thinking about rving and need the pros and con

[Gary - K7GLD]

Seems that asking an RV group for "reasons" to RV, is sorta like walking into a bar to ask the bartender and other patrons for "reasons" to drink...

[richardcoxid]

Lucyloo

I think that the “renting a class A or a class C for xxx” is somewhat misleading. Both of these are MOHOs (motor homes) but are more convenient to rent. It is more difficult to rent a TT (pull trailer) or a 5W (fifth wheel) because you have to already have a Pick Up that is heavy duty enough to pull what you want to rent as well as it has to have a brake controller, hitch, wired for lights etc. However a MOHO will give you a feeling about RVing!
Then like the advice of the above posters go to RV shows, look at TTs, 5Ws Class A and Cs etc. THEY ALL have advantages/disadvantages. Stop at Rv parks close to your home and talk to the owners about their RV’s
Here is an idea- When we bought our first TT I kept a tabulation of the number/length of used ones on the RV sales lots as well as in the newspaper. I found there were many in the 18’ to 24’ and the 30’ to 36’brackets. There was a definite hole in the 24’ to 28’ range. That told me that the smaller ones were to small (unmake the dinette to go to bed at night and unmake the dinette in the AM to have a cup of coffee) and the larger ones were to difficult to tow, back into a camping spot or they drug when going a curb cut etc. So as a compromise we settled on a 26’. When we went to our first 5W I did the same tabulation except that the numbers in each bracket moved up about 4-6’, about the length of the TT tongue.
RVing is a life style! When setting up your camp site if you want to meet your neighbors, raise the hood get out a few tools, make it look like you are having trouble and I will guarantee that in a few minutes there will be 5 men- are you having trouble?, I used to be a mechanic, I have some tools, I used to have this same model etc.
BTY- how long has it been since you meet your neighbors in a Motel?
Let us know how/what you come up with!

[swamphog]

we too will be going FT, we find its enjoyable, relaxing, no yard work, very little house work, cheaper, but most of all, seeing the country & meeting people out there.
as it was mention, don't listen to the salemen, listen to the husbands & wives out there, they are the ones doing it, the salemen don't care about you, they just want your money, but the FT RV'ers, will share the pros & cons, reserch is the key, once you decide if you decide to FT RVing, your research of adventure just began, where to go, what to see, what to do, it has been mention in this tread B-4, you can live two ways, spending all your money and be broke in a short time or do it right, see the sights that are offering discounts after certain hours, or free, don't go out each day to see things, the best thing about FT RVing is you are living in the area for awhile and living the cultrul in that area. and alone time, something I have not seen mention, there are times when my DW wants "alone time" think we all need that, take walks meet people and play cards w/ the guys or go fishing , bike riding so she can have alone time she needs a break from you as well as you need one from her too.
make the plans together, decide to use the back roads ( caution of low bridges) or the interstate, how far to travel, each day, yeah its fun we do one month per year with the wife, I do two months each yr and the DW meets me each weekend, this is the 1st yr we won't be doing . there are more pros then cons but its what you put in it. Renting an Rv is the best thing you can do, but there is no need to be hundreds of miles away, but do go someplace that you never been B-4 or perhaps a place you would like to go back, while in the CG ( camp ground) look for signs of FT RV'ers, look for the sticker of IRV2, or signs like there name and home state ,as most would say, anyplace USA. alot of us out there are friendly, been camping /rving for 40's, meet maybe a total of 9 mean people , no big deal, walk away, ( some of the seasonal perament campers can be this way) but remeber some folks don't open up and talk right away.all in all, do what you two decide, buy what you two can afford, RVing FT, isn't about mine is bigger then yours or newer its seeing, meeting, enjoying, and freedom. good luck on your choices

[Vegasdan]

It's virtually impossible to rent trailers or 5rs, and as already stated, would require you to do some modifications to your pickup. By renting a smaller class C, you'll get the same experience of camping and all of the living experiences you'll find in a tow behind. The C is easy to drive around and could eliminate the need for a second vehicle for this purpose.

[JMonroe]

What they said. I would be hesitant to invest in a new rig until I was certain the roaming life was for me. I think the advice to maybe look at something 3 to 5 years old is good. All the bugs should be worked out and you'll be surprised at how low mileage you can find. Most rigs are used for occasional weekend outings and vacation trips, not for full time use. Should you change your mind you'll get a larger percentage of your smaller investment back on resale, or if you fall in love with the lifestyle and want to move up, same principle applies.

That said, not knowing what kind of a time line you are on, I also agree with the advice to find a BIG rally, one that will have rigs of all sizes and price points to view, all in one spot. For most of us living outside the southern snowbird regions, we're lucky to have one or two 'decent' dealers within a few hundred miles of us.

This rally, coming up in July, will have it all... The Rally 2010: The Greatest RV Rally in North America.

[JimM68]

BTY- how long has it been since you meet your neighbors in a Motel?


That line says a lot to me. We started RVing last year, mostly because our best friends (who live 2000 miles away) do also. We hooked up with them on a month long vacation last year, and are doing so again in about 4 weeks (gawd I can't wait!!!) Everywhere we go in our motorhome, we meet people. We talk to people. strike up conversations. Compare rigs, discuss destinations, even share meals. Campers are good people. fun people. easy people to get to know, and to enjoy.

[Seajay]

Here is my ''nickles worth'' ......
One. Why the heck you selling your ''sticks and bricks'' all of a sudden and considering going ''full time''?????? Stop and think ..... You can lock your house and tell a neighbor to watch your stuff while you try some Rving.
Two. Word to the wise. Buying a motor home to save money traveling is like buying a Bass boat to save money on the fish you eat. ....
Three. Like so many others have said ... You will meet the nicest folks camping that you have ever met in your life. Camping is fun and it is a good way to spend a lot of time. Willa and I usually spend about five to seven months per year ''on the road''. We still have our house cause we would hate to sell all our ''stuff'' and go full time.
Four. The idea of renting a small ''c'' class is a good one. Take a short trip and get a ''feel for'' Rving. Remember this . It is a whole nother life style. You and your misses are gonna be ''jammed up together in something that is probably smaller than your living room'' and that takes some getting use to.
Five..... Before you buy find a person that has owned a motor home for a while to go with you so he can ask all the right questions. Do not be shy about asking hard questions about a coach. Its your money and you are going to be ''stuck'' with what you buy.
Six..... Motor homes or any camping devise is a of things that can break or quit working at the least convent time and new or used .. ALL OF THEM GIVE TROUBLE AT SOME TIME ....this is the nature of the beast so be prepared for it.
Seven. My advise to you is dont JUMP IN... Wade in slowly. Rent something for a week or so and taste the water first. Look around and see what is available for sale at dealer lots and for goodness sake look at units for sale by individuals. I have got some real bargins from folks in financial trouble or due to health issues they had to ''sell the coach''....
Camping is about the most fun you can have with your clothes on and you can get hooked on it real quick or you can find you hate the whole mess real quick also. Most of all... DO NOT SELL YOUR STICKS AND BRICKS BEFORE YOU TRY CAMPING.......
If you use any of these suggestions you will have to pay me ten cents for my learned advise cause learning all this has costed me a fortune and I need to defray some of the costs. Also ,,,,,,, you must pay me the next time you see me if you use any of this advise.
Good luck ......
Seajay the sailor man ...
God bless our troops and bring them home soon and safe
God bless our vets .. ALL GAVE SOME .... SOME GAVE ALL

[Dave and Jaime]

Originally Posted by Elkhartjim

I'm not sure of the logic behind this post.

I think the poster was simply trying to say CARPE DIEM ("seize the day") because life is short.

[Half Dimes]

Lucyloo,
No idea what part of the country you're in, but check the regional forums on this site and see if any iRV2 folks are having a rally nearby. You don't need to have a rig. Post that you want to come and throw a couple of lawnchairs in the back of the car. Show up when they're having a campfire and ask some questions and see what kind of answers you get.

If it's like any of the rallies we've been to, you'll want to run out and get a rig afterward. Not necessarily to full-time mind you, but just to get out there.

[jemma112]

Originally Posted by Bill Adams

I wanted to RV and I had no idea if my little Princess would like it at all (not a real bug fan to start) so we rented a Class A RV for a long weekend. Well, I dang near couldn't get her out when the weekend was over. We then rented 2 more RV's (another Class A and a Class C), took a couple more trips, thought about the good and bad of each type and made a choice. We knew we wanted a Class A but the choices are endless. After you rent a couple and take a couple of trips you should see if you can find a large RV show with multiple RV manufacturers represented. DO YOUR HOMEWORK and find an RV with a floor-plan that makes sense for your lifestyle and meets your needs. We turned from part timers into full-timers in 1997 (not the original plan) and we have never been happier!
Talk to everyone you can. Visit every RV dealer you can find. Talk to your spouse and listen to what you spouse says. Be sure that the reverse is true as well. Sometimes you may hit an impasse, a real deal breaker. Do not blow this off as it could make your future RVing life miserable. There are sometimes certain things that are simply non-negotiable. If you happen to run into one of these issues, be sure that it is resolved before going forward.
Oh, by the way, ALL RV DEALERS WILL LIE TO YOU! If they say the RV comes with heated floors, be sure they demonstrate the feature before you buy. Ensure you do this with every single feature and/or option BEFORE you sign anything so you do not have any remorse after the sale.
I hope you do make the choice of becoming an RVer as I think most RVers have a great life. There is so much to see and do here in the US that I sometimes regret having taken so many oversees vacations when I could have been discovering the beauty that is found right here under our noses!

Do you have children or grandchildren? Don't you miss them while you're traveling? That's one of the things I'm most worried about.

[Vegasdan]

Originally Posted by jemma112

Do you have children or grandchildren? Don't you miss them while you're traveling? That's one of the things I'm most worried about.

Our kids and grandkids are scattered all over. That's one of the reasons we are going full time. We get to see all of em, and we will stay until the food runs out.

[WeBeGone2]

Thank you Dave and Jamie... That is exactly what I was trying to get across. I bought our M/H three years ago with the plan to work out the bugs for several years before we departed on the 'great adventure'. Our 'great adventure' turned out to be stage II bladder cancer (me). She left and now I am alone. Made it past 'D' day and still going strong. So you see, maybe you don't want to spend the time renting a RV and thinking long and hard about what is the 'perfect' mode of transport. Might you just want to go for it? I think yes.
See you at the Good Sam Rally in Louisville in July . Grey and Black/Gold Endeavor with Viet Nam Vet plate on front. Located in lot 1.
See Ya...

[Rom]

lucyloo: you are getting a lot of insightful, informative and useful advices here from our fellow members. Digest them all and use the information provided. I wish I've known about this forum when I started this enjoyable lifestyle. Maybe I could've been more smarter in my dealings with the proverbial RV salespeople.

[richardcoxid]

Don’t ever purchase an RV to save money, not that you can’t save money but like I said previously- “RVing is a life style”.
If you compare a fold out TT or a PU camper to a penthouse at the Biltmore Statler obviously the RV is cheaper. Conversely if you compare a $400,000 MH to motel 6 obviously the motel is cheaper, it is sort of like comparing apples to oranges. They are both fruit, only different.
Continue doing your homework!