New RVers - RV-Dreams Community Forum

ternan · RV-Dreams Community Member

New RVers

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

What are your requirements in a unit? Motorhome? 5th wheel? Travel trailer? Do you already have a tow vehicle or a car you will tow if you buy a motorhome? Have you thought about what size and/or weight you want to be moving around with? The biggest thing to avoid is high pressure sales where you end up buying something and wishing you had thought it through a little more and never, ever take advice from a salesman. And, welcome!

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome to the Forum............

I think Snow Gypsy about covered it.......fill us in and we can help you along the way!!

el Rojo and Pam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome aboard.

-- Edited by el Rojo on Sunday 10th of November 2013 08:09:54 AM

ternan · RV-Dreams Community Member

Sorry about the lack of info. We are looking for a Travel Trailer between 24 and 28 feet. We have a 1/2 Ton Ford 150 with the Eco-boost V6. Considering a lightweight with bunks for our grandchildren if the comments are favorable. Any and all comments would be appreciated.

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Do you have any idea what your truck can tow as far as weight goes? Do you have the owner's manual since there is usually a couple of pages that talk about towing? Ford.com also has towing guides that should give you at least a place to start. I just have no idea what it would be able to tow. Once you figure that out, then you can start looking at the trailers within your limits.

ternan · RV-Dreams Community Member

Yeah MAX is 11,000 but we would like to keep it around 9,000

Lonney Wade · RV-Dreams Family Member

My step father had a 27 ft. 5th wheel RV, weight was about #8000 pounds dry and pulled it with a 2002 Ford 150 truck with a V8 engine, I think it was a 351ci engine, the transmission would not hold overdrive, it would go in but the slightest incline and it would pull out of overdrive and it would go up in rpms, then it would go back in on flat road, the truck would do this the whole trip and got about 7mpg, was very hard on the truck motor and transmission.

Lonney

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

You should have no problem finding something with that weight allowance. Is your pop-up newer? If so, who manufactured it and do you like the quality? Keep in mind that all manufacturers have issues, some more than others. You'll be looking for the designation "BH" since that is for "bunkhouse" and some have 3 bunks stacked and some 2. Some have a room with 2 sets of bunks but I'm not sure the length you are looking for would have that. And, yet, another question, what is your budget? As far as manufacturers, that is touchy subject but I would be careful with Forest River, some lines are good and some are not and they do own both Shasta and Coachmen now among others. Jayco is our favorite (we have had 2) and we have a Coachmen pop-up, a 2011, and it has some good points so I wouldn't rule them out when we look. And, unless you don't have a choice, buying at an RV show might not be the best approach and we have been there and they tend to tell you that to get the show price, you must buy during the show and from experience, we found that not to be true. This time of year and for the next 3 or 4 months, they will be hungry for sales and a 2013, new one, can be a good bargain right now.

ternan · RV-Dreams Community Member

SnowGypsy-
Thanks for the input. We had heard that the deals were super discounted at the shows, however you brought up a good point about buying this time of year. Since we live in Wisconsin that is probably especially true. Not many people looking to buy travel trailers during our winter months! We will continue to do research on various manufacturers and hopefully will receive more input and then perhaps we will be able to narrow down our search. We have looked at Keystone (various models) and have seen some we liked, but again would like to hear from people who have had good luck (or bad luck) with the trailers. So looking forward to hitting the road come April!

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gypsy is right.....this time of year in your area is a buyers paradise......while everyone is looking for Snomobiles & Ski's you can scoop up a great deal on a unit that didnt sell during the fall clearance!!!!!

ternan · RV-Dreams Community Member

Lucky Mike...Thanks, I think you are both right about buying this time of year. Looking forward to continued input and maybe meeting some of you on the road!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

First of all, welcome to the forums. You will find the folks here to be very helpful with choices. However, your own diligence is necessary to make the right choices.

With respect to the weight capacity of your truck, you really want to go by the manufacturer's Gross Combined Vehicular Weight rating and not the "Towing Weight" rating. Many a salesman, whether for a truck manufacturer or RV, may be quick to tell you that your truck will tow RV's that it won't. Once you have your truck's GCVW, then get the GVWR of the trailer and add that to the gross weight of your truck with passengers, full fuel and any cargo you plan to carry. Unfortunately, it is so easy to have a truck that is unable to "handle" a trailer because of the trailer being too heavy. Towing is one thing, handling and braking is another.

Terry