The perfect RV

[Heavy_Metal_Doc]

Just bit of shoppers rant, I guess:
DW and I have been kicking around ideas of what we want in our "perfect RV" now that we have a few years of "hard shell" camping experience behind us with our first TT. We are not full-timers and likely never will be, but we would like to buy everything we want in the next unit and hopefully use if for a very long time and be prepared for anything.
After a recent camping weekend, this issue really became a hot topic and so I have been doing the preliminary research.
The frustration is in the fact that in order to get features we really do want, we end up with stuff that we don't. We don't need super fancy trim and accent lights everywhere and blue-tooth controls and a TV on a "lift" that hides in the cabinet, heated / vibrating cushions and LED lit cup holders on the couch. But we do really want a few things like a king bed with more bedroom storage, a kitchen with a larger fridge and more cabinets. It just seems like this feature seem to equal a unit that's "luxury" appointed (though I think half the junk is just gadgets to make the average buyer go ga-ga and open their wallet wider.....I guess there aren't many people buying RV's like me.....

[GaryWT]

All kinds of different RV's and layouts but not the perfect one. We have not found one better than the one we have but we keep looking because at some point we will want something new.

We have a list and we start at the top and see how many things we can get. For us, number one is an outside kitchen, we cook outside and I do not want to take the time to set up a kitchen. Number 2 is the bathroom, do I fit, if not we move on. Many bathroom are too thin with a counter next to the toilet. Number 3, the bedroom, size etc., and the list goes on. After you get a number of things then other things do not matter as much but I can say 1 & 2 are required.

[WildPlumYonder]

We looked at models where the "entertainment center" was more fitted in somewhere rather than designed around. That way when we didn't buy the TV there wasn't a really a "hole" where it was clearly meant to go (there is a cable plug sticking out of one wall, which I plan to camouflage with art work).

The other thing that irks me is that whoever "designs" RVs has hideous taste in fabrics and materials. I have yet to see one (that costs under $100,000) that actually looks tasteful. I'd have preferred lighter cabinets in the RV we bought, but everything else about the layout was right.

Some day I will reupholster everything, pare down those tacky multi-fabric valences (that can't be more than stapled cardboard) and go for my own version of tacky - tiki (grasscloth wallpaper and bamboo blinds) or coastal or something other than all that beige.

[Rovin__Bones]

If I have heat, can cook inside, shower, toilet, TV, a bed and a table to work on photo editing on my PC, I have all I "need". I consider everything else a luxury. 🙂 I'm ok with that. I like to spend my free time riding my Harley, stopping to take photographs, and then processing them for sale. Not a lot of time for TV and other "distractions".

[CavemanCharlie]

I have the perfect TT......Except it's not perfect. I wish the bed was a little wider and I wish that the roof didn't leak. I have tried to fix the leak to no avail. The nearest repair place is 70 miles from me. I will try to fix it again next year or, maybe I will have to get a different TT and that one will not be as perfect.

[Heavy_Metal_Doc]

I'm definitely struggling with the "less is more" concept...what I'm finding is more along the lines of "more may be too much, but less is too little"...Oh well...I'm hoping to find one over winter, preferably by end of the year. I just keep reminding myself that I need to stick with my instincts and just go with it when it feels right.

[PAThwacker]

You kick yourself trying get that one unit to meet all expectations.

[Rovin__Bones]

I'm of the "less is definitely more" mindset. The less gee-gaws, gadgets and gear to use and keep you inside the unit, the more time you'll likely spend outside the unit experiencing life and the sights and sounds of the area you are in. If you travel hundreds of miles from home and then end up just sitting in your RV, what's the point? You may as well park it in your back yard for the same gain in experience. Yep, less is more. Cheaper, too. Less to break, less to fix, more money stays in your pocket.

[PAThwacker]

No shoe does all. Same for boots, cars ect.



Have multiple camper! 2 boats. Multiple species specs. Life goes on. Tt can't fit down two track out comes the pup.

[Gjac]

OldRadios wrote:
We aren't full time but knew what we wanted. Took us a few months of searching before we found the right combination of size, floor plan, and options that would work for our use. We love to boondock and use it for traveling. It's getting hard to find newer models without all the mechanical stuff we didn't want.

I dry camp 95 percent of the time so I know what you mean and am still looking for the right combination. I bought an older class a when I retired 11 years ago wanting to learn as much as I could so that I would know what I wanted in the next one. So I came up with some reqs, large FW tanks, large storage at least two pass thrus where I could store bikes,less 34ft etc. I never planned on keeping this one this long but after repairing and modifying this one that suits the way I camp it is hard to find one that meets all of my reqs. I have come to the conclusion is if you can find one that is close you will spend time and money modifying it to meet all your reqs. I spent roughly $13,000 for repairs,mods and maintainance since I bought it. Repairs and mods were roughly 1/2 the cost.

[OldRadios]

We aren't full time but knew what we wanted. Took us a few months of searching before we found the right combination of size, floor plan, and options that would work for our use. We love to boondock and use it for traveling. It's getting hard to find newer models without all the mechanical stuff we didn't want.

[Grit_dog]

And this is a surprise?
Can you buy a truck with leather seats and rubber floors? Or navi/heated steering wheel and no power windows?
Actually you have a better chance at a custom RV by ordering what you do and don't want since they're less of a mass produced commodity.
You may not get "all" the $ back for each deleted feature but I bet you can sit down and order one pretty much the way you want it.

[tinner12002]

Location, location, location is the drive in real estate pricing.
So in the RV industry I think the equivalent to that would be research, research and more research to determine what you want to pay vs what options you do or don't want. Maybe an odd comparison, but it works for me...lol!

[ncrowley]

I would look at older coaches. All that technology was not built in and they were not as much into glitz. I have a 2004 Newmar and it is a solid well built coach without too much glitter.

[Durb]

I like walking campgrounds. You would think someone someone would have the best idea and their product would be represented in half the sites. But no, it is hard to find duplicate brands let alone same models. Hit the "jump to forum" button and 9 different categories of RVs come up all designed to fill different wants and needs. With the offerings available out there you should be able to find close to what you want. Isn't America great?