Community Forums

cadykay · 05-11-2013, 01:31 AM

Hi my name is Kate and recently ive been working on starting my dream of taking a year to travel the country. I am interested in purchasing a Winnebago or another type of RV but i dont really know much about them. My goal was to purchase something reliable used under $10,000. I have been going onto used RV sites but ive never even been inside and RV im not sure what i should be looking at or what models would be a good first purchase. I'm 20 and cant really afford a brand new 2013 or 2014 model so I'm also not sure what questions i should be asking those who are selling. I was hoping someone on here would have some insight on a model and/or things that i might need to purchase for an RV before I begin this trip. I only need a small model as it would just be my friend, my cat and I. Any help is greatly appreciated.

rjf7g · 05-11-2013, 07:28 AM

Welcome to the forum, Kate. The first thing you have to decide is what type of camper you are going to pursue - do you want a trailer of some sorts (pop-up, hybrid, travel trailer, or 5th wheel) or a "self contained, drivable" one (class A, class B, or class C). You can't pursue a trailer unless you have something to pull it with! With a $10,000 budget and a decent car or truck, you may be able to get a new pop-up!

There are pros and cons to everything - explore this site Explore RVs Including Towable and Motorized Styles | Go RVing and think about what you can and can't do!

Enjoy!

Scooter · 05-11-2013, 07:40 AM

Reliable and under $10,000 usually don't go together. Go to various local and internet RV dealerships and look around. Use the drop-down search menu to find RV class and price that interest you. This will give you an idea. Find the RV Trader magazine or something similar for private party sales. Advertise in your local rag.

Did you want to keep the RV after your year is up?

Wolfpack Fan · 05-11-2013, 08:02 AM

Welcome to the forum Kate. As the other posters have mentioned. You'll need to decide on what kind of RV you want, towed or drivable. I'm thinking you're wanting drivable because you mentioned Winnebago and many people reference class A's as winnebago's since it's a name that's been around for years. You could definately find a reliable trailer for your price range. For drivable it would be a little tougher, but you could still find something. I've seen several class A's and class C's on Rvtrader.com that fit your budget. Whichever you decide on try to have a friend along as you're looking. If they've got rv experience that's a plus. Another good option, particularly if it's a private party sale, would be to have the rv inspected by a professional rv shop. If they seller doesn't agree to it going through a professional inspection, they may have something to hide. You'll pay a little for the inspection but you'll feel a lot more comfortable knowing there aren't big issues that will end up making your trip a bad one. Good luck with the search.

As far as what to look for yourself. If you go this website. http://changingears.com/rv-checklist-inspection.shtml you'll find a good checklist of what to look for and what to have with you when you inspect it. Things like a flashlight, mirror, etc.

cadykay · 05-12-2013, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter

Reliable and under $10,000 usually don't go together. Go to various local and internet RV dealerships and look around. Use the drop-down search menu to find RV class and price that interest you. This will give you an idea. Find the RV Trader magazine or something similar for private party sales. Advertise in your local rag.

Did you want to keep the RV after your year is up?

I may or may not keep it it all depends on the experience I have.

cadykay · 05-12-2013, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjf7g

Welcome to the forum, Kate. The first thing you have to decide is what type of camper you are going to pursue - do you want a trailer of some sorts (pop-up, hybrid, travel trailer, or 5th wheel) or a "self contained, drivable" one (class A, class B, or class C). You can't pursue a trailer unless you have something to pull it with! With a $10,000 budget and a decent car or truck, you may be able to get a new pop-up!

There are pros and cons to everything - explore this site Explore RVs Including Towable and Motorized Styles | Go RVing and think about what you can and can't do!

Enjoy!

I've been looking into class c. I've found a few on Craigslist for around $11000-$14000 that seem to be in good condition, but I've heard things about tires going bad if you don't drive the RV often enough and most of these haven't been used in over a year or 2. I currently have a 2000 Toyota 4runner, it's in good condition but it already has 167000 miles on it so I'm not sure if taking it cross country with a popup would be wise. When you go on trips where do you typically park overnight? I'm trying to get a good sense on where I would be able to park it to sleep so I can try to plan my trip accordingly. I know I won't have access to rest stops and campgrounds in all areas.

Mekanic · 05-12-2013, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadykay

I've been looking into class c. I've found a few on Craigslist for around $11000-$14000 that seem to be in good condition, but I've heard things about tires going bad if you don't drive the RV often enough and most of these haven't been used in over a year or 2. I currently have a 2000 Toyota 4runner, it's in good condition but it already has 167000 miles on it so I'm not sure if taking it cross country with a popup would be wise. When you go on trips where do you typically park overnight? I'm trying to get a good sense on where I would be able to park it to sleep so I can try to plan my trip accordingly. I know I won't have access to rest stops and campgrounds in all areas.

There is a line of small Campers trailers that is made to be easy to tow.
Take a look at hem here to see if they are something you would like
Little Guy Teardrop Trailers - Home
Those would defiantly be easier on your vehicle in hilly/mountainous areas as well.

KSCRUDE · 05-12-2013, 03:35 AM

A lot of people overnight at Walmarts from coast to coast. Could save you money on overnight campground fees. You will have to find dump stations and fresh water along the way so a campground every so often may be needed. Good luck and have fun.

Wolfpack Fan · 05-12-2013, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadykay

I've heard things about tires going bad if you don't drive the RV often enough and most of these haven't been used in over a year or 2.

Kay you'll find a ton of very informative threads on the forum regarding tires. Also, the link I provided previously for an inspection list has a section for inspection of the tires. I would encourage you to keep searching the forum, if you're not doing so already. There's a lot of useful information here and a lot of folks on the forum that are happy and willing to give advice based on their own experience. Pretty cool if you think about it, because the cumulative years of knowledge and experience you have to tap into on this forum numbers into the thousands. Do your due diligence and you'll make a smart purchase and have a great trip.