Archive for the 'Buying An RV' Category

Here is the RV enthusiast's friend and mentor Chuck Woodbury with some tips on how to choose the size of your RV based on where you like to travel:

Pre-owned but perfect!

Well, it has taken almost two years of research, lots of shoe leather and some frustrated RV salespeople - but we have done it! Purchased our very first RV. And it's a beauty! It's a 2005, 28-foot 5th wheel Durango by KZ. Very gently used and maintained in absolutely pristine condition. It's not too big but it is roomy and very comfortable for our 1st RV. We couldn't be happier! We struggled mightily about buying new versus pre-owned for our first RV, I was in favor of new and my wife was leaning toward used. I wasn't too impressed by the used RV's I saw until I got lucky with this one. I could go on and on about our quest to find the perfect RV, the RV shows attended, the RV lots walked, the RV sales driven miles to see but it all came together at Star Valley RV, just down the road from Payson, Arizona and where we found our new home on wheels.

RV tips, problem solving and opinion from an industry insider

In the very near future you are going to hear much about this little country RV dealer because I have accepted part-time work there and will be writing about RV's and the RV lifestyle from an insiders perspective. Between RVing ourselves and actually working in the industry I hope to be able to bring you much good information, unbiased, behind-the-scenes, straight dope. I am expecting those less-than-perfect situations to crop up on the road from time to time, actually anticipating them, so that I can bring our readers relevant and useful information about how these issues get resolved. You may encounter a similar situation someday and find this information useful. I am not being paid to endorse this dealership,  I mention them only because my negotiation and purchase experience was pleasant and compared to others, very easy. I don't have any affiliation with a particular product, brand or manufacturer and will write about my own experiences, good and bad, both on the road and things I can pass on from what I learn from my colleagues in the industry. (more…)

So many RV's to choose from

RV or Bust - This site is about our search for the perfect RV and the helpful people that we meet along the way; the dealers, the owners, the part-timers and the full-timers, the 5th wheelers, the luxury motorhome set, adventurous cabovers, toyhaulers and the hardiest of all, the pop-up people. As a baby boomer husband and wife that just turned 60 we are looking forward to the day (just about two years from now) where we can thumb our nose at corporate America and discover the real America on the open road in our perfect RV.

RV as home or as weekend warrior

Stop! Look, then look some more -  Over the last year and a half (mostly weekends) we have toured the insides of at least a thousand RV's, sat in hundreds of slide-out dinettes, pretended to prepare meals (checking counter space) in just as many kitchens and squinted our eyes while trying to imagine the view (out those gorgeously expansive windows) as being that of the ocean or forest. Takes a vivid imagination, I know, but those days will come. Who was it that said, "if you picture yourself there, it will happen"?

Get to know different kinds of RV's

Once we decided that the RV life would be a big part of our retirement we formulated a three year plan to research the in's and out's of RV living that first had us addressing our mis-conceptions. For example: We didn't know a slide out from a pop up and we certainly couldn't use a public restroom - yuck! I will never forget the first RV we looked at was a 35 foot beauty and when my wife saw the bathroom in it she just about pulled out her checkbook right there on the spot! From then on we began to wonder if three years would be enough! (more…)