Still Getting Used To New Noises - Hyper-vigilance Is A Curse.

What a night

I slept well initially.  As older folks tend to do, I had get up and use the facilities in the wee hours of the night. Upon returning to bed I dozed off and was just about, to sleep when I heard a "bang." Instead of getting up and checking what it might be, I just laid there wondering in the warmth of the bed. Evidently this is the wrong answer when one is hyper-vigilant.

The result was keeping Martha (and myself) awake until the early morning hours tossing and turning and trying to regain some sense of calm and composure. I think I finally fell asleep around 3:00 am.

When I awoke this morning I found that the bang was a "command hook" that failed under the weight of my wife's purse.

So, now I sit and sip coffee and marvel at how stupid I am and what possesses some of my neighbors to be as stupid as they are, all while nodding off doing so.

This guy sat outside all evening lighting one stinky cheap cigar off the last.  He made my life stinky too. Damn I hate smokers.  And yes, I know he has a right to smoke outside and that it's my problem not his but I sure wish the wind had changed directions and blew the smoke back into his face.

Martha checking emails and making journal entries

Some more photos from yesterdays trip to the beach

We Walked Over To The Beach Today - It's A Wondrous Place

No words required

Sunset on the Dunes of Pensacola Beach

Water Woes - Part Deux

I posted earlier about our fresh water tank not filling. After many Google searches and posting on iRV2 in the Newmar forum and on the Escapees discussion board I decided to start my up close and personal checks of tanks and hoses.  I started on the curbside tanks which are accessed behind the peg board bay.

Once I took all the parts out and checked things I found there are no problems on this side of the coach. I did however find that the all three tanks (fresh, black and grey) had level sensors loose from the tanks. I temporarily repaired them using "fix anything tape."  I will now need to tackle the roadside wet bay to inspect things.  This is going to be a huge pain in the butt. However, it is required to find the leak, kink or missing parts.

In the mean time we are on Santa Rosa Island at Pensacola beach in the Fort Pickens Camground at the Gulf Shores National Seashore.

In a word "beautiful."

Rain, Rain Go Away

Today we made it to Biloxi some eighty three miles from yesterdays stay in Madisionville, La.  Today we had good conditions for travel but it started raining raing about 1pm and still hasn't stopped.  We are at the Boomtown Casino RV Park.

It's a nice place with concrete slabs that are too small width wise. Our RV parked all the way to the driverside for hook ups yielded about a foot of excess slab on the curbside. The plus is that all sites are a full hook ups.  A bonus is that the site we've got is a pull through site, easy peasy.

Tomorrow checkout is 12 pm. We hope to sleep in.  After waking we will be moving to Ft. Pickens, Florida for 14 days on the beach.  I will add photos of Boomtown RV Park tomorrow.

Camping In A Swamp - Or, Rub A Dub, Dub There's An RV In The Tub

Good grief, first water problems in the RV (still not solved). Then water problems at our Louisiana campground.

We stayed in Fairview Riverside State Park, Madisonville, Louisiana for the last two days.  It is one of our favorite places to camp. Live Oaks and River Oaks dripping with Spanish moss, the beautiful Tchefuncte (Cha Funk Ta) River on the West side of the park and running water, everywhere.

The first day and evening were great. We got set up, went for a walk, cooked dinner and made a campfire to have a few drinks by.  About 8:30 I went to stoke the fire and stepped in water that had not been there previously, WTF?

Fairview is built in a low lying area and is surround by swamp that borders the river. About the same time I was discovering the water a ranger stopped by the RV. He told us that the river was backing up because of strong winds at the mouth of it forcing the water back up river. He said it wasn't critical and we would be ok.  Right.

This morning I awoke to a newly formed moat. That's not rainwater folks, that is rising water in a swamp.  The kicker was it was before coffee.

We've Left On Our First Of Many Adventures - On The Way To Ft. Pickens

Well we've done it. We are on the road for a month preparing ourselves and our coach for full timing starting in June of 2017.  We rented a tow dolly to see how it worked with towing Martha's car. So far so good but mounting the car on the dolly is truly a pain in the ass.

Our 9:30 departure from Fayetteville was delayed by nearly an hour by a leveling jack that refused to retract. I had to manually release it using the solenoid valve under the hood.  Once that was solved we got the tow dolly from UHaul and started south.  We are currently in the Harrow's Casino parking lot just across the Mississippi in Greenville, MS.

We had a somewhat dissatisfying dinner and gambled away $20 total but hey, we're boondocking for free. This place has truck parking and a large parking lot that you can pull your coach into. They (security) suggest the truck lot on busy nights.

The next stop for us is at Fairview Riverside Park in Madisonville, Louisiana and our favorite restaurant on the planet "Mortons Seafood" on the Tchefuncte River.  We are there for two nights and then head to Biloxi, Ms.for a night and finally to Ft. Pickens. Florida for two weeks. I will do my best to take some photos tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Chasing RV System Problems or "Water War's"

Yep, water woes.  Lets start with the black water system.  I noticed while we were in Fredricksburg, Texas that my black water outlet had sewage backed up against the cap. I got a sewage shower when I took the cap off. In a word, YUCK!

So, yesterday I took the blade valve out and noticed that the seals were fine on one side but the other had been pinched and deformed on installation.  I did my best to work out the deformity and put the valve back into place.  I need a complete new valve or new seals.  So, before leaving on the 4th I will purchase one or the other and install them when we get to warmer climes.

Next up is the fresh water tank.  We want some water in the tank for quick showers and toilet use when we leave for Florida.  The old water was "funky" or as my son said "It tastes like ass."  I'm afraid to ask him how he knows that.....

Today I tried to fill the fresh water tank and thought things were goings "swimmingly" until water started to seep out of the floor above my wet bay.  I knew that wasn't supposed to happen so I shut the water off and scrambled inside to find water under my bathroom vanity.  Again, it's not supposed to do that, right?

In our coach's wet bay there is a valve that you change to use city water or water from the fresh water tank.  I switched it counter clockwise as shown to allow the tank to fill, after a few minutes the water came through the floor.  I turned off the pump and went inside and then the pump wouldn't prime. A V-8 moment came after reading the directions in our RV's manual (do real men read directions?).

So, I went back out the coach and switched the valve back to the clockwise position LIKE THE MANUAL said to do. Voila! Water came from the faucets.

Now the mysterious part. I ran the water to fill the tank for maybe 10 minutes. I go to the information panel and check the levels and the water tank is almost empty. So, where did the water go?

It's dark outside now and it's cold. But off I will go to inspect the basement bays and see if that's where the water went. Wish me luck.

First Camp Out In Our New RV - Fredricksburg, Tx.

We departed Fayetteville Saturday evening to be in Rio Vista, Tx.  We left the following morning from my brother in laws house and headed to Fredricksburg, Tx.  The coach handled pretty well in Texas Hill Country but was a handful in cross winds.

We arrived at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredricksburg about 4:30 in the afternoon and immediately set out for downtown, dinner and a beer (or six).  Our campsite is adjacent to the city airfield. The park is old but well cared for, with clean bathrooms and showers. Costs are $40 nightly with full hook ups.  If you are a stickler for absolute quite you will find it difficult to stay here. There is a medium sized city airport next to the park and aircraft of all shapes and sizes take off from here at all hours of the day and night. I will qualify this statement by saying that the traffic dies down after 10 pm.

Our RV camping spot in Fredricksburg, Texas

We camped with my brother in law and his girls. The two girls slept in the RV with us and my son Brad and my B.I.L. slept in tents outside.  We even had time for a trip to Luckenbach, Tx. to visit Waylon, Willie and the boys.

It was a hopping place. They even had chickens!

On the plus side they did have ice cold beer.

First Trip In The Class A - Driving from Alvarado, TX. to Fayetteville, AR.

Well we took possession of our coach and drove away from Alvarado, Tx. on Thursday afternoon the 17th.  I left around 3:40 pm in time for monumental traffic jams, extremely narrow chicane type construction diversions, 2.5 hour slow downs due to wrecks and extreme winds in the Lake Eufala area.  So, what should have been a 7 hour drive turned into an 10.5 hour drive.

The scariest part was the construction diversions and wind gusting to 50 mph at Lake Eufala from my right side. Down right miserable driving. The coach was doing involuntary lane changes, drifting all over the road and I could not let my guard down for a second. I did seven stops along the way to relax.

When I got home I virtually collapsed in a tired heap.

Obsessing About An Oil Change - Or, The Oil Change Boogie Was Changed To A Waltz With One Phone Call

So, my obsession getting an oil change immediately was unwarranted.  Why?  Well as I was going through the the library of brochures and technical manuals that came with the coach I discovered two documents that told me who the first and second owners were.  On an off chance that the previous owner of my coach wouldn't mind my calling him, I did.

Turns out that both he and his wife really didn't want to sell the coach but only used it three times a year and decided that it was too much coach for that minimal amount of time in use. Instead they consigned it to Motor Home Specialists in Alvarado, Tx.

During my enjoyable time with him on the phone I learned that the oil was changed less than 8 months ago and the only filters that hadn't been changed were the fuel filters. BINGO! I can delay PM for a few months until I can recover from paying taxes. This was VERY good news but I will have the chassis lubed and the fuel filters installed as a precaution..

Additionally he told me that the Spendide washer/dryer had never been used by the previous owner or by them.  So, my concern about that is do I try to winterize the washer/dryer or not?  I will have to read more about that.   The ad for this coach stated it had new tires. Nobody at the dealership knew how old (even though they changed them????), anyway I asked about them while I had him on the phone.   He said "the only miles on the tires are the ones that were put on by demo rides."  Another win!

The coach will be ready to pick up tomorrow after the golf cart carnage so I leave Fayetteville at 6:30 am with my best friend who will drive me 480 miles to get the coach and drive back the same day. That is a seriously good friend.

Thanks Jim.

Killing Time Until We Can Pick Up The RV

Yesterday I started accumulating (read, finding stuff again) the things we need to put in the coach prior to our 1st trip departure on the 19th.  I have made a list and it gets longer each day as does the pile of stuff in our garage on the floor.

It's been a while since we sold our last RV (a travel trailer) so as I stack things up I remember other things that should go in the coach. Some of the stuff will still need to be shuttled back and forth between the house and the coach each time we go some place.  I hate that we need to do that but it doesn't make economic sense to purchase all new flatware or all new plates, pots, pans and utensils when we will have all of that available to us from our house in six months.

We are meeting my brother in law and most of his family in Fredricksburg, TX for the Thanksgiving holiday and they are tenting in a tent I am borrowing and using our cots.  So, all of that has to accompany us as well.

Oh well, it's good practice.

Waiting For Word - When Will Our RV Be Ready To Pick Up? - Again

I am so frustrated by the accident down in Alvarado.  They told us it would take 4-5 days to do the repairs. If we count Friday as one of those days we could get the call to come get the coach by Thursday or Friday.

We really need to get it serviced, packed and ready for the road by the 19th as we are planning on Thanksgiving with family. But first we're headed to Fredricksburg, Texas with my Brother in Law and family.  Time is getting short. Wish us luck.

The Oil Change Boogie And Picking Up Our RV Part Deux

Since our coach is used. And since there is an oil change sticker on the drivers side window that says the last oil change was three years ago, I've been scrambling to find a place to service the coach in the Dallas area before I drive back to Arkansas.  This sound simple enough right?  Not. Nobody has appointments available.

I've posted about this on several RV forums and have been directed several times by to consider using a Speedco Service Center for getting this done.

However, the as I checked out Speedco and called their closest service centers (Oklahoma City and Joplin) I see how they do things. If you bring all of your own filters it's no problem but if you go to their service centers and expect them to have what you need in stock ....well, that's another story.

They only change the filters and fuel filters they have in stock and the associated fluids.  If they don't have it, they notify you and you still have part of your service not done.  They do give you the option of bringing all the filters and they will install them.

So, what I have done is opted to travel back to Arkansas after checking fluid levels carefully and then get it serviced here.  It shouldn't have to be this hard to find a place to service this beast.

On a somewhat brighter note we are due to pick up our RV again, for the second time. Hopefully without golf cart/RV destruction. They said five days for the repairs which would put it ready to pick up on Thursday. We'll see but if it isn't ready we'll have a problem because we are booked for space at the Ladybird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredricksburg, Tx.

The Universe Has Spoken

On Thursday morning Martha and I departed for Alvarado, Texas from our home in Fayetteville. All that remained was a close inspection of the RV followed by a test drive and we would sign the dotted line, become once again cash poor and then drive away in our beautiful coach.

After the test drive (I really liked how well the big beast handled) we returned to the dealership. Following the instructions of the sales guy I snaked my way through a rather expansive dealership and given instructions as to where I was to park.

We were positioned adjacent to the dealerships office and the salesman told me to make a right hand turn and park in front of a line of new motor homes. As I committed to making the right I swung out wide to clear a Fiver that was parked on the corner. About that time a guy in a golf cart accelerated in front of me and turned hard right and paralleled us heading toward the rear of our coach. He then proceed to stop hard and sort of jumped off the golf cart as it was coming to a stop. 

Where he parked was exactly in the turning radius of our coach and his golf cart ended up to near the side of our coach resulting in the right rear of the coach striking the golf cart and gouging two storage doors and the wheel cover. It turns out that stopping 28,000 pounds of mass isn't instantaneous. 

Since this happened in front of the office the owner of the dealership came out to see what had happened.  He simply said "Are you out looking for coaches?" I told him this is the one we're buying.  

He never skipped a beat and said "well in that case let me send the coach to our body and paint shop and we will repair everything like new and for your trouble, I will have our cleaning crew detail the outside and inside of your coach free of charge (this was a consignment unit and as such they do not clean them unless the owner wants it done)."  

I was very pleased to hear him say that and we decided to go ahead with sale.  This results in my making yet another trip to Alvarado to pick up the coach.  The Universe has spoken....sheesh.

More On Insurance - What I Found Out Today

If you read my post regarding what you need in the way of insurance, then you probably figured out that I was shopping for the right policy. Since we required a loan for our coach we decided to use USAA. They gave us an excellent interest rate so it that part was a no brainer.

The folks at USAA suggested their insurance (Foremost) for the RV so we got a quote from them. We received what we thought to be a very good price on an annual policy and were going to call them tomorrow during the closing to put the policy in force.

Today I decided to stop by our State Farm agent's office and see about a quote from them. I was pretty sure based on their loan interest rates the quote for insurance would be much higher than Foremost.  I was floored to find out with all the same coverage's and deductible's State Farm was almost $1000 a year less. No need to look further.

To be fair we have been with State Farm for our entire marriage (working on 26 years) and we have our vehicle, motorcycle and renters insurance with them.

So, what's the moral of the story?  Well, I just found out that loyalty pays off.

Holding Our Breath - RV Pickup Day Is Tomorrow

We've had so many obstacles and other barriers thrown at us during this search it seems that we've been holding our breath since we settled on the Northern Star two weeks ago.

All the barriers seemed to be removed. The owner of the coach has given final approval, the roof is being resealed today, the loan is approved, we've several insurance quotes to consider and all that remains is to decide what RV insurance carrier we want and then go pick up the Coach tomorrow.

I will post more photos of the coach by the weekend.  We intend to camp Sunday and Monday night at nearby Lake Ft. Smith about 40 minutes from here. We want to do a proper "shake down" and enjoy what will become our life after next June.

Wish us luck.

Ok, I Think This Is It!

This afternoon I finally got the call I was waiting on. We go to Alvardo, Texas on Thursday to get our coach. Finally!

Still lots to do after we get it home. Today I rented a space at a local storage facility and got it cheap too!  Most of the ones we looked at wanted $80 a month. We got this one for $45 a month and it is a very secure facility.

Next up is getting the beast serviced. Since there are few or no maintenance records I think it's prudent get the chassis lubed, oil and all filters changed before going to Florida in December.

Let the fun begin!

Just Out Of Curiosity I Would Like To Ask A Question

If you read this blog why aren't you making comments? I meant for this to be interactive and I haven't had one comment. Please, let me know what you think about the blog.

Thanks

Instant Gratification Isn't Instant

As most of you know we looked for a long time to find the coach we felt fit us best. We found our dream coach at Motor Home Specialists in Alvarado, Texas.  Once we were sure this was the "one" we put earnest money on the coach to show intent to purchase.  The owner was contacted and the offer and our terms were accepted last Wednesday.

So, we set up our closing at Motor Home Specialist's (MHS) this coming Monday the 7th. We are/were very excited to finally nearly at the point where we can drive away in our "new to us" coach.

Well that's not going to happen now, at least on the 7th.  We are bummed out to say the least.  Why the delay? As radio personality Paul Harvey used to say "And this is the rest of the story."

As I understand it, the coach was consigned to MHS to sell.  Shortly before our offer the owners departed for a cruise and were due back to port yesterday the 6th.  MHS reached them at sea last Wednesday for the deal offer and they subsequently approved it.

But here is where it gets sticky.  The owners of the coach evidently traded for a new coach with MHS and then consigned our coach with them. Since the owners have been at sea it has been difficult to reach them for further correspondence. Making a long story short the owners still owe money on the coach we are purchasing.  So, MHS needs to collect the difference from our agreed purchase price and the amount the owners actually owe on the coach. Since they are sea this payment has not been made. The salesman and MHS finance office are both as frustrated as we are.

So, we can do nothing but wait until the owners contact MHS and everything is settled.

Meanwhile at least we don't have to pay for a storage spot.  Ugh, feeling frustrated.

Choosing An Insurance Carrier For Your New RV

Which Insurance Carrier Do We Choose?

Your choices are nearly endless. But keep in mind that you will want some kind of Roadside Assistance Coverage alongside your standard coverage. You can do that through your insurance carrier or through clubs like Good Sams.

I think insurance is one of those personal choice issues and I won't pretend to advise you as to which company or coverage's you should choose (plus I am not licensed to advise you). But. you do need need to select from a myriad of options like Bodily Injury Liability, Property Damage Liability, Uninsured and under insured Motorist, Comprehensive coverage, collision, personal property, vacation expense protection, emergency expense, scheduled medical benefits and towing and roadside assistance.

Most of us will wind up with similar coverage to our auto insurance. Some of us will not.  You will in any case need insurance. Don't take possession of an RV without it.

Do I need Towing and Roadside Assistance?

In a word, yes.  Think flat tire without a spare and no way to fix the tire. Most roadside coverage include the responder bringing a new tire that will fit your rig. Yes, you will need to pay for the tire. But if you are on a lonely road in east BFE and you run out of fuel, you flat a tire or your engine quits you will be glad to have this coverage.  Most RV insurance will also have towing included to the nearest Certified RV service center or the nearest engine or chassis facility that works on your particular brand.

What About Comprehensive? Why Would You Need That?

Well lets see?  How much is that windshield that a rock or truck lug nut just went through?  Think about that.  RV windshields are huge and so are their prices. I just read a blog where just one half of their divided windshield caught a rock. That half cost the owner $1200 dollars. Yep, for just one half.

What about this scenario. You are parking at a rv park and head out for the evening. On your return you find that your door was forced open and your laptops, tv's and other valuables have been stolen. Is the insurance worth it now?

Educate Yourself About Coverages  - Ask Your Agent Or Would-be Agent Questions

You need to know what the various coverages include, know your budget and pick your deductibles accordingly. As what is included in each type of coverage. After you've done your homework then purchase the policy of your choice.

Getting Back To The Purpose Of This Blog

What A Ride

If you have been with us from the beginning then you know this blog is and will continue to be about our journey from sticks and bricks to actually living in our RV.  Up to this point months of research has taken us from considering:

Class B vans
Class C gas coaches
Class A gas coaches
Class A diesel coaches

Are We There Yet?

How'd we get here?  Well, it was a trip to be sure.  We started with the intent of being very mobile with a Class B.  We liked them so we actively traveled around looking at them.  We are creatures of comfort at our age and having said that we quickly realized that they were too small for our lifestyle.
Plus for their size they extremely expensive. Used ones ranged in the $70,000 to $85,000 and new ones up to $140,000.

We chewed on that for a while and then got practical about the fact that we probably needed something bigger.

Fit And Finish - Yeah, It's Big Deal - Be Aware While You Search

We have owned a Class C and it fit our lifestyle really well as a weekend and vacation vehicle. These were also considered.  The ones were able to find that fit our idea of a well laid out coach had terrible fit and finish so we quickly abandoned the idea of Class C's.  Really I think we both knew without saying it out loud that this time we wanted a Class A

Amenities And Horse Power

Now we knew what we needed in a coach to fit our requirements for comfort with the main consideration being a King Bed and if possible zoned living quarters.

Since we were looking at Class A Gas coaches I needed to do homework on what power plant I would consider. Once again our budget kinda pointed me in the right direction. It turns out the most desired gas power plant on gas powered Class A's and Class C's is the Chevy Workhorse chassis with the 8.1 V-10.  I was told that these were discontinued in 2006 so our target years would all have that engine.

So, we started searching in earnest for a Class A gas coach.  One thing we found about the gas coaches right away was that they were much more affordable both used (within our budget) and new. However, we never quite found the "right" one.

We thought we wanted a Forest River Georgetown primarily for the floor plan that was available. They have sort of a zoned floor plan with living area in the front, dining and kitchen in the middle and bathroom and bedroom in back.  This kind of fit us because we take turns being insomniacs and having zones would let each of us be up without disturbing the other. Besides, King beds were available.

Once we physically saw several Georgteown's coaches that we thought fit the budget but once we started viewing them up close and personal. What we found was that fit, finish and durability was sorely lacking. In fact there were down right poorly appointed with cheap everything especially in the quality of coach furniture and cabinets.

This is when we happened on the Gulfstream Sun Voyagers that had similar floor plan arrangement's including King bed options.  These looked and felt like a quality coach however, we found out that they must be a very popular unit because in the three months leading to our current purchase we only saw three for sale nationwide. So that idea was scrapped.

Changing Directions

Once again our ideas, likes and need for certain amenities migrated our search to the next tier, Class A diesel coaches.  Like everything else on this journey this proved to be a learning experience. Since our targeted budget made it clear that we had to consider coaches from 2003-2005 model years we quickly learned that most of the coaches in this price range were either beat up, used up and not worth the asking price.

On the flip side we saw a few coaches that were really nice but the asking price was inflated beyond NADA High values (excellent condition values). If you are borrowing, this is a scenario that lenders will not lend money on. It took a while to register but most of these coaches (inflated value coaches) were owned by people that just wanted to sell them.  The inflated value was most likely what they owed on the coach to just "get out of it."

Snobbish Coach Shopping

After viewing so many mediocre coaches with bad fit, finish and durability we started setting our sights on quality built coaches. This was harder than our other searches because finding a quality coach that we could afford was as my Dad used say "harder than finding a hen with teeth,"

We looked at and considered Tiffin, Newmar, Monaco coaches. These are widely viewed by many RV Associations and clubs to be the best built and most durable of all motor coaches.  So, we set out shopping for high end used coaches.  Our first trip out we traveled to Springfield, Mo. to view a Tiffin Allegro Red that fit our budget and certainly our concerns about fit and finish.  Once there we were underwhelmed. Not because it was an ill kept coach but because neither of us had our "trigger tripped".  During this process my wife told me over and over, "when I see the right coach I will know it's the one" (paraphrased).  It wasn't the one.

So, we moved on and a week later my wife found the "one" online at Motor Home Specialists in Alvarado, Texas. And here we are.

Thoughts On What's Next

This entire journey began in June 2016 and we found our coach at the beginning of November 2016. So, yeah it takes a while.

What's next? Well practice camping for sure. We intend to use the coach during Thanksgiving week and we are headed to Florida for the entire month of December.

Of course there is the matter of ditching 25 years of stuff before June 1st of '17 but that is another blog entry.

Getting Back To The Purpose Of This Blog

What A Ride

If you have been with us from the beginning then you know this blog is and will continue to be about our journey from sticks and bricks to actually living in our RV.  Up to this point months of research has taken us from considering:

Class B vans
Class C gas coaches
Class A gas coaches
Class A diesel coaches

Are We There Yet?

How'd we get here?  Well, it was a trip to be sure.  We started with the intent of being very mobile with a Class B.  We liked them so we actively traveled around looking at them.  We are creatures of comfort at our age and having said that we quickly realized that they were too small for our lifestyle.
Plus for their size they extremely expensive. Used ones ranged in the $70,000 to $85,000 and new ones up to $140,000.

We chewed on that for a while and then got practical about the fact that we probably needed something bigger.

Fit And Finish - Yeah, It's Big Deal - Be Aware While You Search

We have owned a Class C and it fit our lifestyle really well as a weekend and vacation vehicle. These were also considered.  The ones were able to find that fit our idea of a well laid out coach had terrible fit and finish so we quickly abandoned the idea of Class C's.  Really I think we both knew without saying it out loud that this time we wanted a Class A

Amenities And Horse Power

Now we knew what we needed in a coach to fit our requirements for comfort with the main consideration being a King Bed and if possible zoned living quarters.

Since we were looking at Class A Gas coaches I needed to do homework on what power plant I would consider. Once again our budget kinda pointed me in the right direction. It turns out the most desired gas power plant on gas powered Class A's and Class C's is the Chevy Workhorse chassis with the 8.1 V-10.  I was told that these were discontinued in 2006 so our target years would all have that engine.

So, we started searching in earnest for a Class A gas coach.  One thing we found about the gas coaches right away was that they were much more affordable both used (within our budget) and new. However, we never quite found the "right" one.

We thought we wanted a Forest River Georgetown primarily for the floor plan that was available. They have sort of a zoned floor plan with living area in the front, dining and kitchen in the middle and bathroom and bedroom in back.  This kind of fit us because we take turns being insomniacs and having zones would let each of us be up without disturbing the other. Besides, King beds were available.

Once we physically saw several Georgteown's coaches that we thought fit the budget but once we started viewing them up close and personal. What we found was that fit, finish and durability was sorely lacking. In fact there were down right poorly appointed with cheap everything especially in the quality of coach furniture and cabinets.

This is when we happened on the Gulfstream Sun Voyagers that had similar floor plan arrangement's including King bed options.  These looked and felt like a quality coach however, we found out that they must be a very popular unit because in the three months leading to our current purchase we only saw three for sale nationwide. So that idea was scrapped.

Changing Directions

Once again our ideas, likes and need for certain amenities migrated our search to the next tier, Class A diesel coaches.  Like everything else on this journey this proved to be a learning experience. Since our targeted budget made it clear that we had to consider coaches from 2003-2005 model years we quickly learned that most of the coaches in this price range were either beat up, used up and not worth the asking price.

On the flip side we saw a few coaches that were really nice but the asking price was inflated beyond NADA High values (excellent condition values). If you are borrowing, this is a scenario that lenders will not lend money on. It took a while to register but most of these coaches (inflated value coaches) were owned by people that just wanted to sell them.  The inflated value was most likely what they owed on the coach to just "get out of it."

Snobbish Coach Shopping

After viewing so many mediocre coaches with bad fit, finish and durability we started setting our sights on quality built coaches. This was harder than our other searches because finding a quality coach that we could afford was as my Dad used say "harder than finding a hen with teeth,"

We looked at and considered Tiffin, Newmar, Monaco coaches. These are widely viewed by many RV Associations and clubs to be the best built and most durable of all motor coaches.  So, we set out shopping for high end used coaches.  Our first trip out we traveled to Springfield, Mo. to view a Tiffin Allegro Red that fit our budget and certainly our concerns about fit and finish.  Once there we were underwhelmed. Not because it was an ill kept coach but because neither of us had our "trigger tripped".  During this process my wife told me over and over, "when I see the right coach I will know it's the one" (paraphrased).  It wasn't the one.

So, we moved on and a week later my wife found the "one" online at Motor Home Specialists in Alvarado, Texas. And here we are.

Thoughts On What's Next

This entire journey began in June 2016 and we found our coach at the beginning of November 2016. So, yeah it takes a while.

What's next? Well practice camping for sure. We intend to use the coach during Thanksgiving week and we are headed to Florida for the entire month of December.

Of course there is the matter of ditching 25 years of stuff before June 1st of '17 but that is another blog entry.

It's Official - We Are Now Owners Of A New To Us 2005 Newmar Northern Star

After months of searching we have decided on what coach, made our offer, the previous owner agreed, we completed our loan application, were approved for the loan, lined up our RV insurance and will travel to Alvarado, Texas and Motor Home Specialists (the dealer) on Monday next to become the owners of our "new to us" Newmar Northern Star.   We will own a 2005 Newmar Northern Star next Monday.

It is a relief to have the research, search, decision on what manufacturer, model and year coach we wanted finally done. Next on the list is to bring home the coach from Alvarado, Texas, and get it back to Fayetteville, Arkansas where we will rent a slot at a nearby storage facility.

Our plan is to use MHS's own customer campground for our first night in the coach. There we will familiarize ourselves with the various operations of the coach and be within reach of the service departement should we need to ask questions. Tuesday we will motor home.

We've decided to give the coach a deep cleaning, do any maintenance or repairs that are required and consider what else we need to do before departing for parts unknown during Thanksgiving.

Our next outing will be for the entire month of December, starting by spending two weeks at Ft. Pickens State Park on Santa Rosa Island and Pensacola Beach Florida. The next two weeks is still up in the air but now we will pursue finding another temporary home in Florida for the last two weeks of December.

So, this is our new money pit!  Isn't she beautiful?

We May Have A Winner - 2005 Newmar Northern Star.

We may have some news in the next few days. We found a consignment coach at "Motor Home Specialist" in Alvarado, Texas that we made an offer on.  It is a 2005 Newmar Northern Star.  She is a beauty. Now we wait for the owner to give a thumbs up or a thumbs down on our offer.

The coach has below normal wear for it's vintage and it has obviously been pretty well kept. The tires are all brand new, the batteries are three years old, the slides don't show signs of leaking and the roof needs minor sealing here and there.  All appliances, receptacles, heat, air, and other mechanical systems work. Engine was recently serviced.  All doors and cabinets open and shut as they should. No scratches or signs of abuse on the cabinetry.  Overall, it's the conditions we have been looking for. 

Living area

Kitchen

Bedroom with King Bed

Cockpit

This coach is a diesel pusher with a 350hp Cat engine, 6 speed Allison Transmission on a Freightliner chassis with 39,259 miles on it. The basement is heated, 100 gallon fuel tank (scary as hell), 105 gallon fresh water tank, 65 gallon grey water tank, 45 gallon sewage tank and a 45 gallon LP tank. 

We think this will make a great coach for us.   Now we wait and hold our breath while the owner is contacted.

Once Again We Didn't Find The Right Class A

Well we spent the better part of 8 hours hunting for the perfect Class A. No love again today. So, the search continues. I will post again once we are ready to restart the search.

"Once More, Into the Breach" - Heading Out To View More RV's

Today we are headed toward Springfield, Mo. to look at RV's.  We've found several we are interested in. The bonus is that we found a Tiffin Allegro Bay that is priced reasonably. We really like Tiffin but financially they've been out of reach.  While we are in Springfield we will also look at a Gulfstream Crescendo and a Damon Ultrasport.  Wish us luck and stay tuned.

2007 Tiffin Allegro Bay

We'll also be viewing a Gulfstream Crescendo and a Damon Ultrasport that both seem to fit what we are trying to find

2007 Gulfstream Crescendo

2000 Damon Ultrasport

Went RV Shopping Today - No Love

We went to three RV Dealers looking for "the one" today. Our hopes were to find a used 2009-2010 Forest River - Georgetown 373 in good condition. We did find one but it was in really bad shape. The faux leather seating on driver, passenger, euro recliner and couch were all in deteriorating condition. This was something we have found in two cases now. Fit and finish in these units is also not good. So, scratch these as a candidate for full timing at least for us.

The first dealer Coachlite RV Sales turned out to be a complete bust for us. We found the Georgetown which we quickly dissed as poorly built. The second RV was a Newmar Canyon Star toy hauler that I wanted to see but couldn't get in. I walked to the office and asked for sales to meet me at the RV I waited 20 minutes and nobody showed up. When leaving I saw a sales person and said out loud "excuse me" and he stopped, turned to look at me and then turned on his heels to talk to a friend in a car and never made an effort beyond looking at me. That's no way to treat a customer. We left.

The second dealer Colaw RV sold RV's on salvage titles, they buy them with repairable damage from insurance losses at auction and rebuild them. I decided that a salvage title might not be best as we will have to finance and I really don't want to jump through those hoops.

The third dealer Consignment RV Sales had several we were interested in but pricing wasn't where we wanted them and the owners weren't likely to come down in pricing.

During the day we once again eventually realized that we still were leaning toward a Gulfstream Sun Voyager 8389 and have decided to divert the search to finding this particular unit (for the moment).

We still have time. We are looking to purchase prior to the last week in November so that we can use our reservations at Ft. Pickens National Park in Pensacola during the first two weeks of Decemeber.  Wish us luck.

It's final - The car has been sold - Let the search begin

It finally happened. The Optima sold 35 days after starting our advertising blitz! Yay, us.   Now the fun/work begins in earnest. We have to locate the models we've settled on and view them to see what condition they are in. We still have the goal of having all of this done and the unit purchased prior to the end of November.

To add to the confusion we've now started considering certain Gas powered Class A's.  Martha has taken a liking to the Forest River Georgetown Model 373 which has a three zone plan. The front of the coach is living space with couches and or recliners, a proper TV location and on board fireplace/heater and mid entry, The second zone is the kitchen with table and chairs adjacent to the counter top/kitchen.  And lastly the bathroom and bedroom.

Today, we are heading to Carthage, Missouri to view the model depicted below. It is a consignment unit so I will have to be diligent with my inspection and if it meets my expectations I will be making an offer. We'll see how this goes. More later.

Georgetown 373

Almost ready to pull the trigger

Those of you that are following this blog know that I have been trying to accomplish a few things prior to purchasing our RV. The biggest thing for us is selling our nearly new Kia Optima. I am almost certain it's sold now. We've got earnest money with the potential buyer coming Monday comin on October 17th to verify the condition of the vehicle and hopefully drive away with it.

We are excited to say the least (well, me for sure).

Like the Three Stooges said in "Gents without Cents,"  "Slowly I turned. Step by step, inch by inch."

After quoting the Stooges, I had to search for the scene. Amazingly I found it on Youtube.  You will enjoy this if you like slapstick comedy).

If things fall into place tomorrow, maybe this weekend we will find an RV we can live with. Wish Us luck.

My Favorite RV Vlogers - Vlogers I Follow Daily

Snake River Canyon & Shoshone Falls

How To Eat Cactus & Not Get Stuck 

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Drivin' and Vibin'

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Less Junk, More Journey

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My Favorite RV Vlogers - Vlogers I Follow Daily

Nomadic Natives

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Drivin' and Vibin'

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Less Junk, More Journey

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Waiting Is Hard To Do - An update on our future purchase

We have patiently viewed RV after RV online and in person. This process was necessary to identify our needs and enabled us to figure out what class RV we needed.  We've decided on purchasing a Class A manufactured between 2003 and 2006. These seem to fit our proposed budget. With that out of the way we started looking at what amenities we wanted aboard our RV.

In no particular order, this is what we decided to look for.

Mechanical
Diesel pusher 300-400 hp
Allison transmission
Freightliner chassis (preferably)
5000 pound towing capacity
Preferably recent engine servicing (preferably)
Tires no older than three years
Batteries no old than three years (house and chassis)
Working leveling jack system

House Systems
10 Gallon hot water heater
Preferably whole house water filter
Working water pump
Working furnace
Working AC units
Working exhaust fans
Working Stove
Working Microwave/convection oven
LED light conversion (not a deal breaker if not)
Working Washer/dryer
Working Refrigerator
One slide in the basement
Large water and waste tank capacity

Amenities
Table and chairs (no dinette)
TV not mounted up front (not a deal breaker)
King bed (not a deal breaker)
Room kitchen counter
Four door fridge with ice maker
Leather couches and euro recliner
Leather swiveling driver and passenger seat
Mid entry
Dining room (similar to Gulfstream Sun Voyager 8389 see photo below)

Condition
Used but in above average condition
No water damage anywhere (this is a deal breaker)
No smells (this is a deal breaker)

We've still got some work to do before we purchase. I have a 2015 Kia Optima that is for sale at the present time. We will finally be able to purchase the RV once the car has been sold.

Motorhome Purchase - New or Used? - Well Maintained or Not So Much?

Moving onto to the next phase prior to purchase

As we go forward with finding and purchasing an RV you should by now have identified the type and class RV that best fits your requirements. To get to this point you should have been searching dealers lots, dealer websites, manufacturers websites, RV Trader, Craigslist and others.

Assuming you have done your homework you should now know which class, make, model, year, mileage, and years that will fall within your target budget and specific needs.

For instance if you are buying a used unit and have $50,000 budgeted, you should know now that you are looking at motorhomes in the following categories (based on 2016 prices):

2001-2006  - Model Years
Diesel - 50K-150 miles (mileage won't as much of a deterrent on a diesel)
Gas - 50K to 65K miles (fewer miles will be a fresher engine)
Slides - 2-3
Older - tires
Older - batteries
Worn carpet
Dinette instead of table and chairs (not always)
Front TV, Bedroom TV (both likely older and clunky)
Coach equipment getting older - think pumps, faucets, microwave, refrigerator and movable parts

Should I consider paying more or less up front to insure I get what I want?

After deciding on a budget and knowing what you can expect to see in an older coach you need to make a final decision. Do I want to just load and go?  Or, do I mind renovating the inside of the coach?

Which is right for me?

The first consideration here is how handy are you? Can you rip out stuff without damaging the coaches wiring, plumbing, heating or sewage systems? Are you a Klutz?  Because if you are you might want to buy a coach that is ready to roll.

Should I Purchase a "read to roll" RV?

There are dealers like Johnson RV  (no I am not affiliated) that completely recondition coaches and replace things that need replacing prior to even listing them on their websites. You will of course pay for this convenience and reliability.

Should I Purchase an RV that potentially requires some systems updated?

If you have done your homework you should be able to inspect your prospective coach (less the engine mechanical systems) by visiting RV dealers and private sellers in your city, town or surrounding area and be confident with the condition of the coach.

Should I Purchase an RV that has a good body, chassis, engine and transmission but lacks TLC otherwise?

You found a 2005 coach that was lived in. It wasn't moved for several years and lived in an RV park. It hasn't been maintained properly because the owners were older and unable to do the work. You inspect it and find that the batteries are shot, the tires are dry rotted and way past their build date. The engine runs but could use filters, oil change, perhaps the manifold or another part of the engine has developed an oil or water leak due to age and lack of exercising the engine.

Should you buy it?  Well that depends. Can you buy it cheap? Will the outside clean up by removing oxidation and waxing?  How many tires need replacing? How about belts and hoses? You will need to find our how much the tires cost per unit.  You need to replace the batteries, how much will that cost? Maybe an A/C unit is on the fritz, how much will it cost to service or replace?

Again, if you are handy, resourceful, don't have a hard departure date and are determined to "make a silk purse out of a sows ear" for the price of a song, then this may be the route you want to go.

Before even making an offer on these type rigs run the amenities through NADA. Be careful to read the notes in NADA on that coach. In general you will learn what was standard equipment and that will give you a base price. Then add in the options that the coach had installed at the time of sale.

Now add in tires, engine work, replacement of flooring, repair of systems, and the total estimated cost of getting the coach back into the type of condition that will make it reliable on the road or in the RV park.

All of this should be done PRIOR to making an offer. If the coach is too valuable to the owner and they will not negotiate walk away and don't look back.

Should I purchase an RV that is ready to roll and go?

For me I want to load and go. Why? I am retired and don't want spend six months, gutting, upgrading and getting the coach ready to roll. I want to get on the road. Besides, I am older and some of the work I can no longer do.

Is there a universal answer to these questions?

You're kidding right?  No, absolute answer is available. Do your homework, figure out the cost of replacing and renovating as opposed to a well maintained coach at the time of purchase.

Good luck

Sorting Out Puzzle Pieces

Purchasing a Class A RV is an expensive proposition. Make sure that your credit is ready for the hit

As you have read in our other posts, there are many pieces to this puzzle. The biggest obstacles for most people is reducing debt load.  For instance paying off car loans or selling a car will reduce your debt load. Additionally paying down or paying off credit cards will also result in a reduced debt load.

For us we sort of get a "two for," because we just paid off my wife's car which will become our "toad" and my car is now up for sale because we simply won't need two cars when we hit the road.

Other potential problem areas for credit score problems is too many inquiries into your credit. Each inquiry can reduce your total credit score by as much as 100 pts. The moral of the story here is to not ask a potential debtor to run your credit until you are sure you are going to buy whatever it is you're interested in purchasing.

There are many resources online to help you figure out how best to reduce your debt load and raise your credit score. Find one that makes sense to you, read it, follow it and enjoy the results.

Charlie

Selling Your Stuff - Part 2

Please feel free to post comments and questions at the bottom of this post. 

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Where the heck to I begin?

As you begin to categorize the things you no long need you will have to make some decisions on how to get rid of them.  For us it's easier because for the last five years we have been paring down for the final purge.  However, when you think you are ready you may still have too much stuff. What to do with it?

Identify items that will be incorporated into your RV

The first step is to identify what you need for use in your RV. Do you need an electric frying pan, blender, toaster, specific electronics, warm weather clothing, rain gear, etc.? Keep the list for when you sort things for sale.

Identify items that you want to sell that are the more valuable items 

Make a list of what you know is good enough and valuable enough to sell and bring top dollar. Our list includes the following items.

42" Flat screen TV
Pots and pans
Glassware
Flatware
Dishes
Lots of storage type shelving
Work Bench
Weed eater
Unused tools
Art and portraits
Home style Propane Grill
Kitchen table and chairs
Water cooler
Extra Appliances

Items for storage, or not?

Consider your upcoming RV life. Will you be gone for six months, a year or forever.  Do you want to try the lifestyle and then make a decision whether it fits you permanently?  Do you want to eventually get off the road and go back to sticks and bricks?

The following are items that you will want to store if you aren't sure what your RV life will be like.

Bedroom and living room furniture
Keepsakes
Important papers that do not need to be on your RV
Garage items that could be useful if you go back to living in a house or condo
Organizing shelving
Book shelving
Office furniture
Important memorabilia
Extra clothing

How to sell these items

Consider the following ways of selling items

Ebay - Sell more valuable things here. Either use "Buy it Now" or place a reserve on the item (if it is valuable enough) and then auction it. Protect yourself and open a PayPal account.

What do you do about all of that extra clothing? 

Sell them or give them away

Craigslist - You can sell all sorts of stuff here. Beware of scammers, don't take checks, money orders or promises. Cash only and make the buyer pay the postage on large, heavy or bulky items.

Garage Sale - Sell your knick knacky stuff, outdated or ill fitting clothing, extra glassware, flatware and dishes. If you advertise it right you may do quite well. Expect to be bargained with. Expect the people that visit to be quite cheap and wanting things for pennies.

Give them away - Offer them to friends and family first.  If that isn't fruitful there are all kinds of community venues such as Good Will etc. This is a worthy cause and if you have a LOT of stuff you can ask them for a receipt so you can use it at tax time.

If you know of other venues to get rid of your stuff please leave a comment.

Plans To Sell Your Stuff -Part 1 - Radical Downsizing - The Conundrum

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How do I make a plan to downsize when I don't know where to begin?

How on earth do you figure out how to sort, use, sell or give away stuff you've been lugging around for 25 years. We are good at ridding ourselves of "stuff," We've moved multiple times during our time together and as we move we tend to pare down more and more each time. However the task of finally purging our stuff seems overwhelming right now.

We've decided that now is the time to organize and categorize the stuff in our life for stowage and use on the Class A.

I never realized how attached I've become to some of the material things I own. So, starting early is a must for me. Not so much for Martha.

Our grand scheme to go on the road will be started as a sort of "sabbatical." We plan to give ourselves a year on the road and reevaluate whether the lifestyle suits us at the end.  Initially we will be storing our good furniture and other items.  At the end of the year, we will either sell it or lease another home and reuse it. Time will tell.

We've sort of loosely categorized things into groups and are still identifying what goes into each category.

Keep it with us
Some dishes, Flatware, linens, some glassware, spices, pots and pans, certain appliances, clothing, certain electronics
Throw it away
Broken stuff, unwanted memorabilia, unneeded paperwork, half or non-used toiletries
Sell it
out of style or non-fitting clothes, unneeded appliances, left over or mismatching glassware, flatware and dishes
Give it away
out of style or non-fitting clothes, left over or mismatching glassware, flatware and dishes, some furniture
Store it
Furniture, electronics, refrigerator, washer dryer

RV Loans - Are you Impatient To Move The Process Along? - Stay On A Steady But Sure Path Forward Toward Paying down Debt

                                         Please feel free to post comments and questions at the bottom of this post. 

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What should I do prior and until my RV Purchase? 

Personal finances, loans and other stuff to consider.

If you are like us and have decided to full time RV then you have a lot on your plate to consider. Yes, I am impatient but my wife puts things into perspective ever time I express my displeasure in waiting for a bit.

Consider your personal finances. I maybe know one or two couples that could purchase an RV outright for cash. I am certainly not one of them.  To that end my wife and I are proceeding in a logical progression of knocking down dominoes one by one.

How do you create a better credit score to insure you will get that loan?

Sometimes this is something that can be very hard to do. But consider this, lenders will give you better rates and longer terms with a better credit rating. It isn't just as simple as that rating. First you want to have 100% on time payments to any account you currently have. Next your debt ratio needs to be in the average to excellent range.

If your Debt ratio (credit used) is in the 60% range you are below average. If you want an excellent rating you want to keep your debt in the 30%-35% range.

What does this mean to me when getting an RV loan?

Lenders look at the following things on your credit rating:

On time payments
Your oldest credit line
Your percentage of credit used
Recent inquiries about your credit
New accounts recently activated
Your total available credit

In order to have the best available chance at getting a loan and getting a loan with a good interest rate is of course to pay down your debt.

Paying down debt in preparation for full time RV'ing

Consider your loans and your debt. Which of the loans you currently have can be paid down quickly?

Think about what you will take with you in an RV. What do you really need?  You need clothing, household items, linens, tools and electronics. Your RV will have appliances, entertainment systems, beds, furniture and places to store the things you will be taking along.

That leaves a lot of things you don't need. Do you have a loan for furniture? Pay it off.  How about a second car? Sell it. A revolving charge such as Paypal. Pay it off.

The idea is pay down your debt.

I hope this helps anyone that read this, and I hope you meet your goals so you can get on the road.

Are You Anxious To Find "The One?" - Searching For Your RV - How Best To Do That?

Please feel free to post comments and questions at the bottom of this post. 
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Ready to RV hop

After figuring out what you really want in an RV you get to move to the next step. Go physically look at RV's. Look at new ones, look and used ones, look at cheap ones, look at expensive ones. All the while you are looking take physical notes, photos and discuss the attributes or lack of for each one you view. The more RV's you look at the easier and more apparent it will become to you what features are "must haves" what features are "nice to haves" and what features "don't have a place" in your RV.

Starting your search. Our methods may not fit you personally but I suggest that you start using the internet. For instance your search terms may be "Used 2003-2005 Class A diesel pushers with three slides"  Sample Search Term - CLICK HERE TO GO TO GOOGLE SEARCH

This search may not target exactly what you are looking for but it will give you a good start.

How to deal with finding an RV on line?

First your search will undoubtedly give you dealers, private sales, bank repo's, and a few shysters along the way.  You will be faced with auctions on Ebay, dealer tactics like no pricing on an add, or dealers that have high prep and destination fees. Don't let these shake you up. Just go with it.

What do I mean "go with it?" read on.

Dealers

Well first most dealers without pricing on a unit want your name and contact information. Just do it, sometimes it is worth talking with someone that can steer you into the right direction. Give them your needs and wants list and let them provide you with the units that fit your ideal RV. Never discount a new unit missing your budget. Just let them give you an entire list.

After you have seen what they have to offer and the pricing it is time to get specific with them. Give them an entire list of what it is that could be a deal maker and what may be a deal breaker for you. For instance, in my search these are the parameter that I give sales people:

Diesel - 300-330 HP
Mileage 75K-175K (diesels at 75K have barely been broken in)
Freightliner Chassis
No dinette - table and chairs only
Leather upholstery
King Bed
No Smells (I tell them it is a deal breaker period ie: cats, dogs, mildew, smokers)
Newer tires (when you look there will be four oval windows on the side wall the last is the week and year the tires were made - 0213 means second week of 2013)
Newer Batteries
My not to exceed budget
Don't discuss finances until it is unavoidable

Will the dealers sales people bug you? Not usually unless the sales person is really good at what they do. Let them call you but when you provide contact information give the a cell number. Why? it is easier to block a number from your cell phone.

Dealing with asking prices

They are "asking" prices period.  Dealers usually mark up units between 22%-35%  Yes, really. Obviously they have a lot of overhead, flooring (interest for bringing units on the lot until they sell) and prep costs (putting things together that were not together from the factory).

Tell the dealer you are only "looking" and will purchase at a later date after you've explored your options. Let them show you units that fit your list of wants.

Take cell photos of them as you walk through. Make sure you look into all of the storage bays and in every nook and cranny of the RV. Let him quote you a price. Write the price down and reference it with the dealer stock number of the unit (important because after looking a while all of the units start running together, the stock number makes it easier to be specific about a unit you're interesed in).

After your finished, let them know if you are interested in a particular unit and leave the dealership (don't worry, if it sells there are lots of others).

Your next step is to consult a NADA RV Pricing Guide. Plug in all of the information regarding the unit you liked so that you can get a determination of what the unit is worth. Be honest about what equipment and amenities are included.  If the number is far below the asking price you have two options, walk away or shoot the dealer an offer lower than NADA. Always, always know what the unit is worth or you will get screwed. Also be aware the unit may be on consignment and the owner has to have a specific amount to pay it off.

These units are easy to spot after a bit of practice. For instance you are looking a a 2003 Winnebago Journey DL. It may be priced at $75,000 at the dealer and when you book it in NADA you may find that the unit should bring closer to $50,000 or even below depending on the condition.

Down payments and loans

If a dealer wants 15% down take a walk, there an abundance of dealers out there.

There are a lot of other dealers around each of them is betting your credit will be marginal to mediocre. They have lenders make agreements with the dealer. That agreement means that the lender can quote you with higher interest rates for less than perfect credit. That in turn will net kick back to the dealer. You have to weigh what your personal situation will accommodate financially and if you can live with extra finance charges to get what you want.

Dealers have quoted us anywhere from $500-$15,000 down. A little out of whack eh?

My advise is that if you need a loan get pre-approved for a loan. That way you can deal with a credit union or a bank of your choice. You can also google "RV finance sources."

Private sales

I cannot stress enough to do your homework. Know in advance what to inspect for when viewing an RV offered by an individual.  For instance, we found a really nice 2003 Newmar coach. When I started looking closely I found the outside slide out kitchen wall separated at the sides and the outside top. It had been neatly caulked but was structurally iffy.  When I looked in the engine compartment I saw two RATS.  Rats chew wiring. I walked away.

If you see an ad on Ebay or Craigslist book the unit prior to going to view the coach. Know what it is worth in "fair, good and excellent condition."  If you are interested in purchasing the unit drive it, run the generator, make sure everything works on shore power and on generator power. If it has solar panels insure they are working and ask how to make the on board conversion from shore/generator power to solar. Check the tires and batteries. Check stoves, ovens, microwave, refrigerator (make sure that electric and propane both work), look for discoloration or delamination in walls and ceilings and outside fiberglass exteriors (indicates moisture problems). If at this point you still think you might want to purchase the RV have an RV inspection service check it out for you and give you a report. It may save you thousands.

Bank Repossessions

Yes they are out there. Dealers usually handle these for the banks. Obviously the dealers make a percentage of the sale. Again know your units price. Offer substantially lower than the dealer is asking. All they can say is no.

Purchasing older with the intent to remodel

Buying a older unit or a beat up unit can be an option. You can find all classes of RV's in this category. You need to be confident of your skills, have sources for replacement parts and have a lot of time on your hands. Most cabinetry is custom made in an RV so that in itself can be problematic. Just be aware that you will have a lot of work ahead of you.

Additional Puzzle Pieces - What Considerations Need To Be Made Prior To Hitting The Road? How Do You The Pieces To Fit Together?

Please feel free to post comments and questions at the bottom of this post. 
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So, now you've determined what Class RV, what engine we want in the RV and now we a general feel for which RV's will provide us with the amenities we desire. So what else needs to be done?

Possible puzzle pieces that may need to fit into the overall puzzle?

1. Sell my car because we won't need two and hers is smaller and lighter for towing

2. Try to figure out which finance companies offer the best RV interest rates

3. Get pre-approved for an RV loan

3. Gather the down payment

4. Locate and purchase the RV

5. Purchase RV peripherals such as a portable waste tank, sewer hose, water hoses if not included in the purchase

6. If required make necessary repairs or mods to the RV

7. Purchase a car hauler and car hold down straps for Martha's car and my motorcycle 

8. Establish a domicile address and/or a mail forwarding service (UPS ?)

9. Sell or get rid the stuff we won't need in the RV

10. Store the stuff we want to save for at least a year

11. Figure out what paperwork (past taxes, important papers, etc.) go along with us

12. Sort old photos and decide whether they need to be scanned and saved, just saved and stored or just thrown out.

13. Martha needs to figure out if she will continue to work and if so, what will she do.

14. Look at campground memberships, Good Sams for the towing insurance? Are these worth it?

15. Banking? Keep it where it is now? Will there be extra fee's if we keep our existing?

16. What do we do about having refrigerated medications forwarded through a mail forwarding service quickly? IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT.