newbie questions

[highwaymenace]

TIA to all you seasoned RVers for their patience with newbies.

I am strongly considering becoming a full time RVer, and have a few questions.

I will be able to purchase my RV outright, but beyond that will be living on a tight budget.

In general my plans are to migrate. Staying at various places in the north of the US in the summer, then migrating south to Arizona, Texas, or Florida (somewhere warm) in the winter. I don't mind moving around a bit in either of these places, 2 weeks here - 2 weeks there. But I'd like to stay in places that don't cost too much, such as national parks and camp grounds out in the boondocks.

How much can I can I expect to pay? I'm wanting to get a handle on what my budget will look like.

I'm considering a class A or C toy hauler - or a class A or C with a motorcycle lift in the back (the bike will be my entertainment and local transportation). I'll be alone so I don't need tons of space so I'm thinking something in the 30 ft range.

Gas or Diesel? Gas is cheaper, but is there any advantage to running a Diesel RV? Also, what should I expect to pay for vehicle insurance? and should I consider getting a plan for road side assistance?

I'll probably make Texas my state of residence for tax reasons. I'll get my mail there and have it forwarded to me.

Does anyone have any tips or things to consider regarding becoming a full time RVer?

TIA

[pianotuna]

Hi,

No, not unless you are driving 100,000 miles per year--and I doubt it even then. For example, an oil change on my class C v-10 is about $40. On a diesel it will be at least double if not triple the cost.

I'd keep under 30 feet if you can.

Get a good solar system so you can boondock. Get a good inverter so you don't have to listen to a generator "hammering away" for hours at a time. Beef up the battery bank as much as possible. Switch to led lighting. Use Mellincom (verizon flavor) for wobbly wide web access.

Buy a unit that is no more than five years old. Do not buy new.

highwaymenace wrote:
Is the mpg enough better with a diesel to make it more economical?

[highwaymenace]

Thanks for the replies Frand & Old Guy.

A non-toy hauler with just the lift in back for my motorcycle would give me more room for that separate bedroom - good point about that Frank.

Is the mpg enough better with a diesel to make it more economical?

[frankdamp]

My personal suggestion is to get a rig with a full-time bedroom. Having to take the dinette apart so you can build a bed to sleep on and then doing the reverse after you wake up can get to be a royal PITA on a full-time basis.

We have a Georgetown 32' which has a separate bedroom in the rear with a small slide out which makes the Q-S bed a walk-round when deployed. If you're solo, putting a single bed in such a room would make sense. In our rig, the bed-head is against the street sidewall.

We're exclusively west-coast campers and not full-timers, so we're familiar with WA and OR, but not much else. There are lots of good state parks in both states, particularly in Oregon. Daily fees were in the $25 - $30 range last year. The big unknown for us at present is the risk that WA will increase its gas tax by 11-cents soon. That will put it close to $4/gal, and will discourage RVing.

[old_guy]

to me diesel offers two things power and mileage. the cons are cost of the diesel to purchase, cost of the fuel to feed it, and if you have a mechanical problem it really cost you then. say a starter goes out, you may have to pay 500 or 600 or more for the starter, as gasser stater will be just over 100 dollars