Here is my experience in shopping for an RV for the first time. In a previous post, I had stated my basic reasons for wanting an RV. I was going to live out of this full time so that I could have my home and my stuff with me as I move around. RVs in the main are meant to be used as a vacation home and not as a full time home. However, it is certainly not unheard of for someone to live full time out of an RV. Those folks are usually in a position to work from home or are retired. I work for the 'man' so my RV needs would be slightly different.
To begin with I searched the internet and read blogs about living out of your RV full time. Watched a few videos. Read comments from said blogs and videos. That got me a little bit of an idea of what to look for when I started my shopping.
In my area there are four main RV dealerships. The used, the new, the new and used, and the toy hauler. I first went to the used RV dealership. When asked what I was looking for I just gave "Something I can live out of full time, maybe has solar and composting toilette, and not too big." That got me shown the only RV on the site with both solar panels and a composting toilette. Which was a used Class A. Then I began walking through all of the used Class A's. It certainly was large enough to live out of full time comfortably. But the Class A's are like a tour bus. Much too big.
Next I went to the new RV dealership. They have only this year's models, no late year models. I suspect they sell all of their unsold RVs every year to the new / used dealerships. Any who, I started walking through the Class C's while my friend was looking at travel trailers. I was really digging the travel trailers interiors but wanting a motor home. After walking through a bunch, I settled on a 29' Class C with a full wall slide out. It had the dinette and couch on the driver side, the kitchen on the passenger side. The main living area was large and the hallway to bedroom was a straight shot from the living space. The bedroom also had a good size wardrobe. This puppy also came will cool features like powered, auto leveling jacks. She came in at a cool 95K.
Third that day was the new and used dealership which has the classic car salesman vibe. You know, the guy that needs that sale and your not entirely certain if your gonna get screwed. I looked at a handful there cause 1) I didn't like the vibe 2) he wasn't showing me what I asked for and 3) I was tired.
So I go home, do some more internet searching, and sleep on it. My friend and I also began discussing on the way home the possibility of my getting a travel trailer. I currently have a small car. That would mean trading in the car, which I want to do anyways, and get a towing vehicle. I have a massive aversion to trucks and a discomfort about SUV's. So it would be two loans, one for the car and one for the trailer. But ultimately, the two loans could pan out to be about the same as one loan for the motor home.
Next morning, now that I have an idea of how much these puppies cost and what that price will get me, I go into my bank to start figuring out how much I was to take out in loans. I know, I know, many think this is backwards. But it works for me so suck it. Then it's back to the dealerships to look at more options.
I recalled (there is just so much to think about!) that in the next year or so I want to get a dirt bike. So I go to look at the toy trailers. These guys are meant for that stereotypical man who is going out on his manly man weekend. Not something that can be lived out of full time, at least for me. And the sales guy was so fucking stereotypical asshole to me! He sized me up in the first 30 seconds and then dismissed me a serious shopper. So he wants to know what I will be using the haul the trailer with. I tell him I don't know for certain, but it will be a SUV of some kind. He then gives me this crap about not being able to show me any cause he doesn't know what will be used to haul it. So I say, lets look at trailer in the 6k pounds region as that is what I saw some SUVs can haul. So the first trailer he takes me to is a fifth wheel that needs a 1 ton truck to haul. Ass wipe.
On day two of shopping I come across a motor home that had a bike rack on the back. It goes across the bumper and there are models that can support a motorcycle. So I ask the sales guy about a Class C's ability to tow both a car and motorcycle. It would depend on the exact one you settle on, but in the main, sure thing.
So now I sleep on it again and I just hate the idea of my everyday car being a SUV. So I am back to the original idea of the Class C. And yes, I get that some people will be thrown by the idea of my hating a large everyday car but am somehow totally comfortable driving a Class C. The difference is situation. One is everyday the other is periodic. I can handle big rigs on a periodic basis. Just not everyday trying to get around town.
Finally the day comes when I have my choices narrowed down to two. I do not want a used because it would take a large down payment to not be upside down in your loan as these suckers depreciate massively. I want one that is comfortable to live out of full time. That can tow my car and a motorcycle. I have two options from the used dealership. One has larger living space but loses wardrobe space. The other is the opposite. I test drive both with my two friends who have been shopping with me. They were going for a travel trailer but ultimately landed on the Class C with me. I decided on the RV with the larger wardrobe and they got the one with the larger living space.
I wanted the one with more wardrobe because I am going to have all of my stuff with me. And ultimately, I don't want to be spending all of my time inside watching TV like you do in a house. So the smaller living space would be great for getting me outside.
My friends on the other hand will be using this for vacation. They have kids and need the larger living space for two adults and three kids to move around in.
So it was really nice shopping with a friend who was also interested in buying. We worked well together asking questions, doing research, and just having fun with the experience. And when it came time to make an offer, we were able to negotiate a good price cause we bought at the same time.
All in all, it was a pretty damn good experience. From a lot of the videos and blogs out there about buying your first RV the main advise is to know exactly what you want when you go buy. But that is kind of impossible until you actually have some experience under your belt. So my advise is to trust your instincts. Trust them when it comes to sales people, to how a vehicle feels, that sort of thing. And spend time imagining yourself in the vehicle using it. That for me is a great way to think of what else do I need or want.