New New and More New

[TJ&LadyDi]

Welcome to RVF, @MicaPica; glad to have you here.

If I may, let me suggest that you first visit some reputable RV dealers and just walk through as many as you possibly can. Leave your checkbook and credit card at home; just go look around and envision how you would use the space in the various floor plans. Finding the best floor plan for you is a critical first step.

You haven't said what you plan to pull your RV with. Do you have something suitable? Or, are you planning to buy a tow vehicle as well? That's an important consideration.

I know you said you are anxious to get started on your RV adventure and, believe me, we understand. That said, I strongly encourage you to take a deep breath, relax and do your homework. Floor plans, tow vehicles, etc. are important considerations. Getting in a hurry and taking shortcuts is a recipe for disappointment. You can do this, but please take a little extra time and do it well. You will be very glad you did.

As for hooking things up at the campground, that's easy and we can give you some pointers. Same goes for hooking up to the tow vehicle. Those are the easy things to do.

TJ

 

[MicaPica]

Welcome to RVF, @MicaPica; glad to have you here.

If I may, let me suggest that you first visit some reputable RV dealers and just walk through as many as you possibly can. Leave your checkbook and credit card at home; just go look around and envision how you would use the space in the various floor plans. Finding the best floor plan for you is a critical first step.

You haven't said what you plan to pull your RV with. Do you have something suitable? Or, are you planning to buy a tow vehicle as well? That's an important consideration.

I know you said you are anxious to get started on your RV adventure and, believe me, we understand. That said, I strongly encourage you to take a deep breath, relax and do your homework. Floor plans, tow vehicles, etc. are important considerations. Getting in a hurry and taking shortcuts is a recipe for disappointment. You can do this, but please take a little extra time and do it well. You will be very glad you did.

As for hooking things up at the campground, that's easy and we can give you some pointers. Same goes for hooking up to the tow vehicle. Those are the easy things to do.

TJ

Hi TJ, and thank you for the info. I will be visiting the nearest to me RV dealers just to look, yes, in fact, starting tomorrow AM. There is one an hour or so away that seems to have decent Google reviews, FWIW. I will start there. Then there is another a little closer in. I will check that one out too.

My vehicle is a 2002 Escalade that is well-maintained and a V8. Basically it is a GMC truck with badges on it. I have had everything done to it, never let it "go," and it has four new tires most recently. It SAYS it can tow 7400-8400 lbs in the owner's manual. I hope that it's going to be ok as a tow vehicle because the idea of buying a used truck scares me more than buying a used RV. And I would rather spend money on a new RV than a new truck. I may be able to buy a new RV, I don't need a huge one, but I am not necessarily wanting the smallest thing with no features either.

Making a list of things I "would" like. Just watched a neat video about a solo woman in a Basecamp Airstream, in fact. Tiny but that has its advantages too, maneuverability and lighter weight, etc. I would "like" the first RV I buy to be the right one for me, of course, and not have regrets as I go along. I plan to see the country, mostly in non-hot places. I am sick to death of hot places (long story). Whatever I get needs to be good for snow, cold. All-weather, I think it is called? I might end up in Canada for all I know, at least as a trip sometime (Jasper?). Colorado? Dakotas. Places like that. Mountains, pines. That is what I like best. No need for beaches, palms, heat, been there done that! YMMV! I think I am fairly adaptable (long story but I lived in a tent building a custom home in a remote area with an ex husband once), and I have "camped" but only in cabins in state parks. I would like a decent bed and a fireplace would be neat. Tech - I need good internet (no idea how that works in RVs, don't care about TV at all if I can stream stuff on Prime/etc. or download movies from somewhere). That's off the top of my head for now anyway.

I don't want to rush, as you said, but I am motivated to get out of my situation before, say, snow hits up in the Dakotas. I don't know anyone and have no living family, but I am a capable person and somewhat of a tomboyish type. I can learn, and take videos, and notes. I ask questions. I research. Thank you again!

 

[BGMAC]

Welcome to the forum. Best of luck on your search. I looked around the web for campers under 7000lbs. I don’t like towing a trailer at max weight. It tends to be uncomfortable towing especially up and down hills.
here is a listing of several trailers that might fit your needs:

Travel Trailers Under 7000 lbs - 13 Top Choices!

It used to be easy to find travel trailers under 7000 lbs, but weights are increasing. We've found 13 campers that are towable by 1/2 ton or SUVs!

scanneranswers.com

below is one where the trailer dry weight is 4800 lbs with GVWR of 7000lbs and it has your fireplace.

Lance Camper | Truck Campers, Travel Trailers and Enduro

Lance Camper builds America's favorite truck camper and ultra light weight travel trailers all DSI award winning and eco green friendly.

www.lancecamper.com

Now I don’t know much about the trailers. Maybe others can chime in.

good luck.

 

[MicaPica]

Welcome to the forum. Best of luck on your search. I looked around the web for campers under 7000lbs. I don’t like towing a trailer at max weight. It tends to be uncomfortable towing especially up and down hills.
here is a listing of several trailers that might fit your needs:

Travel Trailers Under 7000 lbs - 13 Top Choices!

It used to be easy to find travel trailers under 7000 lbs, but weights are increasing. We've found 13 campers that are towable by 1/2 ton or SUVs!

scanneranswers.com

below is one where the trailer dry weight is 4800 lbs with GVWR of 7000lbs and it has your fireplace.

Lance Camper | Truck Campers, Travel Trailers and Enduro

Lance Camper builds America's favorite truck camper and ultra light weight travel trailers all DSI award winning and eco green friendly.

www.lancecamper.com

Now I don’t know much about the trailers. Maybe others can chime in.

good luck.

Thank you!!

 

[MicaPica]

Welcome aboard, MicaPica. Gabe says Hi.

View attachment 2882

and PS - Gabe is one handsome dawggeh!

 

[BGMAC]

Well, here are ours. They travel with us and have picked their own favorite spots.

 

[MicaPica]

Welcome to the forum. Best of luck on your search. I looked around the web for campers under 7000lbs. I don’t like towing a trailer at max weight. It tends to be uncomfortable towing especially up and down hills.
here is a listing of several trailers that might fit your needs:

Travel Trailers Under 7000 lbs - 13 Top Choices!

It used to be easy to find travel trailers under 7000 lbs, but weights are increasing. We've found 13 campers that are towable by 1/2 ton or SUVs!

scanneranswers.com

below is one where the trailer dry weight is 4800 lbs with GVWR of 7000lbs and it has your fireplace.

Lance Camper | Truck Campers, Travel Trailers and Enduro

Lance Camper builds America's favorite truck camper and ultra light weight travel trailers all DSI award winning and eco green friendly.

www.lancecamper.com

Now I don’t know much about the trailers. Maybe others can chime in.

good luck.

Thank you so much! I am discouraged a bit after driving a long way to see RVs in a dealership yesterday. The dealership was highly rated and all but they had very little inventory and only brands they wanted to push. I know nothing about any of this, but I am finding out that certain RVs are just "unavailable" right now. Maybe it is the times we are in, I don't know, but everything I look at and want to check out seems to be gone, snapped up, out of stock, etc. Nothing in my area, much at all. I guess you have to call and reserve something or make a commitment to order something. I don't know. This may be a bit too much for me to handle. Everything I read and watch just adds to confusion and lots of contradictions. Ha, I guess that's the internet for you. "No you cannot use your SUV as a tow vehicle." "Yes it will be fine." "No a lighter travel trailer will not be warm enough for the SD area or cold climates." "Yes you can make it work." On and on. Gah!~

 

[sheridany]

Welcome to the forum. The rv dealers are seeing a surge of sales activity as a result of people look for alternative ways to travel. I would start on line and find the rv that you think would meet your needs budget etc. It’s a bit of work but you will become more informed along the way. Ask questions here on the forum as the forum is adding lots of new members every day who will be able to answer your questions. With that, you should be able to narrow down your choices and if towing that can be figured out. One thing you might want to try renting using websites like outdoorsy and that might help you determine what kind of RV you want. They bring it to you and set it up. RV ownership is a journey and being informed will help you enjoy it that much more. Good Luck.

 

[MicaPica]

Welcome to the forum. The rv dealers are seeing a surge of sales activity as a result of people look for alternative ways to travel. I would start on line and find the rv that you think would meet your needs budget etc. It’s a bit of work but you will become more informed along the way. Ask questions here on the forum as the forum is adding lots of new members every day who will be able to answer your questions. With that, you should be able to narrow down your choices and if towing that can be figured out. One thing you might want to try renting using websites like outdoorsy and that might help you determine what kind of RV you want. They bring it to you and set it up. RV ownership is a journey and being informed will help you enjoy it that much more. Good Luck.

Oddly enough Outdoorsy was the first thing I tried and I went back and forth about renting a travel trailer with a couple and they said I needed this and that - all kinds of stuff I had no idea what. About the towing I guess. They were not too helpful so I think they wanted an experienced renter to just come to their place all ready to tow it away etc. Makes sense I guess but that means a new person with no idea of what is required to tow a million different rental RVs will be pretty confused and outta luck.

 

[ARD]

Hi @MicaPica and welcome to RVForums. I think you'll have fun once you make a purchase and get to use it. Another of our members, @ARD, bought a monster Class A and hit the road. I think the only instructions she had was the ones they gave her as they shoved her out the door.

And she's doing fine. Well, the last time we heard from her she was going OK. Wait, come to think of it, has anyone heard from Ard in awhile???

Bahahah. @Jim I'm still kicking and chilling in Montana. @MicaPica welcome to the family! You are about to enter into a grand adventure. I am very happy for you. The members here are wonderful and generous with their time and help. Hope to see you on the road.