what's the best rv to begin with?

[evelynH]

Hi, I'm Evelyn and I will be 70 next April. I want to travel around the States as economically as possible, as I'm on SS. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what kind of vehicle I should buy. I like small as I like to live simple. Looking forward to being a member.

[IrishIroamed]

Hi Evelyn - sorry no RV here yet - still looking myself, but if you have any questions, the ladies here are great for answering them.

[mitch5252]

..
Welcome, Evelyn! We're glad you joined us.
I can't give you any advice on a rig, but those that can will probably need some more information - like are you going to full-time or do you want a travel trailer or a Class C? Used or new?

But, we'll certainly love following along as you search for your perfect RV!

Happy Upcoming 70th Birthday, too!!

..

[avalen]

welcome Evelyn, shopping for the perfect rv is so much fun, unfortunately what might be perfect for me may not be perfect for someone else. Its a matter of personal choice in what you require to make you happy. Go to one of your local rv places and take a look see at their
inventory and start getting ideas. Will you be living in it full time or just trips now then? We look forward to going shopping with you, virtually of course but don't be afraid to ask the questions, you'll get better answers here than from a salesman cause they just want
to make the sale and will tell you anything.

[WickedLady]

As said, it will depend on how you want to use it and how much you can afford. A small used class C is great for trips as it will go most anywhere and fit in any campground. If you have a vehicle to pull a small travel trailer then a 16' foot trailer is good. That's what I have.

[cpatinjones]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

[MelissaD]

Hoosier Welcome

I also have a birthday come April Go Aries

As for the right RV that's very personal. Easiest would probably be a class B but that depends on if you full time or just take trips. With today's market, if there is a desire, there is probably a RV to fulfill that need. I'd say go look at a bunch of different RV's and make a list of what you like and don't like. Don't get caught in the "it's so pretty" stage. I'd try image living and moving around in it. Can you sit comfortably on the toilet? Can you take a shower comfortably? Can you make the bed without killing yourself? Will you boondock and need a generator? Solar? Large enough tanks to do what you want?

In the end it's often the little details that make life comfortable or not in an RV.

Oh and salesmen will tell you anything to get a sale so do your own homework

[BirdbyBird]

Welcome to the forum. If you get a chance to attend any of our GTGs I would recommend coming for a visit. So much about rig choices are grounded by personal budgets and finances and how we want to use our rigs. Some Folks full time in small rigs and others could not imagine spending a weekend in. Some travelers go down the road with less stuff than others. There is no right or wrong...there are just plenty of differences.i suggest reading through some of the back threads....there are several where members talk about their rigs and how they chose them. It might help you think through your own wants and needs a little better.....

The more rigs you can actually see and walk around the more material your imagination has to work with. Also don't be afraid of buying used as long as you are able to have the unit looked at by someone who has the experience to evaluate it work you.

Have fun....

[evelynH]

Thank you all for your kind responses, I'm not sure how to navigate this forum, let alone the highways, so I need all the help I can get. My plan is to travel fulltime, but I want something that is small and easy to boondock with if the need arises. Also, I'd like to know if it gets lonely on the road if you're travelling alone. By the way, I am Irish, although I've lived in the States for nearly 50 years and I'm a citizen. I'm looking forward to knowing you all. Evelyn

[IrishIroamed]

By the way, I am Irish, although I've lived in the States for nearly 50 years and I'm a citizen.

Me too! but part Italian also.
(making Mr Green icon) to Mrs Irish

[cnq50b]

Hi Evelyn,
As you can see in my signature I have a class B built on the Sprinter van chassis. I went with it because I wanted reasonable gas mileage (it takes diesel though so there's a trade-off) & something dependable. I'm not sure it's big enough to live in fulltime, but it suits me for now because I mostly travel - getting from one place to another quickly & without taking out a loan for gas. I also like that I can be somewhat incognito since it could be mistaken for just another large van when parked on the street or in a parking lot.
Not sure about the lonliness thing yet since I still work & only travel occassionally - I like being on my own, but also can't wait to get to some of the GTGs (get togethers) with the gals on this site.

Good luck in making your decision. Hope to meet you down the road someday.
Catherine

[WickedLady]

Lonely? Depends on how comfortable you are with your own company. Do you have a pet to keep you company? RVers are friendly folk and easy to meet at campgrounds. If you join one (or more) of the organizations like Escapees, Good Sam, Loners on Wheels, you are always welcome to join them at their rallies all over the country. And then there is Us we have get-togethers anytime, anywhere.
I am Scot/Irish and hope to meet ya down the road when you get your rig.

[JoanE]

Top o the morning, Evelyn! My mother was a Fitzpatrick with some Donnelly thrown in for good measure. Welcome to the forum.

I wanted a B to start but ended up with a 27' C. I do fulltime and my C allows me to carry more stuff. I sometimes pine for the smaller van campers when I am in towns without much parking, but most of the time I am very comfortable.

Joan

[BarbaraRose]

You won't be any more or less lonely than you are at home. There are always people to talk to at campgrounds and there are the women on here that live all across the country and love to set up get togethers with whomever is passing thru. You can also find plenty of solitude if you want, as well. All depends on what you want.

Check out RV dealer lots and shows when you can and check into different types of rigs to see what feels right to you. Do you want a separate "bedroom", or are you OK with turning the couch or dinette into a bed each night? Do you want a separate shower, or is a "wet" bath good enough? Do you need lots of storage or not so much? Do you like the idea of driving the RV and having access to everything without having to go outside, or would pulling a trailer be OK? Do you need/want a separate vehicle to do sightseeing? Then you can either get a "toad" (tow a car behind the RV), or tow a trailer or 5th wheel with a truck or SUV. If not, you can just unhook from your campsite and drive your RV around. If it is small enough, that might not be too difficult to do. Maybe you are a bit claustrophobic and would like a slide or two for extra living space. Will you occasionally have others (kids/grandkids) staying or traveling with you and need some extra sleeping areas? Then there are all the different layouts to consider...

Lots of things to think about...

Good luck and let us know what you come up with! Feel free to ask us any questions you have!

[Deeann]

Lots of the girls on here have given excellent advice to you. Things like: can you sit on the toilet, stand upright in the shower, are you wanting a separate bedroom or can you sleep in the dinette area, etc. All of those things should be checked out.

There are so many things to consider when buying your first rv. And since you don't have any rv experience it's going to require more homework on your part. My best advice to you is this: find someone who has one and ask them to go with you. They can point out lots of things that may never occur to you to ask about. And they can probably tell when the salesman is giving you a line of bull. Where do you live? Perhaps one of us is close enough to you that we can help you with this.

If I were you I would not buy a pull-behind trailer. They are much harder to back up, and if you forget that you are pulling one you can switch lanes and cut someone off in traffic (yes, this happens). It's harder to turn a corner with a trailer behind you and if you turn sharply on country roads you can drop the wheel of the trailer into the ditch. If you turn too sharply around another vehicle, light post, building, etc. you can hit it with the trailer. Plus they have to be hitched and unhitched. I have a small travel trailer and the hitch weighs 50-60 pounds. I have to hook up the hitch, the equalizer and the sway bars. It is physically demanding. Even men grunt when carrying this hitch around.

I think you would like a class c motorhome better than a van camper unless you are willing to sacrifice lots of room. Van campers drive easy and park in smaller spaces but they are smaller overall. Lots of people love them and wouldn't have anything else. You just have to be willing to sacrifice a little space to have one.

And please note that RV's are like computers. They may seem user friendly but that isn't always the case. There is much to know about rv's and they can be expensive to repair. If you are on limited funds this can make your choice more difficult. Don't let me discourage you. Just be aware of these things before you get into an rv. We all love the rv lifestyle, either full or part time. And they can be fun to travel in and "fiddle with". But they require maintenance and work from time to time. Are you able to do some things yourself or will you have to hire everything done?

Tell us more about what you are wanting out of an rv. We'll be able to help you more if we know how you intend to use this rv.