I am arriving in the states from Ireland in July and going to Phoenix. I will buy a class C motorhome there and work my way along the west coast. That much I do know - however there is so much for me to learn as well. Americans have a reputation for being friendly and helpful and hopefully in time I can be of help to others too.
Looking to buy an RV soon and do my dream American road trip
- Thread starter aidan36
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
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Tom
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Hello Aidan and welcome. Feel free to look around or ask any questions and we'll try to get them answered.
Where in Ireland are you from?
Any reason you're specifically planning to buy a class C? It's a bit like driving a large van and there will be less living area than in the same size class A.
Where in Ireland are you from?
Any reason you're specifically planning to buy a class C? It's a bit like driving a large van and there will be less living area than in the same size class A.
I live near Phoenix and at an RV Resort call Pueblo El Mirage. Let me know exactly what you are looking for and I'll see if I can locate something for you. List year, size, and how much dollars you are willing to spend. Also how far you are willing to travel for one. Send me an message if you desire.
Hi Tom,
I am from cork city in the south of Ireland. I am about 10 miles from the Blarney Stone which probably explains the fact that I love to chat!!
I am a total newbie and have just being doing web research so feel free to offer any advice.
The reason I was looking for a class c, 3-5 years old, around 28feet, and up to $35k, is that i thought it may be easier to start with.
I will be with my wife,2 year old son and hopefully my parents for a while too.
We have done some sailing last year and got on grand in a cramped boat, so I suppose I felt this would be fine for us.
Again any suggestion would be welcome
I am from cork city in the south of Ireland. I am about 10 miles from the Blarney Stone which probably explains the fact that I love to chat!!
I am a total newbie and have just being doing web research so feel free to offer any advice.
The reason I was looking for a class c, 3-5 years old, around 28feet, and up to $35k, is that i thought it may be easier to start with.
I will be with my wife,2 year old son and hopefully my parents for a while too.
We have done some sailing last year and got on grand in a cramped boat, so I suppose I felt this would be fine for us.
Again any suggestion would be welcome
Tom
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Hi Aidan,
We won't hold it against you for being from Cork ;D I was born and bred due east of you across the Irish Sea, not far from Swansea. The closest I've been to Cork is Shannon and Limerick. I recall a wonderful pub in Limerick called Dirty Nellie's.
There's nowt wrong with a class C per se and, since you're used to cramped quarters, it might work out just fine for you. One advantage of a class A is that the front seats swivel to face the living area, giving you more seating accomodation, whereas the cab area of a class C is lost once you're camped at a campground. In a class C you also "lose contact" with the passengers while you're in the cab driving.
We won't hold it against you for being from Cork ;D I was born and bred due east of you across the Irish Sea, not far from Swansea. The closest I've been to Cork is Shannon and Limerick. I recall a wonderful pub in Limerick called Dirty Nellie's.
There's nowt wrong with a class C per se and, since you're used to cramped quarters, it might work out just fine for you. One advantage of a class A is that the front seats swivel to face the living area, giving you more seating accomodation, whereas the cab area of a class C is lost once you're camped at a campground. In a class C you also "lose contact" with the passengers while you're in the cab driving.
Aidan Tom is the master of pubs, maybe. Not sure about that, but he's a great chap. Met him and his spouse this last Jan when we drycamped in the Quartsite Desert. These guys definitely know what they are talking about on this forum. Great place.
Tom
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Shayne said:
Blush, blush Shayne. Appreciate the compliment.
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
Welcome to the RV Forum. Sounds like you have a real enjoyable adventure planned. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions and we will try to answer them. Glad you found us.
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
Ireland to Phoenix in July!? :
?Man, you are going to go into shock when you walk out of the door of the terminal.? ?It was 107?F there today.?
The monsoon is hitting the SW deserts full on lately.? ?High heat, and highish humidity and thunder storms you wouldn't believe.? Git in that RV and head west to the Pacfic Coast or the Sierra Nevadas asap.? ?;D
?Man, you are going to go into shock when you walk out of the door of the terminal.? ?It was 107?F there today.? The monsoon is hitting the SW deserts full on lately.? ?High heat, and highish humidity and thunder storms you wouldn't believe.? Git in that RV and head west to the Pacfic Coast or the Sierra Nevadas asap.? ?;D
My wife who is American arrived in Phoenix 2 days ago and said it was so so hot. Just great for a celt like me!! We are leaving phoenix and going towards the pacific coast and then up to Washington and over to Oregon. Hopefully that will be a lot cooler than Phoenix. My grandfather was a sheperd in Oregon in the 20's and 30's and was the only one to come back to Ireland from a family of 7. It will be special to see where he was for so long. Seems a bit unusal for an Irish person to be looking up old family in the states - normally it is the other way around.
Swansea, Tom. Great rugby supporters there and still as hospitable as ever to Munster fans when we go over. That car ferry between our 2 cities has a lot to answer for!!!
I was budgeting up to $35k for an RV. Can you buy a good class A for that. We will keep it for a year or 2 in states and then try and sell it on. Any recommendations for what to look for and what to avoid for this money.
Thank you to everyone who has been so helpful and friendly too. Seems like one great community to me.
Swansea, Tom. Great rugby supporters there and still as hospitable as ever to Munster fans when we go over. That car ferry between our 2 cities has a lot to answer for!!!
I was budgeting up to $35k for an RV. Can you buy a good class A for that. We will keep it for a year or 2 in states and then try and sell it on. Any recommendations for what to look for and what to avoid for this money.
Thank you to everyone who has been so helpful and friendly too. Seems like one great community to me.
Tom
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Aidan,
Yes, great rugby supporters and, as you say, hospitable folks. But they're just returning the wonderful hospitality Welsh fans get when they come your way.
To get a first order estimate of motorhome prices look at the NADA price guides - click on the Recreation Vehicles tab, then on Motorhomes. I took a quick look and, provided you're not looking at a diesel monster, you should be able to get a small petrol class A that's not too old for $35K. You probably know that our quoted prices don't include sales tax, which is dependent on the state & city. (I don't recall if Arizona has a sales tax).
We have a few articles in our library that you might care to read before you go shopping. Click the Library button above and select Checklists.
Yes, great rugby supporters and, as you say, hospitable folks. But they're just returning the wonderful hospitality Welsh fans get when they come your way.
To get a first order estimate of motorhome prices look at the NADA price guides - click on the Recreation Vehicles tab, then on Motorhomes. I took a quick look and, provided you're not looking at a diesel monster, you should be able to get a small petrol class A that's not too old for $35K. You probably know that our quoted prices don't include sales tax, which is dependent on the state & city. (I don't recall if Arizona has a sales tax).
We have a few articles in our library that you might care to read before you go shopping. Click the Library button above and select Checklists.
Tom
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Shayne,
It would be a bigger ouch in California (up to 8.5% for some cities). Buying private would be the same - the DMV grabs the sales tax when a buyer asks DMV to transfer title.
It would be a bigger ouch in California (up to 8.5% for some cities). Buying private would be the same - the DMV grabs the sales tax when a buyer asks DMV to transfer title.
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
Shayne said:
Time to bundle up and break out the hot buttered rums.
Tom
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Aidan,
We have a couple of articles in our library written by Brits who came here and bought RVs. They both discuss insurance. Click the Library button above, select Visitors to the USA and look at the bottom two articles.
We have a couple of articles in our library written by Brits who came here and bought RVs. They both discuss insurance. Click the Library button above, select Visitors to the USA and look at the bottom two articles.
raedmunds71
Well-known member
Here's an idea:
Go to the web address below, it's the rvtrader web site
http://ww2.rvtraderonline.com/
Select the class you are looking for, I would do both A and C
Enter the price range you are willing to pay
Select the state of Arizona
Then click on search.
The Phoenix area has many dealers to choose from as well as individual owners
I also feel that motor homes with a slide out or two have better resale than those without. It's just my opinion and I'm not an expert.
I don't know about motor homes but I do know that if you buy a car from a private party, you DO NOT have to pay sales tax.
I assume that holds true for buyers from outside the US.
We took a trip last fall from Minnesota to Washington down the coast to the Napa Valley then over to Arizona. We loved the Pacific coast highway but we were in a class B and it was a very curvy drive. Not much time for looking around while driving.
We liked the Napa Valley and the redwood forest in Crescent City Ca. as well as Crater Lake Or. The only problem with Crater Lake it that it takes you quite aways from the Oregon coast which we missed. You would have to decide that.
There were many state camp grounds on the way but I would guess if you are doing this in the busy summer they will be quite crowded. We usually do our touring after the first of September and before the middle of June.
My suggestion is to ask anyone you can about places to see or go. We have found many wonderful places because we asked someone. If we hadn't we would not have even known about them. Crescent City Ca. was an example. We had driven right through it and then talked to a lady at a rest stop who convinced us to go back and we were very glad we did.
It is so much better doing it that way than trying to find these places in brocures etc.
Good luck on your American adventure.
Go to the web address below, it's the rvtrader web site
http://ww2.rvtraderonline.com/
Select the class you are looking for, I would do both A and C
Enter the price range you are willing to pay
Select the state of Arizona
Then click on search.
The Phoenix area has many dealers to choose from as well as individual owners
I also feel that motor homes with a slide out or two have better resale than those without. It's just my opinion and I'm not an expert.
I don't know about motor homes but I do know that if you buy a car from a private party, you DO NOT have to pay sales tax.
I assume that holds true for buyers from outside the US.
We took a trip last fall from Minnesota to Washington down the coast to the Napa Valley then over to Arizona. We loved the Pacific coast highway but we were in a class B and it was a very curvy drive. Not much time for looking around while driving.
We liked the Napa Valley and the redwood forest in Crescent City Ca. as well as Crater Lake Or. The only problem with Crater Lake it that it takes you quite aways from the Oregon coast which we missed. You would have to decide that.
There were many state camp grounds on the way but I would guess if you are doing this in the busy summer they will be quite crowded. We usually do our touring after the first of September and before the middle of June.
My suggestion is to ask anyone you can about places to see or go. We have found many wonderful places because we asked someone. If we hadn't we would not have even known about them. Crescent City Ca. was an example. We had driven right through it and then talked to a lady at a rest stop who convinced us to go back and we were very glad we did.
It is so much better doing it that way than trying to find these places in brocures etc.
Good luck on your American adventure.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
That may be true in your state, but it certainly is not true in many other states. After a private vehicle sale, many states collect their sales/use tax when the vehicle title is transferred. Of course, if you never do the title paperwork, you don't pay the tax. That way you could re-sell the vehicle without incurring tax.
