Newbie looking to buy first....well I'm not sure

donn0128 wrote:
Start used and cheap. Guaranteed you will always find dislikes in every RV. So use the first couple as a learning experience.

X2 on this. We bought an older class A for short money rather than dump all that money into a rental. Plus, I wasn't crazy about driving around in a rolling ad for 1-800-RV4-RENT.

End of the first year and we already have a list of must haves for bus #2. It was a great learning experience, but I would have hated to have spent $500k for the lessons.

Add me to the growing list of those that think a pre-owned travel trailer is probably your best bet to get into RVing. The first trailer almost will never be your last so learn from that first one what you really want in a travel trailer. Things like size, slideouts, number of doors, bunkhouse or not, outside kitchen, floor plan layout, tank sizes, and the overall experience of towing something that is likely longer and wider than your tow vehicle. Then, you can understand what you really want in a TT.

I think watching the two movies mentioned earlier will provide some laughs; better to laugh at the issues in the movies than find yourself learning the same things with your RV.

Rent a few in different sizes and floor plans, to see how well your tow veh. pulls them. What you like or dislike or can't live with out in floor plans etc. before going out and buying your first rig. And buy used for the first one.

A couple things to consider...

The dry weights are misleading. Don't believe them. Everything adds to that weight... battery, propane tanks, sometimes spare tire, sheets, clothing, food, chairs, etc.

Your PAYLOAD will oftentimes be the weakest link. Many suggest that you load up your truck with gear like you would to camp, including a full tank of gas and the whole family and take it across a CAT scale. Then subtract your total weight from the GVWR and that will give you your AVAILABLE PAYLOAD. You might be surprised how little payload you have available to you to tow.

Once you know your available payload, you need to find a camper with a WET/LOADED TONGUE weight that will be less than your available payload. Remember that you will need a weight distribution hitch (WDH) and they usually weight 50+ lbs too.

Once you know your payload weights, you will be able to narrow down campers that you like.

I'll be honest with you, sometimes the best camper is a popup camper. Low profile means better towing mileage. Usually available with 2 king beds and a dinette that folds into a bed. Decent interior space so you aren't bumping into each other. Downfalls are that they usually don't have a bathroom, can be louder when camping (like tent camping) and involve more work putting up and breaking down.

Either way you go, I would recommend you start with a USED camper first. You will inevitably find things that you HATE about certain style campers, things you NEED TO HAVE in a camper, etc. If you are taking longer trips you need to be prepared for bad weather. A standard 26 foot bunkhouse will have minimal interior room for mom, dad and two boys to spend the entire day crammed inside. A slide will give much more room to spread out when crammed inside. You might find that it is difficult to cook inside. My family likes taco's and spaghetti when camping. Both are easy to cook and provide leftovers for lunch the next day. Unfortunately, both leave lingering cooking odors inside the camper. As a result, we are strongly considering an outdoor kitchen for our next camper.

Look at a lot of campers. If you find one you like, try to spend an hour with the entire family inside and see how it feels. Buy within your tow vehicles limits, but try to maximize the space.

We bought our current trailer when it was the bride and I. It was snug, but manageable for the two of us. We have a 23 month old daughter and a little boy on the way now. The camper is suddenly too small. When it rains, we can't sit out under the awning and watch the storm anymore. The daughter won't sit still that long. That leads us inside during stormy weather cause its easier to wrangle her. Space is tight and two of us can't walk past each other w/o the slide. New camper will have a slide, a TV, and decent size slides in a separate bedroom.

I really appreciate all of the feedback

We’re definitely leaning towards the TT because of the financial implication….much cheaper to buy a TT than MH. We went to the RV show in Hershey last weekend and definitely saw a few floorplans that we like, we would like to stay with a smaller TT as I think it will be much easier to learn with a smaller TT and won’t have issues staying in some campgrounds or going uphill.

Do you think this set-up will work

Tow vehicle: 2009 GMC Yukon XL Denali
Engine size: 6.2L V8
Max towing capacity: 8,0000 lbs.
GVWR: 7,400 lbs.
GAWR FRT: 3,600 lbs.
GAWR RR: 4,200 lbs.
Curb Weight of Truck: 5,838 lbs.
Max payload: 1379 lbs.

Keystone Passport 2650BH/2590BH
GVWR: 7,200 lbs.
Dry Weight: 4,893lbs.
Hitch Weight: 595 lbs.

Welcome! Considering and RV is a great choice. As I like to say, "it's just good ol' fashion family fun."

A couple of things...

*I think you should consider a trailer first. They are much cheaper to buy and maintain, although you might be limited in size and weight by your tow vehicle. With a couple of kids, you're probably going to want bunks and your SUV may or may not be able to handle the trailer.

Yes, you can't go back to the fridge or use the bathroom while driving with a trailer, but it is still fairly convenient to pull over and jump in the rig to do those things. At least, depending on the layout of the trailer. We sometimes stop at a rest area and have a quick picnic or pull over to a safe area and grab something or use the bathroom.

*As for your second point, don't count on saving money by camping. Yes, you can have a full kitchen and prepare all of your meals in the rig, but $20,000+ buys a lot of hotel stays and meals. Also, campground rates aren't as cheap as they used to be. Even some state parks are becoming a bit pricey. I'm sure I don't need to explain to you how expensive gas is. Factor in maintenance and insurance, and I think you'll find that you don't save money by traveling this way. Everyone is different, but saving money is not the reason we do it.

Overall, you've started at the right place. I did the same thing and read these forums for over a year before we bought our TT. I learned a ton and often knew more than the salespeople when we would go to a dealer or RV show.

That reminds me, an RV show is a great place to start. Check out all of the rigs and talk about how they would fit your family and your camping style. Try to picture doing all of the normal camping things in the rig. Unfortunately, it can rain, so think about whether that rig is something you would want to hang out in for a couple of days if you have to.

Most importantly, have fun. Too many people get worked up about little things while they are camping. Remember, you're not at home, you're not at work, and you're out in nature. Sounds good to me.

This is such a great hobby. I started doing it at six years old with my parents. I'm now 35 years old and we bought our trailer last year when our son was a year old. He's now 2 1/2 and is an old pro, having traveled thousands of miles and spent many nights in the rig. I hope one day he gets as into it as we are and keeps it going with his own family.

Best of luck and safe travels!

AGC wrote:


1. We don’t really like staying in cabins/hotels because we don’t like using (i.e. sleeping, etc.) other people’s things (i.e. blankets, sheets, etc.)
2. Cost saving as we could eat some meals in the RV/TT, when staying in hotels we eat out EVERY meal
3. More comfortable (and safer) than tent camping
4. We can take the dog with us (also a cost saving)

All good reasons to RV EXCEPT for your #2.

Most of us have learned that overall, you will not save money by using an RV for your traveling. Factor in ALL the costs.

Not trying to discourage you in any way. We RV for many reasons, but saving money is not one of them.

Go for it, you and your family will not regret it.

First off, welcome! Secondly, RV stands for Recreational Vehicle which includes Travel Trailers.

We started tent camping. After a few years we went to a pop-up and a year later we upgraded to a 3 bed Hybrid Travel Trailer. With 4 of us, even the 12 foot box pop-up was just too small. We wanted the room of a trailer, but liked sleeping under the tented bed so the Hybrid was a logical choice. We used the Hybrid a lot and really enjoyed it.

When we moved from NJ to GA we decided a Class C motorhome was the way to go because we traveled to NJ at least once a year with the camper. Having a motorhome made that trip a lot more enjoyable.

Something to consider, if you are looking at large Travel trailers, your SUV may not be up to the task, especially if you will be traveling to/through the mountains. You don't want to tow at your SUV's maximum tow rating.

-Michael

Start used and cheap. Guaranteed you will always find dislikes in every RV. So use the first couple as a learning experience. Be sure to keep well within your vehicles towing capacity. Otherwise you will wind up as a very unhappy camper.
BTW they are all RV's. There are different types but all RV'.

My advise: Before purchasing anything you need to watch 2 movies. The old 1950's movie "The Long Long Trailer" with Desie Arnaz and Lucy Ball, and watch "RV the Movie" with Robin Williams.

Although both are comedies and one is ancient, both movies have a very "serious" element of truth in them, things that should be avoided and things that should be considered when purchasing and using an RV or TT. I think it takes both movies together to see a full picture. So my advise, watch the movies first with the "eye" on purchasing one before making any other plans. You'll get some good laughs, but remember, behind all the humor is some "serious" stuff going on as far as RV's and campers are concerned. It's well worth watching.

Considering a TT vs a MH with a family. Biggest factor to consider is the ability to separate your transportation vehicle from your camping vehicle. (TT) or if you want to take your camper with you everywhere. (MH - RV). If you decide to go MH - RV - you might want to consider a toad. If you do then you have another set of factors to consider for hitching and proper towing.

I will not touch your comment about moving around in a MH when traveling. Although, in Indiana, it is 100% legal to ride in a trailer when traveling. Does anyone do it? If they do, no one admits it!

Good luck! Enjoy the journey. Settling on the suitable camper is part of the fun too! Enjoy these days of anticipation.