question

[scannon1967]

I am considering taking my 10 year old son whom I home school and in between leases for a home take a 6 month - year long trip in an RV.  My first preference would be rent an RV for a few months from someone just to make sure we like it before we set out for a lengthy go of it.  What I am finding is that renting an RV is expensive.  Does anyone have any suggestions for someone like me just starting out.
I don't want to go buy an expensive RV and hate it and be stuck with something that we don't use.  Suggestions????

 

[MikeNNRV]

1.  Check Craigslist for your area.  2. See Resources of this site for a checklist to inspect a used RV before purchase.  3.  We bought a cheap pop up from a coworker as our starter in early 2017.  I am handy and did most of the repairs/renovation myself.  Our first trip was 4,000 miles during 3 weeks.  By the second day my wife and youngest daughter were willing to buy a better travel trailer.

Best wishes.  I think this could be an excellent educational opportunity for your family

 

[MikeNNRV]

1.  Check Craigslist for your area.  2. See Resources of this site for a checklist to inspect a used RV before purchase.  3.  We bought a cheap pop up from a coworker as our starter in early 2017.  I am handy and did most of the repairs/renovation myself.  Our first trip was 4,000 miles during 3 weeks.  By the second day my wife and youngest daughter were willing to buy a better travel trailer.

Best wishes.  I think this could be an excellent educational opportunity for your family

I should clarify:  My family was so happy with our choice that they knew they wanted to do more trips in the future, so they wanted a travel trailer.

 

[stripit]

I can't see renting a rig for 6 months or more that would not be terribly expensive. Buying a 'cheap' used unit might end up costing much more than a quality better more expensive used rig. Not knowing your budget, experiance in repairing things that break as opposed to having to hire a tech to fix things will surely make big difference in your picking a used rig. How big and how old will reflect in the price you end up paying. But the nicer the unit, the easier to sell when your ready with maybe less loss of money if you buy right. You might even break even? or better yet make some on the resale.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

What I am finding is that renting an RV is expensive.

So is owning one.  The least cost might be buying a 10-15 old RV in good condition and reselling when & if you no longer want it, but you tie up a lot of money and depreciation is high. And since you are new to RVs, determining if the rig is actually in good condition is going to require professional help (inspection) and maybe some repairs as well.

You didn't stipulate motorhome or trailer, but pulling a trailer requires a sturdy tow vehicle and most motorhomers want to tow a dinghy for side trips.  A small Class B or C might get around that, if you don't mind the inconvenience. You will here form people who do that, but it's a very personal choice.

There is almost no way to buy a new or late model RV and sell 6-12 months later without a substantial loss. Unless you stumble into a lucky deal on a private sale, you buy at retail and sell at or near wholesale. The older the RV, the less depreciation is a factor.

 

[grashley]

Welcome to the Forum!

A 6 month rental is insanely expensive!!

I would suggest a 1 week rental to a nearby park just to see if the lifestyle was something you really want to try.  Yes, it, too is expensive, but $1500 to see if you like is is much less than $75,000 to find out you hate it!

Are you considering a Travel Trailer (TT) or Motor Home (MH) Class C or Class A?  What part of the country do you plan to visit?  How long do you plan to stay in one place?  Will you have a source of income while traveling?

This potentially could be the greatest learning experience of his and your life, or it could be an expensive disaster.  There are many experts here, happy to help, but think this through for YOUR  circumstances and ask lots of questions.  The folks here do not tell you what is best, but try to ask the right questions so you can make wise decisions.  Life is too short to make all the mistakes yourself!

 

[QZ]

There is a ton of stuff that could be said. I would probably consider a TT along with a properly sized Tow Vehicle. If the TT or the TV break down you still have options. Buy a used one but be SURE IT HAS NO WATER DAMAGE. Be VERY careful as it's the number one RV issue and the death of many RV. Often times people find out that they have water damage and trade it in or sell it on Craigslist.  It's not cheap to RV and they often say "Either have a lot of money or be handy".

Be sure you size the TV properly or it will be a miserable or dangerous situation. Come on here to find out proper sizing and do NOT listen to most dealers. They will often sell people ridiculous size rigs vs their TV capability. No matter where you buy just remember that now days people will lie in a heart beat.