Greetings from New member Jake

[Jake Sharkey]

This is my second post.  I asked a question 2 days ago that I probably could have answered myself if I researched it, but I received 10 very nice and helpful answers anyway.  Since then I've read a number of posts and discussionson this site and I am so very impressed at how pleasant and helpful everyone is.  I have heard that is the way "RV'ers" are.  That's so nice -- you made me feel comfortable enough to join.

About me -- I am 53, married with 4 children; two still at home; youngest is 13.  I am 2 years away from my first retirement.  (It could be my last, as long as I don't get greedy for more "stuff.")  I have been interested in RV'ing for many years.  The combination of self-sufficiency and freedom appeals to me greatly.  After decades of business travel, I dislike hotels and motels and I consider sleeping in my own bed at night a blessing.  Now, if you can take that bed and the comforts of home with you...well, what could be better? 

I am about one year away from buying my first rig.  I have always been a long term planner, but I do make good on my plans when the time is right.  I figure having the rig during my last work year will allow me to learn to use it properly through a series of one, two and three night adventures.  Then, when I retire, I will be ready for longer, more elaborate journeys.

My wife and I have pretty much settled on the 2007 Forest River Georgetown model 373 as the rig to buy.  The fit and finish and mechanical design seems to me to be the highest standard I have seen in that price range.  I was stuck for awhile on having a diesel pusher, but have fallen off that for at least our first buy.  I am still torn between buying used and new, but I am now leaning pretty much toward new.  RV's seem to depreciate pretty significantly in the first 3-4 years, but I'm thinking the added cost would be OK for the peace of mind.  Any comments on this choice of starter rig would be welcome, of course.

I also plan to buy a small 4X SUV to tow along, but I will need to learn what the best choice might be.  (I understand some vehicles tow better than others, and some are susceptible to damage if towed.)

Anyway, I have a lot to learn and will spend a lot of time going through this great forum site in detail.  So, even if I don't post a lot, I will be here, and I just want you to know that I am pleased to be associated with an obviously high quality bunch of folks!  Thanks for the opportunity to join.  Jake

 

[Tom]

Hi Jake and welcome. Glad the folks here made you feel comfortable enough to introduce yourself.

Yes, it's true that by and large "RV'ers are like that" - they're always willing to share their knowledge and experience. We happen to be blessed with more than our fair share of such folks here in the forum.

Like you, I had my fill of business travel and hotel stays and now prefer to get in our RV than get on a plane and stay at a hotel.

 

[Ron]

Welcome to the RV Forum. Please look around the forum,  join in on any of the on going discussions, start new discussions, or ask questions. Thanks for joining us.

Thanks for the kind words regarding the forum.  Yes we the forum is made up of many talented and friendly RVers.

 

[Wendy]

Hi Jake and welcome to the forum. This is a friendly group with a lot of knowledge that they're more than willing to share so ask away with any questions you have. And enjoy that RV when you get it....and enjoy the search until then!

Wendy
Lake Mead NRA

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Hi Jake and welcome to RVForum.net.

I'd say your plan is a good one - you might even consider getting the RV more than one year in advance. Getting experience is a #1 priority in my book, because we are talking about a life style change here and you have to actually do it to understand the many small ways that an RV life style may differ from your current one. And until you get a feel for it, you won't know what's important to you in RV layout and features.

For that reason, I strongly recommend that you reconsider the new vs used question.  It is highly likely you will want to change RVs before keeping a new one long enough to offset depreciation (which takes several years). And a new RV does not assure peace of mind, nor does an older one guarantee the opposite.  There are numerous lightly used RVs available, often only a year or two old. Quite often, the original owner has just worked the bugs out and you actually get a less troublesome rig than you would with a brand new one. It is not at unusual for a new rig to make numerous trips to the shop for repairs, even though they may be small things.  A motorhome is a hugely complex thing, combining the worst aspects of a motor vehicle and a house in one and then bouncing them down the highways to boot!  Hope this isn't too discouraging!

 

[Jake Sharkey]

Thanks, all, for the replies and Gary for your new vs used comments.  Looks like my first instinct was correct after all, and that was to go with a low mileage used rig as our first exposure to RV'ing.  Found a couple of things as I cruised about studying RVTRADER.  It takes a good 4-5 years to get the majority of the depreciation benefit (say about 50-60% on a gas powered Class A (all things being equal).  The older the unit, however, the less likely it is to have a slide (slides), and thus, those with slides are at a bit of a premium. 

Well, slides in a used rig became very important to me only one month ago.  You see, my wife has been skeptical of us getting involved in RV'ing from the beginning. She felt they were too small/constricting for us to be comfortable. She felt this way until I kind of dragged her to the RV show in DC a month ago.  After about an hour of looking at different models she really warmed up to it and declared, this could indeed be fun, but "slides are a must."  Then, she fell in love with a particular Georgetown floor plan (model 373) that had a dinette table in a sort of alcove just in front of the bedroom - a very unique floor plan - and it has three slides!  She like it so much, we came very close to buying it on the spot.

So, the only logical course of action for me now is to involve my dear wife very directly in the used RV search process.  If I/we/she find one that generates similar excitement for her as the Georgetown 373 we may be a "go" in a slightly used model market, afterall.  Will probably start looking in earnest this spring/summer.  Will let you know what we might be zeroing in on ... (your thoughts and comments will be very helpful to me!)  Jake 

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I know where you are coming from - we just traded a 36 foot, double slide, 2002 gas unit for a 40 foot, triple slide, 2004 diesel, for much the same reasons as you describe.  Opposing slides in the living area makes a huge difference in livability - really opens up the space.

Triple slides became widely available in diesels in 2003 and a bit later in gas powered coaches.  You should have no problem finding a good 2004-2005 triple slide unit and the cost savings will be dramatic.

Go for the new coach if that's what it takes to make Momma happy (it's worth it!), but look around first. You might even find that same Georgetown 373 in a used unit within a year. If you do decide on a new one, negotiate for a discount of 20-25% off the MSRP.