Going to my first ever RV show -- what should I look for?

1. Take pic's of neat things that would make good mods for your already bought RV.

2. (Important) If your thinking about joining any camping membership thing don't sign up for any "free" contests or stuff. Thousand Trails won't let transfer a private membership if you had contact with any of their sales people within so long of time. I think a year. They view it as taking bread off their table.

3. Watch people fall in love with RV's then be lead into a closed off curtain room to go in debt.

4. If any sales people get on your nerves, ask them what size the axle rating is and how much of net carrying capacity is left for load range of tires they have installed. And just watch there eyes.

Nothing.......your VAN is already over weight :B

RV shows are held for one reason...sell stuff that RVs really don't need.

Look, don't touch.......you look with your eyes!

don't buy anything unless its an accessory for your current van
just look at everything, take pictures, collect the handouts
take your smart phone or camera, if you see some feature or vehicle that really grabs you
video record and make commentary about what is so attention grabbing
lots people go, see something they like, then go home and modified their RV
new TV install, new shades, some special gadget or decor scheme

They will also tell you this is a special show price. Here in Houston you can get the same deal or better at the dealer. Shoot for 25-30% off msrp.

They usually have free bags, get one.
Collect all brochures, yardsticks, pens and keychains.
Look at everything.
Your mind will probably go numb after a few hours....
But, it's still fun!
Pat

Be sure and carry your camera. Take lots of pictures. Leave your checkbook and credit cards at home.

You can crawl under rigs, you can go inside, open cabinets, sit on the toilet etc. The busier the show, the harder it will be to do though. I don't care... I wore older clothes and crawled underneath campers when I was getting serious and looked at all kinds of stuff. I brought a measuring tape and took detailed notes of clearances. I looked at how the underbelly was enclosed on different models. I compared how the steps felt as you climbed inside. I asked for permission to pull the slides in to see how they worked and how much room was available. I opened cabinets and measured inside space. I got inside shower stalls. I laid in beds.

You just have to be prepared for people giving you a weird look. Some people walk into these shows and drop $60 grand on a camper that they just opened the door and looked inside. I'm not that guy. I researched manufacturers for years, then spent an entire year researching models after I narrowed it down to a Jayco product. I would go to 3 shows a year (Hershey PA, Dulles VA and Timonium MD) for about 3 years before we bought our current trailer. I knew this thing better than the salesman did... and I only spent $21,000.

Look at anything/everything that interests you. Most models will have a floor-plan diagram outside so you don't have to go in if it doesn't suit your needs. If your knees are creaky like mine, pace yourself.

Sometimes the dishwashers are locked or there are signs that say "don't sit on the bed" or "don't open this closet", but anything else is free game. If it's openable - open it and have a peeker.

Watch your head for those awning arms that can jump out and smack you. :B