A real honest-to goodness "NEWBIE"

Patrol 65 wrote:
My advice is to buy inexpensive at first to test the waters, especially if you have never had the rv experience. Nothing is worse, in my opinion, than having an expensive rv with an expensive monthly note to pay sitting next to the stick house that haven't been used in years because the owners realize now that the rv lifestyle was not the right thing for them. You can always move up to something better in the future when you gain more experience and learn what rv you really desire to fit your needs.

Yes there is something worse than that. Buying inexpensive at first and then trading it in on something bigger and better is worse, in my opinion.

I teach MH driving. Do not fear we all started once.

Buy the most unit you can afford, I would not go in to extreme debt. Look at all the floor plans and decide which is best for your needs. 35 foot in large and yet can get in most sites including Nation Parks.

5th wheel v MH convenience? Do you want to pull to your site or in event of weather to a roadside rest and walk from the steering wheel to the bed without getting wet or not? Once there without a vehicle you will need to rent a car. Or you will need to tow a car to make your trips from camp areas. I made the mistake of leaving my toad home once thought I'd just rent a car at Outer Banks, bad err $50 per day to rent.

Take short trips of all types, full hookups, water/electric electric only and dry camping. You will soon determine the type you like. I like FH and do not require playgrounds or other amusements. We also have no children. We like Federal Camp Grounds and Parks etc. they are beautiful and are low cost. State Parks formthe most part are also great sites.

bouttime wrote:
I am the essence of "new" to rving. Never have. Always had a secret desire to. Retired. Not rich. Moderate income. I intend to travel around and see some of this great country of ours. My first pref is for a Class A DP; new-one pref, but used is a possibility. From all I've read in the forums, DP seems to be the best long term choice. I'm an eastcoaster. NC. I know I don't have to travel far at first to enjoy sights in my present locale. This is something I will be spending a lot of time doing. So, investment wise, I'd rather fork out for the best I can afford at the start. I've read a lot about the many responsibilities involved in rving. My first step has been education through forums like this. My next step is to actually step into one of these monsters and get a feel. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

I wasn't new to RVing when I bought my first one as my father had owned both a TT and a Class C when I was growing up so I had RV'd. My wife didn't want to have anything to do with RVing until I convinced her to let me rent one for a week. We rented a Class and went down to the Grand Canyon and all over that area and then we bought the next year and now I can't get the wife out of the RV.

However, like you, we wondered what to buy the first time around. We bought a 32' gas class A with the Ford V-10 and a single slide. It was a nice motorhome and I liked it, but in less than three years we traded it in on a 35 foot DP. I wish I had just started with the DP. So the moral to my story is look around and see what you want, but if you think you want the DP then get that first so you don't have to trade it in in 3 years. And I know people will tell you to buy used, but you figure out your finances and get what you want. I bought new and I don't regret it.

Get a note pad out and start writing down what you want and like about different RV's and manufacturers. It won't be long before your head will be swimming in options and floor plans. It will get confusing very quickly.

As you narrow down your choices, sit in them for awhile. Ask the salesman to leave you alone and just sit there. Picture yourself cooking dinner, relaxing in the evening, sleeping in the bed/bedroom, showering and even how the toilet fits. It sounds funny, but some motor homes have tight toilet areas for larger people. As you do this, see how the model you're in fits those needs and how you plan to travel.

Go outside and check the storage, make sure the things you want to do can be stored in the coach. Will it have enough power to tow the size vehicle you want to take with you.

Short DP's 34'-36' are great for getting into some campgrounds, but may not handle as well as the longer ones. 38'-40' will get you in most places, but you may have to plan ahead. We take our 40' to Yosemite, but we know what spots we can fit in. 42'-45' can still go a lot of places, but are often used by those dedicated to full timing who really need the room to keep from going crazy and to haul their stuff. *** I'm sure someone will argue with what I just wrote, but I'm speaking generically, not about the guy that has a 45' that collapses to 25' and can travel through a lake!

Lastly.....are you handy. Life is easier in an RV if you can do some basic repairs, keeping you out of repair facilities. DP's are fairly complicated and you need to have patience in dealing with all the systems. I know some who went the DP route, but later returned to a gas coach because it was just simpler to operate.

You're already ahead of the game by being smart enough to come here before buying. Once you find a coach you're interested in, do a search for issues. Some issues may be small and uncommon, or you may find a huge issue that might prevent you from buying. Not to pick on Thor, but they're having issues with their slides on their popular Palazzo DP. Apparently, they have found a fix, but there may be two model years that the slide mechanisms were just not up to the task.

Good luck in your search.

bouttime wrote:
Newbie here again. Is there a length restriction and some federal parks? And, if I do decide to buy new,is ordering much of a hassle?

What Mr. Mark said. Are you guys going to be fulltiming in this rig? If not, you might consider a shorter unit if you're concerned with Fed and State parks.

We were where you are in 2001. We had owned a 40' boat but no highway RV vehicle.

Wanted a 38' DP on a bus chassis, but decided a new one was not our cup of tea.

We bought a high line 7 year old DP with the floor plan and manufacturer we wanted. Your wants will be different so I will not list ours here.

12+ years and 70,000 miles later we still use the same rig and think we did the right thing.

Jump right in and have fun!

bouttime wrote:
Newbie here again. Is there a length restriction and some federal parks? And, if I do decide to buy new,is ordering much of a hassle?

My understanding is that Federal Parks have a 35 ft. restriction but many get in with larger units. We don't stay in them so it's never been an issue for us and we have traveled almost 70,000 miles in 7 yrs. I boondock once a year with RV buddies in Quartzsite, AZ, so I do use ours off the grid.

We are ordering our second new unit. I always like buying things new (cars, etc.), it's just the way I like it. I know there is depreciation involved and I'm fully aware of how much that is.

We have been 100% happy with our first ordered unit because it's just exactly the way we wanted it. No wishing we had this or that and no regrets. From my very realistic figures, I'm going to get almost 50% back from what I actually paid for our unit 7 yrs. ago. I don't think that is too bad.

Our second new unit will probably take me to my grave as I have no plans of replacing it unless I want to go much smaller in 30 yrs. when I'm in my mid 80's. Our new unit is being built to our exact specifications, colors, furniture, etc. and a custom 'one of a kind' paint job.

So, if you are wanting to buy new, special order it with the exact options that you want and you will never regret it.

MM.

My advice is to buy inexpensive at first to test the waters, especially if you have never had the rv experience. Nothing is worse, in my opinion, than having an expensive rv with an expensive monthly note to pay sitting next to the stick house that haven't been used in years because the owners realize now that the rv lifestyle was not the right thing for them. You can always move up to something better in the future when you gain more experience and learn what rv you really desire to fit your needs.

Newbie here again. Is there a length restriction and some federal parks? And, if I do decide to buy new,is ordering much of a hassle?

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