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Old 06-11-2017, 07:42 AM   #1
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New to motorhomes. Questions.

Hello all,

I have never owned a motor home before. I am close to retirement and looking to travel when I retire. I am interested in a class A motor home.

Can I use my car licence to drive a class A?

Since this is my first motor home purchase, would I be better off getting a smaller one to start?

Any recommendations on manufactures and models to look at?

I am looking to purchase a low mileage used motor home.

Thank you
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Old 06-11-2017, 07:54 AM   #2
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Test drive a few before you buy. That way you will have a good idea of what you are comfortable with. Maybe even take an rv driving course.
Good luck, and happy Rving!
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Old 06-11-2017, 08:05 AM   #3
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Lots has been written on your issues. Many start by trying to buy what they want in the long run but few succeed. I would add that since you plan to buy used, get a good professional inspection of any MH you are considering. As to size, it would certainly be easier to learn to drive first on a smaller Class A, but that of course means having a smaller one and then having to upgrade unless you decide to stay with the smaller one. This all depends on your wants, desires and most importantly the one no one can make for you, your decisions. Good luck with it whatever way you decide to go.
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Old 06-11-2017, 08:18 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike_Wayne View Post
Hello all,

I have never owned a motor home before. I am close to retirement and looking to travel when I retire. I am interested in a class A motor home.

Can I use my car licence to drive a class A?

Since this is my first motor home purchase, would I be better off getting a smaller one to start?

Any recommendations on manufactures and models to look at?

I am looking to purchase a low mileage used motor home.

Thank you
Yes in most states you can use your car license, some have restrictions on large MH
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Old 06-11-2017, 08:36 AM   #5
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Glad to have you here in the forum with us.

Licensing varies by state I would check with DMV to get the answer. If your state does not require a special license then you'll be good in all states.

So many people say to start small and work your way up. I disagree. You have a depreciating asset and you will always be selling at a loss. Learning to drive a larger coach is something that with training will come relatively quick. Rent first to find out what your needs are and what you will be comfortable with. Then decide.

Happy Trails!!!
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Old 06-11-2017, 01:36 PM   #6
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As said. Rent first. We rented a Class C and knew that that's not what we wanted. Visit different dealers. Attend RV shows. Floor plan is very important. We did buy a used rig before our the one we purchased new. After a couple of years in the used one we had a better idea about what was really important to us. Good news is my wife has not seen another coach she would trade ours for. Take your time. Ask any and all questions you can come up with.
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Old 06-11-2017, 01:42 PM   #7
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Licensing will depend on your home state requirements. My first motorhome, after some 20 years with TT's was a new 17' Type B in 1988, then a new 25' Type C in 1997, then a new 35' Type A in 1998, then a new 38' Type A diesel pusher in 2000, then a new 2002 40' Type A Diesel pusher and now the used 45' Diesel Pusher in 2015.

See a pattern there?
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Old 06-11-2017, 02:43 PM   #8
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Hi Mike! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

Once you set a budget figure for the RV you can go to RVTrader.com and do a search under the classification you are interested int, i.e. Class A, and put in the price you're looking for. They will show you all that are available in that price range, thus giving you an idea of what you have to choose from.

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!
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Old 06-11-2017, 03:49 PM   #9
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I agree with TonyDi above. Get the one you feel you will be happy with for a long time.
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Old 06-11-2017, 06:04 PM   #10
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Another hint I can give you is check web sites that show floor plans. think about what you would like ie where is the kitchen, free standing dining or dinett, driver's door or not, big or small bedroom, etc, etc.
I looked at PPL's site as well as others until I found the floorplan we love. Then it's the hunting that takes place. I looked for nearly 2 years until I found one that had the right price! We already had a great rig, so weren't in a big hurry.
Good luck and happy hunting!
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Old 06-11-2017, 11:49 PM   #11
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this place is great

Safe travels
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Old 06-11-2017, 11:55 PM   #12
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As the owner of a smaller 28 ft class A, let me say, don't let size scare you. I bought my first class A motorhome last year, I had decided I wanted a small class A for various reasons, maneuverability in tight spaces was one. But now that I have a few months and a few thousand miles under my belt, I can say that particularly on the road height and width are far more of an issue than length itself is. Getting in and out of parking lots, campgrounds, side streets, etc. may be a different matter, but this should not stop you from buying the size motorhome you otherwise want. Length is not the only factor that effects low speed maneuverability, wheel base and wheel cut also factor in.

This does not mean I want to go out and buy a 45 ft diesel pusher, as I like being able to fit into state and national park campgrounds, many of which have a 30 ft max size limit (at least on paper), but if the need were to come up to drive a large diesel pusher across the country it would not terrify me now.
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Old 06-12-2017, 07:53 AM   #13
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Mike,
There is no simple or single answer to your question due to the many variables such as your budget, prior experiences, preferences and even your location. I went through much the same thing a few years ago when nearing retirement so I'll go over my decision process and influencing factors but your mileage WILL vary so you'll have to adjust for your situation.

I chose a large, used, high-quality class-A diesel pusher; a 2005 43ft Newmar Mountain Aire.

Our plan was to travel extensively for a number of years, crossing both Canada and the US. To accomplish this I felt a large rig would provide better longterm comfort and a larger tag axle diesel would be better suited to long miles and traveling in whatever type of conditions the road presented. In my earlier years I had driven fueling tankers, large semi-trailer rigs, and even a bus, so vehicle size did not intimidate me.

I had dropped my licensing for large vehicles many years ago so I did have to do some driver's license upgrading for my area. You will find that your requirements will vary depending upon the type of vehicle, its size and your location. In my area I did not have to upgrade my base driver's license class (5) - a license for passenger cars and light trucks. Due to my MH having air brakes, I did have to get an Air Ticket Endorsement added. Though I had prior air experience, our regulations here required me to take a 2 1/2 day Air-Ticket course at an accredited driving school and pass both a written and practical examination. Though required, the coarse was a waste of time as only the smallest fraction actually applied to the air brake system on today's coaches, but that's another story.

We considered buying new and used. I had an idea what I wanted equipment wise and that ruled out new for us as my wish list was in what is called the "luxury coach" group and a new one in that category was not in our budget so we looked at older luxury coaches.

We looked at a number of luxury MH brands and models; Newell, Newmar, Monaco and more. We actually found one that appeared to suit our needs, located in Florida. Since we live near Vancouver, BC, I contracted an RV inspector and a mobile mechanic to thoroughly check it over before I flew out to do my own inspection. It turned out that the professional inspections were good value for their cost as they relieved a number of problems, some with a high monetary impact. This was for a Monaco and in looking at repair costs I also become very aware of the problems associated with manufacturers that are no longer in business or have sold out to another party. This experience helped narrow my search down to a small number of stable manufacturer that are owned and operated by the same people now as when the coach was built.

We eventually found the coach we have today and although we have had to do a few repairs, the cost has been substantially less than if we'd purchased one several years newer.

As for mileage, you will find that many motorhomes do not rack up a lot of miles and if you are looking at a diesel rig, the miles do not play a significant part in the decision as the power train is designed to go well over 1/2 a million miles. Of course, it is rattling down the road all that time and that is where a quality built coach like a Newmar makes its value evident.

Good luck.
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