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Lady_Katie's avatar
Lady_Katie
Explorer II
Nov 26, 2016

How do we get started?

Hi there, my husband and I are considering purchasing an RV of some kind. We live in a very cold region, and are interested in traveling south for a couple of months during the winters. My husband would likely be able to work remotely for periods of time and even though we have two children, we already homeschool for other reasons, so we should have the flexibility to leave for the winters. I have a couple of questions though, if you don't mind.

We went to a place that sells RV's, just to take a look around and get an idea of what each kind of RV is like in person. After looking at them, I absolutely hate the idea of towing a 5th wheel or a huge trailer, and I don't even think I'm willing to entertain it. The space inside was nice, but the thought of driving the thing down the highway is a total deal breaker for me. I really don't even love the idea of towing anything, to be honest, but my husband likes the idea of being able to drop the trailer and have a smaller vehicle free for exploring/shopping/etc. Say we did decide to purchase a larger trailer. Could we pay someone to haul it around for us? How much does something like that cost? Could we leave it somewhere during the summer months? Does that even make any sense? If we decided to go for a mid sized or smaller trailer, how hard are these to tow? We have a Jeep Commander in decent condition, would we have to purchase a larger vehicle? Would an RV sales place let us try towing some of them to get a feel for it?

When we were looking around, what I did like, however, was a very small, compact motorhome. I know next to nothing about these things, but I think this thing might have been considered a class B or possibly a small class C. Either way, it was small. What I liked about it was that the whole thing seemed very do-able when I was sitting in the drivers seat. It felt like any other truck would. I was comfortable and felt like I could handle the vehicle. Of course, it was pretty small, and we'd have two kids sleeping in it with us, so what we gain in ease of use while traveling, we lose while actually parked and using it. Also, the price was outrageous, so we'd be looking to buy used. There do not seem to be a lot of used compact motorhomes to choose from within a 400 mile radius of where we live. How difficult would it be to actually purchase one of these if we did decide to go that route? How do I know how small is too small?

Anyway, sorry about all of the questions, but these are some of the thoughts that are going through my head. We need to find a way to cope with these winters that makes sense, and we are completely open to other ideas. I think that ideally, whatever we purchase will not cost more than $40k, and if there is some other option that we are unaware of that we could pay for on a yearly basis, I don't think that we would want to spend more than $4,000 total per year on it. Please help us to thaw out! :) Thank you!

24 Replies

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  • frankdamp's avatar
    frankdamp
    Explorer
    Dec 14, 2016
    We started out with a 26' Class C. We don't have human kids any more but we do have canine ones (2 big Labradors!) The "C" got old really quickly. It had an odd layout that we didn't recognize when we bought it and it was really difficult to live with/in.

    We sold it in the second half of our first season and, after waiting a bit, we bought a used 32' Class A Georgetown. We enjoyed that one much better and did 4 seasons with it before realising we were digging into our IRA savings to fund the lifestyle. We're now retired RVers.

    It's surprising how quickly you get used to driving these things if you're typical height. Unfortunately, DW never did, as she couldn't reach the pedals, and even if the seat fore/aft adjustment had allowed it, the steering column wasn't telescopic, so the wheel rim would have been behind her! The seat didn't have vertical adjustment either, but if it had gone low enough, I don't think she'd have been high enough to see out the windshield. I wish the RV industry would take lessons from the transit coach manufacturers. I drove transit for a few years and found adjustabiity was fine.

    I'm 5' 8", so I had no problems, but DW is less than 5' (and won't let me say how much!). Unfortunately, I get backside cramps after about 3 hours driving, needing at least a 20-minute walk-around before getting back behind the wheel. It tends to reduce the miles you can cover in a day (about 250 max for me).

    My recommendation would be to go for a 32' to 35' Class A. If you aren't sight-seeing all the time, but at the same CG for each summer, an on-site car that you can leave behind somewhere during the time you're "back home" might be an option.
  • RRinNFla's avatar
    RRinNFla
    Explorer
    Dec 14, 2016
    There are lots of pros and cons about trailer vs. motorhome. You have read some of them on this thread. It is a matter of personal choice.

    BUT, I would not let fear of towing be the deciding factor. Towing and backing up a trailer is a skill that anyone can learn in a very short time.
  • Grit_dog's avatar
    Grit_dog
    Navigator
    Dec 06, 2016
    Another window shopper. Hasn't been back in over a week.
    Wants a RV that drives like a Prius but needs it to open up like a 3 bed home.
  • Roy_Lynne's avatar
    Roy_Lynne
    Explorer
    Dec 06, 2016
    5th Wheels are very easy to handle, much better than a TT, and then you can go as big as you want.

    What about buying an TT or 5th Wheel and just leaving down south. You can hire someone to move it to storage for you when your not using it.

    You need to go as big as you can especially if you plan to home school the kids and your husband is going to work and will need some privacy
  • tenbear's avatar
    tenbear
    Explorer
    Dec 05, 2016
    Lots of good info here.

    Here is a vote for towing a car with a motorhome. Be aware that not all cars can simply be towed. Some can be towed 4 wheels down, some others can only be towed on a dolly while others can only be towed on a trailer.

    Before you choose this option, make sure you have the right car.

    Also, you would be surprised how quickly a small RV becomes too small, especially with kids.
  • CharlesinGA's avatar
    CharlesinGA
    Explorer
    Dec 05, 2016
    coolmom42 wrote:
    IMHO your best bet is to rent an apartment or condo. That will give you plenty of space with 2 kids and a place for your hubby to work, much more than in a RV.

    Renting will give you time to find a location you like. Once you do that you can start thinking about buying something.


    IMO this is the best advise I have read yet. It sounds as if the OP is not interested in traveling per se, just staying somewhere, and an RV is not the best way to do that.

    Charles
  • tatest's avatar
    tatest
    Explorer II
    Nov 28, 2016
    You don't know how small is too small until you try living in it. The longer you live in it, the more likely it will be too small.

    With what you are considering doing with a motorhome, you will likely still be towing, another vehicle for getting around at your destination. I get by not towing when continuously traveling, but when going to a destination, I need transportation. Sometimes fellow campers, sometimes family, sometimes a borrowed car, sometimes my wife followed me in her car. Since she died, more often now I am towing a car, bought for the purpose. I am on my second one.

    If you are always going to the same warm place for no more than two months, there are options that can be less expensive and less confining than ownership of a small RV, motorized or towable. There are warm places, not in resort areas or urban centers, where rentals or even second home ownership can be less expensive than ownership of a motorhome comfortable long term for a family of four. One problem might be that some of these tend to be 55+ communities, another is that small rural communities in the South can be a major culture shock for folks from other parts of the country (which is why snowbirds tend to congregate in snowbird communities).
  • mgirardo's avatar
    mgirardo
    Explorer
    Nov 27, 2016
    Lady_Katie wrote:
    When we were looking around, what I did like, however, was a very small, compact motorhome. I know next to nothing about these things, but I think this thing might have been considered a class B or possibly a small class C. Either way, it was small.

    How do I know how small is too small?


    We are a family of four. Our kids are 15 and 13. We own a 32' Class C Motorhome with 2 slides and a bunk house. When we bought the motorhome, the kids were 8 and 6. We used it primarily for weekend and week-long trips. We too homeschool our children and a few years ago we started spending our summers in the North. I own my own business and work out of the house and camper.

    You said your husband can work remotely, is that with a computer? Even with a laptop, in a small Class B or Class C, I think he will find it a little cramped. Does he need to make phone calls while he works? There's not much privacy in a small Class B or C motorhome to make business related calls.

    Our Motorhome is too small for us. We made due the last two summers, but it we really need something bigger. We are looking at getting a destination Travel Trailer for our summer camp site. If you don't plan to use the camper the rest of the year, your best option is to look at Park Models or destination Travel Trailers. Either would be more like a small house. A Park Model would be best as they have a shingled roof.

    If you plan to use the camper throughout the year, I would suggest something with an actual room where your husband would be able to work. I think a 5th wheel or large Travel Trailer would offer the best options there. Large 5th wheels are easier to tow than long Travel Trailers. My biggest hassle is setting up my mobile office every day. The only place I can do that is the dinette, which we also use for eating. I don't usually make phone calls, but our "master bedroom" has an actual wooden door I can close if I have to make phone calls.

    Keep in mind, if you do buy a Motorhome, you will probably still need to tow a car when you camp for the winters. It gets really old quick, having to break camp any time you need to run to the store. It's an inconvenience when you are camping for the week, but when you live in it for a few months, it is a real hassle - especially if you have to level the camper.

    You won't know what you need until you actually do it long term. We love our motorhome and thought it was so big and spacious, but once we started living in it full time for months at a time, it became a lot smaller, especially as our kids got bigger. You can rent RVs to get an idea of what you can expect, but unfortunately, you won't know what it is going to be like to live in for months at a time until you actually do.

    -Michael
  • Deb_and_Ed_M's avatar
    Deb_and_Ed_M
    Explorer II
    Nov 27, 2016
    An Rving grandma here with an eye towards your sanity: unfortunately, the size of the trailer you really need, will require a larger tow vehicle. I'm thinking of kids/toys/crafts/books, etc - the general stuff that comes from raising a family. You aren't going to have the storage you need in a small B or C. You will definitely want an RV with a slideout, the bigger the better. And bunkbeds - making up a couch or dinette into a bed daily, will get old really fast.

    I agree with others - if you can find a park model trailer in a non-senior park, would be ideal. Otherwise, if I had to pick an RV where you get the best bang-for-the-buck for a family of 4 extended living, I'd have to go with a 5th wheel. I drove ours all the time, and it was NOT scary at all. The other option would be a 28-30' Class C, and then tow a smaller vehicle. You are about the same length overall as a 5er; but for running around and sightseeing, a toad is a nice thing to have. A large popup camper might work, but your storage (and privacy) will be limited.

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