV mecca, where almost all RVs are built. With that, we can avoid expensive freight fees, and price our products lower than anyone else in the country, saving our customers thousands of dollars in some cases. The other benefit is our staffs experience. Being in Elkhart, our staff has been involved and around the RV Industry for their entire careers. We are able to provide more knowledge and understanding of the RV buying experience because of the experience we have. 

Buffalo Trail Recreation prides themselves on carrying high quality and desirable RV brands, that RV buyers can trust to last them longer than the length of their ownership of that RV. Additionally, we aim to provide the best RV buying experience and after sale care of any dealer in the industry. Between saving money with our customer favored pricing, to the unmatched customer service, customers will travel to buy from us.

The best RV for a first time buyer can depend. Often times, first time buyers will start with a travel trailer. Travel trailers give the customer lots of flexibility with what vehicle they can tow with, depending on the size of the travel trailer. 

A travel trailer is pulled from the bumper of a vehicle. A fifth wheel hitches into the bed of a truck, very similar to the style of a semi trailer. 

Motorhomes differ from a towable RV because you can enjoy the comfort of the RV while traveling down the road. A towable RV can provide more variety and floorplan, and wins in convenience by giving you the ability to leave your RV at the campground and take your tow vehicle anywhere you may need. 

The size of RV you buy should be determined first by the size of your tow vehicle and second by what you are trying to achieve with it. Get with a sales professional to help determine what RV is right for you. 

How much living space you need in an RV depends on how you will use your RV. If you are setup on a permanent site, more living space is important when comparing to someone who will only use their camper on the weekends. 

Popular family floorplans in an RV include but are not limited to bunkhouse, bunkroom, midbunk, double bunk, quad bunk, and toy hauler floorplans. 

Popular couples floorplans in an RV include but are not limited to rear living, rear bathroom, front living, front kitchen, and toy hauler floorplans.

The best RV for full time living depends on how you intend to use it. In most cases, people prefer fifth wheels to live in full time, as that offers a combination of the most space and ease of use.

There is no best RV for weekend camping. However, common campers for weekend camping and travel trailers, specifically bunk travel trailers for families.

A destination trailer is best for seasonal camping. Destination trailers are not made to be towed often, but provide tall ceiling heights, lofts, and big floorplans, making them great for families or couples on seasonal sites. 

Depending on the floorplan, anywhere from 2 people to over 10 people. 

Bunkhouse RVs are RVs that have bunkbeds in them to allow the ability to sleep more people. 

Rear living floorplans in an RV are floorplans that have the living and entertainment area in the rear of the RV. 

Rear kitchen floorplans in an RV are floorplans that have the kitchen in the rear of the RV.

Front living floorplans in an RV are floorplans that have the living and entertainment area in the front of the RV.

Whether you should by a new or used RV depends on what you want out of it and how you will use it. Some buyers prefer used RVs to avoid the initial depreciation, at the expense of having a factory warranty. Other buyers prefer a new RV, which provides them with factory warranty, a fresh and new camper, and more options to fit exactly what you need. 

The biggest advantage of buying a used RV is avoiding the initial depreciation hit that comes with buying a brand new RV.

The biggest advantages of buying a new RV are getting factory warranty with your purchase, and having more options on the market to choose from. 

Depreciation on an RV is hard to calculate because dealerships get freedom on how they price a new RV, but the market determines what that RV is worth used. Buying from a dealership like Buffalo Trail Recreation who wholesale price their products, can help avoid a lot of the depreciation hit. 

We at Buffalo Trail Recreation firmly believe that you can't put a price on memories. The memories you will make camping with your loved ones make us believe that an RV can be a good investment. However, if your goal is to buy an RV for it to go up in market value, then an RV is not the right pick for you. 

The most important thing to inspect for is water damage. Once you clear that, it is important to check into the specific dealerships prep and inspection process, so that you can better ensure all systems are functional. 

Water damage is found in floors, walls, and roofs. Check for soft spots in areas where water is likely to intrude. 

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For major repairs, we recommend having them addressed immediately. With minor and cosmetic things, they can often times wait to be done at the end of a camping season. 

Buffalo Trail Recreation recommends inspecting your RV roof at least every 6 months. 

RV wheel bearings should be inspected every year and repacked if needed. 

Reseal your roof as needed. 

Contact our service department to learn more about how to winterize your RV.

To de-winterize your RV, you need to drain all the antifreeze from your water lines. You can do this by blowing it out with compressed air or opening your low point drains, and then running water through them to rid them of any leftover antifreeze.

Buffalo Trail Recreation works on a 4-6 year replacement recommendation. Year 4 you should consider it, year 6 we recommend replacement. 

Check your seals often, and do inspections while your unit is being rained on. 

RV preventative maintenance is important because it can ensure the longevity of your RV, and catch problems before they occur. 

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Full warranty details are covered in the warranty description of your particular RV. Typically, RV warranties will cover any manufacturing defects or issues in the first one year of ownership. 

Buying an RV extended warranty can be a really good option, especially for buyers that intend to use their RV often and own it for at least 3-5 years. 

Any damage caused by the owner, including but not limited to exterior damage, roof punctures from branches, and interior damage.

RV service contracts work similarly to insurance policies, with deductibles and premiums. 

Most factory RV warranties are 1 year, while most extended RV warranties last 3-5 years. 

Transferring RV warranties depends on the parameters set by the manufacturer.

Yes. Lots of people travel and live in their RVs full time.

The best RV for full time living depends on how you intend to use it. In most cases, people prefer fifth wheels to live in full time, as that offers a combination of the most space and ease of use.

The cost of living in an RV full time varies greatly, depending on if you are staying at a single spot for months at a time or you are picking up and traveling every week. There are lots of other factors that affect the cost of full time RV living. 

The most common internet options for RVs are Starlink, mobile hotspots, and the Winegard system that is built into many RVs.

Common ways full time RVers receive mail are PO boxes and shipping items to campgrounds. 

Yes. Lots of people work remotely while living and traveling in their RVs.

The pros of living in your RV full time is that you can park your home anywhere and get to enjoy Gods beautiful creation!