My husband and I are thinking of getting an RV to travel in. His family is in WA State, and all of mine are in or close to SC. My husband is a retired Seattle firefighter. He knows about RVs but I have never driven them. He is 75, and I will soon be 63. I have to do all of the driving as my husband cannot drive any more (head injury several years ago). He still knows how to do things but I will have to drive the RV. We only have one car now, but I am wondering if I should just trade this in for a truck. If so I was thinking I wanted an RV with a W/D in it as we will be traveling across country. Is having a W/D a good idea or is it better to just visit a laundromat? Also, which RVs with W/D would be the best? We are planning to visit his sons up in WA State and stay up there for a few months then travel back to SC, visiting other areas along the way. We need an RV that is comfortable for two people. I would like to have a nice kitchen with an island, an awning for us to sit under, plenty of storage, and a nice TV. Also, how do you get internet in an RV?I am sorry to ask so many questions, but if someone could give me a list of what RVs to consider and any important questions we need to ask, I would sure appreciate it. Also, I want something that is easy for a novice to drive. Any suggestions are appreciated.

That is a wide open question but first it depends on what you have to spend. Hard to make any recommendations. Washer and dryer jumps up the size and cost. Will you just want it to travel or park most of the time? A larger class C or smaller class A has a lot going for it. If just starting out I would recommend looking at a used rv to give it a try.

From what I’ve seen (I don’t have a washer/dryer) you have a small load every day since they’re not like your home’s setup. A motor home would probably be best for driving and backing for someone with no or little experience. You should visit a few dealers to get an idea what you might like. Here’s the best advice you’ll get; DO NOT buy from a dealer until you get final suggestions and answers from this forum. There have been many posts from buyers complaining about issues that could have easily been avoided had they come here before buying. Visiting a dealer can also give you an idea of what’s out there floor plan and cost wise. Good luck and come back once you’ve narrowed down your wants.

Thank you so much. We are thinking of getting a Jayco. Husband does not think the W/D is that important. He thinks getting a fifth wheel might be the answer. Husband thinks we should trade the car for a truck. Trucks are awfully expensive, though. Thinking maybe a used truck would be the best. Anybody have any ideas on what year/what brand of truck we should get. We don't want to spend loads of money on either the trailer/fifth wheel or the truck. The other option would be a class C, but I am worried about how much those are. Any thoughts?

Maybe rent an RV for a week for a short trip. You may be OK driving one but you may hate it. Less cost than buying one and having to sell because you don't like it. Renting will also give you a better idea of how big you want to go.If you are visiting family, use their washer and dryer, otherwise laundromats are the way to go.

A few things to consider... Do you really want a big truck to use as a daily driver, go site seeing, running to the store? How comfortable are you backing up a fifth wheel, boat, trailer? Many campgrounds such as KOA’s have laundry facilities that are usually open 24/7 so I’m not sure it should be high on your list of needs. If you were planning on living in the RV full time then yes opt for a w/d. Before you swap vehicles decide what type RV you really want by going to a big dealer and check out a class C, class A, and of course a fifth wheel. Compare real storage area, tank sizes, livability. Some class C’s allow use of the front seats while parked, some don’t. Where in SC are you?

Several questions | Good Sam Community

JimK-NY
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2020
An RV has a lot of advantages over trying to stay in motels. That is especially true if you travel a lot and want to see more remote areas. It seems many people get talked into or otherwise buy large RVs. They are going to be expensive, require maintenance, are way more difficult to drive and park and will greatly restrict where you can stay.

Forget the laundry. Instead think about a much smaller unit. What do you really want or need? For me it is a comfortable Queen sized bed, a small refrigerator/freezer, a 3 burner stove, a sink, and definitely a wet bath with a shower. A medium sized truck camper worked fine when my wife and I were full timers with a couple of cats.

Laundry is easy and an RV park is usually the last place I would go. Every major town will have a laundromat. We needed to stop about once a month and filled up a bunch of machines at once. Even living at home I have grown used to the advantages of having a month's worth of underwear, socks, and pocket T shirts. They do not cost a lot or take up much space or require me to do laundry more often than every few weeks.
kellem
Explorer
Jun 24, 2020
I admire your ambition, truly do.

Let the wife drive RV one time years ago and it didn't end well but she's a kitchen girl.

If you and the husband were seasoned RVers then ofcourse, go for it but just learning and having the burden of being fulltime captain,maybe not.
ferndaleflyer
Explorer III
Jun 24, 2020
Forget being discouraged for any of the reasons above. I am 79 and DW is 75 we both drive and we so far have not been held back by by anything. Yes listen to suggestions but don’t let any one discourage you. We only get one chance at life so get it done
wing_zealot
Explorer
Jun 24, 2020
Jebby14 wrote:
you can stay in an aweful nice hotel a lot of nights for the cost of a rig + the maintanance that never stops
They are talking about being on the road months at a time. You have any idea what a hotel would cost for 120 nights; not to mention the increased cost of eating out for 360 meals. Now do that for 3 or 4 years.

You're talking $15K - $25K a year and no resale value.
cherylmagill
Explorer
Jun 24, 2020
Thank you, everybody. Rethinking everything...
pitch
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2020
I am just another guy on the interweb. I would not recommend a truck and trailer. They are a pain in the butt.especially for folks your age and one of you being a nondriver.
I would recommend a large B or small c.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jun 24, 2020
Decisions Decisions..
First the washer/Dryer.. Wife and I choose to use park laundry. Most RV parks other than "Government" parks (And even some of those) have laundry generally cheaper than the laundromat in town (I think I pay around 2-2.50 per load) and this gave us more room and more cargo carrying capacity.

Next you need to decide on Trailer, which type. or motor home.. Generally motor homes are more expensive and Big D's (Diesel) more expensive still but... There are major advantages to a Class A motor home.

The one my wife and I choose was a 37'7" class A. 3 slides (It is 13 foot wide set up) bath and a half model (2 holes no waiting as a former co-worker used to say) I'm not sure if I were re-doing it today I'd want the 3-slides but the room is nice.. Advantages of this unit. Well if I'm "on the road" and feel the need for a rest stop... And it's raining canines and felines (Dogs and cats) I do not need to go out and get wet :) and as I said with 2 holes as we drink "Foreign water" (Different from what we are used to) and well that can have er. After effets. the length of "Just a minute" depends on which side of the door you are on and with two doors NO PROBLEM.

Mine is a Gasser (Gasoline fueled) because I'm a fairly decent when a Gas Engine needs work but not expierenced on Diesels. also D's cost about double.

If buying new: 50 amp, Two (or more) 15,000 Air conditioners. not 13.5's (mine came with 13.5's but has dual 15's now)
Jebby14
Explorer
Jun 24, 2020
you can stay in an aweful nice hotel a lot of nights for the cost of a rig + the maintanance that never stops
rexlion
Explorer
Jun 24, 2020
A fifth wheel will require a pickup with plenty of payload capacity. If you see a couple of floor plans you like, find out the pin weight. Then look at pickups that can carry a fair bit more than that weight. You will probably be needing a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck. Diesels are great for towing, but in used pickups avoid the 6.0L and 6.4L Ford diesels (the newest version, 6.7L, is okay) and personally I would also avoid the Ram hemi gas engines.

There are a few smaller, light weight fifth wheels out there that a half ton pickup could handle (Scamp comes to mind), but not many.
Mfan
Explorer
Jun 24, 2020
I'm sorry, but I think at your ages, the last thing you want to do is to learn how to rv. Yes, it is fun, but there is work involved too. Travel by car and hotel it.