What to buy?

by Barbara
(Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

Hi,

My husband is retiring in January and we are selling our home and buying and RV...but what to buy... We know we want to buy used...cost is an issue, but the decision of which brand, what size, which engine, what features are necessities and which are luxuries...any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Barbara and Jim

Comments for
What to buy?

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Nov 20, 2011
 Gotta find your own style.
by: Anonymous

There is a rig out there that is just right for each person. Some go top drawer, some do class C, some 5th wheel, etc. Each to their own! My choice was for comfort, style and economy. I'm VERY comfortable with my Serrano, and enjoy 50% better mileage than the average 40 footer or large 5th wheel. So, I can go more miles to see many more places and faces. I looked at them, I researched construction and drive train, I drove them all. There is one out there waiting for you! :-)
Nov 19, 2011
 Length of Unit
by: Barbara

Hi,

We're still looking for our future full-time motor home and we've been looking up to 36 feet. Is it difficult to find parking spots if you go bigger...say 40 feet or longer?

Thanks,

Barbara
Nov 19, 2011
 Serrano 31X
by: Anonymous

Serrano by Thor is worth a consideration. I have a 31X. almost 33 foot, and laId out so well that it equals some 40 footers in living and storage space. And I get 12 MPG while towing a car! Will be full-time in it when the house sells.

The Journey is My Destination
Nov 06, 2011
 Some Thoughts
by: Karen

We are new fulltimers.

We had a 32 foot Class A that was just too small for fulltime living, in our opinion. I know others manage, but we wanted something larger.

We found a nice used (2003) Monaco diesel pusher that is 41 feet in length. To us, it's the perfect full time rig.

There are definite advantages/disadvantages between a class A and a 5th wheel. In the end, I think it is up to your own personal preferences. I think it's about 50/50 between the two.

My suggestion is go to a lot of rv shows and just shop around. You'll start coming to a conclusion of what is right for you.

You can most definitely find a good quality used rv. We bought ours at Lazy Days, in Seffner, Florida. It's the largest Rv dealer in the world and we had lots of options. You can check out websites to get lots of pictures from dealers and individuals. The dealer prices may be on the high side, but you can get a general idea of selling prices by looking at individual sale listings. Of course all are negotiable.

Good luck.
Nov 04, 2011
 What to Buy
by: Richard

My wife and I are hitting the road full-time next week. The same day we sign the papers completing the sale of our home we will head to Texas to pick up our fifth wheel we've already purchased.

We chose to go the fifth wheel route after doing very extensive research. We ruled out travel trailers (TTs) right away because they're not practical for full-timers.

We thought a while on the Class A thing, but ruled it out because:

1) If the engine breaks down, your home is in the shop (and who knows how long?).

2) While parked how do you get around unless you do the TOAD thing?

The only upside we found was that one could go any where inside the home even while in transit.

We will tow our rig with a Ford F-350 Super Duty 6.4L diesel, LWB, SRW, 4x4.
The many things to consider as far as one's personal preferences would be the following.

-Space needed inside for living
-Size of bed; king or queen?
-Washer/Dryer needs
-Satellite or settle for whatever you can get from whomever is offering it; such as campground cable
-Fireplace
-Outside TV/kitchen
-Black tank flush upgrade package
-Generator
-Inverter
-Size of refrigerator
-Arctic package
-Bathtub and/or shower
-Disc or drum brakes
-R-value of insulation in walls, roof and floor
-Convection oven
-Number of A/C units
-Size of heating and A/C units
-Size of water heater
-Electric awning
-Power jacks
-Number of slides
-Insurance
-Roadside assistance

This is a small list of things you will have to research. You'll have to do your own research to decide what is best for your needs, likes, and tastes.

Always shop for a good used model, or if you want to buy new, then look into acquiring a year end close out model.

Just as we did, y'all will find the rig which is best for you. Once you find it, then hit the road and have a blast.

Here's hoping y'all will have an easy time nailing down the one you want and we hope to see you out there someday.
Nov 04, 2011
 What to buy?
by: Julia

Luxury is not necessary, you want one that is self sufficient and easy to keep clean and maintain, yet is comfortable, relaxing and a great design and layout. I like having a private bath, not a walk-through, that's why a 2 bathroom RV is great, because you can have your own bath and keep the one up front available for guests or for use when you or your spouse in using the shower. There is so much more to talk about but maybe some one else can give your more info.

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