With RV inventory aging at record highs and more than $6.48B in RV units sitting past 90 days, the 90-Day Rule is no longer a best practice, it’s a survival strategy.

For U.S. RV dealers, applying this rule determines whether you protect margins, control depreciation, and maintain healthy inventory turnover, or get buried in floor plan interest, stale stock, and shrinking demand.

What Is the 90-Day Rule, And Why So Many RV Dealers Ignore It?

The rule is straightforward:

If an RV hasn’t sold by Day 90, it’s costing your dealership money — every single day.

But many dealers treat 90 days like a suggestion, not a deadline. In 2025’s competitive RV retail environment, Day 90 is the cliff. Here’s why:

1. Carrying Costs Skyrocket After Day 90

Most RV dealers pay around 1% of unit value per month in:

• Floor plan interest
• Insurance
• Lot space
• Marketing
• Depreciation

That means:

• $100,000 motorhome over 90 days → $1,000/month loss
• $50,000 travel trailer over 90 days → $500/month loss

Multiply that across your lot and you’re looking at tens of thousands in silent losses.

2. Days on Lot Is Now the #1 Predictor of Margin Loss

Nationwide data shows:

• New RVs average 195 days on lot
• Used RVs sell 67% faster

Every day an RV sits:

• Gross margin shrinks
• Price-to-market drifts out of alignment
• Leads cool
• Sales teams stop prioritizing the unit

By Day 90, your odds of selling at asking price are nearly zero.

3. Model Year Depreciation Accelerates Rapidly

2025 models are already averaging 219+ days on lot, and 2026–27 models are arriving fast.

This creates:

• Daily value drops
• Stale “aged new” units
• OEM incentives that undercut your pricing
• Forced liquidation just to free floor plan

Allowing a 2025 RV to cross 90–120 days is one of the most expensive mistakes a dealership can make.

Why the 90-Day Rule Is the New Gold Standard in U.S. RV Dealerships

Top-performing dealers, especially in Florida, Texas, Utah, Idaho, and Colorado — follow this rule religiously because it drives:

Faster Inventory Turnover

Dealers achieving 3x+ turns per year significantly outperform the 1.85x national average.

Lower Floor Plan Risk

Tightening lenders favor dealers with fast-moving inventory.

Higher Cash Flow + Greater Buying Power

Dealers with liquidity can capitalize on:

• OEM incentives
• Seasonal buying spikes
• High-demand categories (Class B vans, lightweight towables)

Aging stock kills these opportunities.

How RV Dealers Should Reprice Units Before They Hit 90 Days

Most dealers start discounting too late. Here’s the data-backed pricing roadmap:

0–30 Days: Hold Gross & Maximize Exposure

Your premium selling window.

Actions:

• Price-to-market: 98–102%
• “Just Arrived” merchandising
• Boost photos & video walk-throughs
• Target high-intent seasonal buyers

31–60 Days: Make Micro-Adjustments

Small changes prevent major losses later.

Actions:

• Adjust price by 1–3%
• Offer small incentives (hitch, prep kit, accessories)
• Rotate lot position
• Increase ads on high-margin units only

61–89 Days: Strategic Pricing Reset

This is the critical correction window.

Actions:

• Price-to-market: 95–98%
• Add value bundles
• Shift inventory to high-velocity states
• Refresh photos & listing content

90+ Days: Act Decisively or Lose Margin

At this point, the RV becomes a cost center.

Actions:

• Price-to-market: 90–95%
• Liquidate 2023 and older units
• Wholesale anything over one year old
• Request OEM support: co-op, aging relief
• Push “manager’s specials”

Waiting “to see if it sells” is the most expensive mistake dealers make.

Why Used RVs Also Need the 90-Day Rule

Although used RVs sell 67% faster, they:

• Lose value with every trade
• Require more reconditioning
• Shift with fast-changing demand

The 90-day window is your last chance to preserve margin.

What Successful RV Dealers Are Doing in 2025

1. Daily price-to-market monitoring

Weekly updates are no longer enough.

2. Aggressive action on aging 2025 units

Especially those 180+ days old.

3. Inventory transfers to high-demand regions

FL, TX, UT, ID, CO continue to outperform.

4. Data-backed pricing & merchandising

Dealers rely on real-time competitive data and velocity insights.

The 90-Day Rule Is No Longer Optional

With more than $778 million lost annually from aged inventory, the 90-Day Rule is the only system protecting dealerships from the 2025–2027 model-year squeeze.

• At Day 60 → You still have time.
• At Day 90 → You’re losing money.
• At Day 180 → It’s an emergency.

Dealers who enforce the 90-Day Rule today will dominate their markets tomorrow.