Pondering First RV Purchase

[RickO]

Hello...
I'm Rick and my wife is Nancy. We've recently retired and are loving it! We have decided that RVing for several months a year is something we want to do. We have little or no experience. We are reading everything we can get our hands on to educate ourselves and this forum has been great and I'd like to solicit advice.

We believe that we want a Class A because it seems to fit us better than other options. I also believe that we ultimately want to have a DP. My thinking at this point is that I don't want to make the investment that a DP requires until we're sure that RVing is for us.

So, our current plan is to purchase a used gas Class A this spring and take it cross country. Following that, if we like it as much as we think we are going to, trade up to a DP.

My two primariy questions are: 1) does this make sense... and 2) what are the pros/cons of buying a DP new vs used.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thank!

RickO

[RickO]

Hello...
I'm Rick and my wife is Nancy. We've recently retired and are loving it! We have decided that RVing for several months a year is something we want to do. We have little or no experience. We are reading everything we can get our hands on to educate ourselves and this forum has been great and I'd like to solicit advice.

We believe that we want a Class A because it seems to fit us better than other options. I also believe that we ultimately want to have a DP. My thinking at this point is that I don't want to make the investment that a DP requires until we're sure that RVing is for us.

So, our current plan is to purchase a used gas Class A this spring and take it cross country. Following that, if we like it as much as we think we are going to, trade up to a DP.

My two primariy questions are: 1) does this make sense... and 2) what are the pros/cons of buying a DP new vs used.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thank!

RickO

[MCPO Ret]

Rick,
That's the exact path we took. Bought a 1996 Thor Residency, 460 Ford with tag axel and 2 slides. Searched for quite a while and found this one on ebay. Wanted to try it out and see what we wanted or didn't want in the future without spending 200k. Actually bought ours for $32k, put new tires on it and did some tinkering - all in all investment less than $34k. We have put about 18,000 miles on it in two years and no problems to speak of. Been to Texas, Florida a couple of times and many trips to PA, VA, MD, DE, NC and such. We will be stepping up later this year and going full time - we pretty much know what we want in a new rig and almost hate to get rid of the current one. Definately the way to go IMHO. Enjoy.

["007"]

Welcome RickO to irv2.
Just to help you in "FIND" just above you you can input as many questions as you like.
Also to get started go to New Rig Show-off forum and the top Topics may help you also.
We have major MFG's where you can post also with links to new models and dealers.
The chassis forums will be helpful also.
Well thats alot of doing you will find many people here to help also so enjoy and post often because your doing the right thing looking for the answers now and not when it might to late.

[RickO]

Thanks so much to Bill/Brenda and OO7.

It's a switch for me not to be in the "Ready, Fire, Aim" mode!

[ncason]

Hello Rick and Nancy.

I also spent many months on this site doing research before we bought our retirement rig. I (Nancy) did the research the husband listened until his ears hurt.

we had a Class C then a Class A and went to a 5th wheel and Ford 250 truck. That decision was based on best value. A truck was a necessity anyway, the fiver offered the most physical space. However, I still miss my Class A. I love riding down the road in my motorhome with the bathroom and the kitchen always at hand.

As far a diesel pusher versue gasoline. It boils down to personal preference and resale value and how many mountains you will be traveling through. For now we will stay with the 5th wheel and who knows maybe move up to one with a king size bed. My husband is 6'3" about 200lb and likes to sprawl out plus we added a cat. My cat and still a d_ _ _ _ cat who likes to take up all my leg room at night.

Have fun with the RV lifestyle you will only meet great and interesting people of all types.
N

[RickO]

Thanks Nancy! Sounds a lot like us. We'll be traveling with our two dogs... one of which lets us sleep on her bed!

I think we're on the same page regarding a class A vs fiver. We know we'll be towing a toad but really want that feeling of having everything accessible as well as the panoramic view of a class A. I even get ahead of myself at times focusing on DPs with the one piece (panavision) windshields!

Thanks again!
RickO

[MonacoMama]

Welcome Rick to IRV2. You will find plenty of info here on the board. We are not far from you...in Sacramento. May I recommend visiting Jon at DeMartini RV in Grass Valley or visiting their website here They tend to be very patient with people...which can be very refreshing in this type of business.

We have been RVing since 1988. We are on our third (and last) RV. I might consider renting one if I were you. This way-you get the feel of RVing without that first initial investment. If you decide that this is what you like - then buy the one you will want to have for a long time. The investment in buying one and getting rid of it in a short period of time is like flushing money down the toilet, IMO.
Our first two RVs were gas. We now have a DP and we would never consider going back to gas.

Hope this has helps you...

[RickO]

Thanks much MonacoMama. Actually, DeMartini's in Sacramento was the 2nd dealer we visited and we found them to be very easy to talk to. From what I've read on this and other forums, they seem to be an excellent DP dealer.

We actually started with the plan to rent an RV for our trip this summer. Problem was that finding someone who would accept two dogs was tough and at any rate it was going to cost us between $10K and $15K to rent a Class A for two months. That's how we got to thinking that if we limited our initial investment to under $50K or so, we would probably be able to trade in or sell it after a few months for less overall expense.

Thanks again and if anyone knows of rental opportunities I've missed please advise.

[MonacoMama]

What type of dogs do you have?

[RickO]

A 10 year old "Westie"... 14lbs, and a 22lb Sheltie.

[MonacoMama]

I will keep my ears open for anyone around here who will rent their RV for 2 months with those size dogs. Our Sheltie had been the best dog we ever owned and he loved to go in the RV. Our two min pins that we have now also love to travel in the RV. What two months are you planning to travel?

you may also want to consider just renting for two weeks. That may be a long enough trip to see if the two of you can survive traveling together. (An aquaintance of mine took a short trip with spouse and found they could never travel for any length of time behind the wheel of any type of vehicle)

[RickO]

Thanks again. You've given us a lot to think about.

[PhilnJune]

You are on the right track Bill , There is nothing wrong with quality used MHs, Gas or DP in fact you might be further ahead to go Used and let sombody else suffer the Depreciation Blues. I have Gas now and have never had a problem with it being underpowered in any circumstance we will probably trade up to a used DP soon but more to do with features rather then power. Check this site for reference.
http://www.motorhomesusa.com/used.htm

Phil