I Watched 50 RV Tours & They’re Full Of Lies
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- čas přidán 28. 05. 2024
- RV Tours are all over the internet and especially on CZcams however there are some COMMON misconceptions (and flat-out lies) perpetuated by many of these tours. We lay them all out in this video. Our Reno Tour: video.gratefulglamper.com/you...
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I love Josh the RV Nerd. He is very straightforward in 95% of his videos. He shows the good and bad, and that goes for towing ability and travel access.
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We love Josh too! He does a great job.
He seems to be doing mostly rv tour videos now tho. I like him but he's still a salesman.
Love Josh.
He is just a salesman no different to any of the others
Very informative!
Heard a saying... guy says he wants a boat, his friend asks for $1000. The guy says "for what?" The friend replies "doesn't matter just give me $1000" the guy replies "I can't just give you $1000!" His friend then says "if you not willing to just throw $1000 in to the air for no reason... You're not ready for a boat"😅
Guess RVs are the same😅
BOAT = Bring on another thousand.
Not a full time RV’er but have thoroughly enjoyed traveling in our trailer. (Just got back from a 7 week trip). Totally agree with your video. Wanted to add a few comments: 1) Don’t get an RV to save money - as you said, the costs add up - even being “prepared” when we bought the RV, the costs have been higher than I thought. 2) Give careful consideration to what you’re going to do with the RV when you’re not on the road. We keep ours at a campground where it’s fully accessible year round and when we’re not on the road it’s like a cabin in the woods. Grandkids love it. But it’s a significant added expense. 3) Be prepared to do a lot of your own maintenance - I’m constantly doing minor maintenance - particularly preventive maintenance - spring and fall maintenance is a two day process of fix-up, clean-up. 4) Routine maintenance that I choose to not do myself (repacking wheel bearings, brake work, etc) is expensive, but is not a place to cut corners.. All that having been said, we love the trailer and do not regret for a second its purchase and the experiences we’ve had both on the road and as the “cabin in the woods.”
We bought our first RV this summer after a LOT of research. We went with a specific list, much of it things we DID NOT want. NO electronic junk, NO slides, NO DEF diesels, NO electronic leveling etc etc. Our list of hopefuls was short, diesel pusher with side radiator was at the top of that short list. We ended up with a 28yo Monaco diesel pusher, very basic, no electronics, no slides. So far with some repairs and renovations it has worked out perfectly. We're having a great time on a very reasonable u front investment that will likely last us a very long time.
Awesome.
It must seem a little bit smaller without slides. We have slides and I can't imagine our RV without them. But there are RVs without slides. I am sure you make it work.
Lordy I can’t do a camper w/o slides. It L’s what makes it doable for me! But we were FT in ours. Just wkends may be very diff if ur mostly outside having fun and simple outdoor cooking n then just kick back before bed.
@@karend169 We spend 99% of our time at home in a family room that's 11x20, so the motorhome doesn't seem very small. We've got a 3 bedroom 1800sq/ft that we basically use 2 rooms. We took the couches out of the mptorhome and put in 2 chairs, so the space isn't bad at all.
I can see the reasoning in the electronics, because of things shutting down, but is that also the reason for no slides?
"Try it out first" is probably the best advice out there. It was expensive but we rented an RV for a week and after two days realized this was NOT for us. We stuck it out but that expensive week of unhappiness saved us thousands and thousand by not jumping in and buying an RV first then seeing how it turns out. Turns out we're more interested in watching youtubers living in RV's than we are living in one ourselves.
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Yes, we were tent campers for years but as we got older my wife said she had enough. She loved being out but got tired of tent camping. SO we did just that...we rented an rv for a week and loved it. So we shopped around and got a used TT. Loved that thing. we decided to upgrade to a small 5th wheel...BAD idea. Our old TT was MUCH better built and for years we had NO issues. Our 5th wheel we also bought used...but we have had so many issues with due to construction, materials and just poor design issues (i.e. wrong types of slide mechanisms for the size and weight of the slide). We often will say to each other.. "Man wish we would have kept our old TT...it was nice and was in great condition".
Yes, that's what was suggested to us. Except now we really want to buy one! Plus definitely know we want a walk-around bed. 😃
Yes! Our big fancy RV started falling apart just about as soon as we pulled it off the lot. We finally traded it in for a smaller but better quality RV. Just remember, you get what you pay for.
I've been researching RV's for 2 years. I finally went to a show this spring. I was surprised to see the lack of quality of the RV's at the show. Most of them just felt like glamorized sheds.
We had felt the same way at first.
We'd been researching, planning, going to shows for years. Everything was so cheap and made of toxic materials. We were planning on getting something that wasn't too expensive so we could gut it and put in quality materials. On a whim we stopped at a RV dealership we saw as we were driving between Camping Worlds and Places like it. We were ready to put a deposit down on a Georgetown. We never buy anything the first day we look at it so we go home with plans to put a deposit down the next day. We look it up and it turns out they use tiny screws to hold the walls on and as they go down the road the movement leads to the walls shearing the screws and walls falling off as they go down the road. This wasn't just a one-off but pages and pages, site after site with these stories. Disappointed and back at the drawing board we found a smaller dealer not too far and off the beaten path. That's when we discovered the upper end class a's. We started looking at Newmar, Entegra, and American Coach. The new ones are A LOT but the used ones were just a bit more than the 'average' new RVs you see with the beige exteriors. We ended up with an 11 year old coach that is built using all maple wood cabinets, doors, and trim handmade by the amish, a cedar closet, ceramic (heated) floors, Corian counters (they do make them with granite and we plant to swap the corian for granite). The materials are better quality than you'd get in a new house these days. The slides have huge gears and thick steel, not the aluminum that basically uses the same hardware as a drawer. Many of the electric things have a manual override. For less than $300k.
Like anything else there are different levels and they stop looking the same once you get to know them.
I watched a RV video from a couple some time ago, and the things I remember the most are:
1. Storage - They couldn't even have much spare clothes or food due to the limited space
2. Parking - They can't just park whenever they wanted, some places don't allow it, and some places where you could, are too isolated to be safe
3. Water, and waste management - Keeping their place clean, and provisioned at all times, this also impacted bathing, and washing clothes
4. Personal time - This could be the most difficult when you're travelling accompanied, even if they love each other, people need a little solitude, and quiet from time to time
To be honest, I think this is true for tiny houses as well
We're on our third RV/trailer. Our first two were Class C's, but we found ourselves staying put for long periods of time, so we traded in for a travel trailer that had more living space. We absolutely LOVE it and are very happy with it. There is definitely a huge learning curve and thankfully, we've had seasoned, helpful neighbors that have given us the help we needed when we couldn't figure something out.
We traveled in a Class C for a year and then lived in it staying out for 2 years while we built our house. I would’ve rather had a traveler tow trailer to live in, but on the road we liked the class C 😊
Charity you are awesome, I love it, you told the gods honest truth about RVs and the often glorified RV lifestyle. I only have 48 years of experience with RVs, an RV Park and dealerships so I may not know much but, I can tell you that I'm fed up with YT RV influencers misrepresenting what RVs really are and the livability, durability of 300 to maybe 400 sqft. Keep doing what your doing, the community as a whole needs this. These newbies have no idea what they maybe setting themselves up for.
Thank you so much!
Honestly we found our 30’ 5er fine for space but we had a double slide in main cabin so it was huge inside. I need to feel not cramped!
And all built ins were ripped out n the real couch put crossways at the end so it was a huge empty area (we put folding table n chairs in middle for a kitchen counter, the kitchen setup was very stupid - it was on my list to rehab also.
Even our other room had only a water closet so no wasted space on sep bathrm. It was huge area also.
I miss my 5er!
I had 4 RVs. 3 were used and the 4th was new. All 4 were just junk. Happiest day as an RV owner was the day I told my RV dealer I was out of the RV business. His face went pale. He went out of business shortly after that. Yes!!!!
My mom and I like to walk through the RVs when they come to town. It is wild how different a walk through is to a video of the same RV. My parents love to camp but my mom is very much a glamper. Having this conversation is so important if you are actually considering spending this kind of money up front and even more along the way. Great video!
You DO have a bunch of tips and tricks. You are our best channel for that. Because of you, we have had successful RV'ing and that is a result of taking your advice on many items and issues. We thank you for this.
Glad to help!
Here's my list of realities that I wasn't ready for but probably should have been.
1. The weather is not always beautiful and sunny and when it's not being stuck inside an RV can be very confining, sometimes depressing and even potentially dangerous. A month of rainy days or a sudden cold snap can be a real downer and unexpected high winds can be harrowing.
2. If you are traveling alone and end up in area or campground without other guests you connect with it can be lonely. If you end up on bad terms with somebody in the campground or area it can be downright miserable. If you are not traveling alone the lack of space can make arguments much worse (especially in bad weather when you don't really have a place to retreat to to cool off.
3. Your RV might have all the space you need but it might not be very easy for you to get to that space. Having to dig through multiple different lockers or cabinets to find that one thing you need can be exhausting. Additionally you may find if you have to do a repair that the small size of an RV makes getting at the thing needing repair even more difficult than it might be in a full size home.
4. Lack of permanence can cause you anxiety and stress. There are a few campgrounds I know of in Florida and Arizona that will rent to you for 6 months or even a year at a time but with most you will be lucky to get a month. And the idea of having to pack up and move unexpectedly without a plan can be unpleasant. This may sound intuitive to some people and a lot of people may love the adventure of that idea. But a lot of them have never had the opportunity to get out on the road and see for themselves what it is like to not know what the next week or even the next night might bring.
5. Full time travel can create issues getting quality medical care or medical insurance. Medical care in the US is not set up for people who are nomadic. Most medical care is predicated on you being at least semi permanently attached to one area and one state.
6. ALL RVs eventually leak... And you will generally find this out in the middle of a really terrible thunderstorm when all that can be done about it is to grab a bucket and a plastic sheet or tarp to cover things that might get ruined by the water getting into your home.
7. You may find yourself unexpectedly excluded from many campgrounds if your RV is over 10 years old. There is a lot of snobbery in the RV Park world and many a story have I seen of people turned away from a park because even though their high dollar airstream trailer was pristine it was 30 years old, or their customer motorhome that cost as much as a house to build out happened to be built on a school bus platform, or just because the owner doesn't like the look of your rig. The rules can be arbitrary uneven and frustrating. Know before you go.
8. On the subject of snobbery, RV lifestyle can generate a fair amount of envy and THAT can breed resentment that turns into a whole batch of stereotypes about RVers, both those who have an unlimited budget and those who are doing it on a shoestring can run afoul of this problem as the one end of the spectrum can be looked at as selfish and entitled and the other end of the spectrum can be looked at as lazy good for nothing bums.
9. Just like RV manufacturers can lie and exaggerate so can RV Park owners. The pristine pool in the pictures may be a far cry from what the pictures showed, waterfront property could mean a park at the end of a dirty brown miles long canal that eventually leads to open water and clean beautiful bathrooms might not be, or might not have hot water.
10. Tubs are fairly uncommon in an RV and full sized ones are close to nonexistent. Not ever being able to enjoy a hot bath can be a real bummer.
I've enjoyed my time full time RVing. I've had some of the most beautiful views and beautiful sunsets for a small fraction of what most people normally pay to see them and it can be a much more enriching way to see the world then a hotel or resort. But it's not all beautiful sunsets, wine and roses.
Well said, thanks for the comment
I'm skeptical of all positive reviews on any product, I go straight to the negative feedback and see how realistic they are.
Great review! Been RV'ing for 20 years and have it all worked out - at least for us. A small 23' diesel bought cheap with low miles and now go mostly to BLM, Forest Service lands, or National Parks that aren't as well known. The chassis has held up well with only one problem. And the coach has been a work in progress, not from repairs as much as customizing. Now after a few years everything is reliable and in good shape. And being stored on our property, we now enjoy cheap dependable RV'ing.
This is exactly what I hope to have and plan to do in 2024...it'll be just me, so I don't need anything bigger than 24'.
Totally agree with the "sleeping" areas. The best I can think of is a slide in camper I owned. It was advertised as sleeping for 6. Not sure where they all would sleep. This was a 9 foot with kitchen and "full" bath. Couldn't imagine being that camper with 5 other people on a rainy day. You would defiantly need steel toed shoes to protect your toes. One other thing I will say,, RVs of any size or description are designed to fail over a very short time.
We've been watching RV videos and TV shows and visiting showrooms for more years than I want to admit. We are on our 6th camper. We've had a travel trailer, 2 class C's, and 3 class A's - 1 with no slides. We now own a 45' Tiffin Allegro Bus that my husband and I will move into full time next year when he finally retires. I've been researching and planning this whole thing for 3 years now and I still don't have it all figured out. We are hoping to last 10 years, but since we will be in our mid 60's when we start, we know a lot depends on our health.
Best wishes in your future travels
Now you're being very realistic about going full time. When my hisband retires we're heading out RVing. We'll go from there to decide what and where we'll go from there.
That’s awesome u can do that AND in a Class A! U will have such a blast, even just lazeing around. U will be living my dream life-travel, family visiting, tourist sites and great views!
we have a medium size rv and when the 5 of us are inside due to rain or the weather being too cold, it feels tight; I usually push the agenda to spend the most time outside and staying inside for the basics, we got rid of the 2 TV's that came with the RV and do a lot of cooking outside; we always travel with a 6 person tent for those moments when we you need space and I enjoy cooking with a wood stove as well!! We are not full timers, but I guess if we feel we need something more permanent, I'll go for the Unimog expedition off road vehicle and roam anywhere an RV can't go; the loan will be higher but there are much more possibilities
Finally someone says how it really is. I am so tired of the tours of shiny new RV’s and ignoring reality with all the problems with quality, warranty and non-performance of the RV dealerships
Great video ! Thanks for sharing. I have been living full time in a 40ft motorhome since 2016 . Everything you are saying is true. Repairs or remodeling both are necessary when habitation in either. And because of availability or demands of qualified mechanics or professionals in certain areas repairs can be more expensive or even take longer. Some of the best referrals or research comes from those who have been living the lifestyle. The lifestyle is not all happy go lucky. It can have advantages but also disadvantages and definitely not how the rv lifestyle is always marketed.
We retired and moved into a brand new RV five years ago. We’re very happy with the area that we decided to stay in. The RV itself was l, of course, a shock. We have always owned some form of RV, or at times even tent, camped, so we were used to spending time in smaller spaces. Still, it was amazing how little room there was in here. Regarding the quality of the construction, we agree with what you said about low quality materials. Our walls are paper thin. Many little items have broken, and it’s obvious that a lot of that was due to poor workmanship. When we first bought the RV, we had to drive thousands of miles to the place where we were going to put it. My husband has driven many large vehicles, but he had more trouble on that drive than he could imagine. It turns out that the RV company did not install the hitch properly. There was just weird stuff too. We discovered seven extra inches at the back of the drawers in our kitchen island. You better believe I jumped on that space lol. Since we are not moving, we finally built a little shed in the yard. After five years, I actually now own a crockpot and an air fryer. We have greatly enjoyed living here, but it certainly was interesting to get used to.
There are videos of travel trailers and fifth wheels being built on CZcams that everyone who is considering buying any type of RV should watch.
This was much better than I was expecting. (No offense). We like to watch the RV tours, as well as the sales type videos. Mostly my wife and I just pick them apart for the reasons you have described. We also read the comments to see how the viewers react. I think that for the most part people are enamored by the interiors. Spot on about the quality. I've gone to RV shows with friends looking at coaches and they're pretty surprised at how the drawers and cabinet interiors are put together as well as materials used. That's only one example but there are many when it comes to construction. Another comment on the "this RV sleeps 8 comfortably". Let's say you get that many actually bedded down. Where are you going to seat them all when it's raining outside and everyone is stuck inside? Where does everyone eat if you don't have the outside dining room set up for one reason or another? I too dreamed of setting up on the beach and enjoying our condo on wheels. Nobody said anything about sand getting everywhere, or that salt air/spray corroding the hell out of all the important metal parts!
Good job on the video! Not many truthful ones out there.
Thanks so much and thanks for watching!
It's no different when it comes to a tiny home. I have lived in one for 7 years now and I love it. I love it because I am single. If I was married with kids then you can throw living like this out the window. I don't care what CZcams families claim. My girlfriend comes over a lot and we would kill each other if it was a more permanent and all the time situation.
I am so glad that you’re talking about the horrible qualities of the materials used in these rvs. I have an almost 20 year old travel trailer and some of these newer rvs are made so terribly. Thankfully my husband is good with maintenance and has saved our roof.
Totally agree! Our travel trailer is 20 year as well, and we have been slowly redoing it. New floor, curtains, cushions, starting to remove the old graphics. We looked at new, but the quality isn't there, everything has a slide, they are so heavy, and so long!! Ours is 20 feet and we can pretty much take it anywhere. All it costs us at this point is regular tires, batteries, wheel bearings, and storage.
The man who half raised me said, “You can stay in a lot of fine type hotels and motels for the price of an RV.”
Thanks for this video. We purchased our new RV earlier this year. I watched a ton of RV tour videos before we decided. I found the ones presented by dealerships were frequently light on practical details and heavy on deceptive tactics and glossing over real world challenges. The reviews I found were most useful were those presented by actual owners after a decent amount of time actually using the rig. We are taking our time with local shakedowns and letting our experience be the guide for what we need and don't need. We love the experience so far...
So nice that someone is finally telling the TRUTH, most channels don’t.
I’m a diesel mechanic full time and we work on RVs, almost all are made as cheap as they can, they just put pretty plastic chrome and plastic chrome strips and led lights everywhere to make them look fancy. They are not built any better than the cheap looking ones. Now there’s a few exceptions and those are brands like prevost, those are actually built like tanks. You will pay for those though.
You are correct about the quality of the build in RV's. I'm keeping my '08 because currently, it has no problems. There is no reason for me to buy a new RV when you consider the cost. Also how many people an RV sleeps, you are also correct. Ours is supposed to sleep 6. It actually sleeps 2 adults and 4 very small, young children. We only camp up to 1 month. Usually, it is only 4 days or less.
It's very rare for me to get any real truth or honesty from folks ever. Which is 1 of the reasons I began watching your videos. I'm drawn to ur families real happiness. Thanks for doing what you do. 👊😃
Undoubtedly you have spent many hours RVing with the information that you are talking about. My wife and I lived in a RV fifth wheel for 6 years with no major problems. Even took grandchildren with us on some trips. We had the pleasure of rving in 49 states. After stopping full timing we bought a class C motorhome still no major problems, sold motorhome after wife traveled to her heavily home.
The first time you empty the black water tank, the glamor aspect definitely diminishes... I've been an RVer since my parents let me use their '73 Winnebago for spring break in high school (I was a good kid). The one thing that I would say is an absolute must for anyone considering owning an RV is that someone in the family absolutely needs to be very handy. In my years I've had to do so many emergency repairs on the various RVs I've used and owned I've lost count. Everything on an RV is built to a cost and weight, meaning a lot of it is cheap and lightweight (read easily broken). So, be prepared and have a really good toolkit with automotive, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and leak repair tools and equipment. Even if you luck out and don't need it yourself, you may be able to save someone else's vacation.
Now if I can somehow wipe out the memory of when my wife stopped up the black water drain pipe on our first trip together...
A very helpful and honest video about the RV life. Thank you for sharing and please keep the videos a-coming.
We own a 40 year old Sunrader and have found that Solar is nice but the capabilities are very much overstated. This is especially true in the south where AC is important. Also from my past career I can always see through the production tricks to make the interiors look massive on video tours.
Hey Glamper family, I hope y’all had a wonderful weekend. Be safe and take care of yourselves
Great video content. The Halloween RV costume is hilarious- but true 😂. Full time RVing is not for everybody, at least not for us. After 25+years of RVing we spend about 3 months max. 6 months on the road - I have to admire you guys, it’s especially a great experience for your kids.- I am wondering where the age limit for your kids will be when you decide to part time again? A good quality RV is important but no matter the price there is always something to fix. Still we love RVing, already booked our favorite site in fall for next year. Spring not yet 😊.
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You spend your money up front or as you go. One way or the other it will cost you to have a maintained RV. LOL
Thank you so much we are getting closer to our full time date but you are so right about camera angles that is why we have listened to the channels that like yours show the good and ways things really are not just the life is all roses. I also like the channels that give you updates like this worked but we found something a little better.❤
You are so welcome
LOL I actually backed completely away from solar panels after not one, but TWO hail storms in South Dakota. Lost hundreds of dollars of panels and haven't bothered trying again.
OMG I can't tell you how much I appreciated your video. 100% true on all points, I feel that a majority of RV youtubers brush over the harsh reality of owning an RV and paint a false and rosy picture of RV life, creating totally unrealistic expectations which are soon crushed when they actually own and travel. Great channel, much appreciated.
Thank you!
Tour videos: Yes somewhat helpful. I learned I did not want one with bunks between two walls. Would be a pain to replace mattress, clean, change sheets, etc. And that split baths: Really gross to use the toilet then have to touch the door handle to get to the sink to wash hands. Lots of other "steer clear ofs"
Great video, thanks for the information.
Glad it was helpful!
If the law of thermodynamics states that all things are in a constant state of deterioration, an RV multiplies that and adds an earthquake with complete distraction, rolling down the road. Run don’t walk away.
Make sure you have a roll of duct tape when the staples start coming out.😂
So true how RV manufacturers highlight how many it can sleep. A better measure I think is how many it can walk. A common one is a 32 foot can sleep 8; two in the rear bed, 2 in the overhead, 2 in the dinette, and 2 on the floor. That many people in a rig is miserable, but it makes sense to newbie RV'ers until they try it.
You do a great job with your videos ma'am. Great (production work) is the description I suppose I need to use, very professional and quite helpful information. It would appear that traveling and RV'ing has changed drastically over the past couple of decades. Our last trip out with our sons shortly after 9/11 to Alaska was made without ever once stopping in a RV park.
So much, so true…..
Over a forty year period we’ve owned five RVs (van chassis model, class C, and three coaches), spending thousands of dollars on initial purchase price, insurance, fuel, maintenance, repair, tires, batteries, windshields and campgrounds. Did we enjoy the RV lifestyle - yes, but with many, many moments of angst. We finally found getting repairs and maintenance done, to be frustrating, almost impossible and always expensive.
We’ve shifted our focus to camping and backpacking using a big SUV/tent combo with almost zero regrets. Over the past two years we’ve organized our travels and outdoor adventures realizing how simple it can be to enjoy our camping adventures. The word that comes to mind - liberating!
Good luck with your channel.
Thanks so much!
Thanks for your amazing videos very helpful 😊
We bought a used Tahoe Lite and the problem is that while the tent atends are potentially fabulous, maybe not in Bear country. There is no good way to add loft to any bed, and storing the added loft is just not gonna be easy.
The Halloween bit was so funny
hi ! just saw your video and i think .....renting an rv before buying one is a must .
i did it twice and learned a lot . it seriously opened my eyes . you need to have a serious bag of knowledge to face what is ahead of you .
I‘ve been watching RV & Nomad CZcams videos for the last 5+ years. I’ve also visited RV showrooms. My pet peeve is tours only showing the RV’s with the slides out.
Aren’t going to be in it mostly with them out? Why have them otherwise?
Yes, you are pretty accurate! Our RV is two years old and we have replaced the toilet, shower head and my husband took of the entire underbelly because of a leak (found the leak and many other "shortcuts" like bent pex pipe). There is water damage around the bathroom sink and the slide trim. We love it still. I am retired and my hubby can work where there is internet. Currently we are at a great campsite with weak internet. We use the RV to visit our kids in Kentucky and Louisiana. It is so awesome to have our own place when visiting them-extra bathroom to get ready in, our own bedroom...
Most campsites are fine. Most all campsite staff are great! Most of the campers are also great. Some are not. We were just in Branson and things like, laundry machine hogging,, going the wrong way on one ways, not picking up dog waste, not recognizing curfew, putting non burnable things in the fire rings...minor but frustrating things nonetheless. Some have awesome wooded lots and sometimes they are paved parking lots with hook-ups.
All in all, you take the good with the bad. We will not go back to some places and make note of the great places. Always review campsites because most RVers read them! You do not get rich owning an RV but you do it for other reasons. Experiences over things!!!!!!!!
Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I never get laundry machine hogging
Get in n get ur crap out so others can use it! DUH
This is so spot on. Good job!!
Thank you!
I spent 6 years as the maintenance supervisor for large campground, and there is no way on earth I would ever buy an RV. 😊
Thanks for sharing!
Only thing I Never hear is the Funding for all that? 2:20 Defiantly a Must Have- It's the best part!
Appreciate your content so much!!
Glad you enjoy it!
Very informative video. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
A quick note about solar panels:
If a solar panel is facing flat onto the sun at noon, you get the rated power. If you lay it flat and are not at the equator, you can to reduce what you expect at noon. At 45 degrees north, expect about 1/2 the rated power at noon. If you know the rated power in Watts if you multiply by about 8 you get the watt-hours you will put in your batteries per sunny day. On a cloudy day expect about 10 times less than that for the darkest day. An important thing is to conserve power in any way that is practical. This means not running lights and stuff you don't really need.
Most rv tours I’ve seen seem to be honest about things like sleeping… I’ve heard 1 adult for the dinette or 2 small children. 🤷🏼♀️
I agree though that rv interiors are not “high end”… they can’t be because of the weight.
Except maybe those prevost million dollar class A’s. Lol
Excellent content. Thanks.
We've been full time since July 2017 (no homebase). On our 2nd rig. Brand new 2019 5th wheel and the brakes and shackles are completely worn out already with probably well over 60k miles just on the 5th wheel. Coast to coast and Canada to Mexico borders dozens of times. My Victron/Battleborn w/ 1500w roof solar is going on 4 years old. Today, I got 745w from my 1500 system in full sun. Part of that is time of year, part of that is weather and altitude and part is just panel degradation. My 600aH (6x 100aH) Battleborn battery bank has been netting me 400aH lately according to my Victron battery monitor (we are heavy boondockers). Wouldn't trade it though for bricks-n-sticks again, but we may purchase a homebase in 2024. I may do a video on how well all my mods have held up over the mileage/years including the RV. All I see on CZcams is the brand new setups, no follow up videos on Victron/Battleborn at mid life, dusty, worn, and well used.
Thanks for sharing!
Bricks n sticks r way overrated, for sure!
I’m about to go out in a van just to get back out there!!
Love this video. Lived in an RV for 5 years. Everything you said is sooooo true.
Great topic. Thanks.
Hi! I live in the northeast and at this time of year, camping season is over and we are closing up the unit for the winter. We already know how to winterize our unit to prevent the pipes from freezing, but had to learn techniques for preparing the rest of the unit for winter storage… specifically to keep the mice out! Have you considered a video with tips and tricks for this? We had to crawl under the unit to seal up holes, we remove every scrap of food including spices, we clean and prop the doors of the fridge, we remove linens, remove kitchen electrics (the mini keurig coffee maker retains water and we don’t want it to freeze) and have considered placing mint packs to deter mice (never mothballs..ew). Any other tips or tricks for long-term storage?
Hey there, we also used to winterize and put our RV into storage when we first got started. We don’t have a specific video on how to winterize because there are so many other great winterizing videos already out there. Best wishes and thanks for watching
Mice can be a huge problem in an RV, and the manufacturers think nothing of leaving gaps everywhere. In one rig, we got so desperate that at night husband went outside and laid under the rig while I shined a very bright light inside in every nook and cranny. We found many small holes which we plugged. It was a lot of work, but well worth the effort - never another critter inside. Oh, and they will chew through Great Stuff.
Yes, yesyesyes! Good point on winterizing for rats especially the bigger field rats.
Be open to this and by all means learn your RV. LEARN YOUR RV.
It's a book, a road map if you will to your passion. Know it.
Back to the rats. The larger the rat the smaller it looks. Learn this about your R/V. Learn this on parking and especially when stowing.
Of all the other things like drink, food, spices, seasonings which are all on the inside, go outside and either frame-jack or wheel-jack your R/V. Get it UP, UP off the ground. When you do, crawl under it and look at your frame. Anyone can patch holes underneath. Patching holes is not an issue and are easy fixes. But a rat? A big field rat? A rat that stretches twice its size that is big and elusive? Look at your frame.
Rats will run that channel frame and will sit inside that frame to stay away from predators (hiding from humans) and those frames block wind. The longer the stretch that varmint can make the longer and farther he can jump. Patch all the holes you want but they go from ledge to ledge to ledge and will run it end to end to inside engine/generator compartments and inside curves of your bumper's. If it is a box frame, plug it. If there is a fabric or plastic sheeting that is attached above your cross-members to protect floor insulation...look for a rat inside if you have a hole. If you patch the hole and leave rat bait inside that hole? You will smell dead rat for a lifetime.
Rat bait any edge/ledge and block off small animals, even cats. Even if a cat don't eat it they will paw-it. That is a toxic residue.
Steel wool makes a good patch. Do not SOS soap pads. Rats will eat the dry soap making the pad itself worthless. Use a heavy grade steel wool. It tears their mouth and front teeth to pieces and they bleed badly. Rats don't tolerate their own blood.
A heavy steel wool at ledges used for "jump points" can stop this. A rat "will" eat thru your soft material undercarriage.
These issues is why I love my truck bed camper. It's simple. Not many moving parts. Yay!
A lot of videos neglect to show what these things look like with the slides in. That may be important if you want to have passengers on the road or don't want to depend on the slides always working to just be able to walk to your bathroom. It's something I appreciate seeing when it is actually included. Is everything all squished together or is the bed pushed up against the wall when the slides are in? I may want to know that!
When I see real tile in a kitchen or bath, all I can think about is the amount of weight it adds to the RV. The additional weight is not your friend.
Their idea of great storage is not what people who don’t live in an RV will consider great storage.
Exactly! Thanks for watching
Great video!
Thanks!
Thank You I enjoy your videos. I have a suggestion on a video subject for you. Do a video on when purchasing a new RV, what the finance terms could be, How much of a discount you should get off the MSRP, what is the estimated value of the RV after one year. Lots of people got long tern financing and then a year later they owe 25% more than the RV is worth. It's not to scare people away from buying a new RV but just help them to understand what they are getting into. RV's depreciate really fast. thanks
I appreciate the photos, maps, and support material.
Thanks for watching
I don't listen to many of these RV channels but I do listen to RVS with big bow and the people at Parkway RV Center or very straightforward love the channel love you guys too this is a great video
Thanks much!
Former RV’r. You hit the nail on head!
Very fair and even-handed, thanks for that
Thanks for watching
Have the money to do it. Some people dump everything they have into it and that's not usually a good thing. For most, even full time RVing should still be considered a luxury.
Within a year I had to do 10 repairs from improper ac installation, broken tire stem, to power converter . Probably spent about $3000 to fix. Took it back to the dealership to redo power wiring which they did for free. Door broke, pipe broke water inside on floor, walls and ceiling for 8 hrs. We have a damaged from a truck tire thread hitting us on our first trip.
What is never told is what advanced knowledge you must acquire: 1) Tires, tread wear, speed ratings, pressure 2) vehicle weight ratings and loading 3) water and waste water management 4) Chemicals: which ones for lubrication, ex seals/bearings those for protection, ex UV or cleaning. 5) trip planning, where to stay or gas up, trip mileage, weather ex: driving on a windy day can be a challenge.
So true, thanks for watching
March of 2022 we bought a used 2018 Class A Jayco Precept with 19,000 miles on it. All upholstery was immaculate. Now 11,000 miles and only 1.5 years later they are all peeling and cracking very badly. If we clean them it peels worse. Upholstery has dandruff. Why was there NO sign of wear? I should have seen some. What a magic trick the dealer was able to do.
Oh man, that would be so disappointing!!
I don't think the dealer did anything. That is the cheap faux leather/vinyl. Pretty to look at but not to use. Do not replace the furniture with the cheap rv furniture!
Jayco is the worst quality been there done that
We are very happy with the purchase and nothing catastrophic has been found but I just don't understand how it didn't wear at all from the previous owners
I watch a lot of RV tour videos and yet to see ONE that says the cabinets are cheap, or the drawers are flimsy and surely will break, or this is a very overpriced. You have to get on the RV and check these things for yourself.....and do your research.
Very true. Thanks for watching
Rear corner outside wall was out on our first trip, not sure if it was like that when I picked it up at the dealership, but it took a year to fix. I found a tech with 40 years of experience working for forrest river in oregon. He knew how to fix it in 30 minutes.
great channel, very informative. Love following you guys. Haven't got an RV or trailer yet, but doing homework, on maintenance, and what to expect. Also how to enjoy as much about RV'ing even with the hangups. Lots of beautiful country to see before I get too old.
your presentation skills are top notch
Roads across the USA suck... and you will run some shake-down tests of your RV often.... some motorhomes have horrible handling and driving and require extra upgrades to sway bars and tune kits...
Charity….great video! Thanks for bringing the truths to life!
Thank you so much for always putting the truth out there. I’ve been to some rv shows and they definitely are ALL about getting that sale.
Thanks for watching
I always laugh when they sleep ten but can only seat four. So I guess if it’s raining, you just slide the others under the fifth wheel. When it comes to the grandkids, they WILL fit.
Right!?! 😂
I am a tech at a Freightliner dealer. I can tell you there is a good reason we charge a higher labor rate for RVs vs. a normal truck. They suck to work on! I will never in my life own a motorcoach even if you gave it to me and paid me to use it. No matter how pretty everything inside is, they are all built with the same cheap structure. It all falls apart quick. Plus, I'll never understand how a truck driver has to go through so much expense and scrutiny with a CDL to make a living, but any 75 year old that can barely see 5 ft in fron of him can just jump in a 40k lb brick on wheels with no special icense or training and drive all over creation.
We got out our the RV thing about 6 months ago. It got to be nothing but a big hassle. Now we’re on a tour bus with other old farts. Lots of great advice. Thanks
I can’t imagine
I loved our 18 mos in our 5er
Left it very reluctantly but no choice
I agree with your title.
25 yrs of RVing & 4 motorhomes later.
👍🏻
I'm a master tech with diesel experience and yes the things you said resonate with me. You buy it, it breaks and I'm the guy who has to work thru miles of wiring and electronics, sort thru plumbing lines that disappear into an inaccessible chassis, try and access a slide out mechanism thru a 12 x 12 access panel or lastly, try and figure out where the chassis systems end and the rv assembly begins. You almost need a masters degree in several systems to work on these ( actually you dont but you need the best diagnostic skills ever possible to solve problems). I used to work on tvs in my youth and thought these were the hardest things on earth to work on - theyre nothing compared to class A motorhomes or even worse class b and c's where everything is so tightly packed and never made to be worked on. Anyhow, I touch about 3 a month and they will send you home questioning your job choices. I do agree, the portrayal in rv videos is all flash and works to hype you up but honestly, its just hype to make you hand over the check and you are on your own. Most of the time when you buy a used rv, ask yourself why are the previous owners selling it? does it have issues, usually there are things that they tolerated until they couldnt anymore. I liked the saying about either polishing it or fixing it, its true. the majority of the bad rap rvs get come from the sales departments, they push and lie and cheat just to make the sale. That being said people, do your homework, research the product, wear some grubby clothes and bring a flashlight - these things scare sales people because your gut speaks volumes over sales pitches - when you said this i knew you knew your stuff. Btw, that flashy shower surround you showed likely will develop cracks and usually is held in place with double sided foam tape which doesnt hold. Good video and i have some time so im going to check out a few more you have
Thanks for sharing and checking out our channel.
I seen a video recently about a problem with his "new" RV / diesel generator. He called it the " Blame Game " Renegade blame Cummins who blame Mercedes who blame Renegade who blame Firefly who blame ... Well, you get it !
Videos like this, and especially the comment sections, really speak to the Human condition more than even the RV industry. It's been quite an education dealing with RVs and RV customers for the last 15 years. We try to be honest, become friends and not treat people like numbers. But, we just can't anticipate every eventuality and circumstance someone will encounter on the road.
Great video.
Thank you!
Great advice to test drive the lifestyle first.
For sure! Thanks for watching
I Love that advice!👍
great video
Thanks so much
Make sure you check your roof ( or have it checked ) regularly. Don't wait till you see it dripping inside or the repair is twice as bad $$$$$$. We got blind sided by that. I also try to make as many repairs myself as possible. ( Just recently replaced the fill line for the fresh water tank, would never have thought the plastic line just cracked and split, it was a job to change it and fish it through some of the cabinets, you would think something so hard to change would be designed better.) As someone said in the comments below, you don't buy a camper to save money, you really need to enjoy the lifestyle before buying one.
We had our roof completely redone and now it’s a lifetime, maintenance free roof!
What product did you use? Can it be applied by the camper owner? @@GratefulGlamper
It was installed by rvroof.com - video here:czcams.com/video/JSxfBpEMapY/video.htmlsi=3Y0m7nWTvWe3bXbo
My wife and I joke about being careful and gentle when we *wake up, stretch and stumble out of bed.....because we don't want to punch a hole though cabinets and walls
😂
I Noticed the Cruise America Rental that you put in your video to give people a shot at seeing what RV Life is like. I would take it one step further and say to consider buying a used RV from a rental company like Cruise America. The first thing is that they are built solid as a rock. The average RV goes out between 6 - 8 times a year. Rentals go out 40 -47 times a year, so they have to be built solid. True, they don't have any frills, you add things like TV's and any of the other that you want to have with you while Glamping. The best part is that you installed it so you can more easily troubleshoot any issues. With a little creativity your used RV can look as nice as most of the RV's that cost thousands more. I know, I own a Majestic 28A, and love it.
Thanks for the tip!
Very well done ty
Thanks for watching