Trying to decide! Need input and info

[jendes]

Hi everyone, I just joined today. here is the story,
My wife and I are ready to exchange our lifestyle from stationary house to house on wheels.
She is an RN and would like to start travel nursing. I at one time in my life full timed for around 6 years. I was mainly by myself and had a class A fleetwood bounder. This time around I was thinking of a trailer or a 5th wheel but I dont know anything about them.
The one thing I liked about my bounder is I was completely self contained for 2 weeks at a time. I had a furnace and an air conditioner and all the bells and whistles.
We want at minimum 30 feet but more is better. We do not have a pull vehicle and would have to do that too. We are trying to stay under 50,000$.

What are some of your suggestions and why? Mainly I want to be able to park in a park or not if I choose so it must be self contained??
Any reccommendations?

Thanks all

[CWDoc115]

We started with a KIA Sedona we have to haul our 2 mobility scooters.
We then traded my Harley Davidson trike on a Winnebago Adventurer & a tow dolly. We have been FT for over a year without any major issues. Finding the perfect unit for you will happen when you least expect it. Work with what you have & keep within your budget. Good hunting! :B

[jendes]

I bought my bounder in Florida off of a retired rver. I got a great deal. There were only 30,000 miles on it and everything worked perfect. It was a 1994 and I bought it in 2004 for 15,000$
I never had one single mechanical issue with it!
I wintered a couple of yeARS in Yuma and remember seeing tons of for sale signs mainly right around April 1st everything was for sale...LOL

[2chiefsRus]

2gypsies wrote:
Since you're in California, Yuma, Phoenix or Tucson, AZ might be a good choice to look around. There are a lot of retirees there who give up RVing.

X2

[2gypsies1]

Since you're in California, Yuma, Phoenix or Tucson, AZ might be a good choice to look around. There are a lot of retirees there who give up RVing.

[atwowheelguy]

My dad bought his used Class A in Florida. He said there were more there to choose from and less expensive than in his home state of NC. He thought the reason was that many senior RVers go there and then get even older and become unable to handle the RV. Those RVs end up on the used lot.

[jendes]

You're right that would be silly to only look at bounders. We want to buy in September or October. Do you guys think location has anything to do with price. Like is there better parts of the country to look in? I know that you can never be 100% ready but I figured giving ourselves a few months to tie up all of our Loose Ends landline wise that we should be able to if we needed to travel to purchase. Thanks so far for all you guys is input it's a great big help and she has served the forms and its easing her mind a lot and I just really miss the full time RV living I truly long for it.

[2gypsies1]

jendes wrote:
We will most likely go with a bounder because having had one before I know my way around them a bit!

I certainly wouldn't limit yourself to a Bounder just because you had one before. All makes of RVs have the same systems. There are many good deals out there. Compare a lot of them to get the best for your money. Good luck!

[1ofmany]

OK, you full-timed by yourself in your class a...now you need to consider adding another person to that relatively small space. Before you run out and buy a motor home, you might want to consider all of the moving parts, not just the cost. Having said that, coming up with a combination rig under $50k could be a challenge.

[FireGuard]

You will have no problem finding a nice class A for under $50k.
Bounder is a good choice and also look at the Southwind, a step up from a Bounder with nicer amenities. Try to get the Workhorse chassis if possible.
An option for a toad would be a small flat towable pickup like a Chev Colorado or Nissan. Your wife could drive the truck to work and you could carry a motorcycle or scooter in the bed so that you could get around while she was at work.

[jendes]

Ok I have her talked into a class A. We will most likely go with a bounder because having had one before I know my way around them a bit! Yesterday we were at the lot looking and they actually had just got a preowned bounder with a slide. I'm gonna give that guy a call and see what they are asking for it. I CANT WAIT I MISS THE LIFE SO MUCH!!!!!

[wildtoad]

Lots of decision points... The wife will need to get to work and will she want to drive a large truck to do so? (One you don't currently have!). I've owned my Chevy Sonic for three years now and the only maintenance expense has been to change the oil, a total of three times so maintaining a second motor is not (to me) a big issue. You can find a lot of late model gas class A's for under $50k.

[doxiemom11]

A tow vehicle will be expensive and eat up a lot of your budget. I'd go with a Class A .

[jendes]

I'm not sure I guess it was the thought of having 2 engines to maintain. but like I said I had a bounder before and I LOVED it! it was a 1994 34ft long and was perfect. I think I will probably go that route again. Finding one for under 50 is doable I guess. I'll head over to the class A forums and see what the skinny is. Thanks guys

[2chiefsRus]

If I read your post correctly, being self contained is a biggie for you. That means motor home to me. Would you expand on why or what is attracting you to trailers and/or 5th wheels? What do you think they will give you that a motor home will not?