Help with new or used class C?!

[sandsys]

2 hours ago, Wanderlustveteran said:

I found two RV shows near me. One next weekend (4hrs away) and then one late September (2hrs away),  should I attend both or are they pretty much the same? 

Go to both. They may be the same but you will be different. Having been to one you will now know more about what to look for at the second one. When you go, take a photo of the ID of each rig before entering it so you will know which photos belong to which rigs. No, you won't just remember.

Linda

[Kirk W]

4 hours ago, Wanderlustveteran said:

Now what!? I am rethinking all of it because I don’t want to buy a tow dolly.  Is towing my car like that bad for it?

You either put it on a trailer, dolly, or get something else to tow. To tow it would most likely destroy the transmission at least and possible worse. 

4 hours ago, Wanderlustveteran said:

Also, I found two RV shows near me. One next weekend (4hrs away) and then one late September (2hrs away),  should I attend both or are they pretty much the same? 

I think that you should go to the first one and see how much you learn, the if there are still questions, go to the second as well. Even with many years of RV experience, we attended 2 major RV shows in process of selecting the RV that we lived in fulltime. 

[2gypsies]

6 hours ago, Wanderlustveteran said:

Also, I found two RV shows near me. One next weekend (4hrs away) and then one late September (2hrs away),  should I attend both or are they pretty much the same? 

Can you tell from advertising if these are big shows?  Some RV shows are not worth going to as they may only have a few manufacturers and a few models.  Sometimes they're geared for motorhomes with a few trailers mixed in.  Since you have to drive so far it would be a shame to attend a 'dud'.  Where are these shows?

[Wanderlustveteran]

3 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

Can you tell from advertising if these are big shows?  Some RV shows are not worth going to as they may only have a few manufacturers and a few models.  Sometimes they're geared for motorhomes with a few trailers mixed in.  Since you have to drive so far it would be a shame to attend a 'dud'.  Where are these shows?

I am not sure about either show. One is in Raleigh NC and the other in Charlotte NC. 

http://www.northcarolinarvda.com/raleigh-fall-rvshow

here is the link to the show next weekend in Raleigh.  Let me know what you think. 

Thanks!

[Wanderlustveteran]

4 hours ago, Kirk W said:

You either put it on a trailer, dolly, or get something else to tow. To tow it would most likely destroy the transmission at least and possible worse. 

Ok. I do not want to destroy the car. I love it!  Do you think going truck and trailer is a good choice?  That set up would be serve the same purpose. I am thinking that buying a rig and having to buy another car would mess up my budget. While I know I could afford that, it is not what I want to do.  One of the reasons for making this choice is to save money as well as travel and live more of a minimalist lifestyle. 

 

[Wanderlustveteran]

6 hours ago, sandsys said:

Go to both. They may be the same but you will be different. Having been to one you will now know more about what to look for at the second one. When you go, take a photo of the ID of each rig before entering it so you will know which photos belong to which rigs. No, you won't just remember.

Linda

Photo of the ID?  Meaning it tells me who/what etc about the rig? 

[sandsys]

6 minutes ago, Wanderlustveteran said:

Photo of the ID?  Meaning it tells me who/what etc about the rig? 

You are looking for something that identifies the brand and model of RV. Sometimes there's a listing of features on the outside sometimes you only get the badging on the RV. Sometimes you have to go inside and get a brochure--be sure to photograph it if you didn't get something outside. The reason to make that the first picture of each rig is so you'll know which features were from which rigs. Our first time out we thought several features we liked were on the same rig but they weren't. That's when I learned to take an ID photo before entering each rig.

I would definitely go to the Raleigh show and I would try to go two days. It's a big show and they offer seminars. I would look at RVs for a bit then sit down and take in a seminar or two then repeat until you can't take in any more information. Then come back another day and do it again. If you can go Friday, you can rest up Saturday and go back Sunday, although Sundays tend to end earlier for most shows. Since this show lets you came back for free, it's worth doing it if you can.

After all that you'll have a better sense if you want to go to the Charlotte one. It's the same sponsors but not all the same dealers so you might see different rigs at that one. The web site you linked to promises a map before the show which will help you see how many dealers might be duplicates. If you are lucky they will also post a seminar schedule for each show.

Good hunting.

Linda

[2gypsies]

11 hours ago, Wanderlustveteran said:

Also, I found two RV shows near me. One next weekend (4hrs away) and then one late September (2hrs away),  should I attend both or are they pretty much the same? 

Can you tell from advertising if these are big shows?  Some RV shows are not worth going to as they may only have a few manufacturers and a few models.  Sometimes they're geared for motorhomes with a few trailers mixed in.  Since you have to drive so far it would be a shame to attend a 'dud'.  Where are these shows?

 

I agree with Linda. Go to the Raleigh one and see if you've seen enough to satisfy your questions.

[Kirk W]

8 hours ago, Wanderlustveteran said:

One of the reasons for making this choice is to save money as well as travel and live more of a minimalist lifestyle. 

The answer to this question depends on you. There are many happy RV travelers in any type RV made but they don't all enjoy every different type. I have towed trailers and traveld in motorhomes and we enjoy both but there are some major differences. Have you ever towed a trailer? Some people do not enjoy traveling that way and others are not comfortable backing one, which is a necessity. None of us can tell you what is best for you as we don't all agree on what is best for us. 

8 hours ago, Wanderlustveteran said:

One of the reasons for making this choice is to save money as well as travel and live more of a minimalist lifestyle. 

The saving money part is probably not a very valid way of thinking. Most of us spend pretty much the same in our lifestyle no matter what we choose to live in. I suggest that you take time to read this collum which was written by one of the major authors of RV articles, back some years ago, but which even today explains much about the cost of living in an RV. You can live frugally in an RV but because the biggest expense to such travel is fuel and RV parks charge less for longer stays, constant travel is expensive. RV sites in areas that most of us find attractive today will cost between $50 and $100 per night if only stopping for a few days. Many parks have weekly and monthly rates that are somewhat less, but you need to understand that they are rising in cost, just as everything is. 

[2gypsies]

6 hours ago, Kirk W said:

RV sites in areas that most of us find attractive today will cost between $50 and $100 per night if only stopping for a few days.

I doubt most full-timers are paying those prices.  There are many ways to save money.  There are many web sites of full-timers who give their budgets usually starting at $30,000/year; some less; some more. You control it.   There are options instead of expensive RV parks:  discount camping such as Passport America, Escapees has discounts on many parks as do other organizations, there are very nice city and county parks in pretty settings. If you're 62+ and get the Senior national pass you can stay in public parks for 1/2 price, including national parks.  National forest campgrounds are great and would also be 1/2 price.  You can also learn to boondock on public lands which is free - gorgeous spots on lakes and rivers, forests or desert.  If you want to stay in more rural areas you'll pay less.  If you want to stay in big cities or near major attractions such as Disney then you'll pay a lot more.  If you just want a basic, clean park they are out there - even outside of Yellowstone.  If you want all the frills you'll pay for them.

[Wanderlustveteran]

1 hour ago, 2gypsies said:

I doubt most full-timers are paying those prices.  There are many ways to save money.  There are many web sites of full-timers who give their budgets usually starting at $30,000/year; some less; some more. You control it.   There are options instead of expensive RV parks:  discount camping such as Passport America, Escapees has discounts on many parks as do other organizations, there are very nice city and county parks in pretty settings. If you're 62+ and get the Senior national pass you can stay in public parks for 1/2 price, including national parks.  National forest campgrounds are great and would also be 1/2 price.  You can also learn to boondock on public lands which is free - gorgeous spots on lakes and rivers, forests or desert.  If you want to stay in more rural areas you'll pay less.  If you want to stay in big cities or near major attractions such as Disney then you'll pay a lot more.  If you just want a basic, clean park they are out there - even outside of Yellowstone.  If you want all the frills you'll pay for them.

I have the access pass because it is free to me as a disabled veteran.  I do plan to boondock very often and have found quite a lot of information on it and where to stay.   

I do not care about bells and whistles. I don’t need a swimming pool at a campground.  I plan to live frugal and know it is possible.  I make more than enough every month to live “large”(I am laughing at that..haha!) but I have never been like that and want a more simple lifestyle.  Traveling and seeing the country and taking my time and connecting with nature and local people etc... that is what I plan to do and want. 

[sandsys]

Also consider up front costs that can save you money day to day like having solar installed which will let you live off the grid--often for free. There are many people who go to Quartzsite, AZ, every winter to live on BLM land--if you buy one of their annual passes you can live all winter for the cost of that pass ($180 for seven months the last time I checked) If you have a decent solar powered system. That pass gives you access to fresh water, a dump, and trash bins all winter. Or you can live on free land then pay for water and dump. I liked to buy the pass that allowed me to come and go whenever I pleased including to other BLM lands covered by the pass. There's one west of Blythe, CA, that's not nearly as crowded as Q gets at peak season.

Linda

[Kirk W]

51 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:

I doubt most full-timers are paying those prices. 

That just depends on where they stay. If you use Passport America or Happy Campers half price groups you can save a lot, but not in prime tourist areas or in peak seasons. It is better to budget for the typical RV park prices as you can easily adapte to lower prices but not so easy if the cost was under estimated. And I'm not quite a novice for living in an RV. I have belonged to PA for many years and those discounts are difficult to find in popular areas. If you choose to dry camp and stay in parking lots and truck stops, that can save a great deal, and you can also go where the discount parks are, then you can use these. A lot depends on where you wish to go. If you limit yourself to 4 years you will be more likly to stay in the higher priced locations more of the time, but if you decide to stay out longer, then you will have much more lattitude in where you stay and to visit the toursit areas in slow seasons and that too can save you money. All of that said, you would be wiser to allow for a higher cost and then work to findw ways to lower it. 

There are many ways to save money on the road, if you manage things to be frugal, and don't make a priority of seeing things. One benefit of your access pass will be Army Corps of Engineers parks which often are very nice and you get half price benefits there. I use those a great deal. National park campgrounds will depend on wheter they are operated by a vendor or the park as not all vendors honor the pass. In general, the most expensive parks are those near the coasts. If your priority is more to save money then you will be able to park at far less cost than if your priority is to visit the major attractions. If your main purpose is to get away from the city and you like rural areas, you may want to try living as an RV volunteer which would supply you with a free site and some amenities, but you will also be expected to stay for a month or longer in that location. We did a lot of volunteer positions and by so doing we seldom stayed in a commercial RV park, but you need to realize what the highest cost could be.

[sandsys]

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

you need to realize what the highest cost could be.

This is true if you currently live in the highest cost house available to you and take the most expensive vacations available as well. Most of us didn't and wouldn't particularly care to do so thus don't feel a need to budget for that.

Budgeting for maintenance and repairs, however...

Linda

[2gypsies]

5 hours ago, Wanderlustveteran said:

I have the access pass because it is free to me as a disabled veteran.  I do plan to boondock very often and have found quite a lot of information on it and where to stay.   

I do not care about bells and whistles. I don’t need a swimming pool at a campground.  I plan to live frugal and know it is possible.  I make more than enough every month to live “large”(I am laughing at that..haha!) but I have never been like that and want a more simple lifestyle.  Traveling and seeing the country and taking my time and connecting with nature and local people etc... that is what I plan to do and want. 

I think you'll do just fine.  Your plans are exactly what we did for 16 years.  We stayed in the most popular national parks and along the coasts... minimally.  Your pass will get you a site in national forest campgrounds and they can be found everywhere.  Best of luck to you!

[lg61820]

Best wishes to you!  Rig selection can be difficult.  Several years ago I fell in love with the interior layout of an older 26' class A.  I was extremely happy with my purchase except for driving it. . . it wandered and needed a steer safe or something.  I next tried a "perfect" 19' travel trailer which, again, had a great interior layout.  However, I was not comfortable towing it with my Tahoe.  Felt like the tail was wagging the dog.  Last fall I bought a brand-new tiny T@b trailer by Nu-Camp RV.  I can hitch and tow it with confidence, but it is tiny,  I am taking off next month on my adventures.

My advice would be to test drive the vehicles that have interiors you love and test drive them for as many miles as the dealership will allow before you purchase.

Again, best wishes for success and happiness.

[PunchItChewie]

I think it was another thread I read that some of the light weight travel trailers don't hold up well to full timing.  I have a 2017 F150 that I have gone between getting a small TT for me and my dog, to a small class A to tow the F150 behind.  I have a 4x4, so it is 4 down tow able.  I have even thought about converting a HDT, as in Washington it is easy to register as a RV with only a little work.  I just need to get my truck on the scale to get it's weight for both as tow vehicle, or as toad.  I've become a bit neurotic though, in I don't want to exceed anything on a sticker.  Example, yes with the max tow package on my truck it could handle one of those "1/2 ton" 5th wheels.  But realistically it's not gonna work with what the sticker on my truck saying I only have 1700'ish pounds of payload.  So if you decide to go the truck and trailer route, just pay attention to the capacities of both.  I got lucky 10 years ago with a 32' 5er and my truck (at that time was an 04 silverado 2500).  At that time I was dumb, a thought my 2500 duramax was all I needed.  I didn't look at the plaque on my trailer, or sticker on my truck.  I survived the trip from the deserts of southern California to the Oregon coast without issues, but could have been at or over my limit with all the stuff I packed in to add weight for my move.  Just because it says my truck can tow about 10k pounds doesn't mean I should.

[Kirk W]

45 minutes ago, PunchItChewie said:

I think it was another thread I read that some of the light weight travel trailers don't hold up well to full timing. 

My experience is that I'd not reccommend any light weight RV for fulltime, but not that it can't be done, but rather that it will not hold up well. If you are willing to do enough maintenance and repairs, just about any RV can be used at least for a time, but I wouldn't want to do so. One of the main issues with the light weight RVs is that they have very little insulation and all metal is aluminum, a combination that makes them difficult to heat and cool. Most high quality materials are heavy, with thicker wood and less plywood or particle board. 

1 hour ago, PunchItChewie said:

Just because it says my truck can tow about 10k pounds doesn't mean I should.

The maximum weight rating is the most it should ever tow, not what is sould tow all of the time. Most agree that you should keep the your RV's weight at 80% of the tow venicle's max rating. 

[noteven]

Pickups work really well if you tow full time at 50% of the we beat the competition ratings. They will haul at full GVW day in and day out. 

Big trucks are built to tow/haul at 100% all the time if ya want.