Because of your lack of money limits, health, etc. you sound perfect for the RV lifestyle. But, some folks just do not like it so you might do well to rent a small motorhome for a trip or 2 to test the waters. A 1 ton truck and a large trailer is a huge investment and will depreciate even more huge, but maybe not an issue for you? Considering what you are thinking about buying, it will cost you much more to travel(in the long run) than it would to stay in lodges, hotels, etc. Sorry, I just get away from the financial part. I would not go too big, especially if you think you will use national park and similar campgrounds. The 29 ft. or even smaller would be good for that. Good Luck.
man u got to try a nagara by fleetwood, we had one. outstanding unit,TWO king beds-hard side bath, suround sound, microwwave, opens up 28ft long, and weights 4k. and a slide out dinnet. we still talk about it to this day. and we had some------happy-camping
6 seasons of over 150 nights per year & over 100,000 miles put behind us (2 trips to Alaska), we are still very happy with the 5er we chose. The itch to change does not exist.
Whatever you do make sure you do the research first. Mistakes are expensive. Look at how many people here are never satisfied with what they have & are buying something else every few years, taking a major hit in depreciation on the way.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter
Heres my 2 cents. Use the RV shows and local dealers to see the different types of RV's. Then decide what you like about the different types (A's, B's, C's, TT's and 5ers). Things to consider are "IF" a A or C you my need a towed vehicle to get around. Also additional maintenance, insurance and starting it up once a month etc. For a TT or 5er depending on size you can use the TV for everyday use. Above all do not jump into buying anything right away. While all the fancy things are nice to look at, they don't necessarly translate to quality! Keep in mind their are basically 3 levels of
RV's. Inexpensive (low end), mid range and high end. These also translate to price points. As suggested above, you may want to buy a good used unit with the idea of upgrading at a later date.
Above all take your time and investigate the different types and brands. RV's are NOT like automibles, as the RV industry has no responsibility/obligation regarding "Lemons". Once you decide on a type & brand we can provide further info.
Good Luck.
2011 Arctic Fox 29-5T 5th Wheel
2011 Silverado HD 3500 6.6L Duramax Diesel Crew Cab
Short Bed 4X4 SRW LT
50gal Transfer Flow Aux. Tank
16K Valley Hitch w/bed saver
I love our 5ver, but my knees are starting to give me problems, so the steps inside and out are something to consider. As far as length goes, I'm not sure about Nat'l park limits, etc, but one thing to consider is that a shorter length RV of any kind can expand with at least 2 slides in the living area and I would not have one w/o one in the bedroom too.
Our first 5ver was 29' but had no slides and with 2 people we mananged, but with just one extra person it drove me crazy.. As in "not enough room to cuss a cat" crazy! Ours now is 38' with 3 slide and it's great for just DH & me and good for when DD, SIL and DGD join us...We've not traveled much out of our local state area but I'm told we can find sites in Yellowstone in which we'll fit. I think, from what I've read, that a lot of State & private CGs in the NE have smaller sites. We don't buy new, but we like to buy gently used...and I'm soooo glad we didn't put a lot of $$ into our first RV as after a couple of years we knew it had to go!
I always like to recommend PPL Motorhomes website to look at different floor plans, just to see what is available or see what you think you'll like or not. As was mentioned in another post consider if you can get to the fridge, bathroom, bedroom, dining table when you're on the road and want to stop for a lunch break or sleep...This is very important to us when looking at floorplans..You have to use your imagination but you'll get the hang of it! Happy Shopping!
You have a mind boggling array of possibilities. If you want a new heavy duty pick up then a 5th wheel is the obvious choice.if the truck purchase is primarily as a tow vehicle then your possibilities are endless.
1. Dually pickup and 5er or TT
2. Conventional class A or C motor home and tow a vehicle you currently own
3. A small sprinter based class C like a Winnebago View with or with out a toad. Could manage without a toad or with a scooter on a hitch mount.
You are in Florida so get over to Lazy Days in Seffner. They have a huge inventory and there is not single place in the US better to look at a lot of possibilities in a short time. Then schedule a trip to Tampa in January for the big RV show.
You really need to go sit in some different trailers and MH's. Look at the floorplans and think about what works best for you. One nice thing I have noticed about 5ers is that many of them feel like a small apartment with a living area, kitchen and separate bedroom. A few TT's feel this way but they tend to be pretty long and might be a tight fit for the national parks. I am not a lover of MH (just my camping style no particular bad reason). If I were going to take off and do what you plan, I would have a 5er in a heartbeat. A TT works for us now but we are just weekend warriors and started off w/ an SUV. As others have said, plan carefully with a long term plan and you can buy your last trailer first.
At the dealership or RV show, sit in the different style of RV's and imagine how you will use them. THink about rainy days inside or nights not spent by the campfire. Do you have room to move around while DW cooks, is the bathroom big enough to be comfortable and not completely squished when shower or sitting on the toilet? What about storage? Think about where you will put clothes, dishes, chairs, tools etc. Will you be camping on FHU all the time (probably not if you are hitting the national parks)? Grey and black tank size becomes important here (especially grey tank as they fill quickly). You are in a good situation because you can get the trailer and then match the truck to it.
As others have said you can get a MH w/ a towed vehicle but IIRC, you can't back with the towed hooked up. You can back up with a 5er or TT. A TT doesn't have as much outside storage as a 5er. TT's if properly set up tow great and you still have the bed of your truck to carry things. There are advantages and disadvantages to all methods of RVing. It is up to you to decide what is most advantagous to you. Good luck and happy hunting.
Good advice to sit in different units. Imagine spending a couple of rainy days inside.
We are 60/61 and take 4 to 8 week trips. Find that the 30' fiver is perfect combination of large enough to live in/small enough to park. Would go with 32 to 33' and a 1 ton truck if doing it again. Glad we got the top trim line on the truck.
2008 Keystone Laredo 265RL
2008 Silverado 2500HD CC, LB, 2x4, DuraMax 6.6/Allison
ICOM 706 MK II G
First a question...
Are you going to travel or go someplace different and stay for some time before you move again??
If you are going to travel, find something to rent for a week or two. That will be all it takes to form some definite impressions as to what you need vs want. Medium C's are real good for this.
If you are going to tow it someplace and leave it there for weeks at a time, a 5er or TT is the better choice as the two vehicle becomes your local transportation.
We are travelers and I will never go back from a MH.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie
A sailor, his bride and their black dog going to see some dry places that have Geocaches in a coach made the year we married.
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