Greetings. New here.

[jmjatlanta]

Hello,

My name is jmjatlanta, and along with "wifey" we are thinking about moving back to the states from Central America. After 3 years living abroad, we think it may be time to start a new adventure. Several years ago we tried tent camping. I liked it okay, wifey too. Then we (she) wanted to step up to a pop-up. She loved it. I thought it was certainly better. The camping part was fun, but my beloved Jeep Cherokee was at its limit pulling it. A weight-distributing hitch kept my knuckles from turning white, but it made me feel bad that I was putting my Cherokee through the torture.

The move to Panama was a good one. Too many life experiences to count. But as we (and my parents) age, we think it would be good to get back home and be closer to them. My parents have a large back yard. An entrance is already there, with some hookups (will need expansion) that were added for previous visitors.

We've looked at 5th wheel vs class A and we pretty much decided Class A. We will be pretty much full-timers, with respites at "mom and dad's" quite often, but probably still living in the RV while there. There's room inside their house, but we like our own space.

We're currently thinking 2 mos at home base, 1 month away would be about right.

We don't mind small quarters. Our current home is 2 floors. Downstairs living with 1 bath and upstairs 1 bedroom with bath. It is quite small by US standards, probably 900 sq ft. and plenty big for us.

I make good money, so cash flow is not a big worry (although the increase in health insurance between here and there is scary!)

We are trying to keep the budget tight so we can pay cash and still have money to do things. And that brings me to my first  question. We can afford (although probably wouldn't) a brand new 5th wheel with all the bells plus a good truck to pull it. For class A, we will have to get an older one. We're trying to stay around 80k for the Class A. That gives us a budget for a newer toad and all the goodies necessary to move in, have an emergency fund, and start going places.

So the question (1) is: What would we be missing if we bought a 2006-2009 Class A vs. a newer Class A? From what we see on websites like RV trader, the floorplans are about the same. We're not afraid to paint ugly cabinets or take down mirrors. But I do not want a rig where after purchase someone says "the newer ones have X that eliminates the chance of delamination" or "The newer ones have Y that makes things much lighter and saves 3 miles per gallon"

Question (2) is: Is 80K only going to buy me trouble? I'm no home handyman, but I do know a bit about gas and diesel engines (current diesel pickup, former car/small truck/airplane/boat owner). I also maintain my things very well (not afraid to get dirty or pay if need be to keep things in good order).

Please chime in, and if I should move my query to another place, let me know.

 

[Seilerbird]

So the question (1) is: What would we be missing if we bought a 2006-2009 Class A vs. a newer Class A? From what we see on websites like RV trader, the floor plans are about the same. We're not afraid to paint ugly cabinets or take down mirrors. But I do not want a rig where after purchase someone says "the newer ones have X that eliminates the chance of delamination" or "The newer ones have Y that makes things much lighter and saves 3 miles per gallon"

You would be missing nothing in my book. Any improvements are microscopic, not earth shaking.

Question (2) is: Is 80K only going to buy me trouble? I'm no home handyman, but I do know a bit about gas and diesel engines (current diesel pickup, former car/small truck/airplane/boat owner). I also maintain my things very well (not afraid to get dirty or pay if need be to keep things in good order).

No it won't buy you trouble if you have it professionally inspected prior to purchasing. It will cost you a few hundred dollars and can possibly save you thousands. However I do not recommend first time RV buyers spending $80k. You really don't know what you are going to want and need until you have been RVing for a year or so. I feel it is best to start with a rig that costs no more than $20k, such as this:

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/used-rvs-for-sale/class-a/2004-gulf-stream-ultra-supreme_rv-36180

RVs drop like a rock in value and with your $80k first rig you could lose $20k to $30k trading it in after a year to get the RV you really should have gotten in the first place. Have the RV inspected before you buy and it should last a year without a major expense and when you trade it in you will lose $5k at the most.

 

[darsben]

What you would be missing in a diesel pusher is the need to put DEF in it. That is a plus.
Also you probably will not have an electric awning. Another plus.
I understand your move back to the states. We lived in the Dominican Republic full time after retirement.

 

[Jackiemac]

Hi and welcome to the forum.  Have a look through the Library and Resources links as there is a lot of information there, in particular about buying a new motorhome/5th wheel/trailer.

Let us know if you have any more questions by posting in the relevant section.

Good luck with your search.