Once our house was sold and we settled in an apartment, we became ultra-focused on purchasing a rig. No longer bound to a sticks-and-bricks property, we quickly turned our attention toward reliability, power, style, and comfort. Yes, we have at times been described as spoiled, but we were looking for a full-time, long-term home, not just a weekend or once-a-month fling. 

Out With The Old

Now, we had (and still have) seen some beautiful remodels online, and my husband was all-in for buying used and “making it our own.” We had one major problem, however: we were both still working full-time-plus jobs. What does that mean? I was a middle-school teacher, which means the job didn’t end at 4 p.m. In fact, it was really just beginning. Many were the nights I spent long hours grading, planning, researching, and tweaking, often texting teammates about tomorrow, next week, next unit. Hubby’s job as a railroad instructor took him out of town anywhere from one week every few months to three weeks per month, sometimes with only one or two days notice. To make a long story short, we did not have a consistent amount of time to get a rig home-worthy or travel-worthy AND make time to get out and become familiar with the lifestyle before going full-time. We decided to go new.

START Here…

Don’t misunderstand, our true search for a suitable RV did not begin at this point. We began researching the various classes, floor plans, and manufacturers well before - years before - we sold our house. We also did a lot of research on the full-time lifestyle, mostly by reading blogs, joining RV groups on Facebook, attending RV shows, visiting RV dealers and asking LOTS of questions.

After a little research and lingo-learning, our initial “want” list included floor plans in the following categories:

  • Fifth-wheel – we loved the home-like look and feel of fifth-wheels, kitchen islands and large pantries, the option of having a second bedroom in some models, and the garage option of the toy haulers. And we absolutely fell in love with front living room models. Lack of under-carriage storage was an issue for us, however, as was the need to purchase a truck powerful enough to haul a large rig and everything in it.
  • Class C – hubby fell head-over-heels for the super C class of rigs. They’re big, they’re powerful, they’re rugged, yet beautiful…they’re mostly out of our budget range. But they’ve got all the bells and whistles – storage, finishes, towing and carrying capacity, added sleeping capacity – that anyone could want.
  • Class A – though not as homey as a fifth-wheel (very few models boast a kitchen island or second bedroom/garage) class As offer a good balance between a fifth-wheel and a super C. Depending on size, class As can offer everything from the weekend camping basics to residential style luxury. And, like the class Cs, class As have plenty of under carriage storage.

After attending several large RV shows, visiting countless RV dealers, and sitting in, exploring, trying-on, and researching who knows how many (100+?) rigs we developed a list of items necessary for OUR rig; we developed a list of comforts for OUR future home on wheels:

  • No less than 36 feet in length to allow for at least some separation between living spaces 
  • Maximum under-carriage storage space for RV essentials, camping gear, household items
  • At least one pass-thru storage bay for larger, longer, bulkier items
  • Opposing slides to create space for cooking, relaxing, working, entertaining without stepping all over each other
  • East-West television orientation – watching tv with our heads turned to one side proved highly uncomfortable
  • Two recliners across from the tv – like we’ve always had in our home
  • Bath and a half – we each need a small space to call our own
  • Walk-around bed – for ease in getting in/out of the bed and making the bed (the struggle is real)
  • Dinette rather than a booth – we chose the model that doubles as a desk with storage
  • Pantry – number one on my list – a designated storage area for dry food items and snacks. Yeah, I’m that lady who has to have a place for everything, and everything in its place.

Eventually, we narrowed our search to:

  • A Class A rig – the view from the front seats is incredible, and the ability to get up and go to the bathroom or grab a snack while rolling down the road is priceless!
  • Diesel – in my husband’s words, “power, reliability, greater towability, greater cargo-carrying capacity”
  • Maximum cargo carrying capacity (CCC) – clothes, towels, kitchen items, personal effects, holding tanks, and passengers all count when calculating total cargo weight. In addition, there is a long list of RV-related items that must be purchased and stowed (see our list of RV essentials here). Though we never planned on overloading our rig, we didn’t want to worry about pushing weight limits based on the items we did bring.
  • A reputable manufacturer and dealer – research taught us that despite our well-laid plans, despite all of the learning, note-taking, studying we had completed, we were novices; things would go wrong, and we were ill-equipped to handle certain situations on our own. Reputation and quality of service and product were utmost on our minds.

Ultimately, we chose:

  • Newmar Ventana LE 4037 – big enough to comfortably fit our storage and personal space needs, still small enough to handle and park without causing undue stress on our marriage. 
  • National Indoor RV Centers – Lewisville, TX – they gave us a great deal on a factory build; we got to choose our finishes and add a couple of extras; their customer service and maintenance staff are top-notch.

At the End of the Day

The decisions and choices we made were best for us. We were very honest with ourselves and with each other. We each knew what we were willing to sacrifice and what we could do without. Our choices may seem too extravagant for some RVers and too limited for others. It doesn’t matter. What matters is how we feel when you step inside our rig. 

Before we got started (and many times during the process), we asked each other the following questions:

  • How often will we use the RV? – Weekends? Vacation? Summer? Holidays? Job-related? Part-time? Fulltime?
  • Where will we be parking the rig? Campgrounds? RV Parks? Boondocking/off-road sites?
  • How much time will we be spending inside the RV? 
  • How much physical space do we need in order to feel physically, mentally, and emotionally comfortable?
  • How many people and/or pets will be traveling with us?
  • How much rig do we feel comfortable driving or towing?
  • What amenities, or comforts, are we looking for in an RV?
  • How much money are we looking to spend?

Notice I used the word comfort three times. That was, and is, our priority. So, once these questions were answered, it became much easier to narrow down our search. Understand, however, that the search can be overwhelming, and we changed our minds several times before we found something we really liked. Notice I didn’t say “the perfect rig.” What we found was the mostly-perfect-for-us-right-now rig, but compromise was an absolute.

Finally, I hope this article serves as an inspiration for anyone thinking about stepping into this lifestyle. I’ve compiled a list of helpful RV websites hubby and I have used, shows we’ve attended, and programs/videos we have watched. Feel free to access and save the list for use at your convenience. My hope is that you will enjoy the process and the excitement of the journey. 

Whether you’re a weekend camper or fulltime explorer, RVing provides the opportunity to break free, traverse the road less traveled, and create unique experiences and lasting memories. So find yourself a rig, and get out there! 

See ya on the road!

Our Favorite Resources for Browsing, Researching, or Buying an RV

Keep in mind, there are countless RV sites, shows, and other resources. The links listed below are the tools my husband and I used most often in our research.

  1. Research Guides:
  • iRV2 Forums – A free membership forum populated by RVers asking questions and sharing their knowledge and experience about EVERYTHING RV. This is where my husband started his research.
  • Changing Gears – This is a comprehensive guide to the RV lifestyle and my go-to for questions and rig research. From their site: “A website about the Recreational Vehicle lifestyle. Here you can learn about RV camping; RV travel; motor homes; trailers; RV buying, renting, and selling; and other aspects important to the RV lifestyle.”
  1. Online classified sites:
  • RV Trader – filter your search by rig make, brand, size, location, price, etc. Includes listings posted by individual sellers as well as dealers. In addition, this site offers reviews and buyer resources.
  • RVT.com – like RV Trader, offers a wide variety of nation-wide new and used listings and buyer/seller resources
  1. Television shows:
  • Going RV – like House Hunters, but with RVs
  • Big Time RV – Set in Tampa, FL and Tucson, AZ, at one of the largest RV dealerships in the U.S. (Lazydays RV), the show follows buyers as they tour the grounds and choose an RV to purchase.
  1. RV Shows:
  • Annual Houston RV Show – The first RV show we ever attended, it was our introduction to the wide world of RVs. All of Houston’s major dealers are represented at this show, with samples from various makes and models. 
  • Annual Florida RV Supershow – Tampa – One of the largest RV shows in the U.S., and largest that hubby and I have attended. RVs in this show are staged according to manufacturer, with manufacturer reps on-site. In addition, there is a large exhibit hall for RV parts and accessories and a campground for visitors, participants, and staff (with paid registration).