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Planning our adventure... advice appreciated


Gspizz

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A few years back I got into the Tiny House craze.. as a single mom, disabled, on a fixed income.. it seemed like a good option. Family offered to help with cost once my girls were off to college and on their own. Then I met an awesome man, who also liked my idea. After researching, it was clear that we are more the full time RV type. Waiting on our three teenage children to graduate high school, but have started looking and learning. I am hoping y'all can help us out.

 

We decided on buying new, once he retires the funds are available. Going for a 5th wheel. (tell us about your favorite ones) We have one in mind that we really liked... we looked and walked through tons of them... but want to hear what others have to say.

 

Downsizing is easy, kids can have what they want for their first places (I promised to pay for storage for an extra year or two while in dorms). Both of us have certain items that we will never get rid of... making sure our rig can accommodate them. Not a lot of stuff... but.

 

As for options??? We have our own ideas, but hoping to get some input from others.

 

solar power... yes

window awnings - yes

upgrading suspension/auto levelers... duh

surge protectors .. yes

the big fancy refrigerator? heck no... smaller one is fine

slide out toppers vs. awnings... give me your opinions

 

 

Ok.. so.. I will check back soon to see what great ideas... or horror stories... you guys can share!!

Happy Monday!

Gspizz

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Welcome aboard and good luck in your search!! At this stage of the process you are doing the right things by planning, researching and looking...I would encourage you to read the many topics in this site, there are hundreds, and don't let things overwhelm you at first. If you already have an idea about the type of RV you want I would find their "owners group" that almost every make/model has on Facebook or other social media outlets and read the experiences of folks that have that type of RV. Their feedback could save you lots of money and time!!




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We decided on buying new, once he retires the funds are available. Going for a 5th wheel. (tell us about your favorite ones) We have one in mind that we really liked... we looked and walked through tons of them... but want to hear what others have to say.

 

I recommend joining the RV Consumer Group, www.rv.org, and getting their towables rating CD plus all their other educational material. The ratings won't tell you which fifth wheel to buy, but it will go a long way in helping to weed out the good from the bad.

 

 

 

slide out toppers vs. awnings... give me your opinions

 

Slide out toppers and awnings have two different purposes...awnings shade your windows, slide toppers keep stuff from accumulating on the top of your slide.

 

We've had window awnings and I like them. Our current rig has slide toppers, something I would not have gotten if we'd ordered the rig. We don't camp any place where stuff would get on top of the slide (leaves, snow, etc.), so for us they're not necessary. What I don't like about slide toppers is if the wind picks up, and depending on the direction of the wind, we have to bring the slides in to keep the toppers from beating themselves to death, and to stop the flapping noise.

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

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Slide out toppers and awnings have two different purposes...awnings shade your windows, slide toppers keep stuff from accumulating on the top of your slide.

 

 

 

 

Like DW wrote : Rather than slide toppers, I would get slide awnings. That's what we have and wouldn't be without them. They help with sun, help keep the slide top clean and the added privacy is priceless. The full awnings don't seem to be as noisy as just a topper and they also do not collect water in the rain. The full awning also provides some protection to parts of the seals from water/rain and sun.

 

Ours are like the front awning in this pic :

 

omega.jpg

Goes around , comes around .

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Welcome! You're certainly ahead of the curve by doing your research first. There is a lot of excellent info available on the forum and never hesitate to ask specific questions.

 

Advice? Consider all aspects of your prospective rig. Floor plan of course, but if you ARE planning on solar you also want to consider the roof layout, battery compartment and "natural" wiring path. Is there adequate space for a productive panel layout with minimal shading issues? Is the battery compartment of sufficient size to accommodate an adequately sized battery bank? Are your waste vales easily accessible? Those types of things. After purchase modifications can get spendy rather quickly. Those are just some examples, but you're buying a "whole package".

 

The other thing that comes to mind is deciding to buy new or a gently used 1 or 2 year old. There are a GREAT number of first time RV owners that walk away with what they feel will be the "perfect" rig for them... only to find out rather quickly that there are elements that just drive them crazy. 1 year anniversary "upgrades" or "switch-overs" are VERY common. With a new rig.. switching out within a year or two.. you'll eat a lot of your initial investment. If you're financing.. you can even find yourselves upside-down on your rig. A 1 or 2 year old would minimize the "sting" if you choose to trade out your rig.

 

I'm sure others will chime in, but first owner headaches (working out warranty issues) can push some folks right out of the life. Many choose 1 or 2 year olds simply to avoid the "break in" period.

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Welcome! You're certainly ahead of the curve by doing your research first. There is a lot of excellent info available on the forum and never hesitate to ask specific questions.

 

Advice? Consider all aspects of your prospective rig. Floor plan of course, but if you ARE planning on solar you also want to consider the roof layout, battery compartment and "natural" wiring path. Is there adequate space for a productive panel layout with minimal shading issues? Is the battery compartment of sufficient size to accommodate an adequately sized battery bank? Are your waste vales easily accessible? Those types of things. After purchase modifications can get spendy rather quickly. Those are just some examples, but you're buying a "whole package".

 

The other thing that comes to mind is deciding to buy new or a gently used 1 or 2 year old. There are a GREAT number of first time RV owners that walk away with what they feel will be the "perfect" rig for them... only to find out rather quickly that there are elements that just drive them crazy. 1 year anniversary "upgrades" or "switch-overs" are VERY common. With a new rig.. switching out within a year or two.. you'll eat a lot of your initial investment. If you're financing.. you can even find yourselves upside-down on your rig. A 1 or 2 year old would minimize the "sting" if you choose to trade out your rig.

 

I'm sure others will chime in, but first owner headaches (working out warranty issues) can push some folks right out of the life. Many choose 1 or 2 year olds simply to avoid the "break in" period.

 

 

 

 

 

Not to mention the huge depreciation factor!! You can save yourself a whole lot of money and as Yarome pointed out...eliminate some headaches by buying used!!




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as Yarome pointed out...eliminate some headaches by buying used!!

 

Unless you wind up buying someone else's headache. We prefer to buy new so we don't have to fix someone else's fix.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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You mentioned not wanting a big frig. Think about that. You will be full-time, so will want room to keep condiments, milk, eggs, butter, etc or other things you use on a regular basis in there all the time( pop/soda, beer). Then you will have the items like cottage cheese, lunchmeat, orange juice, etc that you may buy sometimes. With a small frig, you will also need to go to the store every few days to replenish supplies. When boondocking, you may not want to go to the store every few days ( I assume that's why you want solar). We have the large refrigerator and are able to keep food just like we did in the house. The larger freezers are a real bonus.

Pat DeJong

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You mentioned not wanting a big frig. Think about that.

 

Good points! I would MUCH prefer a larger reefer.. even traveling as a single.. but I give up space for the ability to run LP. There are alternatives to shopping the way you do now that don't require a large reefer, but it DOES require an adjustment to your menu, requires more work and planning and is not nearly as convenient.

 

It's all a trade-off depending on what your priorities are in your chosen lifestyle.

 

OT, but someone should start a thread on grocery strategies/alternatives for the long/er term boondocker. I don't think I've ever run across one before. ;)

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I don't know what you mean when you say "small refrigerator". If it's the normal 2-door that they put in most RVs, we have found it to have plenty of room and we certainly didn't go shopping every couple days. We'd re-package our meats for one meal servings and we could get 21 days of meals in our freezer along with frozen vegetables, frozen lunchmeat and cheese for sandwiches, and misc. The refrigerator part held a gallon of milk which would last a week, condiments and fresh veggies for a week. We boondocked a lot and once a week groceries or longer was the norm for us. It worked well for us. Residential refrigerators weren't 'in style' when we got our motorhome.

 

We've only had slide toppers but we did have separate awnings which are highly recommended. Awnings keep out a lot of sun and also add some privacy. I can't recall having to close the slide because of winds. Some toppers are adjusted so they're tight but we've seen some with a droop. Those would flop around.

 

Solar was a necessity for us as we loved to boondock in a quiet atmosphere. They generate electric all day long and you don't even realize it. We had 300w which was plenty for us as we were mostly in the West where sun shines more.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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..we have found it to have plenty of room and we certainly didn't go shopping every couple days.

..we could get 21 days of meals in our freezer

We boondocked a lot and once a week groceries or longer was the norm for us.

 

I agree, but for some they might need to make some menu changes to be able to do that. If you stick to basic meal ingredients they're not too bad. But some folks like their ice cream, popsicles, that frozen juice cans, prepared meals/pizza, etc. They take up a lot of room without much real "value" meal-wise. IMO. Just the space for an ice cream.. that's at least a weeks worth of proteins. Just personal choices.

 

I "can" go over a month on a full "standard sized" reefer and canned vegetables, but let's face it.. canned produce get's old REAL quick if you don't gotta. :P

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I don't know what you mean when you say "small refrigerator". If it's the normal 2-door that they put in most RVs, we have found it to have plenty of room and we certainly didn't go shopping every couple days. We'd re-package our meats for one meal servings and we could get 21 days of meals in our freezer along with frozen vegetables, frozen lunchmeat and cheese for sandwiches, and misc. The refrigerator part held a gallon of milk which would last a week, condiments and fresh veggies for a week. We boondocked a lot and once a week groceries or longer was the norm for us. It worked well for us. Residential refrigerators weren't 'in style' when we got our motorhome.

 

We've only had slide toppers but we did have separate awnings which are highly recommended. Awnings keep out a lot of sun and also add some privacy. I can't recall having to close the slide because of winds. Some toppers are adjusted so they're tight but we've seen some with a droop. Those would flop around.

 

Solar was a necessity for us as we loved to boondock in a quiet atmosphere. They generate electric all day long and you don't even realize it. We had 300w which was plenty for us as we were mostly in the West where sun shines more.

the normal size refrigerator in most rv's is perfect.. in some of the new 5th wheels we are looking at had refrigerators larger than what we have in our apartment... and we do not need that!

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as Yarome pointed out...eliminate some headaches by buying used!!

Unless you wind up buying someone else's headache. We prefer to buy new so we don't have to fix someone else's fix.

While I may not be as expert as some here, I very much agree with Sandy on this. We have owned 7 RVs of the past 35 years, 4 used and 3 new and we will never buy another used RV. It is a popular myth that a recent model used RV has fewer problems than new, but that has not been our experience. It is true that used RVs do not have warranty issues but that is because they don't come with a warranty! The key is to buy a quality RV, whether new or used if you don't want to spend a lot of time working on it, or money to get it repaired. As a career service tech I have done the majority of the work on our RVs myself to save money, but I don't buy them to work one but prefer to use ours. If memory serves, we had one warranty repair visit for each of our three new RVs. Our current RV was one that came with a 2 year warranty and the only warranty repair was at 15 months of age and only 1 item. If you take the advice to join the RV Consumer Group and use the information that they supply to new members, you will avoid many of the potential problems or any RV purchase.

 

When it comes to giving advice, a great deal of mine would depend upon how much you already know about this lifestyle. Since you don't say how much RV experience you have, it is very difficult to advise without risk of needless repetition of information. If you have not done so, I strongly recommend that you read at least one book on RV living and two or three would be better. Your local library would be a good place to start and when ready to buy one, I suggest a visit to Amazon and the book section. You can also learn a great deal by visiting the websites and blogs of those who post here and many of us have a link to our sites in the signature line of what we post here. I would extend a personal invitation to start with Pam's & my website but take the time to visit as many as you are able as there is a great deal of experience and advice given on member sites.

 

If you share a little bit more about yourselves here we can probably offer better advice. Feel free to ask any and all questions here and to start threads at any time. Helping others is what the Escapees RV Club and this website are all about! Thank you for spending your valuable time with us! :D

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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It is a popular myth that a recent model used RV has fewer problems than new

 

Myth? I certainly wouldn't go that far. You've been extremely fortunate. Just my current rig.. in it's first year of life major issues resolved included:

 

1. Slightly misaligned axle that caused extreme uneven tire wear. Axle replaced as well as all 5 tires (spare included).

2. Improper caulking used around the skylight causing a reaction that caused cracking/breakage. Skylight replaced.

3. LP line improperly routed along the underside of the frame and the U-bolts were crushing the LP line. LP line re-routed.

 

All told.. multiple service repairs totaled almost 4 months in the shop. None of those issues would have been apparent at the time of purchase.

 

As a full-timer I certainly couldn't afford 4 months without my own bed. Immediate depreciation thrown into the mix... I'll hold to my superstitions. B)

 

On edit: 4 years of full-time use since I acquired it.. not a single issue. YMMV

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One thing that has not been mentioned is your tow vehicle. Do not listen to the salesman that xyz vehicle can tow your 5th. Determine this yourself. You want to be able to drive and stop your 5th with confidence. This will take a lot of research on your part once you decide which 5th you are actually interested in. If you already have a tow vehicle that will be your limiting factor.

 

I feel most important in selecting a 5th is the floor plan. You need to make sure it is livable for you. Our initial requirements for a floor plan is walk around bed, bathroom access when all slides are in and refrigerator access when all slides are in, That is our starting point.

 

You can always add awnings, slide toppers and other things. You need to get the basics down first. Since you are going new some things will come as standard on your 5th, depends on packages and mfg. I know you are getting a feel for what you need but so many things are personal decisions. We love slide toppers, help with the heat and cold plus keeps the top of the slide clean. We personally don't like awnings because they block our view out of the windows. Our latest rig came with MCD double shades, probably would never have ordered them but love them now.

 

Take all our comments and decide what is important to you and only you.

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Welcome, and how exciting for you two...

 

I'll add $.02 on just a few areas, as I liked reading the input in this thread:)!

 

> New vs Used - No right or wrong on this, just personal choices. My research on Class A's (And earlier on trailers and 5th's.), lead me to the conclusion that I wanted to get a higher quality unit. We also had a budget price point we were trying to stay within too. So, my recommendation is to:

 

'Drop years to remain with budget range, and purchase the highest quality Fiver that meets your needs.'

 

I feel that the structures, frame, insulation, window dual pane, tank sizes, cabinet quality, attention to 'craftsmanship like fabrication and assembly' - can not be easily added to a lesser quality RV, Trailer or Fiver.

 

I also feel since it us used, you should consider having an independent inspection before dealing on price. I also recommend reserving budget 'contingency funds' to cover the unknown that may pop up.

 

Do searches for 'Best Fiver', and you will see some good threads. New Horizon, Travel Supreme, Arctic Foxes, (Edit to correct maker/model, and add a few too.) Heartland Landmark, NuWa Hitchhiker, Newmar Mountain Aire, Cameo, Aplinelite, Teton, Mobile Suites, Royal Intenational, etc. (For sure not a complete list. And for sure each brand could have years and models to avoid. The Owner Groups are good sources of independent info on this, as well as the above reference Consumer Report like literature:)!

 

On depreciation. An older higher quality unit, will not scare you quite as much as a new unit's depreciation cliff of driving it off a lot:)! Older, 3, 5, 7 even 10 years old - have a much less dramatic drop in value... (Our Class A was about 6-7 years old when we bought it. And zero regrets.)

 

>Slide Topper, Slide Topper/Awning Combo, Window Awnings

 

Slide topper pro/con were covered by others. One the pro that I don't think I saw, was they also help keep the coach cooler. The roofs, sides, bottoms of slide outs, are just not as well insulated as the rest of the Fiver. So the toppers adding shade to the slide out roof, can help in remaining cooler while in hotter climates.

 

Toppers can also be made much quieter, if moderate to heavy winds are forecasted, by a couple of different methods. (Some slide big pool noodles between the topper and the slide top. Others toss a line from front to back around the slide out, snugging the line down adding tensions to the topper. (I have two soft lines pre tied to the right length. Tie a soft brush to one end, and usually toss it over the top on the 2nd or 3rd time. I keep those large 12" rubber like twisty's in the bag with the line, and then use it to hold the two ends of the line together.) Both the noodle, and line (And you can add 6-8" of pipe insulation to the lines where the come over the edge. I do when I think I'll have them on for a long time, otherwise I just use the soft weave line.) will both also help keep water from pooling on the top of the toppers.

 

We have the Carefree Omega Slide Topper/Awning combination. I don't like them. I'd prefer stand alone topper. One that is designed and installed properly to provide a good downward slant to the topper, to help with tree debris and water runoff.

 

I do like window awnings, and would suggest adding them if the fiver you buy does not have them.

 

> You mentioned solar. Suggest before you jump in too deep on solar. That you get out and use whatever you buy for a few months. Learn how much energy you use. Then determine, and many good companies (AM Solar; Starlight Solar; Etc.) to help you, what your battery bank and solar panel size should be.

 

> Also suggest you narrow down your manufacturer and models, and know their weights, to be sure you have or get a truck that can handle the weights.

 

======

 

But most of all, go have some fun during this research phase. Take your time, come up with lists of Must Have's and Nice to Have's, and score different units you look at. This will help you not fall in love with one item, and keep on track to get a unit that best meets your needs.

 

And this gang is very experienced. So keep coming back and searching, and or asking questions. They're very gracious at sharing their knowledge. (And, not always will this knowledge sharing agree:)! But that is OK, as you get different perspectives... And then you decide, as you're writing the check(s).)

 

Best to you, and all,

Smitty

Be safe, have fun,

Smitty

04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life!

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Lot's of good info here, the only thing I would add is to consider the size of your camper with where you plan to camp. Many State Parks and National can not accommodate larger 5th wheel. A lot people go big then realize this and end up selling to down size. If parks are not on your radar and you plan do do commercial CG's then no problem.

Randy Charrette

2014 Kodiak 240BHSL

www.pedaladventures.com (our travels)

www.axelproject.com (our non-profit)

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Howdy and welcome to the forum.

 

I too have learned a LOT from this group of wonderful people. Great advice given thus far. May I make one suggestion for you to think about and consider? Would it be possible for you to rent an RV, or perhaps purchase an inexpensive used rig, and just try it out first? I first rented a travel trailer, took it on a 2 week vacation, and promptly got bitten by the RV bug. Then, I borrowed a 1995 Bounder motor home a number of times from a friend. Then, I purchased a used and inexpensive 15 year old 36 foot fifth wheel with one slide. I used it for many years. I now have a 33 foot, triple slide HitchHiker. Each step helped me refine what I liked, what I didn't, and what type of rig (and size) fit me best, without a huge investment.

 

Contrast this with my sister. She and her husband purchased a 30 foot fifth wheel. I don't think they had it even 2 months before they got rid of it taking a significant financial hit. They learned they hated RVs.

 

I believe you will love the RV life. Best wishes, and we'll see you down the road.

2002 NuWa HitchHiker II 31 FKTG, Onan Generator, HWH Levelling, RVFlexArmor roof

2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew Cab, Long Bed, SRW, 8.1L

B&W Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch

Me and Mama and the fur-kid:
Prince - chihuahua-pug mix

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My advice is to have your rig and yourselves dry camp capable. This gives you the most flexibility when exploring and discovering the US, Canada and Mexico. We primarily boondock now as the national and state parks are pretty much full all the time and we dont plan ahead.

We love the freedom and room that boondocking gives us. It takes some management with your rig but we can drycamp in one spot easily for 10 days and can stretch that to 3 weeks if we want before we have to dump and fill tanks.

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

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