Quit my job, Traveling for 1 year

In trying to keep with your $20K budget for an RV you should seriously consider a small travel trailer. We started out, about 20 years ago, with a brand new 20 ft. trailer. At that time it cost around $10K. Good ones are more than that now. But rather than go new I think if you spend some time looking (Craig's List, RV dealers, newspapers, or driving along the highway) you can find a nice 3-5 year old travel trailer in the 20'-24' range. One of these units would cost approximately $7K-$11K. You might find a better deal because lots of RVers buy too small of an RV the first time and then want to upgrade. These are the travel trailers you should look for. The remaining money should be spent on a good used SUV or half-ton pickup. You can stay under that $20K figure and have two good reliable vehicles.

Don't let anyone talk you into a pop-up. A travel trailer affords you an already set up unit with a bed, kitchen, bathroom, etc. Also, having a tow vehicle that you can tour areas neighboring your campground makes getting around so much easier than trying to find a place to park a motorhome. Plus a pickup or SUV gives you some additional space for storing/hauling camping/hiking gear, firewood, lawn chairs, or some other useful items you'll need for a long-haul trip.

One thing I've always looked for when trying to find a good used vehicle is that the owner/seller is someone that really cared for the vehicle they're selling. They should have receipts for worked done, good tread on the tires, and a good overall knowledge of the vehicle. Make sure the tires aren't cracked on the sidewalls, the valve stems on the tires don't have little cracks, check to see when the bearings were last greased. Have the seller walk you through the vehicle, especially travel trailers, showing a willingness to educate you on how things operate.

Remember, you will be traveling with a small child and your young wife. Nothing spoils a trip like a breakdown a long way from home. Do your homework and understand what it will take to head off on the road for an extended period of time. Good luck!

I envoy you, my wife and I are in our early 30's with two kids and have dreams of doing that. But sadly I have 20 more years till retirement, and we could never leave our jobs. Well to the weekends and the one week a year for me. T-7300 days till retirement!

I am going to agree with those that say go with a trailer or fifth wheel and a tow car. At $20,000 your choices of finding something that will be reliable are far greater than finding a Class C or Class A - forget Class B even used with this price limit. With the trailer you have the ability to come and go from your campsite as you please - you can explore and enjoy this way which seems to be what you and your wife are looking to do for the year of fulltiming.

wanderingbob wrote:
Do it !! Ignore the naysayers . What is the worst that can happen , you blow 20 thousand ! Look for the smallest unit that you can live with , 23 to 25 foot , Take off , there are tires for sale in most states . You will learn to fix what breaks and learn to do with out what you can not fix .
Wife and I bought a unit for $13,500 and lived and traveled full time for over ten years ! Do it , do not look back , Paradise is being paved next year !

this.

rbtglove wrote:
There should be a lot of good sound used class Cs out there 8-10 yrs old with low miles that can be bought for 10-12K.

Lets see - "good sound used class Cs" - Good and Sound are the key words here!!! Lazy Daze and Born Free are two that appear to have that kind of following. Maybe Winnie or Jayco?

I'd get a TT and a tow vehicle. Sell your current car(s) to buy the TV and spend your $20k on a nice travel trailer.
At the end, the TT will still be worth almost what you paid if you ge a decent deal and you'll have a truck to do what you wish with.
You'll get more space out of a TT. This is a big deal since its a year with a kid.
You'll have a vehicle for day trips without braking camp and driving a bus around.
If you have mechanical problems its easier and cheaper to tow/fix a pickup vs a motor home and you still have somewhere to live while its being fixed.
The only thing that will leave you stranded with a TT is bad tires or wheel bearings. New or packed bearings regular grease and good tires with a spare and you're ready to roll.
I would not even consider a MH for your trip. Think about naps for the kid. You want something with some room and where you can isolate them from noise.

My wife and I are doing something very similar to what you and your family are doing. We are in are late twenties with a one year old and also from Ohio. We are extremely new to RVing, we bought a TT and went to Florida for the winter. We have been here for a month and absolutely love RVing. Best of luck to you and your family.

My advice is - don't concentrate on National parks. There are thousands of very good State parks, particularly out west. We us WA and OR State parks about 90% of the time.

..regarding your comment of 'fixing food'...you can do that just like home in any RV. They all have stoves, ovens and refrigerators, along with a furnace. You'll have no problems.

I would not even think of a popup tent camper for what you are planning. You'll be setting up and tearing down continuously for one year solid - in winds, rain and perhaps even snow...not fun. Definitely go with an RV..you and your family will be much more comfortable. I still think if you had a truck going with a travel trailer or small 5th wheel would be your best bet for economy unless you can find a motorhome/Class C in excellent condition. You don't want to have to worry about the engine while traveling like this.

Also, do your planning to stay IN the national parks. You'll enjoy it much more than staying outside. Even if you don't want to make reservations all the time, if you stay nearby the previous night and drive into the park early morning, you'll get a site. National parks don't reserve all their sites. Some are left for drive-ins.

Your plan is very doable. Have fun planning it.

If you stay around twenty four feet,
there is no need to tow a car.