New to RV world, starting to shop.

TahoeDreaming wrote:
Good day everyone!

My wife and I had an opportunity to rent a small RV a few weeks ago to try it out. We really had a nice time. We had rented a Winnebago View (Mercedes Sprinter) and found it to be maneuverable and with good power. We stopped by a few local dealers in the area to look at a slightly different model, the VIA (small class A sprinter), but both locations were politely steering us towards a traditional class A gas model. In comparing the RV/Dollar, we agree that the Gas chassis is a good option.

I am researching and learning, but would certainly appreciate any perspective from experienced owners. Some bullets below;

• We are both in our 40's and plan to keep the RV until retirement age, at that point we would consider more of a full time unit
• We enjoy an RV that won't run into problems getting into smaller campsites around Tahoe and Northern CA, one salesman recommended we stay under 32 feet
• We will mostly be going as a couple. Occasionally we will have teenage children with us
• Diesel pushers are awesome, but at this point, don't believe the additional cost of purchase and operation makes sense. Post retirement, with longer trips, absolutely
• Living in Nevada, we would not pay any sales tax on a private sale on a used unit. A new or used RV dealer purchase would have 7.8% (a significant sum) and we can't fully claim the sales tax deduction (if extended to 2015) due to income

Would love any advice from the forum with regard to model/size/used vs. new

With your first statement and considering that retirement could be 10 - 20yrs away, I'd go with a used upper end gas model, not spending a lot of money and with the thought of another used one or two before retirement. By that time, you'll be well versed in what you really want, without spending for costly lessons along the way.

Before you make a final decision - rent a few campers. It's all about the floor-plan........... You will be surprised how a floor-plan that works in summer becomes unbearable in winter.

We have had 3 TTs and our current floor-plan is perfect for the type of camping that we do. Sometimes it's simple things, I prefer the living area at the back because we reverse into sites and this floor plan gives you more privacy. I like a separate bed-room, so one can sleep while the other watches TV, I like 2 exit doors, gives an airy feel.....

You won't find these nuances until you try different floor-plans.

Gerry

Thanks for the advice and help! We thought about smaller RV's or class B conversions, but my wife really prefers a bit of space and a more "proper" bathroom.

I am very mechanically inclined and do all of my own service work on a couple of our cars, another reason I prefer gas vs diesel. I also have some experience driving trucks (class b with trailer), so I think the transition to a larger chassis would be acceptable.

Any feedback on covered vs open storage?

Do your time at as many RV shows and at as many RV sales lots as you can stand so you can see many different floor plans in person. Ultimately, that's what is going to matter. You will spend a lot more time sitting/sleeping in them than you do driving down the road. Once you feel like you know what you want to look for, THEN start looking for private sales and go over them with a fine-toothed comb to make sure there are no "Ah-Ha" moments once you seal the deal.

Diesel or Gas? Your choice....there are pluses and minuses for each, depending on your projected usage. Diesels are typically going to cost more, but tend to be more on the high-end of quality builds overall...not always the case, but typically. BUT...there are many, many NICE gasoline coaches and the Triton V10 is a great engine. My personal opinion....if you're not going to travel over 10K/year, you'd be better off with a gas engine.

Again, do your time looking at the interior layouts and figure out your preferences....and honestly.....once you have what you THINK you want, you'll find other things that you WISH you had....just a fact of RV life! LOL! Good Luck with your search!

do your home work, esp on floor planes and the little things count also. go to utube and watch videos on the different motor homes, there is a lot of info on that site. they even show you how to drive them. I was so surprised at the detail of driving a large MH. don't get into a hurry to buy, esp when you say you want to buy one time and get ready for retirement. I know a couple who came down from Alaska and in one year they bought four different TT's and had a time getting the right one for their needs.

we have a sprinter mad by liesure travel van its a 2007 bought new and still love it .just two of us and theres plenty of room we stay at roosevelt lake some winters ,we also get 20mpg if that helps, our,s is the 5cyc engine the V6 gets about 15mpg .

This pretty much comes down to personal preference.....and what you can reasonably afford.

I suggest keeping it below 30 feet.

I like the class C's; more bang for the buck.
Many of the newer ones even have multiple slide-outs for a more roomy feel.

Having said that, my personal taste is to NOT have slideouts (which tend to be problematic in my mind) but a C without them is really only appropriate if you do most of your "living" outside under the awning or in the lake or forest. In my opinion, only one person at a time can move around in one.

Regardless of what you get, A or C, new or used, it will be a maintenance "headache". Pretty much no way around that.......except maybe renting for a few weeks a year.....which I think is a REALLY good option for "newbies".

Look for a used 30' Winnebago from a private seller so you won't have to pay sales tax.

Since you are practically a few miles from CA, you should be able to find a nice unit from a private seller not too far from you.

Good luck!