The reality of a dream come true, making that American Dream really become meaningful, can look very different for a lot of people. For my family, it was to look outside the box of a regular house and lifestyle and to investigate living in an RV fulltime. The nitty-gritty details and step action processes of all that got overwhelming, pretty fast! So, I’d like to go ahead and help our readers in the middle of it all, and to try and cover some of the ways our process would have been more streamlined if we knew what we didn’t know then.

For us, the first step was the dreaming phase. As a family, we spent time looking at RV’s at different dealerships, trying out couches, walking floor plans and talking about how we would use the RV if we bought it. We started with travel trailers, then went to motor homes, 5th wheels and the cab-over bed Class C’s. That part was so much fun!

My daughter was looking at light weight stick on tile to help brighten the space.

My sons were planning on dragging their long-forgotten bikes and fishing poles out of the garage to do this “camping” life. My husband and I spent time at camping stores looking at fun things like reclining camping chairs while envisioning evenings around a fire pit with friends.

Wow, what a life we could have just waking up every day to such a different way to live! While we spent time adventuring through the dreams and plans that could happen, we also had to do the practical stuff and really think hard about budget. Cost-benefit, long-term storage, decisions about timeline and whether to choose a loan or pay cash; those were all things that needed a good hard look. This was the not so fun part of the process, that I really wish we had known more about and were more prepared for before we purchased our RV.

It all turned out alright for us, we ended up with some storage and a great unit with an awesome floor plan, with hardly any issues from the manufacturer. We really were blessed, because watching so many of our friends purchase RV’s recently has opened our eyes to the potential pitfalls that really could have happened to us.

I would get an RV inspection from an independent RV Inspector if we could do it over again. There were so many things we’ve noticed and fixed ourselves that the dealer really should have taken care of for us. Once we found the type of RV and floor plan we liked and that worked for us, we needed to find a tow vehicle. We all know there is an internet of information out there with no end, but also no answers. So, finding the right tow vehicle to meet our RV hauling needs was quite a chore! This part of the process I wish I had more of a streamlined answer to help others out with, but we didn’t find one.

It was quite the process, and patience was key through all the looking for trucks. It pays off so much when you take that maiden voyage and you launch out with your RV and realize “Yes, it’s happening!”.

Keep your chin up through the tow vehicle search stage, it will eventually all fall into place and the process will make the best campfire stories!

Before we purchased our RV, one thing that really didn’t seem to be something we considered much was what part of the country would we be camping the most in. We didn’t consider mountains versus flatlands, cold weather camping versus mostly hot; rainy wet camping as opposed to dry desert with sand storms and drought conditions.

We didn’t look at the dry-camping versus full hookup options, nor did we really even know we should. If I could have known what I know now, I would have definitely wanted a few things set up differently for the kind of camping we primarily do.

Our family loves to camp out in the wide open spaces, we enjoy the freedom of not always being tethered to a pedestal. But our rig does not. It is set up to have 50 amp service and needs every drop of that juice to be full! So many new units are being manufactured with a basic solar setup, and options like lithium batteries. There are even units now being made that align with most of the overlanding type camping needs. Some with off road packages, beefier suspensions and higher clearance. It’s really amazing to see all of the options now available!

I would go to a larger RV show and see them all if we had it to do over again. What a place to have the chance to walk through some of the most cutting edge RV builds in the industry!

Overall, your goal with buying your RV is to be able to choose the style of unit that works for your type of camping, while fitting in the budget and purchasing plan you choose. Be sure to have your unit inspected and warranty work done right away so that your adventures can be safe and not interrupted by a lot of extra repairs. Take time during the entire process to dream, to really put yourself in the mindset and realm of expectation to see if the RV you are looking at is right for you.

You only live once, this journey can be an amazing one. Whatever the RV you choose, enjoy the process, cherish the journey, and thrive in the adventures! Happy trails! - Krystal LaMar

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