So…you are thinking about buying an RV?

Since I purchased my RV, it seems people are very curious about the RV lifestyle, and yes, it IS a lifestyle. They have so many questions, especially if they are thinking of purchasing their own RV. OK….first off, I have been asked “is it considered an RV or is it a travel trailer?” Let me clarify. To me, even though it is broken down into Class A, B, and C, 5th wheel, travel trailer, tear drops, etc., they all are considered “Recreational Vehicles” or RVs. If you start spitting out stats on each class or type, the RV newbies just look at you with total confusion. Therefore at first, it is much easier to just group them all together as “RVs”. There is NO easy answer on how or what to choose, but let me see if I can break it down for you to make it a little less painful.

Buying an RV, is pretty similar to buying a home. It will be your “home away from home”. When you are looking for a new home, you look at things like location, schools, design, is it close to work?, stores near by, is it built well?, neighborhood, community, and the list goes on. When you are looking to purchase an RV, you need to do the same type research as you did when you purchased a new home. You also would have a new to you home inspected, so you should also always ( new or used) have your RV inspected.Think about if you will be living in it full time, part time or be a “weekend glamper”? Basically, just how often will you be using your RV? Research the company who builds the RV you are interested in. Does the company honor the warranties? Does it have all the amenities you want? Do you like the design, the beds, the kitchen, the bathroom? Go through the same process you would if you were purchasing a new home. Do you actually want a new RV, a preowned or one that you can renovate some? To me, the BEST thing you can do (and what I did, and still do) is to watch the videos on people who are already out there living this lifestyle. You really can’t watch videos made by a previous owner of a home you are thinking about buying, but there are tons of videos out there on the RV you are thinking of purchasing.

Go to every RV show you can. See what is out there. Pick up the brochures, look at the layouts, and MOST important, take a camera or video recorder with you. I promise you when you are looking at all the various styles, and manufacturers, they will all start “running together”. Take pictures of the model numbers, price tags, the inside, and the outside. If you don’t have or want to lug around a camera or video recorder, take a notepad to write down likes, dislikes, and model numbers. There are not always brochures available that you can reference once you get back home. Find out what will work best for you, and your family. If there is one thing I have learned, it’s that everyone has different expectations, wants, and needs when it comes to picking out the best RV for them. Not everybody wants or needs the same thing or things you want. Just because you think it is the best thing to have, does not make it the best or right thing to have for the next person. Listen to the RV veterans. Trust me, they have seen (and probably done) it all.

If there is one thing I want you to take away from this it is to RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. There are some manufacturers that will do most anything to get you into one of their models, but if something happens after the sale, you need to KNOW, they will be there to resolve the issue if something breaks. Decide what you want in an RV, and find the manufacturer who stands behind their product after the sale. Things will happen, things will go wrong, and they usually happen when you are no where near a repair facility trying to enjoy your vacation with your family. It’s knowing that when you do have an issue, someone will be on the other end of the phone that actually cares, and will resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The RV community is like no other in the world. We are here to help the newest RVer to the most seasoned RVer. We understand because we have probably already been there, done that…..multiple times. It can be like moving into the best neighborhood each time you roll in. Listen, learn, and love the lifestyle, and I promise you, you will always be in an “RV State Of Mind”

If you have any questions or comments please email us at info@rvstateofmind.net

Thanks!!