What do you have?

[RV&HD]

I know what RV you have is a very personal thing.

I'd just like to hear the variety being used and the variety of reasons why you like what you have.

I don't have an RV, but there is one in our near future. It is just my wife and I setting out on our little adventure.

We are 62 years old on a small hill farm with cattle and sheep in NE Arkansas. I have found a young man from South Africa that is excited to take over the farm to allow us to travel and see the US at a casual pace.

Thanks

 

[1dino17]

Hello I have a 2000 tradewinds DP with one slide out, 37ft and travel up and down the west coast mostly now!

 

[JayArr]

We have a 19 foot travel trailer. It has a queen bed, a dinette/table, a bathroom with a tub and shower and a kitchen with a full stove and oven, a microwave and a double sink. We think it's the perfect size for the two of us and one dog to travel in.

Edit: It's a Terry Resort by Fleetwood, we pull it with a 2005 GMC Envoy XL

 

[RV&HD]

Hello I have a 2000 tradewinds DP with one slide out, 37ft and travel up and down the west coast mostly now!

Something like this?

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2001-National-Rv-Tradewinds-7390-5017308886

 

[RV&HD]

We have a 19 foot travel trailer. It has a queen bed, a dinette/table, a bathroom with a tub and shower and a kitchen with a full stove and oven, a microwave and a double sink. We think it's the perfect size for the two of us and one dog to travel in.

What brand is it?

What do you pull it with?

 

[Kirk]

When we were on the road full-time we did so in a 36' Cruise Master gasoline powered class A. We bought it new and kept it 14 years, with 12 of those years it was our only home. Now that we are older we have downsized to a 2012, KZ Sportsman travel trailer, also bought new. It is 19' long, measured on the inside and it serves us very well as long as we travel where the weather is good. When you get several days of bad weather in a row, then it can get a little bit small and it isn't equipped for winter use. It is an ultra-lite model and can be towed by a larger SUV but we now tow it with a 2003 Dodge/Cummins, 2500 crew cab with a shell.

 

[RV&HD]

When we were on the road full-time we did so in a 36' Cruise Master gasoline powered class A. We bought it new and kept it 14 years, with 12 of those years it was our only home. Now that we are older we have downsized to a 2012, KZ Sportsman travel trailer, also bought new. It is 19' long, measured on the inside and it serves us very well as long as we travel where the weather is good. When you get several days of bad weather in a row, then it can get a little bit small and it isn't equipped for winter use. It is an ultra-lite model and can be towed by a larger SUV but we now tow it with a 2003 Dodge/Cummins, 2500 crew cab with a shell.

Something like this?

 

[Larry N.]

With a lot of us you can see the rig type in our signature, which should help you see the variety as you peruse various posts throughout the forum. Why's vary as much as individual choices vary. In a very broad, general sense (with many, many exceptions), people who stay in one place for longer times tend to favor trailers, while people who spend fewer nights in one place tend to favor a motorhome of some sort.

 

[FunSteak]

We have a 2017 Minnie Winnie 26a, which we purchased new. It's 27' bumper to bumper, and has three slides.

We have been tent campers for many years, and attended a number of festival events each summer. We have an elaborate, comfortable tenting setup. As we got a bit older, though, the time and work involved became an issue - it took hours to prepare, around 2 hours to setup and at least that to pack up. Not to mention having the car utterly stuffed, and needing to unload, clean and store all the gear when we got home.

We decided to take the plunge after a few years of research and viewing coaches. We wanted to get a floorplan that we loved, and after getting into at least 30 or 40 coaches we found this one, and immediately knew it was right for us.

We have been thrilled with it! It's absolutely perfect for our lifestyle and use case. Compact on the road, easy to get into sites, and plenty of room for us when camping. I'm a fan of Winnebago's quality, and have had virtually no major issues - just little stuff that's reasonably easy to deal with on my own.

Turns out this floorplan didn't sell that well - I think it was only offered for 2-3 years. I'm not sure why - it just works so well! That does make it sort of rare now, with only one or two on the used market, if any. Our resale value is surprisingly quite good.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

You're going to get as many different answers as responders. No one is right or wrong, better or worse. Is your goal to get an idea for what works for the kind of travel you'd like to do? In that case maybe defining that and offering it to the forum will get you more concise advice. It's fair to say you may not know everything about what you want to do yet so your assignment would then become the "what" and not the "how". Know where you're going before you get in the car as I like to say.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[RV&HD]

We have a 2017 Minnie Winnie 26a, which we purchased new. It's 27' bumper to bumper, and has three slides.

We have been tent campers for many years, and attended a number of festival events each summer. We have an elaborate, comfortable tenting setup. As we got a bit older, though, the time and work involved became an issue - it took hours to prepare, around 2 hours to setup and at least that to pack up. Not to mention having the car utterly stuffed, and needing to unload, clean and store all the gear when we got home.

We decided to take the plunge after a few years of research and viewing coaches. We wanted to get a floorplan that we loved, and after getting into at least 30 or 40 coaches we found this one, and immediately knew it was right for us.

We have been thrilled with it! It's absolutely perfect for our lifestyle and use case. Compact on the road, easy to get into sites, and plenty of room for us when camping. I'm a fan of Winnebago's quality, and have had virtually no major issues - just little stuff that's reasonably easy to deal with on my own.

Turns out this floorplan didn't sell that well - I think it was only offered for 2-3 years. I'm not sure why - it just works so well! That does make it sort of rare now, with only one or two on the used market, if any. Our resale value is surprisingly quite good.

What makes you like the floor plan so well?

 

[RV&HD]

You're going to get as many different answers as responders. No one is right or wrong, better or worse. Is your goal to get an idea for what works for the kind of travel you'd like to do? In that case maybe defining that and offering it to the forum will get you more concise advice. It's fair to say you may not know everything about what you want to do yet so your assignment would then become the "what" and not the "how". Know where you're going before you get in the car as I like to say.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

As I said in my first posts, I have been all over the map considering the type of RV. Some here have offered insight as to why they chose what they have.

First thing to me is comfort on the road in a sub $100K rig. Comfort itself is a squishy term. It means a good bed, a good stove, a good fridge/freezer, and a shower/toilet arrangement that suits my wife.

I have no experience whatsoever with an RV. We tent camped years ago, when we had young kids. We want to see America, and not be limited by too big a vehicle, and not inconvenienced by too few amenities.

 

[RV&HD]

How wrong am I not wanting slides?

 

[RV&HD]

What should scare me about something like this almost 18 year old unit?

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2004-Winnebago-MINNIE-WINNIE-24V-5016722018

 

[Utclmjmpr]

You can be very right!! I have never had slides in 50 years of RV travel,, don't miss the many problems that seem to follow them..>>>Dan ( My M/H is 24 years old and kept in great shape. )

 

[Utclmjmpr]

The main downside to a class"C" is lack of storage when traveling long distances or long term..>>>Dan

 

[RV&HD]

The main downside to a class"C" is lack of storage when traveling long distances or long term..>>>Dan

What are the primary consumers of storage? Is it cloths, gear, tools, help me understand that point.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Define the "comfort" part in great detail with her, because the combinations and level of appointments are nearly infinite. Two otherwise similar RV's side by side may be adored or reviled based on seemingly insignificant differences. Doing some tire kicking at RV lots and taking notes on what's liked and disliked will help you nail down a floor plan and features that will improve the odds of getting a "winner".

Slides are wonderful when they work, a train wreck when they don't. Some are made better than others and I honestly can't tell you which ones to adopt or avoid. My last trip I spent half a day helping the folks next to us in a 5th wheel and a lippert slide that bound up and could not be closed. He called a mobile tech and the three of us finally freed it using a pry bar. I cross my fingers every time I hit the slide button on mine and contemplate just what I'll do the day it craps out. So your concern is not unfounded, it's just a risk item you have to reconcile for it's value to you. I would add that with some RV's the space is not useable with the slide retracted making it's use mandatory. With others the slide merely adds space but doesn't preclude using the area when retracted, so using the slide is optional.

18 year old unit scary things - leaking roof or any exterior seal and hidden water damage. Chassis issues like brakes, suspension, and anything made of rubber or plastic which is all belts, hoses, bushings, seals, tubing, and wiring. Maintenance items like tires, batteries are simple to remedy but can be expensive. How it was stored and maintained over it's life is a huge driver in value and reliability but the reality is an RV is a crappy house on a delivery truck so reliability is relative. So that requires a reality check when it comes down to judging the fitness of any particular RV for a given purpose.

Storage and payload - If you're used to a car trunk and a tent, you probably can't envision using up all the room in an RV. Thing about storage is that it tends to fill over time, stuff that you bring along just because you can. If you don't need to take 50 pairs of shoes, clothes for every occasion along with all the other junk people tend to collect and think they have to have you'll probably do OK. But RV's, especially class C's are near their max payload before you put anything into them. Take on a load of water, groceries for a week, some folding chairs, a grill, case or more of beer, on and on and it's not hard to max out what's there.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[FunSteak]

What makes you like the floor plan so well?

View attachment 147843

There are a few things.

First, I'm quite tall (6' 5"). I had three requirements. First, have to be able to walk through the rig without hitting my head or busting anything off the ceiling. Our coach is 6' 8", so good there. Second, I have to be able to sleep with no more than my heels hanging off the bed. Surprising how many units fail this test. Third, I wanted to use the restroom with the door closed. Check on that, as well.

More stuff...

• Our dinette is surprisingly spacious. Plenty of room for a dinner for four, and six, while tight, is do-able. We have a couple of folding stools for extra seating. Had eight or nine in it during a storm, and it wasn't uncomfortable.
• Huge over-cab bunk. Plenty of room for two guests. Also great for storage when it's just us.
• Reasonable and useable counter space for a smaller coach
• Bathroom and shower - we didn't realize how well this setup would work at first. The bathroom door is spring loaded to stay open against the bedroom wall, and there's a pocket door that closes it off from the front, making a lovely bathroom suite that's spacious and comfy. Shower fits me fine, even though I'm a tall drink of water.
• HUGE pantry, with slideout drawer/shelf things. LOVE this. In fact, we have a really nice amount of inside storage overall.
• Beautiful, big bedroom - much more spacious than some class C coaches. The rear slide is the head of our bed. Really easy to get in and out. BIG hanging wardrobe (three cabinet doors wide), and two large drawers. Full length mirror for the admiral. Also a nightstand cabinet with upper cabinet above.
• Not pushing the weight envelope for an E450. Plenty of guts on hills and an average of 8.5-9 mpg, including some light genny run time.
• Huge, 18' power awning

To be fair, here are a few disadvantages we have found, too. Most are minor.

• Outside basement storage is okay, but not great. Three slides affect this. However, there is one HUGE one, with a small passthrough, in the rear. I keep 6 chairs, a folding wagon, small table and lots of accessories in that one.
• Bedroom is not usable with slides retracted. You can access the over-bed cabinets, wardrobe and one drawer. This may be a dealbreaker for some, but it's never caused us a minute's trouble. We're used to is and plan accordingly.
• This one can be both good and bad - no "fancy" upgrades like solid surface counters, porcelain toilet, auto leveling, touchscreen controls, etc. These are entry level coaches. I'm actually very okay with this, as it keeps weight down and avoids a ton of complexity and failure points. Some of this were available options, but we're happy we have a simpler, easier to maintain situation.
• Not a big fan of the curved corners in the dinette. There are nifty folding footrests, but it's difficult to get comfy with a curved back. We've found ways, but are considering removing the curves and going with straight 90 degree corners.
• Dump pipe is behind driver's side rear wheels and hangs down a bit. Makes me a bit nervous on rough roads/terrain. So far, so good though. Only actual problem I've had is pulling too far forward when getting off my leveling ramps and knocking the pipe askew a little (NO poop leaks, so all good)

I attached a few more photos of the interior. I'm happy to answer any other questions.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

How wrong am I not wanting slides?

The only thing "wrong" is that it will limit your choices severely, since few non-slide rigs are produced anymore (small trailers excepted). Slides dramatically increase usable space and the perception of open-ness; the downside is it's another mechanism that can break.

Personally I think slides are well-worth the potential mechanical difficulties. I've had very little trouble with Power Gear rack & pinion slides and no trouble with the large hydraulic slide I had back in 1999.