The Research Phase

As I mentioned, we researched the heck out of this purchase. Anyone who knows us isn't really surprised by this AT ALL. What follows is a quick brain-dump of the research process.

At first, it was more of a basic learning thing. We had to answer questions like:

• What kind of RVs are there?
• Are we thinking about towing or driving?
• What type of RV suits our vacation style the best?

Ultimately, we decided that something we tow would be best for us. We just couldn't see ourselves driving an RV and towing a smaller vehicle. Since a good part of the summer is spent traveling to triathlons, we needed the ability to drive a separate car once we got to our location.

Then, we started looking at floorplans. That led to another group of questions.

• Bed up against the wall, or walk around?
• Entertainment center at the end of the bed (separating the floor plan) or not?
• Galley kitchen or in the front/back of the trailer?
• U-shaped or bench dinette?
• Wet or dry bathroom?
• Sink in the bathroom or not?
• How much storage is there?
• Outdoor kitchen or not?

You get the picture. It's basically like buying a mini house.

Once we had the basics figured out, we had to figure out how we were towing this thing... and what length we'd be comfortable with. We had a LOT of discussions about whether we were towing with our SUV or buying a truck. Ultimately, we bought a truck. That's a different post though.

Then, it came down to brand, finishes, and things like that. There are SO MANY brands of RVs. You have to find something you like... and that's sold near you. We finally decided on three very different brands of three very different RVs. (Also another post.)

After the brand decision, you have to make sure that you like your dealer. You'll likely have to deal with them for at least a year after the purchase, so be sure to like them. Go to the dealers and get a feel for them. This is especially good if you haven't seen the RV you're thinking about buying (like the situation we were in). Be willing to drive a little bit to get what you want, where you're comfortable buying from.

We had a lot of fun doing the research. It was a bit stressful toward the end as we were coming close to making a decision, but that's just us being nervous about making the purchase.