to buy or to rent for a road trip.

Hi and welcome to the forum. And, we welcome you to the US. From your original post you wrote that you have not RVed before. I humbly suggest that when you arrive here and pick up your unit, you go directly to a near-by campground and begin to get familiar with all of the everyday aspects of RVing. This could take a few days to a week. You will need to learn to safely back-up, pull into gas stations (adapt to rear-end swing), hook-up electric safely, dump your black and gray tanks, level or block the RV to make it level in the campground and other RV chores. But don't fret about this. Most RVers are friendly and will be glad to assist you with any of these tasks.
Remember to bring some favorite toys or games for your son in case you get caught in some really rainy weather and need to stay in the RV for a day or so. You might want to bring a few DVDs or buy some here for you and the misses for the same reason. Also, bring or buy some rain gear for all. You don't want to stay in the RV every time it rains, too much to see and do. Finally, as your plans come together, give us some idea where you might travel so we can provide some hints. For example, if you plan to go to Yellowstone NP, bring some warmer clothes. It can and has snowed there every month of the year. We have experienced snow and cold there in June several times. Best wishes for a great trip. Bob

it has been suggested to buy an rv from the same company for the 25 thousand range then sell it once we have completed the trip....

This is a very good idea, buying from a well known rental company you have the fact that the maintenance has been done and is well documented, such as El Monte RV. You can see what others have said about buying a Ex Rental in the link in my signature, or Click here

They have a nation wide network of service centers and with the
1 year or 12,000 mile power train warranty and 30 days on all major appliances, this would cover your time here if anything goes wrong you can have it fixed by them.

There are others that do the same such as Cruise America their documentation is some times hard to come by but they have it.

As for Camping World, I cannot say one way or the other but their reviews aren't good.

With these options your cash outlay is larger but your loss after only 3 months when selling will be a lot less than the rental fee you were quoted,and you would have the warranty.

Selling on consignment would most likely be the way to go but that all depends where you will be departing. There are others here that know the best places to do that if they know the area that you would be looking at to sell the RV.

Anything else you might want to know about this just PM me.

Good luck.

Wow

thanks to Fred, Nutinelse2do, Bordercollie, jose and Escargot,

thankis for the advice, i have looked at camping world to purchase the rv, is this a good idea?

we will start either in la or Orlando that has still to be decided.
unfortunately i can only write of the tax after the event so i have to stay within a set budget and a new RV is definitely out of that.

we have friends at some drop zones in the states we may just leave the rv with them.

how easy is it to sell to a dealer?

A this is promisingly a vacation most expenses are non tax deductible but purchases tax can be claimed at the airport:> i really need an accountant for that and he is on vacation lol.

i have read the reviews for cruise america and even contacted a few reviewers and will leave them to one side for the moment.

i know this is the class c site but what are your thoughts on a class a option?

I LOVE bordercollie's comment on clothes, a picture poped into my head that i think i will keep private! but your advise on driving is spot on and you should share with all newbees. i will defiantly keep the driving in the slow lain frame of mind and your advise in the forefront !

other than poor service (a common problem in England i am afraid)
in camping world can anybody recommend them? at least for the purchase? or rental.

i never thought about seat belts for a five year old child either, now that you mentioned the point it will be a big concern, i can raid walmart when we pick up the RV for supplies but what about seats in a rental and an rv what is the law?

Again thank you for your advice and suggestions!

Given what you are looking to do and spend, buying and then selling on consignment sounds like a great idea.

I would purchase a 3-5 year old 26-28 ft. class C. Someone else will have taken the initial depreciation and all the recalls/services should have been performed. The cargo capacity of the overhead sleeping compartment is pretty huge and you can still fit the 4 year old up there with "stuff". Or you can use the bed on the main floor. I agree that slideouts might be nice, but dealing with mechanical issues will be a major concern for you. I'd skip the slideouts in your case. That size coach is ideal for a family of three and it is much easier to find parking. Once you go over 28', you can have issues with not just parking, but even access to certain campgrounds/sites.

Amenities to have in the RV are pretty much everything in a typical home, but you MUST have a generator on board and an awning. I use the awning every time I go out and in cases where there is no power, you CANNOT beat having a generator. I think my ideal would be a pair of Honda 2000i generators. You can use just one most of the time (quiet and low fuel consumption) and chain in the second one if you need to use the A/C off grid.

Best of luck finding just the right rig for your trip.

Jose

it has been suggested to buy an rv from the same company for the 25 thousand range then sell it once we have completed the trip....

I'd buy a decent Class C in the $20k+ range, and sell it after the trip. After only 3 months of use, you should be able to get close to what you paid for it originally.

Happy travels.

PS I would not buy from Camper World based on negative reports on their level of service. There are plenbty of reputable companies from which to make your purchase.

My gut feel is that you might be better off buying a new Class C and take the 10K+ loss when you sell it on consignment. With a new Class C, there can be problems that you detect after a trial "shake-down cruise" and require fixing by the Dealer's service department. Try to find a major US dealer, with a good reputation, that will commit to fixing any factory warranty problem, without delay, because of your special circumstances. A dealer that will buy back the rig when you are finished might be a good thing. If the dealer will get an honorable mention in the media that might help.

For now, try to learn as much as you can about the different popular brands and floor plans. I would recommend a Class C that is at least 27 feet long and has a comfortable rear bedroom with an "RV queen-sized bed". Living continuously in an RV requires some "elbow room". "Slide-outs" are nice but can have electro-mechanical problems. 12 volt house battery and charging systems can work well if you stay in RV parks and hook up to 110v power which powers the "converter/charger" and keeps the house batteries charged. While driving the engine's generator charges the house batteries and the truck starting battery.Staying in one place for three days and running off of the house battery can deplete the house battery(s) as well as the fresh water supply.The RV generator provides 110volt AC power when you are not hooked up to camp/"shore" power.

Your child can sleep in the front overhead bed at night, if you get a device to keep him from rolling out. Under way, you will need to use a child car seat anchored firmly to a dinette seat with seat belt. Child seating safety in RV's is somewhat deficient and controversial.

Expect to drive some 100 miles and stop to relax, eat lunch and press on. RV's have stiff rear springs and the ride on cupped concrete interstates and freeways can be jarring. Crosswinds and vacuum effects from passing "big rigs" can be tiring. An occasional break staying at a motel is nice. You can save considerable money eating in the rig but an occasional meal in a restaurant help keep up your enthusiasm.

Travel light and buy consumables etc., on the way. You won't need many clothes, Americans dress casually. Carry emergency road service and a basic tool kit, with duct tape, crazy glue, etc.

A GPS device helps you plan ahead for freeway/highway interchanges and finding your way to RV parks and tourist attractions. Learn how to make safe lane changes using the mirrors. and how to use the transmission for safely going up and down curving mountain grades. We have some dramatic terrain and highways and byways that require special safe driving techniques for top-heavy slab-sided RV's. Avoid parking the rig in areas where you can be bothered by opportunistic "bad guys".

Best of luck and have a great adventure.

taffclarke wrote:
Hi Everybody.

just a quick bit of background about us, I am married and have a beautiful wife and a son aged 4, my wife and i are both extreme sports people and love the outdoors.

august next year we plan on doing a road trip of some 9000 miles. over three months, the hire of a class c from moturis (camping world) is 14 thousand. As a British (actually welsh) vacation-er i can stay for only 3 months.

life is never simple and as part of the trip i have been approached to make a video diary by a tv company i have worked with in the past, and am going to have to meat with them several times on thye trip. now if the trip goes wrong we may only do a 2 month and then another month the next year if you are with me.

it has been suggested to buy an rv from the same company for the 25 thousand range then sell it once we have completed the trip.

in your humble opinions is this a good idea? can it be done and does anybody have any suggestions.

this will be my first time with an rv so i am really stocked by the idea. does that make me a recreational virgin

thanks and have a great week

Taff anna and David

Hi.
Are you being compensated for the video?
If so, does your Country allow you to to deduct business expenses? If the deduction is allowed, I would go the rental route, since it will be tax deductible.
If you rent, roadside assistance is usually included in the rental price.
If you were to buy, would you be buying a new or used coach?
Any coach you purchase, new or used, you always want to take it for a few shake down runs to work out the bugs. I would never buy any RV and just take off for a 9000 mile trip.
Since you are new to RV'ng, there are many additional expenses when you buy. You should do a thorough inspection. Then there is the worry worry of tires, generator, drive train, etc on a used coach.
If you are going to turn around and sell it, you would wan't to make sure it is in excellent condition, but plan on losing money on the sale.
Also, if you buy, you will then be stuck having to sell it or put it on consignment.
That price for 3 months rental seems kind of high for a Class C.
Have you checked Cruise America's prices for rental?
Just some thing to think about.
Best of luck to you.

What Golden HVAC said sbout Phoenix being cheap for RV storage is only correct if you plan on parking it in the vicious Az sun for a year, which will destroy any unattended coach. Covered RV parking in the Phoenix Az area is VERY expensive.

Hi,

Advance planning is good! You will be able to find out a lot about the various National Parks, and other great places to visit while in the USA. Yes you can buy a class C motorhome in the $25,000 range, probably get one for a lot less if you look at 4-7 year old RV's with 25,000 miles or so on them.

I understand that putting 9,000 miles on a rental normally takes them from being a fresh rental to nearly to old to rent anymore, thus the mileage fee per mile and monthly rental cost will add way up, to the $14,000 quoted price.

But there are many private sellers that can supply the RV. Problem is you really need to look at a couple on the internet, then arrive before making a decision, and that can be a gem, but you might find out it is not when you inspect it. Lucky for you, Los Angles has many RV dealers and probably has over 5,000 to pick from at any given moment. So that can be your back up plan.

What city do you plan to fly to? Is it also in your plan to buy the RV this year, then store it for 1 year and pick it up in the summer of 2016 then drive it some more? Then sell it after that time? There are a lot of places that can store the RV too. I would suggest Arizona as a place to look at storing the RV, as it is lower cost, and much lower crime rates.

Phoenix AZ is also a great place to look for a RV, but in August, it can be around 115F! Not the ideal place to start looking for a RV in the summer. Phoenix also has many RV dealerships, with at least 2,000 combined units for sale all year long.

RvSearch.com is a RV search page that advertizes on this web site, and lists well over 10,000 RV's for sale.

I would recommend a gas RV. Normally a modern fuel injected gas class C will get around 8-9 MPG when driven at about 65 MPH, and your plan is 9,000 miles, or about 900 - 1,000 gallons of fuel. Our price is about $3.50 at this time, but normally about $4 per gallon in the summer, so that cost will not be to difficult. Insurance is lower on a lower cost gas RV, compared to a diesel RV. You plan on storing it 1 year, so you can pretty much shut off a gas RV and not worry about running it for a year, while a diesel can need fuel treatment. Just get the oil changed before storing it, and you will be good with a gas engine.

This site has a huge wealth of information about anything from National Park campgrounds to what RV is a good or average brand quality. Just ask any question, it should be answered quickly and with some great knowledge out there!

Good luck,

Fred.