The Right Rig

[Dolly's 2]

My wife and I are considering a possible full -time RV lifestyle in a couple of years.  I was wondering what is the overall best type of RV, and size, one should consider for full time?  What generally works the best?  We are thinking of selling home and re-investing equity into a different rig, but want to minimize operation costs.  Can anyone make a suggestion? 

[sandsys]

There are about 40 million answers to that question.  It really depends on how you see yourself living. Do you want to move a lot to see as much as you can of this country? Do you want to go south for the winter and north for the summer staying several months at each location? Do you want to go south for the winter staying in one location but then move around all summer visiting the northern states? Do you want to move around the country visiting for a few weeks at each location where you have family? Do you want to visit as many national parks and monuments as possible? Are you rail fans that want to explore various railroad sites? Are you interested in historical reenactments or living history sites? Do you want to visit wineries and organic farms? Are you comfortable driving a heavy duty truck (semi-cab) pulling a large trailer? Are you comfortable using that truck to go to the grocery store and other errands? And, of course, how attached are you to things you currently own? 

There are lots of types of RVs out there and someone is happily full-timing in each one of them. If you can help us know you better we can get a better idea of what might suit you.

Linda Sand

[kb0zke]

Welcome. The right rig is the one that best suits your needs and wants. For some people, that is a 45' motorhome with four slides. For others it is a van conversion.

You are wise to start your researching now, so that in a couple of years you will be ready to buy what seems best. To start with, you and your wife should begin discussing what you want to do as full-timers. Some people want to visit every national park. Others want to follow certain historical routes (Oregon Trail, Route 66, etc.). What sort of health or mobility issues do you have? Are you going to spend long periods of time in one place, or will you travel more frequently? Do you have any RV experience?

Those discussions can take several months, and the answers may change as you talk about it. That's fine. Even when you think you have things nailed down, things change.

Unless you are really minimalists (like our friends who full-time in a 1973 Dodge van conversion), get used to the idea of something towing something else. A motor home uses quite a bit of fuel when it is moving, but it only needs to move from one campground to the next (with a stop for fuel). It can tow another vehicle for the running around. Should the towing capacity be great enough, that other vehicle can be a pickup that can carry a 4-wheeler or motorcycle in the bed. It can also be as small as a Smart Car. We tow a Lincoln MKT.

A fifth wheel requires a fairly hefty truck. Some people use a converted semi as the tow vehicle, with a Smart Car mounted on the bed. Like the motor home, the big truck only goes from one campground to the next. Others use something like an F350 or F450 to tow the fifth wheel, and that truck is also the daily driver. A few people have the second person driving another vehicle, so that the second vehicle can be a scout car enroute and provide a second vehicle should the necessity arise.

A travel trailer can usually be towed by a smaller truck, F250 or F350. The advantage of the travel trailer is that the bed of the truck is empty, leaving room for the 4-wheeler or motorcycle. Of course, the weight of those things may bump you up to a stouter truck (F250 to F350, F350 to F450).

The advantage of the MH is that the interior is always at a comfortable temperature, since you can run heat or a/c as needed while traveling. That can't be done with towables. Also, most motor homes have generators, many of which run on the same diesel tank as the engine. They are plumbed so that you can't run out of fuel, so if the generator runs out you still can start the engine and go get fuel. Motor homes usually have larger tanks than the others, which means that you can live self-contained for longer. They are expensive to maintain, as the engine, transmission, and tires are all the same ones that semi trucks use, and you will be going to the big truck shops for service.

The advantage of the towables (fifth wheel and travel trailer) is that you can take the truck to the dealership or any mechanic and get it serviced. The disadvantage, as I mentioned above, is that you can't have heat or a/c going while traveling. There is generally more work to setting up a towable at the campsite than a MH, but not a whole lot more. Should we arrive at a campsite in a pouring rainstorm, I don't have to go outside until the storm is over. I can level from inside (my coach uses the air bags for leveling) and the generator will provide power.

Hooking up and unhooking take about the same amount of time whether you are dealing with a towed or a towable.

Spend some time looking at every RV you can, regardless of type, age, or price. You are looking at the floor plan. After a fairly short time you will know which arrangements will work for you. Don't be afraid of the size of a motor home or fifth wheel. It will only take you a few hours of driving to get comfortable with them. There are also RV driving schools.

Again, welcome, and ask lots of questions here. We've all been there and done that.

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the Escapee forums! We are here to help and will do all that we can to help and support you. There is really no one best RV or even a single most popular one. In our years of RV experience I have concluded that there is no type or size of RV made that doesn't have someone living in it. By far the most common type of RVs in use as fulltime homes would be the fifth wheel first and the class A motorhome second, followed by the class C and then travel trailers and after that some of most everything else. Size is much the same way. RVs range from 45' long on down to under 20' and there are RVs that have no slide-outs to some that have as many as 5. I suggest that you start your research by visiting the largest RV show that you can find and look at everything. 

We can probably give better advice if we knew something about you. Your approximate age and status in life, working or retired, and things of that nature. 

3 hours ago, Dolly's 2 said:

We are thinking of selling home and re-investing equity into a different rig, but want to minimize operation costs.

Realize that money spent to buy an RV is going to rapidly decrease as they depreciate as quickly or more so than an automobile. An RV that we purchased new for $75k was sold for $10k after 14 years. If you spend all of the equity money to buy an RV it will leave you little to buy a new property if you should wish to return to a fixed house. As to operating costs, most RVs get between 5 & 15 mpg, with a few doing a little better. In general the bigger the RV the more fuel it will require. If you wish to continue with the plans to live in an RV, we are sure to be able to help you figure out what to consider and how to find the right one. But when I see the word "invest" used about an RV purchase, it always concerns me. 

[NDBirdman]

Welcome to the forum!

All very good advise so far.  My opinion, only spend on an camper what you can afford to lose.  As soon as you connect to it, new or used, pull it down the road, value goes down, you'll never get your investment back.  Saying that, it is NOT an investment so to speak.  Next, figure out, what are you comfortable driving?  Big vehicle (class A motorhome, or an HDT (heavy duty truck), smaller won ton pulling a camper, etc), small van type camper, etc.  My better half and I, for example, bought a one ton dually, which can pull a pretty good sized 5th wheel camper or TT (travel trailer).  Both those types of campers have advantages/disadvantages, go to camper shows, dealers, etc to see what floats your boat.  We chose that for now, because we will continue owning a home, I also use that pick-up to haul a lot of equipment and trailers around the area, used on our hobby farm.  Our camper, we bought an older one in like-new condition but did not pay much for it.  New tires and brake assemblies and a couple other items I dropped 2k in her pretty quick.  Even that, I don't have a lot in her and it will last us for many years.  It's 32ft, my wife says it's more than enough room and don't need a bigger one, we spend most out time outside but that's something you have to decide for ya'll.  If you purchase something like we did, then figure out full timing is not for you, you won't have a 100k or more rig to try to sell, at a loss.  During that time, if you decide it is the life for you, you can then decide to drop some large change on a camper plus, by then you will have a better idea of what you want for a camper, what luxuries, etc.  Only you can figure out what you will want, everyone, especially with some of the recent long threads going on here, everyone has different taste/desires in the camper/lifestyle they want.  As far as minimizing your costs, that's up to your standard of living.  Some RV parks in some areas of the US is absolutely absurd.  A lot of people manage a nightly rate average of $18 to $25 .  That's with a lot of weekly/monthly stays.  The long term stay parks charge you for electricity use, just like your home, and it goes up from there.  If your doing this to cut costs, this is not it.  Fuel, parts, wear/tear, your not really cutting monthly/yearly costs down.  Full timing, or snowbirding like we are going to do is a lifestyle, not done to minimize living costs.

I only said the above because from your post, I did not get the feeling you have any/much experience in camping.

I also want to add, DO NOT go into a camper stealership and ask them what you asked us.  They will sell you what they want, not you, all they want is your money.  Just like car dealers, they are good at blowing smoke up your backside then smiling all the way to the bank.

[NDBirdman]

Suggest, if you have not done so so, read alot of the threads on here, lots of great info.  How are you going to get around when you get where your going?  Drive the pickup around, rent a car, toad, hauled car on back of HDT, motorcycle/atv in back of a toy hauler RV, etc.  Can't recommend enough, read-read-read.

[rynosback]

What is your budget?   It is just one of the factors to what units ou should be looking at.  New or Used?  Visit a large dealer that carry’s every style of RV.  And determine what type of RV suits your needs. I would also attend an RV show as you can check out a lot of different manufactures.  You just need to do a lot of reading and exploring to find o it what will work best for you.

[Aggie79-82a]

All excellent advice.  My only added suggestion would be to sit in the RV you are thinking of buying for more than five minutes.  Sit in it and walk around inside for at least 30-45 minutes imaging doing the things you would normally be doing in your home.  Take you time to be sure it fits.  Then, do the same outside looking at the storage capacity and how you access it when at an RV park or pulled over in a rest stop.  See if you like the access.  Don't rush the process.

[rynosback]

9 minutes ago, Aggie79-82a said:

All excellent advice.  My only added suggestion would be to sit in the RV you are thinking of buying for more than five minutes.  Sit in it and walk around inside for at least 30-45 minutes imaging doing the things you would normally be doing in your home.  Take you time to be sure it fits.  Then, do the same outside looking at the storage capacity and how you access it when at an RV park or pulled over in a rest stop.  See if you like the access.  Don't rush the process.

Sit on the toilet, sit by the toilet as if you were sick.  Stand in the shower, pretend to shave your legs.  Sometimes you have to look beyond the everyday things and things that may only happen weekly, monthly, yearly.  Is there enough storage for cloths, food, pots & pans?  Check how much cargo can the rig you are looking at carry by specs.  You would be amazed how much all your stuff will weigh.  Over loading will cause premature failures and can cause a lot of different problems.  Best of luck with your search.

[whj469]

Buy a fiver to park or a class A to drive. That is what we were told at boot camp back in 2011. I think that is still true. They, the ladies who where there told my better half bigger! We spend about five months parked in the UP of MI each summer, May thru September. The fiver is 42 feet long with five slides and we do well in it. It takes a big truck to pull it. We use an 2019 F350 at about $64,000 which is new and the fiver had a list price of $116,500 but we got it for $68,000. It is a 2018 that we bought in September 2018 when the 2019 were already on the lots. It was new and the combined cost, truck and fiver was $132,000 and when we are parked I have a truck to drive. One brother-in-law bought a $400,000 MH for $300,000, diesel pusher and it was new and the other brother-in-law bought a new gas class A for $110,000. As for living in them, I prefer the fiver. It seems bigger then the diesel pusher and since we keep it parked for five months it works for us. With the MHs you must tow an auto of some type which adds to cost.

Also, when I got the new fiver I got the new truck because my 2011 F250 was not up to the job. My F250 was a CC, diesel, long bed with 53,000 miles and just under eight years old and on a trade-in they gave me 69% of what I paid. It was in like new condition and not just excellent condition.

If you are going to go long distances for only a night or two at stops then a HM may be best. Good Luck

 

[FL-JOE]

There is no right or wrong answer on which RV is right for full timing.  You have already started your research by posting on an RV forum, which is a good place to start.  I would:

1)  Decide on a budget range you will be spending and stick close to it.

2)  Start comparing types of RVs and decide what will fit your needs.

     a.  What do you want to take along?

     b.  Do you want just one toad along, or do you want a car/motorcycle, car/golf cart?

     c.  Estimated miles you might travel in a year (gas or diesel)?

3)  Start research on brands.  Who builds the most reliable RVs that you are interested in?

4)  Begin looking at desired floor plans.  Visit dealer lots, spend time in different units.  Join a brand specific RV forum.

The bottom line is that investing in an RV is usually not a good financial decision.  You will pay for those traveling miles in depreciation, maintenance, and fuel costs.  However, IMHO (in my humble opinion) there is no better way to see this great country and meet wonderful people.

[sandsys]

I like to test what I think will be "my" chair by sitting in it long enough to at least skim the manuals for that rig. When you've been touring rigs any chair feels wonderful when you first sit down but can become uncomfortable fairly quickly.

I also like to sit there and mentally put my things into the cupboards. When I find myself trying to fill a cupboard for the third time I know I either need more cupboards or need to reduce what I own.

Linda Sand

[NDBirdman]

To add, you get what you pay for.  You can buy a new, or newer used one fairly cheap.  Then, you can run into some very spendy ones, ie what's your budget area?  I'm asking because RVs are build around weekend warriors, part timers and full timers.  First 2 will not stand up to full time living.  Some are sold as full time capable (more expensive) and covered under warranty and some say if you live in full time, your warranty is void (ie, not built very sturdy).  As you look at them/deal on them, look well.  Are the tires china bombs?  Meaning change them out or risk damage pretty fast, I just dropped 2k on 4 new tires and brakes.  If from a dealer, make it part of the deal if you can.  Like previously mentioned, figure out what you like then join that brand's forum before you buy.