Tom & Marilyn Clark
[Part III of a Series on Full Timing]
Of course, the rig that's right for me probably won't be the one that's right for you. We all have our personal preferences, needs, and budgetary constraints (unless you just won the lottery...) Here's how we made our choice -- you might find some universal truths in here that will help you make a good choice, too....
Tom: Choosing a rig is like shopping for a new home. You must consider your lifestyle, mechanical IQ, floor plan and size, budget and yes, even location. The first one was easy. We were going to be fulltimers, so we needed a rig that would stand up to the stresses of constant use and many miles. Which brands should we look at? They all look great in the magazines and glossy brochures. RV dealerships are amazingly sparse in the DC metro area, so our shopping choices seemed limited. We visited a major RV show in Harrisburg, PA and a smaller one in Maryland, as well as every local dealership around. This at least helped us to eliminate some brands that were obviously not going to hold up to fulltime living. One well-known, nice-looking brand on display at the PA show was so poorly constructed that the window treatments were hanging off the wall by one screw! Our most helpful tool in choosing an RV brand was J D Gallant's "RV Rating Guide" (see our last article for more info). We used the Guide to look up the brand with the droopy cornice and discovered it was one of the absolute worst RVs built -- that validated our own opinion and from then on we trusted the Guide to help us with our final selection.
My mechanical IQ is not up there in the Mensa category, so when it came to deciding whether to choose a motorized rig or a trailer, Marilyn and I agreed (with little discussion) that one engine would be plenty for us to deal with. We will tow our home, not drive it. Our friend, Hank, had introduced us to fifth wheels, so our next decision item would be: travel trailer (TT) or 5th wheel (5W)?
Marilyn: Once again, nothing beats touring the models, especially at a big show, with lots of brands represented. We found several TTs with great floor plans, but they all seemed to be short on storage space. As a fulltimer, you have to carry your whole house and everything you need (and think you need) with you wherever you go. While we had pared our possessions down to a
precious few, we soon realized when shopping around that any rig under 29-30 feet would not be adequate for living or storage space. Fifth wheels always had more storage space than travel trailers. Now we've narrowed the search down to "J D-approved" 5Ws, at least 30 feet long. We didn't want anything with three axles, which usually are needed on rigs 36' and longer. So our
maximum size would be 34', but which floor plan should we get?
Tom: There seems to be two predominant floor plans available, with slight variations. Rear kitchen (RK) or rear lounge (RL) models, with either a center aisle which splits the bath or a side aisle (SA). There are pros and cons for each plan: the RK allows your foodstuffs and dishes to bounce around more than if the kitchen were placed over the axles; but the RL models almost
always have significantly less kitchen counter space than the RK. Which is more important to you? Marilyn decided she'll batten down the hatches with extra care and opt for more counter space. So far, we are happy with this decision, and haven't broken anything yet. Of course, we haven't traveled many miles yet, either! Some center kitchen models have a front and rear door, a nice feature. Slideouts have become common, and are wonderful for expanding your living space, but each slide adds considerable weight to your rig. We decided to get just the LR/DR slideout, and pass on the bedroom slide in the interest of weight control. We did agree that we needed to be
able to stand fully upright in the bedroom (the gooseneck area) without our heads touching the ceiling. Neither of us wanted to spend our future hunching over while dressing, or crawling over the covers to retire. Perhaps as we get older and start shrinking, it won't be an issue! This one
requirement eliminated some very nice brands of Lite' 5Ws from our pool of choices.
Marilyn: Closet space, especially for working fulltimers, is critically important. Tom and I sometimes deal with mashed clothes, but not for much longer. The difference between a 34' and 32' model can mean a washer-dryer combo or an extra closet. At first I dearly wanted the washer and dryer -- I hate laundromats. This means a 34' model, which means more weight, for the rig itself and the extra appliances. However, when we considered that the appliances are usually smaller, apartment-sized models, it looked like doing our laundry would take forever. Also, if we boondock much, which we plan to try, in-house laundry will be out of the question. In the end, we decided to skip the washer/dryer in favor of a smaller, lighter rig. I still hate the laundromat, but Tom helps, and we always meet new people and find good reading materials there! What can you live with -- what can't you live without?
Tom: Options -- so many to choose from! How do you know what you really need? After fulltiming for 10 months, the answer is -- you won't know until you've lived in your rig awhile. Here's what we chose, what we didn't, and whether it was a mistake:
Marilyn: Every new model year brings new options, and you can even have your rig custom built if you want. We investigated this possibility, too, but decided against custom-built for our first rig. This might be the way to go for an experienced fulltimer, and according to Bill Farlow in his January/February article in "Coast to Coast" magazine, custom-built results in substantial cost savings as well as getting exactly what you want. In his article, Bill addressed another concern we had when looking for the right' brand -- location. We were concerned that once we purchased an RV, we might not find "authorized" repair facilities in the areas of the US where we would be traveling during the first (warranty-covered) year. In our case, this is the east coast. However, Bill pointed out that most often, your rig's components, not the RV's structure, may fail. These components all have their own manufacturer's warranties, and you can usually find an authorized
repair shop for your major components nearby. So, the location of your RV manufacturer isn't really that critical.
If at all possible, once you've narrowed down the field of brands to two or three, try to take the factory tour. We were unable to do this before purchasing our rig, but we did finally tour Newmar's factory in Nappannee, IN while we were at the 1996 Fall Escapade (SKP rally). The factory reps are far more knowledgeable than any salesman on a dealer lot. These are the folks who have the expertise to answer all your questions and compare their structural features against their competitors' brands.
I make a mental note of the brands listed in the recall column in Trailer Life, too. Sometimes the problems are minor, sometimes serious. It's worth considering, especially if you are looking at used models.
Tom: Should you buy new or used? Our "practice" rig was a late model used trailer that we purchased, along with an extended warranty, from a local dealer. It was obviously in mint condition and that warranty saved us a bundle when we were zapped by a power surge on our second trip! We wanted a new rig for our fulltiming life, but this is personal preference. You can
get great deals on good used rigs, but I'd insist on getting an independent mechanic to check all systems out before purchasing. Beware of trailer "gypsies" and volume dealers. You can find out more about these folks in J D Gallant's publications. The Kelly blue book can help you with base prices for used models, add or subtract for optional equipment and condition. The next year's models go into production during the summer; fall is a good time to make deals on the current year's models that are still sitting on the lot. Sometimes you can make a good deal on the last day(s) of a big RV show. Know how much dealer markup is fair on new rigs before you start wheeling & dealing.
One caveat, though, make sure your trailer is not too heavy for your tow vehicle. Never believe what the salesman says about towing ability! Check the manufacturer's towing guide for your tow vehicle and compare it to what your trailer will weigh fully loaded. This includes propane tanks, whatever water you decide to carry, waste tanks, clothes, etc. and yourselves! Nothing can make a rig more unstable, dangerous, or cause mechanical failures quicker than overloading.
Marilyn: If Tom and I lose 30 lbs each, we can carry more books, clothes, and our bikes! This is a great incentive for yo-yo dieters like us. Seriously, though, weight considerations are very important to us, so we bought a wonderful monster truck, "Moby 1", to tow our home ("Moby 2", of course). Our white Dodge diesel dually has performed well thus far, towing our 32-ft
5W which is rated at 12,000 GVWR. We went to a truck scales last summer and were happily surprised to see that we still had room to add more "stuff" -- and we have. We'll weigh up again before we take off this summer. We added transmission fluid temperature and oil temperature gauges, and exhaust brakes in preparation for traveling in the mountains out West. I think we're ready!
Three months to go...
Next time : Where to camp
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