Where to start? What brand?

[jlb27537]

Hi, Something that has not been mentioned is weight. Since you are going to full time in what you are buying, you will be taking more than just stuff for a week long camping trip. Most brochures list the vehicles unladen weight. Usually this means before options. You want the heaviest frame, largest axles, brakes rated at the GVWR of the trailer. You WILL want 2 A/C's, you Will want dual-pane windows, window awnings are great. We would NOT be with out our washer/dryer. You will appreciate both real wood doors AND styles. With the vinyl wrap styles, once you scratch it, it just makes everything look cheep. Make sure the toilet is porcelain, not plastic.

We have owned several 5th's, presently have a diesel pusher and fulltimed for 10 years and now spend about 7 months on the road. You might want to look at the Escapees RV Club forum as they have a couple of sections for folks just starting out. You WILL put about 12-1500lbs per person in the rig when you start fultiming, so after you fill with water, LP, batteries, you need to have 3,000lbs of "stuff" carrying capacity. You need to understand the math of weights and make sure you buy a tow vehicle with a GCVWR of the truck and trailer. Pls: WEIGH IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT.

Jim

 

[cherylbrv]

How is that done? Will the dealer have a scale?

 

[boatto5er]

How is that done? Will the dealer have a scale?

Ask the dealer to pull it to a CAT scale if you want to see the unloaded trailer weight. Go along with them so you can see the results. The other thing you can do is to take the published GVRW, add 500 pounds to it and make sure you have a truck that can handle that weight and more importantly, payload (e.g., for a Heartland Landmark I would have (and do) a 1 ton dually).

 

[2psnapod2]

My opinion is if you plan on using it for full timing, and you are considering a DRV, the Landmark is the only unit that will compare to it. Just in case you do not know, you can order direct, getting a few options that are good for those full timing. If you have any other questions you are in the correct place to get answers.

 

[cherylbrv]

This is great advice; thanks! I have pretty much narrowed my search down to a Landmark or Big Horn. I wasn't aware I could direct order rather than going through a dealer.

now to just sell the house....

 

[2psnapod2]

You actually have to go thru a dealer but they order what you want. Sometimes the dealers are not as up on what is offered though. So do your homework and then go to the dealer with your build.

 

[cherylbrv]

So in other words, once I've figured out exactly what I want (I've been compiling a list of "must have's" versus "would like's"), I don't need to search for a dealer that has my model/floorplan in stock. Rather I would choose any dealer I'd want to work with and order it from them?

Sorry if this seems like a stupid question.

 

[dave10a]

DH

Meanwhile, we've been doing all our homework. Have visited a # of RV shows and Heartland is one of the top 3 contenders (along with New Horizons and DRV, although they are very expensive).


Thanks,

Cheryl

New Horizons and DRV are notch(s) above Heartland stuff. So that is not good comparison. They are heavier trailers and should be towed with a F450. Heartland builds lighter trailers that can be safely towed with smaller trucks. The New Horizon is most likely the best built trailer, but one pays big bucks for that while it is not needed for people like me that is an "extended stay" traveler and not a real full timer.

 

[cherylbrv]

Ideally, my first choice would be the NH or DRV. I guess it all boils down to how much $ we have left over from the sale of the house. We don't want to list too high as we'll never sell, but if we list too low, we won't have very much left over after paying off the mortgage and closing costs. If things go according to plan (which they never do!), we will be lucky to have approx. $150K to purchase the RV, tow vehicle, and all the required "must have's" which more than likely will be additional options (such as the full timing packages, dual window panes, generator, extra a/c to name just a few). Yes, we are also considering used RVs and most definitely a used truck, but even the used NH and DRVs are almost the entire budget without considering the truck. But again, we'll know when we sell. I hope to put it on the market by late Spring (although I've been setting that as a goal for the past 2 years already and obstacles just keep getting thrown in the way, pushing the timeline further back).

 

[kakampers]

I can tell you we spent the last six months researching our final fulltime purchase (we actually have fulltimed in a Bighorn for the last six years), over the months we researched everything...NH was out of our budget. Looked at DRV, Excel, Hitchiker, Lifestyle, Trilogy and a few others. We narrowed it down to DRV and Landmark. After deciding what we really had to have, and going back and forth, we decided the Landmark could give very close to what the DRV could for considerably less money.

We will be moving into her tomorrow morning...and believe me it has virtually every option available, and we worked with the dealer who had it delivered to Mor Ryde who added IS and disc brakes. For what we paid, we still could have bought a new tow vehicle and had money left over with a $150K budget...if you want real numbers pm me....

 

[2psnapod2]

So in other words, once I've figured out exactly what I want (I've been compiling a list of "must have's" versus "would like's"), I don't need to search for a dealer that has my model/floorplan in stock. Rather I would choose any dealer I'd want to work with and order it from them?

Sorry if this seems like a stupid question.

Yes, that is true. And if you are really looking for a good deal, you can order from some of the wholesale dealers and save a bunch. The Landmark and new truck are well within you budget of 150,000. Just have to find a dealer that is willing to not have to make as much as others. Usually the wholesalers are the ones to go with. But not always.

 

[Tumble Weed]

Yes, that is true. And if you are really looking for a good deal, you can order from some of the wholesale dealers and save a bunch. The Landmark and new truck are well within you budget of 150,000. Just have to find a dealer that is willing to not have to make as much as others. Usually the wholesalers are the ones to go with. But not always.

2psnapod2
Who is a wholesale dealer? I'M looking to buy also.

Cheryl we keep putting of selling till we decided we really wanted tp go fulltime sold our house in 3 months, TX.
Got almost what we asked and people where amazed it sold so fast, I'M glad it sold before the elections.
After the first of the year USA going to charge for selling your home.
We,ve been fulltimers since 11/21/12 round about..

 

[2psnapod2]

A couple off the top of my head are RVs for less and RV Capital wholesalers. But these are just 2. There are more out there. And I have no contacts from these.

 

[kakampers]

We just got an excellent deal from Explore USA in Mesquite, TX...ask for Justin....

 

[driver311]

try rvsforless in knoxville. they sell drv and heartland.