This thread is about 3 months old, but I am posting in the hope that you could give an update about your RV decision.
I read all the responses, and there was some very sage advice given. My wife and I were recently considering an RV as well, and after much research, many conversations, we have decided to not purchase one at this time. IF we decided to purchase one at all, we were leaning towards a Class B or what is known as a Class B+, and I'll give you my reason for that. But first, I wanted to focus on what two posters in particular said, and echo my endorsement of what they said. In my opinion, Freepers alloysteel and semantic gave the most sound advice on the thread. Their experience echoed what we found to be true for many previous and current RV owners.
If you still thinking of purchasing and RV, please watch this invest 18 minutes of time and watch this video from a lawyer in Michigan who specializes in lemon law and warranty legal issues. His name is Steven Lehto, and he is a straight shooter.
He has done a couple of follow up videos. His main point is that people will and can still buy them, but they should be informed about several issues.
- the quality of most RVs built today is atrocious
- it is not uncommon for new owners of RVs to discover dozens and dozens of problems, and for their RV to be in the shop for 5, 6, 9, or more months for the first year they own it
- there are few state lemon laws, and no national lemon law that protect RV buyers as they do with cars and trucks, the manufacturers know this, and they take full advantage
- a new RV does not = "Trouble Free." An expensive RV does not = "I Paid More, So I Get Better Quality."
- pay an independent RV inspector to inspect the unit BEFORE you buy or sign the dotted line, and NEVER pay the dealer for a "mandatory" inspection that they say they will do (and charge you up to $2,000 for)
What I have also discovered is that the maintenance of RVs (using the dealer or the warranty process) is a minefield for owners. Most RV manufacturers are pushing out quickly built, low quality junk. They don't care how many problems these units have. The dealers don't have the technicians or the maintenance bays they need to work on all the defect units, and they are not paid for the warranty work from the manufacturer - and the poor RV owner is caught in the middle. Not to mention the fact that it is going to take you MONTHS to get a maintenance appointment to even diagnose your issues, then you will need another appointment to get it fixed, after they order parts. The RV technician training and certification system is an absolute joke for most of the dealerships, and most don't properly diagnose issues very well. Often, they will throw new parts at a problem, which won't fix the underlying issues.
What Freeper outofsalt said about Depreciation is very, very true. You got a lot of advice about buy "lightly used." Yes, that is better. A new RV will depreciate about 25% - 30% for driving it home, and after 3 years will depreciate further. But even if you buy one after 3 years, the RV has not finished depreciating. This is how many, many RV owners who finance end up being upside down on loans. RVs are expensive, and not everyone can afford to plunk down 6 figures. So they get 8, 10, 12, 15, or 20 year loans. I read a story about an older couple who bought a $167,000 Class A new, and after many years, the husband died. She still owed about $70,000 on it, but it was worth about $33,000 on a good day. She said, "Well, I'll just sell it." Nope. She didn't have the title. Her only "solution" was a bridge loan, which comes with a whole host of other problems I won't go into here. A RV tech told me that "Many RVs are only good for sawdust and scrap aluminum after 6-7 years."
I realize there are exceptions. Some RVs are built better, and Freeper buzz_85 mentioned Newmar, Tiffin or Winnebago as being better built. That is true. Airstream is a good brand as well, although they got out of the Class A business and now only build travel trailers. Today, 83% of all RVs are owned by only 2 companies, and those RVs are made very, very cheaply and poorly. They may look great on the lot, but look closer. Cardboard and staples. Things that fall off. Rubber roofs that bubble up after only a few years and leak. Slides that jam at the drop of a hat and then leak. On and on.
You may have heard this advice: "RVs are like taking your home and subjecting it to a rolling earthquake and hurricane force winds, so you can expect things to break." Yes, that is somewhat true. Plumbing can get out of whack, and things can break. But the underlying truth is that most RVs made today are of such low quality that they will also break sitting in a heated aircraft hanger.
A Freeper on another RV thread said he did RV financing. He admitted they fell apart is no time, but he recommended buying the "Extended 6 Year Warranty." I don't recommend this - at all.
There is also not "one warranty" on the RV. If you buy a new one, expect to get a cardboard box with many books of individual warranties. And they all come with "conditions."
I promised you my thoughts on the Class B or Class B+. Of all the RVs we looked at, these seemed to have the least amount of maintenance and quality issue. Not say they don't have them, just that they have the least amount (except for very high end RVs). Class Bs are built on a Mercedes Sprint chassis, or on a Ford or Dodge. They can be diesel or gas. The RV manufacturer then builds the RV inside that van structure. This take a lot of time and more custom building. Hence, Class Bs are very expensive. They are also the smallest RVs (compared to Class As, Class Cs, 5th wheels, etc.) This fact stumps new RV tire kickers, but that's the way it is. Many potential RV owners say the Class B is too small for them, and that may be true. All things are trade offs.
Other things to consider about the RV lifestyle:
- driving them can be terrifying (not always, but for some people this is a massive issue)
- sewage: it comes with RVing, and if it bothers you, then RVs may not be for you
- RV parks are becoming increasingly crowded, and reserving spots is getting more difficult. There are alternatives, like boon-dock camping on BLM land, and there are also state parks, but it's something to consider
- parking at WalMarts is getting more difficult, because local ordinances are being passed in some place to tamp down on RVs parking there, and some WalMart managers have had bad experiences with the bad apples
Sorry this was so long, but thought I would share some of what I learned. I am still learning. Again, we may consider a class B or B+ in the future. This one was recommended by a friend:
Tiffin Class B Wayfarer 24 TW
Other Class Bs with better reputation for quality are Pleasure Way, Airstream, and Leisure Travel.
For high quality Class As, we have heard better things about Tiffin or Newmar.
But if you decide to get an RV, the best class and type is up to you. Just do a lot of research.
All the best, and good luck.