Re: Newbie Fulltimer RV selection questions

JC Dill wrote:

My father is selling his house (4 BR, 2500 SqFt) and buying an RV.

In the 70s and 80s we had a VW Adventure Wagon, he and my mother went
camping in that camper and loved it. They spent several weeks in
Mexico living out of the van, using a palapa on the beach as
additional living space. His "RV needs" are really quite modest -
he's fine without many of the "comforts of home".

Because he's downsizing from a house, he wants something big enough
that he doesn't feel claustrophobic living in it for months (years) on
end. He will be living and traveling by himself. He hopes to find a
lady friend to share it with him at some point but he doens't need
room for more than that. If there was a grandkid (my niece or nephew)
who wanted to go with him they could sleep on the floor or couch.

We went and looked at RVs on two lots yesterday. (Alpine RV in Morgan
Hill and Gilroy.) We walked thru about 50 rigs. He was gravitating
towards the 30' to 35' models. In particular, he needs a roomy bed
(he's tall), and few of the shorter models had roomy beds or bedrooms.

I'm concerned that he might be "biting off more than he can chew" by
starting off with such a big rig. Also, he eventually wants to travel
thru Central and South America in his RV.

He has the driving skills to handle a large vehicle. He drove a 1-ton
truck as his daily driver for many years when I was a kid, and he has
towed boats and horse trailers. So he's not unaccustomed to dealing
with a larger vehicle, but I'm concerned that this might be "too
large".

I'd love some feedback on the pros and cons of going directly from a
house into a larger RV fulltime.

Thanks!

jc


If he has experience with "1 ton trucks" and "horse trailers", I would suggest he compare fifth wheel trailers and MHs. He should take a very good look at 30-32' fifth wheels and compare them to that 35' MH. A leveling system costs no more on a fifth wheel than on a MH. Our fifth wheel is more user friendly, easier to drive, easier to park, easier to set up, and way cheaper than our motorhome was. In addition, it's tons more comfortable to live in. Besides, I love the truck I thought I was gonna hate.

Lon
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Eddie B did it
    ... Stuff that had an impact on people's lives and the ... Cheating me in my hobby just doesn't compare. ... you wheel." ...
    (rec.bicycles.racing)
  • Re: Cleve Wells/FUGLY
    ... Emily - also living within her means with 2 more years before owning the ... Earlier in 2008 we looked serioiusly at horse trailers with living ... last year my sister bought a beach house. ...
    (rec.equestrian)
  • Re: OT: computer analogies, science fiction and stuff
    ... > there is little that a wheel has in common with legs. ... > If you're going to use a 'wheel' analogy you might as well go to ... I would compare the printing press to a club. ... comparing the computer to an eons old invention acceptable to me. ...
    (alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt)
  • Re: MAHATHIR - MALAYSIANS STILL SUPPORTS YOU AND LOVE YOU!!
    ... credit him with bringing us through the financial crisis, ... practically created a middle class and increased our standards of living ... look at Lee Kuan Yew. ... only want to compare to the Lee Kuan Yews of the world, ...
    (soc.culture.malaysia)
  • Motorized wheel spinners
    ... snapping photos of license plates _and _wheels_. ... recall the plates and the accompanying wheel photos and compare them to ... If your wheel hasn't moved, ... I figure that I can incorporate a rechargeable battery and a small ...
    (rec.autos.tech)