My husband and I are retired, empty-nesters who are VERY interested in purchasing a RV, but we honestly have more questions than answers. Please share your wealth of information...some of the questions are...
1. pull behind or fifth wheel See #2.
2. we have a 1500 truck...is that too small A 1/2 ton, or 1500, truck is more than up to the task to pull many Travel Trailers, and a few fifth wheels. The majority of 5th wheels are too heavy, in weight and pin weight (what sits on the truck bed) for a 1/2 ton truck. Unless you plan on upgrading your tow vehicle, I would focus my search on travel trailers. Be sure you know your truck's capacities before you begin shopping. If you post more specifics on your actual truck model you'll be able to get better advice on the truck's capabilities.
Also, whatever route you go, be sure to have a proper hitch set up with weight distribution and anti-sway systems.
3. should we buy new or used You can typically get better deals on used, but you are then potentially inheriting someone else's problems. It's a great way to go to save money if you think you are qualified to perform a thorough inspection, or if you know someone with the knowledge to do so for you.
4. what brands should we look for or avoid That's somewhat a loaded question...as opinions vary greatly depending on what people own. I've never owned one, but most owners of Jayco trailers will give positive opinions. but, there are a lot of brands that have fans.
5. do they leak As a rule, no. If a trailer leaks then it has issues. I'm on my 3rd RV (pop up, trailer, and now a motorhome) and have never had a leak. If you buy new, this should not be an issue as any leak would be a factory defect or caused by damage in transit, in either case you wouldn't buy that unit or, if noticed after sale, would be covered under warranty. These cases should be extremely rare! For a used trailer, a THOROUGH inspection, in particular in the front and rear corners, should identify any leaks. You would likely see evidence of sponginess in the walls, ceiling and/or floors. If you ever see this while shopping, RUN AWAY.
6. what features are a must....what are a waste That depends a lot on the type of camping you plan on doing. One thing almost everyone would agree on is to select a floorplan with slides. They extend out and provide a HUGE amount of floorspace when camping. Floorplan is the biggest determining factor to most on whether an RV will work for them or not, and only you can determine that. Walk through lots of them before making any decisions. Some will feel right, some won't fit your lifestyle. Also, make sure anything you buy has enough storage, both inside and underneath the unit. As you walk through a unit, imagine yourself living in it for a week or more. Where would you put your dishes and food? Is there enough space to hang clothes and put sweaters and such in drawers? Is the shower big enough for you? this sounds odd...but sit on the toilet. Is there enough leg room? Things like that can make a trailer work or not.
And ... since we obviously don't know what we're doing....what questions should we be asking ourselves and the sales people? You should make sure you don't overpay! A big mistake newbies make is to not negotiate well enough. Unlike with autos, there isn't a lot of comparative data online to help you, although there is some. if buying new, you can always negotiate a big percentage off MSRP. These days it is not uncommon to see folks paying 30% off of MSRP. Some even more depending on the model. Before signing on the dotted line, take the time to go home and ask folks on this site, or on RV.net forum, for advice. You could literally save yourself thousands of dollars by getting the right information.
Thanks
my husband and I have just retired several months ago. I'm also in Alabama. My husband and I went to just look at a Jayco dealer. Well we bought a fifth wheel. It was just right for us.It had a room with four bunks for the four grandchildren. We have taken it out twice.
