Newbie Questions

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Nellie90

New member
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Posts
4
Hello all!! I'm so excited to have found this forum! I recently started looking into full-timing as a lifestyle and this has been a huge help!! I'm looking to leave with my boyfriend and dog (and maybe our cat if he likes it!) in September 2019 (date flexible!). We are starting to look into our budget and what we want to drive more seriously. I'm a teacher, so am planning to buy something used and spending the summer of 2019 renovating and making sure its road worthy. However, I was hoping I could get some insight...

I can definitely handle cosmetic renovations, I think I could deal with some structural, and I am confident with electrical and plumbing knowledge (thanks for teaching me young, Dad!). In other people who have already bought used, what would be "too much" to deal with? I'd definitely like to stay away from serious mechanical issues, because I don't want it to be a total money pit. What are some major red flags I should be looking for as I'm shopping around? Is all water damage a no-go, or are there some areas that would be okay?

Also if anyone has a LOT of time, would someone be able to walk me through buying a used RV from a PO? I am planning on paying cash (hoping to be around or under $10,000). As for the paperwork end, what needs to be arranged prior to selling? What should I make sure I have in writing? I am from NH and will likely be buying from New England or New York area.

Thank you so much!
 
Nellie90 said:
Hello all!! I'm so excited to have found this forum! I recently started looking into full-timing as a lifestyle and this has been a huge help!! I'm looking to leave with my boyfriend and dog (and maybe our cat if he likes it!) in September 2019 (date flexible!). We are starting to look into our budget and what we want to drive more seriously. I'm a teacher, so am planning to buy something used and spending the summer of 2019 renovating and making sure its road worthy. However, I was hoping I could get some insight...

I can definitely handle cosmetic renovations, I think I could deal with some structural, and I am confident with electrical and plumbing knowledge (thanks for teaching me young, Dad!). In other people who have already bought used, what would be "too much" to deal with? I'd definitely like to stay away from serious mechanical issues, because I don't want it to be a total money pit. What are some major red flags I should be looking for as I'm shopping around? Is all water damage a no-go, or are there some areas that would be okay?

Also if anyone has a LOT of time, would someone be able to walk me through buying a used RV from a PO? I am planning on paying cash (hoping to be around or under $10,000). As for the paperwork end, what needs to be arranged prior to selling? What should I make sure I have in writing? I am from NH and will likely be buying from New England or New York area.

Thank you so much!

Hi neighbor. Welcome to the Forum.  Where are you in NH? I'm from the Rochester area.
 
You have made an important and valuable step in finding this forum.  Being a teacher you have a firm grasp of the concept of research, and mining the information to be found here will be a wise investment in your time.  We bought our unit last spring and while we're happy with it, I wish I had found the forum before the purchase.
Anyway, read, read, read this forum.  Folks like our neighbor Rene (I'm from Gilford) have so much experience and information to offer.  Check out the libraries and learn to use the search functions.  Ultimately you will learn how vital the floor plan, condition, weight, and tow vehicle capabilities are to how happy you'll be with your purchase.
 
Welcome to the forum. Unless I missed it, you didn't say what type of RV you are thinking about.  TT, A, B, C,  fiver, etc. You may want to think about allowing more time  for repairs and "make ready" then just your summer before you leave. Sometimes, and I'm sure you are aware of this, "simple" repairs can turn into nightmares. Don't be afraid to ask questions. And if you do, give as much info as you can...not "I have a water leak". Where, when, etc. The more info, the better and faster some people can answer your question.
 
Good for you!  Dogs normally love traveling; cats choose to love it or hate it.  Be sure to think about space for where you would place the litter box and food/water bowls.  Did you really mean $10,000 for a full time rv?  You might be hard pressed to find a reasonably sized rv for that amount.  Don't forget to check out the Private For Sale section on this Forum as you can find some well cared for units for a reasonable price.  Take lots of time looking and spend time inside of different types of rvs and floor plans.  Think about your style of camping and where you would like to spend your time.  All the very best to you in your decision making.  Happy ring!!
 
Thank you so much!!! I do really mean $10,000... we're trying to go small, and I'm ready to take on a fixer upper, but I'm willing to up the price tag if I start looking and I'm horrified!! I think our cat will love it, he's more of a dog than our dog haha. Thanks for the tips :) I'm so looking forward to the process!
 
Thanks for the tips everyone! I'll be looking into class c primarily, but good tip about leaving more than a summer for repairs. Not only am I a teacher, but I'm a chemistry teacher with a research background, so I'm very comfortable with both research and changing my plan multiple times  ;D ;D
 
$10,000 is not much for a Class C motorhome.  You will likely end up with something 20+ years old, which means potential water leaks and systems needing to be fixed or replaced.  You also will probably need new tires @$200 each.  You may also need a new hot water heater (which can be extremely hard to access) and maybe a new refrigerator, which can cost $2,400 for a standard one. Just know that RV systems are not as easy to fix or to access as our similar things for your home, so you will need a substantial reserve fund for at least the first year.

At this age, you also need to hire an RV inspector to find things that you cannot possibly find because you don't know what to look for. 

I don't want to completely discourage you, but nearly all of us have found that this lifestyle is more expensive than you might think.
 
Welcome to the forum.

I'm going to give it to you straight - PLEASE don't think I'm being mean That's not my intention.
I'm trying to save you some headaches and hardships just starting out in the RV life.

Going SMALL and FULL TIMING don't go together PERIOD for 98% of people.
Add a boyfriend and pets and that number is probably 99+%. 

YOU didn't say if your coming from a house or apartment OR if your ready to retire (Sept of 19?) OR if you have a long ways to go
and are thinking that RV'ing is cheaper then owning a house or renting an apartment.  In many cases it's not.
Many people think RV'ing is a cheaper lifestyle and for $10K they can jump in and be happy.
That might be true for 2% of people but for MOST it will not work out.  $10K might get your feet wet and be a stepping stone.
The most common thing we see is someone buying something too small and then upgrading over and over which is expensive.

Another thing that many newbies discover is that you being in NH is not going to work out in the Winter.  I don't care if you buy a Arctic
package it's still going to be very cold and or use lots of propane which is expensive and a hassle to refill many times.
There's a reason so many people with RV's go South during the Winter.

Another thing is storage.  Many people find out very quickly after they own something how little storage it really has.  Especially if a small unit.
If you give up a home or apartment and have to carry everything you (and your boyfriend and pets) own with you, it takes some space which is at a premium in a RV.

It seems many people are afraid to buy a big unit for one reason or another.  Sometimes it's the funds are not there.  Then again you want to
pay cash but sometimes a loan is needed as buying too cheap is asking for trouble many times.  Yes you probably could fix somethings
but waiting till you have more cash and buying a better unit that might not need as much or any work is worth a lot too.

IMO a Class C of about 30ft or more would be the smallest size unit I would consider for Full Timing.
Then there is the issue of whether your going to tow a vehicle behind it or not.
Then other way is a pickup truck and a travel trailer.  But there is a ton to consider there too, as many buy a truck that's too small
for the job.  Either of those options are going to cost you double or more than what you planned on spending. IF you want to RV
and not buy a money pit - which I would bet would happen if only $10K is spent.

You can do what you want.  RV's are like a house going down the road so they cost more for something that's not going to fall apart.
You wouldn't spend $1K on a car would you?  Well $10K is like $1K in the RV world.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I have seen
people get burned spending only $10K and I just didn't want you to be one of them.

Good luck with your research.




 

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