This has been a very new experience for us, researching motorhomes and now buying. Not only did we not know how valuable the internet would be in gathering information, Telecoustic but we also didn't know just how big the task was going to be. Thank heavens for our kids who educated us on the world of online searches. This was our starting place which gave us enough information and courage to rent our first RV for a 5 day trip to a neighboring national park. We were complete newbies to the world of motorhomes.
The decision came about quite spontaneously, we had both arrived home from work one Friday evening totally fed up with irritable people, snarled traffic and the prospect of a weekend that was uninspiring to say the least. Our youngest daughter Jenny called in unexpectedly the next day for lunch. She had just come from visiting one of her friends whose parents had just bought a motorhome. She had been invited to look inside and was absolutely stunned at the luxurious interior, spacious bathroom and toilet, as well as a state-of-the-art entertainment center and modern kitchen.
Maybe it was her enthusiasm, or the idea came along at just the right time in our life, but it certainly sparked something inside us. Before she left we had spent an hour on the computer looking at motorhomes with her assistance. After she left, we spent the rest of the day reading stories, looking at makes and models, prices and whatever we could find to read. It was so easy imagining us out on the open road, away from the crowds of people in the city, breathing fresh air and admiring the passing scenery.
Because of all the great info we were able to read, we knew what our next step had to be. During that next week we took a few hours off work and went around to a local RV dealer who rented out motorhomes. On his advice, and because we were new to the world of RV'ing we rented a B Class which was really just an oversized van but it was all fitted out beautifully inside. It was going to be easy to drive and considering we both had only driven smaller type sedans it still looked huge and awkward. We picked it up on Friday afternoon and spent that evening loading it up with everything we could think of that we would need for 5 days away. We made all the usual mistakes, such as forgetting a can opener, and taking far too much of everything else, but the trip was a great success, and to our amazement the motorhome was incredibly easy to drive. Over the next 6 months I'm sure we must have become the RV dealers best rental customers as we took as much time off as we could so that we could learn as much about our new passion as possible.
By the end of that time we knew that as much as we loved the B Class motorhomes we were more suited to the larger A Class coaches. We did compromise however and opted for the shorter 30 foot length rather than the full size 42 feet. We call this our pre-school period and most of our spare time was spent visiting manufacturers, dealers, the annual California RV show, and deciding on what we thought would suit us best. Even though we have a few years to go before we both reach retirement, we plan on taking to the road permanently for a couple of years when this happens. Fortunately these motorhomes with the diesel engines seem to go on forever so we consider that ours will be nicely run in by then.
It's a big expensive decision when your passion is motorhomes. What to buy? We can't recommend highly enough for anyone interested in motorhomes to try before you buy. This is absolutely essential in making the correct decision. We worked out that rented 9 different types of motorhomes over a 6 month period which is probably a little intense for most people, but we were in a hurry. But doing this provided us with enough experience and knowledge to be able to go into a dealer and talk their language. We knew about engines and transmissions, chassis types and what sort of floor plan was going to work for us. We knew we needed a winterized version, and we knew how much storage space we needed because we knew exactly what we would be taking.
The time we spent in the trailer parks was also an invaluable learning ground for us. Our fellow travelers were more than happy to show off their motorhomes and tell us what they liked about them and what irked them. Some of these folks were such characters that I can't help smiling when I think of them. Many said they were permanent runaways, and the thought of returning home was unwelcome and always pushed aside. That's going to be us in a very short while.
Sam Butler's new motorhome is his pride and joy. But, only after an extensive research he is sure, he has bought well. Guide to Motorhomes
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