Helpful Tips to Consider When Buying a Motorhome

If you are thinking about buying a motorhome, it is important to know that it is one of the largest investments you will make. Only buying a house or financing a college education comes close to the cost of a motorhome. Because of the high prices associated with motorhomes, be sure you know what you want before buying.

Educating yourself about all the basics involved in owning and operating a motorhome is highly recommended, especially when it comes to making the decision on the class of motorhome that’s right for you.

But let’s back up just for a second to that first decision you need to make. “Is RV’ing for me?” should be the first question you answer before you start considering making the purchase.

What’s the best way to find out if owning a motorhome is what you really are cut out for? Here’s a bit of sound advice — rent one and take a vacation. By the time that vacation is over, you’ll know if RV’ing is for you. Even if you only rent it for 4-7 days and take a short trip, you’ll know whether or not you and your wife (if that is part of the equation) can handle driving and operating it, parking it, and whether or not it was as enjoyable an experience as it is cracked up to be.

You can find motorhomes in three different classes: A, B, and C. If you choose a Class A, you will discover that it can be constructed in different ways. You may find one built on the chassis of a commercial bus, a commercial truck, or even a chassis made just for motorhomes. A Class A motorhome will give you the most space of all, with a length between 20 and 45 feet.

Prices on Class A’s start at around $50,000 and then the sky can be the limit. Some customized motorhomes have sold for $1,000,000 or higher. That’s a bit beyond most people’s budgets, but at least you know how expensive they can be.

A Class B motorhome will most often be built on the chassis of a van. You might know that Class B RV’s are usually converted vans which have undergone customization to lift the roof. You get a lot more head-room this way, and some folks can even stand upright in a Class B.

If you are looking for the right vehicle for an easy-going weekend jaunt or a weeklong trip with one other person, a Class B can fit the bill. Although prices vary widely, you can usually find one starting at 30,000 dollars.

The Class C motorhomes are the final class we will consider. Usually, a Class C will be built on the chassis of a truck and the van will be joined with a cab section. This cab area can be based on either a truck or a van, with truck-based cabs leading the field.

One of the most noticeable features of Class C motorhomes is the cab-over section where sleeping room is found. They are often called “mini-motorhomes”.

So that should give you a pretty good idea of the different types of motorhomes that are on the market. Good luck, and happy shopping.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!