Considering 2011390RB

[lakeforktony]

I am going to look at a 2011 390 RB on Friday. It has 30K miles and is listed for $116K.
I have never owned an RV. I am looking for an alternative to an apartment. The RV will be parked for 1 year as living quarters and then will be our vacation coach after that.
A - Is this a sensible way to live vs a hotel or apartment?
B- Is this a good RV? I don't know anything about the brand.

[Oscarvan]

Welcome..... The following is my opinion. Others will have different views.

Your profile says Alabama. If that is where you want to do this you don't have to deal with serious freezing weather. This is good.

Not being familiar with RV's it would be a steep learning curve.

Are you familiar with automotive mechanics and general appliance/electrical/plumbing design/maintenance? If so the application to the RV world will be a lot easier than if you are 100% dependent on others. Rv's require more "tinkering" than an apartment. Unless of course you have an "open checkbook" to keep maintenance going.

Also, there is some down side to having it sit for a year. Taking it out and exercising it regularly would be a good idea.

So it can be done, and it could be an adventure. It could also be an ordeal, again based on your aptitude and skills/budget.

The Berkshire is certainly capable of this. There are plenty of "full timers" doing it in these units.

[lakeforktony]

Thanks for the quick reply.
If I go the RV route, it would be at a park in Ocala, FL. So, cold weather is not a worry.
I am mechanically inclined and could probably deal with most issues required for regular maintenance.
However, the "exercise" would be an issue. I won't have an opportunity to move the coach until my project is completed since I ill be traveling home to see my family on my off time.
Maybe I should just save as best as I can in the apartment and by a MH when I retire again.
Thanks for the advice.

[ernest917]

Exercising your coach isn't all that difficult really.... You could crank her up and a couple of hrs away from Ocala, spend the weekend and then return.... Also - hopefully you'll have some holidays that would allow you to take a drive...,

All you have to do in Ocala is unhook water, electricity and sewer; raise levelers and you're ready to go...

[Oscarvan]

Originally Posted by ernest917

Exercising your coach isn't all that difficult really.... You could crank her up and a couple of hrs away from Ocala, spend the weekend and then return.... Also - hopefully you'll have some holidays that would allow you to take a drive...,

All you have to do in Ocala is unhook water, electricity and sewer; raise levelers and you're ready to go...

Don't forget the shower door, fridge, beach balls under the toppers, chocks, ALL the art works on the walls and, of course, the things that got dropped in the way of the slides!

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by ernest917

Exercising your coach isn't all that difficult really.... You could crank her up and a couple of hrs away from Ocala, spend the weekend and then return.... Also - hopefully you'll have some holidays that would allow you to take a drive...,

All you have to do in Ocala is unhook water, electricity and sewer; raise levelers and you're ready to go...

And...really...you do not really need to 'exercise' the coach that much. Several of our full/mostly timers on the forum will park their rig for 6+ months. The key here is putting in Sta-Bil diesel additive to protect your fuel from water & biologics. (Always a good idea to park with a full tank of Diesel)

Every month or so you should crank up your Generator and run it at load for 2 or so hours.

You will need propane occasionally as you use your shower furnace, and stove. When you go out to get the propane, maybe go for a 1-2 hour 'joy ride'

Questions? Ask away!

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Oscarvan

, ALL the art works on the walls!

Oscar,

You remove your wall art?!

Allow me to introduce you to Command Strips
https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...sl_7g7ky2xph_e

To Wit: Everything on the walls is held up by command strips and has survived 3,500+ miles so far And...this is a old photo - we have several other items on the wall now.


For stuff on the counter, use Museum Wax. when we towed a 5er we used this stuff for 3+ years and never had anything fall off (and a 5er has a LOT more bouncing around than a Berk--think Berk without air bags inflated )


https://www.amazon.com/Quakehold-661...rds=museum+wax

[Oscarvan]

Familiar with the command strips..... my EZPass came with it.... lol.

We're using velcro, and slowly working our way around.

Also familiar with museum putty....

It's a process.