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Recreational vehicles (RVs) offer a way to bring lodging, appliances, and personal belongings with you wherever you go. They can be an excellent choice for camping, or they can be a cozy permanent residence - but choosing an appropriate RV is what will determine the satisfaction that you get from your purchase. As switching RVs can be an expensive and time-consuming nuisance, you should read this beginner’s guide (and do other research) before buying your first RV.

 

First, you should ask yourself what you will predominantly be using your RV for. Different RV classes are suited for different uses. Are you going camping? Are you living in it year-round? How many people will it need to sleep? Some specialized RVs, called toy haulers, are designed to carry ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles, etc. without the need for towing them on a trailer. RVs are either motorized (meaning they can move under their own power) or towable (meaning you will need a tow vehicle to move them around). Both motorized and towable RVs come in many different sizes.

 

 

Second, you should come up with a budget. insurance, running costs, and parking costs should all be factored into your budget in addition to the cost of the RV. Used RVs are cheaper, but keep in mind that you will probably need to repair them sooner. Some RV dealers offer financing options, which would enable you to pay your RV off rather than be required to buy it outright. Another possibility is you can apply for and obtain an RV loan.

 

Next, you should decide which amenities you may want or need. RVs can come equipped with a wide range of amenities, including but not limited to: couches, bunk beds, widescreen TVs, bathtubs, dishwashers, stoves, and solar panels. Keep in mind that if you come across an RV for sale that doesn’t have one of the amenities you need you might be able to add it later. When looking at a used RV, make sure to check that the amenities work before you agree to buy it.

 

 

Lastly, you should narrow down what kind of layout you want your RV to have. Some RV layouts are well-suited for sleeping multiple people, with separate bedrooms and separate baths. Others make sense for if you’d like more space for leisure, with bigger living rooms and more couches. Also, you can find RVs that have lots of storage space, which help organize and protect belongings and would be perfect if you were say a travelling salesman.

 

There’s a lot more to consider when buying an RV than there is when buying a car, but if you take your time and follow these guidelines you will do just fine. As a final note, you should not go into an RV dealer thinking that every salesman there is just going to be someone who will try to trick you out of money. A big part of their job is to help you understand what kind of RV would be a good fit, and they may have lots of knowledge and experience to help guide you, so you should not immediately dispel their assistance.