A Guide to Choosing the Perfect RV
So you’ve decided to purchase your first RV. Firstly, congratulations! RVs are a rewarding and cost-effective way to travel and camp in comfort. You can take them almost anywhere and they can serve all kinds of purposes. But there are several different types of RVs and it can be challenging to determine the right one for your family’s camping and traveling needs.
Fortunately Camp Site RV in Cresco is a premier RV dealer in Iowa and we’re here to help. Read on to learn more about all your options when it comes to choosing an RV so you can make a smart purchasing decision.
What’s Your Budget?
First, you’ll want to think about how much you can afford to spend on an RV. RVs aren’t cheap, but some are much more affordable than others. Set a price point that you can afford that isn’t unrealistic; you can do research online to see what prices are like. Remember that you can always look into used models if you want to save yourself more money.
When forming your budget, you can’t just focus on the sticker price of the RV itself. You’ll need to think about accessories like hoses and safety gear, insurance costs, storage, maintenance and repair fees as well. Make sure you’ve got space in your budget for all of this or you won’t be able to afford to use your RV once you’ve bought it!
Where Will You Go?
Think about how you plan to use your RV. One essential consideration is climate. Here in the Midwest, we’ve got hot summers and cold, snowy winters, so a four-season RV isn’t a bad idea. This would mean buying an RV that is well-insulated with a heating and air conditioning system inside.
If you plan to dry-camp or boondock, then you might want an RV that’s solar-panel ready and equipped with big holding tanks and you probably won’t care about things like a cable TV hookup. If you plan to go up in the mountains, you may want a smaller camper that’s easier to tow or drive. Consider how you plan to use your RV and choose accordingly.
Options
There are several different types of RVs out there, broadly sorted into towable RVs that need a towing vehicle hitched up to them to carry them from place to place and motorhomes, which have their own engines and don’t need another vehicle. Within each category are several more distinctions, so it’s good to know what those are before you start shopping.
Travel Trailer
This is the classic type of RV and it’s been around for decades. Travel trailers are distinguished by their bumper-pull hitches, but they can be all sizes and shapes, from tiny teardrop trailers to enormous trailers with multiple rooms and sleeping space in the double digits. Many people like the convenience of travel trailers as well as the sheer variety available.
Fifth Wheel
Fifth wheels are another popular type of towable RV with a unique two-part coupling that requires the use of a truck with a bed as the towing vehicle. The hitch anchor is installed into the bed of your truck and the hitch itself locks into the coupling from above, coming over the rear gate of your truck. This hitch style creates a great deal of stability and allows fifth wheels to be large and luxurious inside, comparable in some instances to a small residential home.
Toy Haulers
This is a subset of both of the above categories, as a toy hauler can either be a travel trailer or a fifth wheel. Toy haulers are towable RVs that come with slightly smaller living quarters at the front with a large cargo bay at the rear. The cargo bay usually has a gate that folds down into a ramp. Toy haulers are designed to haul “toys,” i.e. powersports vehicles to campgrounds and competitions, but the cargo bay can be used for almost anything you can fit in it.
Motorhomes
These RVs are designed with a cab and an engine so that they don’t necessitate you having a towing vehicle to own them. You can simply hop in your motorhome and drive it to your destination! Motorhomes are, therefore, the more expensive option, but you can find smaller and more affordable models.
Motorhomes are split into three categories, called “classes.” Class A motorhomes are large and buslike, Class B motorhomes resemble small vans and Class C motorhomes look more like trucks with an alcove above the cab. Each one has its merits, so you’ll want to look at all of them to decide which type is best for your needs.
Seeking campers for sale in Iowa? Check our website to see our wide stock of new and used RV campers for sale in many different styles at our Cresco, IA, dealership. Camp Site RV proudly serves the cities of