Welcome to the Beginner’s Guide to RVing from RVtravel.com. The information we present here every Monday through Friday is for brand-new RVers – those in the market to buy their first RV and those who just purchased theirs. If you are an experienced RVer, this material may be too basic for you.
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Monday, October 17, 2022
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DID YOU MISS reading this morning’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter? Good stuff there.
RVing Basics
I want to take my large family on an RV trip and am interested in renting a large Class A motorhome rather than a Class C, which seems to be the standard rental unit. Can you recommend a good place?
Try El Monte RV or Cruise America, both of which have locations around the states. They rent both Class C and Class A motorhomes. Get info on the web at ElMonteRV.com or CruiseAmerica.com. As an alternative, you can rent an RV from private owners through a referral agency, too. Try Outdoorsy.com or RVshare.com.
Isn’t there an awful lot to learn and remember about RVing?
It can seem daunting at first. Many RVers put together checklists to help them remember everything. It also helps to follow routines. Do things in the same order each time and try to avoid distractions. For example, don’t stop to chat while you are hitching up your trailer or toad. Finish the job, then tell your neighbor farewell.
Afraid of water damage in your RV? You need this!
This essential water damage tool helps home and RV owners measure moisture content in wood, concrete drywall and subflooring. Use the pin sensors to find the moisture content in your home. The easy-to-read LCD display will help you know if you need to dry the existing materials or replace with brand-new ones, and can be used as a water leak detector after flood damage. You’ll want to buy this here.
Quick Tips
Check your campsite if you must get online
If you depend on a reliable internet connection when you camp, be sure to check a potential campsite before setting up. It could be in a dead zone in the campground, where the Wi-Fi, cell phone or hot spot won’t work. Even campsites a few spaces apart may make a difference.
“Pirate” (pilot) light stealing your precious gas?
“Unless you are using your oven a lot, leave the pilot light turned off when you are not cooking. It uses a surprising amount of propane.” From “Motorhomes Made Easy”
“If you could tell someone new to RVing just one thing, what would it be?”
From the editors: We asked our readers this question. Here is one response:
“I would tell a new RVer to slow down and take your time. Don’t do 400-mile days with all one-night stops. Explore an area. Relax. Don’t drive interstates. Take state highways and scenic byways. It’s the journey, not the destination!” —Chris
Random RV Thought
On those occasions when you’re traveling by car and not with an RV, and you pull into a rest area, you can get a little bit depressed. It happens when you see happy RVers walking in and out of their RVs, or maybe you see them sitting inside having a snack. You stare at them and realize that all you have is a car, which is totally boring compared to an RV.
RESOURCES:
• If you’re a member of Facebook, be sure to sign up for our groups RV Buying Advice, RV Advice and Budget RV Travel. For a list of all our groups and RVtravel.com newsletters, visit here.
• If you buy a defective RV and are unable to get it fixed or its warranty honored, here is where to turn for help.
• If you need an RV Lemon Law Lawyer, Ron Burdge is your man.
• Why you should never finance an RV for 20 years!
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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Agree so much with the checklist idea. We’ve been RVing for only 3 years
and that checklist for arrival and departure items is used every time even though we pretty much know what we need to do and not do.
We also have separate checklists for start up and shutdown of the generator, as well as a checklist for using the batteries (short term use) when shore power or generator use is not practical.
When we first started out I knew what kind of rv we wanted. Something I was used to driving…a light truck design. We got a slightly used class c (Tioga 24-D. Had it for many years. If you can screw 2 hoses together you can be a decent rv’er for the time being….don’t try to complicate things and over think the process. I learned all sorts of things through the years that have enhanced our experiences- you can do the same. No one has all the knowledge right from the beginning.
Regarding The random thought.
If you see people in an RV at a rest stop smiling and all you can think is you’re in a car, then you’re in the wrong car. The right car can put an ear to ear smile on my face on a road trip.
IMHO, regarding “If you could tell someone new to RVing just one thing, what would it be?” and the statement: “Don’t drive interstates. Take state highways and scenic byways.” I agree to a point. Our personal findings are that once you get off the interstates, the roads, for a large part, pound the bejesus out of our rig. At times we were surprised on entering our fifth wheel trailer to find the cupboards still hanging on the walls and not smashed on the floor.
I also agree to a point.
once you are off the interstate, you will have low (low to an RV) branches, wires, and bridges.
A lot of interstates are also in bad shape.
Price does not dictate quality, but quality does dictate price.
Not necessarily. Our brand new Grand Design Solitude costs as much as a nice house in many states. But it is falling apart from workmanship, not by parts that they put in.