So...question for you all.

[Houndguy]

My wife and I are originally from the Pittsburgh area and she would like to visit family there on a regular basis.

We are thinking about getting a Class A or Class B mobile home and letting it sit on some property we own in the area. We are thinking a Class A or B would suite our needs and if we decided to go somewhere else we could.

Here's the thing. We are looking at spending no more than 10 to 20K on this vehicle and have no idea what to look for in a RV.

I'm a monkey with a gun when it comes to anything mechanical so we have to take that into consideration. The vehicle would be sitting for 9 to 10 months out of year at least, and I have no issue with a trailer because of this but the wife wants a A or B class.

So...what do I look for? Ask about? Since were buying used is there anything I really need to know about that I'm missing?

Am I unicorn hunting?

[rockhillmanor]

Houndguy wrote:
My wife and I are originally from the Pittsburgh area and she would like to visit family there on a regular basis.

We are thinking about getting a Class A or Class B mobile home and letting it sit on some property we own in the area. We are thinking a Class A or B would suite our needs and if we decided to go somewhere else we could.

Here's the thing. We are looking at spending no more than 10 to 20K on this vehicle and have no idea what to look for in a RV.

I'm a monkey with a gun when it comes to anything mechanical so we have to take that into consideration. The vehicle would be sitting for 9 to 10 months out of year at least, and I have no issue with a trailer because of this but the wife wants a A or B class.

So...what do I look for? Ask about? Since were buying used is there anything I really need to know about that I'm missing?

Am I unicorn hunting?

Well the good news is your are in Florida. Prices for used RV's are ridiculously low compared to elsewhere. You should be able to pick up a real nice TT for a really good price in Florida.

IMHO if you are going to let it SIT for long periods of time a TT is the way to go NOT a MH. Letting a motorized RV sit for long periods of time is a real bad thing.

From rusting brake calipers, steering boxs, exhaust etc etc. So unless you come to grips with it rotting while sitting and not getting anything back in return should you decide to sell it? I would go the trailer route.

BTW: If you have not already, I would definitely check with the ordinances in the area where your property is. Many counties if not all do not allow living in a parked trailer on empty property and I have yet to see one that will allow you to dump your tanks, hook up to an exsisting sewer and/or dig a make shift septic. All things to think about before you jump into it!

[kohai]

An apartment? Or an extended stay at a hotel like Value Place (oriented to extended stays... their average guest stay is like 30 days).

[toedtoes]

Houndguy wrote:
Power is not the issue. Water and Septic would be, although I can't imagine it be that difficult to tie into the lines if needed. However if we do that then we might as well just put a basic mobile home in.

Water is easy - just run a hose from an outside faucet to the RV city intake OR use the hose to fill the fresh water tank as needed.

The septic is your biggest concern. If you have a convenient clean out, then no biggie; if you have a clean out, but it's not convenient to the RV, you could use a macerator - trying to use regular dump hoses in these situations is a pain and can be messy... If you don't have a clean out, then you have to look into adding one or going to dump stations.

[SilverRocks]

Most bang for the buck would be travel trailer and truck.
Lots of space for the money, adequate storage, same accessories (furnace, water heater, fridge, stove, etc.) as other rv's.
If you lose interest you've still got a nice truck.

[NCWriter]

Class Bs are great, but very small - limited storage, refrigeration, and holding tanks, so not really suited for parking to use as an apartment for weeks at a time.

Bs are also in great demand by people who want to travel to see the country, so prices are high. $20,000 might get you an old, well-used, high miles, gas van that would need some repair work and regular maintenance.

Finally, RVs are great for do-it-yourself types who tinker with one sitting in the driveway....I don't want to throw cold water on your plan, but people who are not mechanically inclined are probably not the best candidates to enjoy RV ownership. Things always break down or go wrong, and if you have to pay somebody else and wait around for them to order parts and fix stuff, it will get really tedious and expensive fast to own an old RV, especially if it sits most of the year.

[Houndguy]

Roy&Lynne wrote:
Does the property have water and septic and electricity? Living without can be a real issue and the cost for adding it, if its even allowed, might not be worth the cost.

Power is not the issue. Water and Septic would be, although I can't imagine it be that difficult to tie into the lines if needed. However if we do that then we might as well just put a basic mobile home in.

[DrewE]

Thanks for the additional information.

I would suggest looking primarily at class C and class A motorhomes, since you aren't interested in a towable of some sort. Class B's are more expensive and are small.

It's not perfectly clear to me from your writing, but if you're hoping that a $20K RV you buy now will be good for extensive use several years from now, I think that may be a bit of a long shot. It's possible, but not necessarily probable. On the other hand, if you're thinking more of this being one to get your feet wet, so to speak, and have a better idea of what you'll look for in the next RV, then you have a pretty good plan.

When looking at used motorhomes, condition is the most important thing to look for: how well the maintenance has been kept up with, and whether it's free of leaks, and the systems work properly. A lower tier brand, well maintained, is a much better buy than a top-shelf unit that has not been cared for. That said, I would think a larger unit might be more practical than a tiny one, particularly if you have some provision at your daughter's property for sewage disposal. If this is a house on city sewer, there's quite likely a cleanout somewhere on the property (outside) that can serve, though it may not be in a convenient location. If it's a private septic system, quite often the cleanout would be in the basement of the house and hence not usable for an RV.

Plan to spend a little money to have either a 30A or a 50A RV outlet installed at the house, unless by some miracle it already has one. It will be money very well spent compared to trying to use a single extension cord to the garage or whatever all the time. A 50A outlet probably makes more sense to install newly as the labor is pretty much the same for both, and you can readily use a 50A outlet with a 30A RV via an inexpensive adapter (or you can get boxes with both 50A and 30A outlets). With a 30A outlet, do make sure that whoever does the installation knows this is a 120V outlet for an RV and not, I repeat, not a 240V circuit.

[toedtoes]

I have a 40gal fresh water tank and 20 gallon tanks for the black and grey. Over a 4 day trip using the toilet, bathroom sink for washing face & hands and brushing teeth, and kitchen sink for cooking 2-3 meals per day, plus filling the water bowl for 2 black 85lb dogs, I use no more than 1/2 of the fresh tank and the black & grey tanks are pretty much equally full at 1/4. That should help you get an idea of how often you would need to dump depending on her usage.

[Roy_Lynne]

Does the property have water and septic and electricity? Living without can be a real issue and the cost for adding it, if its even allowed, might not be worth the cost.

[Houndguy]

toedtoes wrote:
OK, so to establish some basics:

It needs to fit one person comfortably for 2 to 3 months and two persons comfortably for shorter periods (assuming you'll be visiting during those months and you'll be taking shorter trips together at other times).

You don't want/need a truck or SUV.

The property has a house on it and someone living there full time to watch and care for the RV.

Some additional questions:

Black and grey tanks - is there a sewer clean out or similar on the property to make dumping the tanks easy? Or will she only be using the RV to sleep and will be using the house facilities for everything else?

If she'll be using the RV facilities, then who will be dumping the tanks when needed? You'll need to factor that into your decision. Showering will fill the tanks sooner than just using the toilet - using the house shower will lessen the frequency of dumping the tanks. If there is no way to dump on the property, then someone will have to be able to take the RV to a dump station when needed - will your wife and/or daughter be able to do that if you're back in Florida when the tanks fill up?

How much of her time will be spent IN the RV versus in the house with your daughter? Would her disability affect her ability to do things like convert a dinette or couch into a bed, use a small RV shower, etc.?

A true class B could be a nice choice. Your daughter could "exercise" it on a regular basis in the off months. But it may be too small for your wife to be comfortable if she'll be spending a lot of time in it during her visits.

A class A would probably provide the most usable space for her. But if it has to be driven to a dump station at regular intervals, your wife and/or daughter may not be comfortable driving it.

A class C (or B+) could be a good compromise. If your wife/daughter is comfortable driving a B, then the C won't be much different. A 24-28ft rig could provide a walk around bed and still be short enough to feel comfortable driving it around if needed. It would provide for a good amount of indoor storage so things could have "their place" and still be easily accessible.

Grey tanks.

I didn't think about a dump station. She would have access to the shower/bath in the house but that can be a pain in the behind at times (no pun intended). I know there is a KOA station not that far away...but again, dump station is something I've not thought about.

The disability should not be an effort in most cases. I did not think about a class C but that may be a better idea.

Were also planning for the future here. We hope that when I finally call it quits (and that is a few years off still) that we can travel the country for a bit while still healthy. So that is another reason were looking for a older RV that will meet our needs now and give us an idea for the future.

[toedtoes]

OK, so to establish some basics:

It needs to fit one person comfortably for 2 to 3 months and two persons comfortably for shorter periods (assuming you'll be visiting during those months and you'll be taking shorter trips together at other times).

You don't want/need a truck or SUV.

The property has a house on it and someone living there full time to watch and care for the RV.

Some additional questions:

Black and grey tanks - is there a sewer clean out or similar on the property to make dumping the tanks easy? Or will she only be using the RV to sleep and will be using the house facilities for everything else?

If she'll be using the RV facilities, then who will be dumping the tanks when needed? You'll need to factor that into your decision. Showering will fill the tanks sooner than just using the toilet - using the house shower will lessen the frequency of dumping the tanks. If there is no way to dump on the property, then someone will have to be able to take the RV to a dump station when needed - will your wife and/or daughter be able to do that if you're back in Florida when the tanks fill up?

How much of her time will be spent IN the RV versus in the house with your daughter? Would her disability affect her ability to do things like convert a dinette or couch into a bed, use a small RV shower, etc.?

A true class B could be a nice choice. Your daughter could "exercise" it on a regular basis in the off months. But it may be too small for your wife to be comfortable if she'll be spending a lot of time in it during her visits.

A class A would probably provide the most usable space for her. But if it has to be driven to a dump station at regular intervals, your wife and/or daughter may not be comfortable driving it.

A class C (or B+) could be a good compromise. If your wife/daughter is comfortable driving a B, then the C won't be much different. A 24-28ft rig could provide a walk around bed and still be short enough to feel comfortable driving it around if needed. It would provide for a good amount of indoor storage so things could have "their place" and still be easily accessible.

[Houndguy]

toedtoes wrote:
You mention "Class A or B would suite our needs and if we decided to go somewhere else we could":

First, do you really have any intention of going somewhere else? Or is that just a "well, there could be the slightest chance at some point that maybe we might possibly think about going somewhere else"? If there isn't any real desire to go elsewhere, then I wouldn't factor that into the decision - it's just limiting your options for what you really want.

If you really would like to go elsewhere, then is keeping the RV in Pittsburg, when you live in Florida, a practical choice? In that case, it might be better to store it in Florida and drive it to and from Pittsburg. When in Pittsburgh, stay at an RV Park. That way, when you want to go somewhere else, you can just hop in the RV and go - instead of having to drive/fly to Pittsburgh, then get the RV and go. The cost of the property could be comparable to the cost of the RV Park and storage.

Also, leaving the RV unattended on property for 9 - 10 months could be more trouble than it's worth. Squatters, vandalism, storm damage, etc.

My big concern would be: everything is great while you're there in August-September. Then you head back to Florida for the winter. The next June, you drive/fly back, only to find your RV was damaged by a tree limb and needs two month's of work to make it usable again. Will you have someone who can regularly inspect the RV when you're not around?

You don't mention a class C. Why not? A class B is going to be limited space for a 2-3 month stay. They will cost more than a class C also.

A travel trailer will cost less than a motorhome for comparable space/features. Also, after a long winter unattended, there will be less that could have been damaged. With a motorhome, rodent damage could happen to both the engine and the house - with a trailer, it will only happen to the house.

Yes, we plan on using it for trips while we can. My wife is "retired" do to a disability and I'm still working. Her daughter lives on the property we own full time so having someone keep an eye on it is not a issue. Since she be living up there for 2 or 3 months at a time we want to make sure it's big enough for her to be comfortable.

We really don't want a pickup or larger vehicle to tow a 5th wheel or trailer since the RV be sitting for a few months and I've no use for a pickup otherwise. Sadly we have no place to store it in Florida unless we paid for a storage facility.

We are still looking into options and literally started talking about this earlier this week. So your input is really, really helpful.

[garmp]

I have to agree that a TT or a 5er would be your best answer. No one addressed the fact that your budget is 10 to 20K. You're not going to touch either an A or a B that's worthwhile for that price, unless you're looking for a shell to live in and not drive. Just my opinion.

[cbshoestring]

Might want to check the Community laws concerning RVs. Many communities within Allegheny County have laws pretaining to where trailers, boats & RVs may be kept on property.

For instance.... My community does not allow them to be at the front of the property -- have to be around back, or in the side yard--toward the back. Can NOT be stored on empty lots, unless that lot is designated as a storage facility.

I am lucky, my driveway goes behind my house, and I own the empty lot next to me, so I can cheat it onto the lot next to the driveway.

Hopefully when you say "pittsburgh", you actually mean outside of Allegheny County.


EDIT: Second thought...utilities?????? When you say property, are you talking something that would have full hook-ups, and allow you to use it as a summer home??? NO ONE LEAVES FLORIDA FOR PITTSBURGH IN THE WINTER.:S

You may be able to bondock some land in Westmoreland or Butler county, but you still need to fill-up/dump-off occassionally.

[toedtoes]

You mention "Class A or B would suite our needs and if we decided to go somewhere else we could":

First, do you really have any intention of going somewhere else? Or is that just a "well, there could be the slightest chance at some point that maybe we might possibly think about going somewhere else"? If there isn't any real desire to go elsewhere, then I wouldn't factor that into the decision - it's just limiting your options for what you really want.

If you really would like to go elsewhere, then is keeping the RV in Pittsburg, when you live in Florida, a practical choice? In that case, it might be better to store it in Florida and drive it to and from Pittsburg. When in Pittsburg, stay at an RV Park. That way, when you want to go somewhere else, you can just hop in the RV and go - instead of having to drive/fly to Pittsburg, then get the RV and go. The cost of the property could be comparable to the cost of the RV Park and storage.

Also, leaving the RV unattended on property for 9 - 10 months could be more trouble than it's worth. Squatters, vandalism, storm damage, etc.

My big concern would be: everything is great while you're there in August-September. Then you head back to Florida for the winter. The next June, you drive/fly back, only to find your RV was damaged by a tree limb and needs two month's of work to make it usable again. Will you have someone who can regularly inspect the RV when you're not around?

You don't mention a class C. Why not? A class B is going to be limited space for a 2-3 month stay. They will cost more than a class C also.

A travel trailer will cost less than a motorhome for comparable space/features. Also, after a long winter unattended, there will be less that could have been damaged. With a motorhome, rodent damage could happen to both the engine and the house - with a trailer, it will only happen to the house.