Forum Discussion

MinEff's avatar
MinEff
Explorer
Jul 10, 2014

WE WON THE LOTTERY!, We are moving the US and buying an RV!

Hi, I'm MinEff, married, under 30, living in London (England), stable career, happy life (although a little dull at times)

Until last May when everything changed! because WE won the freaking LOTTERY!! No, not the $$$$ lottery, but an even better one! THE US GREEN CARD LOTTERY! The DV lottery (https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/) allows me and my wife to move and work permanently in the US! Moving to the USA has been both our dreams for years, but we never thought it would be possible due to the difficulty of getting a work visa, but thanks to the awesome USA, we now can fulfil our dream!


We will be moving to the US at the end of the year, and we would like to take 3 months off work and live life a little, so we would like to buy a 2nd hand Motorhome and take in as much of the US as we can before we decide where to settle in (NYC is looking most likely due to job commitment, but who knows!)



So, over the next few months, thanks to this forum I need to find out:

1) Decide what RV we should buy (Class C or Class B+ is looking like the best options so far)
2) From a dealer or private?
3) Decide how much I should be spending (We think around the 20,000$)
4) Decide WHERE we should buy it (thinking of tax etc)
5) What class C motorhome brand/model you recommend?




Please feel free to say hello, and if you have any advice regarding any of this 4 points please share it! All advice welcome! Also, we have no friends in the US, so if you would like to gain 2 new friends from Europe, make sure to get in touch :)




Latest edit:

Thanks for the advice on people on the forum, I can now make the following edit!



Here is my thought process;


We need a car, to get into town for supplies, visit remote locations and because we will also need to buy a car once we decide where to live, so might as well get it now.

Towing a car is not an option due to budget constrains.

This narrows it down to a Truck Camper or Travel Trailer (aka Caravan for us)


Here are the pro's cons;

Travel Trailer

Pros

- Cheaper
- Larger
- Can work with a "standard" car

Cons

Hard to drive/manoeuvre, making it hard for my wife to drive
Looks.. unless we went for a Airstream
Limited places to stop and camp
takes a lot of space in driveway
Easy to know when someone is sleeping in it

Truck Camper

Pros

Looks AWESOME
Easy to manoeuvre
Pickup Trucks are awesome
Go anywhere, off-road
Stealthy parking while traveling - easier to find overnight places to stop + neighbours less likely to complain in the future
Takes less space
Can tow small trailer for extra storage (moving home etc)

Cons

Smaller
More expensive
Diesel thirsty




So, its clear Truck Camper WINS hands down for our needs!



More decisions to be made:


Which Pickup to buy:

Brand/ Model

New vs Used

Ideally: 4 seats, small enough to go about town, big enough to carry fully loaded Camper.

Which Camper to buy

Brand/Model

New vs Used


Note: It has to have an indoor shower (outdoor shower too if possible), fixed bed, good storage, fixed HARD construction (no pop-outs or slide outs)



Any advice welcome!

















Old Edit:

I realised I'm missing some key information here, so here is some more!


We want a motorhome because we want to have easy access to the back, we want to be able to stop for lunch without having to worry too much about it, I understand a pick-up + trailer would be cheaper, but it just wouldn't offer the same experience.

We would like the RV to be around the 20' long, some motorhomes I've already looked at and quite like include:

Class C
Coachmen Freedom - They seem to have everything you need in a good size, and seem like a good deal.

Class B
RoadTreks - Look awesome, could be used as 2nd car, but might be too small, a little expensive for what they are.


Once we find out where we want to live, the plan is to buy our first US home, one that is in OK condition but needs some work to make it our own, I believe you call them 'doer-uppers', we plan on living in the RV while building work takes place!

52 Replies

Show More
  • robwhite61's avatar
    robwhite61
    Explorer
    Jul 15, 2014
    Bird chaser wrote:
    IMHO I would first off not consider the eastern coast of the US as the weather is miserable in the winter and summer. You might get 3 good months out of the year. I would not recommend the central US as there is a reason that it's called tornado alley. I would not consider Texas as it's more a part of Mexico than America, and they don't even want to be part of the US. That leaves the western states which are all good choices. Also consider the pot is legal in WA and CO and we are working to that same end in CA.


    You obviously have never visited here in the southeast. We do have high humidity in the summer, but for the most part we have great weather most of the year. It gets cold here in TN in the winter but you can drive 2 or 3 hours south and warm up. We are also the friendliest people you will find (even if we do talk funny). Most people probably won't base their living arrangements on where pot is legal.
  • MinEff's avatar
    MinEff
    Explorer
    Jul 14, 2014
    Jim_Shoe - I drive in Europe quite a bit, so adjusting should be easy, specially if its on an automatic! I'll keep in mind every time I hear the horn!

    I have no clue what Haggis and Kippers are! (Just did a quick google, glad they don't have it in the US, it doesn't look that appealing..)

    I'll keep an eye for 3 dollar bills, they sound rare and valuable!


    Many thanks for the warm welcome.


    Frankdamp - Ha! That is a very visual way of thinking about it, US = big, got it!


    Thanks for the offer, I really appreciate it, a32' A class would be a dream, but we can't really afford it, our savings are limited at $20,000, but Anacortes, WA looks amazing on google images, so any excuse to visit is a good excuse!!

    Gatwick is horrible, I don't blame you! Norton Motorbikes are legendary! it sounds like you've had your fair share of adventures! If I make it to Anacortes, I would gladly buy you a beer in exchange for some good stories :)


    ME
  • frankdamp's avatar
    frankdamp
    Explorer
    Jul 14, 2014
    min eff:

    To give you an idea of the size of the US, I'll tell you about when I was still working at Boeing. I dealt with Gulf Air, which operates out of Bahrain. Their chief engineer (a Brit) was here for a 767 delivery. He got a phone call from his VP asking him "While you're over there, will you nip over to New York and talk to TWA about leasing another L-1011". His response was "Why don't you "nip over", you're closer to New York than I am".

    Incidentally, we'll be selling our 32' Georgetown at the end of the season. We're getting to a point that retirement income can't keep up with $4 a gallon petrol and $40 a night campgrounds. If you're interested, send me a PM and I'll get you more details. What we like about this particular size of MH is that the Queen-size bed in the back doesn't need to be taken apart every morning and put back together again every evening.

    From my ex-pat perspective, driving from the left seat is a constant reminder that you should be on the right-hand side of the road. I only blew it once, after an 8-week business trip to the Gatwick area. We'd used Vauxhall Chevettes as rentals, and we had the Chevrolet version at home. First day home, I took off for work and drove the first 300 yards or so on the wrong side.

    Despite many miles on motor-cycles in England (I was a development and test engineer at Norton for a couple of years), I decided not to ever ride one on the street here.
  • Jim_Shoe's avatar
    Jim_Shoe
    Explorer
    Jul 14, 2014
    A few things to keep in the front of your mind instead of the back like we all do. When I toured England by car, I found that driving on the left from the right side of the car required extra attention. We yield when turning left and drive from the left side of the car. You do the opposite. As a pedestrian, I quickly learned to look to the right before crossing the street in the middle of a block on foot. And unlike here, I found out quickly that the sound of a horn means to look around to see what is about to happen - to you. In this country, we also use our horns just to say "Hi".
    And, you're not likely to find Haggis on this side if the Atlantic. What goes into Haggis is normally tossed in the garbage here. And you're not likely to find kippers here, especially for breakfast.
    Gas (Petrol) Stations. The gas tank is on the left side of the RV. And you pull up to a gas pump on the right and often have to pump your own gas.
    Then add the difference between English and U.S. money, which can be confusing. Ours comes in 1, 2(rarely), 5, 10 and 20 dollars. And they're all green. Don't accept a 3 dollar bill as change. :)
    Now, welcome and enjoy your travels!
  • MinEff's avatar
    MinEff
    Explorer
    Jul 14, 2014
    gunner45- Its certainly very exciting! Thank you for the warm welcome!


    If the rest of the US is 1% as welcoming as people on this forum we are in for a great time!! West Coast is a must, we actually looked at spending our honeymoon doing a road trip there, but work commitment didn't give us enough time! we will be doing it soon though!


    PastorCharlie - That sounds like a great plan! Any good Truck/Pickup dealers in NC? we might buy the truck there, then drive to Florida to buy the RV, or even buy RV over the internet (new) and then buy a 2nd hand Truck (Ram's look amazing..) so yeah any advice on where to buy a truck in NC would be welcome!! (or even if you know anyone who's selling one privately even better!)

    I shall do my best at respecting the laws, and the culture is why we are moving to the US!


    freewheel520- Many thanks! I will keep it south to start with! How often do people cross the border to Mexico? is it a common thing for RV'ers to do or a no-no area?

    Good advice about buying RV! I'm sure January will be the perfect time! Thanks for the advice on tax, does it still apply if you buy privately?

    Fuel costs less than bottled water in the UK.. here petrol is more expensive than bottled beer!

    Regarding size, agreed, I keep hearing this! I fear it will not hit me till I'm there, but having space will be amazing! Many thanks for your comments!


    Rick_Y - Portland sounds amazing and I will add it to our list to see!(Growing every minute!)




    runner_one - agreed, class b sounds less and less like a good option, I don't want to tow a car, so the only option is to tow an RV, and I know there are 3 way:

    Tow RV (like yours)
    5th Wheeler (for larger tow RV's?)
    Truck Camper (looks like the best option right now, but might be a little expensive)


    winter sun - Yes we will need to look into insurance, still don't know how it works since we have the NHS here and it comes out of your salary automatically (yet another reason why we want to leave the UK, when you have to wait 4 hours for a doctor to see you while you are in pain, you realise something is not right)

    Does it work like your car insurance?


    Great advice on buying privately! we might have to pay the 10-15 percent due to urgency.

    We will most likely go through the Truck Camper way, and looking at brand new units for 10,000-15,000$ seem very reasonable, and since we plan to keep it for a loong time it might be best! We then buy a similar price truck from a dealer.. still loads to consider!

    Thanks again for all the info, will have look at resources now!









    Min Eff
  • wintersun's avatar
    wintersun
    Explorer II
    Jul 14, 2014
    Be sure to arrange for medical insurance and budget around $1,000 a month for the two of you until you are hopefully employed where the company provides medical insurance. That is the downside to the good old USA where everything is profit driven.

    For an RV you will have the most space for your gear and clothing for temperatures that can vary widely in a Class C motorhome. Motorhomes devalue with age more than mileage so if I was looking to buy one it would be a 2000-2006 one that had less than 70,000 miles on the engine and transmission. I would budget for the possibility of needing new tires and having the servicing brought up to date as an RV that has sat and not been driven for a year or two should have its brake, motor oil, and automatic trans fluids changed and new filters and radiator hoses and heater hoses and radiator flushed. Batteries (motor and house) probably will need to be replaced if they are more than 4 years of age. This preventative work is easier to do before you start your travels and will greatly reduce the chance of a breakdown while in the middle of nowhere - and there are lots of those kinds of places in the USA.

    I would buy from a private party and save 10-15 percent. A dealer is not going to have the maintenance records for the vehicle while a responsible private seller who took care of their RV is going to have these so you know what has been done and when or if it was not done.

    With either type of sale I would have the dealer plug it in overnight and check the fridge, water pump, inverter, furnace, hot water heater, vent fans, toilet, etc. before you leave the seller. A new fridge can cost $800 to $1200 plus the labor to install it. If there are awnings open them and check their condition as a replacement can be very expensive and time consuming as these are items that need to be ordered.

    If you plan to sell it after your trip I would do careful research to see which makes and models are in demand and will be easiest to sell later. A Class C Roadtrek for example takes a huge drop of 25% in value the first few years and then it levels off. More people are moving toward smaller and more fuel efficient and easier to maintain and drive motorhomes like the Class C and B ones.

    In your place I would get a Class C and have it rigged for towing a small sedan. Much easier to get somewhere and park the RV in a campground and then use the car to do excursions. In many parks the available parking spaces for RV's can be very limiting.

    If you plan to end up in the New York area then buying the RV in a place like Arizona where there are lots for sale and no rust damage from salted roads or salt air, and drive from from the western USA to the east coast you will cut your driving distance in half.

    For my part I would want to start in either San Diego in California or in Washington state. Sales tax is a factor and there is no general sales tax on transactions in the state of Oregon. In Tuba City in Arizona by way of contrast the total sales tax rate is 13.725 percent.

    For state and national parks and US Forest Service and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campgrounds which are primarily in the western half of the country, their websites are excellent resources.
  • runner_one's avatar
    runner_one
    Explorer
    Jul 12, 2014
    I really think you should consider all the pros and cons before settling on a particular type of RV.
    I know you seem to be settled on a class B by looking at the pros but I want to point out a couple of cons to living and traveling in a motor home.
    First, since you are buying used you must consider the possibilities of breakdowns and repairs. If your motor home experiences an serious mechanical issue that requires it to be in the shop for an extended period of time, where will you stay while it is being repaired? Motels and hotels can get expensive fast.
    Second, living for extended period in a motor home pretty much requires you to purchase and tow a smaller vehicle behind it. You don’t want to unhook sewer, water, and power, and stow stabilizing jacks every time you go to the grocery store. Also in many of areas of the US there are great national parks with back country roads that are too narrow or steep to be accessed with a motor home, once again requiring a smaller vehicle.
    If you are set on a class B, great, but I just wanted to point out the negatives before you made the jump. And in case you are wondering, my wife and I full time in a TT towed by a Nissan Titan, so I am a little biased.
    Below is a photo of our rig.
  • Rick_Y's avatar
    Rick_Y
    Explorer
    Jul 12, 2014
    Late to the thread, but welcome to you nonetheless! You've been given all sorts of good advice. My only comment is that if you get out to Portland, OR I'll be glad to show you a pub for British ex-pats where they serve a great pasty and superb fish and chips! Have a great time on your travels and make sure not to miss the Pacific NW part of the USA!
  • freewheel510's avatar
    freewheel510
    Explorer
    Jul 12, 2014
    Welcome!

    My family moved here to Southern Cal when I was 8 years old, and we have not looked back.

    As you will be arriving in winter, I would urge you to consider the weather. Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, southern Utah are popular winter destinations and have some amazing beauty. Florida is really nice and warm in winter, but very flat and (no offense, Florida lovers) generally uniform in scenery. Weather in the Northeast US is worse than England, colder in winter, HOT, muggy in summer. The northwest (OR, WA) isn't as bad, but it isn't particularly good either, maybe more like what you're used to.

    December and January appear to be a good time of year to buy an RV, as buyers are scarce then.

    In the US, you are quoted one price, but at the last step of the total calculation, a tax between about 4 and 10% is added as "sales tax". You can find what it is in each state online, and there may be small local variations. Oregon has no sales tax, as do a few other states, which could make a big difference. I'm sure registration tax varies too, but don't know about that.

    A potentially more costly consideration is where you want to sightsee vs. where you buy the coach, considering an operating cost of $0.60 per mile or so. Fuel is delightfully cheap here compared with Europe, but it still adds up when you burn at RV rates. For example, if you want to end up in NY, it may be beneficial to start in Oregon, sweep down through California and across.

    It is very easy to underestimate the size of this country. It takes some getting used to!

    Best of luck!!
  • PastorCharlie's avatar
    PastorCharlie
    Explorer
    Jul 12, 2014
    From southern Virginia to Florida and along the gulf coast to Texas one can camp in the winter without being in severe cold weather. Northern snowbirds love the area. "Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning." NC that is. :B

    A good place to start looking for a RV can be found here by clicking on RV SALES tab at the top of this page Camping World. Another large RV Dealer is PPL in Texas. There are many good RV dealers along the east coast of the US. Perhaps the largest and oldest family owned RV Dealer on the east coast may be Bill Plemmons RV World. They are excellent folks and have full service RV Repair.

    America is a large country and to chase the American Dream ones needs to think large. Welcome to America and please do obey our laws and respect our culture.

About RV Newbies

4,030 PostsLatest Activity: Jul 16, 2025