WE WON THE LOTTERY!, We are moving the US and buying an RV!

[MinEff]

Hi, I'm MinEff, married, under 30, living in London (England), stable career, happy life (although a little dull at times)

Until last May when everything changed! because WE won the freaking LOTTERY!! No, not the $$$$ lottery, but an even better one! THE US GREEN CARD LOTTERY! The DV lottery (https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/) allows me and my wife to move and work permanently in the US! Moving to the USA has been both our dreams for years, but we never thought it would be possible due to the difficulty of getting a work visa, but thanks to the awesome USA, we now can fulfil our dream!


We will be moving to the US at the end of the year, and we would like to take 3 months off work and live life a little, so we would like to buy a 2nd hand Motorhome and take in as much of the US as we can before we decide where to settle in (NYC is looking most likely due to job commitment, but who knows!)



So, over the next few months, thanks to this forum I need to find out:

1) Decide what RV we should buy (Class C or Class B+ is looking like the best options so far)
2) From a dealer or private?
3) Decide how much I should be spending (We think around the 20,000$)
4) Decide WHERE we should buy it (thinking of tax etc)
5) What class C motorhome brand/model you recommend?




Please feel free to say hello, and if you have any advice regarding any of this 4 points please share it! All advice welcome! Also, we have no friends in the US, so if you would like to gain 2 new friends from Europe, make sure to get in touch 🙂




Latest edit:

Thanks for the advice on people on the forum, I can now make the following edit!



Here is my thought process;


We need a car, to get into town for supplies, visit remote locations and because we will also need to buy a car once we decide where to live, so might as well get it now.

Towing a car is not an option due to budget constrains.

This narrows it down to a Truck Camper or Travel Trailer (aka Caravan for us)


Here are the pro's cons;

Travel Trailer

Pros

- Cheaper
- Larger
- Can work with a "standard" car

Cons

Hard to drive/manoeuvre, making it hard for my wife to drive
Looks.. unless we went for a Airstream
Limited places to stop and camp
takes a lot of space in driveway
Easy to know when someone is sleeping in it

Truck Camper

Pros

Looks AWESOME
Easy to manoeuvre
Pickup Trucks are awesome
Go anywhere, off-road
Stealthy parking while traveling - easier to find overnight places to stop + neighbours less likely to complain in the future
Takes less space
Can tow small trailer for extra storage (moving home etc)

Cons

Smaller
More expensive
Diesel thirsty




So, its clear Truck Camper WINS hands down for our needs!



More decisions to be made:


Which Pickup to buy:

Brand/ Model

New vs Used

Ideally: 4 seats, small enough to go about town, big enough to carry fully loaded Camper.

Which Camper to buy

Brand/Model

New vs Used


Note: It has to have an indoor shower (outdoor shower too if possible), fixed bed, good storage, fixed HARD construction (no pop-outs or slide outs)



Any advice welcome!

















Old Edit:

I realised I'm missing some key information here, so here is some more!


We want a motorhome because we want to have easy access to the back, we want to be able to stop for lunch without having to worry too much about it, I understand a pick-up + trailer would be cheaper, but it just wouldn't offer the same experience.

We would like the RV to be around the 20' long, some motorhomes I've already looked at and quite like include:

Class C
Coachmen Freedom - They seem to have everything you need in a good size, and seem like a good deal.

Class B
RoadTreks - Look awesome, could be used as 2nd car, but might be too small, a little expensive for what they are.


Once we find out where we want to live, the plan is to buy our first US home, one that is in OK condition but needs some work to make it our own, I believe you call them 'doer-uppers', we plan on living in the RV while building work takes place!

[MinEff]

gunner45- Its certainly very exciting! Thank you for the warm welcome!


If the rest of the US is 1% as welcoming as people on this forum we are in for a great time!! West Coast is a must, we actually looked at spending our honeymoon doing a road trip there, but work commitment didn't give us enough time! we will be doing it soon though!


PastorCharlie - That sounds like a great plan! Any good Truck/Pickup dealers in NC? we might buy the truck there, then drive to Florida to buy the RV, or even buy RV over the internet (new) and then buy a 2nd hand Truck (Ram's look amazing..) so yeah any advice on where to buy a truck in NC would be welcome!! (or even if you know anyone who's selling one privately even better!)

I shall do my best at respecting the laws, and the culture is why we are moving to the US!


freewheel520- Many thanks! I will keep it south to start with! How often do people cross the border to Mexico? is it a common thing for RV'ers to do or a no-no area?

Good advice about buying RV! I'm sure January will be the perfect time! Thanks for the advice on tax, does it still apply if you buy privately?

Fuel costs less than bottled water in the UK.. here petrol is more expensive than bottled beer!

Regarding size, agreed, I keep hearing this! I fear it will not hit me till I'm there, but having space will be amazing! Many thanks for your comments!


Rick_Y - Portland sounds amazing and I will add it to our list to see!(Growing every minute!)




runner_one - agreed, class b sounds less and less like a good option, I don't want to tow a car, so the only option is to tow an RV, and I know there are 3 way:

Tow RV (like yours)
5th Wheeler (for larger tow RV's?)
Truck Camper (looks like the best option right now, but might be a little expensive)


winter sun - Yes we will need to look into insurance, still don't know how it works since we have the NHS here and it comes out of your salary automatically (yet another reason why we want to leave the UK, when you have to wait 4 hours for a doctor to see you while you are in pain, you realise something is not right)

Does it work like your car insurance?


Great advice on buying privately! we might have to pay the 10-15 percent due to urgency.

We will most likely go through the Truck Camper way, and looking at brand new units for 10,000-15,000$ seem very reasonable, and since we plan to keep it for a loong time it might be best! We then buy a similar price truck from a dealer.. still loads to consider!

Thanks again for all the info, will have look at resources now!









Min Eff

[wintersun]

Be sure to arrange for medical insurance and budget around $1,000 a month for the two of you until you are hopefully employed where the company provides medical insurance. That is the downside to the good old USA where everything is profit driven.

For an RV you will have the most space for your gear and clothing for temperatures that can vary widely in a Class C motorhome. Motorhomes devalue with age more than mileage so if I was looking to buy one it would be a 2000-2006 one that had less than 70,000 miles on the engine and transmission. I would budget for the possibility of needing new tires and having the servicing brought up to date as an RV that has sat and not been driven for a year or two should have its brake, motor oil, and automatic trans fluids changed and new filters and radiator hoses and heater hoses and radiator flushed. Batteries (motor and house) probably will need to be replaced if they are more than 4 years of age. This preventative work is easier to do before you start your travels and will greatly reduce the chance of a breakdown while in the middle of nowhere - and there are lots of those kinds of places in the USA.

I would buy from a private party and save 10-15 percent. A dealer is not going to have the maintenance records for the vehicle while a responsible private seller who took care of their RV is going to have these so you know what has been done and when or if it was not done.

With either type of sale I would have the dealer plug it in overnight and check the fridge, water pump, inverter, furnace, hot water heater, vent fans, toilet, etc. before you leave the seller. A new fridge can cost $800 to $1200 plus the labor to install it. If there are awnings open them and check their condition as a replacement can be very expensive and time consuming as these are items that need to be ordered.

If you plan to sell it after your trip I would do careful research to see which makes and models are in demand and will be easiest to sell later. A Class C Roadtrek for example takes a huge drop of 25% in value the first few years and then it levels off. More people are moving toward smaller and more fuel efficient and easier to maintain and drive motorhomes like the Class C and B ones.

In your place I would get a Class C and have it rigged for towing a small sedan. Much easier to get somewhere and park the RV in a campground and then use the car to do excursions. In many parks the available parking spaces for RV's can be very limiting.

If you plan to end up in the New York area then buying the RV in a place like Arizona where there are lots for sale and no rust damage from salted roads or salt air, and drive from from the western USA to the east coast you will cut your driving distance in half.

For my part I would want to start in either San Diego in California or in Washington state. Sales tax is a factor and there is no general sales tax on transactions in the state of Oregon. In Tuba City in Arizona by way of contrast the total sales tax rate is 13.725 percent.

For state and national parks and US Forest Service and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campgrounds which are primarily in the western half of the country, their websites are excellent resources.

[runner_one]

I really think you should consider all the pros and cons before settling on a particular type of RV.
I know you seem to be settled on a class B by looking at the pros but I want to point out a couple of cons to living and traveling in a motor home.
First, since you are buying used you must consider the possibilities of breakdowns and repairs. If your motor home experiences an serious mechanical issue that requires it to be in the shop for an extended period of time, where will you stay while it is being repaired? Motels and hotels can get expensive fast.
Second, living for extended period in a motor home pretty much requires you to purchase and tow a smaller vehicle behind it. You don’t want to unhook sewer, water, and power, and stow stabilizing jacks every time you go to the grocery store. Also in many of areas of the US there are great national parks with back country roads that are too narrow or steep to be accessed with a motor home, once again requiring a smaller vehicle.
If you are set on a class B, great, but I just wanted to point out the negatives before you made the jump. And in case you are wondering, my wife and I full time in a TT towed by a Nissan Titan, so I am a little biased.
Below is a photo of our rig.

[Rick_Y]

Late to the thread, but welcome to you nonetheless! You've been given all sorts of good advice. My only comment is that if you get out to Portland, OR I'll be glad to show you a pub for British ex-pats where they serve a great pasty and superb fish and chips! Have a great time on your travels and make sure not to miss the Pacific NW part of the USA!

[freewheel510]

Welcome!

My family moved here to Southern Cal when I was 8 years old, and we have not looked back.

As you will be arriving in winter, I would urge you to consider the weather. Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, southern Utah are popular winter destinations and have some amazing beauty. Florida is really nice and warm in winter, but very flat and (no offense, Florida lovers) generally uniform in scenery. Weather in the Northeast US is worse than England, colder in winter, HOT, muggy in summer. The northwest (OR, WA) isn't as bad, but it isn't particularly good either, maybe more like what you're used to.

December and January appear to be a good time of year to buy an RV, as buyers are scarce then.

In the US, you are quoted one price, but at the last step of the total calculation, a tax between about 4 and 10% is added as "sales tax". You can find what it is in each state online, and there may be small local variations. Oregon has no sales tax, as do a few other states, which could make a big difference. I'm sure registration tax varies too, but don't know about that.

A potentially more costly consideration is where you want to sightsee vs. where you buy the coach, considering an operating cost of $0.60 per mile or so. Fuel is delightfully cheap here compared with Europe, but it still adds up when you burn at RV rates. For example, if you want to end up in NY, it may be beneficial to start in Oregon, sweep down through California and across.

It is very easy to underestimate the size of this country. It takes some getting used to!

Best of luck!!

[PastorCharlie]

From southern Virginia to Florida and along the gulf coast to Texas one can camp in the winter without being in severe cold weather. Northern snowbirds love the area. "Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning." NC that is. :B

A good place to start looking for a RV can be found here by clicking on RV SALES tab at the top of this page Camping World. Another large RV Dealer is PPL in Texas. There are many good RV dealers along the east coast of the US. Perhaps the largest and oldest family owned RV Dealer on the east coast may be Bill Plemmons RV World. They are excellent folks and have full service RV Repair.

America is a large country and to chase the American Dream ones needs to think large. Welcome to America and please do obey our laws and respect our culture.

[Gunner45]

How fun and exciting for you and for us!!! We welcome you and your family to the US!!

I work with a few people that have come over from various part of Europe. I hope to be able to follow along on your adventures with you. And of course I hope you head out to the west coast because yes, we are the best place to visit 🙂

[MinEff]

valhalla360 - You know I thought Truck campers didn't have shower/toilet.. but I've spent the last hour looking at them, and they look really really good! it stops the need to tow a car(I don't want to tow anything!)

I will keep researching this, it adds a little bit more of a complication, since I will have to buy a truck and a RV (although I will eventually need to buy a car, eventually)

Any recommendation on Truck/RV combo's for $20k? I'm not worried about off-road capabilities or 4x4.

fla-gypsy - I'll take all info on board! life, liberty and the pre suit of happiness is one of the main attractions!

bsinmich - It will be winter, thats why we will be most likely buying it somewhere in Florida! Thanks for the invitation, if we ever near Holland around that time I will send you a pm!




got smart - really appreciate you taking the time to answer all my questions, THANK YOU! If I do end up going for an ex rental RV I think this could be a really good option for us.




MinEff

[gotsmart]

MinEff wrote:
...
Gotsmart - THANK YOU! WOW, just WOW, I really like your setup, buying from Cruise America seems like a really straightforward easy thing to do! I really like the idea of buying one of their refurbs, and looking at their youtube videos and prices it really seems like value for money!

I like that they don't have any of the "FAT", no TV, no extra gadgets, just what you need to get started, and all high quality (no shower curtain!!! awesome), it makes it very easy to upgrade to my own needs. (thinking a projector rather than a TV)

Now, questions! feel free to PM me if you feel they are a little private:

1. Did you buy from Cruise America? Yes
2. Did you pay asking price? Their prices are on my top budget. The price is negotiable. I strongly recommend against buying an RV before arriving to the USA. Former rental units must be seen in person and walked through. I also recommend hiring a mobile RV tech to perform an inspection of the unit you wish to purchase. You can use the report of any issues to reduce the price. Rental companies are not like car dealerships. They have little interest in providing service after the sale, and are not set up for it.
3. How beat up was it when you got it? The mounting screws for upper hinge right-hand cabinet door above the kitchen sink are stripped. I need to apply some wood filler compound to the cabinet and remount the hinge. The bottom drawer on the passenger-side of the rear bed is held closed with velcro.
4. They have 100,000 miles on the clock, is this not a little excessive? IMO, with conservative driving habits the Ford 6.8 litre Triton V10 engine can easily last 250,000 miles. how is your RV holding up? Very well. I've been living in it full time since April 2011.
5. Should I go for 'large' or 'standard'? Go for the 'large'. It is 30 feet long. The 'standard' is 25 feet and it's corner bed is less desirable.


Any info you feel would help me if I choose to go this route welcome! As I posted in my profile, Cruise America RVs do not have stabilizers or leveling jacks, slide-outs, awnings, an aerial for television, a rear ladder, or outside steps. These are the things that renters break. I live by myself - so not having slide-outs or an awning suits me just fine - fewer mechanical items to fail. Other rental companies offer slide-outs. The increased living space that slide-outs offer may be more to your liking. Regardless of who you purchase an RV from, prepare to budget up to $3,000 USD after the purchase for maintenance items you feel are necessary to make you feel safe in the RV and for the RV to be road-worthy.

Concerning the topic of Extended Warranties: Cruise America offers one. I did not purchase it. I place no value in extended warranties. Others may chime in.

[bsinmich]

Since you gave said you are coming at the end of the year you will get here for winter. We had a cold, snowy winter here in the upper Midwest and the weather would not be very good for a class C MH for living conditions. Most campgrounds are also closed in the winter as well as many parks where you could boondock. Florida looks better for that time of year. You will probably do better to stay South for you sightseeing also. We had 13' of snow last winter here in Holland, MI.
I would also recommend towing a small car. If you get to a large city there is no place to park an RV, especially in parking decks. Welcome and enjoy the USA. If you get to Holland, MI the first full week of May we have Tulip Time with 6,000,000 tulips, 3 parades, and all kind of festivities. PM me for a tour. I was a tour guide for several years.

[fla-gypsy]

As you can glean from these responses some folks here think this area or that area is best but I assure you all areas of this nation offer beauty to those who will only look for it. You can also pull from a few snide feathery comments that some areas of the nation love liberty more than others who prefer the tyranny of govt. but that is the very nature of this nations founding. I promise you a warm welcome if you find your way to the Sunshine State and assure you this is still the land of opportunity and some of us cherish the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

[valhalla360]

Another option to consider if you want to go small is a truck camper. About the same price as a small MH when you compare like for like.

If you want to get off the paved tarmac, you can get 4x4.
If you want to set up camp and have a vehicle to drive around in, you can take the camper off (or use it while on the truck).
It does have a large bed over the cab that can be left ready to use.
Plus when you aren't RV'ing, you have a truck to haul stuff with.

The downside is floor space and storage isn't as good.

[MinEff]

n7bsn - I do indeed!


Escargo - Southern CA sounds amazing! will have to check it out!


Vulcaneer- Many thanks for feedback. Taxes here are a little high agreed, I of course will pay my share, but within reason! Glad you found my post refreshing. Florida is sounding more and more like the place to buy, and its a great place to start, with a visit to Disney!?

AprilWhine - Thank you! You are right, I'm now considering anything on the 20-30 size. I really like your set up!! Maybe in a couple of years though, it looks waaay out of my budget right now 😛 I might be able to afford the mini haha


Valhalla360 - We are EU size! just kidding, you are right we will most likely use the bed at the back to snooze, and the top bunk for storage.
We plan on mainly boondocking and travel around, very much a road trip rather than stay a week in the same place. Towing a small car is something I might have to consider!


Bird_chaser- We come from London, surely it can't be any worse! Thanks for your feedback.


Gotsmart - THANK YOU! WOW, just WOW, I really like your setup, buying from Cruise America seems like a really straightforward easy thing to do! I really like the idea of buying one of their refurbs, and looking at their youtube videos and prices it really seems like value for money!

I like that they don't have any of the "FAT", no TV, no extra gadgets, just what you need to get started, and all high quality (no shower curtain!!! awesome), it makes it very easy to upgrade to my own needs. (thinking a projector rather than a TV)

Now, questions! feel free to PM me if you feel they are a little private:

1. Did you buy from Cruise America?
2. Did you pay asking price? Their prices are on my top budget..
3. How beat up was it when you got it?
4. They have 100,000miles on the clock, is this not a little excessive? how is your RV holding up?
5. Should I go for 'large' or 'standard'?


Any info you feel would help me if I choose to go this route welcome!

I really like the idea of being able to show my family/friends the Orientation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKdr4Z1LBKY and being able to let them go on adventures!

Again many thanks for sharing your RV!

Kampinkate - Thanks for the suggestions, added them to the list 🙂





Mineff

[Kampinkate]

If you think NYC might be your potential end point for careers, consider camping around the rest of the state. The Adirondacks, Catskills, Finger Lakes and north country are all worth a visit.

[gotsmart]

I pull a 2009 smart car behind my former Cruise America rental. It has a rear walk-around queen size bed and a sleeping loft above the cab (as opposed to an entertainment center in a Clas B). I use the loft for storage. I live fulltime in my motorhome in Washington state. I'm currently working at an RV park in Sequim, WA. When you purchase that "fixer-upper", check for local ordinances, covenants, or deed restrictions that would prevent you from parking your RV on your property or prevent you from installing a power pedestal and water and sewer hookups on the property. In New York you will need to winterize the RV's water lines with non-toxic antifreeze. Here in western WA the winters are mild enough to not have to do that. My signature has a link to my photo albums. My profile has links to the service and upgrades made to my Cruise America 28R.