Hello from AZ

[Boingo]

Hey there .. My wife & I have started the search for an RV. I've been bumping around this forum & gathered a ton of info. Still trying to figure out what we want. It changes week to week. . Wanna make sure we get it right. Thanks in advance for any & all help.

 

[BGMAC]

Welcome to the forum

 

[John&Andrea]

Welcome to the group. Happy shopping! Many members here can answer your questions as you look for an RV.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Advice!!! Try to look past the glitter. Function will be the biggest asset!!!.

Welcome!

 

[RandyB]

Welcome. I've sent you a private message.

 

[wiscampsin]

Welcome from Wisconsin. Take your time and enjoy doing your research.

 

[Weighit]

Welcome, doesn't matter if your looking new or used many new buyers and actually some of us repeat buyers get taken in by the glitz and glamor of the rig and miss all the important things to look at and for. Might want to watch a few you tube videos put out by Blue Ox Rv inspections to see some of the items they check for on an inspection. Just a suggestion.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Welcome, doesn't matter if your looking new or used many new buyers and actually some of us repeat buyers get taken in by the glitz and glamor of the rig and miss all the important things to look at and for. Might want to watch a few you tube videos put out by Blue Ox Rv inspections to see some of the items they check for on an inspection. Just a suggestion.

And make a must-have checklist to help keep focused while shopping. .

People without shopping lists come home with stuff they don't need, and typically without what they went for!!!! It is the same in every market.

 

[Wemustrv]

Hey there .. My wife & I have started the search for an RV. I've been bumping around this forum & gathered a ton of info. Still trying to figure out what we want. It changes week to week. . Wanna make sure we get it right. Thanks in advance for any & all h

 

[Wemustrv]

Hello Boingo from Ely Iowa. First narrow down to what type of unit you want. Then decide what layout you want. Make a list of must haves and like to have and start the search. Build a spreadsheet of the units you like and start. From here you start communications with sellers and then narrow to 2-4 units a either hire an inspector or go look at them, Good Luck!

 

[Tom in PA]

Welcome to our RV family... your new home on wheels.
Some advice here from a veteran, both military and RV. As others have said, decide how you will use your rig; A week or two at a time...or four months snowbirding. This is where space is a consideration. 40-45' with four slideouts should give any couple enough private space to make living aboard in a new place enjoyable for months.
Short trips? Get something smaller.
The important part: Buying an RV is not the same as buying a car and there are no guarantees that everything that isn't working when you take delivery will get fixed immediately...generally not. I could write a book on the buying process and the internet is flush with agonizing stories of broken promises...a great many having to do with Camping World.
Buying a brand new motorhome is not a good idea financially or if you plan to actually use it. There will be many items that aren't working that the manufacturer expects the dealer to fix. That usually doesn't happen until the coach is sold to you and then on your fist trip you discover the problems. Your coach goes back to the dealer where it can wait weeks or longer "for parts."
It has been my experience that a two-to-six year-old, clean used RV would be a better experiene because the original owner suffered the enormous depreciation and fixed all the problems. Golden years for a Diesel coach might be 30,000-60,000 miles on the speedometer. The Diesel engine and drive train together are good for 250,000 miles or better with proper care.
All of this is based on Class A motorhomes. Trailers and 5th wheels are very popular right now and you'll need a good truck to pull one. Driving these rigs can be more challenging than a conventional motorhome and backing into a camp site is late afternoon entertainment in RV parks. They are not designed for really cold weather usage.
Recommendations? Tiffin owners love the support they get from the home base in Red Bay, Alabama.
Late model American Eagle coaches hae a lot of bang for the buck and are well-built. One bug that I see lurking in American Coach is the very long slidewall that is moved in and out by four electric motors, synchronized by a small computer. That wall is about 80% of the length of the entire coach. It would be difficult to retract that slidewall under emergency conditions without a lot of help. In fairness, I've never heard of one failing.
If you've got the bucks and want to go large, a converted 45' Prevost bus is the most ruggedly-built coach you'll find anywhere. Service is available almost anywhere in the US & Canada.
Older Class A's from Monaco, Tiffin, Newmar, Travel Supreme and, to some degree Sportcoach can be good deals on generally reliable rigs. I'd avoid Entergra.
All of the above coaches are Diesel powered. The ideal would be a pre-DEF coach with lower mileage (under 70,000).
There will be many who will disagree with me... this note is only an opinion. So do your reseach!
Final advice on fixing things: Follow the ground!