How to Buy an RV
Three questions to ask before buying an RV
If you ’ re committed to starting now , congratulations !
This is just the beginning of your Adventure . There ’ s one more step you should take before getting serious about your purchase . The main thing you need to know before buying an RV is : HOW ARE YOU GOING TO USE IT ? Answering these three questions will help you figure out what you really want to buy .
# 1 WHAT ’ S YOUR TRAVEL STYLE ?
If you haven ’ t done much road-tripping or camping before , this will be something you learn as you go . No problem . Take your best guess to start with , and work from there .
Part of what goes into identifying the right RV for you is your travel style . Does staying in one spot for more than two days give you itchy feet ? Or , do you like to set up camp for a month or more at a time and really immerse yourself in one local area ? Will you be traveling full time , part time , or just whenever the mood strikes you ?
Your family mix plays a part in this , too . If you love to move around but your kids get antsy with lots of driving , you might try to find that sweet spot somewhere in the middle .
If a member of your family has a physical disability that makes travel days difficult , plan to stay in one spot for longer periods and embrace short jumps rather than long hauls .
As a general rule of thumb : the bigger the RV , the longer the stay . Large RVs are more spacious , but also more difficult to move from one spot to the next . People who move camp every few days tend to do better in smaller rigs , which are nimbler and easier to set up / tear down , but have less indoor space .
# 2 WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO ?
Think about where you like to travel . Do you want to get completely off the grid , so that you don ’ t see another human for days at a time ? Do you want to stealth camp in cities ? Set up camp at luxury waterfront RV parks ?
Smaller RVs with higher clearance ( like fourwheel-drive vans or rugged teardrop trailers ) are better-suited for back-country camping , and larger rigs with high power consumption are a better fit for RV parks with water and electric hookups . Also , consider the weather . As an RVer , you are much closer to the elements than you are in a house . If you ’ re chasing those sunny , 70-degree days , you won ’ t need to worry as much about insulation . However , if you dream of camping at the base of a ski lift so you can be the first to get out on fresh powder , it will be important to shop for a well-insulated RV that keeps you and your water lines warm .
This doesn ’ t mean that you can ’ t stay at RV parks with a truck camper or go boondocking ( dry camping out in nature ) with a fifth wheel . Just think about the type of travel you do most , and buy the RV that will most closely fit your preferred destinations .
# 3 HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO SPEND ?
RVs are not all created equal when it comes to budget . You can get started for as little as the cost of a tent at Walmart , or as much as a $ 3 million Marchi Mobile Class A coach , the most expensive motorhome in the world . Sure , one is much shinier than the other . But at the end of the day , both will offer you the shelter you need to explore the world . ( And isn ’ t that the whole point ?)
If your budget isn ’ t where you ’ d like it to be , work with what you have . Decide in advance what you ’ re willing to spend , especially if you ’ re selling your “ sticks and bricks ” house to travel full time . Buying an RV isn ’ t like buying real estate . Like any vehicle , RVs depreciate over time , so don ’ t cut your trip short by overextending your finances .
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