Looked At RV's Today

I took time on Saturday to hit the road, looking at RV's on 3 different lots. The closest lot was small, family owned but only had travel trailers and 5th wheels. Drove around the lot and did not see anything worth getting out of my car for. I then headed 45 miles east to Indianapolis to Colerain RV's and Camping World because I knew with their large inventory I could check on about every RV and trailer that I have considered.  That proved to be the case.

Just as I planned, I was fortunate to walk both lots without a salesman and only my iPhone to take short notes on what I saw. Sure, I looked at the 2013's but with no intentions of buying them and not even buying anything. With cars I am too impulsive but not with RVs.

I was able to see 2 Class B's, both 2005's. The Coachman Concord and the Gulfstream BT Cruiser both had slides, 27' - 29' and believe it or not had enough space for me and my hounds or more space than some C's. I liked the BT Cruiser better, it was 29' and I had it rated higher for having enough room for me and my hounds. For a smaller rig I have always liked them.

I looked at 3 different Class A's. 2 of them were 30' long and the old old Fleetwood Southwind was 34'. I looked at that not only because I wanted to see an older model with no slides but also it was the same model my friend had full-timed in as recently as 2005. The other two were both Winnebago's Sightseer. Of course they felt bigger inside than a 29' Class C because they are higher and appeared to be a little wider. Yet, when I sat in the driver seat and compared the feeling of sitting in a Class C or Class B ... it just seemed too big and not something I would want to be driving in the places that I want to be going.

I looked at 6 Class C's. From a 2002 - 2012, 28'-31' and even checked out a 23' just to see if it would work with my dogs. The best and favorite of all of the C's was the 2012 Jayco Melbourne. It had 2 slides, was 30' and had every feature that I wanted but was listed at $105,000, more than I want to spend. The 2007 Forest River Sun Seeker really had a good floor plan but really nowhere to install a computer desk by replacing a couch or a kitchen table. The 2002 Jayco Designer had a great floor plan and it must have been a good RV because it had be used and used a lot. It was 31' with a slide but the overall condition was not something I would want to deal with.

The last 3 C's I looked at were all Thor's. I am not sure of the reliability of their reputation but I liked all of their floor plans and have even when seeing them online. The 2012 23' surprised me with the room it had and while I was sitting there looking around, walking around I really felt that it might be a possibility with 3 dogs on the days that we were stuck inside due to weather. I might be wrong after I get out on the road, but if the weather is good, I plan on being outside most of the time. It proved to be an option to look at later. The 2005 Thor 4Winds was in really great shape, the entertainment center was in the overhead compartment, was 30' long with a couple of slides. The 2013 Thor Freedom Elite was 28', had the best "trunk" storage I had ever seen and of course being a new model, had everything you would need. Looked great.

Then as a lowest start up cost option, I looked at a 2012 Jayco Feather Travel Trailer and believe it or not I could see that working with dogs and me. Had a queen size bed in the front, kitchen in the rear. At the same time it may not be made for 365 day rving. The other Jayco trailers I looked at were great but to go that route I would need to buy a 4x4 truck to tow it with.

On the way back I had about 90 miles of country highway to cruise and think, unlike my trip to Indy on I-70 was more like a high speed race and no time was allowed to day dream. It is beautiful scenery in southern Indiana and the highway I travled felt like times I driven cross country. I wanted to see what kind of reaction I had when I got back to my small town and the house I have lived in since 1997. I wanted to see if these past few weeks of saying I am packing up and leaving or in my recent posts, talking of selling everything but the hounds and hitting the road, would make that feeling different as I drove up the drive way to the top of the 80' hill.

In the past, after day trips like these, I was always happy to get back home and it felt good, even if the snow flew or the sun was out and it was hot. I noticed today it was different. I have really had no attachment to this town living a few miles outside of it and knowing no one ... and I didn't feel any different driving through town today either. The town is so cliquish, that it has created it's own privacy with me and that has been that I liked while living here. I am more of a loner than people I know, think ... so it may be a huge reason I have stayed in this location for 15 years. As far as the house, it felt like it was time to go. All I could think about was what I needed to do to put it on the market and things I needed to do to sell everything that I am not going to take.

Didn't surprise me with that reaction but it was different than in the past.

So today was a good day, a recycling run, more clothes ready to be dropped off at Goodwill tomorrow in a town 25 miles away, sun was out all day and I was able to check on floor plans of every kind of RV I had been looking at online. So I am now in the stage of clearing out the house by selling, donating or throwing away and preparing to sell the house by owner.

I am thinking of putting the sign out tomorrow afternoon in case I find that buyer that would rather do their own improvements (ie: painting interior in their favorite colors) rather than not putting the sign out until I have everything cleaned out, painted and pretty well empty before showing it. It only takes 1 to buy and the highway I live on gets a ton of traffic.

As always your thoughts and comments are appreciated and very helpful.

Plan Starting to Come Together

I didn't spend much time looking at RVs last night and tonight has been all basketball since my team was on the tube earlier. Yet, during commercials thoughts of what kind of RV to buy starting taking over my thoughts.  Between a Class A and a Class C...don't know yet but I have narrowed it down to what features I would like to have in either RV type.

So the picture is starting to get a little clearer on what I want.

I am looking around here and see I need to get in gear and start downsizing.  I use to be a full time eBay seller between 2005 - 2010. I had the urge the other day of just taking a few pictures of things and listing them on eBay and selling them for whatever the top bid is. maybe start with a few items, start auctions at  99 cents and let it roll. I am still thinking about that and deciding if I have time to package and ship when things sell. It would be nice to build up some cash off of things I would normally throw away. Some will be going to goodwill and some will be given away locally for those that need it.

So things are looking up.  I just have a lot to do and need to get started. Once I see stuff start disappearing then it will be a momentum shift.

I like the in class C's I like Jayco's Thor Chateau, Winnebego's and the Lazy Daze really make me think. For Class A's, I am thinking of 32-35', diesel pusher, couple of slides and using my 4Runner as my toad.

Any feedback is nice and I do consider what people comment or email me.

A Visit to the RV Sales Lot

I decided last week that I was going to take a trip to a large RV Sales lot today, just so I could get a "feel" for a trailer, a C and an A. Somewhere between 28-32'. It also involved making this kind of a road trip with my 2003 Z4 since the roads were dry and the forecast was clear for today. They are saying possible snow flurries by Sunday night but on my return trip today after 12:30pm, I drove around 90 miles with the top down.

2003 Z4

So this trip really helped with 2 things. What the RVs were going to be like and what life would be like without the Z4 to take road trips with.

I started with a local RV seller that was unexpected, even with high reviews online, they were mostly into trailers but I at least I wouldn't be wondering what they were like. That put me further south than I was originally headed. I had a RV lot picked out that had a large selection of all types. When arriving, no one approached me, so I started with the brand new trailers, and a 29' Class A on the showroom floor. I was also pleased that I was not "attacked" by the sales force and I had to ask someone if the sales lot was open today so I could check out some used rigs.

He immediately asked what I was looking for, what type of RVing would I be doing (RV Parks or Boondocking), gas or diesel and what class. He asked what time period I would be looking to purchase and/or leave.  I was able to look at  a 2010 Jayco Greyhawk 31', a 2010 Thor Chateau 31', a 2005 32' Winnebago Class A gas and a 2004 32' Winnebago Journey diesel.

All very nice coaches and like I told him, I have been confused on which to choose between an A or a C while looking at a "million" pictures and after looking at them today.... I still am! The trailers were just too small based on pulling them with my Toyota 4Runner V8. Even the new 29' A  on the showroom felt a little cramped.

Remember, as I am working around these different floor plans I am trying to visualize 2 short legged bassets and a small Bloodhound that still weighs 78lbs and stands 28" at her shoulders would be in this RV.

I know it was only 2'-3' difference but I could tell a large difference as I walked thought the 31' er's compared to the 28' and 29'. The 4 I mentioned above all had 2 slides. Before I made this trip, I was favoring the Jayco models but after looking at the one's today, I liked the floor plans of the Class C Thor and the Class A Journey Diesel.

Some of you may be saying "why diesel", he hasn't talked about that before.

Well during recent research this past week, knowing I would be traveling the mountain ranges of the Western USA, I felt that the diesel might be the way to go. Also, I am thinking more and more of towing my Toyota 4Runner as my 'toad'. If I do tow the SUV I will definitely go diesel and due to the weight I would have to go with the Class A.

As you can tell I am looking at a few options. ALL of these were priced higher than I planned on paying when I started this research a month ago. I might have to spend more than I had planned based on deciding what I need. I will continue looking on eBay, Craig's List, and the different online RV sites but at least now I know it has to have the following:

1.  31' minimum
2.  the kitchen opposite side of the couch and diner
3.  walk around bed
4.  2 slides instead of 1 slide
5.  diesel if I decide to take my 4Runner

So today knocked out the idea of my V8 4Runner towing a trailer. I realized even with no dogs I don't think I could handle something less than 28'  I felt cramped in the new 29' A I looked at and this is from a man that spent a lot of time on Aircraft Carriers 6-10 months at a time, in my past. I just felt much more comfortable in the 31' coaches.

I also know that my idea from boondocking might change to RV parks but that is something I will not know until I try it. So I am kinda planning on a rig that will cover both options as a full-timer. Like a reader from here told me that after he started full-timing, he decided he wanted a "normal life" instead of a "camping life".

On my drive back home, state highways, hilly, curvy ... all too perfect for the Z, I had a lot of time to think about what I liked today. All 4 rigs I mentioned at the top of this blog were extremely clean, little wear. The 2004 32' Journey only had a little over 22,000 miles on it. No body damage of any kind, and with the previous owner installing his large 46" Samsong tv (same size as my home tv), there would be nothing to change EXCEPT, possibly taking out a diner or couch and installing a desk for my iMac and monster size screen.

I also really liked the Class C, 2010 Thor Chateau, actually there was nothing I found to be an issue. I felt like I could get in that and drive away. I would still change out the TV (remember I'm a sports addict) and I would take out either the couch or diner for a desk / computer table. That is where I spend most of my indoor time at home, at my computer desk.

So I will go from here, back to the sites to look around for specific models and sizes. I feel I am getting much much closer to what I want compared to yesterday...in fact a lot closer, now that I have walked around them, sat in them, looked in every exterior corner I could. I also felt good when thinking of selling my house and the Z4 and moving into an RV full-time.

To top off this day, the salesman answered every weird question I asked, added more information about each coach and NO PRESSURE....that was a big plus. All I wanted to do today was look.....plus a 250 mile road trip.

RV Shopping Online

I have spent most of my night....all of it really around my 2 hour nap....of looking at RVs for sale. I think I have ruled out a trailer and pulling that with my 4Runner. For a Class C, I have it narrowed down to a Jayco Melbourne 28'-30'. I found a couple on eBay that I have been watching for a few weeks and each of them have dropped in price. I am pretty sure that is the type of Class C I want if I choose a C. It is also the same model as a fellow reader of this blog.

I continue to think and look at Class A's, 28'-32', at least 1 slide, in the $50K range. Sometimes I feel that with the hounds that will be traveling with me, that a Class A space would be beneficial. I've bookmarked a few of those as well as "watching" them on eBay.

How easy is it to remove the bed in back and the storage underneath? Is it possible to make the bedroom floor flat and open if I remove the bed in a Class A or Class C?  I am thinking I could make that bedroom into a room like I have in my house, were I have my computers, a kennel for the bloodhound and my road bicycle on a stationary trainer for working out. I would not need a lot of room to convert that. With most RVs having sleeping for 4-6 people, I could find somewhere else to sleep and use that back bedroom as I described.

I will check the forums in the meantime to see if I can find some ideas there.

I need to "throttle back" on this process, take my time, get my "to do" list finished and let time take care of itself...the RV will show up at the right time. Enjoy the search and the downsizing process at home and keep marking things off my list that will get me closer to a departure date. I now have the departure date written in large font on my whiteboard on my office wall. It's doable and a good time to leave.

Well I'm going back to research and looking at RVs, maybe a movie.

Happy Thanksgiving to all that stop by to read this blog and are on the road RVing full-time.

More Changes

I started thinking last week of trading my Camry for a different car just because there are a lot of them for sale on the car lots and on different web auto sites. I thought it might be easier to trade that car than sell it. They are a popular car, yet many available. I also wanted a better car for the winter weather. In the past I have had Toyota 4Runners and always liked them, but the used ones with low miles are hard to find.

Last Friday I had a salesman at the Toyota Dealership I have dealt with in the past, call me about a 4Runner that had been traded into his lot, 1 owner, bought new at that dealership and all the service was at the dealership. I told him when I bought the Camry to let me know if he ever had a 4Runner traded in and gave him specs on what I was looking for. So I did some research on the 4Runner and made the trade on Monday. It's a great trade. Camry's are great cars but I love 4Runners. If I eventually trade or sell all cars before I leave, the 4Runner will sell much easier than the Camry.

So, with that trade, it brought up a different option. With the V-8, same engine that is in the Tundra and Land Cruiser, it will tow up to 6,500 lbs. Just out of curiosity I started looking at different trailers. The Casita, Jayco and one very interesting... TrailManor. Could these be used for full-timing?? Some do.

So I have gone the full spectrum of looking and trying to decide on RV's. From the Class A's, the C's and now trailers.

Anyone out there have experience in trailers? I noticed on some blogs of couples with dogs full-timing in a trailer pulled by a small SUV or small truck. I will study those in the meantime to read about their experiences, but if anyone has any experience in the Truck/Trailer combo, let me know.

I had another couple of things checked off the list Monday and Tuesday. My new Larsen storm door was installed, more things were sorted to go to recycling this Saturday and a lot goes in the trash pickup tomorrow morning.

My "to do" list is decreasing on things I HAVE to do before departing.