RVs

Camping In A RV For Fun And Pleasure

Camping for most people means a tent and sleeping on a mat on
the ground. If that doesn’t really appeal to you, then camping
in an RV is what you need. It is the ultimate camping adventure.

RV’s come in many sizes and shapes. They start with campers that
fit in the back of a pickup truck. These can have full kitchens,
beds, a shower and toilet in them.

Next there are van conversions called Class B motorhomes that
are basically a cargo van converted into a camping vehicle.
These can have a raised roof for more head room. They also
contain the same amenities as the truck camper.

Next up is the Class C motorhome. The front end looks like a
pickup truck, but the similarity ends there. There is a sleeper
extension over the cab and the back end looks like any motorhome
you are probably familiar with. Basically a cargo box with
windows, but much prettier. The Class C has all the amenities of
home. A kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room. You could
live in a Class C.

The next step us is the Class A motorhome. This is roomiest of
all motorized RVs. These motorhomes are like a mini one bedroom
apartment. They are fully self contained. From the queen sized
bed to the dinette that seats four people you find luxury. A
refrigerator and stove are complimented by a microwave oven. You
might even have an ice maker capable of making over 20 pounds of
ice a day. Party ready!

If that weren’t enough choices, there are still the trailers.
First is the travel trailer you can pull behind a larger sedan
or SUV. Then the 5th wheel trailer that hooks into the back of a
pickup truck. Both of these trailers are equally as luxuriant as
the best motorhome. An advantage is they cost a lot less.

You can buy new or used. Whichever way you choose, you should do
a lot of research on the internet first. Learn all you can about
RVing. There are RV forums that you can find by doing a search
in your favorite search engine.

When you decide that an RV might be for you, attend an RV show
or two. There are major RV shows at fairgrounds and stadiums
where many dealers and vendors are selling every type of RV
there is. There are also local RV shows usually put on by one or
two dealers to show and sell some of their inventory.

If you really are not sure you would like to spend $40,000 or
$250,000 on a hobby you are not sure you would like, buy a used
RV. You can get into RVing in a 34 foot used Class A motorhome
for under $10,000.

The older and larger the motorhome the less fuel efficient it
will be. You may get 5 to 7 miles per gallon on many older
motorhomes. 7-9 mpg is realistic for mid 1990’s motorhomes and
up to 12 miles a gallon on new ones.

Camping in an RV is a fun adventure awaiting you and your
family.

Motor Home Ownership

Today’s motor homes or recreational vehicles have all the
comforts of home. If your wallet can afford it, they come with
plasma TV’s, washers and dryers, ceramic tile floors and granite
countertops and with spaces that are professionally designed.

The best known type of motor home is the Type A, or recreational
vehicle. This is the roomiest of all motor homes, the largest,
and the most expensive. They come fully equipped with all the
luxurious amenities as listed above, plus some. Some
recreational vehicles come with custom stained glass and large
garden/tub showers. Recreational Vehicles come up to 45 feet in
length and generally range between $85,000 used and $400,000
new. Don’t forget, they get somewhere between 5 and 8 miles per
gallon. This is another consideration. If you can’t swallow that
type of gas mileage you may want to consider another form of
motor home.

A Type B motor home category includes van campers and travel
trailers. The van campers generally range from 18 feet to 22
feet in length and can comfortable sleep four. A fully contained
van camper can have a shower, toilet, kitchen, TV, couches and
beds. The beds are close together, affording less privacy than a
travel trailer or recreational vehicle. Most only have enough
head room to allow for full standing in the center of the
vehicle. Much smaller than the Type A motor homes they have less
storage area. The van campers range in price between $43,000 and
$70,000.

Travel trailers come in sizes 16 feet to 38 feet. They range in
price from $6,000. for a used trailer upwards to $45,000 for a
new travel trailer. You can generally find a fairly wide range
of amenities in travel trailers. The larger the size the more
you can sleep and the more likely you will be to have a private
bedroom area.

A lot of travelers like the fact that they can park their travel
trailer in a trailer park and take their vehicle touring the
area. It does however take lots of practice learning how to
properly drive with a travel trailer hitched to the back of your
SUV.

When you are considering the purchase of a new motor home there
are some of the same considerations you have when purchasing a
new car. Remember, a dealer can take advantage of an uneducated
customer. Do your homework. Know how much you should be paying
before you visit the dealership. Ask to see the MSRP
(manufacturers suggested retail price) for the vehicle.
Remember, dealers receive nice incentives from manufacturers so
they have a 15% to 35% mark-up.

Don’t take the first deal that you are offered. Visit two or
three dealerships. Make sure that the dealership you buy your
motor home from has good follow up service. A lot of dealers are
your best friends while you’re buying the motor home. Once
they’ve sold you the motor home they don’t want to be bothered.
Check with the Better Business Bureau and family and friends who
have motor homes.

Types Of Motor Homes

Motor homes are categorized into several different types. We
have reviewed in earlier articles Type A, the recreational
vehicle. Then we reviewed Type B motor homes, these are the van
camper and travel trailer.

Type C motor homes are often called mini-motor homes. These
often have the same amenities of larger motor homes, and can be
ordered with quite luxurious amenities, but these mini-motor
homes are much easier to handle on the road than the larger
recreational vehicle. Type C mini-motor homes range in price
between $5,000 and $20,000 used and up to $65,000 used.

Another type of motor home is what is called the 5th Wheel. This
is the “L” shaped trailer you see being pulled by large pick up
trucks. These are also available for those who can afford them
with luxurious amenities and design. As with the travel trailer
these 5th wheel motor homes can be parked in a camp ground and
you have your vehicle to do exploring with.

A very popular family motor home is a truck camper. They are
often very inexpensive ranging between $8,000 and $22,000 new.
These work well for those that are single, or parents and kids.
They are basic in design and function.

A lot of families use pop ups for camping. These are essentially
a tent on wheels and are a great first step for those thinking
about Rving. These pop-ups can sleep from two to eight people.
They usually have some type of small kitchen, stove top and sink
and storage. The disadvantage is that you have less room and
less protection from the elements due to the fact that you have
screening and canvas as protection.

Talk to family and friends who have RV’s. Go to RV shows in your
area and check out the different models of motor homes and
recreational vehicles for yourself.

Decide what type of vacationing you will be doing. Are you going
to be vacationing in one area or are you going to be exploring a
different area each day and staying in different places each
night? What time of year are you going to be vacationing?
Certainly a pop up wouldn’t be your warmest choice for a winter
vacation. What is your gas budget? Can you afford to fill the
100 gallon gas tank of a recreational vehicle that gets 5 to 8
miles per gallon? Do you have to be more cost conscious? In that
case a mini-motor home may be for you.

Purchasing A New Recreational Vehicle

When looking to buy a new recreational vehicle think about what
you would do if you were going to purchase a new car.

You certainly aren’t going to take the first deal you’re
offered. You certainly aren’t going to purchase from the first
dealer you visit without comparing prices. You certainly
wouldn’t go without any idea of the value of the vehicle
beforehand.

It is very important that you go armed with information when
you’re thinking about purchasing a new recreational vehicle.
This is some serious cash you’re going to be spending and you
want to get the best possible deal. Recreational Vehicle dealers
must make a large profit on the sale of each vehicle. They don’t
sell the numbers that car dealers do so they have to make the
maximum mark up on each vehicle.

There are many sites online that can be a help to you with
finding the actual MSRP (manufacturers suggested retail price)
of a new recreational vehicle. Recreational Vehicle dealers,
like car dealers, buy their vehicles wholesale due to the number
they buy, they have a fairly wide profit margin generally 15% to
35%. The dealer price you see on the vehicle isn’t necessarily
what he has paid for it with incentives he receives from the
manufacturer.

Make sure that you visit at least three recreational vehicle
dealers with the same or similar vehicle. When you’re spending
potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars on a motor home you
want to make sure you are getting the best deal. Deals do differ
from region to region and from dealer to dealer.

Don’t become attached to any one recreational vehicle. Again,
when you’re talking potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars
it’s a business deal and not one where you should wear your
heart on your sleeve. Remember, this is a new vehicle, and if
you bypass this one the factory can always build another exactly
like it.

Make sure that you do a little research into the dealers after
sales service. Many dealers are your best friends during the
deal, but then lose interest in you afterwards. You will want to
check with friends and family that own recreational vehicles and
perhaps with the Better Business Bureau before you purchase.
Also, RV blogs and forums are a good way to get information
about a particular dealer.

Recreational Vehicle Ownership

The joy of recreational vehicle ownership hasn’t been dimmed by
rising gas prices. As late as August of 2005 recreational
vehicle sales were seeing only a very small affect of rising gas
prices. Sales of recreational vehicles in 2004 were the highest
see in twenty five years. The popularity of recreational
vehicles doesn’t seem to be waining at all. In fact, there is an
RV and MV (Manufactured Vehicle) hall of fame located in Elkhart
Indiana.

Today’s motor homes or recreational vehicles have all the
comforts of home, and then some. With luxury leather recliners,
granite floors, washers and dryers, plasma TV’s and looks of
professionally designed spaces recreational vehicles are a
stylish and comfortable home away from home.

There are several different types of vehicles considered “RV’s”.
The first is a truck camper which is a unit affixed to the bed
or chassis of a pickup truck. Then there is the folding camping
trailer, or pop-up trailer. A travel trailer is a unit that is
towed by another vehicle. A fifth wheel travel trailer is
designed to be towed by a pickup truck. A motor home or what is
frequently called a Winnebago which resembles a bus.

The process of purchasing a new recreational vehicle is somewhat
like purchasing a new car. A recreational vehicle dealer will
sometimes take advantage of an uniformed customer. There are
huge markups on recreational vehicles by all dealers. The only
way to come out with a fair deal is to do your homework before
you buy.

There are several fixed prices when you are looking at new
recreational vehicles. The dealer price, the taxes and any motor
vehicle fees. As with a car, the only option left for the dealer
is to play with the profit margin. As recreational vehicle
dealers sell way less than car dealers do they must make a much
higher profit margin per vehicle. As it is widely known that
used recreational vehicles have a huge depreciation you don’t
want to overpay for your vehicle.

Top 2 Reasons Why Motorhomes Are The Wave Of The Future

Did you know that motorhomes have been gaining rapidly in
popularity over the last few years? It’s true. If you’ve driven
on the freeways recently, you might have noticed that there are
an awful lot of people taking to the roads of America in their
new homes on wheels (motorhomes). This country is huge and so
are the number of attractions that you could see in a motorhome.
Motorhomes have always been popular among the more mobile of our
population, but recent models have shown that manufacturers have
been producing incredible automotive works of art. Here’s the 2
reasons why motorhomes are the wave of the future.

1)Retirement. There is a huge amount of the US population that
is considering retiring in the next few years. Baby boomers have
worked all their lives and have been spending their money like
there is no tomorrow on all sorts of travel accessories.
Motorhomes are no exception. One of the biggest things that all
retirees want to do after they finish work is travel. Motorhomes
provide future domestic travelers with lots of transportation
options. Seeing the country (or even the world) in style is
possible with a motorhome.

2)Cheap Mobility. Let’s be honest here, gas prices are
expensive. They’ve been expensive and probably will remain so
for a long time. However, 2 or more people traveling in a
motorhome can see a lot of things for relatively little money.
Imagine how much money it would cost you in airplane tickets to
fly to each destination individually? A lot more than the gas it
costs to navigate from city to city. A tank of gas, financially,
doesn’t go as far as it used to, but it certainly isn’t that bad
considering all the place it can take you.

There is a lot more to motorhomes than just what’s been covered
here. In fact, there is a ton more of material available out
there about motorhomes. Get informed before deciding to invest
in a motorhome.

Deciding On The Purchase Of A Motor Home

The purchase of a motor home isn’t to be taken lightly. There
are several different types of “motor homes” on the market and
each one is different in size, features and price.

The best known type of motor home is the recreational vehicle.
This is known as a Type A motor home. The roomiest of motor
homes, the largest and therefore the most expensive. Motor homes
come in sizes up to 45 feet. They come with all the luxurious
amenities you could imagine. Some have washer and dryer,
hardwood floors, granite counter tops, luxury leather furniture,
plasma TV’s with satellite, custom stained glass and some even
have large garden tub/showers. They range between $85,000 used
and $400,000 for a new motor home. They generally get between 5
and 8 miles per gallon. Some of the newer larger models get
around 5 miles per gallon. These sleep up to six people.

A Type B motor home category includes van campers and travel
trailers. The van campers generally range from 18 feet to 22
feet in length and can comfortable sleep four. A fully contained
van camper can have a shower, toilet, kitchen, TV, couches and
beds. The beds are closer together affording less privacy. Most
only have enough head room to allow for full standing in the
center of the vehicle. Much smaller than the Type A motor homes
they have less storage area. The van campers range in price
between $43,000 and $70,000.

Travel trailers come in sizes 16 feet to 38 feet. The range in
price from $6,000. for a used trailer upwards to $45,000 for a
new travel trailer. You can generally find a fairly wide range
of amenities in travel trailers. The larger the size the more
you can sleep and the more likely you will be to have a private
bedroom area.

A lot of travelers like the fact that they can park their
trailer in a trailer park and take their vehicle touring the
area. It does however take lots of practice learning how to
properly drive with a travel trailer hitched to the back of your
SUV.

Talk with friends and family who already own motor homes. One of
the first things to do is to decide what type of traveling you
and your family are most likely to do. Do you plan to spend one
week vacationing in one spot? A travel trailer might be for you.
Do you plan to visit a different spot each day, overnighting in
different areas? Then a recreational vehicle might be for you.
However, if the price of gas and the thought of filling up a 100
gallon gas tank on a vehicle that gets 5 to 8 miles per gallon
isn’t for you, you may want to re-think the choice of a
recreational vehicle.