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Some food for thought for the inexperienced RV buyer......


Kirk W

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We are now convinced that we are going to do something that we have wanted to do since 1999 -- at age 71 and 69, we are going to buy a Class C motorhome and travel for at least a year. We will keep our stick and brick for at least that long.

That is great news and I thank you for your kind remarks. :D Doing as you are will leave you a safety net or exit plan, just in case and you can never do this any younger! The most important thing to remember as you do this is something that my grandfather told me when I was only a boy, but which I realize the truth of more every day now. "The only thing that you have which can never be replaced or recovered is your time. Use it well."

 

We happen to be just a few years farther down the time line at 75 & 74 and while we are back to seasonal travels, we both consider our decision to go fulltime to have been one of our best, but also the plan to allow us an exit to have been one of our wisest. The thing is that you will have the option to mix the two lifestyles if health demands it, yet to experience living on the road as much as circumstances allow!

 

RVJokey, your post just made my day! Thank you so very much.

 

 

 

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

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

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@Kirk,

 

I have been a member of this forum, off and on, for over 16 years. .......we are going to buy a Class C motorhome and travel for at least a year. .....We will be reading everything that we can find on beginning rv'ing. ....

It sounds like you are making this transition way, way more difficult than it should be. I found my biggest issue was downsizing, selling the house and putting stuff in storage. You are skipping all of that. The RV part was easy. I intended to retire, sell the house and travel. My wife and I decided to dream and look at RVs. On the second stop at a dealer we found a like new unit that was inexpensive and met our needs. It was a truck camper. Anyway we bought the camper, then the truck. The rig sat in our driveway for close to a year without being used except for one night. I was tied down with work, preparing to retire and getting the house ready to sell. I did not want to start to use the RV while I was still tied down and could not travel. During that year, I did some thinking and a little research. I added a second solar panel, replaced the standard batteries with the biggest AGM batteries that would fit. I replaced all the old tungsten and fluorescent lights with LEDs. I finally bit the bullet and replaced the old refrigerator with a much more efficient and considerably smaller unit. I replaced the typical junk mattress with a dual density foam mattress. The final decision was picking SD as a State of residence and setting up a mailing address in advance. We then went from absolutely zero experience to full time status. I cannot think of anything we should have done differently except we should have started with half the tools, clothing and other junk.

 

It seems to me the main reason people have difficulty is a lack of understanding of what they want to do. Some people want the freedom of travel but then they get a monster RV that they can barely tow to the nearest RV/mobile home park. You are well on your way to fulfilling your needs if you have decided to stick with a class c. My advice would be to move forward and do not delay. Best of luck.

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Great last few posts. I'm 61 and keeping the S&B for now, and snowbirding for the first time this upcoming winter. My biggest concern/task is prepping the house to be unoccupied in a Maine winter and have intact pipes when I return, NOT how I can be comfortable in a 16' TT!

16' Taylor Coach TT/Silverado tow vehicle

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"The only thing that you have which can never be replaced or recovered is your time. Use it well."

 

@Kirk, thank you for the wonderful saying. I don't believe that we had heard it before. My wife is going to have it made into a poster and hang it in a special place in our new Class C. We are going to add "Living our Dream"! I say new Class C because we have made the determination that we want to start with something that if we keep it in great condition we will at least be able to sell it. Also, we want to get on the road to the southwest very soon and don't want to wait for that great buy. The greatest blessing is, we can afford to do it without having to worry about it. Our first choice at this point is the Forest River 2400R MBS 25' w/ 2 slides. It has the amenities that we consider necessary. We have been told that Forest River is very good quality. What is your opinion? Now, don't go telling me something that I don't want to hear. I just want confirmation of our ideas! :lol:

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It seems to me the main reason people have difficulty is a lack of understanding of what they want to do. Some people want the freedom of travel but then they get a monster RV that they can barely tow to the nearest RV/mobile home park. You are well on your way to fulfilling your needs if you have decided to stick with a class c. My advice would be to move forward and do not delay. Best of luck.

 

Thank you, Jim. You just said everything that we have been feeling. We chose the smaller Class C because we don't want to pull a toad. I know there will be times that we wish we had one, but if it gets to be a necessity, we will simply rent a car for a week. This was recommended to us by a RV dealer who we trust for good ideas. My wife is the most organized person who I know. We will plan ahead for shopping and other needs. This will make the need for a toad less necessary.

 

How long have you been full-timing?

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I went from no RV experience and owning a house to full time RV living at the beginning of 2011. My wife and I and two cats set out from the east coast, stopped in South Dakota to establish residency and spent the next two years in the western US and Canada. At least I did. For part of that time my wife flew back to the east to help with the second grandkid. The lure of the grandkids was too great and we had only vague plans to settle in the west. In 2013 we bought a house back east, had a second kitchen installed and share it with my older daughter, SIL and grandkids. Now we travel maybe 6 months of the year.

 

To me RV living is all about travel, the freedom of the road, and mainly seeing and experiencing places of exceptional beauty. I have seen almost every national park in the lower 48 that interests me. I have visited many of my favorites (Yellowstone, Glacier, Olympia, Death Valley, Arches, Canyonlands) numerous times in the past 5 years.

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I believe you will regret not having a car because you are going to miss out on seeing so much. Even with a small Class C there are so many places that you will not be able to go. Even before we retired, we had a Class C and always towed the car. And renting a car isn't always that easy - - lots of place in the country where it will be almost impossible. So after 6 moths or so, just ask us and we will all smile as we help you find the best combination for towing. ;)

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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Barb definitely brings up something to think about. Especially for a bigger motorhome or other large RV, it is all but essential to tow a car. Even better tow a Jeep. My truck camper and many smaller RVs can go almost anywhere a car can go, but I cannot head into the back country of Canyonlands without a Jeep.

 

On the other hand, I like having my complete rig with me when I travel. My favorite example (only one of many) is Yellowstone. I like to drive into the Lamar Valley, pull over on the side of the road and spend an afternoon watching the wildlife. I can cook a decent meal, take a nap, and use my own rest room facilities. Those in their toads get to enjoy cold food. They need to use the absolutely disgusting outhouses that stink from 100 yards downwind. They get to remember they forgot the tripod or big telephoto or wish they had a jacket for the afternoon rain.

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We chose the smaller Class C because we don't want to pull a toad. I know there will be times that we wish we had one, but if it gets to be a necessity, we will simply rent a car for a week. This was recommended to us by a RV dealer who we trust for good ideas. My wife is the most organized person who I know. We will plan ahead for shopping and other needs. This will make the need for a toad less necessary.

 

I want to assure you your plan can work well. In our small Class C we were able to start in downtown Chicago to drive Historic Route 66 all the way to Santa Monica while stopping at diners and museums on the way. I highly recommend this way of seeing the USA! When you do want a car, like when visiting downtown Key West, Enterprise will bring a car right to your campground for you even if it's only for one day. Plus you can do your grocery shopping on your way to touring because you get to put away the groceries before you even leave the store's parking lot. And you can hang your clean clothes before leaving the laundromat. Don't let people who have always towed a car tell you it's a must do.

 

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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I came here this morning and posted a note about how much I like this list and how many I've been referring to it. I explain to them they need to learn here first and then buy and also tell them how to read the CCC on the door and trailer weight and what tow weight REALLY means.

 

Then I found this topic. How timely. Well, there are a lot of us who listen and some of us wish we had learned more before we bought. Some folks are just trying to justify their already purchase. Hopefully even what appears to not be heard stays in their subconscious and picks away at their brain and after the next big scare they lighten their loads and possibly save some lives down the road. Highway patrol needs portable weight scales or mandatory ones.

 

My point was, thank you - you all are appreciated by many.

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Kirk, I share your concern and it seems we see more and more of it on the forums, or maybe I am just noticing it more. There seems to be feeling that those of us who have been out quite a while are being pessimistic and it is better to get the advice of someone who has been fulltiming for 3-6 months! You can almost tell from the way they demand validation that in 3 yrs they will be no where to be found when just listening to the cautions being given would probably help them adjust and enjoy their new lives. Such a shame, but I don't know that we can ever get some people to learn from the advice being given when it goes against their preconceived ideas. Maybe just time to go 'out to pasture'

 

Barb

 

Barb,

 

I can understand the "...out to pasture..." sentiment. However, I hope that not too many experienced RVers head that way. I learned too much from those of you who preceded us into the full-time lifestyle by years. Pick your battles - but please don't give up on those of us who will listen and learn.

 

Rob

2012 F350 CC LB DRW 6.7
2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
Full-time since 8/2015

 

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Barb I know where you are coming from. I've seen so many 'newbies' ask questions and ignore the answers and end up giving up early on their dream. I was heavily involved in the RV industry and saw it so many times. Advise from us 'older' RVers seemed to carry less weight than advice from someone who had just hit the road. I'm sure our cautious advise is seen as negativity by many. But it's an expensive exercise and also life changing for many. So I'll keep giving my advice and keep getting ignored!!!

 

One case stands out for me. A newly retired couple asked for advice. Wanted a motorhome and wanted to see 'everything'. Well they ignored my, and others, advice. Purchased a very expensive top end C Class. 4 weeks and just over 1000 miles later that motorhome was on the market and they were on the plane home. Why? They found the C class too cramped to live in and yet too big to go into places they wanted to see. Motorhome cost them almost $200,000.00. Sold it for less than $120,000.00. Expensive advice hey?

 

By the way I knew the folks who purchased their 'dream'. They also found it too restrictive. But rather than give up they purchased a large motorhome and a toad.

So did the first couple really find the C class too small or did they actually find out their dream wasn't for them regardless of which RV they got?

 

regards

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On the other hand, if we'd have listened to much of the sage advice from people who told us there was NO WAY we could make RVing with 8 people work, we'd have missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Instead, we plugged our ears and blasted forward. And we enjoyed over a year of time as a family before my chicks started leaving my nest.

 

Edited to add: But don't get me wrong. We heeded a lot of GOOD advice from seasoned RVers, too.

Stephen & Karen and our six boys, ages 21, 21, 19, 17, 14, & 11
Stephen - Military retiree (as of summer 2012) & current DOI employee (Big Bend National Park)
Karen - Homeschooling stay-at-home mom & veteran
San Antonio, Texas

Fulltimed May 2013 - July 2014 (yes, all eight of us!)
Open Range "Rolling Thunder" (H396RGR - fifth wheel toy hauler bunkhouse) - SOLD
Ford F-350 diesel dually - for the camper
Ford E-350 fifteen passenger van - for the crew

Our unfinished travel blog: http://coach-and-six.blogspot.com/

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Spot on Kinsa. The thing is that advice is always welcome. But there are no laws that insist you take that advice. In my case I was put out to pasture by the medicos. Told I was foolish to take on a new life style. Well I believe that ignoring the doctors saved my life/sanity. So go figure. My advise is to listen to advice. When it suits!! :wacko: Many famous folks where told they couldn't succeed. Succeed they did regardless of the advice. BUT advice is free. It never hurts to listen. You just never know when one small piece of information will save a lot of heartache.

 

regards

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On the other hand, if we'd have listened to much of the sage advice from people who told us there was NO WAY we could make RVing with 8 people work, we'd have missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Instead, we plugged our ears and blasted forward.

It isn't possible for anyone to follow all advice given, as we do not all agree on any subject. We too were advised by some that what we were planning wouldn't work, and I guess they were right as we only lasted for 11+ years. But filtering out what doesn't apply is always part of the process and even bad advice may cause us to more closely examine our plans and perhaps avoid some potential pitfalls. I have learned that when someone with good intentions challenges my views it helps me to examine my position more closely and sometimes even to modify and improve on my plan, even though I still disagree.

 

The thing which caused me to start this discussion was that of speaking with some of the instructors at Boot Camp and some seminar speakers who found that there were a few who would challenge every idea and even ignore instructions which they paid to get. Most of those who attend such events are there to learn and pay close attention, but there were enough examples this year to cause me some real concerns. It reminds me of a neighbor who goes to the doctor and pays for his medical advice, then does not follow the advice given.

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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.........The thing which caused me to start this discussion was that of speaking with some of the instructors at Boot Camp and some seminar speakers who found that there were a few who would challenge every idea and even ignore instructions which they paid to get. Most of those who attend such events are there to learn and pay close attention, but there were enough examples this year to cause me some real concerns. It reminds me of a neighbor who goes to the doctor and pays for his medical advice, then does not follow the advice given.

I have no idea what goes on at "boot camp" but it seems wise to question even medical advice. I think we have long since passed the time when we tolerated the godlike attitude of many physicians. When it comes to medical advice or treatments, I want to understand the diagnosis, the choices of therapies, the side effects and risks and the prognosis. I spent a great many years of my career working in a medical laboratory and helping physicians understand complex lab results. I know first hand how little many physicians know.

 

Personally I never even vaguely considered anything like the Escapees boot camp. I had no difficulty finding information on line. I also found a reliable and experienced dealer as opposed to the usual weekend salesman. Working with my RV dealer I was able to make a final choice and make modifications that fit my needs.

 

Post script: to put this in perspective, the best data indicates the American healthcare system kills nearly 100,000 patients per year due to medical errors. Sure many of those patients are old and sick and would soon die anyway. The 100,000 deaths does not come close to accounting for all of the near misses and serious harm done to other patients.

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Thank you to all who have taken the time to give us good advice. We are definitely here to get advice and not to only reinforce our long-held beliefs. We will read everything that is said and make our final decision based on the facts. Please don't stop giving us your ideas. We are all ears.

 

Gene

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We have been nurturing 3 newbies over the past year. One consults us on pretty much everything but there are extenuating medical circumstances and "i am the only one who really understands the problems" plus I am "upfront" in my opinions. Another was very excited about talking to an "experienced" RVer but never heard from them again. and the third just sent this to us "Most importantly, we want you to know that all of the knowledge you have imparted to us has been invaluable, and far more extensive than everything else we have learned from all others combined! The GNR was certainly worthwhile, but we have found that most folks buy their rig, get in it, and go. Few have made upgrades/modifications/comfortable additions, etc. So thank you again for all of your help!". I guess we have been through the whole gambit of newbies.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hello - I've enjoyed reading this thread. My wife and I are planning to retire in the next few months, sell our home and purchase our first RV and hit the road. I've been reading many, many blogs and forums for several years. We're going to the Hershey show in a couple of weeks. We plan on going on a number of factory tours in the midwest soon. We also will rent a motorhome a couple of times that mimics the size of the RV we intend to purchase (something between 33 - 39' - Diesel). With all I've read, it seems in this size, a Newmar or Tiffin SEEM to have the best reputation. We hope to try to confirm that with our visits. Do you all think it would be worth the investment to come to the next Escapade in Tucson even if we haven't purchased our RV yet? It seems like we could get a lot out of it. However, I'm also aware, as I read these many blogs that one can get easily overwhelmed by all the things that can happen. all the components that must be cared for and all the after market gadgets that are MUST HAVES. I'm sure my perspective is somewhat skewed, because I have absolutely zero experience with owning and operating an RV. I welcome your thoughts.

 

Ian

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  • 2 weeks later...

"I am reminded of the quality of American cars in the 50s and 60s. They were all junk, poorly made, and few lasted more than a few years or even 50,000 miles. Was the consumer at fault?" Compare those cars to the cars of the 20's and 30's, though. Do you see any improvement in the 30 years? Of course. Now compare the cars of the 50's and 60's to the cars of the 80's and 90's. Again, there is improvement. Yes, beginning in the 60's we saw more Federal regulations, starting with safety requirements and later with emission requirements. Now we see fuel economy and emissions driving the design of cars, and sometimes it is difficult to tell what brand of car just went past the other way because they all look alike.

 

Ford offered a padded dash and seatbelts as options in the 50's, but very few Fords left the factory with them. Why? People didn't order them because they didn't see the benefit of them. I think we are seeing something similar in the RV industry. The information, and options, are there, but buyers have to do their homework and make the right choices. I suspect that more recreational vehicles are sold based on "bling" than are sold based on engineering.

 

I just checked the specs of a fifth wheel. It has a gross weight of 12,228 pounds, and tires that can handle 2,540 pounds each. That leaves the tires overloaded by 2,068 pounds. I'm guessing that stronger tires are an option, and maybe even a third axle. Why not make the stronger tires standard? Cost. That raises the price of the coach by a few hundred dollars. Of course, going back to the cars, power windows used to be an option only on luxury cars, then they became standard on the luxury cars and optional on some others. Now they are standard on all cars. Why? Enough people were ordering their cars with them that it made economic sense to just make them standard and drop the manual ones. I suspect that you could still order a car with crank-up windows, but it will probably cost extra. If everyone started ordering the stronger tires on that coach the manufacturer would soon make them standard.

 

Not quite ... you said "I just checked the specs of a fifth wheel. It has a gross weight of 12,228 pounds, and tires that can handle 2,540 pounds each. That leaves the tires overloaded by 2,068 pounds." it's true that the tires are MARGINAL for sure, but not overloaded as you suggest. The 12,228 GWWR of the 5th wheel should the starting point of the discussion ... 20% of that is normally carried by the truck (in the form of pin weight). This leaves 9,782 to be carried by the tires and axles (in theory each tire would carry 2,445). Assuming all four tires are equally loaded, they are able to carry that load. But let me repeat ... MARGINALLY. It is unlikely that all four corners are carrying the same weight. If this were something I was buying, I would upgrade the tires immediately.

2017 KZ Durango Gold 381REF, 8K morRYDE IS, Disc brakes, 17.5" Hi Spec Aluminum Wheels w Goodyear G114 H rated tires

2016 F350 King Ranch DRW, 3.73, 4x4, Super Duty Crew Cab, 6.7L Powerstroke Diesel.

26,760 CGVW

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  • 2 months later...

I for one, appreciate it all and have tweaked several plans based on input. Some, not so, because we know us and no one else does. We ordered options on our 5th wheel, made changes in our budget, and researched other things because of the advice of those who have tread where we have not! So THANKS!!!!

Happy Trails,

Jim & Ginger/Nomad Hikers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Retirement 12/2016

Full-time 04/2017

VanLeigh Vilano/Ford F350

Blog site - https://www.trailer2trail.com/

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=trailer2trail

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@Kirk - I have a follow up question for you. You said, "It is more important that you learn what to avoid here than to find every right answer. The best way for you may well be unique, but the disastrous mistakes usually apply to everyone. Avoiding the pitfalls which apply to everyone, like weight issues is the most important thing that we here can help new members with."

 

You may have listed these elsewhere, and please feel free to direct me there if so, but I'm wondering what are the major mistakes and pitfalls that are lurking out there that we nubies should be seeking to avoid?

 

Thanks!

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@ Rosita - you mentioned earlier, "But, the more educated buyer who has taken the time and opportunities to diligently research initial quality, design, engineering, materials, build integrity, manufacturer quality control issues, dealer and manufacturer after-sale support, and a host of other "mistake avoider" points"

 

I love your list and thought process. Do you have any pointers about where one might uncover those kinds of details about a manufacturer or particular model? Thanks!

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Over my time, I've seen both sides of the coin. The newbie that knows that they know better than everyone else, and the "experienced" RV'rs that are adamant that their way is the right way.. even though they've been doing it wrong for 30 years.. or have failed to continue to evolve by keeping up with new knowledge and techniques. Research doesn't generally trump experience, but length of time doing something doesn't always equate to wisdom.

I understand the sentiment of wanting newcomers to succeed. It "does" seem a little "pessimistic" and/or counterproductive though to scold newbies for not listening or following a more experienced persons advice (I was a little surprised to see this thread). Being supportive, regardless, and maintaining a healthy attitude seems more conducive. In the younger generations it's almost never productive to tell them "you're doing it wrong" or to put them on the defensive by "pushing" advice.

I say.. offer up the advice that you will without expections. Failing or succeeding is on them.

Look at Kinsa. I would have most certainly been in the camp to tell them that they were crazy.. and I would have, obviously, been quite wrong. I could have offered up any number of technical factors that should have made it nearly impossible, and if they had listened, would have missed out on an incredible experience that I have no doubt will impact their family for generations.

Lesson learned.

As more experienced.. we should know.. it's impossible for us to know all the factors or points of consideration that might affect an individuals decisions. Wanting "validation" can go both ways. A noob with an idea may want their idea validated by a more experienced RV'r... a more experienced RV'r may want their advice validated by having it followed.

 

I'm not saying or implying anything specific towards anyone.. just food for thought.

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