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Your RV search can be a challenge, but if you are in the process of finding your first RV, I’m jealous!
The hunt for our own Axl Roads took three years, but we had so much fun…and that was even BEFORE we started remodeling and traveling!
While we were looking for an RV, I could honestly picture us traveling in anything – and there were so many options to pick from!
Tour bus-like Class As, camper-van Class Bs, mid-size Class Cs, pull-behind leave-behind travel trailers, trendy teardrops, quick and nimble pop-ups…I could imagine us adventuring in virtually all of them.
What kind of RV do you picture yourself in?
Typically, that has a lot to do with how big your crew is and how deep your pockets are! One person with their cat will want a much different way to travel than a family of four with two dogs. Their budgets will likely look much different, too.
Step One in Your RV Search: Budget
Step one has to do with how much you can spend- honestly assess your financial situation, set a budget, and get read to stick to it!
If you are able to save or easily borrow money, set a reasonable amount and stand firm!
Do your research and know your options if you plan to borrow. This article from lendedu offers some great advice about loan terms & bank options.
RV bells and whistles can be very tempting (who doesn’t want a shower inside and out?), so it’s good to have a real number or range in mind.
PS- If you aren’t ready to buy, you can rent an RV from marketplace like Outdoorsy (think Air BnB for RVs) while you save up- plus you can try out all the sizes and styles before you buy.
While I knew a smaller Class C RV would be perfect for us and our dogs, it seemed to be out of our $15k price range at the time. I just KNEW (Russ wasn’t so sure) we could remodel an older one if we could find it.
During the first few years we looked at older models, unfortunately everything was either too expensive or too un-remodel-able for a couple with zero to little mechanical or RV experience.
Step Two: Look Far and Wide...and Local
While we searched, we consistently found ourselves:
- Reading local newspaper classifieds and weekly classified circulars. Since everything is online now, there are very few printed listings and even fewer photos (zero). Not the best.
- Attending the annual nationally-touring RV show at our local Convention Center. These typically feature new, mostly high-end models. This is a great place to get an idea of what you like and don’t like, plus it’s helpful to walk through various layouts and see what amenities and upgrades exist.
- Craigslist pow-wowing on the iPad every Sunday night. This is like going to a Potluck. You never know what you’ll find! We had a few odd phone conversations and two near-scams while hunting this way. It did give us an idea of the local market and average prices in our area, plus made us hip to what the scam ads looked like.
Hint: if it seems too good to be true, it is! Extra hint: Don’t wire anyone money. Ever. For any RV-buying reason.
Enter Axl Roads.
We saw him advertised on Craigslist during one of our Sunday night RV scavenger hunts. He lived just an hour north of us and being stored under cover in a barn. This 1997 Ford Fourwinds Class C RV with only 16,000 miles had been used for short trips and baseball tournaments.
Which leads us to…
Step Three: Don't Give Up!
Just like good love was to Tom Petty, your perfect RV may be hard to find.
The best RV for us took us three years to locate!
Set your budget, put out your local feelers, and don’t give up.
