What type of RV is good for you?

What RV is good for you?

Let's consider your needs, perhaps this list can be of some help.

Depending if you are planning on fulltiming or obtaining an RV for recreational use or to use for months at a time, these questions may help you determine what you are aiming towards.

Your choices are generally ClassA, ClassC, ClassB, Travel Trailer, 5^th wheel, Truck camper, van dwelling or vehicle with using tents & such.

Remember to also look at cargo carrying capacity towards your needs. That will determine how much you can safely put inside of your rig.

If you want to tow, determine how much weight you can tow as well.

Closet space:

Look at closet space that will best fit your needs.

*Will you need winter clothing as well as summer clothing?

*Bulky type of clothing for some occassions?

*Coats or jackets?

*Drawers to put folded items into?

*Or minimium closet space for part time use?

Kitchen:

*Do you do a lot of cooking?

*Need cabinet space for pots & pans or perhaps a big drawer for those items?

*Need cabinet space for dishes, cups & glasses?

*Is there a pantry to store food items in?

*Do you use a microwave or micro/convection oven?

*Do you need a real oven? Remember, most small RV's have very small ovens, so plan accordingly for that.

*Do you need a good sized fridge or a dorm sized type of fridge?

*Do you need freezer space? A larger fridge will of course, provide more freezer storage. The dorm sized will have a very small freezer.

*Do you need an ice maker in a fridge? That will determine an even bigger fridge? (That will probably more like a ClassA sized rig).

*Stove top: Will you be using a stove often?

*Do you need counter space in which to prepare foods?

*If you cook a lot of foods, is the counter space big enough to use? Can you use the dining table as well or a fold & store type of table? If you use a fold & store table, is there a space to store it when not in use?

*Sink: Double sink or single sink?

Bathroom:

*Do you need a stand up shower with a tub?

*Do you need an enclosed shower?

*Do you want toilet to be seperate away from the shower?

*Does the shower have vent access to vent the moisture outside?

*Do you need counter space at your sink?

*Do you need cabinet space?

*Do you need a medicine cabinet?

*If interested in a small rig, can you handle the pull out type of showers?

*Fold up type of sink?

*Will it bother you to get your toilet wet while taking a shower because you may have to dry it off.

Living quarters:

*Do you want a full sized sofa?

*Do you want a jack knife sofa or a sofa that pulls out into a sofa bed with a mattress?

*Do you want a sofa that has storage underneath it? (some sofas have mechanical items under them. Such as water pump, furnace, water tank, etc)

*Do you need a slide out for more living space?

*Would you prefer easy chairs as opposed to a sofa?

Slides:

Thank you to Linda Sands on that question. I don't have slides, but I'm fully aware of how some can really limit you when they have to be kept in.
So the question would be;
*Do you want slides? If so, can you still move freely about inside of your rig with them pulled in? Can you access your sink? Fridge? Cabinets?
If in bedroom, can you access your closet to get a change of clothes or a jacket if needed?

Dining area:

*Do you prefer to eat at the sofa/easy chair area with a pop in table?

*Do you want a dinette area that can also suffice as a work station?

*Entertainment center:

*Do you want a tv that folds into a cabinet or open to the living/dining area?

Bedroom:

*Do you need a bed? If so, what type of bed? A real bedroom will give you better options as your bed would be permanent.

 

*Do you need storage under your bed? Lift the bed to see if there is any storage underneath it.

*Can you sleep in an overhead bed?

*Can you sleep on a fold out sofa bed?

*Do you need bedroom cabinet/closet space?

*Is there space for a hamper or a place to put dirty laundry?

Holding tanks & water capacity:

*Do you need larger sized holding tanks?

*Is the black tank large enough?

*Is the gray tank large enough?

*Is your water tank large enough?

*Do you want a simplified (manual) dumping system or a dumping system that also flushes your black tank?

Other considerations:

*Are you claustrophobic? That can determine what size rig you are comfortable with.

*Are you tall or do you want to be able to fully stand up? Again, rig size for your comfort level will determine what you are comfortable with.

*Do you need a generator?

*Do you need air conditioning?

Traveling with pets:

*Is your rig size appropriate for you & your pets comfort levels?

*Will you have to be constantly stepping over your pets? Will that bother you or your pet?

*Do you have space for the pets items? Bowls, food, towels, shampoo, bedding area, litter boxes if you have cats, etc.

*Do you have a bathing area for them or plan to use a groomer from time to time?

*Do you have space if your pets travel in crates?

*Do you have storage for expens & such if you use those?

Storage:

*Do you need basement storage?

*Do you need an exterior storage space?

*Do you need a cargo carrier? (If so, keep in mind that you can't tow)

*Do you have adequate storage for hoses, such as fresh water hoses, sewer hose, electrical cords, etc?

*Do you have storage for outdoor items, such as tables & chairs?

Outside shower:

*Do you need an outside shower to bathe pets or wash sand off of yourself after spending time in the sand, mud or other elements?

Awning:

*Do you need an attached awning?

*Manual or electric?

Lifestyle:

*Are you interested in RV parks?

*State Parks?

*Campgrounds?

*Stealth City?

*Boondocking?

*Will you be wanting a solar system? (that can be added later though)

Question added 10-06-12 - *Entertaining - Do you want other people inside of your rig?
If so, how often? Will you have space for them to be comfortable for very long?

*Will your rig size be for accomodating yourself only or other family members?

Travel:

*Are you a slow traveler?

*Are you a long distance traveler?

*Destination traveler?

All above will determine gas usage per month.

Budget/income:

*Retirement?

*Pension Plan?

*Savings?

*Making money on the road?

*Internet secure job?

*Work camping?

~~Please feel free to add comments. If you feel or see a need for anything that is not on this list, I will be happy to add to it -- Thank you~~

Also, please read the comment list for further discussions & more information!