Amberbunny
newport news
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Joined: 02/23/2005
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Super post! If it isn't too long in the tooth to add my 2 cents . . .Due Dilligence, asyou captured it pays off thousands in the long run. Go to RV shows, subscribe to or buy several RV mags each month, visit several dealers, join forums such as these to read issues and solutions.
Price range is a great place to start. If you can afford 10K and under, and still use it . . .stop looking at 300K models. Get busy in the want ads.
Find out what 10K buys and keep you reye on want ads and dealers. I found dealers ran about 30 to 50% higher than want ads, and I never did have a good feeling the rig was reconditioned, or even inspected for that matter. I want to see a list of what was inspected and what was repaired/replaced. Don't show me a bogus checklist with OK next to every single thing!
Always check fluids and rubber on all used RV's. If you find the model you like but it has sat for three years . . . you will need all new rubber, adding an easy $1500 to base price. Probably want to replace all fluids as well.
Check it out from top to bottom, light that stove off, not just the pilot, fire up the AC and heat, run the CO detector, pump, flush toilet, run shower, etc. Use all lights and outlets.
Just a few items. And never count on any support post sale from a dealer. Its just better that way. You are never disappointed.
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The snow man
de pere, wisconsin
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Joined: 06/09/2005
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Couldn't have said it better myself...
The beatiful MONSTER that takes my wife and I anywhere we want to go...2005 Jayco granite ridge...Overhead entertainment center, slide out, and a snowmobile trailer that pulls 2 four wheelers in the summer and 2 snowmobiles in the winter..Life is great!
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Mary K. Burns
Portland, Maine 04103 USA
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Joined: 01/24/2003
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I think you did a great job and didn't miss much. We have been researching diesels for the past two and a half years. We are buying next spring and I am trying to get it right the first time. There is a lot of information to cover. We have witnessed first hand that at least 25% to 30% off list price is available. With the cost of fuel these days these dealers need to do something to make the motorhomes as affordable (LOL) as possible.
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RN Enigma
Florida
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Joined: 07/15/2005
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Hello JohnnyT
I am new to RV net as in birth time a few minutes ago.
We have not yet made purchase of our Class A but have been dedicating close to 25 hours a week researching everything and are very close to making purchase now. We are going to spend the next year as full timers. As you can imagine, right now we are like sponges, wanting to soak up any information from experienced RV'ers that we can find.
Your post dated 05/08/04 "First Time Buyer..One persons perspective" was incredibly helpful to me. For example, I had not thought about the dinette with chairs versus the booth for an additional sleeping accomodation.
So far we have considered the diesel versus gas.
The gray tanks are important because I do not want to spend my life at dump stations.
Dual pane windows
A split bathroom
Counter space
Hopefully able to find a minimum of 3 slides, preferably 2 in bedroom so we have room to dress.
Also hopeful that we are able to locate a desk for computer with filing draws.
I've been told the furniture we can change to what suits us.
All of our information of course are from salesmen so it is difficult to know what to believe at this point. Often, it can be a bit overwhelmimg since they want a sale and my focus is for a safe rig, seeking options that make for a more durable motor home at a good price.
In any case, I just wanted to say thank you very much for your post.
I am printing it out so that I can read it several times over and perhaps take it with me as a guide for when we make purchase.
Safe and Happy RV'ing
RN Enigma
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mvcpt267
Churchville, MD
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Joined: 02/16/2005
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Wow...good stuff!
Smitty
2008 Itasca Navion H
2008 Jeep Wrangler X
Churchville, MD
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UReady
Louisiana
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Joined: 02/23/2004
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Johnny
It was just a wonder that I ran across you article. I haven't been on the forum since we brought out 5th wheel 4 years ago. I am 50yo and retired last year. My wife and I are thinking about perching our first motorized rv. Our son lives in Alaska and we planed to spend next summer in Anchorage. (we love Alaska) We are not comfortable pulling the 5th wheel up there and my truck is underpowered to pull up Mts. I took A notebook and we answered the questions you said we should think about. We have a good idea of what we want, but from just looking at brochures I can already see that the things we want or not offered in our price range,or the floor plan that comes close to what we want no on seems to have on the lot, around here anyway.(Baton Rouge, LA) I would like to order the RV, as you did, but I am afraid we want get much of a deal if we do that.
This is what is important to us:
1.useable bathroom, roomy, space around lavatory to shave, brush hair,teeth,ect. Large enough shower/tub for a full size man to shower in. For weekend camping it doesn't matter as much, but if you are living in the RV, it matters!
2. night stands on boath sides of the bed for books, drink,glasses lamp,ect. We like to read in bed before we go to sleep.
3. double slide/super slide, in living area, booth dinette and hid a bed sofa in the slide out.
4. lounge chair/recliner
5. washer/dryer closet
6. Desk in bedroom would be nice for a computer.
7. 33' to 36'
8. for 100k
9. insulation is important (for the heat down here 100+ and the cold in Alaska 15 degrees
I don't know to much about manufacturers of motorized RV's. We are looking at the Holiday Rambler 33PBD (the bath is the drawback in the 33PBD)or the 36WDD, (we like the bath better in the 36WDD,) the 37PCT is what we would like to have. It has the large bath and a desk in the bedroom, but it may be out of our price range. We also looked at a Fleetwood that we liked the floodplan and the price was within our budget, but I am not sure of the quality for living in 24/7 and the amount of insulation for extreme weather.
Can you suggest any other brands that we might look at?
Louisiana Man
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UReady
Louisiana
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Joined: 02/23/2004
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Sean,
Am I asking to much?
Now my wife has add to the list. She wants a bath tub.
This giving me a headache. Even if we had unlimited funds, it might be hard to pull all this together, but remenber we plan to live in the thing, part time anyway.
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irishsage
New Blatimore
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Joined: 07/19/2005
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WOW Johnny T wish we could all be as good as you
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gumbee
Tacoma WA
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Joined: 07/29/2005
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AGGHHH!!!!
After two years in a travel trailer, while thoroughly enjoying the experience, my wife and I decided to upgrade to a motorhomes. We are picking up our new unit in a couple of days. We picked out the motorhome based on gut instinct and then did the research after the fact.
After reading the (great) article, I am going to keep my fingers crossed. Although I think we picked a "winner" in the dealership.
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Dorie
Seattle
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Joined: 07/31/2005
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I was very impressed with your intelligence.
Now how do I talk husb into looking THAT much? I don't think he'd test-drive that many. I am looking into that RV class taught in Idaho. Will print this and take along in our search.
When we bought a new car in Feb husb would only look at three places!
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