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So, we're thinking about investing (?) in a RV, for camping trips and other adventures. Me and the not-wife-yet would like to travel, but having dogs as kids makes it kind of tough. We don't want to leave them in some strange kennel full of feas for a week while we go do fun stuff. And we also don't fancy staying in non-fancy hotels and motels full of bed bugs and who knows what else.

Any RV owners have any tips for a total rv noob looking to buy one? We were thinking we would try renting one first for a weekend to see how we like it and if we really want to get one of our own.

And then being a gamer nerd, I also like the idea of using one to go to game cons. Doing some basic math guesstimates, using GenCon as an example, it looks like I'd save quite a bit even with the sucky gas mileage and all. I'd want a hotel that's right next to the convention center or within walking distance, so there's like $400 a night (when they normally charge $125 since they price gouge because they can). I'd need to stay in the hotel for about 5 days or so.. they say you have to get there on tuesday to set up your booth, then be there for wednesday for media, con opens thursday through sunday. So 5 days is $2000, plus the cost of parking my car. A few blocks from con, there's a huge parking facility with bus spaces that's good for RVs too, and they cost $20-25 per space per day, I'd probably need 2 spaces.. so around $50, brings my 5 night stay down to $250. Then there's the idea of preparing more of my own food rather than paying outrages con-food prices (not grilling steaks in a parking lot, but you get the idea).. plus sleeping in my own bed.. but it's not really just about saving money, more about just having more conveniences and stuff, during the con I would mostly just be using the RV to sleep and shower.

Anyway.. just wondering if anyone else out there goes to cons in RVs? Any thoughts or ideas or tips?

I'd be interested in this subject too...

 Necros wrote:
So, we're thinking about investing (?) in a RV, for camping trips and other adventures. Me and the not-wife-yet would like to travel, but having dogs as kids makes it kind of tough. We don't want to leave them in some strange kennel full of feas for a week while we go do fun stuff. And we also don't fancy staying in non-fancy hotels and motels full of bed bugs and who knows what else.

Any RV owners have any tips for a total rv noob looking to buy one? We were thinking we would try renting one first for a weekend to see how we like it and if we really want to get one of our own.

And then being a gamer nerd, I also like the idea of using one to go to game cons. Doing some basic math guesstimates, using GenCon as an example, it looks like I'd save quite a bit even with the sucky gas mileage and all. I'd want a hotel that's right next to the convention center or within walking distance, so there's like $400 a night (when they normally charge $125 since they price gouge because they can). I'd need to stay in the hotel for about 5 days or so.. they say you have to get there on tuesday to set up your booth, then be there for wednesday for media, con opens thursday through sunday. So 5 days is $2000, plus the cost of parking my car. A few blocks from con, there's a huge parking facility with bus spaces that's good for RVs too, and they cost $20-25 per space per day, I'd probably need 2 spaces.. so around $50, brings my 5 night stay down to $250. Then there's the idea of preparing more of my own food rather than paying outrages con-food prices (not grilling steaks in a parking lot, but you get the idea).. plus sleeping in my own bed.. but it's not really just about saving money, more about just having more conveniences and stuff, during the con I would mostly just be using the RV to sleep and shower.

Anyway.. just wondering if anyone else out there goes to cons in RVs? Any thoughts or ideas or tips?

Having not long come back from Southampton boat show, they're good if you can find somewhere to park.
Here in England shopping centre car parks can be a problem. Small parking spaces, barriers, security patrols to move you on. And everywhere has double yellow lines (no parking area's)
Mileage isn't good I get 26 mpg. If your taking dogs look for a fixed bed model. they usually have a rear storage area, with limited access to the main area.
Ideal as a dog kennel.

I drive RVs for work. Expect to get between 6-10 miles a gallon-they're expensive to fuel. Most that have generators will have the generators kick off power around 25% fuel left in the tank, so you can still get somewhere to fill. If you get a Winnebago model, they have a great turn radius, but keep in mind it's not a car. You won't have a read view mirror, but many of them come with a 'backup cam' with a TV screen you can leave on. Um...I didn't read all the original post, but PM me and I'll offer advice/suggestions on any specifics that I can.

thanks I'll PM you

As far as parking goes I imagine that wouldn't be an issue really at the con, I would be getting there a few days earlier than the general public to set up a booth and all, and then not moving it till it's all done.. unless I ran out of generator fuel and had to go gas up, the lot's website says you can leave and come back. I just would have to call them to make sure it's ok and/or legal to live there for a week and have the generator going and stuff or if the city has laws against "boondocking" if that's what they call it.

I was looking at a few brands, I like the look of the new retro winnebego brave. I'm really just basing it all on site photos and floor plans though, I think I'd have to go to a big dealership and check out a bunch of them to see what feels right. I don't want anything huge, just comfy to stay in for a few days.

I think we are gonna plan a little springtime trip and rent a rv from a place nearby. I checked their prices though and with gas plus rental plus mileage it would be just as much as a hotel if I were to take one to gencon, so I'd only use one for a Conmobile if I owned it

I was planning on 10 MPG when I did my maths. I figured 80 gallon tank x $4 per gallon = $320 and GenCon is around 620 miles. So I'd fill up before I leave, top off when I'm almost there, and then top off when I leave there. When all is said and done I don't think it would be a super huge savings, but it would save a little and it's more about the convenience and having it be all my stuff rather than a hotel room that gets cleaned in 2 minutes flat. We both kinda hate hotels, so traveling anywhere weather it's for a con or a vacation, having our own home on wheels just seems more our style.

Is your preference for a coach over a truck and trailer?

I ask because both types have positives and negatives. My preference is truck and trailer. It is a bit more cramped while driving long distance but makes up for such in versatility, cost and ease of maintenance.

If you are going with the coach then the big question will be what will you use for your runabout?
Then how are you going to tow it? Towbar or trailer? Trailer will be the safest but both add a considerable amount of length to an already very large/long vehicle.

Another option is to rent a runabout when you get to your destination.

Also, check for licensing requirements. Some states now require a non-commercial cdl. I know, it is an oxymoron but it exists. Especially in California.

If you have further questions or need clarification feel free to ask. Also, some states have really quirky laws depending upon your rig and what you are doing.

If you are going to a con to visit and to sell a few items some stayes will consider it a commercial venture and require a cdl. If such a state cough*Nevada*cough*cough* waves you into a weigh station and they find out that you are getting re-imbursed or making money in any way on that trip they will seize and hold your vehicle until you can get a driver with a cdl to drive the rig.
Note, there is a time limit before the vehicle is impounded.

Later,
ff

missed that reply before.. sorry.

Anyway I'd want an all in 1 motorhome, not a trailer. I drive a small SUV that can only tow 3500 pounds, so that would only be good for a small trailer. Might be good for weekend camping, but not living in for up to a week. So I need something good and "roomy" enough for 2 for vacations, and then a conmobile for me.

I guess I would have to get a CDL license then just to be on a safe side. I read that I don't need it for PA, and I doubt I'd make it to the west coast, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. So does that mean I'd be required to pull into those weigh stations every time?

I've been looking into a lot of different RVs and researching stuff, I haven't decided between A or C, I think I'd just have to get in them and see what I like. I think I'm probably leaning more toward A since they seem to have better floor plans and I get the idea I'll be able to see better without having a bedroom over my head. But we'd want small one I guess around 30', I'd be too scared to drive a massive bus.

I'm a little put off by the prices though. I don't think we can afford brand new, I've seen some used ones on some local dealer sites that look ok and are more in our price range, but I worry about buying a used RV. Seems like there could be a lot more problems than a used car, like if they didn't take care of it and there was mold hiding in the walls and stuff... and being a noob I don't really know what to look out for that isn't obvious.

Sorry I haven't been around to answer your last batch of questions you sent me-work has been obliterating me. I'm not burning the candle at both ends: instead, I've got a fething flame thrower at each end.

np

Another concern I have is I don't know if it would be practical for a conmobile or not. I think it could work for GenCon since it's in a convention center and there's a lot a few blocks away for buses and RVs, but I don't know if you're allowed to sleep there and/or run a generator all night so the AC will work so I guess I'd have to ask. And is that a question for the company running the lot, or the cops?

And then, since a lot of other cons are at hotels, would the hotel not let me park an RV there or demand I pay for a room? if that's the case I'd just take my car.

 Necros wrote:
np

Another concern I have is I don't know if it would be practical for a conmobile or not. I think it could work for GenCon since it's in a convention center and there's a lot a few blocks away for buses and RVs, but I don't know if you're allowed to sleep there and/or run a generator all night so the AC will work so I guess I'd have to ask. And is that a question for the company running the lot, or the cops?

And then, since a lot of other cons are at hotels, would the hotel not let me park an RV there or demand I pay for a room? if that's the case I'd just take my car.

All wallmarts across the nation will let you park in their lots, along with truck stops & rest stops.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Necros wrote:

Anyway.. just wondering if anyone else out there goes to cons in RVs? Any thoughts or ideas or tips?

First off, it's not an investment, it a cash black hole. If you want an investment get a timeshare.

I lived in one in san diego for a while, and it was 300 a month for my lot, but that was quite a few years ago.

Before driving it to a con, do the cost annalysis between driving or flying and room/lot rentals.

Another thing I learned living in a RV was some lots will rent to older vehicles for the weekend, but if you want to live there they won't accept vehicles over 10 years old.

They are great especially when single, but if you travel across the southern states the border patrol will sometimes ask to let their dogs into your vehicle and have no problem letting the mutts up on your bed and furniture.

I was thinking a motorhome would be like owning a boat. You just keep dumping money into it till it finally sinks one day

I've been looking around the web, watching lots of youtube videos and stuff. I like the idea of living in one full time and being a hermit, but I don't think I could do that. I have too much stuff and I know my girlfriend would hate it if it was anything longer than a weekend. I'd also be too paranoid to quit my day job even though the lifestyle is generally cheaper from what I've seen. If my game company did enough business for me to just do that for a living maybe, but I don't think that will happen for a very long time. I am trying to put it together in a way that I can do it from anywhere though.. all of the people that do art and stuff for me are all in other countries, and I'm going to have all of my products in a warehouse that automagically ships stuff for me when someone places an order, so it will all be automated in theory anyway. So as long as I have internet access I can be open for business.

But I was thinking more for a week or so at a time here and there... drive to a game con, camp out in the parking lot, drive home... and normal camping trips too a couple times a year. I'm in Philly, I would go as far as GenCon in Indianapolis, anything further than that I think I would just fly. That sucks about old RVs though. I can't buy anything new, it's too expensive and it seems like a car where if you buy something a couple years old you get a better value. I don't want something too used though, maybe like 3-4 years old tops.

Necros wrote:missed that reply before.. sorry.

Anyway I'd want an all in 1 motorhome, not a trailer. I drive a small SUV that can only tow 3500 pounds, so that would only be good for a small trailer. Might be good for weekend camping, but not living in for up to a week. So I need something good and "roomy" enough for 2 for vacations, and then a conmobile for me.

I guess I would have to get a CDL license then just to be on a safe side. I read that I don't need it for PA, and I doubt I'd make it to the west coast, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. So does that mean I'd be required to pull into those weigh stations every time?

I've been looking into a lot of different RVs and researching stuff, I haven't decided between A or C, I think I'd just have to get in them and see what I like. I think I'm probably leaning more toward A since they seem to have better floor plans and I get the idea I'll be able to see better without having a bedroom over my head. But we'd want small one I guess around 30', I'd be too scared to drive a massive bus.

I'm a little put off by the prices though. I don't think we can afford brand new, I've seen some used ones on some local dealer sites that look ok and are more in our price range, but I worry about buying a used RV. Seems like there could be a lot more problems than a used car, like if they didn't take care of it and there was mold hiding in the walls and stuff... and being a noob I don't really know what to look out for that isn't obvious.

A)First, no matter how big the rv, space will always be tight. It has to do with human nature and the modern materialistic consumer age. There is a saying/rule when it comes to storage....."Stuff to be stored will, over time, expand to meet or exceed the storage capacity."

What this means is that bigger is not always better. This is due to the more stuff your hauling directly adding weight and lowering your fuel economy. First mistake many new rv'ers make is going to large.
Also, please note that this does not mean that lots of storage space is bad. Actually, it is a good thing....one just has to find the right balance.

As to coach vs trailer/5th wheel. It is all a matter of personal preference. Just make sure to always have a hotel/condo contingency planned in case there are mechanical problems...which there will be.


B)Getting a cdl is not as easy as it seems. In fact it is a huge hassle. Regular physicals, log books, weigh stations, traffic fines often being 10x more, MCFT & IFTA paperwork and reporting are some of thing things you might have to deal with depending upon the state.

It is a lot easier to just stay current as to which states are the more "friendly ones and which would be better to just drive around.


C)If your gonna go coach the Class A all the way. The electrical systems are designed for a motor home.

Most Class C's end up being maintenance nightmares. This is because Class C's are vans with an rv section spliced onto them. Rust prevention at the points where the fiberglass meets the body is a pita and chronic electrical problems are the norm for this class of motor homes.


D)Buy used but educate your self first. Things that I look at are:

1) Crawl under vehicle and look. You want it to be clean, rust free, holding tanks with no cracks/repairs, hopefully some insulation.
If the underside looks beat up, wires hanging, scrapes on the frame, insulation sagging/pulling away (sign was driven to fast) and/or you see the trim falling away with rot in the plywood then walk away.

2)Check or have professionally checked the Transmission! Then have the motor compression checked and have an oil analysis done. While these can't guarantee a used motor they are the best chance of spotting a problem/unethical seller.

3) Go inside and look at the cabinet doors. If they are straight, good. If you see some of the doors sagging then this is a sign of hard use or poor quality.
Then check the bathroom area. If you feel give in the flooring then this is a sign of at one point of a major leak. While the leak will have most likely have been repaired, they failed to deal with the collateral damage in the floors.Look under all sinks for signs of leaks or mold.

The floor popping or creaking while you walk through the coach is a sign of hard use.

Check ceiling for signs of leaks and check all appliances to see if in working order.

4) Go outside and look around water heater for signs of rust and/or leaks.

Check slide outs for smooth operation

And

Check the roof. Best roofs are "Rubber"(Layer of rubber over plywood). If you touch a rubberized roof and your hand comes away with powder, this is a sign of poor maintenance and impending leakage. Rubber roofs have to be treated with an anti-uv wash every year to prevent them from dry rotting and failing at the 8-10 yr mark.

That should be a good start on what to look for, hope it helps.

Later,
ff

sirlynchmob wrote:
All wallmarts across the nation will let you park in their lots, along with truck stops & rest stops.

Not completely accurate. While Wal-Mart does have a very RV friendly attitude(as long as you do some shopping......many cities,counties and some states have ordinances that prohibit overnight rv parking in public/store parking lots. Apache Junction, AZ comes to mind.
I don't mind that so much as the states that will fine you for resting at a rest stop. Some states have a maximum 2 hour stay rule for their rest areas.

sirlynchmob wrote:
First off, it's not an investment, it a cash black hole. If you want an investment get a timeshare.

I lived in one in san diego for a while, and it was 300 a month for my lot, but that was quite a few years ago.

Before driving it to a con, do the cost annalysis between driving or flying and room/lot rentals.

Another thing I learned living in a RV was some lots will rent to older vehicles for the weekend, but if you want to live there they won't accept vehicles over 10 years old.

They are great especially when single, but if you travel across the southern states the border patrol will sometimes ask to let their dogs into your vehicle and have no problem letting the mutts up on your bed and furniture.

A) I agree about this not being an investment(Airstreams might be the exception).
I disagree about them being a black hole/money pit. For certain travelling workers/business people they make good financial sense. One just has to be ready to live by a different set of more frugal and less materialistic rules to make such living efficient & enjoyable.

B) As of 2 years ago the average per month rate across the country was $350 and weekly ran about $100-$150...with certain prime locations being much higher.

C) Good point about doing a cost analysis. I would add that you contact the event itself to see what camping/hotel/parking provisions they have for their vendors.

D)Also a good point about the vehicle age...though those lots that discriminate against older rv's are usually for old snow birds or weekenders and have higher pricing to match. You can usually find another lot nearby that doesn't discriminate based upon vehicle age but rather vehicle condition.

E) You have apparently been very lucky. Get pulled into a check point on the I-10 corridor and have your vehicle strip searched because a drug dog alerts on your ham sandwich or because you black russian ancestry makes you look latino.
When the search is done you have to load everything back in by yourself. They make the mess and you have to clean it up.

note*- This last has not happened to me personally but to other rv'ers I was caravan-ing with.


Later,
ff

Yeah we were thinking of class A. I like C for what feels like the traditional motorhome to me, and i like the idea of the bed over the cab, but in reality we would only ever use that for storage. I also like the idea of having drivers and passenger side doors instead of just 1 door for the whole thing, but still it looks like A's have the kinds of floor plans we like best. Based on floor plan alone I really like the winnebago brace 31 that I don't think is even out yet. I like it because it's got a smaller dinette for 2, which is all we need, and a big sofa right across from it.. and behind the dinette you get a 40" TV. We love our TV and we'll wanna watch our shows weather we're home or not and that seemed to have the best layout. I really hate how most motorhomes stick the TV in the worst spot. I don't want to look sideways to watch TV. Personally I would rather have a trailer but neither of our cars are big enough to tow anything worthwhile. We could only do up to 3500 pounds.

Also not sure about diesel vs gas. the MH will be pricier with diesel, and the gas price is higher too. You get better MPG, but does the MPG & gas price equal what you'd get with normal gas that has lower MPG but costs less? With a gas rig, do I have to use premium?

i don't want a massive RV though, so I'm looking at smaller ones around 30-35 ft. We want a separate bedroom in the back, not just a bed tucked off to the side, and bathroom with a shower a 300 pound guy can fit in We don't need luxury at all, just something that looks nice and laid out good.

I don't know if I'd fit under the RV very good but I'll see what I can do I'm a little scared to climb up to a roof though, I'm too clumsy and I'd be scared I'm too heavy for it.

I read about border patrol and cops down south doing stuff like that. We would most likely be staying in the upper east coast area, though I dream of doing a long BBQ tour some day

Most of the monthly rates I've seen around here are in the $5-600 range, but they seem like they are family resorts. We'd like to try and find nice and quiet campgrounds. We don't need pools or arcades, just a nice place to park with all the hookups.

We've also been looking into tiny homes too and kind of like the idea, but we just don't have a truck big enough to tow one. It would probably have to be in a more permanent place, but just have the added bonus that we can move it if we don't like where we are. I think I would personally like an RV better though.

We have a 38ft Keystone Raptor, which is a trailer RV. We got it when my wife was getting ready to be stationed someplace for what we knew would be a year or less. She parked it in the RV camp on post and the fees couple with what we spent on the RV were still cheaper than buying or renting a house for her. She then took it when she was at the Air War College and lived in it, again parking it at the on post RV camp.

We're trying to sell it now since we no longer need it, and even if I only get half of what we pad for it we'll have come out ahead.

It is a really nice trailer. Several times my daughter stayed in it with my wife for a couple of weeks during breaks in school, and I've stayed in it a few times too. It is comfortable, maybe a bit cramped when e had the dogs in it too, but definitely nothing too inconvenient.

 Necros wrote:

Also not sure about diesel vs gas. the MH will be pricier with diesel, and the gas price is higher too. You get better MPG, but does the MPG & gas price equal what you'd get with normal gas that has lower MPG but costs less? With a gas rig, do I have to use premium?

Diesel pusher if you can. Affordable used in a 30-35ft range will be in the 1998-2004 year range. Look for either a Cummins 5.9 or a Ford Navstar 7.3(Powerstroke). Both are pretty much bullet proof as long as you follow certain diesel specific maintenance guidelines.

Anyone tries to sell you a Duramax is looking to give you their problem...chevy/gm just does not know how to do light diesels.

You might come across a Class A with a Detroit, Catapillar or International diesel. While these are all good...they are a bit too big (too much motor) and parts/ maintenance will be expensive.

Necros wrote: I don't want a massive RV though, so I'm looking at smaller ones around 30-35 ft. We want a separate bedroom in the back, not just a bed tucked off to the side, and bathroom with a shower a 300 pound guy can fit in We don't need luxury at all, just something that looks nice and laid out good.

Sounds like you are on the right track for your first RV. Too many jump in with new over-sized rigs they can't handle and really can't afford. Start with a moderate sized used one to get yer feet wet as it were.

Necros wrote:I don't know if I'd fit under the RV very good but I'll see what I can do I'm a little scared to climb up to a roof though, I'm too clumsy and I'd be scared I'm too heavy for it.

You just reminded me. I never trust the flimsy ladders that come on the vehicles. You want to either get a rig that has a large all the way through main storage bay that can fit an extension ladder or get a 12-16ft Little Giant style folding ladder. You will always need a good ladder for a variety of reasons when you own an RV. You can get a folding ladder designed to handle 300 pnds at any Lowes/Home Depot.

Necros wrote:I read about border patrol and cops down south doing stuff like that. We would most likely be staying in the upper east coast area, though I dream of doing a long BBQ tour some day

My list of must do destinations:

Colorado Springs in the Winter to late winter. Campground prices are dirt cheap and you have a snow covered Pikes Peak and Rocky Mts front range looking down on you.

next

The Grand Canyon and the Painted Dessert in late winter to early spring. Again light snow on the Grand Canyon is awesome.

then on to

Corpus Christie, Texas or to Oceanside, Califonia in early to mid spring for some nice warm(Not Hot) ocean time.

Summer....go to music festivals, Nascar, BBQ cook-offs, Chili cook-offs....you get my drift.

Fall...Stay near your neck of the woods. Penn to Mass and enjoy the Foliage....though toll fees through NY are a nightmare. Also narrow roads and tight parking will quickly push any smart RV'er to stay in the western parts of those states. ....Still...Ya gotta go to Provincetown (P-town) and take the big catamaran out whale watching.
End of season camping rates will be better than peak times. As a matter of fact, this whole list is off-peak in terms of time to visit.

Necros wrote:We've also been looking into tiny homes too and kind of like the idea, but we just don't have a truck big enough to tow one. It would probably have to be in a more permanent place, but just have the added bonus that we can move it if we don't like where we are. I think I would personally like an RV better though.

You know what you want and that is good. Don't let my bias for 5th wheels affect your decision. Just make sure to get a solid car trailer to carry your run-a-bout.....or...get a rear rack good for a 1000 pnds and use this as an excuse to get that motorcycle you have been wanting.


Later,
ff

We've been looking into Class B's lately .. kinda liking them. They're small, but it's just the 2 of us, and 2 small dogs, and looks like they get way better gas mileage. All we need is a comfy bed and a place to go potty and shower. I imagine I'd be doing most of the cooking outside and it might be easier to get a van into places like if we wanted to go to a restaurant or something. Though we would probably go for the longer 24 foot kind. And with the better gas I could probably use that as a conmobile better than a regular RV, and just take up 1 parking space too.

Are class B's good? Like do they last long or do they have all the same problems as other RVs as they age?

The ones we were looking at had the front 2 seats that swing around to face the back, and had 2 seats behind it that we think we would see if we could rip out for more space since the dogs have to come too. If we ever had passengers they could sit in the sofa in back, and if we ever did go camping with more people like my nephews we could probably rent and tow a little trailer so they don't get their cooties all over our stuff