How do I choose a RV with out going insane?

Hi all I am new to the world of RV I should be out of Debt in less than a year and am in the looking seriously stage. It seems every RV I walk into brings new decisions and confusion and every person has a better opinion as to what I need/want. I am still going back and forth between Class A and C I was looking for up to 35-37 feet but now am told a lot of State parks like Yellowstone do not allow over 30' It is just myself and a large ISSR Shiloh Shepherd (They are 4"-6" taller than a normal shepherd) How do I decide what is the right size and what is just being frivolous? I am 5' 10" tall so am thinking queen size bed for the length. I NEED larger nightstand space for my Sleep Apnea machine. As little carpet as possible for easier cleaning of my shedding fur ball. I tried making a pros and cons list several times each one different I am confusing myself more each time I go look at RV's how did you all slow down and step back and decide?

Thank you for your replies
Edward & Smokey

Edward - I have been a full timer for ten years and I live solo with three cats in a 32 foot class A. Storage space is a big issue so there is no way I would consider a class C. 32 foot is still a bit short, I wish I had 36 feet. The bedroom, bathroom, living room and cab are nice size but the kitchen is small. I didn't cook when I bought this RV but I do now and I would appreciate the extra room.

There simply is no way you can figure out what is going to work for you until you start doing it. The best advice is not to look for the ultimate RV at first, just get an inexpensive older RV and use it for a year. After then you should have a real good idea of what you want. It doesn't matter what anyone else wants in an RV, you are the one who is going to be using it.

You are going to have problems finding RV parks that allow a dog that large. Many parks have a 20 pound weight limit on pets.

Another option is to rent an RV for a week end camping trip a few times, but that gets pricey.

Thank you for the reply, Storage is a huge issue for me as I will be hauling some musical instruments and most important a Large Telescope 12" in diameter. I am leaning toward a Class A more than C for just this reason, I was also told that since I will be towing my Prius V behind the RV I MUST get a Diesel.

Smokey is my PTSD/Balance Service Dog and his access is something I need to consider when I go to a Private RV Park as I do not know how the ADA Laws work in Private parks.

The ADA laws should cover you in most parks...I am in a very small 5th wheel so no good on advice there other than get an older used one and put all your crap in it and try it for a year and then buy what you really want...

There are many non-diesel Class A's that will tow your car without any problem...just research, I have seen many with the Ford V-10 I with toads all the time....floorplan and storage is what you are shopping for and tow capacity...then just find one in decent shape and make your deal...

Dont get hung up on a lot of the little details...floorplan, storage and tow capacity is your list...

Good Luck,

Jim

EdwardMH said:

I was also told that since I will be towing my Prius V behind the RV I MUST get a Diesel.

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The person who told you that is stating an opinion not an actual fact. Given that a Prius V is somewhere around the 3200 pound curb weight, you simply need a Class C or Class A that is rated to tow that weight. Now the performance you get, that's a whole 'nother conversation, discussed here numerous times.

Where you travel, i.e. at altitude, has a performance impact, and many folks enjoy the power of a diesel at altitude, especially with turbochargers, when towing.

All things considered, you have some special requirements, and since one size does not fit all, you are doing well to continue paring down your list of requirements. It's just an iterative process we all go through, and then we buy what we want anyway!  ;D

Keep talking, you're getting there...

Kim

If you plan on towing your Prius in the western US mountains then you really should get a diesel, however as others have stated it is not mandatory. But if you do tow out west with a gasser be prepared to go real slow up hill.

I just got done shopping so I'll give you my 2 cents and recent experience.
We had an advantage as we had already owned a class B so we knew some of the options we wanted. 
It still took a while to look and decide what we absolutely required and we also had to look at quite a few to check all the different options.  Hint: Find an RV show.  They are great places to see a lot of different new/used A's, B's, and C's and sizes and floor plans and figure out what you might want will cost you.  This is a real good time of year for RV shows and dealers are hungry.

We decided length first.  My wife and I like remote camping and a lot of the sites we like and have camped at in the past don't allow anything over 27 feet.  Most campgrounds will accommodate RVs up to 50 feet and that's fine for many but thats not what we want.  We go camping to get away from people. My wife would not even try driving an A but she did not have a problem with the shorter C's.

I use to just camp in a camper van with my dog.  It was great. I had a 19' class B that you could drive and park anywhere but it was a little too crowded for me, the dog, and my wife. We got tired of climbing over the couch/bed.  I stay up late and get up early. She goes to bed early and gets up late.  A bad combination for a jackknife couch. For the next purchase the second requirement was a full time Queen bed. (there went my dreams of a vintage 24' Ford Chinook).  A walk around bed would be a plus.

It's her and I (and the dog) so we don't need a lot of room. No slides is fine with both of us. For us - Less weight, less mechanics, less power required.
So now we are at 27' max and a queen size bed and no slides.

From there we decided we wanted a C with as much storage as possible. We would use the bunk over the cab for storage like we did with the camper van so now we are looking for a class C, not a B+.  We had already seen a couple of 29' Thors that had a huge storage area under the back so that would be a plus.

After dealing with not having much table space in the B we wanted something with a booth/table.  Since we would have the bed, a couch was not that important. 

My wife likes to cook and bake so the table could double as prep area since most shorter Cs do not have much counter space. An oven was a must and a four burner stove we learned from our B was a waste as you really don't need four burners and can't use all four at once anyway.

Bathroom layout was not that important to us but we wanted a separate shower not a wet bath.

So now we are looking for  a 27' max C with a queen bed, booth, no slides, bathroom with a shower, three burner stove and oven.

As far as mechanics, my wife does not like the lack of passenger foot room in the Fords.  Unfortunately, I wanted a E450 V10 for the option of pulling a toad up hills.  Once we rode in a couple she decided there was not that much difference in space between a Ford and the Chevy so we decided we would leave it up to luck as to finding a new or used Ford or Chevy with the options we wanted. There are not that many Chevys around so our chances of finding what we wanted in a Chevy were slimmer. Still I wanted a E450 chassis if possible as we might want to have a real toad and not just the Harleys on a trailer at some point.

So the shopping began with our minimum requirements:
Class C
27' max
Queen bed (hopefully walk around)
No slides
Oven
Booth
Full shower
Lots of storage

We looked at new but were having trouble finding exactly what we wanted in a 27'.  Plenty in 29/30' but we had to stick to the plan as we agreed at the outset as to what the minimum requirements were and that was 27' as the the max. (Remember I would have been happy even with 24').

We also started looking at newer used with low miles.  I spent hours searching the area dealers, Internet, craigs list, RVtrader, dealer sites, etc.  We weren't having much luck finding something in the northeast so we decided about thanksgiving that even if I had to fly someplace (Texas-Arizona-Florida) and drive it home it would be worth it to find the right one.  Prices on what we wanted new were coming in at around $65,000 +tax.  Hopefully finding a good used one would save us some money.

After searching for another two months we almost bought a new one. The 27' max made us hesitate again. Good thing.  About two weeks ago I found a used one that fit all of our requirements from a dealer about 150 miles from us. We drove there last week. It's a 2006, looks brand new and had all the factory upgrades including new tires, dual batteries, and a brand new cover that was never used. It's cleaner inside/outside/underneath/and engine than some of the new ones we looked at. It's been garaged all it's life and has 17,000 miles on it.  It has everything on our list (and the E450 chassis on my list).  We saved about $40,000 plus what I would have spent on travel.  That leaves us a lot of budget for gas.

Don't stress.  It's easy to do but in the end if you take your time and think things out and make a list of the minimum things you require you should find what you are looking for.


Edit:  I almost forgot.  This one has the big storage in the back so now I can bring along my 8" Meade with mount and tripod.  I was considering selling it and getting a smaller portable. Won't have to do that now.

Kudos to you for being persistent and methodical! You prove the point that the perfect RV is out there, but you may have to kiss a lot of frogs enroute.

Being realistic is not always one of an RV shopper's strong points, but it obviously critical for the process to work successfully. Well done!

Kim

You know how realtors say "location, location, location"?  Most of us long-time RVers say "floor plan, floor plan, floor plan."  Remember it's what you'll feel comfortable living in even when the weather is absolutely awful and you and your dog have to be inside.  You also mentioned musical instruments which means you probably should consider slide-outs.  Those without can seem very cramped and you have to think about where you'll be playing those instruments.

You might want to check some of the articles in our Library (button above) to find lists we've compiled for selecting an RV and for checkout of a new RV.  Meanwhile, work on those lists.  What is it that you absolutely must have?  Room for your furry friend, room for your instruments, decent storage, and a queen bed w/side tables are three.  What do you really not want?  And, finally, what do you really not care about one way or the other?  Are you planning on using this motorhome as a nice way to vacation or are you going to be living in it full time?  Intended usage will help you answer some of the questions.

ArdraF

EdwardMH said:

Smokey is my PTSD/Balance Service Dog and his access is something I need to consider when I go to a Private RV Park as I do not know how the ADA Laws work in Private parks.

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I also have a PTSD Service Dog, and am well versed on the law.
I will give you a brief synopsis here, as well as references to applicable statutes regarding Service Dogs.

http://www.ada.gov/svcanimb.htm
http://www.ada.gov/qasrvc.htm
http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm ................... is the Federal Statute .......... after reading the statute the following should become clear, a service dog cannot be excluded from public facilities or private businesses.  The service dog is NOT required to wear any identifiable vest, badge, or for the handler of the dog to produce ANY documentation, or to be asked questions, or to provide information or documentation regarding their disability.

From time to time, an employee of a business will inquire, or seem to challenge you, asking personal questions about, why you need a service dog, because they think of a service dog as only being a seeing eye dog, and you don't appear blind.  Be polite, and helpful, but most of all have a copy of the ADA statute, in order to educate the person making the inquiries.  But generally, if you speak to a senior employee, manager, supervisor, or owner, at a business, they will be well versed on the ADA/Service Dog law, and will do everything they can to accommodate you.  They don't want to get on the wrong side of the ADA.

I am 49 years old and will be out of debt before this year ends completely and I figure I have 3 choices in life 1. Continue renting and hope it does not skyrocket over the years.  2. Buy my first home of which I have no one to leave it to when I die and will slowly get less able to maintain the upkeep on (I am not a Mr. Fix-it minded person I am a computer geek)  3. Get a RV for Full time and See as much of the USA as I can while healthy enough to enjoy it. and try to save at the same time for a place to retire later in life.

Old Radios: TY for that post it helps relieve a bit of the stress. I just bought a brand new Celestron CGEM DX 11" EdgeHD to give you a clue on its storage needs. Its my hope to setup View and broadcast on http://www.nightskiesnetwork.com/ from every State. The Instruments are all in cases except the Keyboard I do not know how to play them yet LOL they just relax me.

rebelsun: I have a Letter from my Doctor expressing her strong belief in my benefiting from a Service Dog for my PTSD and Mobility/Balance issues but not a "Actual Prescription" I am doing the Training myself EXCEPT for his reacting to my Panic attacks which far as I know is based on Smell like Diabetes and I can not do that part of the training, I have done the Balance work, how to walk on stairs with me and brace so I can use him to get up if I fall. (Hard to believe I am just 49 years old  :-[ )

SeilerBird: I am still not sure on the Prius one person tells me it can not be towed another says front wheels up another says I need all 4 wheels on a trailer. It will be paid off in 6-8 months I might sell it for what I can get and buy a vehicle rated tow-able but I really like the milage  :-\

Edward


As you have learned Class C's don't have much storage bay space.



We towed a Honda CRV all over the western states behind a 37' Ford powered Pace Arrow. Long 6% grades were at 37mph but they don't last that long.


I built a small stand for my CPAP that sits down beside my side of the bed instead of taking up what nightstand space we have.

I had not thought of an actual stand I was thinking a Plexiglas slab if I was forced to have to put it on the carpet next to the bed.

To be honest I do not see a lot of Mountain traveling at the beginning as I get used to driving a RV (At his point it scares me to think about it and I have a fear of heights If I had to drive next to a drop off I might pass out LOL) I am considering trying to rent a Class C for 2-3 weeks and see how I like RV living even though I do not think I will buy a class C but on the other hand the last quote I got was almost $5000 that would go a long way to a down payment for my own RV.

EdwardMH said:

Thank you for the reply, Storage is a huge issue for me as I will be hauling some musical instruments and most important a Large Telescope 12" in diameter.

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Hi Edward,

I'll let the others comment about the RV types. The telescope is what caught my eye as I am an amateur astronomer for many years. Are you a member of an astronomy club? What type of observing do you do? You might be able to carry some items in a tow vehicle. I'd like to take with me a fairly large scope so have been weighing the various types of Class C's for my wife and I. Since we are not going to full time, our needs are less than yours.

There has been some talk about doing some astronomy with forum members. I would enjoy being able to do some astronomy with you at a later date. Perhaps we can set up at some of the forum rallies and share our hobby.

When you rent an RV, the time of year can add to the expense as I have just found out. Summer months seem to have more expense involved. You might travel south during the winter time and get a better rate. I agree that I would rather put money into a unit and not rental. However it is practical to rent first to get an idea.

Good luck in your pursuit!

Renting an RV before buying does not cost you money, it saves you money.

According to Remco
2011 Toyota Prius V Front L4 1.8L cyl Automatic, CVT CVT
Notes

    Must be towed on a tow dolly
I checked the V for 2010 through 2012 and they  all said the same thing tow on a dolly.
This is the link to the site http://www.remcoindustries.com/Towing/Store.php.

Having had a C and moved to an A just 3 feet longer, there is no comparison for storage and living quarters.  However, if you have height issues, in an A you really are on top of the car in front and much higher up.  But after you are used to it, IMHO an A is much easier to drive.

As mentioned, dealers are wanting to move inventory now probably more than any other month.  Go out and drive both, even if it's just around the lot.  I don't think they'll mind.

We almost never get it right the first (or second) time.  Now I wished I'd bought a bath and a half.  Alas.....

EdwardMH said:

I am still not sure on the Prius one person tells me it can not be towed another says front wheels up another says I need all 4 wheels on a trailer.

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Check your manual on the Prius or reliable sources such as this one; http://www.motorhome.com/download-dinghy-guides/

People mean well but are often wrong because are handing you hear say instead of facts so you want to make sure you get a reliable source. Take your time and have fun.

Edward,
Opinions vary widely so it's good you're making your list of requirements and researching.
When we were doing our search, it appeared to me that the overhead bunk in class C's would be great for younger families with an army of kids.
For us a class A made sense. Some advice I received here early on was to get the longest class A we could find and afford. Few people lament the extra length - many regret purchasing too small.
We ended up with a 38' Itasca we're thrilled with. We dolly a Toyota Corrolla and don't even feel it back there.
Your subject line made me chuckle - "How do I choose an RV without going insane?"
You might as well ask, "How do I go swimming without getting wet.." 
Goodluck in your search!

Save yourself a lot of grief/money and go straight to a class A gasser! Wish someone had told me this before I bought my C. I now have a class A!

Scott