Newbie tales

[Beachbourbon]

Hi everyone,

I’m starting this thread for me and all newbies to capture their thoughts and experiences in order to help othe new RVers.

I’ll start by saying I’ve never been an RVer and no one in my family has ever been an RVer. In fact, I never even considered being an RVer, except when daydreaming about traveling the country after retirement. Then about two years ago my wife and I were talking about a family trip we were planning to go across the country. We were going to take four or more weeks and we’re discussing staying with family (not our favorite) and the cost of staying in hotels (most of the trip) when my wife says out of the blue, “we could get an RV and stay in that.” Well her grandparents had RVs, so she had some childhood memories, so I guess that’s where she got it.

At this point, it is all about math and finance for me, so I’m doing calculations. I start thinking, it’s not a bad idea to spend $ on an RV that is an asset instead of renting hotel rooms. We were already avid tent campers, so it didn’t seem like a big stretch. So two years ago we began researching this idea....to be continued

[Johnfort]

The thing I like about an RV the most is having my own bed and bathroom wherever I go.

A close second is not having to schlep all the luggage in to a bedbug infested motel.

In the long run, unless you're full timing or on an extended trip, you're not going to save much money. It's convenience and cleanliness.

[Johnfort]

I also hate staying at people's houses.

[pismolocal]

I have gone through various RVs and trailers in my life, as long as I can physically and financially take care of it...I will always have one.

I am not a full timer but take mini trips at least once a month. I really enjoy having my own place where ever I go. My wife and I will often take the RV to various events and always have a place to excape the crowds and still be in the mix. Its wonderful to have your own bathrom, bed, and a frig to keep your food and drinks ready as well as a nice couch to relax on.

RVs can be a lot of work, they can be expensive to keep...but for us, worth every penny.

[rclogg]

So not so much a Newbie tail as how we came about to own our 5er. We were avid horseman and trail riders for years. Our horse trailer has full living quarters but small.
Great for a weekend of trail riding but not for a week at the county fair (which we did for over 10 years as 4H leaders) or camping; so about 5 years ago the DW said she didn't want to spend another blazing hot week of fair in the horse trailer. We went shopping. We bought our 5er with limited knowledge and two weeks before the county fair. I will say we are very lucky as we have had a great 5 years with limited problems. Thanks to General Trailer in Mt. Clemens, Mi for not taking advantage of us. Of course now we have to get both trailers to trail rides because now DW wont sleep in the horse trailer even for a weekend which spurred on the need for a second dually. The old 3/4 just couldn't handle the work anymore. We now are looking for our retirement home, which if I get my way will be 40 foot with 5 slides.

[Beachbourbon]

Originally Posted by Beachbourbon

Hi everyone,

I’m starting this thread for me and all newbies to capture their thoughts and experiences in order to help othe new RVers.

I’ll start by saying I’ve never been an RVer and no one in my family has ever been an RVer. In fact, I never even considered being an RVer, except when daydreaming about traveling the country after retirement. Then about two years ago my wife and I were talking about a family trip we were planning to go across the country. We were going to take four or more weeks and we’re discussing staying with family (not our favorite) and the cost of staying in hotels (most of the trip) when my wife says out of the blue, “we could get an RV and stay in that.” Well her grandparents had RVs, so she had some childhood memories, so I guess that’s where she got it.

At this point, it is all about math and finance for me, so I’m doing calculations. I start thinking, it’s not a bad idea to spend $ on an RV that is an asset instead of renting hotel rooms. We were already avid tent campers, so it didn’t seem like a big stretch. So two years ago we began researching this idea....to be continued

We were looking at class A, Class C and travel trailers at first. Since we had a TV, we ultimately ruled out all but the travel trailer. Once we focused on travel trailers, we quickly decided on a bunkhouse. But we did not want a slide out dut to maintenance and potential issues. It only to one RV show for my wife to put a slide out at the TOP of the list...to be continued

[Dwilcox]

We moved from a tent to a pup. Then as the kids got bigger, it always seemed we camped in the rain, stuck inside most of the time with our 3 and an extra friend or family member was kinda killing the fun. And it seemed to be set up at home more than camping so it could dry out after a weekend. So we decided to look for something bigger. We were looking at used rigs but we were not finding anything DW liked or that I felt safe towing. Then we were on our way home after a disappointing day of looking at trailers we did not like and it was getting late when our youngest says " That place looks open" so we stop and they will be closing in 15 minutes, well you know how that goes. We tell the salesman that we are looking to trade in a pup for something a little bigger. He said we have 1 bunkhouse with a slide from last years model on the lot, let's go look at it. Well we walk in and the DW looks in the living / dining area and said "You can play twister in here on a rainy day." Then she looks around, 4 bunks in the back with big outside storage, master bedroom in front, sofa, dinner table, extra table for dining room, bbq for outside, kitchen, she was sold. We were there for an hour and a half after closing to do the deal. Hauled that thing around the west coast and was great. It was a SOB and we traded it in on the Prime Time 2 years ago as the kids are adults now and don't camp with us as much anymore but we have room for one or two at a time if they want to come and hang out. Best family memories camping in the woods.

[omahagirl]

We decided to buy a used tt knew what we could tow. The dealer weighed the tongue, it wasn’t the usual 10% of the tt weight so was unsafe for us to pull. They let us pick out a new one at their cost. Our vacation was a few days ahead. We love the Hershey RV show so 8 months later we find a 5 th I could wait for DH say no let’s get it. We found out what type of truck we’d need to tow it and found a gorgeous used one to pull it around. Then hubby started talking about an A. We looked at several used ones. Most too old for my liking. Then we found a 06 that would do a diesel pusher. A few days later another A came in on consignment. A 2011 Forest River Berkshire 390rb 360 hp, well cared for. We switched our deal to it 19k on the odometer and 150hrs on the generator. She’s been ours for 20 months and we just love her. Buffy has a bath and a half stack w/d, carries and sleeps 4.

[spock123]

Nice looking camper, it seems y’all got a very good deal.

[HappyCamper1962]

We have been camping for 30 years, RVing for nearly 20 of those.

We tent camped with the kids as babies and toddlers then bought our first camper when our kids were very small because it made it a LOT EASIER to visit relatives across the state and elsewhere, especially during the Holidays!! We have a large family and everyone wants you to stay with them, so it would be a night or two here, the next night there....a total pain to pack and unpack all that kid gear and get young ones acclimated to a new environment every couple of days.

When we started "bringing our house with us" it allowed us to have an awesome base camp with our own beds and bathroom, the flexibility to visit everyone "on the list" without committing to staying with them, and before long, we ended up hosting the holiday dinners at our campsites (our choice), which became a wonderful tradition that we still do occasionally now, even though our kids are grown and on their own.

[Beachbourbon]

Some of the best advice we got from forums and discussions is that RVs are crap so don’t expect much. You soon learn that if you expect everything to be perfect like a luxury car or home, you will be very disappointed. (Although these always have issues too)

So we learned quickly that almost all RVs are made by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owned Forest River or Thor. Forest River and Thor own the market, and slap together over 80% of all RVs in and around Elkhart, Indiana. The low paid, unskilled, drug infested workforce that assembles these units adds as much to the “charm” of RV ownership as the Amish workforce of yesteryear.

This reality check and the realization that we will be upgrading, fixing and modifying many things was very helpful. It was made clear that you have to go through all systems. For example, learning that all new RV tires are “China bombs” to be replaced immediately was helpful in budgetary considerations. We essentially budgeted new tires for Every potential purchase unless they just put on Goodyear Endurance tires....to be continued

[JohnD10]

My previous brand new TT, which is now gone due to too many warranty issues that cost me a fortune to fix because the manufacturer wouldn't cover them under warranty is gone...

But when we did the math before we bought it...the payments and insurance per year worked out to less than what a family of four would have to pay for a week at Disney World!

Hope that helps!

By the by...my soon to be ex-wife was an accountant and she did the math!

[HappyCamper1962]

Originally Posted by Beachbourbon

Some of the best advice we got from forums and discussions is that RVs are crap so don’t expect much. You soon learn that if you expect everything to be perfect like a luxury car or home, you will be very disappointed. (Although these always have issues too)

So we learned quickly that almost all RVs are made by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owned Forest River or Thor. Forest River and Thor own the market, and slap together over 80% of all RVs in and around Elkhart, Indiana. The low paid, unskilled, drug infested workforce that assembles these units adds as much to the “charm” of RV ownership as the Amish workforce of yesteryear.

This reality check and the realization that we will be upgrading, fixing and modifying many things was very helpful. It was made clear that you have to go through all systems. For example, learning that all new RV tires are “China bombs” to be replaced immediately was helpful in budgetary considerations. We essentially budgeted new tires for Every potential purchase unless they just put on Goodyear Endurance tires....to be continued

There is a whole lot of "all" this and "all" that which is why your points are mostly inaccurate and why you are so pessimistically looking at RV ownership. I also noticed that you believe that "some of the best advice we got from forums is that all RVs are crap" - interesting that you gravitate toward that as being the best advice. The fact is that not ALL RVs are terribly made and not ALL RVs come with China bombs (including not all tires from China are bombs) and not 80% of RVs are made by Forest River. Human nature is to only speak aloud when there is a complaint. But if you look closer, there are lots of positive comments on these forums. Just human nature to only post when there is a problem. Also keep in mind that cars are made by or assisted by robots which indeed helps decrease human error (drug infused or not) so not an accurate comparison.

I have had a lot of different brands of campers, sans MH, and NONE of them were crap, with the possible exception of my Starcraft Satellite, and honestly, the problems were more with the dealer (CW) than with the camper. If they had just fixed the small stuff from the start, it would have made owning the camper more enjoyable.

Having realistic expectations is good. Expecting the worst will guarantee that you get it. That's when every little thing becomes a major issue and we will see your writing about it here as if it ruined Christmas. My advice is to take a deep breath. Just like knowing how to work on the small things with your car saves money and hassle, the same goes for an RV. You are a senior poster, and presumably a seasoned RVer. I am surprised that you haven't already thrown your RV over a cliff in a fit of anger.

Camping is about relaxing and having fun. Chill and enjoy.

[spock123]

Originally Posted by Beachbourbon

Some of the best advice we got from forums and discussions is that RVs are crap so don’t expect much. You soon learn that if you expect everything to be perfect like a luxury car or home, you will be very disappointed. (Although these always have issues too)

So we learned quickly that almost all RVs are made by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owned Forest River or Thor. Forest River and Thor own the market, and slap together over 80% of all RVs in and around Elkhart, Indiana. The low paid, unskilled, drug infested workforce that assembles these units adds as much to the “charm” of RV ownership as the Amish workforce of yesteryear.

This reality check and the realization that we will be upgrading, fixing and modifying many things was very helpful. It was made clear that you have to go through all systems. For example, learning that all new RV tires are “China bombs” to be replaced immediately was helpful in budgetary considerations. We essentially budgeted new tires for Every potential purchase unless they just put on Goodyear Endurance tires....to be continued

The people at the factories that I have visited are not drug infested nor are the workers underpaid. The last time I was in Goshen I saw right many signs looking for help at $15.00 a hour. About the only big problem we have had with the two Cedar Creek that we have owned is cap fade. The factory is paying to have that done and my Cedar Creek is three years old. My camper camper cam from the factory with G614, not a cheap tire. I don’t consider the Amish that built my Creek unskilled. I guarantee that if the RV’s were built with union wages there would be fewer models to choose from and prices very few of us could afford. Profit is not a dirty word. I look at the Class A that Frog Bob has and it’s a very nice unit but there is no way I can afford one.

[sunnman]

When our kids were younger we did some tent camping. Then we moved up to an old pop-up (2 beds, cooler and a pump sink, nothing else). We used that for a couple summers then got away from it. We always talked about one when we retired. Well we both were able to retire early, and we went for it. I was buying a truck anyway so that was not an extra cost, and for two nights in a hotel we can make the monthly payments. I know there’s extra gas and campsites but by the time we don’t eat out 3 times a day I think it comes pretty close (or close enough) to even. Plus we can take a day to hang out and do nothing and not be stuck in an 18x12 room. We’re not in our mid 50’s and have our first two grandkids coming (March and May) so we plan on getting more than our monies worth. Happy camping!

[Beachbourbon]

Originally Posted by spock123

The people at the factories that I have visited are not drug infested nor are the workers underpaid. The last time I was in Goshen I saw right many signs looking for help at $15.00 a hour. About the only big problem we have had with the two Cedar Creek that we have owned is cap fade. The factory is paying to have that done and my Cedar Creek is three years old. My camper camper cam from the factory with G614, not a cheap tire. I don’t consider the Amish that built my Creek unskilled. I guarantee that if the RV’s were built with union wages there would be fewer models to choose from and prices very few of us could afford. Profit is not a dirty word. I look at the Class A that Frog Bob has and it’s a very nice unit but there is no way I can afford one.

I don’t know about Goshen, but out here in California $15/hr is minimum wage that doesn’t even give you enough to pay rent. McDonald’s pays $15/hour.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Beachbourbon

I don’t know about Goshen, but out here in California $15/hr is minimum wage that doesn’t even give you enough to pay rent. McDonald’s pays $15/hour.

West Coast cost of living is way higher than the Midwest.
Can't compare wages.

[Beachbourbon]

Originally Posted by HappyCamper1962

There is a whole lot of "all" this and "all" that which is why your points are mostly inaccurate and why you are so pessimistically looking at RV ownership. I also noticed that you believe that "some of the best advice we got from forums is that all RVs are crap" - interesting that you gravitate toward that as being the best advice. The fact is that not ALL RVs are terribly made and not ALL RVs come with China bombs (including not all tires from China are bombs) and not 80% of RVs are made by Forest River. Human nature is to only speak aloud when there is a complaint. But if you look closer, there are lots of positive comments on these forums. Just human nature to only post when there is a problem. Also keep in mind that cars are made by or assisted by robots which indeed helps decrease human error (drug infused or not) so not an accurate comparison.

I have had a lot of different brands of campers, sans MH, and NONE of them were crap, with the possible exception of my Starcraft Satellite, and honestly, the problems were more with the dealer (CW) than with the camper. If they had just fixed the small stuff from the start, it would have made owning the camper more enjoyable.

Having realistic expectations is good. Expecting the worst will guarantee that you get it. That's when every little thing becomes a major issue and we will see your writing about it here as if it ruined Christmas. My advice is to take a deep breath. Just like knowing how to work on the small things with your car saves money and hassle, the same goes for an RV. You are a senior poster, and presumably a seasoned RVer. I am surprised that you haven't already thrown your RV over a cliff in a fit of anger.

Camping is about relaxing and having fun. Chill and enjoy.

I’m sorry you took my post the wrong way. It is just one of many documenting our journey and I am starting from the beginning. “To be continued”. Means there will be more. If you reread it you may see I never said forest River makes 80% of RVs, but rather 80% of RVs are made in and around Elkhart and that most RVs are made by Thor or Forest River. This post was designed to be tongue in cheek entertainment.

[Beachbourbon]

The other thing you quickly learn online, especially in forums, is that all brands of RVs are awful, and there are a few people for each brand that will go to great lengths to explain why THEIR experience was awful and THE experience that defines the brand. listening to these people will quickly narrow the choices of acceptable RV brands to ZERO. So you have to have some intelligence, street smarts, experience and wisdom to get through the jungle. Ultimately, we took all of this with a grain of salt and focused on what we like. After all, two companies own 80% plus of the market, so if you take these whiners seriously, you would never get into the RV world...to be continued

[Beachbourbon]

Despite any real knowledge or experience you may have, if you pick a “best” generator, tow vehicle, hitch, etc...you are WRONG and will be posted to death by endless replies to your thread - and heaven help you if you post an opinion in a trailer tire thread!....to be continued