Say your close friend was buying their first RV. They had never owned one before. If you were standing next to them having a conversation, what would you tell them?
What this breaks down to is this: What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned about RVing? Do you think the most valuable bit of information is in the buying process? Do you think it’s in the way you travel or where you sleep at night? Or do you think it’s something completely different?
It could be a gadget that’s helped you in countless ways. It could a piece of information that’s saved your life. It could be a quick tip. It could be about a brand or type of RV. It could be about solar panels. It could be about a recipe. It could be about roof leaks or smelly holding tanks. It could be ANYTHING.
Below, in the comments, please tell your friend (our audience) ONE thing you’d like them to know about RVing. Take some time and think about it first. What is the most valuable tidbit of information you’d tell someone about RVs or the lifestyle? If someone had told you this ONE thing before you had bought yours or set out on your first trip, how would it have affected your travels or buying process?
Thanks for taking the time to do this. We’ll compile your answers and put a resource for newbies together. Hey, you’ll probably get some great info out of it too!
What I would tell someone interested in RVing.
I would tell them to investigate the possibilities as much as they could before buying anything. One great way to do this is take in a few of the decent size annual RV shows. Most major cities have annual RV shows, normally in the winter. You can look at pup-up tent campers of many varieties all the way up to the large diesel pusher models.
That way they can test out for themselves the floorplans available in each RV type and see what best matches their needs and budget.
At that point they can begin visiting dealer lots and getting down to actual negotiations.
Check out your dealer very closely before making your decision to purchase. Compare the out the door price. Many dealers add on extra charges like dealer fees, and inspection fees. Also check out there service dept. and service policy. Do they make you leave it on their lot for months until the parts come in or do they call you after the parts arrive to schedule your service? What is the time frame in the shop? A few days or a few months.
I would tell my friends, WHERE are you planning on going? There’s limited or NO places to go anymore! Rent one for a week and see how you like it first! If and when you decide to purchase, we’ll continue this conversation on how and where to buy. Avoid new, there’s millions of good deals used!
The warranty is pretty much useless. Take the time to learn how to fix things on the RV. Things will stop working, break, or y’all just want to improve something on the rig. It will be bloody expensive to have to rely on the dealer, or paying someone to do it
Have a knowledgeable friend or professional inspect the RV prior to purchasing!
My 26 year old granddaughter and her boyfriend, just purchased a 2015 used trailer. The first thing I recommended was to sign up for RV travel.com and just texted her to sign up for the beginners guide. I believe that a combination of the two newsletters will be of a great help to them.
Thank you very much for the recommendations, Bill! We’re excited about getting our new weekday Beginning RVers Newsletters going! Take care. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Make checklists and USE them!
When things go wrong, and they will, no matter what it is, take a deep breath, relax and deal with it calmly. You will get it resolved.
In this same vein, the most important thing you can bring to RVing (or life for that matter) is adaptability. You will need to go with the flow as everything can and will change nearly every day between when you pull out on the road and when you pull into your final destination (which may not have been your original destination!).
I would say they should do their research and take their time looking. Don’t buy on impulse. Don’t get hypnotized by glam, glitz, and floor plan. The internet is a great resource, all the information is there.
Check into the RV manufacturers and dealers. Which one has recalls, complaints, and law suits. Do they have a solid reputation or do the put out RVs that are shoddy and unfinished.
If your buying from a dealer check there business reputation out. Are there complaints on them? Check the internet and Better Business Bureau for complaints. Do they deal in shoddy makes, practice predatory selling techniques, push 20 year financing, have issues with shoddy repairs, and do they fix warranty issues in a timely manner.
NEVER accept an RV with shoddy construction or systems that doesn’t work. Don’t just take the dealer’s or manufacturers “inspections”. Do a full inspection before you sign on the sales contract. Never put money down to hold a unit before you determine if the RV is a lemon or not. Remember, the dealer and their sales staff are not your friends. Your a sale, how they make money.
When buying an RV your going to want to actually use it, not wait for months to get issues fixed that should never have left the factory with. Your putting a large amount of money into a house built on wheels and that are driven or pulled at highway speeds. Is the RV able to handle that? Think of the three little pigs and their houses, Straw, sticks, or bricks, know before you buy.
If you are afraid of figuring out basic problems with “things,” or don’t like using hand tools, or freak out when something doesn’t work, don’t RV.
We love RVing, enjoy our trips but knew coming in all that the lifestyle meant.
I would strongly recommend that they purchase and install a gate valve on the dump outlet. It is the cheapest fix for a leaky tank valve, and insurance against getting covered with nasty stuff If it happens. Valterra makes a good one which can be purchased on Amazon. We found out about them after we had an incident and bought one right away. After trading the trailer in on a new one, it was the first thing we bought.
The first thing is don’t be in a hurry and remember you are going to make mistakes.
It’s all about the driving and backing up. Before backing into the site, pull up on the same side as the site, then back into the site. People forget they need swing room. Don’t begin from the middle or far side of the campground road because backing into the site will not give you enough room to swing your vehicle or RV. If you are new to camping go to a big empty parking lot and practice practice practice. Your partner needs to practice enough to get your RV home incase of a emergency, very important. Also talk about the signals you and your partner will be using when backing up.
Buy used and have a thorough 3rd party inspection. Apply some of your savings to a solid extended warranty.
Camp out for a weekend at a RV park close to your home
Take your time and do your research: on RV’s, on RV’ing, on how you want to use an RV, how to buy an RV, how you want to travel and where, etc, etc. There are plenty of general RV advice and experience books that will help you understand all this without getting too technical. My wife and I read several of these and it helped us a lot. There is also lots of technical info and advice available when you are ready. With some basic knowledge we were able to buy our first and only RV, a 5th wheel, and our first and only truck to tow it. Fast forward 10 years and we are still happy with the choices we made.
Rent before you buy. The money will be well spent by letting you know what works for you. Buy used and not one that has sat, but one that has been used frequently. Subscribe to rv travel, you will learn and learn and learn.
Thanks for the kind words, Ron. We appreciate them – and you! 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
The first thing I would tell my friend who is buying an RV is to learn camp ground etiquette and respect his new neighbors and respect himself. Most RV’ers do a good job but more and more people do not. Loud music, outside tv, uncontrolled kids and dogs will increase as the RV population increases.
We’ve only been doing this for 5 years, however the most important thing to suggest is “SAFETY”. From connecting your rig, arrival at the campsite.
Be prepared to do your own maintenance.
Planning yor trip sometimes can get overwhelming, but makes the experience interesting.
I like the 330 rule, 330 miles a day and at your destination by 3:30 in the afternoon.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, everyone of us started as a newbie. YouTube university is your friend.
Don’t be intimidated by buttheads, there out there.
Enjoy the the journey!
Don’t go anywhere until you find and read all the manuals supplied with your RV. Ensure you have a manual for everything and if you don’t, find them on line. Then organize them and sit down and read them again while taking notes to help you remember how to operate, maintain and troubleshoot all your equipment. Finally, go and physically locate everything you have a manual for.
Don’t let it set. Use it as often as you can in as many ways as you can.
The one thing I would tell them is not to buy a new rv. With new rv’s being sold with so many major problems and the large depreciation in the first few years it’s like throwing your money away!
Be mentally prepared to constantly have a “fix-it”, repair list and get it fixed/repaired constantly.
Research, research, and more research! Learn every thing you can about the RV’s your interested in before you buy anything. RV Travel, You tube, internet forums, RV shows, there is tons of information out there. Take your time its a big investment!
Took the words right out of my brain, you can’t do to much research, and if you do it right you’ll have an enjoyable RV.
When my best friend was first thinking about buying an RV, I told her there is nothing quite like waking up in a beautiful place and brewing coffee and enjoying it in that beautiful place. We live in a gorgeous country and RVing is a terrific way to see it up close.
I would tell them: 1) Don’t buy new; the depreciation is nuts, 2) consider renting first to see what it’s like, 3) talk with a lot of people who have an RV about which type will be the best fit for you, 4) expect that your first RV will be your trial RV, while you learn what it is you really want and need.
If you aren’t going to be using it full time, consider sharing with someone who might have different needs than you…for instance, if you are retired and want to be a snowbird, consider sharing with a couple who have kids who want to use it to travel in summers. But, make sure, if you share, that you are doing it with someone you trust AND that you have your agreements about repair and maintenance worked out in advance. RVs (especially class A and B) are expensive items to own if you only are planning to use them a few weeks a year!
Before you go shopping for the RV, have some deep conversations to find some agreement about what you are expecting from the rv lifestyle…making short weekend jaunts to resort parks might require a completely different sort of vehicle and setup than a full- time lifestyle than one of constant on-the- move with a lot of boondocking. Sinking a lot of money into an rv to find that it won’t really work could be the start of a contentious, upsetting episode. Talk to your partner and do some homework
Actually three things:
#1 – The dealership service department will not help you after you drive off the lot. They exist primarily to get the RV off the lot. The time waiting for an appointment for warranty work counts against the warranty time period.
#2 – Demand any statement or promise made by the dealership or sales person be in writing and signed by management.
#3 – Video all interactions with a GoPro camera and save the file. It may be useful in the future.
First make sure your towing vehicle is adequate to tow your RV you are purchasing. Second, take small local trips every month to learn how to use your RV. If planning to go fulltime please do trips monthly to learn before taking off on the road. Third, do not overload. You will find you do not need everything you think you do. . Then just enjoy.
To anyone buying an RV I would say never trust a RV dealer or manufacturer. Do your research before buying. Most RVs ,no All RVs will require you to fix something and often. Learn to fix everything yourself or you will become a bitter buyer when your RV is sitting in the shop for months on end due to extended repairs or lack of available parts.
Learn how to park in a campsite.
If you have no mechanical skills or the ability to troubleshoot problems, don’t buy one
The most important question is deciding how you are going to use your RV. Short local trips, long extended travel, will others be traveling with you. If you determine how you are going to use it, it will help you with what kind of rig to buy and how much to spend on it.
Add and extend a stay, so that you can stay longer, don’t have to move the RV for propane, just go fill your 20 or 30 lb bottles and enjoy. Be safe
First and foremost is have enough financial resources to properly maintain the RV and fix anything the warranty does not cover (most things). Remember that if it says “RV” the cost of parts and repairs is usually much more than the same repair at home. Think of it this way: you are pulling or driving the equivalent of your house going down the road hitting bumps, pot holes, etc. Something is and will break and the cost of repairs can shock even the deepest pockets. That said, buying an RV from a manufacturer with a quality reputation might cost more but be less expensive going down the road.
How are you going to use the RV? Will you be regularly taking four people? It is important to have comfortable sleeping accommodations for all on board. If you sleep at home on a 14″ pillow top mattress I do not think you are going to be content with a 2″ foam rubber slab. Will the kitchen suffice for the number on aboard? Where is the television placed? OK, I know, you are “camping”. No, you are not. If you are not on the ground under the stars or in a tent you are inside a modern version of a mobile apartment with all the creature comforts. If you have to sit and squint at a 24″ TV with your head and neck turned at a 90 degree angle and your tush on a slab hard chair or sofa you will quickly grow to strongly dislike the RV. Check every creature comfort out, twice. A bath and half is great .
If you have never driven or pulled an RV you might want to consider an RV driving school. Not cheap but can be well worth the money. And speaking of driving, are you buying a bumper tow or fifth wheel? MAKE SURE YOU BUY ENOUGH TRUCK TO SAFELY PULL THE RV YOU ARE CONSIDERING. Most bumper tows, aside from mini trailers, require at least a 1/2 ton pick up. Most fifth wheels should be pulled by at least a 3/4 ton heavy duty pick up, diesel preferred. Same consideration for motor homes pulling a tow car or “toad”. Read the manufacturer’s capacity label. It is mandatory, important reading.
Stay away from long term loans! RVs big and small depreciate like falling rocks. If you decide that 24′ beauty you bought two years ago is not meeting your current needs and want an upgrade be prepared to be shocked. Selling or trading is not going to get you anywhere close to what you paid. It is way different than the automobile market. You will be upside down for ever with a long term loan.
Understand that an RV is like a car and a house. So be aware that an RV will require the same maintenance you do on your car and also on your house. Because your house is carried on the road, and subject to the shaking and bouncing on the road, it will actually require more maintenance. And RV repairs and maintenance typically cost much more than those done on your car or house.
In all honesty, the ‘one thing’ to tell them is that there is no “one thing”–there are so many things that go into the RV experience. After close to 50 years both ‘in the business’ as well as users of multitude of RVs, there is always something to deal with–expected and the unexpected. Much like being a ‘bricks and sticks” owner–except on wheels. Pretty much all the same responsibilities and life style management – bills, doctors, repairs–you name it, it happens – hopefully not all at one time, good to have a ‘break between challenges” – and same necessities of life: cell phone, internet, insurance or big income/savings, dependable mail forward service for travel – once you start thinking about ‘needs’, the list goes on. It’s definitely way beyond Grandpa’s tent or popup camping days where you could just go park by a lake and forget it all.
Karen and Jim
from the corner of Hither N Yon…
One thing…but I’d have lots more than one! Let’s see. How about buyer beware! When shopping for an RV its nice to look at the glitz and glamour but make sure you check inside places, underneath the rig, in all the operating compartments(water, sewer, power) and make sure they are all working correctly. Also touch and feel walls, counters, and built in areas. If they feel wonky, they are! You’ll pay more for that quality RV but it iS worth it.
Ur gonna need more $$$$ than u planned on.
You figure out what is most important to you, if you let it happen.
Wear rubber gloves when dumping your tanks.
Get the RV weighed ( all axles if possible) and don’t overload (don’t forget passenger weight). Make sure you have good tires less than 5 years old (check for dry rot) inflated properly.
If you are not handy (with tools), DO NOT buy one.
Buy your RV for how you want to use it, not how it looks. They require thoughtful maintenance, responsible use (both when on the road or sitting still) and attention even during down times. The first and most important accessory to acquire is the RV owner’s trifecta: patience, flexibility and a sense of humor! Love the life – it’s all about the journey…
I would agree with the previous post to rent before you buy so you can determine what really works for you.
Make reservations!
You will need some mechanical knowledge if you consider being a RV’er!
Read all you can, talk to as many people as you can and join Escapees.
Close up all the slides. Then walk around and see if you can access the bathroom, the refrigerator, the bed, a sink, the pantry, your clothes, whatever else you think might need while traveling. If you can’t, reconsider purchasing it
After seeing results of a blown tire, I knew why my RV mentor suggested we invest in a Tire Pressure Monitor System for our coach and tow. The peace of mind was well worth it. Even with new tires you may develop a problem the system will warn you about. Happy trails!
Buy your last RV first.
Research what works for you. Do you want a big class A rv with a lot of room and bling? Do you want a van rv that only fits a couple of people but can go anywhere? Do you want a class C with a lot of sleeping room. How will you use it? If you are boondocking will you need solar? Do you want a residential fridge? Floorplan? Chassis type? Gas/ Diesel? These are all considerations but realize if you don’t do your homework and purchase an rv that in a short time doesn’t work for you- you may lose a bunch of money when you upgrade to what you really want.
I would recommend to my friend that RENT before you buy. Go out with an Rv . Gives you a chance to evaluate your options.
Practice using everything in and on your RV before you leave for the road trips. Practice, practice, practice.
There are so many things, that I would say you need to read every thing you can about buying and living the life. Pick out all the things that you think will help you and then try to remember the ones you didn’t think you would use because somewhere along the line you probably will. Knowing where to find the information you need is very important. You can’t imagine how many things you will have questions about, you could never think of everything. There are a lot of lists out there about buying, selling, maintaining, traveling and anything you can think of. USE THEM!
All RV’s are junk. Find the floorplan that meets your needs and be prepared to make repairs. A well maintained preowned unit will probably have less problems than a shiny new unit.
Good luck.
Go Slow and stay focused. Get all the information you can to make a sound purchase. Confer with other RV owners An awesome source of free information
Research every aspect about RVing long before you make a decision to buy.
If you are buying an rv because it is cheaper than a hotel room, then don’t buy one!
Buy used, not new! And have a professional inspection so you know what problems the rig may have.
Recognize that “steady state” for a motorhome is seven to 10 things “broken” at any particular time. If you are handy with tools and disciplined you can keep up with maintenance and light repairs. If not, you better have deep pockets and the foresight to maintain a “service and repair” budget.
Corollary: Every time you fix one thing, something else is on the verge of breaking.
Be prepared for things to go wrong. You are going to learn a lot during the first year of ownership – a lot will be wonderful, and some will be maddening. This will be a new experience, and it requires patience to learn the new systems, rules of thumb, and how to maintain/repair things you don’t have in your sticks & bricks house.
Take your time. See what you want when you can.
Wow, for a first thing Saturday morning this is a great collection. Some have different priorities than I might, but most of what I consider essential is covered. My list might go:
First – Read all the boards you can find.
Think about what you plan to do – Trailers are better for staying, motorized an advantage traveling.
Rent before you buy. You need to know what you like.
Try to buy used because the warranties are useless and the depreciation is a killer.
Learn what the basic systems do an how they work – Before departure.
With new to you, spend the first night in your driveway.
Learn to drive and how to park it.
Travel as slowly as you can, there is a lot to experience out there.
Enjoy the journey.
None of this is new to this line, but it is now largely in just one post. From the third line down, I am not sure of the actual order and I bet I skipped something that I will think of later.
The smartest RV decision we made was to rent an RV before buying and go on a week long trip. We rented one in the size we were considering buying. We learned so much.
We had spent 18 months before hand, reading RV magazines and online forums so no drastic changes in our plans. But the trip made us much more comfortable with our plans and that our truck could handle the RV.
If you’re really serious tour some models, ask some owners for their thoughts! If you know what you want in amenities get them on your first RV! Better to have as close to everything you want and need than be “TRADING UP” after a few months or trips!
Sit on the toilet to make sure you can easily “take care of business”.
Figure out what you need for the uses you intend. Research, research, research what rigs satisfy those needs. Spend enough time on this that you are SURE you’ve got the right choice for you. Then buy USED, not new, and have a professional inspection done before you buy.
Owning a RV is just like owning a house with the same costs except property tax. Think about the expenses related to owning your house. RVs present the same expenses. It is a major investment, especially if only used for a few weeks a year.
Don’t just let it sit……get out and see the land!!!
My number one piece of advice would be, unless you are absolutely married to the idea of buying a new RV, consider a used one instead with some miles on it. Most of what can go wrong has (most likely) already been resolved, the initial deep depreciation has already occurred and you can most likely enjoy your new RV in the manner for which it was intended. Sure beats sitting around watching your brand new RV depreciate while sitting in a repair lot waiting for warranty work for six months!
-Speaking as an owner of a WInnebago with 100,000+ miles on the clock.
Don’t buy a Rv they are expensive and I don’t mean the unit itself. You need to be handy or have deep pockets. You will spend a lot of money on fuel a lot! Staying at some campgrounds can be $100 a day. Getting fuel is a pain . I always suggest to friends to rent cabins ( most all don’t allow pets though)
Depreciation is huge. Storage $$
Please make my check out to cash
Use plenty of water when you flush your toilet to avoid the dreaded “poo pyramid”.
Always use gasoline stabilizer in generator fuel and run the generator, under load, every couple of weeks to prevent carburetor and fuel pump problems. Allow the oil to get to full operating temperature. This will take longer in the winter months.
buy used
Don’t do it. If you want to get away, choose a location you like and buy a cabin. It won’t depreciate, you won’t have to worry about traffic jams, and the quality of most RVs today is terrible. Add that to the difficulty of finding suitable campsites resulting from low income people full timing in campgrounds the whole RVing experience has gone down the toilet and will soon be processed at the waste water treatment plant. It’s no longer fun. I now use my RV as a spare bedroom or an escape pod if there is a power outage or a natural disaster. Again, RVing is no longer fun and it has become more hassle than enjoyment.
Take your time.
Leave the makeup and jewerly at home and enjoy the simple carefree lifestyle!
Rent first. This way you will know what you like or dislike about RVing, and the model that suits you. Wish we knew this. We bought first tt , after going out We realized we didn’t like the set up. Traded it in for something more suited to our needs and love it.
I would tell any prospective first time rv buyer to buy used & would give them a list of the 100 things to check on any rv you’re considering purchasing, which I just printed off from one of you recent articles. I didn’t have a list like this 12 years ago when we bought our fifth wheel, but I did a year’s worth of research prior to buying, & bought new, because we couldn’t find a used one that met our requirements, most importantly which was, that it needed to last us for 20 years of fulltiming. I’m a very detailed, research kind of person. so I covered most things in my research, but a list of 100 things to check would have been nice.
Spend a lot of time before a trailer purchase learning about towing specifications. You can’t trust the truck manufacturer or the RV dealer to give you the facts.
The key specification is the door sticker’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Before you buy a trailer, weigh the truck after you fill it with gas, and load it with your family, pets, and everything you’d take on a trailer camping trip but that you wouldn’t load into the trailer.
Compare that to the GVWR and you’ll see how much tongue weight you can have without exceeding the GVWR. (You need to include 100lbs for the weight of the hitch.)
You can’t exceed any of the other towing specifications but the GVWR is usually the limiting factor.
There’s also a sticker with: “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed xxxx lbs.” (For an F150 this is usually in the 1400 – 2000 lb range.) This is a rough estimate of what’s available but doesn’t include any accessories added after the truck left the factory or what you’ve loaded.
If buying an RV: How are you going to use the RV? Who will be going with you? Consider their ages. Are you looking to tow an RV or drive it? What is your realistic budget including a tow vehicle.
I switched from thinking about bunks for our friends in their 60’s. We want to be able to travel near and far. We made the mistake of having an undersized TV when we upgraded our TT. Most of all have fun and relax.
Buy and install a “blade valve” right at the point you connect your sewer hose. This WILL eliminate any surprises when you remove the sewer cap on you RV!!
Make sure both drivers can drive it in case one gets ill, or, God forbid, dies.
So you want to go RVing. When was the last time, if ever, you spent 3-4 months with your spouce in one room 24/7? You would be surprised at the people that sell their RV in 6 months saying “we damn near killed each other.” If you have never been RVing or lived in tight quarters then go rent an RV (any RV) and take a 2 week trip. If you enjoy it, great, go buy one. If not, you will have saved a lot of money and even a marriage. Good luck.
Friends just bought a used Class C. I told them
– get TPMS
– check dates on tires and replace if 5 + years old
– get EMS
– use your side mirrors when driving
– dump test for leaks with little grey then dump black followed by grey
– check out RV travel.com!
Forgot to tell them about hot skin – will do this next
Thanks for the recommendation, Pat! We appreciate it – and you! 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Stay calm. Things WILL go wrong.
Reduce your driving speed. Don’t let others on the road make you feel you have to drive faster or get out of the way. Watch that you are not disobeying speed limits but enjoy the adventure,
it is not all about the destination.
Actually, you should feel that you must get out off the way. When it’s safe, of course.
If used, get it inspected by an independent party.
If new, what’s the service wait time from the dealer or factory?
What we tell all new wanna be RVers……….rent an RV and take a 2 week trip BEFORE you buy. You don’t know what you don’t know…….😊
I would advise them to join an RV club to learn from others about what to do, and what to never do. Learn from others experience not by making mistakes of your own.
Advice we learned from “Life on Wheels” classes (so sorry these don’t happen any longer)
USE IT! Don’t be afraid of various systems on the RV – use them. Let them work for you!
Get educated!!! Your RV is a house that goes thru an earthquake every day. I was lucky to have a dealer that still offers free classes on all the systems for motor homes and towables.
I would tell them how thankful I am that my husband is fairly handy and was somewhat familiar with RVs and all the required maintenance. There is so much maintenance; mistakes can be extremely costly. RV dealers in general are not helpful; if you buy a used unit from an individual, they don’t offer much assistance. We love YouTube videos and RV websites although we recognize there is also a lot of bad information out there. Education should never stop. I don’t believe RV ownership is for the faint of heart or for folks who cannot do much of the maintenance themselves. I suspect many of the new units being sold during this COVID period will hit the used market in a year or two when newbies realize how much work RVs truly are; and I suspect many of the units will not have had proper maintenance. The thought of all the newbies being on the road this summer is a bit frightening to me!
Never buy new. You’ve just lost thousands of dollars as soon as you drove it off the lot.
Rent before buying.
Check your insurance to be sure it covers the contents. Many don’t. Ours with a MAJOR company did not so after the fire the $12,000 (yes) claim had to be filed against our homeowners policy with a separate deductable. Don’t just assume it does.
Before buying your used RV, go to RV Conventions and:
go to every class possible
talk to as many RVers as possible
make note of vendors (you’ll need to know them and how to install parts when you have to fix things),
go in RVs and sit everywhere (usually the TV placement is neck cracking)
Pretend you’re washing kale in the sink to imagine where all the water will splatter,
operate everything,
Pick up brochures and manuals for all the RVs that appeal (and then look for the one you love on
the used RV marketplaces)
Get in the shower and flail your arms
Put your upper body into every basement storage area – you’ll have to reach in and haul out stuff
Look in the water cabinet, how difficult is it for you to pull the tank valves (you aren’t going to like
kneeling on the ground to do it – so stand up, reach in and pull)
Take off your rose colored glasses (RVing is expensive, takes lots of work, it’s full of pitfalls and can be the just BEST!
Advice from an RV Tech and her able assistant.
Ha! I read the comment and great tips before I read who it was from. I thought, Wow! This person really knows the nitty-gritty about all of this stuff (e.g., no one had ever recommended washing kale in the sink to see where the water splatters)! Then I read who it’s from. Yep, that explains it! How are you doing, Liz? Take care and stay healthy! 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Make sure the bed dimensionally is a good fit for you. An RV queen size is not a real queen size. But don’t worry if the mattress isn’t comfortable because most likely, it won’t. You can change it out later.
A couple of suggestions: try to carry items that will fill multiple purposes – for instance – a pizza pan will bake cookies, heat garlic toast, cook pre-made foods, sit under a pie that might boil over in the oven, AND cook a pizza. It is more space/weight efficient than carrying multiple pans.
Second: learn to camp happily without hook-ups (dry camp) so that you have an understanding of your declining resources before you are under the stress of NOT finding a campground when and where you want to stay. Walmart parking lot one nighters aren’t horrible!
Third: always carry a small amount of water in your tanks – so you can use the bathroom or wash your hands in ‘your own’ bathroom – especially in this coronavirus world.
I would tell them don’t buy brand new. And get it inspected before you purchase.
Take your time. Research, research, research! Decide what you want the RV for and what you want in it. Research ad nauseum. Research the brand, the dealer, dealer support, the manufacturer, the manufacturer’s customer service. Don’t be in a hurry.
All good comments below. My husband and I thought about RVing for 20 years before finally pulling the trigger on a purchase. We had all the conversations about what we wanted to do with it, where we wanted to go, how much we wanted to spend, etc. We didn’t have the time to devote to RVing for such a large outlay of money and chose to wait until we both retired to reconsider such a transaction. Storage was a huge concern as we couldn’t park anything at the house. We knew of the reputation of many manufacturers and the complaints of shoddy workmanship and over the years developed a list of brands to stay away from. Buying an RV is definitely a “you get what you pay for” proposition but only if you buy a quality brand from a quality dealership. I understand the sentiments expressed below about buying used but if you have done your homework, thoroughly checked out the manufacturing quality of what you are looking for, have a dealership that has a great reputation for good and timely workmanship, and choose a vehicle that will serve your needs for the duration of your RVing experience, you won’t be disappointed by your purchase and be wanting to trade in anytime soon. This is not to say that things won’t go wrong with a new RV, but buying a new, quality RV can be done and depreciation shouldn’t be a definitive factor if you plan to hold on to the RV for many years. Research, research, research and then be true to yourself if this is the lifestyle you really want to put your money into.
Learn/Study… there are so many aspects of owning an RV (of any type) that it is IMO worse than buying/owning a house. Join RV organizations that offer forums and information, freely. Such as RVillage, join RV oriented groups on Facebook, etc. BUT, remember one thing in everything that you read, every one can and will have their own opinion on everything, good or bad, that you will find competing ones on nearly every subject. Read all of it and make YOUR own conclusions, be they right or wrong, you will have done your best to become educated enough to make YOUR right decision.
Be sure to get an automatic leveling system!
Be sure that you have reliable support/service for your unit after the purchase. Get it in writing!!
Join an RV club and go out each month. You’ve spent a lot of money buying your RV, so get out and enjoy it, and an RV club will help you do that!
Agree. Especially for non-boondocking RVers.
IF you are looking for a Motor Home Do Not Buy New! Understand that you really do not, nor can you figure out what works for you, until you do it for a while. Most people own 7 RVs in their lifetime. Realize that it takes a year or so to learn about your needs, RVing and what RV’s are good and which ones are junk.
When you are looking for an RV, I would suggest you step into the Shower and sit on the toilet when you first look at it. If you do not fit comfortably, stop looking at the unit and go find another that fits.
Move to the living room and both of you need to sit for a while and see if it is comfortable for Both to watch TV. Where would 2 others sit and visit with you, is it comfortable? Where are the Grandkids going to sleep and play. Is there safe seating with seat belts.
Once you buy, PRACTICE driving and parking it in a deserted parking lot for several days before you journey out. Pretend, you are backing into a campsite, especially if you have a 5th wheel. Be aware that the rear of the trailer or motorhome makes a larger arc then the wheels. You can’t just make a right turn from the right lane without keeping an eye on the car in the next lane and your tail end. If you turn to sharp you will side swipe the car sitting there at a light.
Your first trip should be to a local campground close to home. Learning how to use your new RV and figuring out what you forgot to bring or need to buy.
Choose larger campgrounds the first few outings, they have experience to help you. Also, do not be embarrassed to let them help you park, and pay attention, they do this every day and have learned the tricks. They are happy to help you learn how to backup your rig.
When we started we wanted to see everything and planned big trips with lots of stops… rush rush rush, gotta see everything now. Do yourself a favor, take it easy, stay longer and move less. Where is the fire? This is about slowing down a bit and enjoying the Journey as well as the destination. On big trips build in a few extra days to give you the flexibility to stay longer at a really cool park or take that detour to see the world’s largest Olive or whatever. Some of our favorite memories and some of our favorite RVing Friends, we have met taking flyers.
Lastly, be really observant of what and how other RVers, with lots of experience do it. RVing is like joining a new club, most everyone is super friendly and helpful. Do not be afraid to strike up a conversation or ask why they did something in a certain way. Most veterans enjoy sharing what took them a long time to learn.
Have fun and be careful out there.
As to buying new: buying old new is good for those first RVing – at least for me as a newbie in the 70s and solo travelling.
i tell my friends you get what you pay for. decide how your rv will be used before you purchase. and to read rvtravel.com for anything else they need or want to know.
RV’s do not appreciate in value.
If you plan on full timing – do your research (Ie., RV Consumer Group, iRV2 forum website) as all RVs are not made the same.
Whatever your price point – buy as much RV as you can afford.
Read and understand the owners Manuel’s (including installed appliances)
If buying a used Class A, have an extra $25K available to make requisite repairs and desired upgrades.
Anticipate needing repairs, understanding that scheduling repair service at the manufacturer’s service center may need to be made 6 months ahead of time.
Join and contribute to the RV Travel Newsletter.
Great tips, Phil! Especially that last one! 😆 Thanks! —Diane at RVtravel.com
Do NOT buy a new RV. Buy a used one that you can pay for with cash in hand!
Researching the structure and function of all systems required to run, maintain and repair an RV and towing car is key to choosing the best RV for one’s abilities, pocket book and travel plans.
Do not buy a new RV… And have the best tool kit you can afford before starting out…And learn how to use those tools. RVing is great as long as you’re handy with tools and know-how to contact the parts manufacturers.
Please talk to an experienced RV traveler who can tell you about the possible mechanical, electrical, etc. problems. There are so many things that may not be for you – like dumping the tanks, finding water and dumps, places to camp or boondock and ones to avoid, being w/a partner 24/7…. It is a wonderful fantasy but its not for everyone so save yourself some dollars and talk ideally to a couple who have the experience of many yrs.
Do some extensive research first and then decide what type of RV you want and can afford. It’ll be easy after that.
If you are planning on being full-time, it is not all fun and games. Any one can learn to operate and maintain an RV. But being able to persevere through the inevitable rough patches is the key. That is my tip, persevere. If you can do that you will be rewarded with a lifestyle and a flexibility of living that is extraordinary.
Rent one first
I would tell purchasers of new RVs to expect to spend time in your dealers repair facility. So make sure to select a dealer that will treat you well and advocate with the brand and manufacturer of your unit. Spend some time at the dealership and observe how they treat customers. Read comments from customers following repairs. You will find that when you sign your purchase contract dealers do not warranty anything. Service and strong advocacy by the dealer is important. In addition, we purchased the expensive warranty for our RV, including fabric and exterior coating.
The other recommendation is make sure at least one person is willing to read all the manuals and conduct several shake down trips to inspect every nook and cranny of the RVs, including trial runs of all the systems. If you don’t have a extensive knowledge of your unit, you are asking for problems.
Now let me say, that we absolutely love our RV and the lifestyle, but the security of knowing you have great dealer support and are knowledgeable about your rig makes the experience so much better.
It will be the most frustrating and aggravating experience of your life, but the most rewarding and fun filled and worthwhile one also. Go with the flow.
If the unit you are looking at has over the cab space, check to be sure it has proper water drainage and is caulked. If the interior structure has been weakened by water damage, which is not visible from the outside, it causes rot & invites termites. Thus a sagging upper bed or total collapse as your bouncing down a road.
RENT first. The life style is not for everyone. Tried to tell a friend. They bought a 30 foot class C. Two trips and sold at a huge loss. They did not like the lite style.
First, don’t just drive around the dealer’s parking lot, find a RV driving school and take lessons no matter the size or type an RV is not the same as your car. Second, SLOW DOWN, if you think you have to go 500 miles a day you don’t want an RV. The whole idea is to see the country so take your time, stop and smell the flowers. Third, you are driving a house so it will have rattles and it is often compared to a stick house in a small earthquake. Fourth, join a club whether it is national or a chapter in your area. Not only will you meet new people but if you are having a problem someone else in the group might have had the same problem and can help you. At our rallies there is always someone with a glitch and all the guys gather to troubleshoot (well that is what they call it!). Most important, have fun and be careful.
I would and have advised friends to buy a relatively inexpensive used RV. Learn what you do and do not like about your rig and also how being in an RV fits into your lifestyle. You can also learn about all of the RV’s systems. Then when you have some experience under your belt you can buy what is most ideal for you. You may even get most or all of your original investment back.
I would tell them “DON’T”!
DON’T buy a new or used RV now by spending thousands of dollars you do not have buying a dream that no longer exists and most likely financing that dream for many years to come. The dream of hitting the road, living the RV life, enjoying evenings at the campground, making new friends, seeing all the places you have only seen in pictures, the mistaken belief that RV travel on our roads where in the USA we kill 40,000 people a year in traffic accidents. You are far safer than flying in a commercial jet with HEPA filters, air handling systems that exchange the air in the cabin twice every minute making that air in the cabin much cleaner than the air in your home or RV is somehow safer. Never mind that commercial air travel is by far the SAFEST form of transport on the planet!
All that is required to NOW live the RV Lifestyle for someone new to the RV lifestyle makes no “Cents” to me! Hope these “Newbies” like their local Wal Mart campground as this just might be the only campground they find available. Funny that they now get to spend all this money to “camp” at Wal Mart when there is no way in Hell they would have ever considering sleeping in the Wal Mart parking lot!
The Glamour of the RV lifestyle and travel “Ain’t What It Used To Be”. Unfortunately a LOT of folks are going to find that out the hard way.
Yes I would still tell anyone NEW interested in getting into the RV Lifestyle DON’T!!!
Don’t be distracted by the bling. The most important thing is a robust tube frame (not a weak I-beam one) along with an independent suspension instead of leaf springs and shackles. Our worsening highway conditions can almost destroy a poorly built RV.
I would tell them to rent whatever they think they want to buy and take it on a one or two week trip and see if they like camping this way. then look for the floorplan they like in the rv of their choice.
If you’re thinking about having an RV, read all the comments here. The bottom line should always be do your diligent research, including, type of RV (motorhome or trailer, or ???), needed necessities and accessories to make it work for you, proper procedures for setting up or tearing down, how to travel with it, and will it do what you want it to do to accomplish your recreational traveling. This research could take quite a while. DO NOT just go to an RV dealer and let them show you what they have on the lot. Know in advance what you are looking for when you go to the dealer, as they may very well push a rig on you that’s a real loser, but it’s something that they don’t want on their lot anymore. Consider buying a used rig versus a new one as often times, a used one will have many of the bugs that were in it coming from the factory fixed, and will cost less to purchase.
RVing will open up new worlds and experiences for you. But like everything worthwhile it has a learning curve. Educate yourself, be flexible, know your resources, always be learning, have fun, and keep you sense of humor. Looking for the good with wise eyes will serve you well.
We no longer have the ability to edit our post if there are gramatical, spelling or other errors we find after hitting the post button.
Why was the “EDIT POST” option eliminated?
Borrow or rent an RV for at least one week’s time (preferably two) and take it on a trip that will be over Interstate and state highways and city streets, with only overnights at a campground.
Always do a walk around inspection before moving your rig. This can save you some costly repairs or embarrassing moments.
If you think RVing is a cheaper alternative to hotels when traveling to see our gorgeous country. Its not! As a solo traveller with a trailer, there is a lot of additional work to keeping your RV/trailer in good working condition, and physical labor/work associated with camping. So if you’re not up to physical work and want to save money and time, then just book a nice hotel as you tour in your car for your adventures around this beautiful country. A car can get into places you can’t go with a big rig. Do your homework before buying.
If you truly want to travel then be prepared to dry camp/boondock. Campgrounds are filling up and in popular locations require reservations months in advance. If your idea of RVing is to snag long term reservations in the south in winter and north in summer you’ll be fine but if you want to move about then pay attention to tank sizes when you buy and outfit your RV with solar, sufficient batteries, inverter and a possibly a generator.
RESEARCH! There is so much reliable information available to you.
Use the search function on YouTube. Google RVing websites (one of my faves is http://www.CreativityRV.com). Join online groups. Go to RV shows & dealers and step inside different types of rigs. If you think you want a certain type of rig, research pros and cons.
I would tell my friend that RVing is a blast, if everything goes well. But, it takes a lot of planning, research and flexability. Having a good attitude and good relationship to start with is key. Oh, also have some money set aside for repairs. There will always be something that requires fixing!
The Blue Ribbon and Trophy for being the first one up that big hill was won long ago. So pay attention to your vehicle, take your time and realize that going slow gives you the best view.
Learn to drive it! A lot of people have no clue about driving a motorhome or pullling a trailer or 5th wheel. Have fun with it!!
Don’t overplan, be flexible, and be open to adventure.
Read “The Death Spiral of the RV Industry.”
Know your weight limits!
I would tell a new RVer to slow down and take your time. Don’t do 400 mile days with all 1 night stops. Explore an area. Relax. Don’t drive interstates. Take state highways and scenic byways. It’s the journey, not the destination!
I think you and I would be good traveling companions. Since retiring and not having to stick to a tight schedule to get back to work in time, what you posted is exactly what we have been doing. Our last trip from CA. to Maine and back was for 3 months. We make that trip every 3 or 4 years and try very hard to find new routes unless there is a specific location we want to visit again. Happy trails!!
owning an RV is a learning experience, every day a new lesson, and……..most lessons cost money!
Don’t buy rent until you find the type of unit that fits your needs. Pay attention to size.
Baby wipes!
Don’t get an RV unless you want a hobby. If you treat it like a car and take it to the dealer for every repair you will (1) go broke and (2) never have it in your possession.
Get a good solar panel. We park in Forest Service campgrounds and our solar runs everything but the microwave and ac. Never run out of power!
get an independent third party Pre-Purchase Inspection. Regardless if its new or used.
Do you have the time…….to really use it? Many RVs sit idle for weeks or months, will you make use of it in the next 5 years?
RV’s are like boats: of you don’t like messing with them, you shouldn’t own one.
Its like owning a Boat ” Break Out Another Thousand $ ” when they break and need fixed!
I would suggest when looking at potential RV,s would be to enter the RV with the glides retracted to see how much of the RV can be used with the glides in and not set up for camping (rest stops, walmart, truck stops) and see if you can use the kitchen, frig, bathroom and be able to at least crawl into the bed for a quick over night stay.
Never ever finance an RV. If you can’t afford to pay cash for a new one, buy a used one. But always cash.
FREEDOM is never free.
spend a lot of time – a lot of time, I repeat – on line watching youtube videos and blogs from by and about RVers. There is a huge variety of options out there and you need to figure out – realistically – what you want to do with an RV. Camping, travel, socializing, boondocking, independence, emergency shelter, convenience. What is most important to you? Space, size, weight, ease of set-up? Visit as many different RV types as you can to get a feel for the space/limitations. And Never, ever, finance an RV. Put back some cash for possible emergencies – and buy the very best that you can realistically afford and comfortably handle – and that includes the vehicle to tow the RV. And enjoy the adventure! We do!
Oh, and keep it as simple as possible. Take less than you think you will need – there are Walmarts everywhere!
If I were a new RV’er and the best advise my friend could come up with talked about staying at Walmarts I would probably not become an RV’er. I mean no disrespect, and yes I stayed in a Walmart once and never again. My view is if you can’t afford to pay to stay in a camp ground then you need to do some research on free or inexpensive places to stay. That’s what we do when we are just traveling, there are actually a lot of choices all across this country. I have RV’ed from CA to Maine several times and try to go a different route as much as possible. Please forget Walmart.
Pretty sure that Sue was suggesting that you could buy anything you need along the way.
What I would tell him or her would depend on what type of RV they had just bought. I have owned Motor Homes, pull travel trailers up to 32 ft and a 5th wheel and even had a small TT rental business in the late 70’s. All of these types come with areas of concern.
Find a good rv service person and have a thorough inspection done prior to commiting to purchase.
Pack only the bare necessities. Add or remove as you camp in all locations.
Swing wide, turn sharp.
And get a copy of “Idiot’s Guide to RVing”, and of course sign up with RVTravel.com.
Thanks, Bill. And here’s a link to some “Idiot’s Guide to RVing” books at Amazon, so people don’t think you’re being offensive: https://amzn.to/2AYdRDo And thanks for the plug for us, too! Much appreciated! Take care, and stay healthy. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
My FIRST advice would be to find and attend an RV Boot Camp. The Escapees RV Club run an EXCELLENT RVBC, usually over a weekend. Over that weekend, “newbies” will have ALL the systems found on a modern RV explained and demystified. Complex topics like NUMBERS (GVWR, GCWR, Axle, wheel, hitch etc, etc, etc ratings) are covered. Mistakes with RVs are often expensive and, sometimes dangerous. RVBC graduates are SAFER RVers and SMARTER RV buyers. Other groups also offer this important training (FMCA, RVSEF, RV~Dreamers quickly come to mind). Covid19 has halted in person RVBCs but, the Escapees recently announced a VIRTUAL, online, RVBC.
I also recommend that newbies subscribe to, read (and consider supporting with a modest donation) RVTravel.com and, to check out Mark Polk’s RVEducation101.com (where they can buy DVDs that cover much of what is taught in RVBC. When newbies read RVTravel.com, they will learn from experts in the RV field (Mike Sokol~RV Electricity; Roger Marble~RV tires and many more)
THEN, I recommend that they proceed SLOWLY and, start small. My first RV was a 2010, 17′ Casita Spirit Deluxe Travel trailer. That little fiberglass “egg” was a WONDERFUL way to “test the waters” without spending a fortune (I was a solo; couple WILL find these compact trailers “cozy”) . Casitas, Scamp, Oliver and others make small trailers with prices starting at about $20k. I was easily and safely able to pull my Casita with the minivan I then owned. There are now 20’+ “eggs” which of course will need bigger tow vehicles. After four years and 50,000+ miles in my “egg”, I graduated to a TRUE Class 7 HDT (Heavy Duty Truck) Freightliner based Super-C Class diesel puller (that I’ve now owned for six+ years putting 57,000+ miles on it. HDTs are generally built for commercial truck use and, are engineered and built to give 1,000,000 miles of service with just routine service (15,000 miles or 12 month intervals, whichever comes first).
For newbies who want a trailer, I advise to BUY THE TRAILER FIRST! I’ve spoken with many RVers who have gone the “typical” way getting the tow vehicle first. When done that way, the choice of trailer is LIMITED! It’s VERY easy to go overweight in an RV and, if the trailer you’ve fallen in love with has a weight rating that EXCEEDS the tow vehicle’s ratings. You then have to choose between buying a more capable tow vehicle OR risk the easy mistake of being overweight (a REALLY BAD option). Having a trailer that needs a more capable tow vehicle is a disaster waiting to happen (especially going downhill around a curve on wet / snowy pavement). Ignore these simple facts at your own peril.
Finally, get whatever rig you buy “Smart Weighed”. Smart Weigh is just about the only way to get the TRUE weights at EACH WHEEL POSITION (something difficult to impossible to accomplish at a CAT scale). The RVSEF have been doing Smart Weigh for well over a decade. They report that MORE THAN HALF of the vehicles they Smart Weigh ARE overweight in at least one parameter.
Even “inexpensive” RVs are costly. Make mistakes and the cost rises quickly. To all RV newbies and wanna bees, DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE you jump into the deep end! Good luck and, welcome to what can be a WONDERFUL lifestyle!
Thanks for all the great advice, John, and for the plug for RVtravel.com, etc. We appreciate it! (I broke your comment up into paragraphs — I kept getting lost trying to read it as one paragraph. 😉 ) 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Are you a “camper” or a ” traveler”? The answer can help separate your “needs” from your “wants”.
Steve, an excellent comment. We are travelers, that camp. Not really campers. It makes a big difference in what you have for an RV.
I read a bunch of the comments and they are all valid. I researched motorhomes for years until I decided what kind I wanted. Bought a “C” class or maybe it is a “B+” with the intention of pulling a boat and exploring rivers and lakes in the northwest. When you connect a boat to a 23 foot motorhome, whatever class, it becomes difficult to launch the boat. Difficult but not impossible. It is a four wheel drive and it pulls the boat out of a launch just fine. The first thing I would advise my friend about purchasing a RV is how do you intend to RV? Do you want to do boating? How about Off-roading with four by fours? Do you want a toy-hauler? So you want to boondock in the mountains and ride your 4x4s? Would a four wheel drive be good? Do you want to travel from one place to the other and sit outside or holdup inside? What works for me would be absurd to someone else.
If you purchase a motor home and you are a full timer, be aware that if it has to go into the shop for repairs, you have nowhere to live for as long as the motor home is being repaired. Could be weeks or possibly months.
Develop a pre-departire checklist and use it!
Take a truck driving course so you know how to drive it safely down the road.
When you are all hooked and ready to pull out, stop and make a complete walk around your rig checking out jacks, hoses, antenna, doors etc. Save you a lot of headaches!
I walk clockwise with the turn signal on and check them all. When I get to the vehicle turn on the other turn signal and walk counterclockwise. It is amazing what you see from the different perspectives. Also after pulling out of the space I stop, hop out and make another trip around to make sure nothing was underneath that I didn’t notice.
Ok if I only had one thing, it would have to be – Go into RVing with your head, not your heart. Do your research!!! Don’t make an emotional decision, make a smart one.
For instance, that would be to make sure that you get the proper tow vehicle if you are getting a towable. I cringed last week when I saw someone drive their new Silverado 1500 Z71 into the RV Park pulling a large 32-foot trailer. Even with a weight distributing hitch his truck was still sagging in the rear. A Z71 is for OFF-ROAD, not heavy towing! It even says “Off-Road” on the sticker on the side of his truck. They should have gotten a Z82/Z85 truck with a suspension and engine/transmission geared for towing. He was saying that his truck had been struggling on the hills and it was handling badly. I then asked him why he bought the Z71, and he said that is what the salesgirl at the dealership said he needed for towing. He didn’t even know about the weight sticker that I showed him inside his driver’s door nor the one on the front driver’s side of his trailer. He didn’t understand what they were for. If only he had done his research!!!!
And I’m sorry but I really can’t keep it to one thing! I just can’t! There are three more things that I have to tell anyone who asks my advice about buying an RV.
1. Rent one, borrow one, or go with someone who owns one before purchasing one! We have a friend who bought one intending to live in it full time, and only lasted three weeks! She decided she was more of a Hilton/Marriot kind of girl….She said that traveling wasn’t as enjoyable when you include all the chores you have to do at home.
2. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER go out more than 8 years on an RV Loan! I say keep it to 6 years or less, just like a car! You will be upside down immediately, and if you don’t like the RV you bought, you will be stuck with it because you won’t be able to trade it in!
3. Get an experienced RVer to teach you how to drive it/back it, after you get it!
There are a lot more, but I’m sure that they are going to get listed here by others! I’m sure that I’m not the only subscriber with over 40 years of experience camping/RVing! This is a knowledgable crowd! And I’m always learning something new from an article, comment, or suggestion from someone on this newsletter!!!!
If your RV is a travel trailer, after backing into your camping site and leveling, place wheel chocks on both wheels BEFORE unhitching! Don’t remove those chocks until you’re hitched up and ready to leave. Chocks: first on, last off!
Decide on the RV you want and buy a truck that will pull more than that or buy the truck you want and make sure the RV you buy falls well below the tow capability. Take an RV course so you know the way to calculate the different weight requirements. Don’t ask either the RV or truck sales person if your vehicle will tow xxx. Figure it out yourself.
Thanks that is just what I was going to say, a salesman may tell you a 4 cylinder Toyota can pull a 40 foot 5th wheel just to get a sale. There is a lot to learn
Plan… Everything but be flexible in it’s execution. Meaning your route, your stopping time and location, your checklists, your RV contents, and your intention for this RV trip. When you have a plan and work through that plan your chances of a successful experience are much better than if you just wing it. Of course anything CAN happen but if you are prepared with a plan it doesn’t blind side you into making a bad decision. You just deal with it according to your plan and roll on. Enjoy the journey!
Have Fun!
There is no such thing as the perfect RV. Do your homework, be realistic about cost (and how much you’ll use it), and enjoy the journey!
Be sure to have the RV checked out thoroughly by a licensed RV Tech, he/or she will spot things you never knew existed, it is money well spent.
I would say, Slow down…………. Slow down for everything, slow down before you buy your RV, Just slow down and think it this the right one, slow down before you sign on the dotted line, slow down before you take out a loan, slow down when you are driving, slow down before you start to revers into that tight parking spot. Just slow your life down and enjoy ever minute you have.
Richard.
While driving remain vigilant to safety but learn to relax or you will never enjoy RVing and you should sell it and find a more relaxing pastime.
Be prepared to spend several weeks and several thousand dollars somewhere you had not planned.
Not to discourage them but I would make them aware that as my friend said, “owning an RV is a giggle a minute”. There will rarely be a time when everything will be working as it should. If you are a perfectionist or can’t handle inconveniences then purchasing an RV is not for you.
I would tell them if they’re buying the RV to “save money while traveling” to forget it. RVing isn’t a money saving proposition, it’s a lifestyle that you want to live.
I learned a lesson early on from truck drivers at rest areas along the highway. At every stop, before leaving the campground in the morning, and each evening when you stop; conduct a very observant walk around of your unit. Notice the condition of tires, side panels, hitches, doors and anything you can see. Don’t forget to look under and on the top of your RV. Looking over and under will require that you look from a distance. This observation from a distance can also help you plan your route out of an unfamiliar park and notice that TV antenna that you left in the extended position.
Many truck drivers also carry a small wooden “billy club” which they bounce on each tire as they walk around. You can easily hear a different “thunk” if the tire pressure is low. Of course, some sort of TPMS is even better, but this is a very inexpensive solution that works. I also open up the hood on my Sprinter and snoop around for anything leaking, take a quick look at the windshield washer level, and check the oil while I’m at it. Oh, and a little Windex and paper towels on the side view mirrors is a good idea as well.
Checklist, Checklist, Checklist. This one piece of advice will save you much grief on both packing for your trip, as well as packing up and getting back on the road…. Checklist…
The first thing I would tell a potential RV owner is to examine their budget not only for the purchase but for the necessary preventive maintenance needed year over year. This budget could be built by reviewing technological articles (“Recommended Service”) and then calling a couple service providers to determine cost and time intervals.
Don’t buy an RV if you can’t tolerate unexpected failures and breakdowns. What can go wrong usually will go wrong and you have to take it in stride. Part of the RV lifestyle is learning skills to effect repairs on the fly or else finding a workaround.
My wise wife gave me this piece of advice when I stuck my class A up to the transfer case in soft mud the very first day I brought it home…
You will have to find a place to stay every night you are RVing. If FT, this means 365 nights a year! That is not easy! Reserve ahead, esp. now. Fifty years ago you could perhaps just drive wherever and then pull over on the side of the road for the night (though in 1972 my sister and I were woken up at 5AM and shooed along by police while we slept in my VW van next to a cornfield in Nebraska), but today you can’t do that unless you are boondocking. Which sounds very romantic, but then you have no utilities. RVing is an adventure, for sure, just not perhaps the way you are thinking. You have to go with the flow and not freak out when things don’t go as planned.
When we started fulltiming, we posted FB pictures of all the beautiful and new places we saw. Friends commented by the bucketloads and said we were living the dream! They wondered what we did all day, thinking we just sat around in our camping chairs. After a month, I posted a picture of the offdoor side of the rig where all the utilities and sewer hose were, describing it as the ‘other side of RVing.’ Nobody posted any comments! I had burst their bubble. So I stick to fun, pretty, and historic pictures of our travels.
Would I have traded our six years of fulltiming? Not for anything! We have met new friends all over the country, and so has our dog. We have lived in the most gorgeous places in this country. And, we are one lucky family.
Spend the time to actually try every feature.
Rent before you buy.
Slow down and monitor your tire pressures and lug nuts! No RV should be driven faster than 65 mph (70 mph tops when necessary). Being in a hurry and in an RV at the same time is the result of bad decisions. Tire failure is the arguably biggest reason people die in RVs.
Driving/towing an RV fast is like working hard to relax; it makes no sense, and in an RV can be quickly catastrophic.
Take the time to think through the kind of RV camping and traveling an RV you will do. We are active retired travelers, who enjoy National Parks and scenic hikes.
For us, realistic enjoyment meant easy set up and break down. We did not want a tow our car.
We decided on a smaller rig than we thought we wanted. We went to shows , we asked people in campgrounds questions (we were still tent campers).
After much discussion and research,we spoke to folks
at campgrounds who had larger rigs. Many wanted to downsize or wished they had not bought so big. For many reasons. Don’t buy a larger rig than you truly need.
Do not overload, and do not speed. Too many people do both.
1. If you believe the ads on TV you are in for a shock
2 If you think you will have the great places with views to hook up expect to pay dearly
3 These things are thrown together by unskilled unvetted labor. Expect problems from small DIY and easy to huge and very expensive
4 Think all those almost new units on the lot are there because owners believe it is a relaxing way to vacation
5 Builders expect dealers AND YOU to complete the building process without parts or tools supplied at purchase
6 All systems have a life expectancy less than those in your S&B
7 Expect your rig to spend a lot of time in the shop
8 Expect labor rates higher than your doctor visits
9 At most parks if you sneeze your neighbor says “bless you”
Your unit will require as much or more upkeep as your S&B, a little smaller but just as expensive
10 Wait a couple years and there is going to be an influx of hardly used units on the market as those newbies buying now run away
11 It’s not like it used to be 5 – 10- 20 or more years ago. It’s not going to get better
This list could go on for pages. Not much better than this to report
I would tell my good friend about RVing that there will always be repairs. Whether new or old it will be things that need worked on. Plan on that.
Do NOT buy a new RV. Buy one that is a couple of years old. The price is probably 30% (or more) cheaper than new, it has basically the same bells and whistles and any major issues have been fixed by the previous owner.
New RVs only come with a 1 year warranty (absolutely ridiculous for such an expensive vehicle) and the RV will spend most of the first year sitting at the dealer’s repair yard waiting for them to fix it.
Don’t plan on the RV dealers honoring the warranty or treating you as a valued customer. Once you sign on the dotted line, all the dealer cares about is getting you out the door so they don’t have to deal with you any more.
RVing is like real life, not fantasy. You WILL have problems, ( with the RV, the truck, the directions, the weather, finding campsites, even your health etc.) If you can’t think on your feet, adapt, laugh at yourself, problem solve, keep a relatively positive attitude, and aren’t confident, don’t do it. If you can’t stand being passed, going up steep hills slow and steep downhills even slower, don’t do it. Feeling pressured to drive a certain way can hurt you or damage your vehicle. It’s all about doing what you love, being in nature and meeting people from all over. But it’s also work. Think about it.
Forgot a couple of things:
1, RVs nowadays are junk. There’s no such thing as quality control. The dealers are as bad as the manufacturers. Plan on spending a lot of time fixings things yourself.
2. Visit RVTravel.com regularly and signup for their free newsletters. You will definitely value what you get from them and the price is great. Consider sending them a monthly donation. Even $5 or $10 a month is appreciated and will help keep it going and the information coming.
RV.Travel.com solicited just one thing I would tell newbie RV purchasers. Here goes. The one point is ‘list’.
List all relevant points given in the responses to the question, the ones that appear below before this posting. This will be a boring but fruitful exercise.
1. Plan 2 hours or 4 half hour sessions.
2. Send this file https://www.rvtravel.com/onething953/ to yourself so that it is not lost from the RVTravel website in future.
3. Write down the all points or record them on split screen or on another computer.
4. Number the items for easy reference.
5. When completed go back and edit, prioritize and eliminate any duplicate or irrelevant items.
6. You will likely end up with at least 100 worthy points to consider, as complete as any check lists.
7. Use this as a check list to be applied to prospective RV purchases.
Happy Arveeing!
Rent one ,(class A,C,B,FIVER,POPUP,what ever) for a week just to find out how this is going to fit into your lifestyle.
Do not assume this will be your ultimate, perfect camper!
Others below have offered some great advice and I wanted to add to it, so here goes. Know you limit and buy within it. Budget every trip and stay within it. It helps to be handy with routine and preventative maintenance to avoid wasted time and money on repairs. But the best piece of advice I would give is to keep your expectations realistic. My wife and I have RV’ed for over a decade and thoroughly enjoy the travel, seeing new sites and meeting some wonderful people, but we understand that it’s not the “dreamy experience” brought to you by RV dealers with scenes of beautiful isolated forests, mountains and deserts. Depending on your circumstances you can throw caution to the wind and see whats available, as you travel but only if you have a tear drop, small travel trailer or small B class rig. If you don’t, trips will need to be planned and reservations will need to be made. Not everyone lives in or can travel to BLM areas of the country and RV parks can get expensive, so keep your expectations real or you could be disappointed.
Make sure your vehicle is capable of pulling the trailer you want to purchase.
Absolutely. We did a lot of research on what truck, engine, transmission, etc we needed prior to purchase after deciding what RV we intended to purchase, how often we intended on using it, how far we intended to travel and what kind of terrain we would encounter.
Expect that whatever brand you buy will have quality problems.
If you are not mechanically inclined then you can expect much down time waiting to get into a service department.
Most service departments will not do quality work.
Campgrounds are getting more and more difficult to get reservations without months or more lead time. Random and spontaneous travel, which is why I do this, is almost impossible now.
Many campgrounds are full of people living there full time and many have become rundown as a result of owners not enforcing policies that would keep the areas clean.
You will not use your camping unit as much as you thought you would unless, you are living in it full time.
It’s going to cost you more than you thought.
I have been doing it for 50 years and it’s not the same anymore. Loved the lifestyle but, thinking of hanging up the keys at this point.
First 2 nights stay close to the dealership you bought the rv
An RV is a rolling fix it list.
Don’t make your plans so precise that there in no time to have fun. Years a go my wife’s sister and her husband’s family with a total of 3 motorhome stopped in the town we were living in they sent a schedule of the 3 months trip so detailed that in included ever day’s activities with a time schedule listing every minute of everyday. Leave time for side trips and things to do that are not planned. Planning ahead 3 months where you stop and eat makes it worse that punching a time clock.
Never buy new and never buy from Camping World
Like going to a casino, when going to buy an RV, take as much money with you as you can afford to lose.
Don’t leave the Black water valve open and make sure you use plenty of water when flushing solid products in the toilet.
This will help prevent blockage.
Get a 3rd-party/independent inspection performed BEFORE you purchase your coach! Most people know nothing about RVs and even if you know a little bit, or a lot, when you are considering a coach to purchase you are not trained in the ‘science of RV inspections.’ There are so many aspects, considerations, parts, pieces, systems… You get the idea. RVs are truly ‘homes on wheels,’ and you want to be sure that it is going to perform as you expect as well as carry you, your family, friends and loved ones down the road safely. The NRVIA (National RV Inspectors Association) is dedicated to training and certifying independent inspectors. You can find inspectors at https://nrvia.org/inspector-locator-step-one/. If you can’t find one in the area where the RV you are considering is located, contact them directly and they will send out a ‘blast’ email to all Level 2 inspectors to see if someone is able to work with you. GET IT INSPECTED!
Reading through all of the comments …I would never buy an RV …LOL…relax and enjoy your travels..
If you have children consider a motorhome rather than trailer. A motorhome has all the fun even when on the road — fridge, TV, video games, movies, bathroom, snacks. The drive is part of the fun. No more,”are we there yet?” Flip side though is less room once you get there. Can’t beat a 5th wheel if you want to park somewhere for the summer.
Plus… unlike with a 5th wheel or trailer, with a motorhome you can get up around dawn, drive for several hours during the most uncrowded, most beautiful hours of the day, quietly talking and enjoying coffee for several hours before your kids wake up. Gets a lot of mileage out of the way, cuts their “cooped up” time in half. Eat breakfast while driving, stop awhile for lunch and exercise – the drive will fly by!
If you are going to buy an RV make sure you use it.
Safety first and be prepared. Keep good tires. Have tire pressure monitoring system. Drive responsibly. Do not hurry. Double and triple check.
DO your homework, including reviewing the # of recalls your manufacturer has.
Be VERY skeptical about what the salesman tells you.
Be VERY thorough in checking out ALL of the systems.
Be confident in the fact that dealership service after the sale will go wanting.
Don’t waste your money or time on an extended warranty. Use the money on mobile techs who will attend to your issue quickly.
RVing isn’t all campfires, s’mores and unicorn farts.
If you have the luxury of time, wait a year. If and when a viable vaccine becomes available for COVID-19, many of the starry-eyed panic-buyers who wanted to escape the ravages of the infection will realize that they didn’t really want to go RVing in the first place – they just wanted to escape. The market will likely flood with used units, and with that, the price of new RVs will also drop.
There’s also a subset of new buyers that will quit after their first season. Maybe they didn’t like being trapped with their spouse and kids in a box smaller than a shipping container, or maybe they just didn’t realize how much work is involved in RVing.
If a vaccine fails to materialize, and it might, you may not want to be out here going toe-to-toe with everyone looking for a place to park their rigs.
Do not reserve a site at an RV park without first consulting a service like rvparky.com. There are too many terrible parks out there.
Not knowing about this newsletter when purchasing a rv I would recommend reading many articles from this newsletter. Being new to rving you would not know the questions to ask but this newsletter will address so many different things that are relatable to this rv owning. No B.S. in here. No promotions of products that line their pockets. They test and research before they discuss products.
For recommendation to the newsletter. Please figure a way to let newbies or people looking into buying a rv that this newsletter exist. I really have a bad memory trying to remember how I came across this newsletter but it was maybe a year after owning a old model rv and spending tons of money trying to keep things working.
When I meet some RV people and there is a question or concern about something, I usually can direct them to the newsletter. Believe me I am not one that speaks about publication or products due to the fact I don’t know much about them and don’t want to have someone point the negative FINGER at me and say I steered them wrong. I don’t hesitate with this newsletter.
Keep going and keep safe.
I will State more clearly. Read these newsletters prior on buying an RV. It helps people be more informative on looking for a rv and problems and positives of many related things and situations if rving.
Thank you so much for your very generous comments, Nancy, and for recommending our newsletters to other RVers. That’s the only reason we’re here – to inform and educate RVers. We want you all to be safe and happy RVers – for a long time to come! Take care, and stay healthy. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Educate yourself on the details of a black tank, gray tank, their maintenance and your responsibilities as an RV owner. It will make your new adventure so much more pleasant!
Stay on top of tire pressure
Presuming you’ve already bought – keep an impeccable set of maintenance records – not just oil changes. Everything you do and when at what mileage you did it. Invaluable for your own use as well as resale. If you haven’t bought yet – ask for the maintenance records. None – keep looking!
I also have a “Go-No Go” or a “Discrepancy” book – which I use to identify items discovered which need repair. The labels are “Deferred”, “Critical” and “No – Go”. You will discover things which can be deferred but need repair or looking into. Then you will find items like a locking brake or knock or some odd event or noise which could be either Critical or No Go – depending!
Aaah Air Force Training!
Pack your patience.
It is a Test!!
As also with boating, almost every RV’er eventually upgrades their first RV with a bigger/nicer one. Over time, they do it again and possibly a third time – or more. My advice is to buy your third RV first and don’t look back. You’ll save yourself a ton of money.
Every time I replaced a RV I kept getting smaller and smaller. Till I got a Bigfoot truck camper. Its known for 4 season use and quality build. Both are true,
Rent several RV before you buy one. Get to know what type of RV you want that fits your lifestyle. Then determine the cost to maintain it, the cost to operate it, the life style changes you must adapt to, and be prepared to do a lot of minor repairs the longer you own it.
Do your homework – don’t just wander down to the local RV lot to “browse” and end up buying. I know the temptation can be great and they will pressure you with the “deal that is only good today” BS, etc. Don’t succumb to the pressure.
Take your time, figure out exactly what your use scenarios will be, what type of rig best fits those, what you can afford, new or used, local dealer or distant, etc, etc, etc. When you figure it out and start to narrow your search down to a particular rig, do more homework! What kind of reputation does that rig have? Known problems? What about the dealer network or brand? Do you actually have a place to put the rig once you get it home? (I’ve seen folks get burned by their HOA rules, etc on that one) Then, have an independent RV inspection done to make sure there are no surprises waiting for you as soon as you pull off the lot! Yeah, it might cost a bit but trust me, a good inspection can save you thousands (and your life!) down the road!
But – when you get all that stuff worked out and you DO drive off the lot with a new to you rig, relax, have fun, go explore, meet people and make wonderful memories!
Save your money and pay cash. If you do finance, no more than 5-7 years. Remember an RV is not an investment. Take a good look for a 1-2 year old unit. Much cheaper and most of the bugs are worked out (hopefully). Look past all the flash, look close at all the little thing. And the best advice ever, take a long time experienced RVer with you!!!!! Good luck.
If buying a new motor home it will take a year and a half to work out and repair all the manufacturing deficiencies
What ever you are doing, happens or cannot get to work ect. Don’t panic.
Buy used not new. Have at least 2 slides, 1 in the living area and 1 in the bedroom. The bedroom slide makes a big difference, especially in a trailer.
There are millions of acres in the U.S. in which you can camp for free in far more beautiful and quiet surroundings than you’ll ever find in a pay campground, no matter what it costs.
If at all possible, pay cash.
Rent a unit you think you want. Take it out and see how it fits. I was totally sold on a truck camper. Oh boy after a couple of days we realized it was way to small. We run hemodialysis when we’re on the road so need more room. After hours of online research and a local RV show, we we’re able to comfortable decide.
Install solar panels.
Read, read, read up on how things work, ask questions, learn from your neighbor in the campground, and places like rvtravel.com. I bought mine from a very good dealer who is always educating me, even via the phone when it wouldn’t unhitch.
Just relax and enjoy. You’ll figure out how to back up, hitch and unhitch, dump, and all the maintenance things. Enjoy, enjoy enjoy. Wish I’d bought mine sooner.
Research, research, research. Only by knowing what type of camping you will be doing, can you succeed in buying your ‘third RV first.” Tons of valuable info will develop from doing a lot of research. That includes forums, dealers, RV shows, and other RVers.
Just bought my first Starcraft Telluride, now I am regretting it reading all the comments!
I tell my friends to avoid large RV unless they’re ready to pay storage and be limited to areas and camp area’s. They think they need a large spacious unit but how much is the vehicle going to cost that can pull it ? I had a fifth wheel and long trailer and several other RVs before and now have the one I will probably never sell. A fiberglass no slides used Bigfoot slide in truck camper. Yes at first it seemed too small but in no time I adapted and now I can park and camp almost anywhere. It took 6 RVs to realize what was important to me. That being 100% off grid solar and the freedom to go thousands of places my old big RV’s would never get !!!