Lots of good advice here. Trying to buy your last RV first is almost impossible. Until you've had any kind of RV for any length of time, you don't know what you don't know. It takes quite a while to figure out exactly what you want and need out of an RV. I researched for 5 years before we bought our first MH and I traded it a year after buying it once I started figuring out what I really wanted. My advice would be buy something low end to start, and part time for a while until you figure out what you really want and need. I would say above all that floor plan is the most critical decision in your choice and once you find a floor plan that works, then find a unit that meets your quality and drivability criteria. This will be where you live, you'd better love the layout.
There are a ton of variables unique to your situation that only you can figure out what's going to work for you. What type of camping, how much you travel, where you want to go, what size you need etc, will all drive what type of RV you eventually end up with.
As far budgetary items, this forum will be of great help as far as where to camp, what clubs to belong to, what apps to have, routes, how to stock etc, and of course how to handle the unpleasant stuff like when things break, or break down - because they will. Good luck in your adventure. We are looking to FT in the next year or so and going through some of the motions mentioned here. That said, we've owned several different MH's over the past decade and I feel pretty good about what we want in an RV. Aside from floor plan, quality and reliability are equally my number one criteria, and if I have to go older in our budget to get it, I am prepared to that. I can tell you I will not buy new. The quality I want can't be found brand new in my budget.
Jeff - 2023 FR Sunseeker 2400B MBS
