Our first RV-have no clue!

[PixieTopaz]

So I am hoping all the DIS campers will tell me the pros and cons of different types.

I like the ones that have a Truck front-DH prefers a slightly larger type

We are empty nesters

 

[tlh0726]

My 2 pieces of advice
Make sure the floor plan works for your needs
and
Test Drive everything before making your decision

 

[lawnspecialties]

....and also check out www.rv.net

 

[freshlybarked]

There are pro's and con's to all of them. We have a Class C and love it. It is 32 feet and it is just DH, me and 2 dogs. Once in, your vacation starts at once. Same for a Class A, which we hope to move up to in a few years. Great for moving around and getting things to eat and drink (not the driver, of course). Those are the pro's. The con is that unless you tow a car you don't have transportation with you. TT and 5th wheels are great for having a vehicle, but they don't generally have a generator for dry camping situations. I think for the money 5th wheels give you great bang for the buck, unless you have to also purchase a tow vehicle at the same time. Floor plans are very important and you should check out many RVs before you make a decision. Have a list of must haves and would likes. They are a large investment so know what you are getting. A friend who actually sold us ours gave us a good piece of advice. Go with something a little bigger than you think you want. The longer you spend in them the smaller they get. We were think of something around 26 to 28 feet. 32 feet seemed huge for about the first 6 months.

 

[motherwild]

Do your home work. Go to RV shows go to campgrounds. Alot of RV are willing to show off their rigs There are advantages and disadvantages to every type of rig. We started with a popup, a 26 ft travel trailer and then a class A. The popup was light and easy to tow and took over an hour to set up. The travel trailer needed a larger tow vehicle and the class A uses a lot of gas and repairs are expensive.

 

[retired and happy]

Be wary of high pressure sales. Don't buy until you decide what will work for you. After you see a few, make lists of what you want, what you must have, and what you do not want in features, size, and type. One poster even suggested you make independent lists, then compare to be sure you are both singing from the same music. Consider how you will use it...a weekend occasionally, a month here and there, or full timing. As a PP said, they get smaller the longer you are in them, especially when the weather gets bad. After you think you have closed in on the one or two you want, you might want to rent something similar to be even more sure. And of course you will want to make your Ft Wilderness reservations for an early trip.

 

[4mickey2]

rv shows don't have a whole lot to look at. well, at least the one up here doesn't. we get more out of going to large dealers and looking at what they have. ask a ton of questions and if that guy can't answer, ask the costumers.

we looked at A's and for the money we liked our seneca's floor plan the best. if we went with an A we had to go to a 40' and just didn't want to go that large. dh can work on the seneca, as it has the same engine as our sierra pick-up.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

One of the cons,
for some reason RVs dont come with fishing equipment ,,
you'll have to buy or bring your own.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Don't impulse buy. Shopping can be overwhelming, and there may be a tendancy to overbuy. I recommend a good RV show to start - lower pressure and lots of different types to look at. When you have narrowed down the type you want, make a list of things you think you want - slides, sofas, sleeping capacity, weights, cargo capacity, etc. - then look at the different models that meet your needs and choose from them. Always keep size in mind - a 31 foot TT would be nice, but won't fit in my driveway. Many have made the mistake of buying too big (like my neighbor down the street who had a 35 foot trailer sticking out into the street while he called places to arrange storage).

 

[loveDmouse]

We have a Class A now. Our first motorhome was a Class C. It was a great starter for us but we like the room we have in the A. The space over the cab was a waste for us since we don't have kids. It was just a place for me to throw things out of the way. I would hate to be stuck in it when the weather wasn't fit to be outside. I love being in our A. It is more spacious.
Our yellow lab says she likes it better as well. More room for her to stretch out.


Make sure you check out lots of Rvs and lots of floor plans and make sure it is a good fit for you. Sit in every spot, lay in the bed, sit on the toilet and stand in the shower. Check out Rv shows too. Although the ones we have been to lately don't have as many motorhomes as they do trailers now.

We were quick about the first rv and didn't really know much at all. The second time around we knew alot more and really took our time. I took a pad of paper with me to write down each unit we went in and put down what I liked and what I didn't like.

Don't always trust what a dealer will tell you. We had gone looking for a motorhome and they tried to talk us into a trailer. Said we could tow it with no problem. We went home and did research and come to find out it would have been a big problem if you wanted to put anything in it.



Good luck with your search.

 

[des1954]

We've had tents, pop-ups, TT, Class C & Class A. The only thing we have not owned is a 5'er. I love the roominess a Class A offers, but if it were just me making the RV decision, I'd have a Class C because I'm more comfortable driving a C versus an A.

If I could go back in time, I wish there was a vaccination against "1 Foot-itis". What is that? That's when, once you've settled on and bought an RV, after you start using it you start dreaming of a longer RV with more slides and toys. We have owned 5 class A's, starting with a 26' Southwind, going all the way up to a 45' Travel Supreme bus, and have come back down to a 32' Itasca Meridian. I get sick when I think of all the $$$ I've lost trading up & then trading back down again.

You should evaluate how much time you will actually be using your RV and look at a lot of floor-plans. When you narrow down the playing field, spend some time in some of your favorite ones and really look for the negative features - such as - if there's enough walking space around the bed - how big is the shower - if the kitchen really accommodates your cooking needs - does it offer enough storage...in other words, if you were forced to live in it, could you - or is it adequate enough for week-end getaway's and vacation time. This is a very personal decision and one you must force yourself into taking your time to find the right fit for your needs and your pocketbook.

Also - BOTH of you need to feel comfortable driving the RV. I can't begin to stress how important that is.

 

[LORNADUCK]

I agree with Deb, make sure you check out what is important to you. Sometimes it is hard if you are buying used, you might have to give up one thing for the other. My DH and I have had 8 units, I loved the 5th wheel, but he hated driving it. I could drive the class C's but we didn't have enough room in them. We have lived in them for the winters and I am a storage nut, even thou we only use it for weekends now I still wanted closet space (just in case we have to full time it). I can't drive the class A, which is not a good thing, I have to learn. But I have 4 1/2 closets and a pantry, not much kitchen counter, but we mostly cook outside.
I find that owing a RV is a addiction, and you always want bigger, I have 2 slides (went from none, to 2, back to 1, now 2) I want 4.

 

[DaveInTN]

Whatever you do, once you decide on what you are going to buy, do LOTS of research on prices. If you are buying new, try to determine what percentage off MSRP others are getting. It varies, but in most cases seems to be between 20-30% depending on type of unit, popularity, and length of time in the lot. So don't overpay assuming the dealer only has a few thousand dollars to play with. And don't let the extras like jacks, towing setups and other stuff muddy up the numbers. Negotiate the price you feel is fair and then ask them to throw in some extras before you commit.

If buying used, check used values on NADA Guides, and research online to see what others are paying for similar units.

Good luck!

 

[CCIntrigue]

Our first was a 32' Airstream. Our last is a 36' Class A. We did our homework for years before purchasing each unit. Studied construction techniques of each unit before we purchased. Have been very happy with both purchases. Don't impulse buy!

 

[docbrown]

All great advises above, also rent before you buy. Narrow it down to the size, and class, and then rent one for a weekend and get a feel of it. It will be the best money spent on your research. When you have it down to the unit you want, bid it off to different dealers. good luck in your search.

 

[Serene1]

The space over the cab was a waste for us since we don't have kids. It was just a place for me to throw things out of the way.

Don't discount Super C's. The space above our cab is the entertainment center and cabinets. I can't imagine we'd have that much more room in a Class A. We have two slides, which nearly doubles our living space when parked.

 

[loveDmouse]

Don't discount Super C's. The space above our cab is the entertainment center and cabinets. I can't imagine we'd have that much more room in a Class A. We have two slides, which nearly doubles our living space when parked.

I was speaking of our experience with our Class C. The Super C's look pretty cool. That would have been great if they had the entertainment center in that space. Some of the ones made after we got ours did have the entertainment centers in them. Plus ours only had one slide. We have way more room in our A and it is the same length that our C was.

They need to try everything and find what is right for them.

 

[wrongagain]

Having had the bus, "yes, I sold it", I too am looking for something differant.
I kind of like some of the new shorter length, full wall slide outs with two smaller slide outs on the other side.
Square footage wise they seem to have the same amount of room as quad slides.
As jumbo, big, heavy duty, as the prevost was it had less usable room than some of my friends with slides, and not much more room than one of my buddies 30 footer non slide.
With all the amenities they cram in the busses to make it home like there is very little room to move around.
Queen size beds, full size bathrooms and kitchens are nice but that isnt where you spend all your time, you spend your time in the living room area.
That being said I am looking for that jumbo size interior living space.
The only way I know to get that is slide outs.
I guess the moral to the story is, just because its huge outside, with tons and tons of storage, doesnt mean you will have enough room to tie your shoes inside.

 

[4mickey2]

yes, our super c has 3 slides and as much floor space as the best of them. the only thing different is we are 35' vs a lot of A's at 40'. we like our floor plan and could only find a comparable in a 40' A. it is really going to come down to what you like.

 

[kazlac4]

....and also check out www.rv.net

Ditto. We learned loads of info from rv.net