buying an rv; am i missing something

What do you drive now? If its capable of towing a pop-up, that would seem the best route

Sea Dog wrote:
Oh, I agree.
My unit is a /93 class c.

The thing is, the Op, says he is on a limited budget,
so in my opinion, being green, jumping into something
where repairs easily mount up to thousands,
is not a wise move!

I agree with that, but being on a limited budget to buy the RV isn't necessarily the same as not having money to make repairs, etc.

My original affordability for a MH was $10K thinking I could finance at least part of it. When I started looking, I found that MHs costing $15K or less were more than 10 years old. My credit union wouldn't give me a loan for anything over 10 years old. So, I had to go with my "limited budget" of $4000 - which I had readily available in cash. However, by paying cash, I had money available each month to make ongoing repairs, updating, and age related maintenance. If I had bought newer, I would have had to make payments and then I wouldn't have had the extra cash each month for repairs, etc.

It's really about understanding your finances well enough to know which route will work best. For some, it's coming up with the initial purchase amount, for others it's not having the extra for repairs.

You can get a decent travel trailer for less than $4,000 if you buy an old one as they depreciate a good deal over time. If everything works you are in the same position with a $2,000 used trailer as one that costs you $4,000. If the fridge dies you will have money left to repair it or buy a new one.

In your place I would get a dual purpose vehicle that can be your vehicle for general use and also for towing. With a lightweight trailer you can avoid the need for a weight distributing hitch and with a 1/2 ton pickup with a crew cab you will have a good all purpose vehicle that will be good for towing if it came with the factory tow package.

For a used SUV or truck I would want 4.10 gears to provide better towing capacity - 4.10 provide 25% more towing capacity than 3.73 gears with any car or truck regardless of the make. You can use the VIN number to check the gears that were provided by the factory.

Go to any US National Forest or National Park and you will find that the majority of families camping are using tents and having a great time. I would rather have a smaller trailer to use for cooking or getting in out of the rain and using it with a tent for extra sleeping room at night. I did this for years using a small truck camper that slept only two people and used a dome tent that setup in minutes. But then I believe in living within my means.

Oh, I agree.
My unit is a /93 class c.

The thing is, the Op, says he is on a limited budget,
so in my opinion, being green, jumping into something
where repairs easily mount up to thousands,
is not a wise move!

Sea Dog wrote:
If you are on a limited budget,
a twenty year old motorhome
is the last thing that you want!

You are much further ahead to go the popup route
for a start.

Check Craigslist in your area,
Offer about sixty percent of asking,
you might be surprised!

I agree. That's why I went with a 38 year old motorhome. ;)

It just all depends on the individual. For me, I knew I wouldn't use a pop-up. It'd end up being a paperweight for my driveway. So while it would have been less expensive, it wouldn't have been worth the expense. The motorhome has been worth the expense and more. It is exactly what I wanted and I use it as much as possible. But, when I bought, I didn't jump in and buy the first one to catch my eye. I watched, waited, etc. Only when I had established my needs and found a motorhome to meet those needs did I lay out my money.

If you are on a limited budget,
a twenty year old motorhome
is the last thing that you want!

You are much further ahead to go the popup route
for a start.

Check Craigslist in your area,
Offer about sixty percent of asking,
you might be surprised!

Bumpyroad wrote:
before you buy a pop up, be sure to rent/borrow one and go through setting it up several times to see if it doesn't get old quickly.
bumpy

I agree. I never cared for the pop-up at all and went straight to a TT. For me, not having to pack-up was a key benefit of having an RV - I didn't want to have to set things up and take them down just to get on the road.

IMHO I would be looking at a Nagara by fleet wood,weighs round 4k, mine di I,two king beds,microwave, hard side bath, most mid size cars can pull .we still talk bout it.opened up 28ft long. Now it's all happy-camping

You don't need an RV to start camping. You can get started with a couple of tents. You can buy all the equipment you need for $500 or less.

before you buy a pop up, be sure to rent/borrow one and go through setting it up several times to see if it doesn't get old quickly.
bumpy