One of the worst ways to select an RV is to go to a dealership for the first time, fall in love with a unit, and buy it on the spot. You will probably pay too much, not get what you need, and regret it within a year. Buying the super small discount unit is not far behind this for the same reason; you just waste less money. Some sales reps will tell you that the super cheap small units are usually traded-in for a larger unit within a year, and the RV sellers profit twice. Since RVs drop in value even faster than cars, much of the value of the first RV is lost. We are not suggesting all RV companies and sales reps are shady. They are just trying to sell an RV; it is your job to make sure you know what you need and communicate it to the sales reps. (But, there are some shady RV companies and sales reps too.)
Sometime around 2013, we started talking about getting an RV because we both liked being outdoors and hiking. When we went looking, we debated buying a super discounted small travel trailer as our first camper. It was a brand new $15k 19 foot Jayco with no slides on sale for $10k. Once we starting thinking about how we wanted to use it, we understood that this was not the right choice. We started talking about what we wanted to do, what we needed, and what we wanted from an RV. We spent months discussing, researching, and (periodically) visiting RV stores and shows. Most people are not able, willing, or practiced to do this. This article is an attempt to capture some of that thought process to allow other people to select am RV that better suits their needs.
We walked around in RVs at the dealership or show to see where we bumped into each other, to look at the TV, check for litter pan spots, etc. Eventually, we stumbled across the one that suited us on a random visit to an RV dealership. We knew it fit our criteria because we had made a list of requirements and done our research to know it was suitable. After we found it, we researched online for price and features. We ended up driving 350 miles each way to buy the RV for less. Our local RV seller would match the price, but they would not remove the $500 “show you the RV” fee. After gas and food, we only saved about $300. (It might not have been worth the time, but it was worth it to spite the local dealership.) We ended up buying a Jayco Jay Feather X213 travel trailer. At the price point and trailer size, it was the best option we ever found. We found some that were a little larger and more expensive that would have worked just as well, but we never found anything better. We used it for about 25 to 35 days per year for seven years. There is not much more success you can ask for in researching and buying a product.
Among the things you should consider are:
What is your goal in buying an RV?
- Seasoned camper tired of sleeping on the ground?
- Looking for a new adventure?
- Looking to disconnect from society, technology, or annoying family members?
- Down-sizing?
- Trying to escape the in-laws?
What type of travel are you planning?
The type of travel can impact the RV you need and the cost of camping.
Do you plan to camp locally or remotely?
- Staying local gives more opportunity for cancelling or scheduling based on weather or events, so a smaller RV with less amenities, such as no A/C, smaller tanks, etc. might be suitable.
- Traveling further requires more time, more planning, and less flexibility for last minute changes. Your RV should have the amenities to support this, such as one or more A/Cs, awning, larger tanks, etc.
Do you plan on touring or extended stays?
- Touring involves moving more frequently with shorter stays to go longer distances and see more places. A motorhome or touring van may be more appropriate for these travel plans. In some motorhomes, you can pull in to your site, push a button, go to sleep, wake up, retract, and drive off to reach a destination faster.
- Extended stays involve driving shorter distances and staying longer at locations. You see less places, but you can explore them more thoroughly. A tow vehicle and trailer might work better for this type of travel. Only on engine is required, and the living space can be left behind while exploring.
What utilities/amenities are you expecting at campgrounds?
- Boondocking is no amenity camping with low or no camping fees. There is federal land that allows boondocking for free.
- Low amenity (e.g., electric only) camping in government (local, regional, state, or national) parks often offers cheaper campsites. High demand locations may still be expensive, such as Yellowstone. Cost schedules can be confusing and vary by state. For example, Kansas has confusing costs, and it is on the cheaper side (e.g., paying for monthly or quarterly camping passes reduces the cost across parks in the state). On the other hand, Texas is confusing, and it is on the expensive side (e.g., you pay daily per person and per vehicle, including a trailer as a separate vehicle).
- High amenity (e.g., full hookups) and premium (e.g., lakeside view) in government parks offers more convenient camping, at a slight to moderate cost increase.
- Private campgrounds often offer the most amenities (e.g., Wi-Fi, free laundry, social events) at the steepest prices for short stays. In some cases, these are over $100 per night.
- Private RV parks can offer the best balance of amenities and cost with their steep discounts for extended stays (e.g., $600 per month). These facilities often allow much longer or indefinite stays. The downside is that there may be cleanliness issues (e.g., roaches), inferiors views (e.g., junk trailers instead of a snowy mountain peaks), and longer travel to your tourism destination.
What is your budget?
- If you expect RV camping to be cheaper than tents or cabins, you may be disappointed. The total, average, and relative cost will vary based on how often you use your RV, what gear you need to buy, how long you plan to own your RV, and the type of camping you do.
- Your budget might vary depending on what benefit you expect to get from the RV, but no matter what, you should know what you can safely afford.
- If you are new to RVs, you might want to start modestly to learn on a less expensive RV. In this case, modestly means that the RV suits your needs, but is not the largest and most expensive model you can afford.
- A RV is not typically an investment; RVs do not increase in value over time. (This excludes buying old ones and fixing them up.)
- Like a home, you will need to buy some items for your RV. Maybe a collapsing ladder and broom to clean slides, sewer hookups, etc.
- Is your budget is large enough to include a towed or towing vehicle?
Do you have medical/accessibility concerns?
If you have medical equipment look for relevant features, such as storage locations, tie downs, outlets, etc. Some medical equipment may limit you to more expensive campsites with electrical connections or require you to buy an inverter generator. Campground often limit generator use at night.
- It is not ubiquitous, but it was becoming more common in 2021 to have nightstands with outlets for CPAPs in the bedroom.
- Most RVs do not have physical disability accessibility features
- RV steps can be too high or far apart for people with physical limitations (e.g., shorter, elderly, disabled). 5th Wheel and Class A RVs tend to be higher off the ground than travel trailers, vans, and class C RVs. Travel trailers often have fold under steps allowing for alternate stand alone independent steps to be used.
- RVs with slides should have the slide roof swept clear before retracting the slide. If climbing ladders is a problem, slide awnings will help protect the slides.
- RV roofs require inspection and lap sealant maintenance. You may need to pay someone for this service.
- A limited number of expensive RVs include wheel chair lifts. Some do not even have hand rails.
- Expect to pay more in original cost or aftermarket modifications for most accessibility options. Do research for your concerns.
Do you plan to spend most of the time inside or outside?
- If you plan to spend most or all your time outdoors, you might be able to get away with a sleep only trailer, a touring van, or a smaller RV. Make sure you have plans for bad weather whether it is coffee shops, an awning, or a swimming hole.
- If you plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities, you can get away with space that might feel cramped and stir-crazy in the long-term, but it will be suitable for hours or a few rainy days.
- If you plan to spend most of your time indoors, make sure it has enough room to not be cramped and space for whatever hobby or activity you plan
How do you plan to use your inside space?
RV layouts are all about compromise. Look for compromises in areas that are unimportant to you. Plan to grill? Maybe a small kitchen is better. Do not need a glamorous camping wardrobe? Maybe smaller closets are better.
Cooking and Baking?
- Are you grilling outside or cooking indoors?
- How much counter space do you need?
- How much pantry space do you need?
- How tall does the stove need to be? (Some RV stoves are only 6 inches tall.)
- Do you need a splash guard?
- Do you need ventilation for the stove top?
TV, Movies, and Video Games?
- Are you planning to use the TV enough that it needs to be straight on to the seating? Some RVs have the TV off to the side, so you get a crick in your neck watching TV on rainy days.
- How much seating is required? How comfortable does it need to be?
- How large of a screen to you require? How many screens do you require?
- Do you need a built in DVD player?
- Do you need Dolby surround sound? (Hint: you are probably not going to get it.)
Board Games and Card Games?
- Do you need a table for board and card games?
- How many people need to be able to play?
- If you plan to use the picnic table, what will you do when it is hot, humid, rainy, or windy?
Activity Zones?
- Do you need separate zones for separate activities?
- Does grandma want to knit next to onions being sauteed?
- Does mom or dad want to read the newspaper next to scream kids playing video games?
- Do you need a separate room for the kids?
- Are rooms separate enough to dampen sound? (e.g., kids bunk room at the opposite end from the master bedroom)
- How much space do your other hobbies require?
Do you need more than one bathroom?
What do you plan to do for bad weather (hot, humid, rainy, or windy)?
- Cancel the trip and go home?
- Go to museum, visitor centers, or nature centers?
- Go to a town, mall, coffee shop, or restaurant?
- Watch movies?
- Play board, card, or video games?
- Work on hobbies?
- Plan world domination?
What climates do you plan to visit?
- RVs are generally not well insulated, and they often have air gaps at doors, windows, and slides. Windows are mostly single pane. Extreme weather insulation packages can help some, but RVs, in general, are only comfortable in two to three seasons. Despite all season claims by some brands and dealers, very few RVs are comfortable in very hot or cold weather.
- If you plan to go to hot humid places, you might want an RV that has sufficient BTUs of A/C for your trailer. A 10k BTU A/C struggled to maintain a 20 degree difference in a 21′ travel trailer and two A/Cs totaling 28.5k BTU struggle to maintain a 20 degree difference in a 38′ 5th wheel. Three A/Cs, shade, and creatively closing off space will be required for high temperature camping.
- If you plan to go to to cold regions, you might want to invest in a 50 amp trailer to ensure you can support several electric floor heaters. A 50 amp trailer is actually more that three times the power of a 30 amp trailer because the 50 amp power is on both of two circuits. A 30 amp trailer can handle one or two small heaters, if you do not run the microwave. A 50 amp trailer can handle four, if you can get them on separate circuits and separate fuses/breakers.
What sleeping arrangements are required?
RV specifications often have information about how many people they can sleep. Some trailers claim to sleep nine people, but only have one bedroom. In some cases, it appears that three people are intended to sleep in the kind-sized bed. I guess the king-sized bed is for you, your spouse, and your boy/girlfriend? (We are not judging, but I hope they know about each other before you go camping.) You might have to fold out a couch (+2), collapse the table (+2), crawl up a ladder to an 18″ tall loft (+2), or roll out a futon chair (+1) in order to fit them all. Do you really want to do that every day? Can grandma even get into that loft?
How many people will normally sleep in the RV?
- Look for at least that many fixed sleeping spaces as people that normally sleep in the RV.
- With two adults and two kids, look for at least four fixed or semi-fixed sleeping locations.
- One or more additional fixed/fold out sleeping locations might be handy for insomnia, sickness, snoring etc.
- Some units have a bunk that folds up partly to make more headroom on the couch below. You can leave those made up, so they are more reasonable than folding a couch in and out in the living room.
Do you expect guests to sleep in the RV?
If you expect occasional company in the RV, look for the fold out couches, futons and collapsing tables. Most lofts are only useful for smaller children. Having to modify the furniture for guests visiting for a week is a vastly different requirement from every night you plan to use the RV.
- How many guests will you have?
- How often will the visit?
- How long will they stay?
Do you expect guests (or the least loved kids) to sleep in tents?
- Even if you expect your kids or guests to sleep in tents, you might want to make sure there is some room in your RV (even just the floor) to address severe weather (i.e., flash floods, high winds, hail, etc.)
- You could send them to the bath house, but isn’t it better to be terrified with friend and family?
Do you have kids?
- Check on bunk house, slide out bunk room, and two bedroom RVs.
- If a bunk house RV is in your budget, it might be a better option than a fancy den where the couch has to be folded out every night.
- Bunk rooms often include storage, tables, and a TV for the kids.
- For some bunks house RVs, the ladder is sold separately.
Do you travel with pets?
- Where are they going to go when you are driving?
- Will they stay there?
- Is it safe, if you suddenly stop while they are moving?
- It is NOT safe to transport a pet in a 5th wheel or travel trailer
- Where are they going to sleep? Do they need a stand, hammock, or bed out of the walking path?
- If you take your dog (or child) for a walk and they roll in a puddle, where do you plan to put them until they dry? (If they are large, consider a toy hauler.)
- Can you hear them asking to go out over the A/C? Is there a place for a litter pan?
- Where will their food and water bowl go that will not get tripped over?
- Where are toys and extra food stored?
- Is there somewhere to hang a leash? Is there a place for a crate or kennel?
- Does your pet have anxiety issues when left alone?
- Can they see outside?
- Does your pet climb and explore? This may require making pet safe modification.
Are you willing and able to make modification?
- Do you have the skill to make modifications or repairs? You may need carpentry, electrical, and/or plumbing skills.
- A used trailer may require (significant) work to be minimally functional – replacing appliances, re-caulking, etc.
- A new trailer may require some modifications for you to get the most out of the RV, especially if you have special requirements. Some possibilities include:
- Attaching sticky hooks for hanging flash lights.
- Cutting a Plexiglas splash guard for the stove.
- Removing unnecessary components (e.g., extra mini fridge and grill) to repurpose space.
- Adding/building shelves to make a 24 inch tall cabinet useful.
- Building pet proof screens to be able to safely open windows on nice days.
- Building strange shaped barricades to prevent your pets from crawling into the innards of your RV.
- Knocking out empty panels and building cabinets in the space.
How much will you travel while at a camp site?
- Do you explore the local area around the campground, such as historic sites, museums, hiking trails, etc?
- Are you willing to pack everything up in a motorized RV to drive places while at a campground?
- Would you prefer to leave your RV at the camp site and drive a separate vehicle with better gas mileage?
- Can your budget handle the cost of an extra vehicle?
Weight and Capacity?
- How much weight of camping gear are you bringing?
- The dry weight of an RV excludes the weight of the tanks. A full fresh water tank can be 200 to 800 pounds, so that reduces your RV carrying capacity.
- Class A, 5th wheel, and toys haulers carry more weight.
- Your state may have CDL license requirements for RVs or tow combination above certain weight ratings (26000 pounds) and lengths.
Towed or Towing?
Two common arrangements are a motorized RV towing a car or a truck towing a trailer. The car towed behind a motorized RV is sometimes referred to as a “toad”.
- Towed
- What is the towing capacity of the motorized RV? Receiver capacity?
- Can the extra vehicle be flat towed or does it require a two or four wheel tow dolly?
- Towing (Search for a towing guide)
- What is the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)?
- What is the cargo carrying capacity (CCC)?
- What is the maximum loaded trailer weight?
- What is the receiver, hitch, and/or ball rated for? The lowest value is the rating.
- Is your towing or towed vehicle capable of what you need?
- Do you have the budget for a new towing or towed vehicle?
- Can you afford a vacation only vehicle?
This guide is doubtless missing something that is important to someone, but it is detailed enough to give people searching for a new RV some topics to consider before buying.