After years of hemming and hawing, I’ve finally convinced the Wife to letting me get an RV. Trouble is that we don’t have the funds for a new one. Used it is. Now that we’ve hit the marketplaces, we have no idea how to sort through the good from the bad.
Here’s what we know we want, but need help in knowing what else we want or what to look for:
-Sits/ Sleeps 2 humans and 3 large (70-100#) dogs
-AC/ Heat generator
-Reasonable road noise as compared to driving a van/ truck
-Potentially a toilet (but we both agree that’s for emergency purposes only)
-Don’t need a TV or satellite (I think- we’re not TV people but maybe satellite for internets?)
-Based on current gas prices, gasoline over diesel (I think- I’m not sure of the trade offs between gas/ diesel prices and mileage)
-Maybe some modern audio features, such as USB/ Bluetooth capabilities (not a deal breaker though)
Questions we have:
-What’s an age range where we can/ should draw the line?
-I’m under the assumption that an older model with few miles is worse than one with more miles. True?
-What features are RV must-haves?
-We have a few CarFaxes available to us. Other than accidents, what might be some other red flags?
(Edit: Fix stupid ST formatting)
-What questions should we be asking? (We found a few online but want to know your experience)
-What should we know before we say yes?
Odd to say you want an RV and not a toilet. So I am going to start with some basic questions.
Are you in America?
What Class of RV do you want?
Do you want a lot of interior space (do you want a slide out or 2?)
From your list of requirements a conversion van could fit your needs.
So could a 45’ Diesel pusher.
And I assume you want a RV and not a trailer.
One advantage of a toilet is in the loan it is considered a 2nd house and you can get a mortgage, or something like that been many years but there is some financial advantage to having a bathroom.
Do you want a Shower, Kitchen? inside kitchen or just an outside cooktop? Oven? Microwave? Refrigerator?
Maybe post a couple of the links of the ones you are looking at, then we can discuss starting from that point?
I have bought many used RV’s, and you are right in that assumption of being the most cost effective. Drive the new one off the lot and 6 months later you have lost a ton in value, never to come back. Unless you bought an Airstream in the 1950’s/60’s and have held onto it in perfect condition…
But basics, you want a toilet, virtually all RV’s come with them unless you are talking the sprinter van category.
And they come with fridges, stoves(some ovens too) propane gas heater, water heater, shower, and kitchens as standard equipment. Gas is probably the way to go, many more choices and the mileage difference is negated by the hight cost of diesel at the moment. Easier to work on too, diesel mechanics are few and far between, gas one are on every corner.
You have to decide on Class A or C, the latter has an overhead bunk on a truck cab. The former is like a bus, you sit right in front of a big window. The older you are, the harder it is to use the overhead, and probably your dogs would appreciate a class A more. Those are harder to drive and park, but you get used to that. They are typically longer too, but you can get class A’s in the 30ft range if you look around. And that is a decision, a lot of parks put their cutoffs at 25ft and under, usually state or federal parks. SO look where you want to camp, and then look up their regs for rig length. I recently got shut out of a beach I love to go to, they just went to a 25ft cutoff to get in their. 25ft class A’s are around, but really rare, so class C is your best bet if you go that route…
What Class of RV do you want?
We’re currently browsing class Bs and Cs. At some point in the distant future, we might get an A, sell the house, and drive America
Do you want a lot of interior space (do you want a slide out or 2?)
Not really sure. The initial purpose would be to visit family but not burden them with 3 large dogs. We’re pretty low maintenance. Then again, we’re just getting started
From your list of requirements a conversion van could fit your needs.
We currently have a nice minivan that could sleep 2 humans or 3 dogs, but not both. We just looked at a Sprinter Camper Van and I suspect that the dogs would be pretty cramped. It was too friggen noisy on the road, though.
So could a 45’ Diesel pusher.
I might have to google this.
And I assume you want a RV and not a trailer.
Yep
One advantage of a toilet is in the loan it is considered a 2nd house and you can get a mortgage, or something like that been many years but there is some financial advantage to having a bathroom.
Now that’s an interesting tidbit. Thanks for that.
Do you want a Shower, Kitchen? inside kitchen or just an outside cooktop? Oven? Microwave? Refrigerator?
Umm, maybe. I’m a camper at heart so I don’t mind cooking on an open fire and packing coolers.
As Monty said, your going to get pretty much everything I listed by default.
I think a big thing to decide is interior space, do you want a slide out or not (more space and more issues)
You might be able to find, an RV show in your nearest major city and go walk through lots of RV’s just to decide size of what you want. 3 big dogs, in any size RV is going to be an adventure. for traveling they can spend the time on the bed and floor. I think I would also look for one with a nice awning with a screen so you get a large outdoor space the dogs can lay down. and get out of the rv.
Grew up with collies and sheep dogs and rv’s – the dogs always stayed at a kennel then again there were 3 or 4 kids with mom and dad so that was enough of a challenge for them I would imagine.
Here’s one we declined because I thought it was too cramped and the road noise was unbearable (plus generator didn’t work and no AC for summer travel) https://www.facebook.com/...tem/855874875880100/
Wow triple slide out… Just make sure to look at it with the slide outs pushed in. That’s travel mode, which can be a lot of time, and with 3 big dogs where they gonna be when wife wants to walk in back and make you a sandwich or go for a pee?
yeah big difference in those 2.
Make sure you learn how to open and close slider, do it a few times make sure it goes easily. ask about leaks (like there gonna tell you).
Slide out on door side, mean less awning space which if you do the screen room idea shrinks that covered outside space.
Have you considered renting a few prior to purchase?
Rvshare and outdoorsy are peer to peer rentals.Ike turo or airbnb/vrbo. But for rv. May help narrow down class of rv.
Take a house then shake the heck out of it for hours on end. That’s an RV for you and why used ones plummet in value. Stuff breaks all the time and a lot of it isn’t the most accessible. Van conversions usually have many less bells and whistles, so less stuff to break.
If you want to visit family and not be a bother get a hotel room. No one likes people sleeping on the street in their neighborhood and the money you save on fuel and repairs will cover the room costs.
RVs are for camping and boondocking. In those cases you want the bells and whistles. With 2 people you should be happy with a 25’ class C.
**Wow triple slide out… Just make sure to look at it with the slide outs pushed in. **
This is good advice. I’m glad you said it as I wouldn’t have thought about it myself
That’s travel mode, which can be a lot of time, and with 3 big dogs where they gonna be when wife wants to walk in back and make you a sandwich or go for a pee?
Currently, the dogs travel comfortably in the back of the minivan with or without the 3rd row set, so they don’t need much. But, yeah, the lack of dog space was a reason we didn’t go for the 2nd one.
If you want to visit family and not be a bother get a hotel room. No one likes people sleeping on the street in their neighborhood and the money you save on fuel and repairs will cover the room costs.
Yeah, once we get the vehicle, getting the Wife out of the neighborhood will be much easier. The ‘visit relatives’ excuse is just a gateway excuse to get started. And we likely wouldn’t stay overnight in their drive but be prone to keeping in the beasts while we visit (we’re of the opinion that bringing one dog as company is okay, two dogs is pushing it, but three dogs is over a line of some sort. Plus, out 3rd dog is a rescue and not really appropriate for every household.)
Some RV parks only allow campers 10 years old and newer so be careful how old it is vs number of years you think you will be using it.
If getting slides consider if you will be able to use it without putting out the slides. You could run into a small site where you can’t get the slides out due to trees, power poles. etc. But also if you think you might park for a few hours in a walmart lot.
hopefully you are handy. RV’s need maintenance. Roof need regular checking and recaulking to avoid leaks. Regular cleaning, and lubrication of slide seals and slide tracks. You’ll soon have a tub of all the things you need to have handy. Usually you can’t wash a camper at a RV Park.
Make sure your tires are good. I think RVs are sold with better tires than travel trailers. Travel Trailers often have cheep Chinese tires that may not even last a season. Be sure you have ability to fix a flat. or road service coverage.
