First RV for Retired Couple

Best advice I can pass on is to look at every RV you come across.
Don't pass up any Dealers or Shows.
Once you have it narrowed down spend some time in one. Ask the salesman to leave you alone for an hour or so then go through the motions of living in it.
Even after you say "This is the one" look some more, you might narrow it down more to the exact one.
Ten years later and we're still happy with what we have.

As far as the national park size limit goes we have not had any problems getting our coach into them. In fact, you can get a 40 footer into most of the ones in the West.

If you will be spending months at a time traveling in your RV or almost full timing it, buy the biggest you can afford. As far as brands my preferences are Winnebago, Newmar, Tiffin, & Fleetwood Bounders.

You will need handyman skills!

bustoff wrote:
I'm not very handy

First welcome to the forum. Second, all RV's are hobbies. It doesn't matter if you spend $5K or $2M, there's no perfect RV and they all break. It's the price we pay for having fun. Along with the RV you buy, regardless of what it is, you'll need a large wallet, a well stocked tool box, a large wallet, the ability to use everything in it, a large wallet, a large bottle of aspirin, a large wallet, a huge level of patience, and a large wallet. Did I mention needing a large wallet? Then get out there with the rest of us, hit the road, and break something.

Happy camping!!! See y'all down the road!!!:)

I would agree with many of the above statements. Our first RV experience was thru renting a class C motor home. That experience really gave us a starting point for what we wanted and didn't want in a unit. From there I set out looking for a vehicle. The one lasting impression I have is how much the price swings were. I had a very difficult time trying to figure out what the true market value was vs NADA value. I found the ppl rv site to be the best gauge of where the market was. We lucked out after pretty much giving up we found the exact unit we wanted about 300 miles from home. On top of that we paid what I figured the true market price.

I would also add that this forum is extremely valuable to rookies like myself.

A few other things come to mind. What is your RV experience level. If not much, I would suggest renting one for a week or so to see how much you really enjoy it. That would also give you an idea as to floor plan you like or don't like without committing to a large expense or floor plan you don't like.

You mentioned used, so decide what your price range is. Newer, be more fussy about details, colors, floor plans, brand, model, etc. Older lower priced be less concerned about brand or model, more concerned about actual condition of RV. How you intend to use it also means a great deal. Parking in one place for long periods of time is one thing. If this is your plan larger is better. Moving every few days smaller might be better. Is the wife going to help drive? Also an issue.

Now is an excellent time to buy class A or class C RV's. Used ones can be had at good prices now due to lower fuel economy than other models, and if you will be financing, rates are at all time lows right now.

Look at the used RV sites for more ideas pplmotorhomes.com. rvtrader.com, rvt.com for more ideas. Visit some dealers and rv shows for more ideas, but I would again recommend renting to get a better idea of what might suit you.

FWIW, When you go the class A route you are also setting yourself up with another drive train that requires work and money. Then if you do travel (like you said) you will want a tow car. You may have one already, if not that's another expense.

5'th wheels are nice if you already have a larger truck. Towables are the cheapest way to go, but they may not be the best form for carefree cross country driving.

Just spent two weeks in Carthage/Joplin, MO that has to be a mecca for RV sales. You could always take a drive there and tour your options. Maybe something will pop out at you.

Thanks for your advice. They should have professionals that teach RV training to new folks.
BTW, I was hoping to spend no more than 50K for a good used coach.
Also, it's been suggested that determining the type of RV'ing environment helps to narrow the choices.
That's sort of my dilemma. We would like to see some of those magnificent national parks, (I heard they have a 30' limit) but at the same time we would definitely want the ability to boondock when we're ready to get away from the crowds.

+1 to above warnings. RV's are complex vehicles and will break and require maintenance. Remember it is a vehicle first. Any used vehicle should have all new rubber parts installed. That means all belts, hoses, tires if over six years old. I also change all fluids front to back including brake, transmission, power steering, oil, anti freeze, and rear end. Do these things and you will eliminate the causes of most highway breakdowns. Nothing is worse than a motorhome that will not run.

Then make sure you understand exactly how to operate every inside appliance and feature. Most do not require a lot of maintenance but some do. If you are in a cold area, learn how to winterize or know where and when to have it done. Do not neglect maintenance! I have owned every type of RV from a pop up to a large class "A". We full timed for three years in a class "A". Much of what I have written here comes from hard experience both as an RV owner and former professional mechanic.

Georgie Boy's were an extremely good value when they were a family ran company. Somewhere in '98 they sold to Coachman who was more into turning a profit. I travel in a '96 Georgie Boy Cruise Master that is still as solid today as when I bought it five years ago. A lot of bumpy roads have gone under it's tires. It's been (and is) a good coach.

FWIW, a person needs to be handy if they own a used/older Class A. Otherwise the cost of ownership (paying for repairs) will eat up your retirement "fun" money.

I would keep in mind if you buy any RV, even more so than owning a stick home, you can learn to be a handy man or learn to live with a thinner wallet. You can gain a lot of info from this forum on how to do many basic repairs on an RV. Just remember we all started with almost zero knowledge.

I would check out

ppl rv

You can get a good starting idea about prices & floor plans.