Forever Young BC - March 2014 Mar. 2014 | Page 19

RV’s are A-oK to haul around extra bunks For those nor, if you prefer showers, a contemplating an bath tub. RV for your next NEW VERSUS USED RV’S New is best because: it’s snowbird flight, easier to finance and insure, here’s a primer it’s available with all the co- If you are a snowbird contemplating a trip south in an RV, you don’t have to worry about sleeping an entire Girl Guide troop nor worry about a snow load on the rooftop. The recreation vehicle you choose for a Sunbelt trip must provide comforts only for yourself and your partner(s) on the road and in the kinds of RV resorts you enjoy. The first decision is whether this is an RV you will drive or tow. Motorhomes come in Class A (bus style), B (van conversion) and C (built on a light truck chassis). It is one vehicle to fuel, insure and jockey about the highway. You might tow a small car behind the motorhome or go light and lean by carrying bicycles or a motorized scooter on board. With a travel trailer you have the hassle and extra costs of towing but once you leave the trailer in a campground you have an agile vehicle for errands and sightseeing. Choices range from featherweight pop-up campers to rolling homes with a couple of bedrooms. Travel trailers also come in “toy hauler”models that are part living quarters, part garage for toys such as an ATV, wave runner or boat. Lastly are a fifth-wheel trailer or a pickup camper. Both make use of the pickup truck you use at home. It all begins with choosing the right vehicle for travelling at highway speeds. Look at the number of axles, the suspension, the departure angle, power assists, miles per litre, ease of parking, total payload and much more. Next, look at how accommodations will work for you and your partner starting with sleeping arrangements. There is no reason struction books that go with every system including the flush toilet and individual appliances such as the microwave, stove and refrigerator. Many things in an RV don’t work like their household cousins and, if you don’t operate them right in the first place, you could void a warranty. It’s also handy to get instructions for care of flooring, cou