How to Choose an RV

What’s the Best Type of RV?

One of the most common questions about the RV world is “what’s the best type of RV?” The answer can sometimes get heated due to all of the different options out there. It’s like asking “what’s the best drink?” or “what’s the best vehicle?”. The correct answer depends on what is right for the individual. Below you will find a snippet of information about each type of RV. There is no one answer for this big question so it is important that you analyze your situation and determine which RV best suits your specific needs.

START WITH A LIST

There are pros and cons to all RV options. My advice would be to sit down as a family and determine what your needs and wants are. Make a list answering the following questions:

• How many people do you need the RV to sleep?
• Are you leaning more towards a motorhome or a towable trailer?
  • Do you already know what specific type of RV you want?  
• Do you already own a vehicle that can tow a trailer or do you already own a vehicle that can be towed behind a motorhome? 
• How much space do you want inside? Determine the adequate length you’d like. 
• Are you bringing any kids or pets with you? Will you have guests often?
• How much storage space will you need? 
  • What types of tools and toys do you plan to bring?
• What length of RV will you feel comfortable driving/towing? 
• Where do you plan to take your RV? 
  • Will you need 4-wheel drive or a lift for rough terrain? 
  • Will you need a powerful engine to climb mountains? 
• Will the campgrounds you want to stay in fit the size RV you plan to buy?
• Where do you plan to store your RV when it is not in use?
• What’s your purchase budget?
• What year do you want? Will you consider a used RV?
• How much savings do you have for accidental repair needs?
• Can you afford insurance?

OUR SWAP

Carlay and I started out our travels with Eliza, a 2005 40ft Tiffin Allegro Bus motorhome. The reason why we chose this Class A motorhome was to feel comfortable in an open and spacious layout- okay, let’s be real, also to avoid divorce (haha)! Plus, everyone recommended a Class A for us since we were becoming full-timers. We did not already have a worthy tow vehicle to tow a travel trailer or 5th-wheel so we thought this was an easier route to take. Early on we used a dolly trailer to tow our car behind the motorhome. But, after a few dolly trailer and tire issues, we sold the car and bought our Chevy Colorado to flat tow instead. After some time getting comfortable in the motorhome we realized that a smaller RV, specifically a travel trailer, was going to be a better fit for us. 

After three full years in the motorhome, we sold it and purchased a 21ft Lance travel trailer- yes, we cut our space in half! I don’t think it’s common to downsize that drastically..but it’s what we did. The two biggest reasons why we made the switch was 1. to save more money and 2. to travel with a shorter RV that would fit almost anywhere! Motorhomes, more often than not, are more expensive in value and upkeep compared to other types of RVs. The insurance costs alone are higher because it has a motor. On top of that, we chose to pay for extended warranty insurance which helped cover engine repairs and other repairs/replacements that normal insurance didn’t cover. Our income was meeting our bills fine but why spend/waste this extra money if we could be just as happy in a less expensive RV? After the switch, we became RV loan-free and began putting the extra money we started saving into our savings account and retirement funds. And for reason number 2- downsizing, this just made the whole experience more pleasing for us! Being able to pull into most gas stations, any campground, drive down almost any road, and not make extra-wide turns is a relief to us. Looking back, we wish we did more research before we bought the bus, but, we live and we learn. 

Personally, we love the minimalistic lifestyle, so downsizing smaller was perfectly fine for us, but small rigs aren’t doable for everyone. It is just as common for people to increase their size RV as it is to downsize. It wasn’t that much of a hassle selling and buying…but enough of an inconvenience to highly recommend everyone to try and avoid the process. Our recommendation is to put in the work now and do enough research that way you have the best chance of picking the right RV the first time! 

Alright, you made it to the RV type descriptions and pros and cons lists. Below you will read about the Class A, C, and B motorhomes, travel trailers, 5th-wheels, toy haulers, pop-ups, and truck campers. So, let’s get to it!

CLASS A MOTORHOME

When talking about the Class A motorhome most people think tour bus. This really isn’t a bad image for what the Class A is. The Class A motorhome can be outfitted to be the most bougie vehicle on the road or it can be the retro-looking bus with hippies hanging out the windows. More or less, it is a bus. They come in a variety of lengths and costs as well as with varying accessories. The beauty of the Class A is that you turn the key and you’re hitting the road. There isn’t a hassle of hooking up your vehicle to the RV- unless you are bringing along a toad vehicle (a toad is a vehicle you tow behind a motorhome). This is a drivable motorhome that can be outfitted to be nicer than some homes; with heated floors, multiple bathrooms, on-board generator, electric recliners, remote-controlled blinds, TVs that pop up out of cabinetry, on-demand fireplace, king-size beds, walk-in closets, washer-dryer, dishwasher, oven, etc. Basically, with this type of motorhome, if you can dream it (and have the pocketbook), you can do it. With that being said there are some negatives. For example, with all the available luxury comes the cost to maintain, repair, or replace things. Typically, work on your Class A means big money, sometimes even between $100-$200 an hour when it’s in the shop. Another issue, especially if you have a longer Class A, is that you most likely will want to have a toad vehicle to get around after you set up camp. Driving a 30 foot plus house on wheels around a town is not something you want to do all the time, or at all. Many national parks or state parks have length limits too. An RV-specific GPS is handy for any RV, but definitely for the Class A. It will help keep you off roads you aren’t going to fit on. Below is a list of the pros and cons of the Class A motorhome.

CLASS C MOTORHOME

Next up is the Class C. Now I know what you are thinking, what about the Class B? Well, the Class C is more closely related to the Class A so we’ll get to B next. The Class C can come in all lengths, all the way up to a Super C- which is a large motorhome that is almost like driving the cab of a semi around.  Where class C’s differentiate from A’s is the fact that the engine is always in the front- they look a bit like a semi, van, or truck front. A great benefit of the Class C is the storage or bed that overhangs the top of the cab. That area over the driving cab is commonly referred to as mom’s attic. Check out the pros and cons below:

CLASS B MOTORHOME #VAN LIFE

The Class B RV is basically a glorified, self-sustaining, van. Recently, van life has become very popular among travelers, especially the younger crowd. They can be pretty affordable and are one of the easiest RVs to drive. Many Class B’s have a raised roof giving most people the ability to fully stand up inside. They typically run between 12-20ft long. This type of RV typically includes a bed, a small amount of storage space over or under the bed, a small kitchen area/ storage space and then the driving area. If you’re handy, you could consider buying an empty work van and building a custom interior with your preferred layout. Most only hold about 4 people to travel in and about 2 people to sleep in. However, despite what it lacks in size it makes up in accessibility. The Class B can go virtually anywhere you can drive, especially if it is an all-wheel drivetrain. If you plan to be outdoors most of the time and want to bring your RV everywhere you go, the Class B is a great option for you. Here are some more pros and cons for it:

TRAVEL TRAILERS

Travel trailers may be the most iconic image that pops into your imagination when the term RV is spoken. The trailer is the classic-looking RV that is being pulled behind a tow vehicle. Many times, the travel trailer is referred to as a bumper pull, due to the fact that it is pulled right behind the bumper of the vehicle pulling it down the road. For me personally, I think of an Airstream, that classic aluminum bubble right behind a pickup truck. But travel trailers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, they may offer the most variety of any RV on the market. They can be as small as only a sleeping area towed behind a small sedan, to a behemoth that is 35’ or more in length.  The travel trailer can be as minimal or as excessive as you want it to be, as long as you have the right vehicle to tow it. Check out the pros and con list here:

5th-WHEELS

The 5^th-Wheel is basically the Class A of tow behind RVs.  They are typically the giant pull-behind RVs that sit up in the bed of the pickup trucks that are pulling them. So this means that you need to own a big truck in order to pull a 5th-wheel. These trailers offer great living space and storage. They can be quite bougie like the Class A offers- offering washer/dryers, dishwashers, and sometimes two bathrooms. The benefit over the Class A is that all the space of the 5-er is liveable space- there are no captains chairs and dashboard taking up your living room. It can be a pain being stuck with a huge truck once you unhook though. Many families don’t need a large truck on a daily basis, so it might not be worth buying a 5th wheel if you don’t want or need a large truck. See the pros and cons below:

TOY HAULERS

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that if you like or are considering the world of RVing, then more than likely you like the outdoors. With the outdoors comes toys! For those of you unfamiliar with the term toys, toys means your motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, golf carts, or anything else that you want to bring along with you to have fun with. A toy hauler is an RV that has a garage in the back to- yup, you guessed it- haul your toy! The back wall folds down forming a ramp for your toy to drive up into the RV. Then the rest of the RV is living space. A toy hauler can be in the form of a 5th-wheel, a travel trailer, and very rarely as a Class A motorhome. Toy haulers offer great versatility to bring extra fun with you or even a full remodel of the garage space to turn it into whatever living or play space you want.  Another awesome feature, which is also offered with the normal 5th-wheel, is that the garage ramp can be converted to an outdoor patio.  Check out some more features below:

POP-UPS

The pop-up, like the toy hauler, sounds exactly like how it looks. The top half literally pops up from a simple rectangular body structure. These are the least structurally sound RV, they offer the least amount of storage, and they don’t offer much insulation due to the fact that they have to pop-up and fold-down. Pop-ups, however, have some cool qualities to them- in fact, they offer many unique benefits that larger and more expensive RVs don’t.  The pop-up is great because its compact and lightweight nature allows them to be easily stored and towed with almost any vehicle. They may be perfect for someone who may be just looking to dip their toe in the RV waters for the first time or someone who wants a small, simple and very affordable RV for short getaways. They’re also great for vintage-lovers or a fun renovation. Pop-ups were really popular back in the 80s so you can find plenty of used ones but they do still make a few new options today.

TRUCK CAMPER

Truck Campers are the RVs that slide into the bed of a pick-up truck. Some truck campers are even pop-ups to help cut down on payload weight and storage size. Now you may be thinking, how much living space can there be if this RV is just sliding into the bed of your truck? The answer to that is more than you think. Some truck campers come with up to 3 slide-outs now. There are even some manufacturers that are putting in a washer/dryer standard with the floorplan. The truck camper can be slid off your truck when parked, however, this isn’t the most stable of options, especially if you don’t take the time to add proper support. Another fun aspect of the truck camper is that you can tow something behind you like a boat or an extra storage trailer, well- if your truck can handle it.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

Have you narrowed down which type of RV is best for you yet? Did this help clear things up for you? Or has it just created more questions and confusion? It is wonderful that these RV manufacturers offer so many options for us but it also makes it challenging to learn about all of them and figure out which will suit our travel needs best. RVers switch RV types all the time. This costs money and time. In my opinion, it is worth the extra research time before you make your first purchase. My advice- go to an RV dealership, an RV show, or a friend’s house who has an RV. Sit inside the different RVs for a while. Spend some time inside with the same amount of people you plan to go camping with. Pretend to cook, lay in the bed, sit on the toilet, stand in the shower- do these things and determine if they feel fine or feel awful. Or you can try renting one for a week and see what it’s like! It is really hard to determine what size is best for you unless you spend time inside of them.  

Well, I really hope this article has assisted with determining which type of RV you would like to purchase! But, you’re not exactly done with your research yet. Now it is time for you to learn about the many manufacturers who build that type of RV you want. Just like purchasing a car, there are nice RVs that will hold up for decades and there are RVs that will last only a handful of years. Some will give you little fixes throughout the year and others will require you to take it to a repair shop every trip. Don’t skip out on learning about the manufacturers- this part is just as important! After you choose the type you want, then the manufacturer, take a look at each model the manufacturer makes. Decide which layout and style you like best- then make your purchase! Yes, it is a lengthy process, but it is worth it once the deal is done and you’re out in the wilderness! Good luck, ask us your questions, and we hope to see you on the road someday!