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Old 11-04-2016, 08:33 PM   #1
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Sometimes I wish....

I had just walked onto an RV dealer, picked one I liked, and called it good. All this research has me running in circles. I find ones I like, then find all kinds of reviews with problems, then keep looking. And the more I look, the more manufacturers I'm interested in. How do you sort thru the noise and find a good one? I want to live in whatever I purchase for at least two years, and be able to travel the country with minimal issues.
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Old 11-04-2016, 08:51 PM   #2
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There is no good answer. You have to start with how much $$$ you want to spend and what kind of truck you have to pull it. Those 2 factors will narrow your choices. You posted in 5th wheel so we assume that's what you want. Buy the best quality unit you can with the funds you have to spend. No, it's not easy but you will be far ahead if you read the owner's forums for those brands you are interested in, you will get your best info from actual owners. There is no perfect rv. Maintenance is important, especially keeping water out. If you buy a used unit ALWAYS have it inspected by a mobile rv technician. That's not a guarantee and they should know what problems to look for. Good luck
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Old 11-04-2016, 08:56 PM   #3
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Good points. I knew nothing and bought a Raptor because it was in my price range and I liked it. I wanted a toy hauler and wanted to FT with my toys.
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Old 11-04-2016, 09:01 PM   #4
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I'm one of those people that researches till the end of time......and the more research I do, the more confused the situation becomes. I'm interested in several - Grand Design, Van Leigh, KZ, Jayco North Point, Heartland, and the lower end DRV. Good thing I've got awhile to choose!
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Old 11-04-2016, 09:06 PM   #5
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We looked for over a year until we (wife) decided what we liked. We already had the right truck (again wife's choice), so it made shopping easier. Pick one that fits your truck comfortably, it will make the travel time much more comfortable. The RV world is littered with owners that had/have a TV that is not/barely up to the task. You arrive worn out and not able to enjoy the time on the road.

Reviews should always be taken with a grain of salt. Very few individuals go out of their way to right good reviews. Those that write bad reviews sometimes have unrealistic expectations and get into RVing with rose coloured glasses. You need to be handy in order to keep the costs down and willing to learn how RV systems work.

These pull along homes are not cars, they for the most part only get used one week and a couple of weekends a year and ignored for months on end. I store my trailer in a RV storage lot, the same units sit and never move. Other RVers that we encounter are always amazed that we camp 40 to 50 nights a year.
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Old 11-04-2016, 09:14 PM   #6
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Yes, I bought the largest my truck could manage.
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Old 11-04-2016, 09:22 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Rickeoni View Post
We looked for over a year until we (wife) decided what we liked. We already had the right truck (again wife's choice), so it made shopping easier. Pick one that fits your truck comfortably, it will make the travel time much more comfortable. The RV world is littered with owners that had/have a TV that is not/barely up to the task. You arrive worn out and not able to enjoy the time on the road.
I would agree completely. The other thing I would suggest is find a floor plan you can see yourself in for a few years. There probably isn't a make out there that someone doesn't have something negative to say about it. So, we are all rolling the dice in a way when we purchase an RV. Though you can reduce the risk with some good research. But it sucks when you put down the money for a quality RV and don't use it as much as you had planned, simply because it wasn't what you wanted in the first place. Been there, done that.

Think about how you want to use it. Be realistic about how many people you will share the experience with (if any) and more importantly, make sure you could live in it if the weather isn't cooperating. My wife and I loved our Forest River Apex except for the fact there was no comfortable place to sit for a while in the trailer. The dinette was not a place where you could relax.

Have fun!

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Old 11-04-2016, 09:25 PM   #8
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https://rv.org/

This RV Consumer group will help you sort through all the confusion and save you big money if you follow their guide books. Good that you are not in a rush to buy, you'll have the advantage over the dealer, use it to your benefit.
Good luck,
Trux
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Old 11-05-2016, 06:33 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aknavy View Post
I'm one of those people that researches till the end of time......and the more research I do, the more confused the situation becomes. I'm interested in several - Grand Design, Van Leigh, KZ, Jayco North Point, Heartland, and the lower end DRV. Good thing I've got awhile to choose!
Ditto on the research. DW calls it "analysis paralysis." I spend so much time weighing the pros and cons, I sometimes can't reach a decision.

That being said, however, one thing that helps me is to remember that the majority of reviews are written by people having problems because they want to vent. Those who are happy with an RV, or any product for that matter, may talk it up to their friends, but never take the time to go to a website or forum to write a positive review.
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Old 11-05-2016, 06:42 AM   #10
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Whatever you get, something will break that you will want to or have to fix, that's part of the adventure. Have fun!
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Old 11-05-2016, 07:34 AM   #11
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With Thor and Forest River now owning about 85% of ALL recreational vehicles 'names', it's gotten tough to find one that's going to be 'the best'. My less then 'learned' advice is to first of all do your homework here and other RV sites, then find a dealer(s?) that has a good batch of recent reviews and sells what your earlier research said was a good brand with the price and layout you want. Every RV that comes out of a manufacturing facility's back door has the same potential of being a great, long term deal for you .... or it may be the worst piece of junk of the year's production. So far, our '14 has been reasonably trouble free. Another with the same year and model has had nothing but trouble. Unfortunately, some folks RV troubles really are minor niggles but to them, a catastrophe if they are not an accomplished DIYer.

After all that, find a good dealer, an RV you like, then go RVing (oh and Camping World - not all are bad, most are mediocre, though some are beyond terrible, like any other RV sellers)
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Old 11-05-2016, 08:00 AM   #12
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I've spent the last 3 years researching 5th wheels and my approach ended up being a bit different. I researched dealers as well as the Rv. Campers are houses on wheels that when rolling down the road are equivalent to surviving an earthquake. Add to that the complexity of dual 12 volts dc and 120 volt ac systems holding tanks , hydraulics, sliding rooms etc. It's not if something breaks or quits working but when. A bad dealer with a poor service department is the reason for so many negative reviews on this site. Check local reviews of dealer and question negative ones.
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Old 11-05-2016, 05:49 PM   #13
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I have spent almost 2 years researching and looking for just the right one for us. We have changed our minds more times than I can remember but, that's OK. We started with a budget, that went out the window fast. Then size, same result. Unlike a lot of other buyers, we will be buying our truck after our RV.
Most helpful are these forums and the owner forums of various types. Being more informed than your dealer is a bonus! We ordered a Landmark with most all the options. When we chose the dealer, I went with the idea that because my unit was not part of his inventory, he did not have to pay anything for it, and all I needed him for was his buyers license, the paperwork, the temporary space to keep it until I picked it up. That way he would not have to charge me the up to $50,000.00 in profit some dealers make! Of course I also wanted a dealer who can service after sale.

Happily ever after.
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Old 11-05-2016, 08:00 PM   #14
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One thing you should consider is to rent one or two for long weekends, just to get to know the rv systems and how to work them. We rented 2 class c's and a class a, we ended up buying a used 5th wheel because it was a good deal. You can get some idea of floor plans and what you might like. It helped us so that we weren't such "newbies" when we actually bought one.
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