RV Newbie Buying Guide to Picking the Right RV & What we Wish we Knew when Buying Our 1st RV!
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- Опубліковано 23 чер 2020
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Buying your first RV is exciting! The RV Odd Couple share the pros and cons to each type of RV, cover important questions when picking the right RV, and share their top RV mistakes you need to avoid before buying! If you’re looking for RV advice for first-time owners, stick around!
First-time RV owners can run into several mistakes, and there are many decisions to make. This video aims to provide some RV help by pointing out how to choose the right RV and common mistakes RV buyers make. These are the big mistakes to avoid before buying a motorhome, so make sure you watch this video first, before even stepping into a dealership.
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We’re the RV Odd Couple. We sold our house and most of all our possessions to live in an RV, pursuing freedom, independence and adventure. We documented the process to transition into full-time RV living with our family and experienced the RV travel mistakes. This channel provides trailer travel tips and tricks, RV life basics, and motorhome beginners tips. We upload fifth wheel RV vlog adventures as we travel! If you’re into traveling vlogs, RV country traveling, or want to start full time RV living on the right foot, join the adventure of our lives.
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Buying your first RV is exciting! Let us know below what type of RV you choose or what type of RV you're shopping for! And please, if we missed a good buying tip, please share below!
We are looking at forest river mainly. We love the sandpipers so much. We are trying to find a layout we both love and works well for us. I feel like it's gonna take awhile!! 🤣😂💀
Maybe do a video on depreciation. I’m going to buy used.
We love Sandpiper :) Let us know when you find it Crystal :)
A little bit next week :)
Our best tip is to rent before you buy. We rented for 15 (!) years before we bought, all different classes and floorplans. We recently purchased an Arctic Fox TT and our second make we were considering was a sister brand, Outdoors RV. We knew what we were looking for in terms of floorplan (kids did NOT want a bunkhouse) and what our main priority was (quality and 4-season, with off-road/boondocking capability). We are very happy with our choice (25W), it suits us perfectly.
My wife and I are retired. We bought a used 30 ft class c two years ago from an individual for a great price. It needed work but I'm a electromechanical tech and woodworker. I have remodeled bathroom and repaired many electrical issues. We boondock, Moochdock and do state campgrounds. Best decision we ever made. No fulltime. Have sticks and bricks. Impressed with your full timing. Thanks for your videos. Love your Christian beliefs.
Looks like you are living right John :) The Mechanically minded always do well. God Bless and hope we cross paths
I can tell Sage is improving. I think this is the first video where I heard her talking and interacting. I'm so happy for you guys.
Sage is our little Miracle
I like the saying “don’t wait till you can afford what you want, but start enjoying what you can afford...don’t waste life waiting for someday ✌️
Amen! Life is so short
I always buy the best. Life is too short to go cheap. Everything you buy loses value except for silver or gold. I figure out what I want then I want the best. I wouldn"t be happy with anything less. I like high end firearms and mechanical Swiss watches. Nothing like being in your RV and wishing you bought something else. Of course if you have deep pockets you can just swap up.
Thank you, great advice
Sometimes now is not an option. I have four more years until retirement. Then I can sell the house and enjoy full time rv living. This is my only option . I don’t want to lose my retirement after putting in the years .
I have spent the last 20+ years as an auctioneer, life is indeed short, don't wait, seize the day.
Best advise I ever heard.. Years ago, Keep your DD said "Get the rig that will get you on the road now"
Don't over think it for months and months.
We did just that and I'm so thankful we got in the road when we did.
Gratitude is soooo good :) Thank you
I have a small camper (Aliner Ascape), and LOVE IT! For me, I wanted something small that forces me to not bring a lot of items with. I'm divorced (not due to camping), and the kids are all grown, so it's just me and the dog. We had a larger pop-up (with a slide out dining area) that with what everyone wanted to bring with, was packed full. But now I have a camper that fits my style, and forces me to leave a lot of things at home. I'm not full time, though, and just a weekend warrior, so I don't need as much. And, I also understand that even some weekend warriors like to bring a lot of stuff camping. Who am I to criticize them? My motto is "Camping is a state of mind". If you enjoy it, and you want to call it camping, who am I, or anyone else to tell you that it's not?
Love this William! "Camping is a state of mind" sooooo true
I don't know if I'll ever commit to the RV life style but your videos are so much fun to watch. They're informative and you guys really walk through all your points. Plus you both just seem so genuine. It's refreshing! I'll keep watching as long as you keep posting, thanks for being awesome!
Awesome! Thank you!👍😀
I love our toy hauler travel trailer. It has the sliding glass door to separate the garage from the living space. Put the kids back there with the bed raised up and it’s an 8x10 room with a rubber floor 😆
I'm with you James! I want our next 5'er to be a toy hauler and Mercedes wants a Riverstone.
Y'all covered all the right questions to ask and the things to consider. I fully agree that your first RV should not be a new one.
We got that from your book Jerry :) Sharing your book next week
Rv odd couple... we are not RV owners yet, however we are certainly in the market for a RV camper. I have watched many other UA-cam RV or UA-camrs but I truly appreciate your honesty and forthrightness. Thank you for all of your valuable information. I can’t imagine why anybody would not follow and learn from you guys! We are looking for a camper trailer less than 10,000 pounds and light colored wood and theater seating. I wondered if you had customized your trailer or not? My husband, retired from the Air Force after 38 years and I Are taking our time and learning so much from you. We actually are going to join the 1000 Trails membership because she pointed out all of the positives about it. We’ve lived all over the world but really want to experience the United States and the best way is to RV it.
Hi Catherine 💚 We love to know that we are helping. Thank you both for your Service. Good to hear that you know what exactly you want. We love our TT membership. Hope that once you guys get out here, we get to meet you 👍😊
Great tips guys!!! Our 1st RV was a new 5th wheel, we loved it but did realize we would rather have a different floor plan. We had it 10 years. Then bought a gently used 5th wheel with a more enjoyable floor plan. We’ve had it now 3 years.
That is awesome Lisa! Takes some time to know exactly what you want and how you will use it :)
Another great guide John and Mercedes. So much useful information for others to consider when shopping for a rig.
Also, I've not mentioned it for a while, so I'll through it in here: Sage is so good. Yes, she's right there in the middle of things, but is never a distraction and you guys never miss a beat.
Y'all are wonderful parents.
💚💚💚 One from each of us... Love you John
Great info and questions to ask. It's posts like yours that made our 1st purchase so enjoyable. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
When I was shopping years ago for a Class A, the salesman showed me the "perfect" unit, in his mind. "Entertains six, dines four and sleeps two"
😀
What a great video! One of, if not the best video for shoppers, like me! This covers it all, and with the visuals, it's icing on the cake. Thanks a bunch folks, I really appreciate the thoughtfulness and time you took just to help others. Kudos!!
John's smile at 15:26 about having to buy a big truck says it all...lol!!! Another great video.
LOL...You caught that Mike!
This is really, really hard for someone who's never done it. Understanding upkeep, hookups, where to rent land for full-timing, etc. It's so involved. I keep coming back around to researching it, but I always allow fear of the unknown to steer me back to my comfort zone of not taking the leap.
Keep doing your homework and be sure before you commit
Mercedes & John, so many good advices, so many questions to ask ourselves before buying, you're both genuine, I like your openness, the Odd Squad appreciated it. Overall great informative video, looking forward to the next one.
Always our pleasure Rejean👍😀💚
Great Video! I have to say the pup at 12:08 stopped my in my tracks! Looks just like our big boy that we lost in May. Y’all are awesome. Thank you for your content!
You guys are wonderful! I feel like I've just attended a seminar on RV vehicles. Thanks you so much! You've provided so much for one to think about.
Well..... I joined the Odd Squad a few weeks ago just because I love this channel and appreciate the helpful hints even for those of us who are downsizing, but not to an RV. Fast forward to this week....... I’m on websites looking at RVs in my area and playing this video in the back of my head. LOL Hope y’all are having a great week! Love from Texas!
All GREAT information!!! We researched and went to RV dealerships for almost SIX years before we bought our first. We had never RV’d before so we chose something that we liked, that fit our needs for one to two year tryout period. Now, we LOVE the life and want to be full timers. Our trips are typically two to three week trips. We love boondocking AND RV parks. We’re now in the dreaming, plannng and shopping stages for our full time RV. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽😍
That is awesome!
Any ideas on how a family who lives paycheck to paycheck, renting a mobile home, no savings, can get into an RV? I am a WATCHMAN like some say: I see what is coming - have my whole life... I feel like I am watching the strom approach and know all the things I WOULD do if I COULD but I have NO MEANS. Poor. Trapped in wage slavery.Few skills. I pray God will lead me somewhere different and better: I want to prepare for my family like you RV Odd Couple have... I guess I am asking for PRAYERS. I sense I need to change - maybe quit my job and take my $10,000 401k before it is worthless! But I do not see the path ahead yet. Please pray that our Father make my path clear for my family.
Thanks for all the wonderful videos! We have two kids, one with autism and it is challenging but wonderful at same time. Looking at buying an RV and becoming full timers so this really helps. You guys are all adorable! Mercedes that hair is gorgeous! 💜
Great information! Loved seeing the scene where Sage had her dollies lined up down the hallway of the RV. It reminded me of when my daughter, who also has autism, was a little girl lining up all her dragons. :) My daughter is now 20 years old and a junior in college. This is one of my favorite RV channels.
Oh boy, did I ever love this video! Your suggestions and information were spot-on. You REALLY need to figure-out exactly what you need.... a fifth wheel, class A or C motorhome, Class B van, pop-up or truck camper. We first tried a couple truck camper rentals, which were not really for me. Just not big enough, plus getting stuck in the bathroom while my hamburgers are frying on the stove and the husband is busy talking outside with another camper! Then we looked for years and first bought a Jayco tent trailer with a wet bath. That served us well for 20 years, and we finally bought our Lucy...a 25.5 foot Winnebago Navion. It’s a Mercedes and it has been true to form. It climbs mountains fully loaded, gets 14-17mpg, it’s diesel, has TONS of kitchen counter space, full rear bath, a bed easily made from a beautiful sofa, plus a dinette. It is very roomy inside with the full-wall slide, but the entire indoor length can be accessible with the slide in. We chose this one because it’s a Mercedes, had plenty of room for us, it’s EASY TO DRIVE, and gets in just about any campsite. You stated you should evaluate exactly how you want to use your RV,which is absolutely correct... we like to dry camp (boon dock), AND go to nice RV resorts with full hookups...we want to do it all! We want long trips, short trips, weekends too. Easy set-up and take-down, plus it doesn’t have that huge “dog house” between the two front seats! Easy to get in and out. This is another reason why we chose our “Lucy”, as she can do it all. Mercedes hon, why not try out a Navion or View to drive...it’s even slicker and more fun to drive than all the others (I really recommend the newer “D” model, which is almost exactly what we have in our 2016 Navion “M”. Anyway, thanks for being lovable yous, and thanks for a great video! Give these hearts to Sage! 💕💕💕. Love you guys, Virginia
Always love that you share your personal experience Virginia
That was a great breakdown. For ppl looking at towables, the BIGGEST issue I see ppl struggle with is the tow vehicle. I see this alot in Facebook groups. Some of the advice scares the hell out of me. It's a topic that requires a video of its own because it's that important. Look forward to see what you two land on next :)
I totally agree!
I just bought my first RV, a 2020 Class C Four Winds 23 U. We love it so far ! You are correct the shopping was a Very Fun part of the experience ! Hopefully we bought the Best unit that will give us many Memorable, Teriffic trips ! Now it's time to hit the road ! Thanks for Your advice and encouragement !
Congratulations Hans 😊🎊👍. Let us know how it goes
All great things to consider. Yes! Camper shrinks on rainy days. I think renting one first is a great idea. I think some people buy and then rarely use their RV. Great advice as always! MWAH!
Love y’all! So glad I found this channel. Wanting to downsize in the next few years and these are very helpful videos.
Great advice, love the channel!! I'd also recommend that you consider the environment where you're most likely to camp and the heating/cooling features of the rig. Bought my first trailer when I lived in Texas and it only had 1 AC unit for 34' of living space.. I quickly learned we needed a second unit. Also, I think the water heater capacity is something easily overlooked... if you have more than a couple folks who may need to shower/bathe then look for a 10 gallon or more (or tankless) water heater. Thanks!!
All great considerations B :)
All very good advice, I shopped for several years before I finally purchased a new 2016 View. The 15MPG Diesel , and the exceptional handling of the Sprinter chassis was a selling point. When not pulling my Mini Cooper the RV can reach 17 MPG. I do agree that Purchasing new is a downside. Thanks for great info.
Great to know! Thanks for sharing Frank :)
New sub and absolutely love your content and knowledge with all the options from all the categories to travel. This is all new to us and definitely will help us with the decision of which way to go when we purchase. Thank you both for your knowledge and helpful tips.
Hiya guys, I’ve just found you both and subbed! 👍🏻. I’m not gonna lie, I’m in a rather dark place after losing my father recently (although he has been saying for years how he was looking forward to going upstairs 😇) and, I’m trying to get unstuck from this moment that I can’t seem to get out of. On the plus side, seeing you both just melts my heart. The last time I was this appreciative, the Wynns up’d sticks and ran up their spinnaker on Curiosity. Just watching Jason & Nikki holding each other during a sundowner, makes me as happy as Larry. Thanks from the bottom of my heart, from the other side of the pond here in Brexitland 🥰🏴🤗.
Sorry for the loss of your Dad. That was a tough one for me. Hang in there and welcome to the RV Odd Squad
My wife and I have been RVing for about 20 years. This is a great video for beginners ... listen to what they say, it will save you money and a lot of heart ache P.S. you daughter is beautiful!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you Thomas
I love your videos because you are so real!! You are really helping me decide what I need and what works for me in an RV. I am gearing up to get out on the road in the next 6 months, I hope..... Thank you so much for your videos!! Mercedes, you are so beautiful and so smart to boot, it is awesome to see a man who truly appreciates his wife, I love that aspect of your channel. Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome Teresa 💚 We love hearing that our content is helpful and wish you the very best on your upcoming adventure! Hope to sit around a fire with you. Let us know how it goes :)
Love your videos... Being able to set up and go places...grocery store, site seeing, etc. is a huge consideration to the type of rv you buy. Our first was a class C that we loved, but once set up, we were stuck.
So true!
Really comprehensive set of questions addressed here. Valuable info. Thanks
Spot on buying tips! Looking at the fact you are full time i would add that build quality is mega important. Many rigs look the same but some just don't use the materials and solid build quality for the stress of full time use. Also if, like us, you plan on a lot of state/national parks overall height is very important .... low campground branches eat RV's!
That being said, when I look at what you need to do what you do, your biggest problem will be storage when going smaller. Not so much the clothes. gear and toys but rather all the other "stuff" necessary for full timing. I'm going to vote for an under 35' pull behind travel trailer towed by an E450 cargo van. John, you have the skills in spades to trick out the back of the van for mega storage, seating and play area for Sage! Just like now when camped the tow vehicle is free to tour, go shopping or take Sage to the doctor. If you go with an A, B or C you will have to break camp even to go pick up a bag of doughnuts! I did years of research for our "retirement rig" and for solid made high quality tow behinds I would choose Lance as a BIG #1 or Rockwood as #2.
We look forward to following you shopping journey .... again!!!! ;-p
Andy & Kim & The Kamping Kitties (Mimi & Jojo)
Hey Andy & Kim
Keep these great videos coming. We are currently looking ourselves for an RV. Headed to a dealer on Thursday and so we want take our checkbook, and we will apply the note we took from your video! God Bless and stay safe.
Best of luck and keep us "In the Know" on your progress Jeff :)
New subscriber here! Enjoying all of the informative videos! I grew up in a family of rv’ers but now my husband and I are looking to buy our first travel trailer for weekend camping trips with maybe a couple longer trips throughout the year. We’ve been doing research for years and have gone to dealerships around the Tampa area numerous times and I have to say that what we started out “thinking” we wanted several years ago has changed more times than I can count. We are now looking for a used tt that checks off the most important items on our list and then making it our own and I’m really excited about it!
Welcome to the RV Odd Squad Darlene :) You should consider coming to our Camp out in September :) It's in Venice, FL
Fifth Wheel is always going to be the best way to go for us. Using a Reese hitch that separates into two parts with the heaviest part being 75 lbs although still much easier to manage than the sway bar setup. We rarely remove the fifth wheel hitch.
You hit the nail on the head Steve! That hitch is a bear for me by myself! getting old stinks! LOL
I have spent countless hours researching all types of RV’s. We are a family of 5 and currently part-time in an Airstream 30FB bunk (our 5th RV). I was very tempted by the class A’s but was concerned by the maintenance. But, the biggest turn off was the amount of noise while driving as well as the dash A/C will not cool the rig for the passengers riding behind the captain chairs! That was a deal breaker for us... Something to consider is your comfort while traveling, not just when you arrive at your destination. Good luck in your search... P.S. Travel trailer are very safe as long as you set them up correctly, which I have discovered most people don’t do because it is so hard to get correct information on how to do it...(i.e. proper hitch & adjustment as well as accurate calculation of tow vehicle capacity.)
Great points! Thank you for sharing :)
John & Mercedes, I just found your channel yesterday and I’ve already watched about 10 hours of you two (ok, three with precious Sage!) I so appreciate the timing of this video as I’m about a month into serious research. 95% of the time it’ll be me traveling with two dogs or me with a girlfriend out for 2or 3 weeks at a time, as my husband is still working full time and not sure he’ll even really enjoy the RV lifestyle. I grew up camping and have always loved it, and now that I’m retired I’m itching to go! I’m gravitating toward a B+ Leisure Travel Van or smallish Class C with at least one slide. I know you say to avoid buying new but the newer rigs are so much brighter and more attractive. I hate to spend $70-100k only to be transported back to the ‘70s lol (although a real time machine would be fun.) I’m interested in what you think about cargo limits. I was all fired up about one class C until I found out it could only carry about 900 pounds of cargo/people. This seems like an important buying and safety factor that not many people talk about. Am I missing something? Thanks for welcoming a total newbie.
Hi Dianne
This video right here is right on point and you two have the best videos
Hi John Mercedes, I rate this video a 10!
The details you covered were perfect and thought provoking!
Thank You!
God Bless + 🙂
Wow, thank you! God Bless you as well John
Really enjoyed this one, you two. Good luck on your choice and happy travels!
Glad you enjoyed it Tim :) Thank you as always
You said you "spent the last few days doing a ton of research." You just scratched the surface. It took me 3 months of extensive research to get it down to a short list of 5 or 6 models. I haven't stepped one foot into an RV dealer, but I probably know more than almost any salesperson.
This much I know for certain:
1. Most RVs, regardless of the price, will need many repairs.
2. Most new RVs rapidly depreciate in value.
3. It's not practical to buy one that is top-of-the-line -- even if you can afford it.
4. It's also not practical to buy the cheapest one you can find.
My recommendations:
1. Make a list of your preferences ('must haves' and 'don't wants' -- also consider the weight and size) but be flexible because you'll not find one RV that is perfect.
2. Research the average price of the RV models that meet your criteria. You might find that there is a wide disparity, so stick with dealers within a distance that you're willing to travel.
3. Try to find an RV that is lightly used. Let the previous owner pay for the depreciation and the initial repairs.
Good list 😊👍
1. Most RVs, regardless of the price, will need many repairs.
That's true even for brand new ones. Most RVs are slapped together in the factory and shoved out the door with no QA. It's up to the buyer to find the issues and return to the dealership for repairs. So to that I'll add this:
1a. Your RV is going to break your first time out, and it's going to be in the shop longer than you think - especially right now since RV sales are way up during the pandemic.
What we learned, owning 3 RVs, is that there are a very few quality units out there, mainly those built around 2000-2006 (before the economy cratered) but those are rare and not cheap. Everything else is going to require a bunch of time in the shop unless you are your own repair station. The RV shops are all backed up and you'll be on a waiting list for getting into the shop, then a waiting list for the parts, then a waiting list for the repairs.
Could someone give some name Brand Motor Homes that y’all would recommend I’m really new to this
You guys are the best. Thank you for this information. So useful coming from all your experience.
Our pleasure Wendy!
Amazing work on this video! I sure wish I would have known all of this before we started 6 yrs ago! Love the attention to the small issues...like, can you get to the refrigerator when the slides are in?? So many good things!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you Bob
Great video and advice guys! We bought used and renovated but...have almost killed each other a few times in the process! 😜We didn't want to buy a truck also so we ended up with a Class A but we could definitely see having a Class C for ease of travel. Thanks for the tips!
LOL...Looking forward to your videos :)
Thank you guys for all the info. My husband and I are planning on sale our home and rving full time. I have look at a lot of blogs and I learn from them all. So Thank you so much oh my husband is a truck driver so we're going to be looking at the fifth wheel 😊
You are very welcome 👍😊. Happy to help and hope we cross paths
I thought an outdoor kitchen would be a great idea. Until we were looking a rigs a couple of months ago and actually opened up the door. I'm barely 5'2" -- the bottom of the outdoor kitchen came to my shoulder. I would need a step ladder to use anything in an outdoor kitchen! lol!! So outdoor kitchen is now on our "nope" list. lol!
LOL... soooo true Joel! This is how we build our "nope" lists! LOL....Thanks buddy! :) Had to come back and edit! Joel looks taller than you Stephanie
We have a Riverside Retro 199FKS. 27' 5,200 lbs dinette slie, front kitchen, rear queen bed, three piece bathroom.
We love it! Perfect couples travel trailer AND cute to!!!
Very nice!
We’ve been following your videos for sometime now and you have inspired us. We have started off on the road now ourselves. We decided to do a “coming out” first video. We hope to run into you at some point along the way.
hey guys love your channel i am planing on buying my trailer in a few months and this helped
Great video, lots of great suggestions and advise from real experiences. Thank you
Always happy to help Gus :)
Great video with good info. I think you are biased though to 5th wheels :). We have a Class A and love it. I always ask people if they are a truck person which I can see John is. If so then you would be happier with a 5th wheel. We like site seeing in our little car after we park somewhere and we are not truck people. The best thing to do is to make a list of your wants and needs and then go from there when you are looking around. Also, give yourself time. We started a year before we thought we were going to go live. But we found our dream 3 weeks later and started full-timing 2 months later. It was a pain paying for an apartment for 9 months but we loved getting out and seeing the country. Looking forward to the next video.
LOL...You have John tagged exactly right! He's been a truck guy his whole life :) We see what happens as RV life unfolds...We are open minded :) Thank you as always
We bought a Winnebago Micro Minnie 2106fbs . We bought used . It was a 2016 year model. We already had a F350 truck as we expected to need it for a bigger heavier trailer. It was our dealer who made the difference . We had already been to another national chain dealer and been told we didn't qualify for the quoted prices if it was a cash sale. We left mad and frustrated. We went to a local dealer and found our Minnie. It looked brand new! I think some things were . The mattress , TV, shower door, and couch still had plastic films, and factory labels . It's a tiny little thing and we love it! Perfect for us! It's been over a year and it's in great shape . People fear used but if you examine it carefully , look for any tiny or big problems and buy from a dealer who will replace or repair any faults you found before you buy , you found a good dealer! The neighbors daughter has named our TT the Mickey Mouse House. It's bright red with black graphics.
Good Information. We did a lot of research before buying our Travel Trailer. After living in it for a six week trip, 26 feet feels like 10 feet. Good luck in your next purchase. Following to see what you end up purchasing. Thank you. Take Care.
The longer you stay in one location, the smaller the Rig feels 😊
Very good thoughts for people to consider 🤗 we spent about four months before deciding upon the 2019 Newmar Bay Star Class A... Love the quality and king size bed 🚎 one day we might be interested in selling it and getting a pick up truck, there are some wonderful new features with the newest Ford 250 😀 we saw a beautiful fifth wheel paradigm we might consider in the future... Storage would not be as plentiful as in the Class A on the outside but it had enough, and had a ton of storage on the inside 👍 fun to come across possibilities.... Thanks for your Great ideas! :-)
Happy to help Gretchen 😊
love your suggestions. understood it is not the focus of this video but another thing to consider when buying an RV is the material used and build quality. For sure brand is important, but within the same brand, it varies a lot from model to model. with the experience working in construction, I can probably tell the overall durability by looking at few details such as cabinet fit/finishes, the way they run electrical wires and plumbing pipes... etc
Great video! All great questions to ask. I always wondered who needs an outside rv cooking station. Or an outside tv. Lol I’m between a used revel or travato npe once I’m stateside again be well! Love that Sage was in the video I always include my little guy too.
Looking forward to you getting Stateside :)
QBNTO1 My life In Okinawa I agree on the outside tv 🤷🏻♀️ and I LOVE Tv!
Hi guys. My wife passed away last year and now I’m alone in a two bedroom, two bath house. I’m considering selling all my property and buying an RV. I have grandkids in a neighboring state also and would like to be able to go back and forth to see them, along with the option to be able to take them to see some of our wonderful country. I guess what I’m asking
Uh oh.!
Well what I wanted to say was what would you suggest? I’m almost 70 years old but still in good health.
We love our lives Bill. Those Grandchildren would have a great time 👍😊
I looked for 3 years before purchasing both new truck and 5th wheel last year 2020 F-450 Platinum and 2021 Grand Design 310 GK. , I’m single now, but have 1 daughter (&husband) & 1 granddaughter in North Carolina, and another daughter (& her husband) in New Mexico. Selling my house in next 4-8 weeks. Traveling coast to coast to see daughters and families, and seeing the country. I grew up traveling and camping with parents and three brothers, went from tents, pop up tent trailers and 21 ft. 1970 Shasta trailer. Spent most of our time in National Parks during that time.
I drove from San Diego County, to Lazy Days in Tuscan - large company, can get repaired at any of their facilities. The local dealer, was more interested in getting you to sign, and had smaller bays and service,never seemed to be opened all the different times I would drop by. Don’t know if trailer dealer was related to the Camping World across the parking lot, seemed all to be interrelated. I only got l30% off MSRP. Happy Trails
Class C
Well you answered my question. I wouldn't go to you know where to purchase either! A great view for the options through out all the RV world. Looking forward to seeing the results of the next episode. SAFE TRAVELS
Glad it was helpful!
Good explanation. We had a fifth wheel long time ago. Then we had a big class a. We just sold it bought a new class c. We wanted to be able to access more campgrounds. So far the class c is my favorite. I like the normal van front end with the normal seating position, windshield and doors that open. It pulls my Jeep just fine.
Good job guys . Very informative. I'm 30 years old along with my gf. And we are dead set on living on the road. And a fifth wheeler will be our choice. Everything you post and show to the world we take in and appreciate. You guys have taught us so much. Thankyou for all you guys do and keep it up. Stay blessed ,stay safe!!
Best regards Danny C.
We love helping where we can 😊👍. Thank you Danny
@Coolride17 thanks for the advice. great advice at that lol. Dually is most likely the way to go for us. And used will be the best bet. Mainly because I want those headaches that usually arise to be taken care by someone else already. Getting the truck is my biggest bet after that the rest will be history. Pulling the trigger on a truck probably will be the kicker. Leaning towards a solid GMC DUALLY. preferably a newer one, in Hope's of getting some of that newer technology. Thanks agian Coolride!
I am really enjoying your videos. My daughter and son-in-law have been doing full time living since August and love it. We went from tent camping for our entire lives to a pop up 3 years ago and it was a great improvement. FYI the images you had for a pop up were not true pop up. The were either tear drops, very small hard shell or a hard shell with a pop out feature. For us, this slow stepping up process works till we consider going full time. We are currently hoping to buy a used hybrid for this summer but as you said.....even the private sellers are raising their prices so we are trying to be patient. Thanks again, enjoyed very much.
Always happy to help Judi 💚👍😊
It was fun seeing my travel trailer in your video. I picked a travel trailer because it wasn’t expensive and I could tow it with my then 1/2 ton truck. I wasn’t going to live in it full time, I wanted to boondock and my property has trees I would have to cut down to get a 5th wheel on it. I’d also have to get yet another truck, not cool when you’re buying $60-$70k trucks every 3 years.
One of the dumbest things I did was what you said, not renting before buying. One of the coolest aspects was steadily getting better at maneuvering the RV anywhere.
Yes, we all get better with experience 😊
Just traded our toyhauler TT for a Class A in May. Best thing we’ve done. Will tow either a car or a trailer with our motorcycles depending on season and destination. One advise going forward... never buy from Camping World especially if you are financing. Even the parts/store section is way more expensive than on line. Try to buy local to your home base. We are experiencing some issues after having bought from Matt. Ocala is almost 6 hours away and we are having warranty issues on the floor and windshield. It’s hard to get service locally if you do not buy locally. Luckily NIRVC is close (1 hour away vs 6 to Ocala) and they are so big and really good that we have an alternative. If you like Class A’s, find an NIRVC close to you if you do not buy from Matt. IMO
Great advice Scott! Stay away from CW
This is interesting, we have had our TT for a year now, and are already looking to upgrade. And the biggest reason is like what you said, we upgraded our tow vehicle so now we can get what we wanted.
Awesome!
Thank you for these very informative videos. You guys rock!
Thanks you guys you guys are really great I really appreciate all the effort and the information that you provide you are truly a champion love you both
We have a class A and never tow, we either rent a car or Uber if needed, also that front space is very usable, seat swivel around and become part of living room with a nice table that sits between those great captain chairs.
Well once again Ring the 🛎 school is in session. You guys are awesome and so educational. Thanks for sharing. Kristy and I are taking Notes. Be safe . Blessings from Gettysburg.
Happy to help 💚👍😊. Blessings back brutha!
Boy am I glad I found your channel! Our family is in the process of selling our home and buying an RV due to military orders. This will be our last duty station before my husband retires in a couple years and we will be full time until then. My emotions are all over the place with excitement and stress right now and your videos have been so helpful in easing my mind with all of the information you share. Thank you so much!!!
We love serving those who serve our Country! Shoot us an email if you have any questions. Would love to talk when we get a minute.... Thank you Kayla
We knew we wanted a trailer. The major deal for us was a unit we could use with the slides in. The Surveyor 250 fks is perfect for that. What we didn't love was the couch. 1/3 of it is a chaise so there was a pull out under the other that made it into a bed. We pulled out the chaise and are using the love seat. It's better! We lost some storage, but we have room for stackable bins and a place to tuck in the fan and heater!
Love the inside info! Thank you Candie!
I'm looking into buying a travel trailer bunkhouse and I find this very useful , thank you so much
This has answered a lot and brought up things I had not even thought of
Happy to help Jason :)
Very interesting video, I think the smart ratio would be 75% researching on line and maybe 25% at dealership. Knowing what you want and even the willingness to wait for a special order is a big advantage in the purchase. We rented 1 first and were immediately able to rule out many options due to small showers and bathrooms.
Thank you Gene 😊
Great Video guys one of my favorite channels!
Wow, thanks!
Love your videos! We're just entertaining the idea of renting a Class A and driving cross country and you've been so informative. This was probably the best video I've seen so far, but I'm just starting. One suggestion on something I just learned. I would suggest people find out if their current vehicle is towable. We thought we could tow my wife's 4runner but found out we can't. So that is something very important to consider. I also looked up the specs on my new Ram 1500 only to learn that I'd probably want to upgrade that to a 3/4 ton if I went with a 5th wheel. Thank you for touching on that! Keep up the good work! p.s.- also watched your video on your 911 incident and that was something we never considered. I am former law enforcement as well (and paranoid according to my better half) so it's good to bring this to her attention, not from me, but from you! Thanks!
We LOVE the super C’s with the Ford F-550 with the bunks they are beautiful!
M has to be able to drive it :)
I am a few years out from purchasing a RV but have been doing tons of research in the meantime. My wife and I both drive for a living so we are leaning toward a diesel RV, plus they have a lot of storage underneath, not to mention better fuel mileage 😁 just subscribed !
You’re absolutely right the most important tip is to buy your RV for what you’re going to use it for. In my case I’m not planning on staying at campgrounds or trailer parks for extended periods. I prefer boondocking or overnight stays and short trips. I’m a farmer so I need a truck for the farm and don’t want the expense of another vehicle so we went with a truck camper. I sold my old truck and found a truck/camper being sold as a package deal. Truck and camper were in immaculate and hardly used condition. 2008 GMC 3500 diesel 4wd dually. The camper a 2007 Lance 992 with 2 slide outs and the camper is still accessible with the slide outs in. Plenty of room for the two of us or if we take our granddaughter along and the dog. I’m going to upgrade the onboard TV to larger HD model. We bought a portable 100w solar panel to charge the batteries and a small portable propane BBQ to cook outside using the outside propane line. We just bought the unit last September so haven’t had much camping in yet but will be this year.
Great advice on a lot of topics. One thing you forgot to mention is towing your vehicle behind an RV. You have to make sure that the transmission can handle being towed. Some automatics will burn up (even in neutral) when towed for any distance.
Great point 👍😊
How exciting. I am going from small to big. Starting with my Pruis! EEEK. Many blessings!!
Many Blessings back Sara 💚 Let us know how you make out :)
I have a super class C, 600hp Volvo chassis, four slide outs, 3 heat pumps, 3 TVs & 2 satellite receivers, ceramic heated floors throughout, electric fireplace & gas heating in the winter. It’s a Haulmark. Super Class C’s are neat. Only drawback: 45 ft
👍😊
Hi Guys, My wife and I have had a camper, three class A's one Class C and one 40 ft. fifth wheel and now a 25 ft travel trailer. They all were great for the time. We lost a lot of money on most of them but no regrets. God has given us a wonderful life. P. s. the class C had almost unbearable engine noise from the "Dog House" between the seats. Just have fun.
You can't put a price tag on moments with Family and traveling our beautiful country
Great input..we are now full time in Florida this month sit up in Bradenton area then we take the car all over on day trips.
I love my truck camper. Brand new, paid for, powerful solar set up (runs my rooftop ac indefinitely), park anywhere, Cummins diesel doesn't even notice it, and all the luxuries of home.
I love the truck campers
@Coolride17
I had to actually tap my brakes while going over the mountain passes in Georgia, while semis were crawling with their hazard lights on. The Cummins is the boss.
This was very informative thank you.
Great content, this is our dream, praying and hoping that someday we will be able to live this dream. Stay safe and God bless
Excellent video with tons of good information, good job!
Glad it was helpful Caroline!
We started out tenting, then a pop up camper, then a travel trailer. Now on our third class C. We only had problems with our Whirlpool fridge. Otherwise our 2021 Thor 31W has been great. Biggest headache has been finding a Ford dealer to do the recalls. Ford stepped in and got a dealer to do it but it took a long time. If I could go back I think I may have gotten a fifth wheel all those years ago. They give you a lot of room and I think 35 ft would be big enough. Love you guys videos.
We bought used (oldy but goody) and then we got a new rig. Great video, great advise...thank you!
We think this is the ideal way to know exactly what you want 😊
Really good information. Thank you.
Thank you for all of the great advice, you both Rock !
Our pleasure Knapp Daddy!! Happy to help
Really enjoyed watching this content! 👍🏻
We found we need a king bed in our next rig, no more queen for my 6 foot 3 husband and I, we have seen some that we could take out a built in nightstand and put a king in. Also I do most of the driving so no fifth wheel or class A , we love the class C, great video as always guys !
We are looking at the Grand Design Imagine 2500RL for our retirement RV. We have looked at so many different ones and both my husband and I think this has plenty of room for 2.
Awesome! Let us know which way you go 👍😊