1000 questions !!!

[bjsketti44]

My husband I want to sell our home and buy an Rv to retire at the coast in. We have an idea of the floor plan we want. But there are a million questions now in my mind. LOOKING FOR ALL ADVICE AND EXPERIENCE. 🙂

From you veteran RV retirees....what advice would you give on deciding what kind of (we want a 5th wheel) RV to buy? What problems have you had? What good results have you had? What brand do you recommend?

We hope to be able to pay cash...what experiences have you had with warranties? used RVs?? things I might not think about? lol What do we have to have to pull it with? Weight problems? Septic problems? Electrical?

Does anyone have experience with putting their RV on private property, vs. in a park? What do I need to know about park leases?

Insurance? replacement parts and repair? etc...

Please...we need all the help we can get!!

Thanks so much.

[lonestarbike]

There have been many different answers to this post and a lot of different advice and suggestions. We have been fulltiming for 2 years and love it. Everyone does it differently and there is really no right or wrong way in my mind. We are younger than many fulltimers (39 and 44) and we have a "home" that many don't think would be a good fulltimer rig, but it works for us and we're not looking to "upgrade". We use the same 05 Dodge 3/4 ton and 07 34' Jayco Eagle we had when we still had our sticks and bricks home. One thing I can offer is to take care of what ever you decide on and make it your own. All rvs of any kind or brand have issues. I can agree with the debt free advice. To us, that is an absolute necessity.

Like others have said, it depends on your reasoning. We became fulltimers to travel, simplify our lives, and chase dreams of what we really want to do with our lives. The great thing to us about this lifestyle is the ability to adapt into what ever we want or need.

[2gypsies1]

tohare wrote:
Lots of good advice, but I have a simple question, why buy an rv if you are not moving it? 5th wheels, tt, are built to go down the road. I may have mis-read your op and if I did I apologize, other wise think about park models or condos. there are lots of ways to down size with full timing in an rv.

These are my thoughts, too. Why an RV to let it sit in one place?

[tohare]

Lots of good advice, but I have a simple question, why buy an rv if you are not moving it? 5th wheels, tt, are built to go down the road. I may have mis-read your op and if I did I apologize, other wise think about park models or condos. there are lots of ways to down size with full timing in an rv.

[Dog_Folks]

One item: Be debt free when you start to fulltime!! It is the best advice ever.

We have never been real “responsible” with our money. We spent what we made. Too many toys.

We bought a less expensive camper than we wanted, and a late model used truck rather than new, but we were debt free when we started. We are still debt free. That is not to say we don't have bills, but a no installment loans, no credit card debt.

We don't have much, but what we have, is paid for. This was the best advice we ever received and for once, I was smart enough to take it.

[mmiille]

We are on our third "Last Motorhome we will ever own!" so I don't think you can ever pick your last rv first. You find things you wish you had, but also find things you know you need along the way. I like the idea of doing your research and this will help to narrow your choices, but there are too many things to know and many more options than can be counted. The fun is in the adventure for us and it can't be any other way for us.

One thing that I don't agree with is not telling your insurance company about being a full timer. You save money by not telling them, but you can get a worthless policy with no coverage if you are found out and the money you saved won't mean anything. We were up front with our insurer and it is more expensive, but we know we are covered. Besides being the right thing to do.

Good luck. It is quite a ride.

[nor-easter]

My wife and I have been full time for over eight years and were part time for two in the beginning. When we were first looking I spent a long time reading Forums, RV.Net, Irv2 and rvforum. I read these three for at least a month, steady, every day for as long as I could stand it. Some stuff was boring and I soon learned what section was of interest and dug into a lot of areas. I kept a pad on the desk and would write down questions as they came into my head and was amazed that soon, I would answer my question from someone else's experience. When I did not find a answer I would enter and ask a question. Very soon my question would be answered and I would continue to read different threads for days.
After I began to feel comfortable about actually looking at units, my wife and I ventured forth to begin our quest. We had decided on a 34 ft or so Motor Home, diesel if possible and after a few days of searching we found what we were looking for. It had 54,000 miles on it and we felt comfortable in it. It was Winter time and we would go to the Dealers lot where it was on Consignment and just sit in it and dream. After a couple months, maybe 10 day visits, we felt comfortable enough to make an offer, started at a price we felt comfortable with and well below the asking price. We bartered back and forth and finally agreed on a price. We were allowed to drive it 3 times for a half hour or so each time with the salesman and set it up in the dealers lot, slides out, water hose hooked up and generator running one afternoon. Finally, after some tweaking on the final price, we drew the money out of savings and closed, cash on the barrel head and drove away.
A couple years later, we decided to go full time and sold our 34 footer for a 40 footer, went full time and have not ever regretted our choices.
I still review the three forums, post replies when I feel they are appropriate and we purchased memberships as noted in our signature.
Five more states and we will have the lower 48 covered and still find ourselves enjoying what we are doing.
Good Luck to you in your quest for the rig of your choice, Happy Trails, and perhaps we will meet you out on the road.

[RnTBnB]

Counting our current 5th wheel, my wife and I have owned 5 RV's. The previous 4 were all TTs and were all bought new. This is our 1st 5th wheel and our 1st used RV. My advice would be to do a lot of looking (online, dealers, RV shows, etc.) before buying so that you will know what you like and what works for you. In our case, we had a list of what we wanted when we went shopping. The things that were important to us when looking for our 5th wheel were: comfortable chairs; opposing slides in the living area so there would be lots of room when setup; large rear window and as many other windows as possible; access to kitchen and bathroom when all slides are in for traveling; lots of storage space inside and out; insulation so we could camp in moderately cold weather; large shower, etc. As far as buying used, we intentionally bought used this time so we could get a better-built RV. We did buy an extended warranty, but we did not renew when it expired. We absolutely love our Coachmen and have found that there is very little we would change about it.

[Aridon]

Pick the floor plan that fits you the best. Go live in one of the units on the dealer lot during business hours for a couple of days and see what you like and dislike. We didn't care that people thought we were nuts.

Brand? Do some searches, depends on price range. Don't get suckered in by granite or things that just put lipstick on a pig. Quality runs deeper than stuff like that.

Problems? No not really. Stuff will break, you will get it fixed or replaced. Just like in a house or anywhere you live. Generally if you buy quality the issues should be low.

Cash is always better. Really depends on your cash flow and what you have going on if you can do it the other way. I'm guessing most people here can balance their check books and I'm sure you can as well. Don't go into this stretched to the nickle though.

Warranties? We avoid them. Generally junk that insurance companies make money on. It really is an insurance product, one they pay huge commissions on to dealers to sell. You do the math there.

Private property is an issue in most residential area IF YOU LIVE IN IT. We have 2 permanent sits we alternate between but spend most of the time in SE FL. Nice to have a place to park and stay if we want when ever we want but we also went 3 years without any place and it works just fine.

Replacement parts? Don't stress to much about that unless you do some camping away from civilization.

Repairs are generally pretty easy, mobile guys are generally hit or miss. If you are handy most things are pretty easy. If you aren't most things are pretty easy to learn if you take a few minutes and look at some Youtube videos. When all else fails get an appointment at a dealer and they generally have sites for you to stay at or at a minimum will hook you up to power while they fix your stuff. We've found most dealers very accommodating to full timers if you are nice and show some appreciation.

Buy your Fifth wheel first, then your truck. Over buy on the truck or you'll regret it later.

Noting wrong with used RVs. Noting wrong with new ones except you lose $$$ on them.


Good luck to you. Its just like living in a house, just smaller. We love it.

[Dufus]

Howdy-
The wife and I sold our sticks and bricks and closed in August '13 and purchased our present RV. We are (so far) very pleased with our decision. First, there is NO perfect RV. We purchased a top of the line Excel 5th wheel and even IT has issues. I suggest go for your personal taste in interior appointments and pick one that will fulfill your living needs. Not every person has the same taste or needs. Every RV on the market will have problems. That being said, I don't believe that any sticks and bricks house will provide the same level of satisfaction as full time RVing. Go for your dream and God Bless.

[bjsketti44]

Thank you again! You guys are awesome!

[Veebyes]

Buy your last RV first. Don't buy on emotion. Emotion buys expensive mistakes which have to be sold to get the next one. Do the research. Will you be a traveler or a snowbirder simply following the warm weather?

Plan to see the country, do some special events like the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta or bluegrass festivals, maybe a trip or 2 to Alaska? Going to need something comfortable but not a monster for that sort of thing.

Get yourself down to less than 6 possible models & stick to it, no matter what the salesman says or offers. Better to buy a slightly used recognised better quality trailer than same money for a new piece of junk.

Oh yeah, and buy the dually first. Don't waste the money buying a SRW then spend thousands for airbags & stuff to try to upgrade it. Look around the forum here. Nobody has ever regretted buying a dually.

[MPI_Mallard]

We retired,sold the money-pit and never looked back!!!

-Go fifth wheel and DON'T skimp on the truck (I recommend Dodge diesel dually four-door with an 8' box), with coaches your at the mercy of rv dealers (YUK!!) but your big-three trucks cost the same to repair weather an rv is attatched or not also with a coach you'll need a toad (a second car) so that's double the insurance/maintenece/plates/e-test and such,,,

-Buy the biggest fiver you can that way you'll avoid two-foot-its! We own a 38' Cedar Creek Daydreamer, absolutely great fiver(Cedar Creek's after-the-sale customer support is the best in the industry hands down)It's got the perfect amount of space for us but has tons of out-side storage which I couldn't do with out. also look for a household refrigerator, ours is an Amana 18 cubic ft. residential with an icemaker, this is a must! Also due to it's layout there are two real separate zones that with the door closed it allows Frau Blücher and I to get some personal space which really takes the edge off of living in small quarters.

-Buy used, this is gonna' sound lousy but there often are great combo units out there for sale because the husband passed and such, it's the reality of life and you can save tons!

-Our extended warranty was useless,don't wate you dough!

-Our insurance company took great care of us and our rig but be careful NOT to tell them you living full-time in it,they might not cover you also if you have kids rent their basement off the and call it a Granny/Grandpa aptartment and insure it and call it your permanent residence that way your home-owners policy will cover you rv and golf cart and shed and so-on,we saved a small fortune that way and all your licence/passports and the like are all from the same place which looks good at the border!

-Be your own service/repair tech!! Learn about your rig and its systems, with the help of the internet,other RV'ers and this forum and the manufacturers them-selves you can diagnose/fix just about everything your self and save a bundle!

-Depending how you want to travel is up to you, as Frau Blücher and I were already "well travelled" we stay in Ontario for the summer and Florida for the winter and have permanent site in both places which works for us.

Mostly you need to relax, let things progress and not sweat the little things, I you don't like where your at,,leave but most of all HAVE FUN!!!

[Scott16]

You also could try looking for a centrally located SRV RV lot thet has all the hookup for a RV/Fifth Wheel. I am considering one such lot in the Star Valley Wyoming area. Prices range from $18,000-$32,000. You will also have to pay a monthy Maintenace fee due to the resort setting, and the price can vary. You can find the information on-line through the area Real estate companies listings, that's how i discovered the information. It should be similar in the States you are interested in, and the price maybe more/ less.
Do a lot of reasearch on line before you decide what to do. Best of luck in your search.
Scott

[sowego]

I agree 1st decide how your will "RV". If you'll be stationary more than rolling do not buy any type of motorhome, go with a trailer or any size that suits you.

After that big choice looks for the price and floor plan you like.