Brand New RV'er in OHIO!

[kshumake]

Hi Folks. I just purchased my first travel trailer a Forest River Wildwood, and am waiting to pick it up from the dealer in a week. Do any of you have any tips on what I should be asking during my walk-thru with the dealer and what accessories are immediately necessary to get? I have scoured the internet on travel trailers to buy and it seems like every brand is bad if you listen to the complaints so I hope I picked a good one!

[OYO]

Welcome from SW Ohio!

Can't help much being I'm an A-framer, but there's tons of information on this site.

Enjoy.

[aceinspp]

Welcome to the forum. You might down load the PDI information sheet to help you through your PDI. Found in the library in the green box above. Later RJD

[tomkatb]

Welcome to the madness from SW Ohio.

Rv’s are all over the map. Generally the more you pay the better the stuff you get. So one chooses!

The likely most important step is coming up for you. The PDI. Pre delivery inspection.

While the money is in your pocket you will have control. Once the check is passed you enter the world of miserable service. Be warned. Warranty work can take MONTHS. Expect a lawn ornament for this summer if you do a bad job here.

Get a good pdi checklist and go over it. This IS a test.

No excuses or we will take care of it! Unlikely they will.

Expect UPS to beat a path to your door. You need stuff!

If you plan on boondocking much the list is longer.

The only accessory in the rv will be the power cord. Might be too short!

You need sewer hoses, water hoses, pressure regulator, water filter, etc.

Need a list. If you are a Good Sam member their card gets you a discount on stuff at Camping World. Likely their stores have everything in stock.

Plan a first trip to be easy. Camp in a local park with full service sites to figure stuff out. Eat good. Go to bed early. Have a relaxed vacation. Then take the longer trips. Much to learn. Study up on emptying the tanks.

Have fun. A well set up rv is a joy. We throw two bags of clothes, a box of food and take off. Most stuff is in the rv!.

The internet is often kind of slanted. More folks with problems than those without! Normal. Forest River is typically good bang for the buck. They make something for everyone.

[geeman53]

Welcome from SW Ohio ,enjoy your Wildwood TT !

[Lake5er]

Make your RV your "bug out bag"...determine at the start all items that you would need if you had to leave in five minutes and keep it in the unit full time. Pulling out of the drive headed to "someplace else" is much more enjoyable if it didn't take you two days of washing clothes, the checking off of lists, and we all hate the last minute "turn around go back I forgot something" before you get five miles down the road.
You've made the investment in the TT, invest a little more and make the start of the trip as pleasant as the destination. Have fun!!!

As far as reading all the complaints on the Forum...some (a lot) of people are glass half empty people; every dealer is out to steal from you, all RV's built today are junk, except their model...if the units were as bad as we read; we would all stay at home, in tents, or at 5 star hotels.

[kshumake]

Thanks for all the good information! I downloaded the checklist and will take it with me to the dealer. I have a 'home' campground that I plan to park my trailer at over the entire summer (6 month season). I will probably take it out on the road twice for Woodcarving Camps over the summer but other than that, it will be my home away from home.

That being said, I don't plan on loading it up with a bunch of 'things' as I want this to be a simple and uncluttered place for me to relax and enjoy. I will have my carving tools, my musical instruments, my internet toys, and my water filter

[Arti]

We put clothes and some groceries in the first motor home we purchased and went to a local Walmart parking lot for one night.


This sort of got our feet on the ground so to speak and that allowed us to start a list of things that we would need to put in the camper.
The next time camping we went to a local camp ground with electric and water hook up.
The nice thing about giving it a trial run is that you don't fill it up with things that you think you need and never use.



Also in a campground there are a lot of good people around that have a basic knowledge of how campers work and are willing to help if you ask.
Enjoy the New Adventure.

[camperwes413]

Welcome from Holmes County Ohio. Hope you enjoy your new TT

[3boxerss]

Welcome from NW Ohio (Kenton) We love our Wildwood!!

[BLOODYBILL]

hello and welcome