Considering that you have gone through most of the steps mentioned, you have taken your time, and most likely been disappointed along the way in one way or another. I would just like to take some time and tell you that it's all worth it. When my wife and I purchased our first camper (pop-up) we were informed by the seller, a 82 yr old WWII vet the following, "you like it right now, but let me tell you...this will be the cheapest RV you will every buy...from here on out you will get the RV fever and you will always end up buying something bigger and bigger." Rest assured that his words have always resounded true every time we have looked for a new camper. We have purchased 6 campers from our first one...and have never looked back...and like this gentleman had stated, we have always gone bigger and bigger.
With all the information provided all I have let to say is...ENJOY your investment, use it as much as possible, and learn from those in campgrounds. I have to admit, as newbies we always had questions and were always forgetting stuff when we set up...it took us years to learn what we really needed and what we could live without. Remember, everyone has a starting point...even the most experienced camper/RV'r has had to start somewhere, and if you ever have questions they are the people you go up to and ask for help. I have NEVER met a camper not willing to help and give guidance, there have been times where I forget to ask and get myself into deeper trouble.
Remember this....what works for a specific camper doesn't necessarily mean that it will work for you. Let me explain, one of my cringe worthy moments is when people ask, "I bought a camper, what should I bring". Well let me tell you that this is not something you want to be asking specifically because everyone's likes and dislikes are different. Buy items as you go, get ideas, look for practical items other have and realize that you have to set up and take down everything you take with you. Don't spend your hard earn money on items that you believe will be helpful because they were seen as useful for someone else...it's not until you experience time outside on your own that you will be able to determine what you might really need.
Remember that RV's are meant to help you get away from the real world and enjoy your time in the great outdoors.
When I mean the dealer circus, I mean the dealer circus. At this point as a buyer you would have already set a price, and most likely a type of RV that you would be interested in buying. Now comes the fun part...the part where you get to separate the bullshit from the factual information. Although I should be using less salty language, I couldn't come up with a better definition to what you are about to hear from both the dealer or seller you might be working with. This is due to the fact that you are the one standing between their money and their willingness to tell you the full truth.
Now I definitely don't want to scare you away after the long hard work and excruciating hours spent in determining which RV fit your needs and which one broke your heart because it was out of your price range...you know there was one. I want you to know that regardless if you are buying new or used dealers are there for a reason...to sell, and if they have to bend the reality of what they are trying to sell you, they will. So here are some tips and ideas that can help you in being prepared when you are out on the lot looking at the RV you have set your sights on.
When looking at a camper the first thing you want to look for is any form of de-lamination or warped metal along with any form of water stains anywhere inside the camper and along the camper. Most dealers will try to blow it off and pretend like it's not that big of a deal, however the number 1 problem with campers is water damage...when you see it you do one thing...walk away. This whole issue of water damage brings many, many more issues that the buyer does not want to deal with. I can compare this to termites in a home, water damage is it's equivalent...once it's there its impossible to get rid of unless you spend on very expensive fixes, usually not covered by insurance. When walking into any camper always walk on every single inch of the floor - look under cabinets, under beds, and along all walls. Jump as many times and as hard as you can on the floor, any soft spots on the floor will indicate previous water damage or rot, something that should never be there.
Don't be hung up on the aesthetics of the camper such as the big screen tv, the radio, the microwave, or the lights. Dealers want to show you all the shinny stuff inside so you keep your eye away from other things that are far more important. Making sure all valves work, making sure the water tanks are intact, ensuring that all electrical wiring is working properly, making sure the AC is working and cooling as it's supposed to. Remember, most of the plastic inside and out of the camper is meant to last, however not forever. Remember that campers are usually stored outside and weather takes a toll on all plastic...this will mean that taking a good look at all plastic and molding prior to buying is a very good idea. Dealers can normally get these items at a cheaper rate compared to prices an individual could get...so if you notice something that needs fixed, it's a great idea to have them fix it prior to buying, work it out with the price of the camper, or get a discount knowing that this will need attention in the future. All other appliances and TV's can be purchased at any store and are not RV specific as some of the items aforementioned.
Now that you have some ideas, remember...you are the one with the cash on hand...don't give in to vague or inaccurate answers. If it looks too good to be true...it usually ALWAYS is...so beware of people just putting lipstick on a pig. You have more bargaining power than you believe, RV fixtures and repairs can be costly outside of the dealer...so whenever possible try to work everything (repairs) into the price of the camper. In principle, dealers make their money on used inventory due to huge...and I mean huge markups...so there is ALWAYS wiggle room to get what you want.
As we have gone through the process of identifying what we are most likely wanting to buy, we need to determine what we will be pulling the camper with. There are some towing guides that you will want to take into consideration along with some extra costs that will have to be taken into consideration once a decision has been made. Some individuals will choose to decide their towing vehicle first then based on that determination they will decide how much weight or how big of a camper they want to purchase, others will say choose your camper first then determine if the your vehicle is capable or not of pulling the camper selected. Either way is perfectly fine, most people that we know select their camper first (or get a general idea) then determine if they have to downgrade, upgrade, or remain in their current selection.
Lets begin with the smaller of the three options that we have discussed. If your selection has been a popup you will be glad to know that most pop ups due to their lightweight can be hauled with a smaller SUV, minivan, or light truck. Most vehicles with a tow rating of around 3500 to 5000 lbs. can pull just about the many available popups in the market today. The vehicle will need to be equipped with a hitch (usually a Class 2 or 3) for this and at times if you are on the heavier side of things 4 or 5 thousand lbs., it is greatly recommended to add a brake controller to the vehicle as coming to a stop on a smaller V6 engine vehicle pulling that much weight can be a bit unsafe. With this said, pulling a small camper allows the owner to move around easier, little experience is needed in regards to towing, although I would highly recommend practicing turning, backing up, and changing lanes prior to getting on the road such as busy highways and interstates. Remember that towing these types of trailers also puts "drag" on the vehicle, so be very mindful of your driving conditions...specially wind and wet conditions.
Next up is the hybrid models, with these types of models you are now entering the realm of actual towing something a bit larger and more precautions have to be taken, pre-trip inspections are always recommended with anything towed behind a vehicle, however careful consideration is to be taken with these larger campers. These types of campers range from the lighter (around 4K lbs.) to the heavier range (around 5-6k lbs.) and does involve usually having to install a heavier duty hitch as well as a brake controller. If either of these things are not installed in your vehicle, it is a must, usually a full installation of both will run an individual anywhere between the inexpensive range of $300.00 and up to the more expensive brake controllers. Weight is an issue at this point so the vehicle towing these types of campers usually range between the 1/2 ton pickup trucks or heavier duty SUV's. A minivan is usually not recommended as it would put too much stress on the transmission and engine due to the weight. As indicated before, weather conditions, road conditions, and specially speed play a major factor now that you are towing something a bit heavier. Practice is a must, such as backing up, knowing the height of your camper, and learning how to drive with limited rear visibility is something an new owner will have to get used to.
Last, we have the full travel trailer and depending on the length, weights can vary from the lighter 5k lbs. up to 95k lbs., this will greatly affect which vehicle you decide to pull with. At some point you also have to take into consideration not only the weight of the camper, but also the weight of your belongings, as well as the weight of all the individuals and items in the vehicle. It is recommended that you not max out or come close to it when pulling these heavier trailers as it is incredibly unsafe. As indicated previously it is recommended that at this point if you need to, you might have to upgrade to a full 3/4 ton vehicle or something with the engine capable of towing larger amounts of weight without compromising safety. Special precautions have to be taken regarding the weight distribution of items both inside the camper and inside the vehicle. At this point a weight distribution system is a must as well as a sway control bar which allows for better and safer driving down the road as small things such as passing vehicles or semi-trailers greatly affect the stability of the camper and therefore directly affect the towing vehicle. Making simple turns, parking in certain parking spots, or even considering getting into certain areas have to be carefully planned as your ability to backup or make sharp turns have now been taken away.
Some of the questions that you should be asking yourself should not be how much, but for what is the camper going to be used for. Let me explain, the most important aspect of selecting a specific camper is not the price point, it's the number of people or how big you want to go. There are sizes that range from a small camper to the extremely large ones, and for the sake of this blog we will discuss three different sizes which should cover a wide range of options. We will start with the small popup style campers, then discuss a bit about the hybrid, and finally end with the larger campers. For the purpose of this blog we will also limit to the most popular options such as travel trailers over the big hundred thousand dollar campers, fifth wheel style campers as well as the smaller drivable RV's.
When my wife and I decided we wanted to upgrade from tent camping, we did so with the intention of wanting to have a more comfortable experience and also the ability to not worry about our kids having to trip over ropes, tie downs, and zippers when getting out of a tent. Most individuals decide they want to get a camper or "upgrade" because of comfort. When we decided to do so we decided to start from the beginning and start with a pop-up camper. There were no guides, no real life experiences as to the do's and don'ts of the process of buying a camper...to some degree we lacked the knowledge. We decided we wanted to start small as we didn't know if we wanted to spend thousands of dollars at the time.
Price point for a used pop-up which is one of the lightest pull behind campers can range from under a thousand dollars to 4-6 thousand dollars. Weight for such a camper is around the 2-4 thousand pounds which make it incredibly easy to pull with a minivan or small V-6 vehicle without having to upgrade the vehicle you are pulling with. Their size make it easy to store in your own driveway if need be or pay for an inexpensive parking spot throughout the year. Pulling such a camper is the easiest and experience pulling a camper isn't necessary, backing up however is just as difficult at times as a camper that measure 20+ feet. Besides the price point of only a couple of thousands of dollars and the small frames, there are limitations to them, such as a small fridge, plush mattresses over actual mattresses, usually no bathrooms (although there are some that do have this feature), and limited cooling options (air conditioner) as well as very limited options for storage.
Next trailer to discuss is the hybrid style, this is a type of camper is a mixture of the tent style and a camper style. These types of campers (used) range in prices from a couple of thousand dollars to around the 8-9 thousand dollar range, what this means are options, such as steel siding on it or full fiber glass siding. These two options have an impact on insurance quotes as most insurance companies prefer fiber glass siding compared to steal however the price also increases for this style. Hybrids usually range in size from the 12-22 feet and are usually light weight, however their weight does increase to between 3-5 thousand pounds or a bit more which indicates that a smaller pickup or light truck might be needed in order to pull this camper. Options at this point eliminate small SUV's, minivans, or small V-6 vehicles. They do include bathrooms, full size fridges, and the tent part of the trailer is the actual bed area so this eliminates the bedroom or mattress. Other options include full air-conditioning features, water tanks, and same commodities as at home such as big screen tv's and surround sound systems.
The last option is a full travel trailer, sizes can range from smaller 17 foot to around the 33 foot RV's. Just like the hybrids there are options for siding between full steel and fiber glass siding, again this having an impact on insurance coverage and a huge impact on price. Another important aspect of these trailers and price point is that they include all the amenities that you would want such as full heating and air conditioner, in more expensive models even ducted air-conditioning is available. Another major impact on price and weight is the ability to have a slide on the RV itself - pending on size. These slides can be either motorized or manual - motorized being a more expensive option as well as added weight to the overall weight. Travel trailers usually require 1/2 ton or higher hauling capacity on the pulling vehicle which means that most individuals have to have a truck with said capabilities. Travel trailers at this point range from the 5-7 thousand to the low 20's, weight also ranges from the ultra light 5500 lbs. to the heavy 9500 lbs.. All amenities and comforts of home are usually available such as large living room areas, full kitchens, bedrooms, and even bunk bedroom lofts. All major amenities such as TV's outside, outside showers, surround sound with speakers outside and inside, large awnings, and at times full self-cleaning mechanisms for water tanks.
Overall these are some of the 3 major options, although there are more available options for each type of camper, however these are some of the most generic and simplified options available for newcomers and those wanting a general idea for what they are looking for.
Years ago my wife and I had reached a point in our lives were we wanted to "upgrade" our camping lifestyle and be more comfortable when we did decide to head to the outdoors. In reality there were other factors that were taken into consideration which helped with us finally making the ultimate decision that it was time to invest in a camper and enjoy our family a bit more comfortably, however there was one major problem, we didn't know where to start.
As we all know, the internet makes it easier and easier for us to find things such as cars, houses, rentals, and everything else imaginable under the sun. However you can't always get all the information needed to make an informed decision, and ultimately you could be throwing money down the drain if you aren't savvy enough to ask the right questions, look for the right deal, and know your limitations.
This blog will help you in knowing what to look for when you are ready to financially commit to an investment such as a camper, this blog will be separated into three sections which will include what to look for depending on your budget - yes it's imperative to know how much you are willing to spend. Next we will talk about what your limitations will be regarding towing and what are some of the red flags to look for. And finally, once we know what camper and vehicle to use, we will give tips and ideas as to what to look for when purchasing the camper itself at the lot.
Our experience has taken us from being too trustworthy with sales people and we have ultimately learned our lessons as to what to ask and what to ignore. There are lots of available options out there, a buyer can decide to go new or used depending on their preference, but ultimately it is dependent on their budget. Along with the money talk, individuals also have to be mindful as to what their likes and wants will be as options in camper models and amenities are at times limitless in the real world.
Ultimately the goal is to get you informed with as much information as possible in order for you to walk in confidently any store, dealer, or seller and ask the right questions with confidence and not feel lost as we certainly did all those years ago.
