What am I about to do?

[HeyHeyJJ]

Long story short... I love camping but always tent camping. The better half won't even think of sleeping in a tent. On a whim, we checked out RV's over Labor Day weekend as we had nothing else to do. Now we are seriously looking at the possibility of buying an RV. But I know absolutely nothing about RV's, maintenance, what to look for, etc. There seems to be so much information.

We have a few models that we like and and have an appointment to check them out this weekend. But in reading some reviews, it just seems to be very unhappy people. It also appears that some people have complaints about their RV when it really may be a dealer issue. So the more I research, the more confused I am.

[Brob]

I buy older RVs and fix them up myself.

For us it's a wonderful lifestyle. I'm sure that the reason you hear mostly the bad is because people are more likely to air their complaints online, while the satisfied are at a campground having fun.

You'll find many helpful people on this site who enjoy the RV lifestyle and are willing to share their experiences.

[rapid rick]

Short answer,
It sounds like, on a whim, you are about to embark on one of the most stressful and financially unsound decisions of your life. Research extensively and learn how to repair most systems yourself BEFORE even thinking about purchasing any RV,period......
Or just pick the floor plan you like and hope for the best........and live with the consequences, best of luck to you on your decision.

[saddlesore]

Keep in mind..
Your 1st coach is a learning tool..
When You tour/view "In Person" any perspective coach..
View it First with all slides retracted,
If the coach is fully usable without the slides extended, then give it a second look.
(Think wally-docking,rest areas,truckstops...any where that you cannot/do not have room for the slides to be extended)

BUY USED! & buy one with everything you "think" you want and will need..
As You will make mistakes and have booboo's We all have.....(sometimes more than twice..)
Within a year or two you will discover..about the RV

What you love about the RV...
What you can kinda-sorta tolerate with the RV..
And what you absolutely hate about that !@#$%^%$#@! RV.
Then you can go get what you should have gotten in the first place..
Happy Hunting

[Skip426]

JMHO!

Rent the type of RV you think you'd like .

The RV lifestyle is great , but not for everyone .

Make sure you enjoy being an RVer before you spend big $$$$.

[rapid rick]

I AGREE 100% with SKIP426 ^^

[TonyDi]

The suggestion to rent a couple of different types of RVs is a good idea. You'll get a feel for what is best for you. Take your time and try to locate a couple of RV associations/clubs near you. Join one and talk with the members. You'll get a lot of guidance, RVers love to talk about their rigs.

Let us know if we can help you.

Happy Trails!

[Gordon Dewald]

Find the floorplan that best fits your needs. Don't know?

Go to several dealer lots and ditch the salesman. Go sit in different units and role play. Is there room to lay out a hobby for a couple days if the weather is bad? Is there room to cook comfortably? Can you relax without having to move so someone can go by? Can you watch the game or a movie while another game or movie are playing? Do you fit on the bed or in the shower?

How are you planning/imagining you will use the unit? Mostly full hookups or mostly off grid?

Find the unit that best fits what you think you will need and then start looking for that layout in various manufacturers products.

If you buy used make sure you do the due diligence. There are many units out their that have been mistreated and abused because their owners were unaware or unwilling to perform the maintenance.

[momdoc]

Welcome. You are joining good group of folks here with good info to share.


I agree to rent a couple of units for some weekend trips to see if the RV lifestyle "fits" you. If so then start your serious search. Others are also correct in that your first RV is a training tool, so pick one with most of the stuff you think you want and see how it fits your needs.
Good luck and enjoy the adventure.

[MSHappyCampers]

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

I would consider buying a gently used RV, maybe three or four years old. That way, (hopefully) someone else has gone through the hassle of getting the bugs out and taken that depreciation hit. JMHO


Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

[Cooperhawk]

Originally Posted by HeyHeyJJ

It also appears that some people have complaints about their RV when it really may be a dealer issue. So the more I research, the more confused I am.

Keep in mind that there are over two hundred thousand members on this forum, and when someone is unhappy about their RV, this is where they vent. Take it with a grain of salt so they say.

Get a floor plan that suits you. Have children? Make sure there are enough beds to go around. Even new ones have some gripes, so don't expect perfection right away.

Decide how much you want to pay and then look any RV you are thinking of purchasing closely. Run all the systems. Heat, AC, plumbing, frig, Genset if there is one.

It might also help to get the help of a friend that is familiar with RVs.

Just take your time and go and have fun.

[Msmoto]

It may be of some benefit to figure out what your budget is. Then, how many days you will use the RV each year along with where you want to go.... miles driven per year.

Costs differ extensively for the type you decide upon. If purchased new, a motorhome can be as expensive as my 2010 Tiffin Allegro Bus... after selling it with 51,000 miles, total cost per mile was ...... $3.25. But if I had purchased a used one, this would have decreased to about half of that.

Tow behinds... e.g., an Airstream, purchased used, at 40 - 50% off the new MSRP, after three years may have nearly the same value as when purchased if cared for properly.

Big tow behinds require big tow vehicles, lots of money there as well.

So, figure how much you want to spend.... then do the rental try out, and after that you are at least a partially informed buyer.

[Forkyfork]

If you are still employed will you have time to use it. My husband and I have 3 days off so we can get in 2 nights of camping at least. We go every other week.

Ask your budget what it can afford to put out monthly. Maintenance and repairs averages 200-1000 a month depending on what needs repairing, maintaining and simply fixing up to meet your needs better. The more you can do yourself the better off you are. Gas is cheaper to maintain than a diesel. My Mech is a diesel mechanic so I got that straight from the horses mouth. I have a gasser. For all the short trips we do right now it works out best for us.

Then there is the cost of using it. If you get a trailer do you have a tow vehicle already? What are that vehicles limits. If you don’t have one decide what you want in a trailer, before you buy it, price out the cost of the tow vehicle. After you recover from sticker shock then get realistic about what you really need. I ended up getting a class A.

Gas costs. This thread really puts things in perspective. http://www.irv2.com/forums/f90/best-...st-410504.html

Then there are camping costs. There aren’t a lot of boondocking options where we live now. We usually stay at the COE and state parks. We splurge twice a year and go to Myrtle beach twice a year in the off season. I think this season we spent $600 at least camping.

[Sco70ttie]

Welcome to IRV2. Check out RV.org. They rate RVs and have information on the selection and dealing process. Good RV hunting.