Buying Your First RV - recreation vehicle

Travel America, March, 2001 by Shirley Slater, Harry Basch

Recreation vehicles offer comfort, convenience, and flexibility for free-wheeling travelers who dream of cruising America's highways and byways

We just bought a new toy, a 36-foot Itasca Sunflyer 2000 motorhome that doubles as our dream home, beach house, and mountain cabin, all rolled up in one. And while "toy" may seem a strange term to apply to a recreation vehicle this large, the same sense of exhilaration, delight, pride of possession, and just plain fun takes over the moment you slip behind the wheel and inhale the fragrance of new leather and carpeting.

In an RV, you're free of the usual travel constraints that turn you into a prisoner of clocks and schedules. You don't need to make hotel reservations, a list of restaurants along the route, or a frantic search for a clean restroom. You never need to lug a suitcase or to pack or unpack since your clothes are hanging wrinkle-free in your own traveling closet, and your office and library are close at hand.

Our first motorhome was a 27-foot Winnebago Brave, our compromise between how large an inside and how small an outside we felt we could handle. After seven years and 100,000 miles, we set out to buy a larger vehicle since we were spending more time on the road than ever. But the same buyer considerations apply whether you're a veteran RVer or a beginner.

Every individual brings his own lifestyle to his traveling home, and that determines what kind of RV to buy. Our lifestyle called for a comfortable way of sightseeing while traveling the backroads of America searching out interesting hideaways for our readers and at the same time giving us office space for our writing and research materials. Our Sunflyer has two slideouts, wall sections that open out at the push of a button to expand the space in the living and dining area and also in the bedroom, bath, and dressing room. We can serve sit-down dinners to as many as six, invite a dozen in for a stand-up party, or work at two different computer stations at the same time, each with its own electrical connections and phone jack.

People who enjoy spending a lot of time in any one area may want a tow vehicle. Even more convenient is buying a towable RV, a living unit which can stand alone in camp but is hitched to a motor vehicle to travel.

The most affordable towable is the folding camping trailer, especially well-suited to families with young children. Easy to store and tow, these lightweight units unfold to standing-room height with collapsible side walls to form two screened, covered wings, each containing a double bed area. It's the closest thing to tent camping, will fit into a carport or garage, and can usually be towed even by compact cars. Jayco's Starcraft label, for example, offers a wide variety of styles and prices.

Hunters, fishermen, and back country explorers should look first at truck campers, especially if they already own a pickup. These rugged and inexpensive units can be slid on and off the truck unit, leaving it free for other uses at home and at the camping area. An additional advantage is that as a single unit, the truck camper can tow a boat, horse trailer, or motorcycles. In the median price range, Trail Wagons by Chinook offers some sturdy vehicles with everything from full kitchen to toilet and shower already in place.

The new cargo haulers are towable trailers with basic cooking, eating, and sleeping units installed around the edges or folded against the walls, leaving a large space in the center for carrying adult toys like snowmobiles or off-road vehicles. While Play-Mor Trailers pioneered this vehicle, several major manufacturers produce them today.

Travel trailers also start at very affordable prices, many of them lightweight models that can be hauled by sport utility vehicles. Travel trailer interiors come in a wide variety of floor plans, with home-like furniture, full kitchens, and baths. Many models have two doors, and some offer a forward bedroom and rear bunkhouse design to sleep the whole family without converting other furniture into beds.

Sunline Coach Company, based in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country of Lancaster County, has been crafting travel trailers for 36 years. Especially attractive are the Solaris SR slide room models. A new look in the slide area this year features a full set of overhead cabinets, an extra window, and a bright, thin fluorescent light over the dinette. The seven Solaris Lite models tow easily for many minivans and SUVs.

Fifth wheel trailers, larger, more deluxe towable units that serve many retirees as fulltime living units, may contain all the elements of home, from modern kitchen with island work center to computerized office and home entertainment center. Carriage, Inc., in Millersburg, Indiana, has many years of experience turning out fifth wheels, and its top-of-the-line Royals International are fitted with the latest in dishwashers, icemakers, and washer/dryer combinations.

Plush styling distinguishes Jayco's Designer and Designer Legacy fifth wheel series. Thick carpeting surrounds an entertainment center capable of holding a large screen TV in the Designer's main living area, and one option is a satellite dish. New touches to the Designer's slideout include a raised living area that provides larger windows, additional headroom, and space for overhead cabinets. Amenities on the elite Designer Legacy include a bathroom with tub and shower, brass and chrome fixtures, and a porcelain, foot-pedal toilet.