need advice on buying RV

[benluong]

I am planning to buy a NEW 30-38 feet towable RV.
My questions are:
(1) which should I buy: a 5th wheeler, a travel trailer, or a park trailer? What are their disadvantages?
(2) What truck should I buy to tow the RV?
(3) What are the costs to tow the RV to the RV park
of my choice?
(4) What are the setup and hookup costs?
(5) What's the monthly rent for a full-service RV
park in west Texas? (electric, phone, cable, sewer)
(6) Is it cheaper (exclude the cost of buying the RV)
to live in a RV park rather than renting an apartment?
(7) if I buy a lot, how much is it going to cost
me to make it RV ready so I can park my RV in
the land I bought?
(8) what model/brand of RV is recommended?

Thank you.

[benluong]

I am planning to buy a NEW 30-38 feet towable RV.
My questions are:
(1) which should I buy: a 5th wheeler, a travel trailer, or a park trailer? What are their disadvantages?
(2) What truck should I buy to tow the RV?
(3) What are the costs to tow the RV to the RV park
of my choice?
(4) What are the setup and hookup costs?
(5) What's the monthly rent for a full-service RV
park in west Texas? (electric, phone, cable, sewer)
(6) Is it cheaper (exclude the cost of buying the RV)
to live in a RV park rather than renting an apartment?
(7) if I buy a lot, how much is it going to cost
me to make it RV ready so I can park my RV in
the land I bought?
(8) what model/brand of RV is recommended?

Thank you.

[Gary RVRoamer]

The answers to your question would require an entire bookand would still end up being mostly a matter of your individual wants/needs as well as personal preference. But I'll give it a shot...

(1) which should I buy: a 5th wheeler, a travel trailer, or a park trailer? What are their disadvantages?

If you plan to set it up in some park and leave it for years, get a park model and have it deleivered to the site. Otherwise you need more mobility. A travel trailer has flat floors and is more amenable to floor plans that have multiple sleeping spaces, e.g bunks for kids. A fifth wheel will generally have only one bedroom. Fifth wheels are superior for towability, but a travel trailer tows well enough with a good hitch set-up and the proper tow vehicle.


(2) What truck should I buy to tow the RV?
Whether fifth wheel or travel trailer, a good tow vehicle is very important to your safety and comfort. You need a 3/4 or 1 ton truck (or van, if for a travel trailer) with gearing, cooling and braking intended for heavy loads. A diesel or large gas V8 is recommended for the size you are considering. You need to learn about weights and payloads - Gross Vehicle Weight and Gross Combined Weight - to select a truck that is right for the trailer you wish to buy. That's more than I can get into on this frst pass.


(3) What are the costs to tow the RV to the RV park of my choice?

By you or by a towing service? How far away is the park? What area of the country are you in? I suggest you ask a local dealer about delivery costs - they usually have contacts with Rv towing firms.

(4) What are the setup and hookup costs?
For a travel trailer or fifth wheel in a typical Rv park, they should be zero. You can do it yourself in a half hour or so, even if inexperienced. Park models may be different, depending on the park. Ask at the park(s) you have in mind.

(5) What's the monthly rent for a full-service RV park in west Texas? (electric, phone, cable, sewer)

Call and ask. It can vary tremendously, depending on location and amenities.

(6) Is it cheaper (exclude the cost of buying the RV) to live in a RV park rather than renting an apartment?

Most likely.


(7) if I buy a lot, how much is it going to cost
me to make it RV ready so I can park my RV in
the land I bought?

Depends solely on the RV park. Many will be ready to occupy, but a few may reqire some set-up. If you are taling about buying a plot of land somewhere, outside of an Rv park, you will need to add water, electric and sewage. Start by asking what local codes apply, e.g. is a septic tank permitted and what size is required for your usage. Then call some local contractors for estimates.

(8) what model/brand of RV is recommended?
Tell us more about what amenities you need/want and whether this will be full time use or wekkends and vacations. You can pretty much take your pick of RVs intended for light duty use, but if you expect to live in it nearly full time, you need one of the better-built brands with higher quality cabintery, furnishings, etc.

[rayw]

Ben

Methinks you are in a tad over your head. I would advise that if you don't have RVing experience (what a seer), visit a number of RV shows and ask, ask, ask questions. Then subscribe to a number of RV magazines. Then join the RV Consumer Group (rv.org). After about a year you may be able to answer most of the questions you posed. I am not trying to be funny or a wise guy but informed selection of RVs and tow vehicles requires a lot of information. Many of us experienced RVers start with a tent or a popup or a small trailer and learn gradually thru experience and talking with more experienced RVers at campgrounds.

Be advised that information gained from RV salespersons is not to be trusted. Not because they are dishonest but because they are in sales and most do not take the time to learn about the products they sell...

[TXiceman]

One word of advice is to rent an Rv for a week and see how you like it if you have no experience with an RV. You will get a lot of questions answered.

The suggestion to join RV.Org is good advice. You need to readup and understand the terms and how to arrive at towing weights. Above all, you can not trust 99% of the RV or truck dealers. You need to educated yourself and know more than the dealer...which is not hard to achieve.

Reading the various post on here will answer questions and probably raise as many new ones.

Good luck,
Ken

[RV Wizard]

Benluong, welcome to iRV2.com. Glad to have you here. Also to see that you are doing your homework prior to jumping in with both feet; wish more folks would do theirs. You can use the "Find" button to do a search on these topics also to see what has already been discussed on these topics. Good luck and enjoy the hunt!

[brad03ca]

Benluong, Welcome to our Forum. As you can see by the replies you received, you're in the right place. Research and Study will help you make the correct decisions

[C Driver]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Posted June 26, 2005 12:54 AM
I am planning to buy a NEW 30-38 feet towable RV.
My questions are:

(1) which should I buy: a 5th wheeler, a travel trailer, or a park trailer? What are their disadvantages?
5th Wheels and Travel Trailers are usual for travel to and from and staying at parks. A park model is designed to be in one place on a permenant basis

(2) What truck should I buy to tow the RV?
For a Park Model probably not necessary ... Otherwise do some research and make sure the tow vehicle is rated at or above the weight of the 5th Wheel or Trailer

(3) What are the costs to tow the RV to the RV park of my choice?
If you are going to get it towed to a permenant location you are probably going to pay around $1.25 a mile

(4) What are the setup and hookup costs?
Same as a home ... water, sewer and electricity

(5) What's the monthly rent for a full-service RV park in west Texas? (electric, phone, cable, sewer)
Depends on the park and amenities

(6) Is it cheaper (exclude the cost of buying the RV) to live in a RV park rather than renting an apartment?
Almost without exception yes

(7) if I buy a lot, how much is it going to cost me to make it RV ready so I can park my RV in the land I bought?
Water line and Well, sewer line and Septic system, plus a power box and meter for hookup .... Most cases you will want to use something permenant, like PVC for water and sewer. Power will probably require a special box be installed after the meter

Keep in mind that most Park Models do not have storage for water and sewer and must be hooked to an outside system. You may also have to deal with propane when and if using a fiver or TT on the site as they use it for stove and heating.

If you are never going to move the unit then a park Model is probably better suited, however if you plan to do any traveling then a fiver or TT and the correct tow vehicle are needed.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[uncle t]

i strrongly disagree with Ray who said not to trust what an rv salesman tells you not because they are dishonest ;they are just salesmen. WRONG!!!! Do not listen to them because they are all,repeat all, crooks,liars and thieves.n

[John66]

Uncle, no, not all of them.

Most have areas of ignorance they are not aware of or won't admit to.

Many will lie to some degree, and let the customer get something he does not need or doesn't really want or won't quite work.

Some are crooks and thieves.

Sorry that you have only dealt with the latter group. The one I dealt with made a few mistakes, but I don't think he lied, thieved or crooked, and when the dealership tried to pull a couple fast ones (only one was thievery), he offered to pay for them out of his own pocket.

[PhillyPat]

I don't plan on traveling. I have been at Yogi Bear in NJ for 3 years. My travel trailer (1999 Wilderness)caught fire under my sink from 12 volt backup battery shorting out when we were not there. Kitchen damaged only. So we cannot have park models at campground but we can have park trailers. Any disadvantages to
them?