AsenathBarzani
Advanced Member
I went through a very intensive 2-month process of researching rvs, after having to flee my house in the wake of a toxic mold situation. I'd like to share some key points of what I learned, in case they are helpful to some other people.
First, if you're on this forum, well done. This is a great place to ask questions and get intel. The things people shared here were super helpful for me.
Second, get an RV inspector on board asap. You'll need that individual whether you buy a new or used, and they might be kind and offer you some pointers along the way. When I got an RV inspector, everything turned around. He gave me tips that led to my getting a fantastic, well maintained rv.
Third, it is my opinion that the major manufacturers - Jayco, keystone, Grand design, etc - are the equivalent of factory farmers. For me, Northwood manufacturing stood above the rest. They make rugged RVs with real wood cabinets, more storage than I've seen anywhere, unique floor models for people outside the target market, extra insulation, and as far as I'm aware, American parts. I feel a confidence in the durability and quality of what they build, which I did not feel with any of the other companies.
4th, I made a Google document with bullet points of what I wanted and what I did not want in an rv. I went to an RV expo, found the person running the whole show, handed him my list, and got taken around to floor models that fit what I was looking for. That was a starting point where I was able to get a visceral experience and handle on what I needed.
Fifth, I stayed at airbnb's next to areas that had clusters of RV dealers. I called ahead of time to see if they had what I was looking for. They tried to pressure me to come in, but I insisted on first finding out if they had what I wanted. when I discovered the RV I wanted, it was from one of a cluster of about 20 RV dealers, and they were the only ones that have what I wanted. So I saved myself a ton of time and energy and hassle by calling first.
Six, I thought I needed to buy new in order to avoid inheriting someone else's problems. In particular, I was really concerned about moisture in the walls. But I realized that because I was hiring an inspector, and because that inspector was giving me pointers on what to look for and look out for, I was able to get a used rv. I live in the Pacific northwest, where it is very rainy. I chose to get an RV from someone who lives in eastern oregon, where it is very dry. These kinds of details are critical in researching the right rv. In addition, the inspector was kind enough to review the Links of the RVs that I was considering. He pointed out that the one in eastern Oregon was also in a carport for an rv, which demonstrated that this person was likely taking good care of the rv.
7th, if the bank does not finance you, do not despair. My credit union denied me financing based on outdated tax returns from a couple years that I was in a place of financial hardship due to family and medical emergencies. It's ridiculous. I panicked it first but then I just asked the RV owner if I could do financing with him, giving him the APR that I would have given the bank, and getting it all in a contract that is notarized. He said yes. So here I am living in my rv.
Eight, if it feels overwhelming looking for an rv, that doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. It is literally overwhelming. There are tons of rvs, there are people trying to sell you s*** you might not need, there are many floor models that may not serve your interests. It is really hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, just keep going. Ask questions from everyone you meet - you never know where you're going to get critical information. I found that there is no comprehensive download anywhere. It's just a matter of asking questions and following the trail and learning from each conversation what questions to ask next time.
9th, YouTube is your friend. I watched probably hundreds of videos on YouTube. There are a bunch of about what to ask and look for. It can be extremely overwhelming because it's not filtered the way that it would be in a university course. But just keep going, and things will start to reveal themselves. You will start to notice themes and start to get clear on what you want and don't want. Also change up your search terms that you are using when you look for videos. As you go through the process, you will get more educated, and you can reference things in more detail, the more you learn.
I hope that's helpful. I'm really grateful to all the people who helped me out on my journey, just paying it forward.
First, if you're on this forum, well done. This is a great place to ask questions and get intel. The things people shared here were super helpful for me.
Second, get an RV inspector on board asap. You'll need that individual whether you buy a new or used, and they might be kind and offer you some pointers along the way. When I got an RV inspector, everything turned around. He gave me tips that led to my getting a fantastic, well maintained rv.
Third, it is my opinion that the major manufacturers - Jayco, keystone, Grand design, etc - are the equivalent of factory farmers. For me, Northwood manufacturing stood above the rest. They make rugged RVs with real wood cabinets, more storage than I've seen anywhere, unique floor models for people outside the target market, extra insulation, and as far as I'm aware, American parts. I feel a confidence in the durability and quality of what they build, which I did not feel with any of the other companies.
4th, I made a Google document with bullet points of what I wanted and what I did not want in an rv. I went to an RV expo, found the person running the whole show, handed him my list, and got taken around to floor models that fit what I was looking for. That was a starting point where I was able to get a visceral experience and handle on what I needed.
Fifth, I stayed at airbnb's next to areas that had clusters of RV dealers. I called ahead of time to see if they had what I was looking for. They tried to pressure me to come in, but I insisted on first finding out if they had what I wanted. when I discovered the RV I wanted, it was from one of a cluster of about 20 RV dealers, and they were the only ones that have what I wanted. So I saved myself a ton of time and energy and hassle by calling first.
Six, I thought I needed to buy new in order to avoid inheriting someone else's problems. In particular, I was really concerned about moisture in the walls. But I realized that because I was hiring an inspector, and because that inspector was giving me pointers on what to look for and look out for, I was able to get a used rv. I live in the Pacific northwest, where it is very rainy. I chose to get an RV from someone who lives in eastern oregon, where it is very dry. These kinds of details are critical in researching the right rv. In addition, the inspector was kind enough to review the Links of the RVs that I was considering. He pointed out that the one in eastern Oregon was also in a carport for an rv, which demonstrated that this person was likely taking good care of the rv.
7th, if the bank does not finance you, do not despair. My credit union denied me financing based on outdated tax returns from a couple years that I was in a place of financial hardship due to family and medical emergencies. It's ridiculous. I panicked it first but then I just asked the RV owner if I could do financing with him, giving him the APR that I would have given the bank, and getting it all in a contract that is notarized. He said yes. So here I am living in my rv.
Eight, if it feels overwhelming looking for an rv, that doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. It is literally overwhelming. There are tons of rvs, there are people trying to sell you s*** you might not need, there are many floor models that may not serve your interests. It is really hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, just keep going. Ask questions from everyone you meet - you never know where you're going to get critical information. I found that there is no comprehensive download anywhere. It's just a matter of asking questions and following the trail and learning from each conversation what questions to ask next time.
9th, YouTube is your friend. I watched probably hundreds of videos on YouTube. There are a bunch of about what to ask and look for. It can be extremely overwhelming because it's not filtered the way that it would be in a university course. But just keep going, and things will start to reveal themselves. You will start to notice themes and start to get clear on what you want and don't want. Also change up your search terms that you are using when you look for videos. As you go through the process, you will get more educated, and you can reference things in more detail, the more you learn.
I hope that's helpful. I'm really grateful to all the people who helped me out on my journey, just paying it forward.