Newbie advise please.....some fears and questions for y'all

[Melissarv]

I am a newbie..single mom..who is about to spend alot of $$$ on an RV in the next few weeks. Im not handy at all but a learner of all things and a very hard worker...so im scared for the beginning of not knowing how to do anything, fix anything or even know when something is on the fritz. How many years did it take most folks to be comfortable in that regard.....how safe for me and a teenage daughter will this be if i cant fix even a tire???? We love RV'ing and i cannot keep renting as often i want to up and travel without having to preplan...i need to see all there is across Canada and the US to decide where to move when i retire. I work remotly thus i really want to feel secure doing this so that i can adventure confidently. This may sound sexist but are there are just lady RVers without partners??? Im spending hundreds of thousands,......these forums helped me to narrow down to what i want and need...and now im going about finding them. Im in Ontario so zero inventory here of what i want...im buying in Winter which doesnt allow the camp at dealer to test everything and the deadler ill be buying from will not be in my province and probably not my country so how hard is it to find good repairs shops that dont sell RV's (Dealers bump you if you didnt buy from them). Any advise, help.......is this crazy to do if i and my daughter know jack about repairs right now??

 

[beaverfever]

before you run out and buy something you better understand the import laws .

if you have the resources to cover your repairs and mistakes go for it.

 

[Melissarv]

before you run out and buy something you better understand the import laws .

if you have the resources to cover your repairs and mistakes go for it.

Yes it costs a couple hundred to import but sadly we have to pay the Canadian sales tax too But even with that prices are still better it seems.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

When you venture into unknown territory you have to be ready to accept things will not be pretty sometimes. Things will happen and it will derail your plans. They can be financially frightening. It is imperative you keep a cool head, be willing to learn, adapt and have contingency plans in place. Even those of us that work on our own stuff aren't assured there won't be any bumps in the road. You're at the very bottom of a very steep learning curve which will take time, discipline and determination to climb. It can be a grand adventure or a miserable disaster depending on how you react to situations you are sure to encounter.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Larry N.]

This may sound sexist but are there are just lady RVers without partners???

Certainly- I've known several. JudyJB probably will show up here soon, and has been solo for a number of years, and she has excellent advice too.

Im not handy at all but a learner of all things and a very hard worker...so im scared for the beginning of not knowing how to do anything, fix anything or even know when something is on the fritz. How many years did it take most folks to be comfortable in that regard.....how safe for me and a teenage daughter will this be if i cant fix even a tire????

If you can't fix anything at all, then maintenance can get expensive in a hurry. Folks here are certainly willing to help you learn, but it will take a while.

For tires (and a number of other things) I'd suggest a road service contract with someone like Coach Net, who can even provide some technical support over the phone.

I'd also suggest that you peruse our RESOURCES section (on the red bar above) to learn something about many different areas. There are even checklists for such things are buying an RV, pre-departure and other things. Searching through the forums here for various subjects can be a learning experience, too.

 

[rvlifer]

If you have rented rvs in the past you arent starting from scratch. Rvs arent the most problem things out there so being able to fix things yourself helps an awful lot. You didnt say whether you are planning to live in the rv full time. I wouldnt recomend that until you have more experience.

starting with a reasonably sized basic rv will make it more aporoachable. The more bells and whistles the mire to go wrong.

Keep reading and learning and you will get it. Start with small short trips near your house to learn and then longer trips will be easy.

The first camping trip we went on was 10 mins away from our gouse and we made multiple trips home and to walmart every day. Learned tons and the 2nd trip was far easier.

Welcome to the forum. Tons of info hwre so read as much as possible and ask a lot of questions. Lots of extremely knowledgeable people here.

 

[rvlifer]

What kind of rv are you buying and from who?

 

[JudyJB]

How many years did it take most folks to be comfortable in that regard.....how safe for me and a teenage daughter will this be if i cant fix even a tire????

First, I am an 81-year-old single grandmother, and I have been full-time traveling alone for over 12 years. I do not camp in the desert or forest alone, but rather I stay in national, state, and county campgrounds. In 12 years, no one has ever bothered me. I felt slightly unsafe once as some men down the campground road had been drinking all day, but I left the next morning. But that is all that has happened to me.

However, you do have to expect things like blown or flat tires, or things inside the RV that stop working--like maybe your refrigerator will need to be repaired, or you will need a new water pump. But you'd have that in a house also. And there are hundreds, if not thousands, of videos on the internet made by fellow campers on things like how to replace a toilet or get one unplugged.

I work remotly thus i really want to feel secure doing this so that i can adventure confidently. This may sound sexist but are there are just lady RVers without partners??? Im spending hundreds of thousands,......these forums helped me to narrow down to what i want and need...and now im going about finding them. Im in Ontario so zero inventory here of what i want...im buying in Winter which doesnt allow the camp at dealer to test everything and the deadler ill be buying from will not be in my province and probably not my country so how hard is it to find good repairs shops that dont sell RV's (Dealers bump you if you didnt buy from them). Any advise, help.......is this crazy to do if i and my daughter know jack about repairs right now??

Before you agree to buy anything, the MOST IMPORTANT THING is to get it inspected by an outside inspector! There are people called mobile RV repairmen who can come to a campground to fix things. Many of them have gone to training programs and been certified as technicians, so you should get one of these people to inspect your rig BEFORE you buy it.

Especially if you buy used, you can make some incredibly expensive mistakes if you try to save money by skipping an outside inspection. After several friends told her to get an inspection, one of my friends ignored the advice and bought a motorhome in Arizona. It broke down on the way back to California, and had to be towed. On the way, she found several things that the owner/dealer had lied to her about. The result? She sold it for a big loss through a consignment broker. The next rig she bought she did get inspected, and she is happy with it.

Also, you sound a bit younger, but there are a lot of us older women driving and traveling alone in motorhomes or other types of RVs. In fact, I believe the ratio is about three or four women to every older man traveling alone, so it has to be pretty safe.

 

[JudyJB]

And yes, repairs can be very expensive, as I well know, since I am not able to repair most things myself. (Although I did replace a toilet once, but I am beyond my toilet replacing days.)

You need a substantial emergency repair fund before you buy anything. I worked a second job for several years before i bought my motorhome, and I also taught half-time online college classes for the first 9 years. That money enabled me to pay off my rig and put money aside for future repairs.

 

[JudyJB]

Also, can someone answer if there are RV repair classes offered somewhere for new RV owners?? I did not take one, but I remember hearing about them somewhere. Maybe it was at an Escapees meeting somewhere???

 

[rvlifer]

Also, can someone answer if there are RV repair classes offered somewhere for new RV owners?? I did not take one, but I remember hearing about them somewhere. Maybe it was at an Escapees meeting somewhere???

Lots. Just do a google search

Here is the nvria training info. Looks like you can start around $600 for a years access to the training material. Dont know if this is appropriate for someone with no experience tho

https://www.rvia.org/rv-technical-institute/technician-path-and-curriculum

https://train.rvti.org/collections/individual-subscription-2025

 

[rvlifer]

This one might be better for a new owner. They have modules on how to buy an rv.

https://rveducation101.com/

 

[Firstime RVer]

Are you looking at a travel trailer or class A or Class B ?? I would think that a pre owned Travel trailer might be your best bet. The previous owner would have worked out all the warranty etc problems.

Will you be locating it at one site or will you be relocating frequently? Would you be boondocking frequently or basically staying at FHU sites??

We have found that simple is reliable, so I would personally avoid all the fancy blue tooth controls etc. that you can run from your phone.
We've had our TT for over 8 years with very few problems.

Safe travels and all the best.

 

[Isaac-1]

I am sitting back and hoping you will share a bit more information, but as to your questions I have met several women who travel solo in RV's of all sizes over the years. On the topic of not being handy there are extended service plans which can help the ones that cover everything can by pricey, but like most types of insurance you pay a premium to hedge against the unexpected expenses. I have known people that after years of payments they find that they would have been better off putting the money in a rainy day fund, and others who swear by such service plans saying they have been well worth it when things break down.

 

[Jackiemac]

Welcome! I'm not sure what parts of the RV the dealer can't test because it's winter. Sounds like a con to me.

I know water might be difficult and the AC but I'm still suspicious of that. I'm not experienced with this but others can hopefully advise.

Definitely get it inspected.

We've seen lots of women out there.

Good luck!

 

[Rene T]

Will you be locating it at one site or will you be relocating frequently? Would you be boondocking frequently or basically staying at FHU sites??

Boondocking means camping in the wilderness with no water source and no electricity.
FHU stands for full hook up. Water, electricity, sometimes cable TV

 

[Boat Bum]

FHU to me includes sewage.

 

[Onyrlef]

RV'ing around the country isn't in the long run about saving money. Take your hundreds of thousands, buy a car or SUV and stay in hotels. You'll get to see the country and won't be getting hosed by some 1st cousin to a car dealer who claims they can't fully inspect an RV in winter.

 

[JudyJB]

RV'ing around the country isn't in the long run about saving money. Take your hundreds of thousands, buy a car or SUV and stay in hotels. You'll get to see the country and won't be getting hosed by some 1st cousin to a car dealer who claims they can't fully inspect an RV in winter.

EXCELLENT point!! I also cannot think of any reason a dealer or someone else can't show you how all the systems work in any weather.

And as most of us find out, this lifestyle is NOT cheap, and certainly not cheaper than traveling and staying in hotels! Campground fees are going up, costs of buying RVs are going up, and dealers and sellers are not always honest, to say the least.

However, if your goal is to travel and see the country, and you can afford the costs including repair bills, go for it. The real luxury is having your own bed, your own clean bathroom, and the ability to cook on the road, and these are reasons most of us are willing to spend our retirement money doing this. IN other words, don't give up your dream, but do be aware of the costs and potential problems.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I think she said she wouldn't be able to camp at the dealer because of winter weather, so wouldn't be able to hang out to see what might go wrong. Probably no water at the dealer's RV campsite. Maybe not even snow-plowed for access. That's much different than "can't inspect".