RV Wish List help needed

[BirdbyBird]

And even if you are camping in parks without electric most have generous hours during which a generator can be run....and things can be cooked without propane appliances..... you just have to work with the rules. The non electric coffee maker is the most important feature for those that need coffee in the early mornings before generators are allowed..... I don't have that issue....

[sistert]

Hi! I'm the daughter mom has mentioned. You've all given some really good ideas to consider and I'm curious what else will come up.

On the subject of stove/no stove, mom and I have talked about how she cooks at home and on the road (in hotels and extended stays) now. Try, over the next week or so, to pay attention to how she prepares her meals.

And on the sleeping arrangements, I can't convince her that me and the hubby can throw a futon on the floor and be just fine! Heck, hubby's talking about getting a teardrop trailer for now so we can just meet up. And there are motels and inns mom! Love you!

[dpf]

Definitely have a two way gas/electric water heater. It will save you the hassle and $$ on propane fill-ups and usually you're going to pay the same for a site whether you're using gas or electric!

[chalet05]

The generator - how loud is it? The Onan generator in my truck camper is LOUD! I don't know if it would work in a Class B, but a Honda 3000 is very quiet. If my plans to sell the 5er and full time in the camper work out, I plan to put a Honda in and ditch the Onan.

Hardwood floors - great idea if you have no foot problems - I learned the hard way.

When I ordered my 5er, I ordered it without the sofa and chairs. It's just me so I put my recliner in. Later I took out the dining table and chairs; bought a small computer desk at Ikea. On the rare occasion I have company, a lawn chair or my secretary chair works great.

As said before, do whatever is right for you. Have fun!

[snowball]

I personally hate the dinettes so have table and chairs we have a hide abed couch which has come in handy other wise have guests bring a tent lol
seriously make it work for you not for your guests that might be with you a very small percentage of time
I would love to have a in house vacuum but dh didn't want it wasn't sure where it would go and assumed it would be more costly plus we ended up with one that was coming in so didn't get our choices. I like my stove/oven and use it often I can see the benefit of both...wish I had more counter space but not sure where we would find it lol and would do away with the carpet it has gotten so dirty and hopefully will get rid of it someday soon but then it is warm on the feet also wish that I had a automatic awning dh always took it down and put it up now that its just me and I'm short not sure what I will do
yes make sure you have duel propane/electric hot water heater...we looked for empty walls so we could fill them I've filled them
sheila and welcome to this forum
sheila

[Roadweaver]

The dual propane/hot water heater sounds great and is on my wish list that I will send. I had already thought no carpet in the living room/kitchen area because of keeping it clean. I can see the cherry cabinets I wanted going out the window because I am going to need that upgrade for some of the suggestions I have been getting.

[Dawn309]

For me, my absolute must haves are a portable ice machine. You can get them on Amazon for a whole lot less than at CW. I also have tile floors with very little carpeting which is a fantastic thing since I travel with dogs. Just either sweep or wipe up. Really easy to keep clean. I have my first microwave/convection oven instead of a regular oven and I find I like it better than the normal oven that comes with RV's. It is the larger one so I can put full size pans in it. It has done a good job of baking so far. I am having an in-motion satellite system put in because of my Mom and later the grandkids when traveling. I am also taking out my sofa bed with the air mattress and a regular jack knife sofa bed put in because my Mom needs the metal support to get herself in and out of bed. I would definitely like a recliner for my passenger seat so when I need to replace that seat, will look at having a recliner put in it's place. I have a lightweight hassock that my Mom uses since she has to keep her legs up when sitting. I prefer a standalone dining table and chairs. I never found dinettes to be very comfortable. Another must have for me is the 4" memory foam mattress topper for my bed. RV beds are not very comfortable to me. Now that I have a computer/desk space, I would not want to be without one. It is so convenient. Computer is always set up.

I am also having a tire air pressure and temperature monitor put in for the MH and Mom's car, which we will be towing. Also having a MaxAir cover put over the bathroom vent. I like that vent to always be open. At this point, have never boondocked, so if I do any of that, I bet my list of must haves will grow to include solar. My backup camera did not stop me from backing into a post.

[Echo]

I am also taking out my sofa bed with the air mattress and a regular jack knife sofa bed put in because my Mom needs the metal support to get herself in and out of bed.

I have seen a lot of people complain about the jack knife sofas and how uncomfortable they are. Mostly because of the crack/gap down the middle. They say that even with a foam topper that they can feel that crack. Would maybe a single sized daybed work instead???

Maybe a well made futon? I had an early futon as a living room sofa but hated the thing. I wont say it was hard to get off of, I WILL SAY instead that it was hard to get out of when in sofa mode. The area where the seat part met the back part dipped way to low and it was very uncomfortable to sit on for long. Made my lower back ache. I know a few of the really nice ones configure more like a regular sofa.

But all in all I would make your Mom go shopping with you and try out the sofas and see which one feels the best and will work the best for her.

[JudyJB]

Try out not only the sofas and dinettes, but take your shoes off and lay on the beds. Not sure how tall you are, but watch out for "queen" beds that are as wide as regular queen beds, but a lot shorter. (I am 5'1" so it does not matter for me.)

My "queen" bed is 60" wide, but only 68" long!! There is a 5" bolster you are supposed to put at the head to make it 73-74" long, but I never use it, and a real queen bed is supposed to be 80" long, not 74"!!!!

Actually get out there with your tape measure. Do NOT let a salesman hurry you. And if you are short like me, take a taller person with you to try things out. Take a nap on the bed and sofa if you have to to test it out. Mine was hard as a rock, by the way, buy a 3" memory foam topper solved that problem and now it is just perfect, even if it is short, like me.

I agree that dinettes are completely uncomfortable, so I had them tear mine out and I put in my own leather recliner that fits me perfectly. It is on a washable plush rug with a rubber backing, so it really barely moves when driving.

I am going to be in Florida from December to early April, so maybe I will bump into you.

[Roadweaver]

Judy, I think my daughter, sistert, talked to you before we went to the show. She had me pretend that I was having a typical day while we were in the RV. She had me lay on the bed and pretend I was sleep, (it is hard so I will need that 3" memory foam), then I had to take a shower, go to the bathroom and close the door, go to the kitchen and pretend I was making my breakfast, I sit on the sofa and then the dinette pretending I was crafting. The sofa was okay and comfortable but I prefer a recliner. I never use the sofa now so I got rid of it.

I am tall 5'7" and my daughter is 5'8", we had to make sure that we could get around and not get in each others way when she is with me. I felt funny with all those people there but she insisted. No one looked at me strange.

[Bethers]

Judy, I think my daughter, sistert, talked to you before we went to the show. She had me pretend that I was having a typical day while we were in the RV. She had me lay on the bed and pretend I was sleep, (it is hard so I will need that 3" memory foam), then I had to take a shower, go to the bathroom and close the door, go to the kitchen and pretend I was making my breakfast, I sit on the sofa and then the dinette pretending I was crafting. The sofa was okay and comfortable but I prefer a recliner. I never use the sofa now so I got rid of it.

I am tall 5'7" and my daughter is 5'8", we had to make sure that we could get around and not get in each others way when she is with me. I felt funny with all those people there but she insisted. No one looked at me strange.

Exactly - whatever you get has to work for YOU and how you'll use it. My shower would be uncomfortable for you at your height. I'm 5'0 - it's big enough for me. So you need to know the things you like and do and will continue doing, and continue trying everything out. I prefer a couch to a dinette, if I have only one (I do) but I could live with the new wrap around dinettes some rigs have - maybe could even get to like it.

I would never want the front entertainment center - too much use I can make of that space that is wasted with the ent. center. I'd rather get the overcab bed and make it into my own center if necessary - cuz I would never leave all that space unusable that they do. My bed in mine would easily hold your daughter and her husband - if I wasn't using that area for storage. But another rig might be configured where it wouldn't. So again - every rig - try everything just like you've been doing. And if there are slides - make sure to see the rig with them IN - and make sure you'd be able to use everything. I just went to put my slide out and for the first time since I purchased this rig in 2005, it wouldn't go out. Well, everything in here is completely usable with it in. (And thank goodness it didn't do this to be put in!). But you want to know if you can't open the slides (for whatever reason) everything is accessible (and if that is everything but a few drawers, etc - make sure nothing is stored in those that you would need to have daily.)

I agree with everyone who says get the gas/electric water heater. Mine is gas only, but I have a conversion kit on it - which I'm about to go put on - to use it with electric. So, yes, there are ways around everything - but you're ordering - get it to start with!

[oregonrambler1]

29 foot ... automatic levelers. I say Thank You Thank You everytime I back in to a spot and push that button.

[rvgrammy1953]

1.) Convection/microwave oven...hate regular RV ovens....use mine as my bread box and small sheet pan storage..
2.) Electric/gas water heater...
3.) Table and chairs over dinette....
4.) We have both sofa bed and recliners in our 5th wheel... love them...
5.) Have a short haired but shedding Jack Russell, so wish I could convince RV Manufacturers that carpet isn't necessary in campers...but they tell me has something to do with the way the slides slide.... but do know folks who after the warranty was up, took up the carpet for laminate or good old linoleum... so maybe our big project next year..but our kitchen area and bath area are laminate by the factory..
6.) Honda gas generator...we love ours and even when not boondocking, it comes in handy when there's a power outage in the campgrounds...
7.) Yes, rv queen size beds are a little short, but we measured and bought a good mattress that' only hangs over the foot of the bed by 3 inches...I can live with that....
8.) portable ice maker...
9.) Have your dealer install 1/8 inch plexy-glass as back splash for the stove area...makes clean up from cooking alot easier...
10.) auto leveling devises...

well, that's all for now...if I think of anything else...I'll be back....

[AlmostThere]

My one wish on my rig would be an automatic awning. I never use mine as it's cumbersome and you have to babysit it when its out in case a wind comes up.

[JudyJB]

I checked your blog and the couple of models you were looking at, and there is one thing that I don't think anyone has mentioned--big water and waste tanks. My grey water tank is uncomfortably small at 30 gallons. it is very hard for me to stay in one spot without dumping and refilling with only a 3 gallon grey water waste tank. I have taken three very short showers and one quick sponge bath, and have done a very small number of dishes three times under a dribble of water. So tomorrow it is dump and refil time, which is a pain.

(Black water from the toilet doesn't matter so much because you don't add to it very fast.)

Also, I noticed you were looking at units that were relatively short, height-wise. Are they taking height space out of "basement" storage soace? Make sure you check every underneath compartment and that you have at least one pass-through or long area where you can store poles and longer things.

I like my over-cab queen bed because it gives me a lot of guest sleeping room. It does have a big foldaway TV and a DVD player, plus a sound system, but those don't take up sleeping space like those big entertainment centers.