Buying an RV - Listen to Your Heart

Introduction to Owning an RV
Until we bought our first 'RV' in December of 1963 we had been habitual campers. Although my assignments caused us to change our residence many times, we always found a way to go camping - usually on weekends. In December of 1963 we acquired a used, 1948 Flxible Clipper with a stick shift, 200 pound clutch and a wimpy Buick engine. The Flxible was 'cheap', but gutting the inside and outfitting remortgage rates as a mobile office, kitchen, half bath and bedroom was not. Then that Buick engine had to go, followed by almost everything else in the drive train and we found we had quite an expensive investment. Fine. Then you make sure you get good use out of it. We put over 160,000 miles on that motor coach and enjoyed most of them.

More must be Better (wrong!)
In 2000 I retired (for the second time). The education loan consolidation were married off and had their own kids so we decided to take the plunge. We took advantage of a rare opportunity to acquire a customized 1997 MCI motor coach at a huge discount from a pair of wannabe country singers. Their audiences liked them (so they said) but they didn't like each other. We had thoughts of selling our house (which, now, was way too big for two people neither of whom enjoy housework) and, instead, live full time in the MCI. The MCI was a deluxe job but, a) awkward to drive, b) very expensive to operate, and c) we were too spoiled to enjoy living in it full time. Even with just the two of us, we've got to have a big freezer and a huge refrigerator. And, quite frankly, it was like living in a hallway (we hadn't heard of slide-outs, yet).

Good Bye Motor Coach
We kept the MCI almost five years but the last two we didn't use it much. And we really missed RVing. In the Spring of 2005 I was approached by a chap who had seen the MCI sitting by the house. He desperately wanted to buy it. He had never owned an RV of any kind, before, and I really tried to discourage him. The more negative I was the more he salivated. We made a good profit on that sale (we had lost money on the Flxible so we figured we are now even).

Introduction to Owning a Fifth Wheel Trailer
A few days later, on a whim, I dropped by a local RV dealer to see what he might have and was introduced to the fifth wheel trailer. Oh, we had seen them; we had even been inside them when visiting friends in RV parks. I've always been afraid of trailers. I've seen too many accidents involving trailers on our highways. Plus, how do you haul kids around in a pickup truck towing a fifth wheel trailer. This salesman had an answer for every objection and a long list of very happy customers to boot. I gave him a specification sheet of the changes we would require (which included the addition of a 12 volt upright freezer which he miraculously found). We sold our toad (a 1952 Henry J which is now a classic; it was considered junk when we bought it) and bought a Ford 250 4-door pickup. At first, driving that thing was almost as bad as driving an RV but we instant auto insurance quotes get the short bed because it impaired the turning ability of the combination. (There is now a company manufacturing fifth wheels which can be hooked up to short bed pickups without impairment of turning radius.)

Cost and Convenience Comparisons
We have used the fifth wheel frequently and really have enjoyed it. It audio conference call a small bunkroom in the rear for our great grandchildren (we only take two at a time), a beautiful master bedroom for us and privacy for all. The slide-outs eliminate the 'living-in-a-hallway' feel and the cost of operating both the truck and the trailer are a fraction of what the MCI was costing (just the insurance, alone, is significantly less expensive).

Knowing Your Real Needs AND Wants
So, what is the moral to all of this? Simply, listen to your heart before you decide. Sit down and talk to your spouse about what you like and what you don't like in your household environment. Especially important (at least it was with us) is the kitchen. Living in an RV is not like camping out. Do you do a lot of baking or stove-top cooking or do you use mostly microwave ovens? We are addicted to microwaves and have units that not only microwave but bake, roast and barbeque (on an electrical rotisserie). We have two microwaves (would you be content cooking on a one- or two-burner stove?). When you have two kids to feed the menu expands exponentially, -- and kids do like ice cream!

Do Your Research and Listen to Your Heart
We did a lot of research on the Internet and talked to a lot of fifth-wheel owners plus several families who no longer own fifth wheel trailers. And remember, people are more inclined to complain than to praise but they rarely complain about what they currently own unless it is really a lemon.

Having the Right Salesperson
Finally, but maybe even most importantly, latch onto a salesperson with whom you can relate and in whom you can trust. While we have had very few problems with our fifth wheel, we have had two occasions which could have been disasters. A long distance call to our dealer got things moving at another dealer 2,000 miles away. A company's warrantee is no better than the dealer that honors it. Oh yes, that extra space behind the Ford's front seat is a true blessing if you're carrying kids of any age though it would be nice, sometimes, if there were a roll-up window between the front and the back. If the truck isn't comfortable, you will be miserable.

Bob Masters started RVing in a converted 1958 Flxible bus in the 1960s. He has traveled extensively throughout the 48 states and has written many 'travel logs' describing some of his journeys. Having traveled extensively with children, and, later, grandchildren, he has become very familiar with the best places to stop and enjoy what a local community has to offer. Recently he started the RV Guide project to make available to RVers a graphic directory of the locations of RV parks and campgrounds near the Interstate highways ( e.g., rv-park-guide.org rv-park-guide.org) including locations of RV sales and service centers.) including locations of RV sales and service centers.