I've owned 7 RV's in the past 30 years. So I'd like to share some tips for buying a new or used RV, and some general information on RV's!  An RV is a Fully Self contained mobile dwelling, equipped with running water, toilet, sleeping areas, kitchens with amenities such as microwaves, stoves, refrigerators, air conditioning, etc. There are several types to choose from. Motorized RV's such as a ...

Class A-Usually built on a specific chassis, such as a Ford,  Freightliner, Spartan, etc. The Class A RV is built on top of this chassis, which is either a rear engine, mid engine or front engine design, with a Diesel engine or Gasoline. Think "bus" when you think about a Class A motorhome!

Class B-Built on a Van chassis, such as a Dodge (Mercedes), Chevy,  Ford  or Mercedes Van chassis in 3/4 ton or one ton configeration. The RV section is built behind the "cab" section of the cutoff van. Usually no "cabover" bed area, and limited to a couple or single person, possibly with a couple of smaller kids!  Think a tall van when you think about a Class B!

Class C- Also built on  a one ton Van chassis, or a larger commercial type truck chassis. The RV section looks like a cabover camper.

Super C- Bigger version of the Class C, built on a large commercial truck chassis like a Chevy Kodiak or Freightliner.

Towable RV's such as...

Travel Trailer RV-Rectangular box on wheels, has a "A" shaped tow frame on the front, and hitches to a the back of a truck or other tow vehicle. Some have 4 walls like a house, others have fold out tent sections to expand the interior room. Some have "Slide-outs", which are rooms that slide out of the RV, expanding the interior room.

Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer- Like a Travel Trailer but has a bedroom on the front, raised to go over the rear bed of the towing truck, and connected by a tractor/ trailer type fifth wheel hitch in the bed of the truck. These are also commonly equipped with slide-outs.

A Toy Hauler Trailer can be either a Travel trailer, a Fifth Wheel, a Super C or possibly a Class A RV with ramps and storage garage inside to haul ATC's, Dirt Bikes and other vehicles along on a camping trip.

Several types of Travel Trailers are different from the usual Travel Trailer...

Hybrids are a square, elonated 4 walled towable RV, like the Travel Trailer, but with beds that pull out in the front and rear and have "tent type roofs".  A hybrid may have a rear hard sided pull out with a bed in it as well.

The Pop-up Trailer has a tent like structure that "pop's" up, and beds that slide out with tent type covers, to give a weather tight camper that folds back up to a small , low (chest height) package for towing with smaller vehicles.

Also there are Truck Campers- These are usually fully self contained RV's that fit on the back bed area of a Pickup Truck, and usually have cabover bed areas. They are made to be basic to opulant, with basic TC'swith little more than a bed, and full zoot TC's with slideouts, big bed, sofa's and many of the same ammenities as a full sized trailer!

NEW RV-

If your looking for a new RV, start going to RV Shows (Go to the RVIA's website for RV show info in your area) and RV dealers. Look at RV's based on how simple or complex your camping will be and how many in your family. Peruse the various brands and manufacturers for the floor plans and number of beds you will need. Order online brochures, or in some case they can be downloaded. What are you going to tow it with (if a trailer) or how big do you want it (Motorhome)? Diesel or Gas powered. Price range and how ofter you will be using it, some folks full time (live in it and travel across America) and some camp out only a few times a year!

 New is going to be fresh and maybe "built to order" custom just for your tastes. It will have a warranty on the entire unit, for at least a year, and some brands 2 year warranties.

Figure out what you need. If you want an RV that you drive, and the idea of an "all in  one" vehicle suits you, then you can look at the biggest motorized  RV's...

The Class A. However, if you have a large family, most Class A's only sleep a few people, believe it or not, some of the biggest Class A Motorhomes only have a bed for two!

The Class C motorhomes can sleep more, as they usually have a king or queen cab over bed, and/or a rear bedroom with a king or queen bud, a dinette that makes into a double bed, and a sofa that also opens into a double bed. Thats 10 sleepy people!

A Class B typically sleeps 2 persons, in a rear bed that doubles as a dinette or sofa...or 4 in a pinch with 2 sleepers in the flat folding driver and passenger seats!

The Truck Camper fits on larger full sized pickups, 3/4 ton or larger. They slide into the truck bed and are secured inside. They can sleep from 2 adults, with one or two smaller kids. Or 4 adults. The truck camper (TC) has a cabover bed like a Class C motorhome, plus a dinette that makes into a bed. Also an over the dinette bunk can be ordered in some campers. Some TC's have slideouts, which gives much more floor space, and some even have foldout "tent" sleeping rooms.

TRAILERS-

Travel Trailers  are towed behind another vehicle. Included in this group are tent trailers (pop-ups) . Most travel trailers are equipped with slideouts which open up the roomy feel of the trailers. Towable RV's can have none, one, two, three or more slideouts for the kitchen, bedroom, livingroom areas. The Travel Trailer can be a regular one or a toybox version. They can range from 18 ft to 35 or more ft long. Small trailers can be towed with SUV's, Vans and smaller trucks. Light weight construction allows them to be easily towed.  The common "bumper mounted hitch" is used to hook up to the trailer, often with "weight distribution" hitches equipped with anti-sway features. Generally the larger trailer , the more tow vehicle you'll need to have a safe towing experience.

Fifth Wheels are towed by Full size trucks, with a fifth wheel hitch mounted in the truck bed. This system is very close to what full size commercial tractor trailer semi trucks use. A portion of the front of the fifth wheel trailer extends over the rear of the pickup truck bed when being towed. This puts the hitch pivot point just ahead of the trucks rear axle, meaning that touwing a fifth wheel trailer is easier as the trailer tracks better due to the hitch point.  Roomy, high ceilings, lots of storage space make these popular among full timing RVers.

When shopping for a new RV,  you are picking by your preferences and your budget, also keeping in mind the space you need and the type of floorplans you require. Lots of kids for example, means that bunk beds are needed. A couple or a single person needs are different. If you love cooking, for example, look for an RV with plenty on counter space in the kitchen, a bigger refrigeration, stove, over and microwave. No matter where you live, or plan on going RVing, get an Air Conditioner!  And when picking options, most things that are factory installed are a bargain compared to what you'd pay to have them installed after you buy the RV.  Try to pick an RV with lots of standard equipment, instead of RV's with a whole page of extra cost options! Get the largest propane tank size, for example. Spare tire, batteries, tinted safety glass, "fantastic fan", a DSI electric/propane water heater, 6 gallon size (or 10 gallon if you plan on a lot of kids or an optional washer/dryer!)

Then inspect the RV, preferally without the sales guy around! Look inside, underneath, around everything. Look for loose screws, doors and cupboards that don't stay closed, wires or water pipes running thru holes that aren't protected with rubber gromits might wear thru. Construction debris under the dinette or inside closets is sloppy workmanship! Give it the critical eye inspection. Compare this rv with another one for craftsmanship and quality.  You'll find real differences in the way some are made...the pride that the RV assembly people took in their work.  Gather info by visiting the various manufacturers websites and downloading brochures, and visiting various dealerships. Go to RV Showes in your area.  Go to the RVIA website (Recreational Vehicle Insiders Association) and lok up the RV show schedules. Become a knowledgeable consumer! 

USED-

Used will already taken a hit on depreciation (which means a new RV loses a lot of it's original value quickly after buying, as much as 30% within the first few years!), so used can be a big bargain...but may have been abused and not maintained as well as it could have been, with the resulting possibility of future repairs. You could try to buy from a Private Party, and often the owner will have maintenance records, but a Used RV Dealer is more likely to have a somewhat limited warranty to cover the first few months of your ownership. Problem areas are usually improper roof maintenance, which results in leaks. Water intrusion from rain and snow can cause extensive and sometimes hard to see rotting and softening of structual parts of the rv. Expensive to repair. Some RV's are sold when damaged by floods, again extensive damage might have occured. If in doubt, you can find RV survey companies and inspectors...or RV mechanics that for a fee can inspect the RV and give you a written survey.

RV Basic Stuff  101!

Recreational Vehicles are described as a "home on wheels", and not a bad description. The RV has a lot of systems just like a home, running water (hot and cold), a toilet, shower, bathroom, sinks, closets and drawers, storage areas, kitchen with a sink, refrigerator, stove and oven, microwave, food storage areas. For comfort they are equipped with a dinette, sofa, air conditioning and a heater, water heater, television and stereos and a bed, or two, or more. Beds can be found by folding the dinette out, or the sofa opens into a bed. Some RV's have 2 or 4 bunks for extra sleeping room....called "Bunkhouse" models! RV's can sleep 10 or more if equipped for it!

Since the RV is a portable home (mobile!) it is "self contained". This means that the RV travels around fully capable of operating on its own..it doesn't need to be hooked up (as our homes do!) to sewers, water lines, electricity. Holding tanks will hold onto waste water till you can dump it in a sewer or "dump station".

ELECTRICITY! 12 volt-The RV has it's own electrical system, usually  two seperate systems, a 12 volt DC system much the same as your car. Itincludes a 12 volt "marine" battery that takes repeated charges and discharges from the RV's electrical systems. The water pump that supplies water to the shower, sinks and toilet runs on 12 volts. So does the furnace, the lights and the refrigerator.

120 volt ELECTRICITY!- This is for either when the RV is parked at a campground, RV park or at home. There is an electical cord, thick and black that stores in a compartment, that pulls out to around 25 ft so that you can plug into the rV park or Campgrounds 120 volt electrical box at your campsite. This powers a battery charger that keeps the RV's battery charged, and runs the entire 12 volt electrical system instead of the battery being ran down. It also furnishes 120 volts to power the microwave, air conditioning and electrical outlets in the RV.

GENERATOR 120 volt ELECTRICITY!-Some RV's have an optional gasoline or propane or diesel powered generator, so that if you are camping somewhere remote, anf there is no electricity available, you cab power up the Generator and make your own electricity!

SLIDEOUTS!- A slide out is simply a room that fits inside of the RV, and when parked slides out by electric motors or hydraulic rams. This adds more space to the inside of the RV by opening up the floor space. A slide out in the living room of an RV would commonly have the sofa and dinette in it, and can add as much as 40 or 50 square feet to the living space. Some RV's have 4 or more slideouts, an example would be a slideout in the bedroom.

RV Construction-Auminum "siding" is a classic RV material, durable, long lasting and inexpensive...and easy to replace if damaged.  Fiberglass or FILON siding is plastic sheets, either medium gloss or high gloss gel coat finishes. The framework for the walls might be simply wood 2 by 3 studs, nailed or bolted together, with the interior walls and exterior walls screwed or fastened to the wood. Or it could be aluminum tubing or aluminum tubing, welded together. Some RV's use a laminate construction, foam sandwiched between glued sheets of fiberglass on one side (exterior) and wood luan on the interior side.  The aluminum frame can be part of the laminated wall panels, and when the laminated sheets are cured under pressure, they become solid, light weight and strong building blocks for RV's. Insulation between the walls can be fiberglass batting, foam sheets or urathane foam. The roofs are either wood studs with luan on top, with a covering of seamless "rubber" material called TPO of EDPM, which is long lasting, water proof and durable. The roofing material needs to be cleaned at least once a year and the roof sealant needs to be checked, and if cracked or missing, redone with either a Butyl Sealant or EternaBond tape.

What to look for in a used RV...

Shopping for a used RV can be fraught with anxiety and fear. Especially if you are a first time buyer. When you see online ads for an especially nice RV at what appears to be a bargain basement price, well generally if it looks too good to be true it isn't true! Generally the #1 issue with a used RV is the lack of care and routine maintenance, especially the roof! If the roof isn't inspected fairly frequently during the life of the RV, the sealant that keeps the roof seams from leaking will dry out, and water from rain and melting snow will penetrate the roof, leading to the dreaded "Roof Rot", meaning that the water will warp, dry rot and generally cause the failure of the roof and other wood products such as wall board, flooring and structural parts of the RV. It is costly and very serious in terms of having to literally rebuild parts of the RV damaged in this manner. Not just wood framed RV's are affected, as most RV's contain wood in the floors, walls or roofs, including the RV's touting "all aluminum" construction. RV's with true one piece roofs, including aluminum sheets or fiberglass construction can still leak if not propery resealed when needed. If you are getting serious about buying a particular RV that catches your eye, you will most certainly have to get on a ladder and chech out all 4 sides of the roof, including any slide out room roofs! Be careful! The roof has several "vent" pipes for the plumbing (drains from sinks, toilets, etc need vents!) as well as the refrigerator roof vent (6 to 8" high rectangular vent), any skylights, make sure they are in good shape and sealed at the base properly. There should also be an Air Conditioner shroud (biggest thing on the roof!) covering the Air Conditioner unit, an TV antenna (that cranks up and down from the living room), and maybe a Radio antenna. All these things (except the A/C) should be clearly sealed with a black, gray caulking sealant, or EternaBond tape.

The signs of an RV that is leaking and/or has in the past leaked, include discolored  or warped wallboard, mold, rusty stains, ceiling and flooring. If you feel the roof or wall areas, and there is a "give" to it when pushed on, and a crunchy" noise...there is a problem! The Air Conditioner on the roof has a 4" thick foam seal that fits under the A/C and seals water out of the RV,  it needs to be replaced whenever tightening the bolts (found down inside the RV on the ceiling under the AC grill) no longer stop the rain from leaking into the RV. This is another seriousily neglected water intrusion point, that can cause damage to the roof! If buying used, RV's with these signs are best left behind. Even if you are a handy person or even a craftsman, it would be expensive and labor intensive repair work.

A new RV generally comes with a one year or two year warranty. Statistics indicated that a new RV will have more initial quality related issues needing to be fixed by the dealer than an Automobile. A RV is a very complex vehicle, the combination of a house and a vehicle rolled into one. This means that the probability of actually having a problem with a componant is 6 times greater. The stove, sink, toilet, refrigerator are all appliances made by other companies. Often they have their own warranties, one, two and 3 years and taken cared of by the manufacturers of those items. Even the RV chassis frame is covered by the Manufacturer, Lippert, LeLand, etc. on a trailer..and Ford, GMC, Freighliner, Etc if a Motorhome. The RV manufacturer washes their hands when you have issues with these things. The RV manufacturers warranty takes care of the stuff that they actually build, the walls, roof, interior, etc.  Sometimes a new or used RV dealership or the RV manufacturer will offer an extended warranty for when the factory warranty expires. It's up to you to decide if this is worth while to you, again...statistics indicate that extended warranties are not always useful, and the fine print exclusions and excepted items may not cover you as you would expect! Read it and understand it before you commit. Up to 60 to 70%  of what you pay for the aftermarket warranty is profit to the seller.

Other items to check out when purchasing  RV's...What type is right for you?

Motorized RV's-CLASS A-The decision you will have to make is Diesel or Gasoline engines. Some RV's, such as virtually all Class A motorhomes in lengths over 30 feet or so will be diesel rear or mid engine design. These can be very economical regarding superior fuel mileage and range vs gasoline. Maintenance items such as oil changes, fuel filters (more than one!), air filters, transmission filters and fluid changes can be hard for owners with less than above average skills. That means you need a good, trusted mechanic. This is especially true with the "not so easy to access" rear and mid engine designs.  Gasoline powered Class A's were a vanishing breed, but with front engines easier to maintain, they are doing well. Of note are the newer rear engine gasoline Class A's, which mostly vanished due to cooling issues years ago, but are now reappearing with newer technology.

The Class C and Super C-  These rv's are popular, as they are mounted on (mostly) Ford E350/450 van chassis, have 6 tires, and now more frequently the Mercedes/Dodge Sprinter diesel eurovan chassis. Easy to drive, like a automobile/truck, easy to work on the engine and service it. Usually shorter than the Class A motorhomes, the Class C is commonly known for the "cabover" bed. Usually it is a queen bed, altho dual twin beds can be ordered on some brands...and also in lieu of the bed you can get a large entertainment system on some.  Class C's can be found with rear bunk beds, or a queen or king rear bedroom. Gasoline engines are common, with some larger brands and all of Sprinter/Mercedes chassis have diesel engines in the front hood area of the vehicle. Owners may feel more comfortable servicing their Class A RV, as everything under the hood accesses like a pickup truck or automobile.

Class B- Built on a van, usually with a high top added so that standing up inside is possible. Very easy to drive and park virtually anywhere makes these RV's popular. Unlike most other Motorized RV's, the Class B's have only 4 tires. They can be serviced by the owner or virtually any car dealership or repair shop. Very tight space inside, but full of most of the same features as larger RV's...including a bed (sometimes doubles as a sofa or dinette), small bathroom, kitchenette, air conditioner, etc. Often a Class B is as much as or more than a Class C motorhome, as they have to be carefully hand built and fitted, and this takes longer.

NEXT! Check this thing you want to buy completely!

EXTERIOR-Damaged or missing items such as exterior storage hatches, covers for the Refrigerator vent, water heater or furnace covers and doors. Dented aluminum panels or damaged fiberglass, faded or missing (may indicate panels were repaired or replaced) panels, torn or faded decals and graphics. Rusty frames and folding steps are almost a common thing, Rustoleum takes care of it if not too extensive. Peering under the RV to see if there is any missing underbelly covering (if do equipped), damage to the frame or chassis, damage to the holding tanks or sewer/drain pipes. Dangling wires and pipes or hoses are not a good thing either! Check the tires also.  Is the thread ok, are there any buldges in the tires? Cracks that are fairly deep or uneaven wear? They should commonly be replaced if more than 5 years old, and you can look at the "tire code" on the tired to check the age. Google "Reading Tire Code Dates" for more info!

INTERIOR-As mentioned above in the water damage paragraph, check the walls and ceilings. Do  the doors and cabinet drawers and doors close and stay closed? Is there signs of the sink leaking in kitchen or bath? Are any of the cabinets warped or damaged from water leaks...some RV's use particle board, which absorbs water and falls apart. Same with the flooring, soft spots, sags or humps...squeeks and groans might indicate issues. Do all the lights work? Switches? Slideouts operate without horrible noises or laboring sounds. Do they seal when open fully, can you see daylight around the slideout? Same when closed. Does the sofa and bed make out into sleeping areas, try them out. And check any tent type pull outs, is the tent fabric clean from mold, uncut and in good leak proof shape? Are the tent end pullouts mattresses in good shape or are they moldy and damaged from moisture? The ceiling vents and skylights tight and no leaking obvious? Try out all the kitchen appliances, gas stove and oven (if equipped), microwave, stovetop vent fan, refrigerator should be cold/frozen and running on gas and electricity. Sink should have hot and cold running water. The holding tank/fresh water/water heater/ etc indicator and control switches work? The bathroom...sink has hot and cold water, toilet flushes, shower runs hot and cold. Ceiling vent opens and closes with fan working and no signs of leaks?  Caveat Emptor! This is from ancient Rome and means that the buyer must beware, because after the deal is done...you might be stuck with a lemon. Do your homework!

***NOTE!*** You should be at least somewhat proficient in being able to handle SOME repair work yourself, loose screws, unglued wall paper, cupboards that need latches, light bulbs that need replacement and dozens of small things will have to be replaced and/or repaired, glued, nailed, pasted, painted, fixed, lovingly re-attached, etc will have to be dealt with...and expensive to take to a repair shop...so DIY becomes a must. You will do fine, trust me it's a learning experience! And it's your RV, so you can do things to it! ;)

HOW TO NEGOTIATE ON THE Used RV...PRICE-TIPS...

Right now its a buyers market,  you are in the saddle! Anything that you found wrong with the RV using the above buying and "what to look for" tips now comes into play! Things that will need to be looked at more closely, or even actually having to be repaired now need to be pointed out to the sellers. For example, if the tires are more than 5 years old, you will have to replace them...pretty much irreguardless of the actual condition. Remember that you can actually read the tire codes stamped on the sidewalls and get the manufacturing date that way. A new set of 4 (or 6) RV tires can run from $200.00 to $700.00 each! Also things like dirty carpets, non working appliances, stains on the upholstery, and on motorized RV's excessive mileage are all negotiation points. Diesels can and often do have more mileage, but keep in mind if properly maintained can out last gasoline engines by a large margin!

WIGGLE ROOM ON BUYING A NEW RV....Deals can be had!

Just like a car dealer...an RV dealership is paying a bank for all of the inventory on his lot. Every month that that RV sits on his lot is costing him money in interest and advertising costs. He wants it to go! I usually have financing ready, or cash in hand to buy. At one point I was negotiating a price on a new Jayco rv, and we were dickering over a measily $2000.00. I wanted to pay $18,000.00 on a $20,000 "best price I can give ya!" trailer. Peeled off cash and stacked $18,000.00 on his desk, watching his eyes get bigger!  When I has all $18k down...I waited, then started to put the cash back into my envelope. One bill at a time. He sold me it for 18K!  Cash does talk! But the RV dealer might be able to get you a better finance rate than even a credit union.

You can also quote deals that you found on the internet on the same brand and model, to get him to come down. If nothing else, get him to throw in some of the stuff you need, like a hitch, sewer hoses, batteries, etc.  Make sure to check out the dealers BBB rating, any unresolved complaints, and check his repair department, talk to some customers about their experiences with the dealer. The dealer will be your friend when it comes time to getting warranty work done!

TOW VEHICLES-Most inportant part? YES!-

Putting the "cart before the horse"  is never a good idea!  Buying a SUV for example, then finding that the Trailer that you and your spouse "Really, Really"  want is too heavy, too long or just plain wrong for your Tow Vehicle! Costly mistake, and if you throw caution to the wind and tow your huge new trailer with a vehicle that won't do so safely, and might in fact put you, your family and other people on the road in jeopardy!

Be very cautious of 2 persons that may be involved in this transaction! The Truck/SUV Salesman abd the RV Dealer.  Sometimes they may be desperate for a sale, and fudge on the truth about what you can and can't tow.  "This truck can tow ANYTHING"! is one tall tale!" Or "This is an UltraLite Trailer, and your 1/2 ton truck will have no problems towing it, you won't even know it's back there!"  Check back soon for more about Vehicle selection tip!

More to follow...hope I helped someone! Here a good tip...Go to RV.Net and join up, it's full of fellow RVers with lots of experience...a great resource for RV newbies, beginers of seasoned veteran RVers like me!

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