Choosing a New RV

I became a nurse because I wanted to be a travel nurse.   At that time I did not know I wanted to live in an RV.  But in those years of going to school and getting some experience I rediscovered RV’s and made the discovery within myself that I wanted to live in one while traveling. 

If you are considering buying an RV I would suggest that you look at several dealerships and possibly going to an RV show.  There are several types of Recreational Vehicles (RV) and there are pros and cons to each type. My husband and I looked at them all and chose to live in a 5^th wheel.  We made this decision based on several reasons.  5^th wheels are cheaper than motorhomes both in buying and maintaining.  There is no engine, so no problems that way.  The insurance is a lot cheaper and you end up with more room.  The ceiling is usually higher when inside so you don’t have that claustrophobic feeling.  There is also more storage. A 5^th wheel is not made to move around in while in transit so the slides are larger and you get more square footage when all slides are open.

We bought a small one for fun first, then upgraded to one we could travel and live in full time.  After one and a half years we made the decision to upgrade once again.  As we started the search for our third fifth wheel we came up with a must have list.  This list was arrived at by experiences while full timing in an RV and what we had seen at shows and dealerships.  Everyone will have different lists but I will share mine here.   We have purchased a new RV already so I will also include why we wanted them and what the outcome was.  We purchased a used 43 foot Mobile Suites with 4 slides.

1.  2 air condition/heating units.  You really need one for the bedroom and a separate one for the living area.   Our new RV has 2 but because it so large we really need 3 for those really hot days.  This unit also has heat pumps in addition to the propane furnace.   The heat pumps are electric and since electric is included in our monthly rent it makes sense to use it.  The propane furnace turns on automatically if the outside temperature falls below 40 degrees.  In our last RV we had purchased electric space heaters and used those, this is so much nicer.

2.       4 season unit.  This means that the RV is set up for cold climates and the underbelly is enclosed and has heat ducts that will keep the water lines and holding tanks from freezing using the propane furnace.  Our new unit has this as well as an artic package.  The arctic package has more advanced insulation to withstand even colder temperatures with heaters on the holding tanks.  We have no plans to ever need this but it’s nice to know it’s there if needed.

3.       Auto awning.  Some awnings are opened by unlocking slides and manually pulling down the awning.  This requires a lot of work and is sometimes hard to do.  I have had to go out at 2 am during a storm to put the awning back in.  We now have one that opens and closes with a push of a button.

4.       One touch Auto level.  RV’s without auto level must be leveled side to side by using leveling blocks or boards.  This requires checking the level then pulling forward, adding blocks, backing onto the blocks and rechecking the level.  This sometimes has to be done more than once.  Leveling front to back is done using the front legs.  100% auto level is as easy as unhooking and pressing a button.  The RV will do it all.  It is wonderful.  Unfortunately our new coach is not  100% auto level.  What we do have is hydraulic leveling jacks.  We unhook our RV then use a remote control to level side to side.  It is 100% better than before but hopefully we will be able to get the one touch level next time. 

5.       Double frig.  This is just a larger refrigerator.  And yes we got one.  We really need the extra space.

6.       Generator.  Our new RV came with one and we love having it.  When we made the trip from California back to Arkansas it was great to have.  We were able to boondock (no hookups) and use the generator as needed for electric.  Our generator runs on propane and it can get expensive running it full time.  If AC is needed we find it is cheaper to stay at a park than run the generator all night.  We made the trip in November so we used the gas furnace for heat.

7.       Granite.  We do not have granite, we settled for Corian instead and have no issues with it.

8.       Instant hot water.  This was not available in 5^th wheels yet but I have heard that it is now.  We currently have a 12 gallon hot water heater that runs on both propane and electric.  When we are hooked up to electric we leave it on all the time, if not we turn it on and off as needed to conserve propane.

9.       King size bed.  We do have one.  We purchased a new latex mattress and it is great.  If you do plan on replacing the mattress, be sure and measure before you buy.  We measured and bought a new mattress for our last RV and then moved it into the new one.  Then when we started to slide the slide we found a problem. The mattress was too tall to fit when the slide was closed.  Lucky for us we found a way around our problem.   There is a storage area under our bed with hydraulic hinges.  We simply raise the bed before sliding the slide and then it rests on top of the dresser while in transit.  We leave the bedspread on so it does not scratch the dresser.

10.   Picture window.  We love looking outside and having lots of natural light.  We also love having a large window in the back of the RV.  We did get the picture window but what we really wanted was a large TV in the back on a lift that closes down.  We got the TV on the lift but on the side not in the back.

11.   Satellite.  We do have a satellite on the RV.  We have Dish network at our home in Arkansas and an additional receiver in our RV.  The only charge is renting the additional receiver. The downside to this is local channels are only available in either the home or the RV, not both.

12.   Separate oven and microwave.  We have a convection oven and also a propane oven.  Our last RV had the convection oven but not the propane one.  Sometimes you just need a real oven.

13.   Solar panel.  A solar panel will help keep the batteries charged when boon docking or storing.  We do not have this at this time.

14.   Washer and dryer.   There are a few options for washer and dryers in an RV.  There is an all in one unit that washes and dries in one unit.  I have never used them but have not heard good things about them. We currently have separate units.  I cannot state how awesome it is to once again be able to easily do laundry.

We got one item in our RV that we did not know we wanted but today I would not want to live without. That item is a dishwasher drawer.  I have to say, I love my dishwasher!

As you start your search for the perfect RV for you, take a close look at floor plans.   Think about how you live in your home and what you need to be comfortable.  You will be in a much smaller space than previous and you will want to still enjoy those same things.  Do you cook?  Then maybe a larger kitchen with an island would be best.  Do you work nights and not live alone?  Take a look at the bedroom, can you close it off so you can get some sleep?   Make a list of what you want and then be prepared to compromise on the less important items.