If I had it to do over again...

[Radio]

OK we're not whining here, but now that I'm two years into this RV ownership thing there are a few things I would/might do differently.

1. Finance through my credit union and not the dealers recommended bank. In any case I'd run away (not walk!) from US Bank. Heartless people.

2. Get Smoked Max-Air vent covers, and get one for the bathroom too, not just the bedroom and living room. I am amazed at the amount of radiant heat that comes in through those vents.

3. Roll the slider hitch back EVERY TIME, especially that one time I didn't.

What would you do differently?

[Iggy]

I can help you about #2.
Yes vents have no insulation and when camping and have the AC on we use these vent pillows.
Vent Cushion - Item - Camping World

[SaskCampers]

Humm,

Oh I know, never bought our current 2500 series Dodge truck. I loved our old 2004 1500 Laramie 4x4 quadcab but had to let it go as it wasn't rated to tow what we wanted. Should have gone with my first instinct and now will have to wait 2 more years to get a real truck. The TV will without doubt change a great vacation into a nightmare you wish you had never gone on. I can hardly wait to endure 4000 miles of hell with our current truck.

[pondlady]

I would love to have someone here to teach me what to do. I don't have any idea how to hitch up this TT to my TV. I know the inner workings of the water/sewer system, the television, antenna, the fuse box, battery et al. I have learned much (more than I ever knew I needed to learn) here at this forum, but this is my punishment for buying a second hand TT. I would hire somebody if I knew where to look. Mike in Prairieville, wanna drive to Slidell?
Sometimes I wonder if it would have been worth it to pay the extra 10-12K it would have cost to buy the thing retail......naaawwww.

[ilovecamping]

I think it would be not to have ever purchased the new pup we had and therefore we could have purchased used all this time and not keep trading and going further in debt. The other thing would have been not to have traded our Kodiak 236 for the TT. It would have been much closer to being paid for by now and we would still have an HTT. But we all know that hindsite is 20/20.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by pondlady

I would love to have someone here to teach me what to do. I don't have any idea how to hitch up this TT to my TV. I know the inner workings of the water/sewer system, the television, antenna, the fuse box, battery et al. I have learned much (more than I ever knew I needed to learn) here at this forum, but this is my punishment for buying a second hand TT. I would hire somebody if I knew where to look. Mike in Prairieville, wanna drive to Slidell?
Sometimes I wonder if it would have been worth it to pay the extra 10-12K it would have cost to buy the thing retail......naaawwww.

Jan,
You did it right. Most of us buy new and drive off the lot and we lost already. Sounds like you are learning as you go. I know it would be nice to have soemone show you a few things. I just noticed where you live and have passed by many times on the way to the Florida.
Use this site to ask all your questions. Take a few pictures as that helps a bunch. Especially us older folks.

Have a great day!

[tentcamper1]

I wish I would have got into this a lot sooner!

[Mr.B]

Hey Radio;
Glad to see you're on line. I wondered if you were still into this whole camping thing.

My lesson learned is... when one tire blows the other three are not far behind! Do your research and invest in good tires! Don't buy under rated (load and speed) tires just because the tire dealer says it's a good deal!

Good quality tires are one of the most important investments we can make when traveling at interstate speeds across this great country!

[Radio]

Originally Posted by Iggy

I can help you about #2.
Yes vents have no insulation and when camping and have the AC on we use these vent pillows.
Vent Cushion - Item - Camping World

I have the vent pillows and they work great both summer and winter. What I wish is that I could open the vent for air and not have the light/radiant heat blasting down on us. A little shade would be good. My thinking was that the 5'er would be too dark, but we have ample windows so that's not the case. The smoke tinted vents would have been better.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by Radio

I have the vent pillows and they work great both summer and winter. What I wish is that I could open the vent for air and not have the light/radiant heat blasting down on us. A little shade would be good. My thinking was that the 5'er would be too dark, but we have ample windows so that's not the case. The smoke tinted vents would have been better.

But they would match your trailer roof. WHITE

[masonga]

I definitely would have traded the tent for a TT a LOT sooner....

[calebgold]

I have learned a lot of thing the past few years while i have been getting into RV'ing.
I started with a to small motorhome. Learned a lot about what I wanted in an RV and had a few very frustrating break downs so I learned I liked the idea of having a TV that can get fixed a lot easier than going to crazy expensive motorhome repair shops.

With seeing both sides of TT against Motorhome both have their good and bad.

I’m only sorry I did not do more renting before I bought but with the prices of renting being what they are I kind of jump in.

I’m happy with my choice now and that is what counts.

-Caleb

[skeeterbait8]

Hummm, this is a hard one. I guess there are only two points that I'd do different. Back in 02 when we bought our TV I'd gotten a V8 instead of the V6. And I would have not blown so much money over the years and done this a heck of a lot sooner! Went way to long from tent camping to the PUP to the Hybrid.

[rohlingerrv]

As far as my new camper, no regrets because we looked for 3yrs and looked at alot of campers and floor plans. But when I first started camping we bought a used 5th wheel and I had no idea what I was getting into, never pulled anything in my life and here I was pulling a big 5th wheel. I would have done more research on trucks,(I had to sell mine it would not pull the camper) hitches( I bought one hitch and then I had to buy a slide hitch) lessons in how to back up,(hit my cab on truck,tore down phone line drape across my drive way twice! had it buried last year so one last headache) But all in all its been a great camping. It would also be nice if some of the big camping dealers would give pointers and driving lessons for new timers. But the main thing is do the research before you jump into camping.

[revrnd]

Originally Posted by masonga

I definitely would have traded the tent for a TT a LOT sooner....

LOL

I know what you mean.

[Jas]

I probably would have gone straight to the 5th vs a 30' tt for the sake of maneuverability. on the plus side I did play dumb when the dealer told me the cherokee could easily pull this rig... (i actually did know better and had a bigger TV lurking in the shadows). That got my 20 year old truck replaced with a shinny new one after the first trip!

Strategic incompetence, a powerful weapon!