Brand new RV'er

Take your time, do not be in a hurry. Look at everything that interests you.
When you narrow it down to a certain type/make, start asking questions.

Ask lots of questions BEFORE you give the seller any money or sign any papers. Someone on the forum will have the answer.


If negotiating with a dealer, get it in writing. Otherwise what they tell or promise you means absolutely nothing.

Don't buy something, new or used, until everything is repaired or working to your satisfaction.

I would rather buy from a private sale than a dealer.

Enjoy your search and use it as a learning experience.

Fulltimer as in 'retired and travelling' or 'working and living in an RV park'?

WELCOME AND DO AS YOU WROTE. SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PLAN. i TO FEEL PRIVATE SELLERS ARE WAY MORE HONEST THAN A SALES PERSON.

I would advise you to at least consider renting one for a few days before jumping in with both feet. There are two reasons for this: first, you may find you have second thoughts about this sort of lifestyle, and finding out with a rental will save a lot of money and hassle. Second, and perhaps more important, you can get a much better idea of what sorts of features to look for with a bit of experience. Sometimes it's the little things that make a decent difference. (Is there a place to put a trash can?)

Getting service for a unit purchased from a private seller is not really harder than getting service for one purchased from a dealer, doubly so if you're on the road and not near your dealer. Even better is to learn how to do at least simple maintenance and service yourself; you can save a lot of money over time if you winterize and recaulk and replace broken baggage door hold-open stays yourself rather than paying someone to do it.

Private sellers may or may not be more honest than dealers, depending on the dealer and the seller. A private seller may also be entirely honest but still clueless about problems with their RV, while one would hope a dealer at least has some idea of where to look for problems and troubles. It's up to you, in either case, to make sure you do a thorough examination to satisfy yourself of the condition of the RV you're buying, and to make sure that any problems are taken care of to your satisfaction. If you don't think you're qualified to do that, it can be money well spent to hire an independent inspector to check things out for you. (That can sometimes be a good idea even if you think you're qualified.)

After you narrow down the year(s)-RV brand & models,research the history as much as you can. Paying particular attention to the major systems, history of leaks, recalls etc. You should know what to look for before you go shopping. Build quality varies quite a lot---even within the same brand. Individual consumers can be better or just as bad as a dealer. If you are mechanically inclined, you will know key things to look for. Bells and whistles are great but RV's can be costly to repair.

Type first, floor plan second, overall condition third, serious inspection for leaks and everything working fourth.
Are you thinking towable or self propelled?