Make your list of must haves when purchasing a new RV

It is likely that I spent a bit more on my RV purchase than most. The cost was actually not my primary concern although it did factor in. I originally considered a motor home. I thought it would be the most practical. I had all but made up my mind actually when I thought maybe I should look at the fifth wheel trailers. I was certain that I wanted to purchase new as I wanted a warranty... An extended warranty to be exact. So, I was not looking at the really nice motorhomes at $250,000+. I was looking at the Fleetwood Bounder.

The Fleetwood Bounder was very nice. I liked the fact that the motorhomes came equipped with a generator and was not aware that any other type of RV was capable of having a generator. I have camped most my life with my parents but our RVs were always very modest and did not come equipped with things of that nature.

I started looking around at fifth wheel trailers and found that I could buy much more camper for the money when compared to a motorhome. Unfortunately, if you purchase a fifth wheel you must also purchase a truck to pull it with (if you do not already have one... Which I did not). I should interject that my original plan was to pull my little BMW behind the motorhome. If you are considering a motorhome and pulling your current vehicle, be aware that your vehicle may not be towable. You guest it, my little BMW was not towable. That would mean I would not only have to purchase a motorhome but I would also have to purchase some type of "toad" (this, I have learned is RV lingo for the vehicle that is towed behind a motorhome).

Now, purchasing much more camper for the money and having to buy a truck wasn't looking so bad. I began to take stock of the actual insides of each RV. I found that motor homes, at least the Fleetwood Bounder, do not have a lot of room inside or storage space up top. In fact, the Bounder, once the washer/dryer was installed (which I wanted) would have only one closet. It also seemed very cramped. Most of the pull trailers, including fifth wheels, do not come with much storage space underneath compared to motor homes. Therefore, I needed to find a fifth wheel that had more storage underneath (if that existed). It was actually luck that I found one fifth wheel in driving distance that fit these requirements. It was a Vizion by Fuzion (made by Keystone). I learned that they have only made the 2012 models. It is designed with 350 square feet of storage space (basement) underneath. In addition, one of the four slides is a wardrobe in the bedroom allowing much needed closet space. However, due to the storage underneath, there is not as much headroom in the living area as is prominent in most fifth wheels. The Vizion, due to the storage underneath, does not have a raised ceiling; it is level all the way from rear to front. I would guestimate that the ceiling is at approximately 7'; then when you step up to the upper level it's probably 6'2" or so.

I will say that I recommend your making a list of the absolute must haves when you are looking into purchasing a new RV for yourself. This will cut down on a lot of frustration.

For me, other requirements that I insisted on were as follows:

• Generator ready - I didn't know just how important this might be; but I knew that while traveling I do not want to get hot when staying over night at truckstops or dry camping.
• Washer/dryer hookup - this is self explanatory; I read many people that said the washer/dryer takes to long, etc. I love it and I would not want to be without it. I have the combo machine which most dealers told me would not get clothes dry. This is not true.
• A couch I can lay down on and stretch out. I personally enjoy laying down on the couch occasionally and watching TV and movies. My Mom and Dad's camper has a small couch that doesn't allow one to stretch out. I knew at was not acceptable for me and was able to eliminate many RVs just on at account.
• A 60x80 bed. Multiple RVs that I looked at had 60x75 beds and I tried them all out. If I was even remotely thinking about a certain trailer, I laid down on the bed. I do not want to sleep every night with my feet hanging off the end of the bed.
• Keep your height in mind. I am about average height for a male so it doesn't affect me to badly; however, I highly recommend for you taller people out there, make sure that you get into the shower to ensure that you can stand up comfortably. My shower actually has a bubble over it that increases the height. This is particularly important for fifth wheels as the upstairs portion has much less headroom than the lower level.