Newbies looking to join the club

[andreaphillips1]

Hi Everyone I am andrea, my husband Shane and I live in charlotte North Carolina.  We are looking into getting an  "A" and living in it full time.  I really appreciate this forum, and I am reading alot....especially the checklist section.  I am overwhelmed at how much these cost, and what they do/do not come with, based on the brand and the size.  We have started at making the list of our absolute wants......laundry, half bath, nice living area, and a full fridge.  My husband was set on diesel, but after reading the articles, we will go gas.  I notice a lot of people have regret for what rig they bought, and end up buying a different one, so we are trying to make sure we do it right the first time.  I have a whole new appreciation for the RVers I see driving down the road.  This is a hard process!  And we arent even in one yet.  So if you have any tips, they are appreciated and welcomed.  We will have to finance the beast, so Im a little nervous about the cost of these. At least we already have the toad.  Thanks guys!  Happy New Year!

 

[geodrake]

Welcome to THE RV FORUM.


You can only imagine the fun that awaits you.  RVing can be some of the best times of your life.


Many RVers end up trading after a few months on the road because they didn't know what they wanted.  Hopefully, that won't be you folks.


RVing can be frustrating at times.  There are many things to maintain.  But, we are here for you, which I believe you have already surmised as you have been reading. 


We encourage you to become an active participant in our many discussions and meet new friends.


Welcome aboard!

 

[ArdraF]

Hello Andrea and welcome to the RV Forum and the world that awaits you.  The purchase process can be overwhelming and, truthfully, few get it right the first time.  The reason is simple.  If you've never RVed you can only imagine what you think you will need and/or want.  It takes living in one for a while to really know what you like, dislike, need, want, or don't want.  For that reason we often make several suggestions.  First is rent one so you can begin to formulate these likes and dislikes through experience.  Second is don't go expensive (e.g. all the bells and whistles) initially, especially if you're going to finance it.  Keep to the low end financially.  Many here advise buying used initially to avoid a big depreciation hit.  That way you won't take too big a loss if you find you really don't like the lifestyle or your needs/wants change and you want to upgrade/downgrade.  It's good that you're doing your homework because those who don't often make costly mistakes.

We also advise newcomers to attend as many RV shows as they can.  Go without your checkbook so you aren't tempted to make an unwise and hasty decision!  Go inside as many RVs as you can.  Sit down and imagine how comfortable it will be if it's raining and muddy outside and you're cooped up inside for several days.  Is there room to spread out?  Is there room for wet clothes and shoes to hang dripping wet?  (That also applies to wet bathing suits.)  If you have pets, will they have a space of their own?  Is there room to work on hobbies?  Does the toilet room have enough knee space?  Does the shower have enough head room, especially if someone is tall?  Is the bed long enough?  RV beds come in a wide variety of sizes and often are not conventional because they have to be squeezed into limited spaces.  Where will you store everything?  As fulltimers you'll need to carry clothing for a variety of climates.  Where will you work on your computer/s?  Is there space for all the "stuff" that goes along with your computers such as a printer, paper, scanner, etc.?  Where will you keep essential paperwork?  Are you "techies" and comfortable with having everything stored electronically or do you want/need paper records?  We tend to accumulate tools as we move around and will there be good storage for them?  Do you like to cook?  If so, you'll want to pay extra attention to the galley.  I opted to have a propane oven/range so gave up some galley storage space for that.  I made that loss up by having a combination Splendide washer/dryer (instead of stackable)  which gave me a huge storage space above the washer/dryer unit.  As you can see, what I'm getting at is that all the choices we make have tradeoffs and you'll probably never find an RV that has everything perfect.

Even though you won't be in a stick and brick, the normal events of life still take place and you still need to pay taxes, get vehicle registrations, vote, and have a legal domicile in which to conduct all these chores.  You also want to continue doing the other things you enjoy which is why you need to have your hobby stuff available.

It's a lot to think about.  Take your time and don't set unrealistic deadlines for yourselves.  The point is to have fun and now is the time to start!

ArdraF

 

[andreaphillips1]

I have never gone through so much thought over a vehicle before!! 
I have to laugh because we went to our first RV show last weekend....we left wide eyed, more aware of what we do/dont want in the features, and were amazed at just how expensive these can get....I have a whole new appreciation for those that choose this amazing lifestyle.
My absolute wants are a half bath, a big enough kitchen, propane stove, an area for a finch bird cage and our chihuahua dishes, a washer/dryer or hookups, a residential fridge, used MH, gas powered, storage space.
I have an all-in-one printer....I never even thought about having that on board....ha ha ha ha.  I have made a checklist of what we have and would want on board.  Good thing I am not a pack rat, we downsized ourselves to a 2 bedroom apartment when the kids moved out.
We will be financing, and your tips are exactly where my mind has been.....used, low cost, lower miles if possible, and get as many features as we want so we arent trading up so soon.
My husband is tethered to a regular job, so we would be near the job at least for now, but our goal is to move back to washington state and be self employed...he hasnt decided on what to do for a start up.
How long does a 6 gallon water heater last during a shower? 
We do stream tv instead of cable, what is your advice on internet to use?  A broadband stick, satilite? 
Do you all label the above head cubbies so you know where you put everything?  Do they hold much stuff?
Can you have some regular appliances without them draining the battery (coffee maker, popcorn maker, crockpot)?
If you all arent traveling, is it still a great idea to invest in solar panels? 
Very appreciative of your insight and wisdom!!

 

[SeilerBird]

You will not do it right the first time no matter how much research you do. You will never know what you really want until you have used an RV for a year or so. I always recommend for a beginner not to spend over $20k on their first RV so they won't lose too much money when they go to trade it in.

 

[Tom]

I respect Seilerbird's perspective, shared by others here, but don't necessarily subscribe to it. We kept our first class A motorhome, bought new, for 15 years. We had some (a limited number of) parameters, shopped for a coach that met them, and were quite happy with our choice. Our process was actually simpler than I've described.

Second time around, our parameters were different, and we again shopped for a coach that met the criteria. 12+ years later we're quite happy with what we bought. OTOH the short process was surrounded by 'a story' that saved me $2M, that's best shared around a campfire.

Meanwhile, click the Library button above and browse some of the articles; You'll hopefully find some that will help your buying process.

 

[JudyJB]

Streaming TV is not very practical as it requires a ton of gigabytes and internet gigabytes. And internet gigabytes are really, really expensive!  Call Verizon and get prices, and then figure out how many gigs it would take to stream a TV show.  And you cannot stream anything at campgrounds using their free internet because it is too weak to use most of the time. And satellite internet is also expensive.  Most of us use regular antenna TV or get a satellite dish. Some commercial campgrounds do have cable hookups, but it is usually pretty basic, much like the kind you get in hotels.

Also, be aware that washers and dryers for motorhomes are tiny and require full hookups to operate.  That means you will be limited to commercial campgrounds, for the most part. 

I don't want to discourage you, but living in an RV has limitations that you don't have living in a house, so you need to do a lot of reading before you buy the one for you. 

However, I also disagree with Seilerbird.  I did do it right the first time and am very happy with my choice.  I bought new because I am allergic to dogs and cigarette smoke, but I got a good discount on the model I chose and have lived in it for over four years on the road.

 

[JudyJB]

Also, you say you have never thought so much about purchasing a vehicle before.  That is because you are buying a home AND a vehicle! 

You sound very sure of your absolutes, but they put you into a very large RV, which is going to cost a lot. A very large RV may also limit where you camp, especially with a residential refrigerator that requires an electrical hookup at all times. Do you have any desires to stay at national or state parks?  That is an important consideration.

 

[SargeW]

especially with a residential refrigerator that requires an electrical hookup at all times.

Not necessarily. We have a residential refer and love it. It does require a bigger battery bank if you like to dry camp, and a generator or solar to recharge the battery bank during the day. Once the DW had the residential refer, she will never go back!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

How long does a 6 gallon water heater last during a shower?

Depends heavily on how hot you like the water, but if you are concerned enough to ask that question, my advice is to opt for the larger 10 gallon heater. That should take you from "marginally adequate" to "good". However, if your notion of a nice shower is 20 minutes under a steamy spray, forget it.

We do stream tv instead of cable, what is your advice on internet to use?  A broadband stick, satilite? 

What would you have for internet service? Streaming take a high speed connection, and you won't get that with most park wifi or cellular internet. Heaby Tv watching is best done with park cable or satellite.

Can you have some regular appliances without them draining the battery (coffee maker, popcorn maker, crockpot)?

If in an RV park and hooked to shore power, sure, though you will want 50A power hook-up rather than 30A. 50A actually delivers almost 4x as much power as the minimal 30A service.  But if not connected to external power (or running a generator), the size of the battery bank is extremely limiting on what 120v electrical stuff you can use. Anything that makes heat or cools will be a severe drain on battery power.

 

[Isaac-1]

As a new non fulltimer Class A owner of 2 months myself, I can appreciate what you are going through, I spent 4-5 months doing serious shopping before I bought my 28 ft (really 29.5) 2002 Safari Trek from a private seller a thousand miles away in Florida for a bit over $20,000.  Thankfully so far I am free of buyer regrets when it comes to size, floor plan, after about 1,500 miles of travel and 10 or 11 nights spend onboard.  Having said that I did go through a good bit of angst over the decision during the first 500 or so miles of travel ranging from what have I got myself into, to hey I could live with this and back. 

If you were to ask me if I really wanted a big diesel pusher, the answer for now is no, although I am starting to see the appeal if my wife and I were to travel full time, but even then smaller may have advantages particularly without a TOAD.

Now my shopping advice comes down to this, if I were to buy a diesel pusher, I would look at pre-2007 models that don't have DEF and all the other trouble prone emissions systems that were mandated starting in 07-08.  I would also shop for a higher quality model, something with an Aluminum or fiberglass roof, full body paint, maybe Aluminum side walls, real wood cabinets, etc.  Quality holds up over time. 

 

[andreaphillips1]

Thanks everybody for the good advice. We are probably going to do a tank-less water heater.  We are looking into small solar panels, and all kinds of other things that will help save battery life, our life....lol, and be convenient....like a full size fridge.  My husband and I are in our 40's, so this is going to be our home for a long time and I want to make sure we do most things right the first time.  We have the MH brands narrowed to our top 5, and our wish list of features to look for.  I will be spring cleaning soon and will add more stuff to the weed out pile, so that we wont have a lot to give away/sell later. 
We have finchies, so that also seems to be a challenge I have to overcome.  I have been looking into a more portable bird cage set up than the standing cage we have now.  There are 14 of them, so I cant do a little hanging cage.  I have told them though that this will be the last set of babies they will have, they are going into nesting retirement.  I have found a few "vision" cages that are table top, with it just being two of us humans,  we could try to work something out to give them more of the space.
I have a whole new appreciation for the RV world. 

 

[Sandhill Guy]

Something for you to consider is that North Carolina requires a Class A drivers license if the vehicle that you drive is over 26,001 pounds. My guess is that almost all class A RV's over 35 feet are in that category. Also my personal experience and advise is to spend some time on this site. There is more cumulative knowledge about all things RV here than anywhere I have seen. Also the group loves to help newcomers with any question imaginable.

 

[BinaryBob]

I agree with Tom.
I don't subscribe to the idea that your first purchase will be a dismal mistake.
The key is to USE this forum and the experts contained herein.
Ask lots of questions, do your research, and take your time.
That's what we did and couldn't be happier with our choice in our first class A.

 

[SeilerBird]

I agree with Tom.

There are two Toms posting to this thread. I assume you mean Tom J.

I am always jealous of the people who get it right the first time. It takes a lot patience and a lot of shopping to do that. The main reason I recommend buying an inexpensive one first is due to the tremendous number of posters on this board who went into deep debt to get the DP of their dreams and then something happens. They don't enjoy RV, one of the pair develops a crippling disease, or something like they realize they should have gotten a split bath.

 

[andreaphillips1]

Hi Doug and Barbara,
I never thought about the NC rules, but we have not made NC our home, we have kept our info for Washington State because that is where we will be moving back to, so we didn't switch everything over. We are hoping the new job he ends up with and the RV happen around the same time so we can pack up and go.  Thats my perfect vision......of course life sometimes goes differently, but fingers crossed

 

[andreaphillips1]

Hi Tom,
I understand your concern over the amount a RV costs, and not getting in over your head.  We have looked into what it costs at $, $$, $$$, and decided that we can go up to the amount that we are renting now, with everything included.  So we are budgeting for up to $85K.  Since this will be our only residence, we will replace our current rent, for the RV costs. We also are picky about what we want, so that we are not trading it in.  I don't want to regret the purchase, like others do, trading it in too quickly is not a good move, for us.  Ours will have a lower amount of miles that we put on it at first, because my husband is tethered to a job.  So we will have an advantage that the miles on the rv will be spaced out over several years. 

 

[Mr. Mohon]

Hi Tom,
I understand your concern over the amount a RV costs, and not getting in over your head.  We have looked into what it costs at $, $$, $$$, and decided that we can go up to the amount that we are renting now, with everything included.  So we are budgeting for up to $85K.  Since this will be our only residence, we will replace our current rent, for the RV costs. We also are picky about what we want, so that we are not trading it in.  I don't want to regret the purchase, like others do, trading it in too quickly is not a good move, for us.  Ours will have a lower amount of miles that we put on it at first, because my husband is tethered to a job.  So we will have an advantage that the miles on the rv will be spaced out over several years.

Also take into consideration when budgeting that you will most likely have to pay wherever you park the MH. Even if it is at a friend or family members house you will still need to hook up power, water and sewer. Just don't forget to budget that into what you can afford monthly.

 

[Just For Fun]

Andrea and Shane:

Love your avatar!!!  And, WELCOME to this forum!!!

You will receive a lot of opinions on your question and situation. And, all of them are correct... Or at least they are for the one offering their opinion. With that said, here is mine.

When we bought our first Class A, our thought was to buy our "Last RV, First!" If that sounds odd, think about it for a moment:
1. We researched the RV industry for several years
2. We visited every RV show and RV dealer we possible could without driving more than a few hours from home
3. We'd walk into each RV, sit down and picture ourselves in it, traveling down the road, sleeping in it, eating in it, entertaining in it
4. If you've ever bought a home or even simply picked out an apartment, you know that some will feel right and some will feel wrong.
5. Obviously cash down and financing is a very limiting detail, but think about the future just a bit more than the payment (unless you're a cash buyer).
6. IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, buy one a bit larger than you feel you'll need.want. They tend to shrink over time!
7. Believe it or not, when you walk into a coach (that is within your price range) you will feel good when it's the right one. You will feel like it's home.

Hopefully some of this will resonate with you. It took us a while going through this same process, but we are now in the process of selling our 1st Class A - after owning it and using it for 18 years!!!!!!

So why are we selling it now? Because we have moved up financially and - with this much experience - we know EXACTLY what our next LAST COACH will be.

Most of all... Make sure this experience is FUN!!!!  ;D Don't let it become a chore. :-[

 

[Isaac-1]

One more thing, don't be overly concerned about miles on the chassis, particularly if you buy a diesel pusher.  I recently bought a 2002 model with just under 75,000 miles, that is an average of 5,000 miles per year, which is fairly typical, the motorhome has an 8.1L Chevy Vortec engine, this engine has a design life of 200,000 miles in medium duty truck application, at 5,000 miles per year it would be 40 years old before reaching the design service life of the engine, diesels last even longer, typically upward of 350,000 miles.  A bigger concern should be upkeep and upgrades, how old are the tires, how about the shocks, hoses, and belts, motorhome tires need to be replaced every 5-7 years depending on who you ask and a set can cost over $4,000 on a diesel pusher.

Ike