Choosing Your First RV
Is this your first time shopping for a recreational vehicle? Congratulations! You’re about to make camping so much more enjoyable, relaxing, comfortable and secure for yourself and your family. But shopping for your very first RV is a somewhat overwhelming experience, due to the fact that it’s a large expenditure and a big commitment, not to mention the sheer number of choices available to you on the market.
Herold Trailer Sales in Indianola is your Iowa RV dealership. We’ve provided some convenient tips below to help take the stress out of choosing and purchasing your very first RV.
Which Type?
RVs come in a number of different styles, which you’ve no doubt noticed on campgrounds and in parking lots and on the highway. Your primary choice will be between towable RVs and motorhomes, but there are several sub-categories within these groups as well.
Towable RVs
Towable RVs require you to have a sufficiently large towing vehicle that you hitch them to in order to haul them from place to place. This category encompasses travel trailers, fifth wheels, toy haulers, pop-up campers and the like. If you already have a pretty sizable vehicle that gets good gas mileage and you don’t mind using it to tow, then a towable RV might be your best option.
Benefits of towables include their lower sticker price, their portability and the ability to use your towing vehicle separately on your vacation for taking day trips or running errands. Drawbacks include the wear and tear they cause on your towing vehicle and smaller interiors.
Motorhomes
Motorhomes are self-contained RVs that have their own engines and driving cabs. You do not need a secondary vehicle to use a motorhome, although you could hitch one up to tow it along if you wish to use it on your trip. Motorhomes come in gas or diesel varieties and in three different types or classes: Class A, which resemble buses; Class B, which resemble vans; and Class C, which resembles trucks.
The benefits of motorhomes include their extreme durability and increased luxury. Drawbacks include their higher cost and higher maintenance needs.
What’s Your Budget?
You should also take the time to establish a firm budget before you go out shopping for the perfect RV. Knowing how much you can afford to spend will help you to stay within your means and avoid buying something that you cannot maintain. Don’t forget to include more than the sticker cost when making a budget; you’ll also need to factor in fuel costs, maintenance, upkeep, insurance and accessories.
How Do You Like to Camp?
When you think about the type of RV that will best suit your needs, it can be helpful to consider the types of vacations you enjoy taking with your family. If you love going to campgrounds that are loaded up with amenities like rec rooms, laundry facilities and showers, you might want to go with a more basic camper that just offers the bare necessities. But if you want to go on dry-camping adventures in the wilderness or travel for weeks at a time, then you will definitely want more amenities and creature comforts on board. You should also think about where you’ll be driving, since some types of RVs might better suit certain areas in terms of their maneuverability.
We hope this guide has proven useful to you in your quest to find the perfect RV. Come see us at our Indianola, Iowa, dealership to take a tour of our current stock of new and used RVs for sale. We even have financing options that you can make use of, if you need them. Let our friendly staff know if you have any questions about models, manufacturers or types of RVs so we can help you narrow down your options.
Herold Trailer Sales welcomes all of our customers in the greater Des Moines, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska, metropolitan areas to pay us a visit when they’re shopping for their first RV.