# Advice please



## Kiwiguy (Aug 8, 2006)

Hi, my wife and I and the the two kids are thinking about coming to the States, buying an RV and travelling aorund for about a year. We are from New Zealand and we aren't a big RV country,so I know nothing about RVs. We are looking at a Class A vehicle so any suggestions on which model to buy would be great. I have heaps of questions, so if anyone could help me out it would be much appreciated.


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## C Nash (Aug 8, 2006)

Re: Advice please

Size, price range, new or used would help us Kiwiguy. Do you have any idea on floor plan? Prefer diesel or gas?


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## Kiwiguy (Aug 9, 2006)

Re: Advice please

About 38 feet or bigger, $US150,000 - $US200,000. Probably diesel with the price of petrol going the way it is. I'm not sure what you mean by floorplan. All the Class A I have been looking at seem to have similar floorplans.


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## Kiwiguy (Aug 9, 2006)

Re: Advice please

New or used doesn't really matter. But we want the best resale value when we are finished travelling.


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## s.harrington (Aug 9, 2006)

Re: Advice please

Try www.rvtrader.com .  You can find some pretty good prices there.  Check on Allegro, Newmar, Foretravel, and Monaco for the better coaches.  You should be able to get a 2003 or newer in that price range.


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## C Nash (Aug 9, 2006)

Re: Advice please

Where will you be coming into the states? Go to a large dealer like Lazy Days if around Flordia and look at different models and floor plans.  Hard to look at literature and pictures a get a good feel about rvs.  Wifes generally kind of pick the floorplans and we pick the chassis, engine, outside storage and goodies that men have to have. Be sure and check CCC.  You will need in the 3 to 4000 lb range and most gassers will not have this much.  Good luck


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## hertig (Aug 10, 2006)

Re: Advice please

New motorhomes often have problems, which sometimes are fixed by the manufacturer and sometimes aren't (see some of the horror stories on this forum).   A new unit also has a substantual depreciation when you drive it off the lot.  Used can get you more RV for the money, and less loss when you resell, but requires an expert evaluation before the sale and if there are problems with it after the sale, generally it is up to you to pay for the repairs.  

Some people swear by 'extended warrantees', but more people swear at them


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## Kirk (Aug 13, 2006)

Re: Advice please

In order for you to title, register and insure an RV in the USA you will need to have a USA address. The best way to do that is to join the Escapees RV Club, which will supply you with and address that is legal and forward any mail to you.

http://www.escapees.com/store/membership.asp?ORC=20060813171013DLM&Category=New Membership

Clip and paste the address above in your browser and you can get all of the information you need about them from their web site. We are fulltime RVers and we have used the services of Escapees for more than six years. 

Since you plan to only keep it for a year, I strongly suggest that you look at a unit that is one to three years old and consider RVs from Newmar, National RV, Winnebago, Itasca,  or Allegro. All of those brands have good reputations and good re-sale values. You are probably looking at a loss of about 20% of the purchase price, assuming that you get a reasonable purchase price. That can have a great influence in loss as a true bargin would loose less at sale time. 

I strongly suggest that you take care of the address issue first as that will also make a significant difference in the cost to register and insure the RV.


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## Kiwiguy (Aug 13, 2006)

RE: Advice please

Thanks for the info, its a great help. What sort of essentials do you need in an RV? I keep seeing Onan generators but different sizes. What size is recommended? How about extras? Satellite TV keeps making an appearance. How does this work? Anything else that is a must have would be great.


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## s.harrington (Aug 14, 2006)

Re: Advice please

Your Generator should be large enough to power everything in your coach.  I think the smallest Quiet Diesel is 7.5 KW (if you get a pusher).  This is powerfull enough in most cases.  The KVH, King Dome, or Winegard satellite dish (automatic) are all fine.  The way they work is that you turn them on and they search for the satellite until they lock on.  A good awning is a must have.  Electric steps are good to have (until they don't work).  Maybe a bike rack and bikes since a lot of parks have trails.


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## hertig (Aug 15, 2006)

Re: Advice please

There are 2 parts to a satellite system.  The dish, as mentioned, and the receiver.  You may be able to buy a receiver and then contract for service.  This may be the best way to get the smaller box which best fits some RVs.  Easier, if you have the room, is to have satellite installed in your house, with the RV one of the 'rooms' installed.  That way there is no doubt that everything will work together.

As far as I know, the choices of provider are Dish Network, and Direct TV.


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## rlmurraysr59 (Aug 27, 2006)

Re: Advice please

I would spend the the money to get a subscription to Motorhome Magazine and maybe check into joining Family Motor Coach which has an excellent magazine that list used motorhomes for sale.  You can find a number of very good motorhomes for sale from people who had to give up the RV lifestyle due to age or illness and want to sell their motorhome to someone who is going to enjoy it like they did.  

Are you going to tow a vehicle to use for sightseeing excursions when you arrive at a destination.  If so you are going to have to check into towability, auxiliary brake systems, tow bars, and other items associated with that responsibility.   You should also purchase a Woodalls or Trailer Life Directory to look at camping facilities in the area's of the country you plan to visit.  You can Google a lot of the information you need to find out.  

Hope you enjoy your visit.  Welcome to the USA.


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## rlmurraysr59 (Aug 27, 2006)

Re: Advice please

Oh, and I would join Good Sam.  Not a lot of money but they send you valuable information on a continuous basis.  Plus you can get Good Sam Emergency Road Service which is really a great program.  I blew a serpintine belt on my engine coming throught the mountains of Virginia and called Good Sam.  They sent out a wrecker to tow me to a truck repair shop.  It cost me $92.00 and that was for the belt and installation.  Just go to www.goodsamclub.com.


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