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RVing the Easy Way!
Everyone has, at one time or another, been driving down the highway and seen an RV – then wondered what it would be like to be travelling and touring in one. The open road, being able to go camping while having all of the modern conveniences, not having to worry about being on time for a flight, the possibilities seem endless. But reality sets in as you think about the price of an RV, the price of gasoline, where you would park it, how you would manage to take enough time off from work, and the cost of maintenance, and you relegate those thoughts to the wishful thinking list. Our family wanted an RV, too, but those same questions bugged us – until we saw an advertisement in a magazine for a Class B motorhome. At first, it looked like a truck someone had turned into an RV, but we soon learned it was a lot more than that. We started doing research on the internet, then went to a local RV show, and discovered that we, too, could have an RV and go places the same way we’d seen others do! Class B motorhomes are smaller than all of the other RV’s on the market – some started life as a large van, others as a small truck. The RV manufacturer buys them directly from the vehicle manufacturer, then turns them into motorhomes. For example, two popular vehicles to start with are the Dodge Sprinter and the Chevrolet Express vans. Most are fully self-contained motorhomes when they are complete – meaning that they have a sleeping area, an eating area, a kitchen (complete with refrigerator, stove, storage and sink with running water), and bathroom facilities. The exact configuration and amount of storage and sleeping areas depend on the manufacturer and model. These RV’s also have water and holding tanks, so that fresh water and sewage containment are built right in, and batteries to supply electrical power when it is not possible to plug them in. Most have the option to purchase a generator to supply power, as well. After doing our research, we found a model we really liked that had sleeping room for 4, plenty of cargo space, and a flat screen TV with DVD. When we checked the prices, we found that the model we had selected was a bit beyond our reach, and were terribly disappointed. But then we made a discovery that changed everything – most RV dealers show their vehicles at RV shows around the country, and if you purchase one at the show or drive to their dealership, they will usually offer a substantial "show" discount. How substantial, you wonder? The sticker price on the model we chose was $96,300. We understood from our research that if we drove a hard bargain, and purchased during the off-season, we might be able to get as much as a 15% discount – that would have made the price $81,855, if we could get it. But because we expressed interest at the RV show, and went right to the dealer to purchase, the price the dealer gave us was $74,200 – that’s an additional $7,655 off of the price we were hoping to get – and 23% off the list price! Since it's smaller than the large RV's, it gets fabulous gas mileage for a vehicle of its type- we usually get between 18 and 20 miles to the gallon. RV's generally get between 6 and 8 mpg. Maintenance cost hasn’t really been an issue – in 3 years we’ve paid a total of $178.36 – that’s less than my car! And it fits in my driveway just fine – it’s not that much larger than a large van, so it’s easy to drive and park. And best of all, the things we use every trip, such as dishes, cookware, paper products, and camping chairs stay right in the RV- so we don’t need to store those things in our house, and we’re ready to go with a little bit of food and a small pile of clothing. Everyone knows that it pays to do a bit of research before making a purchase, and we've certainly found it to be good advice. We’ve had the RV for 3 years, have visited 28 states, and made countless smaller weekend trips to locations that are less than 400 miles from our home. Our son has gotten to see a great deal of our country, including many of the things he has studied in school. And we’ve never missed a flight, had s’mores at night for dessert, and when we see an overloaded minivan driving down the highway, we’re really glad we have our RV!
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Contributor's Note
Rving is fun, and it's a great way to have family time and see the world.
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May, 2012
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