RV Research before purchase!

Where to start?

When we decided to do our adventure we had already rented a RV (another adventure - what not to do) and know a little bit about RV's.

So you need to do research before purchase!

RV's come in three classes, A, B, and C.

Class A:

These are the big boys, Motor Homes. Anything over 20 feet. Self contained and some have all the amenities. From sleeping four adults to full bath tubs, large screen TV's, and on and on.

Class B

These are your van conversions, you can use them as a everyday vehicle, then load it up on the week end and go RVing!

Class C

These are the small to 20 feet motor homes.

Sleep from up to 4 adults, self contained and usually are on a small truck chassis and the home section attached at the back of the cab. Some have bathrooms and showers, refrigerator, water tanks, and air conditioning.

Trailers and Pickup Camper

Trailers run from the small collapsible to the 5th wheel monster that takes a truck to tow them. Then there are the self contained camper that slides in to the bed of a pickup truck. These also run from the basic to some that are very well equipped. The larger ones take a pickup that has dual tires on the rear.

What are your needs?

This is where you say:

I want to cook/prepare what I eat. I want to sleep in my own bed. I want to watch TV when I stop for the night. I want my kids to be able to play with more space than the back seats of a van.

Or maybe you don't like sleeping on the ground when you go fishing over the week end. Or maybe you want to take your RV to a site away from the madding crowd on the weekends at your favorite place in the Mountains.

How long do you plan on being in the RV.

Do you plan on using the RV on week ends during the summer? Or maybe using it for your summer vacation to go to different National Parks. Or maybe you plan on seeing America when you retire (like me!)

How far are you going to go?

Now it comes down to how far you plan to go. Say you live in North East and want to go to Disney World on a week or two vacation. Now you have to drive from up north to the south, say 1200 miles (a guess) and you plan on driving eight to ten hours a day, and can average 65 miles per hour. That means it will take you two or two and a half days to get there. You need to drive the RV before you put your money down, you may not like the way it rides or handles. Or the seat may not be comfortable for you and even adjusting it doesn't make it any better. (See my renting a RV).

How much can you afford to pay?

Remember unless you are going to live in this RV it is a luxury. By that I mean you will only be using it occasionally. Do you want to tie up a large chunk of capital in a second home that you can't rent? (well I don't think you would want to rent it). Because that is what a motor home is, a second home, it just has the ability to go places!

When we decided to do this adventure we looked at our income, our savings, and how much we would have to live on. We figured out how much we can spend on the vehicle, how much my retirement is, and my additional income from my publications, doing the research before purchase.

Whoa, not much there. But we will make it work because we want too!

Class A and C towing:

Do you want to tow a car/pickup or a boat? Maybe a small trailer with the 'stuff you can't leave behind'?

Some RV's don't have the extra power to tow a medium size car let alone a boat.