Looking for input on buying an RV

[Grendalynn]

hello! I'm looking for some advice, input and insight from my friends on The Dis. DH and I are kicking the idea around about buying a motor home, RV, or what have you. We both come from families that were/are campers and grew up vacationing and camping, and at ft wilderness no less! Not to mention that our 3 boys are excited about the idea!

So, I am looking for some advice and insight from veteran camper/RV owners. And those "I wish I knew then, what I know now" stories.... We won't be buying new this time, and will be going with a class A size. DH is a truck driver and can drive a big rig easily - so size doesn't matter !! We are looking at gas vs diesel, age and mileage, and do on...

I have been wanting a DVC membership for some time, but will agree to disagree by buying a motorhome and getting to go to FW each year or every other, not to mention other great family adventures along the way!

Thanks in advance!

 

[5stljayhawks]

we passed on DVC from cost and dues. Went with nice camper that can be used anywhere without worries about points. If you go class A what are you driving when you get there? go diesel.
The rest of it comes down to budget and what you get - $500, $50 or $5K.

Do you plan on taking or having any family members visit while on the road? AKA extra sleeping spaces - bunks or pull outs. Also how long do you plan on being on the road? 1 Wk or 10 weeks at time?

SP

 

[Bishoparc]

I can't comment with years of experience but the wife and I just bought a used 1990 class A to have as a project. We wanted something affordable to get our feet wet and make sure we both liked it without spending a ton of money. She comes from a camping family, I on the other hand don't. The best thing you can do, whatever you get, is keep it covered, protected, and maintained.

We've looked at several of them at RV places and I would say don't totally turn off a Class C. The Class C's today are huge and usually considerably more affordable.

I know my advice is all stuff you already know but just wanted to wish you good luck and happy camping!

 

[2goofycampers]

Buy exactly what you want the first time. Buy diesel if you will be traveling over mountains or towing with it.

 

[garneska]

We just bought ours last year. My DH was a camping person, i was not. I do love the RV. We have a class A diesel. Make sure you know where you are going to put it before you buy it. I can't keep mine on property. I found an indoor storage place about 30 from my house (all the outdoor places were filled up). It's expensive but i love that it is stored indoors and since i called ahead of time i knew how much it would be. Also check around where there is a mechanic to fix things. Again I got lucky and there is a decent (this is my second time using him) place that is between storage facility and my house to have work done. My only problem with him is he can get very busy. I called well in advance for our yearly maintenance. However the first time we went was right before a trip, we thought we had a safety issue and he squeezed us in to make sure. My two cents on things to consider.

If you are still in at this point things to consider is the floor plan. Honestly almost every manufacturer has similar ones so decide what you like. For instance i don't like the kitchen being right behind the cockpit. i don't want to hear the fridge and i think it takes away from captain chairs use in the living room. For others they might like that the kitchen is close to easily get something while traveling. i also prefer the mid bath, why because i don't want a half bath and full bath. A lot of plans with the full bath in the back have a half bath, you have boys you might prefer that, but for me with two of us i don't want a half bath. Another thing to clean and another thing that can leak.

Hope that helps.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Seems to be a lot of good deals on used Class A units, if youre husband is a driver he knows what to look for. Buy as much as you can possibly afford since they always seem to shrink after you get all your stuff in them.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Remember:

1) RV's are like boats and motorcycles.
2) You always wish you had bought a bigger one as your first purchase.

 

[North of Mouse]

hello! I'm looking for some advice, input and insight from my friends on The Dis. DH and I are kicking the idea around about buying a motor home, RV, or what have you. We both come from families that were/are campers and grew up vacationing and camping, and at ft wilderness no less! Not to mention that our 3 boys are excited about the idea!

So, I am looking for some advice and insight from veteran camper/RV owners. And those "I wish I knew then, what I know now" stories.... We won't be buying new this time, and will be going with a class A size. DH is a truck driver and can drive a big rig easily - so size doesn't matter !! We are looking at gas vs diesel, age and mileage, and do on...

I have been wanting a DVC membership for some time, but will agree to disagree by buying a motorhome and getting to go to FW each year or every other, not to mention other great family adventures along the way!

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the wonderful world of camping!! Dh & I have been campers for 48 years and loved raising our family that way. We have owned most 'types' rv's and have had some longer than others.

Our current one is a class A Winnebago Sightseer 34'mh (gas). We love it, had a class A diesel - problems. I think the main selling point for diesels are the longevity - the many miles that can be put on the motor, but I don't really know anyone that keeps motor homes that long. They get slightly better fuel mileage towing (not much), but they're more expensive initially, and the fuel is generally more costly (though not much more right now). We have just as much power towing a vehicle with our current one as the diesel - even going over the Continental Divide. In fact, we leave for the mountains Monday.

As far as they 'all' leak eventually (from a previous poster), I don't agree - in all the rv's we've owned, we had leak issues twice - one a minor fix. When buying used, just be sure to look for any 'signs' of previous leakages. Dh is a stickler for tip top maintenance (does it himself - except for anything needing jacks) so we have few issues all round.

As for the DVC vs. MH - no contest for us. We love to go to so many different places that it would be way too costly for us to limit ourselves (plus we 'love' our own bed and 'home')

Dh loves to drive the mh and says after experience drives like a van ( his words) - just like towing anything, has to remember the length at all times - your dh being a truck driver would know that.

Guess we may also be in the minority about size - have always just gotten what we could afford, and worked our way up - never regretted starting smaller - but large enough for our family at the time.

There are lots of nice used ones on the market - just take your time and you will find just the perfect one for your family!! The best of luck to you!

 

[MikeTaylor]

Class A's usually come with better roofs than Class C.
Buy groceries and heavy items after you get to your destination to save on gas.
Make sure you turn off overdrive when going up big hills.
Do a once-over (at least your tires) at every stop.
Swing wide when turning!

 

[Nan P]

Love camping (especially the Fort) and have done a lot of it over 26 years. We are on our 6th Class A. Three were gas and the last 3 diesel. Now that DH has had diesel, he said he won't go back. We do tow a jeep. We always reviewed what we really Needed when looking for a new RV, then comes what extras we thought we really Wanted. In 2011 we purchased our "last one" (as in ... this is the LAST ONE), since we decided this is as good as it gets. I always wondered what type of family bought our "trade ins" each time we got a new RV. Whoever they were, they were very lucky. We always maintained them exceptionally well, and left them in excellent condition. So I know there are a lot of great RVs out there. Do take your time and I am sure you'll find just what you need for your family and budget. Hope you find a "gem". Make it your own and enjoy every trip.

 

[Boopuff]

We started small (pop-up) and moved into a travel trailer and now buying a class A. I highly recommend doing a trial run (rent) and really see if it's for you. We use our camper a lot! Remember it's not just a vehicle.... it's a lifestyle!

 

[Grendalynn]

Thank you ALL for the replies! We have narrowed it down to two RV's... That being said - what are your thoughts on slide outs? I wouldn't buy a rig without them - just a matter of how many? And are campgrounds pretty accommodating and accessible to the added width required? And what about length? One RV is 34', the other 38'. Are there pros and cons to longer motorhomes?

 

[Teamubr]

Most campgrounds can accommodate the bigger rigs. We are staying at a COE CG this weekend and most sites have plenty of room for the biggest of them.
Some national parks haven't upgraded though. I know all the CGs in the Rockies that I looked into last summer had a 30 ft limit. I had to make reservations in a private CG to fit the 44ft toy hauler.

j

 

[Grendalynn]

Most campgrounds can accommodate the bigger rigs. We are staying at a COE CG this weekend and most sites have plenty of room for the biggest of them.
Some national parks haven't upgraded though. I know all the CGs in the Rockies that I looked into last summer had a 30 ft limit. I had to make reservations in a private CG to fit the 44ft toy hauler.

j

Good to know! I would like to take a trip out to Disneyland if all goes according to plan... Is there a Disneyland fort wilderness?

 

[2goofycampers]

Is there a Disneyland fort wilderness?

Unfortunately not. Most places have room for slides with adjusting where you park your RV on the site.

 

[John VN]

Thank you ALL for the replies! We have narrowed it down to two RV's... That being said - what are your thoughts on slide outs? I wouldn't buy a rig without them - just a matter of how many? And are campgrounds pretty accommodating and accessible to the added width required? And what about length? One RV is 34', the other 38'. Are there pros and cons to longer motorhomes?

Which ones? Some here might have good information to provide on the models you are considering.

 

[Grendalynn]

We are looking and two very different models - both "previously enjoyed" and are great well cared for RVs with all the options we are looking for - slide outs, dinet & couch seating, decent miles and such... One is a a 2003 Coachman Mirada 340MBS, the other (the one I am pulling for) is a 2003 Fleetwood Expedition 38N. Any one out there have any info on these two RVs?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

RE: Used RV's . . .

1) Remember, to have the unit well inspected by an RV Mechanic.
2) Repairs can be very costly.
3) One of the BIGGEST ITEMS to inspect is the age of the tires, by looking at the DOT date-stamp on the sidewall.
. . . example: a DOT code on the tire ending in "2509" means the tire was made in the 25th week of 2009
. . . you may have to get down and look at the axle-side of the tire for the code, if not visible from the "outside"
4) Tires do go bad prior to excessive tread-wear.
5) Unless the owners REALLY use the vehicle/trailer, age kills more RV tires than does mileage
6) And, RV tires do not come cheaply.

NOTE: When asked at-the-desk, we tell people that RV Tires should be no more than 6-7 ears-old (according to US Department of Transportation, they need to be inspected annually after 5-years, regardless of mileage). Plus, if the vehicle spent a lot of time in hot weather, UV-Trays can deteriorate the tires even more quickly. Even if there is fantastic tread left, have a professional tire center look at the tires before you commit to the purchase.

 

[Grendalynn]

RE: Used RV's . . .

1) Remember, to have the unit well inspected by an RV Mechanic.
2) Repairs can be very costly.
3) One of the BIGGEST ITEMS to inspect is the age of the tires, by looking at the DOT date-stamp on the sidewall.
. . . example: a DOT code on the tire ending in "2509" means the tire was made in the 25th week of 2009
. . . you may have to get down and look at the axle-side of the tire for the code, if not visible from the "outside"
4) Tires do go bad prior to excessive tread-wear.
5) Unless the owners REALLY use the vehicle/trailer, age kills more RV tires than does mileage
6) And, RV tires do not come cheaply.

NOTE: When asked at-the-desk, we tell people that RV Tires should be no more than 6-7 ears-old (according to US Department of Transportation, they need to be inspected annually after 5-years, regardless of mileage). Plus, if the vehicle spent a lot of time in hot weather, UV-Trays can deteriorate the tires even more quickly. Even if there is fantastic tread left, have a professional tire center look at the tires before you commit to the purchase.

Thank you very much Rusty for this info! It is very helpful. Thankfully my husband has much mechanical and automotive knowledge. We own or have owned and operated dump trucks, over the road trucks, and large equipment over the years. DH is pretty skilled in this area, but any extra advice is great appreciated! I will also know which questions to ask when speaking with the dealers/sellers. They are private sales.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

any extra advice is great appreciated

1) No problem.
2) The outward appearance and mileage are not always the best way to judge an RV or Travel Trailer. *

* Kind of like when looking for a mate in life.