About to buy our first RV

I just looked at the link you provided. Its very nice indeed.

Sounds like you are buying the kind of RV I am looking for too!
I fully understand your daughters car sickness issues. I have to be the driver at all times : ) Enjoy your travels!

Some good advice above. If you have not yet committed to this 19 foot Class C, you might want to consider my advice. A 26-27 foot Class C can have a rear bedroom with RV queen sized bed and some clothing storage room, To get a bed with access on two sides you need a 30 foot class C. The overhead bed is OK for kids but not great for adults, hard to get out of bed, down ladder, go to john in the dark and get back in bed without waking sleeping partner, hard to do with feet or knee problems. Short rigs have very limited cabinet and rear storage space and little elbow room. Slides are nice but can have problems extending and retracting, water leaks, in the way while on the road, etc. You don't "need" to tow a car with a 27 footer. It takes a few minutes to disconnect and run into town, etc. You can rent a small car to tour Boston or other RV unfriendly cities. Driving a 27 footer is not much different than a 19 footer, don't be intimidated. All Class C's are about same width and height.
Most Class C's have house batteries and fresh water tanks that will sustain you for up to three days without hookups and without running the furnace. Microwaves and air conditioning require 110volt AC camp power. Best to have full hookups at an RV camp. Connect sewer hose and dump waste water when ready to leave, (Must have water in tanks to drain waste properly).

Thank you for your thoughts. We are moving from years of tent camping, and backpacking to buying this RV. I no longer want to drive the mini van and pitch the tent! We have way too many thunderstorm, and animal encounter (not the good type) stories to tell.
We have a very simple lifestyle and are on the minimalist side of things. When we travel by plane, we are the kind of people that never brings luggage. We recently made it back from a three weeks vacation with only a backpack per person.
I will keep in mind all the recommendations, specially regarding organizing.
Our plans are to use nature as part of our living space. The bathroom in the RV is basically for extreme emergency. I also bulk cook and freeze. I have what my kids call the baby griddle and baby rice cooker where I cook everything from pasta, rice and stews, to chicken quesadillas, and scramble eggs. I learned to make cornbread in the 1.5 cup rice cooker! We are going to go for camping sites that at least offer electricity.
I plan on weekend trips with my husband, and multi week trips to Florida, Canada (we love Algonquin and the Bruce peninsula), and Yellowstone with just the kids. So far, those trips are the reason we want the RV.
I will look into the seat belts. We still use the big kid seat that can be attached with a lap belt, and has the chest buckle, but for sure that will not last forever. Thanks for bringing it up.
I will make a priority to check for any water damage signs.
I will also figure out where we are going to put the garbage can! I didn't even think about it!
Thank you for sharing

before you pay do a really good walk threw ,see any signs of water stains ?? RUN .the damage can,t be seen, .and enjoy your new toy ,there,ll be up,s and downs,smile its all part of camping.

You've made a sound choice based on your critical needs. Everything else can be adjusted to those basics.

So far as storage, you will be fine. Like someone else said, make every kitchen item serve multiple purposes. With a family of 4, you need one pot and one skillet big enough to cook a simple meal. It's a huge help to make freezer meals and bring them along---spaghetti sauce, vegetable soup, beef stew, casseroles, etc. Plan the rest of your meals to be simple so you don't need a big assortment of kitchen tools. A colander for pasta, a couple of good knives, a cutting board, a can opener, and a couple of cooking spoons should be about all you need.

So far as clothes, a couple of things are a huge help. Packing cubes or the 2-gallon size of ziploc bags are a great way for kids to keep their clothes organized. Invest in some fast-drying items so things can be rinsed out and worn multiple times---polyester fleece, moisture wicking shirts & pants, things like that.

Give each child a backpack or shopping bag to keep their "toys" in--electronics plus chargers, games, favorite stuffed animals.

You also need to keep the interior uncluttered so you can be ready to move out without a lot of preparation. Don't plan on leaving items sitting on the table or countertops, they will slide off.

When the kids get too big for the bunk or dinette, they can move to sleeping in a tent out back. You will see LOTS of families doing this. It gives everyone a break!

Everyone uses their RV's different. What works for one person will not work for someone else. RV's are also confining. They have only so much available "space". When selecting the items to stock your camper with, you have to think smart and practical, and use items that have multi purpose function, instead of specialized items. Household appliances, like blenders, ice-cream makers, bread machines, stuff like that are nothing but space hoggers. Leave them home. Think "simple" and "basic". In fact, if you can get away from electric "gadgets" all together, it's really in your best interest.

Your camping style also dictates what items you bring with you too. Are you cooking over an open fire only? or using the Microwave only? or stove top only? Or bringing along an electric skillet or a flat electric griddle? or a gas grill? This will drive what you need.

Are you planning on using the RV on-board bathroom, or "natures way....the closes tree you can get behind", or bath houses, or something else. This also drives what items you need to bring along.

Basically, what I'm saying is, you need to determine what kind of camping you are wanting to do? Electric hook up only? Full hook ups? No hook ups? WallMart camping, RV Resort visits? All this drives what you bring along.

And the "bring along" items will change every trip. Take just what you need for the current trip, and next trip customize what you need for it.

Over time, you'll finally figure out what you REALLY need and leave behind what you don't. (There are no right or wrong's here. It's all dependent upon YOUR lifestyle.)

About motion sickness. Prilosec works great for motion sickness. Take it about 12 hours before heading out and then take it every 24 hours until the trip is over. Works great on ocean cruises also, and before having surgery! Really!

About the stability of your RV. I can't address that. All I can suggest is, take it for a test drive and inspect it thoroughly. If it does not feel right, don't get it. Usually your first-initial gut-impulse is the correct one. Then folks talk themselves out of it and regret purchasing later on.

Fuel efficiency is something you simply need to forget out! No RV is fuel "efficient". Even towable campers kill fuel mileage for the tow vehicle. This is one thing you CANNOT fret over. You either pay for fuel, or you let the camper sit, or don't purchase it at all if you think you can't afford the fuel.

But, aside from all my skepticism I've address above, I think your selection of a camper is pretty good. For all the reasons you pointed out above, it's a good choice (for you). I think once you get over your initial concerns and doubts, you'll really enjoy it. (And the price is very reasonable in my opinion).

Welcome to the forums. You've come to the right place for feedback. Your thoughts are excellent ones. I've owned a Class C, but currently own a FW. The Class C I had was much smaller, it was a Winnebago Warrior on a Toyota Chassis. It was easy to drive, great fuel economy and at that time met our needs for room. I wouldn't worry about the decision you've made based on your needs as they are valid, but there are several other thoughts that you should take into consideration as well before you sign on the dotted line.

Storage space, as you mentioned is an issue. Where will you put the trash can? Sounds funny, but that one question by my husband on an almost purchased Class A caused us to back out. After he asked that question, I really took a look at the cupboard space. How will you pack, where will you put the toys, are you taking bikes, etc.?

Can you safely secure their booster seats? I don't think there are shoulder seatbelts in the back seats and I'm not sure you want to put one of them in the passenger seat yet.

What about how you are going to use it - all hookups or dry camping? Will it meet those needs. Hookups are usually not an issue, but water tank capacity and how you are going to cook will be if you plan to boondock or dry camp. If it only comes with a microwave and you don't have a generator, cooking while dry camping will be a challenge.

What about the warranty on the unit and the reputation of the dealership? That is a HUGE factor when purchasing an RV. I've heard nothing but good on the service and warranty on Jayco, but not much on Coachman.

Those are my thoughts, but others will have more input for you. Best of luck on your decision. Another thought too is that you may be having buyer's remorse which is very common. If you've never owned an RV before, it can be scary, but remember that there are pros and cons to everything, and the pros should outweigh the cons. RV'ing brings a lot of enjoyment, but just as in owning a car, things can happen, it's just part of the joys of ownership.