Have you made any of these mistakes? What new ones can you add? âĄïž FIRST, SUBSCRIBE! enjoythejourney.life/CZcams đ COMPANION BLOG enjoythejourney.life/rv-buying-mistakes/ â MERCH! T-SHIRTS, MASKS & MORE! teespring.com/stores/enjoythejourney âĄïž TEXT US, secret videos, live streams, current location, CZcams creator tips & MORE! enjoythejourney.life/join â Click âŹâŹâŹ"READ MORE"âŹâŹâŹ for links to our favorite RV resources, gadgets, gear, & FREE stuff! đ Quick Start Guide: How to Make Money & RV & FREE RV Campsite Setup & Breakdown Checklist(s) enjoythejourney.life/newsletter âĄïž LINKS FOR THIS VIDEO: BLOG & LINKS enjoythejourney.life/rv-buying-mistakes/ AIRSTREAM & VAN TOURS czcams.com/video/HSdbGuea3bc/video.html SAVE BIG ON RV DIESEL! enjoythejourney.life/RVfuel (please mention Thomas Kenemore referred you, thanks!) Lippert (LCI) 24/7 RV tech support chat, videos & more enjoythejourney.life/LCI or call 432-LIPPERT LEARN HOW-TO RV! enjoythejourney.life/masterclass OUR HITCH! GET YOURS enjoythejourney.life/hitch Get all your truck, towing, RV needs & more enjoythejourney.life/Etrailer Best RV Jack Pad: enjoythejourney.life/pad Cheri's official BEACH TRIBE apparel! Join now! teespring.com/beach-tribe Tom's official MOUNTAIN TRIBE apparel! Join now! teespring.com/mountain-tribe SHOP OUR AMAZON STORE www.amazon.com/shop/enjoythejourney.life ********** SOCIAL: Follow us & share with your friends ********** Join the 'Journey Tribe': enjoythejourney.life/join Subscribe to our CZcams channel: enjoythejourney.life/CZcams Subscribe to our newsletter for updates: enjoythejourney.life/newsletter Join our Facebook Group: enjoythejourney.life/group Facebook Page: facebook.com/EnjoyTheJourney.Life Instagram: instagram.com/enjoythejourney.life Website: enjoythejourney.life/ ********** OUR FAVORITE RV RESOURCES ********** FAVORITE RV PARKING AND CAMPSITE FINDERS! Get $100 off a Thousand Trails camping pass! Contact Aaron Aaron_Massa@equitylifestyle.com or 360-489-4407 or contact Kimberly for a "used" membership enjoythejourney.life/TT or 800-272-0401 (mention Tom Kenemore if you call in) WALNUT HILLS RV PARK (because Andy Rocks!) enjoythejourney.life/RVpark The Best RV Routes, campsites & more! enjoythejourney.life/rvtripwizard Low Bridges & Find Every Camp Spot - enjoythejourney.life/allstays FREE RV parking: geni.us/boondockers RV FREE at wineries, breweries, golf courses & more (save 15% off with code: HHFRIENDS15) geni.us/winedock Save 50% on 1000âs of campsites! enjoythejourney.life/HalfOffCamping ********** OUR FAVORITE RV GADGETS & GEAR ********** It takes a lot of gear to make RV living comfortable and more efficient. Check out our favorite gear (and fun stuff) that we use to enjoy the RV life Get all your truck, towing, RV needs & more enjoythejourney.life/Etrailer Our Amazon Store www.amazon.com/shop/enjoythejourney.life ********** CHERI'S FAVORITE RV KITCHEN GADGETS ********** Cheri loves to cook healthy food, which is sometimes a challenge in an RV. Check out her favorite RV kitchen gadgets that help get the job done - www.amazon.com/shop/enjoythejourney.life ********** OUR WORK/VIDEO GEAR ********** Want to know what equipment we are using to make videos like this one while traveling full-time? www.amazon.com/shop/enjoythejourney.life Get A Free Month of Video Music enjoythejourney.life/musicbed & enjoythejourney.life/music FREE CZcams Channel success tools we use enjoythejourney.life/CZcamsSuccess ********** LEARN FROM US ********** BOOKS: Get Tom's best-selling book FREE on Audible! geni.us/fansonfireaudio or Kindle and Paperback geni.us/order ONLINE COURSES: How To Pick The Right Business to Start for You! geni.us/startup Entrepreneurs Guide To Finance Your Business or Startup In 2020 geni.us/finance Google, Facebook, Yelp Review Marketing Entrepreneurs 2020 geni.us/marketing Thank you so much for using our links! Tom & Cheriâ :) ********** CONTACT US ********** Email: tomandcheri@enjoythejourney.life Mail Bag: Lake Effect Media 14870 Granada Avenue #1037 Apple Valley, MN 55124 Tom & Cheri, Full-time RV travelers sharing our adventures (and challenges), advice and more from the road. Inspiring others to do it now and live life on their terms, a life of freedom and adventure. đ Enjoy The Journey . Life, All Rights Reserved Our channel is for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV or travel experts. We share our opinions and what has worked and not worked for us in the past. Before taking any action or making a purchase decision, you should do your own research. Some of our links are affiliate links. We may make a small commission if you use our links which helps support our channel. Thank you! #rvliving #rvlivingfulltime #RV
Don't believe the dealer when they tell you that any dealer that sells your brand will do warranty repairs on your rig. WRONG! I took our trailer to a close by dealer, that sold our brand trailer, for repairs. My trailer sat on their lot for almost three months, with no repairs being done, then the dealer called and told me I needed to pick up my trailer, as they were not going to do the warranty repairs since I didn't purchase my rig from their dealership. I then had to return my trailer to the dealer where I purchased it, 150 miles away, and it set at their repair shop for an additional two months.The dealer finally called and said my trailer was ready. I had left a detailed list of repairs that needed to be addressed when I dropped off the trailer for repairs. I drove the 150 miles (one way) to the dealer, only to find out that the majority of the repairs were not done. The large slide had a bearing break after a couple of times using it, and needed to be replaced, which I had mentioned in my repair list. The repair shop had just used about a can of WD-40 on the bearing to make it stop squeaking during operation instead of repairing it properly. After making an unnecessary 300 mile round trip, I was back home without my trailer. After another two months, and a thorough explanation of my problems with the owner of the dealership, I finally got my new "repaired" trailer back home just in time to winterize the rig. A whole camping season was lost due to uncaring dealer's and their lies. BEWARE new buyers!
Donât let the RV dealer convince you to buy extra stuff like water hose ,water filters or Black water hose because Walmart has the same thing for cheaper and better quality
@@catherineduarte4824 We are sorry that happened to you. We are currently looking at buying our RV and we will make sure to not let the dealer add on any extra stuff. We have bought some things already through Amazon and Walmart.
@@BrokenDreamsReborn the dealership gave us a complementary starter box but salesman kept saying we should buy the upgrade box because it had better hoses , toilet paper, tank freshener and water filter the later that week I went to Walmart and they had the same things đ€Šđ»ââïž It what is our first time buying an RV
For me, I started with a small used 15 foot trailer that was 25 yrs old. Started out small to learn all the aspects of camping/traveling. Slowly moved up to bigger and newer units. My only point is on the first unit a person buys should be a low cost unit. If you spend big on the first unit, than that's a lot of money being spent only to find out RVing is not for you. One other point is RVs depreciate. Rarely, will a unit increase in value. Understand, having a RV is all about "cost of doing something" in the hopes you are enjoying what you are doing.
@@EnjoyTheJourneyLife Thanks, started learning about RVs and cost when I was 25, I'm now 50 and what I've learned, RV's can be fun and enjoyable if you truly understand what it is all about.
Recommend spending a few hours simulating camping in the unit on the dealer's lot before making that purchase. Check out the ease/difficulty of using everything, moving around, accessing storage, etc.
I have had 6 motorhomes over a span of 20+ years. I have had a great deal of experience repairing and upgrading them, from rebuilding generators to replacing plumbing, etc. With all of that knowledge I fell prey to one of the BIGGEST mistakes ever: Blindly trusting the seller because of his personality, charisma, or what ever you want to call it. They will try to appeal to your sense of compassion and kindness. Let the coach speak for itself when you look. I didn't go through the motions of thoroughly looking and inspecting the motorhome because the seller was a "nice guy" and you get that feeling that they are trustworthy because of how they carry themself. When I went to look at the coach, his wife and two children were VERY charming and this was distracting. Believe me, when I gave him the $$ and he seemed to "run away" after the deal was done, my nightmare began. The WORST thing of it all, was that I should have known better, after I know what to look for and I didn't because I thought he as a man of integrity. He would make a good actor. The other bad experience I had was when I had an appointment to see a motorhome which was a two hour drive from my house. When I got there, I find out he sold the RV to someone else, despite the fact that he should have honored our appointment. I arrived 15 min early. All he could tell me was "first come first serve." I am mainly talking about private sellers here. I always try to see the good in people, but you have to understand that unfortunately it is not true.
Ha! Where was this video in 2017 when we bought our first rv!? We bought it and launched ourselves into Pacific Northwest tour for 2 weeks. 3 kids and the dog... What an adventure and rough learning experience that was!!
Wow, thank you so much. Iâve been really researching different Rv manufacturers for all aspects and components of the coach from the frame to the roof and everything in between. My ideal Rv would be a fifth wheel, but the right tt would work too. Iâm wanting to start full time late this fall. My ideal fw or tt will allow me to do winter camping as well. Itâs really overwhelming researching all the information. Several things youâve mentioned in here I didnât even think of. Thank you both so much for the info, and Jd too. I watch you both pretty faithfully
Love the new intro. Love the set up of this video. Itâs not boring. Thanks for all the info. So happy you two are in a happy spot !! Take Care & Happy Trails !!
Great video, thanks. There's a few on the list we wish we'd done when we bought our class A. We 100% agree with joining a FB group of that rv to get some great info. Just have to sort out the good and bad advice. There are people out there, that no matter what are gonna be negative about most things......lol
The way I look at extended warranties is the same as life insurance. It gives you peace of mind while you have the policy. You may outlive the policy terms, but you know you have some financial security it needed.
Lots of things to think about. We are looking to upgrade. I agree don't buy to big, we bought a 17' just to make sure we liked it. Now for the upgrade to something like a 25' for our family of four.
Thank you do much for your video. You brought out alot of very good points. I was planning on hitting the open road in a couple of years, and RV fulltime. Money is my biggest draw to mot Irving. I get $1,060.00 a month from social security and a small pension. I have just realized the cost of the vehicle, the camper and all the insurance there will be no money left for food or gas. I would get a job to save up but I live income based and the more money I make the more I'm charged for rent. I guess I wont be rv-ing at all.
Both of your channels have been my research. JD is responsible for me buying a bigger truck than I ever expected, thank you but ouch. In the end I did get a SRW and went Ram instead of Ford. I hope I donât regret that. I also learned so much about RVs. Enjoy the journey has been responsible for all my accessories that will help me enjoy the RV instead of fight with my learning curve.
Good tips for the buyer to think about for sure. I think just like buying a vehicle there is no perfect purchase, but might as well avoid as many of the mistakes as possible. Especially the ones that cost the most money. Gordon & Alice
My husband and I both have CDLâs but I honestly donât like pulling fifth wheels, in fact I try to get the smallest camper with a short absolute must haves for ease in towing. I work at my job enough and donât want to be tense the entire time Iâm traveling for leisure. Although the dealership weâve purchased from has always given us a short walkthrough explaining how things work they certainly donât have a place to do a shakedown. We even bought a used pop up one time and I mentioned to the owner that it showed signs of a water leak in the ceiling, they assured us it had been fixed. The day we brought it home I set it up and put a sprinkler on the top. Leaked NOT fixed! I was irate and demanded my money back, I got it less the cost of state fees because they couldnât recoup that, which IMO was wrong of the dealer. The owner asked if I actually did put a sprinkler up to test it, I answered of course I did, I donât want to be camping far away and find out then!
Yup, I ought the 42ââ 5th wheel (the Forest River version of your rig) to haul my trike, but you are right, I found there are many parks that donât consider the needs of a larger RV, even in the roads in/out of the camp grounds. I followed the âgolf cart guyâ to a space and didnât pay close enough attention to the branches on the trees along the route he was leading me, resulting in $4,000.00 damage to the RV. My fault, but an expensive lesson..
My wife and I have been watching your videos for a little while now. Although many others were great, this one really gave us so much great information for our first rv purchase. Thank you!!!
One huge mistake folks make is listening to either their truck or RV salesman about towing capacities of a truck...99.9% of salesmen have never towed an RV in their life. Do you own research and remember that payload will most likely be the limiting factor. Do not go by the brochure numbers they are ALWAYS calculated with a very stripped down model. The only number that means anything is the one on the driver's door sticker.
Good Practicle suggestions you offered: (rent one 1st before purchase.) (take your time, be willing to walk.) (negotiate in spite of inventory shortages.) (Shakedown Trip , which I SHOULD have done AT the dealer or campground close by.) (Paying someone else again for an inspection of a new unit, seems out of place., tho I understand why you suggested that.) (RV height- Careful going thru Boston on Storrow Drive. Trucks, etc always getting stuck in low low underpasses) (Insurance- my ins. company agent gave me inaccurate info on my 1st trailer years ago. It's not cheap, but I now keep it on all year., never know when a high wind will toss a tree limb onto the rig causing endless tears.) Am enjoying your vids. Frank in my Silver Conestoga Wagon.
We still havenât gotten our initial items fixed. We should have done inspection. It was our first one. The issues went from we will come get it take to factory fir one week at end of season. To now itâs doting break and 5/6 weeks. We want them to keep it. Even the washer was broken. Still back ordered. Iâve asked for a new one year warranty on the dryer and washer since dryer is still just sitting there. Itâs been so sad to us fir our first experience.
If you buy a class C (like we did) Make sure the vehicle year matches the RV year. Ours was sold as a 2019 and come to find out the Vehicle they sat it on is a 2017 and it is legal (in most states) that they don't have to tell you. This also may apply to class A's.
Not sure about the advice to add the cost of extended warranty to financing. In that case you are taking a product that lasts only a few years (the warranty) and paying for it for several more years with interest. I would rather pay for the warranty separately if I chose to buy one. Great video though, thanks!
Very good video. We're in the process of acquiring an RV for full-time use and I can't stress enough the importance of an RV Inspection by a certified professional (NRVIA as an example). The money spent is well worth it!
Yes, we've never had a Grand Design, but we did have an F450 King Ranch 4X4 in the past, and it's definitely been the most comfortable vehicle we've owned for long hauls!
@@Powerstroke98 I had a 2000 F250, when I wanted a new truck I really liked the 450, but money talks.. I bought a Ram 3500DRW, does all I need it to but still want a 450
@@Powerstroke98 : I'm glad to hear you say that, because I want to get a 450 for its power and turn radius, but I'm concerned about ride quality. (Stiff suspension, commercial-grade tires with stiff sidewalls, etc.)
@@EnjoyTheJourneyLifeOh OK thank you. I just called Thor, and Dodge, and they cover many parts, but not labor, which the extended warranty does cover. But will your dealership provide a labor warranty?
I secretly went out on my own (without the family knowing my intent ) looking for an RV before buyingI I didn't go to the RV Dealer that I ended up buying from, the day I bought one they were running a special $ 5.00 down payment if you qualified with a credit score of 800+ and I did ! They didn't want to hold up thier end of the ads and offering of such a deal( I let them off the hook,) later finding out that the rig could have been FREE if I sued them for false advertising which I wouldn't do !
RV: Ruined vacation!!!! Lmao!!!! đđđ Weâve had a couple TT.. but itâs time to make that upgrade to the 5th wheeler!!!! We need one to tow our toys!! Thanks for all the information!! The only thing I stress about is the camping spots.. Iâm in Minnesota too and so far Iâve been to many campgrounds with big sites.. crossing my fingers that we wonât have so many issues with camping spots in other states!!! đ€đŒđ€đŒ
My FIRST recommendation to a "RV Newbie" is to attend an RV Boot Camp. The Escapees RV Club started this important education at least a decade ago and it has become so successful the several other groups have copied the format. RVBC graduates are SMARTER RV buyers and safer RVers. Mistakes made with RVs are often expensive and, sometimes dangerous. Complex topics like all the different weight ratings and the myriad of systems found on a modern RV that an RVer must understand and deal with are explained and simplified. Newbies who don't yet own an RV can drive into the venue and stay in a local motel. IT IS LIKELY TO BE THE BEST VALUE YOU'LL GET FOR YOUR RV DOLLAR! Just DO it; you can thank me later.
Tom, if you dont mind me asking, who is the dealer in Minnesota that you purchased your RV from? The 1 that gave you a super price. Thank you for answering if I'm not being too nosey. I'm just looking to cut down on my shopping time and get more camping time. Thank you for the video, I found it to be very informative.
Your channel is always so helpful. Our new Jayco Jay Flight is on order and should be ready in March. Can we make a request? Would you do more tours/reviews of campgrounds you stay at. As always take care and be safe.
I bought three campers this past year. Now Iâm living in my rock wood 22â camper trailer. We lost a tire on our trip from Nh -> CO. Def wish I could go back and not buy those first two campers! And honestly I would buy a more realistic camper to live in now
We are currently looking to buy an RV and we are going to be getting it inspected from a certified RV inspector. This was a helpful video! Thanks for sharing! ~ Shion and Matthew
We lost our housing at the beginning of the lockdown. We were fortunate to have friends help us BUT more fortunate for a family member to cosign on a trailer with us. Even more of a blessing, the CU gave a limit and the dealership found something that fit our needs and made the finances matched up!!! I am so grateful for all those people for making it work đđđđ DON'T get me started on all the different types of insurance!!! đłđłđł
Buying too much RV for the truck you currently have is a big issue. Be careful :) Dont push it. Better to have more truck and less RV than the opposite.
Thanks for watching Randall. I put all of the links, including our recommending insurance broker in this companion blog post enjoythejourney.life/rv-buying-mistakes/
0MG, what a BEAUTIFUL SUNSET. I wish I would have known you before we got our RV. Oh yea, we got over 12 thousand dollars added to ours after the fact. LIVE AND LEARN!!
We always take our RV to a park with full hook ups to try EVERYTHING out. That way the service dept can send someone out right away. Wouldnât it be great if the dealers had camp spots at their facility so you could try it out before leaving?!
What exactly are you wanting to test? Are you unsure how the truck/5th wheel combination acts when driving? If you describe your issues about what you are concerned about, I'm sure many viewers will help you.
Attend a truck driving school to get CDL. Then go trucking a few years. See the whole USA and get paid. Now you can pull anything with the experience and you will know your way around. Living together in a class 8 will make any size RV feel like a palace.
I love that youâre filming at DHRSP! Does that mean you were able to fit your rig? If so, did you fit in Quail Loop? That park is my happy place . :-)
Advice for today. I own a 2020 reflection 315rlts bumber pull. 38 feet from hitch to rear. Not a toy hauler, just massive living and storage capacity. People that buy these toy hauler Momentums for bragging rights. Massive trailers when you're actually hauling nothing intended for its rear cargo purpose. You can throw in your moped in the back of your truck. So you're pulling a trailer a massive toy hauler at an expanded length with a weight of 12 to 15 thousand pounds with or without all that trailer just to put in your harley. Its overkill often for nothing more than bragging rights. And you paid how much for nothing practical. Let alone the 80 thousand dollar truck youre now needing to pull it with. Just making a point..So happy that people in an upper wealth class can make life so appealing to the lowly blue collared types. Im a truck driver and small businesness owner combined. Your videos are an unrealistic portrayal that clearly caters to a certain wealth class. You parking next to my big rig, we'd have very little in common. I drink Miller beer and whiskey cokes. You drink wine. I don't have to do much with my trailer. It seems like you do too much. You are limited to snot nosed camp places parked 10 feet from another or an open boring field. As a truck driver, I can get my rig in to more pristine regular remote with power camp grounds than you'll ever come to know. Or a battery system full power that i can live perpetually or a few weeks or longer with water. A filter system smartly cost effectively made to draw water from the lake for showering. Washing dishes. And drinking. But I'd be bathing in the lake anyway. What is it that you need to haul exactly in your rear cargo space, that supports your momentum. Hopefully not bicycles and chairs that already fit easily within mine through the service door or within my extended 2006 e350 van one ton with 5000 pound airbags. Value of my towing vehicle 14,000 dollars. 5.4 gasser with 373 gears that pulls it with ease. Not cross country but routinely 3 to 4 hour trips. You make it look so fabulous when you dont own a home. If i sold my home ,I still wouldn't portray it to be as glamorous as you do. Happy that you have an f 450, but an e or f 350 with air bags at 15 thousand less the cost will be just fine. Air bags are a far better way to fine tune load levels and truck stability. A thousand bucks or less installed verses an over kill truck. Why not just a f 350 dually. And yet specs tell me my old van chassy can legally pull your momentum provided I cut it in to a fifth wheel pull. Common people really want to know facts. Not glitz and glamor. Tha last people I'll trust are people making videos doing walk through of aircraft and unrealistic non obtainable goals by the predominant working class
Have you made any of these mistakes? What new ones can you add? âĄïž FIRST, SUBSCRIBE! enjoythejourney.life/CZcams
đ COMPANION BLOG enjoythejourney.life/rv-buying-mistakes/
â MERCH! T-SHIRTS, MASKS & MORE! teespring.com/stores/enjoythejourney
âĄïž TEXT US, secret videos, live streams, current location, CZcams creator tips & MORE! enjoythejourney.life/join â Click âŹâŹâŹ"READ MORE"âŹâŹâŹ for links to our favorite RV resources, gadgets, gear, & FREE stuff!
đ Quick Start Guide: How to Make Money & RV & FREE RV Campsite Setup & Breakdown Checklist(s) enjoythejourney.life/newsletter
âĄïž LINKS FOR THIS VIDEO:
BLOG & LINKS enjoythejourney.life/rv-buying-mistakes/
AIRSTREAM & VAN TOURS czcams.com/video/HSdbGuea3bc/video.html
SAVE BIG ON RV DIESEL! enjoythejourney.life/RVfuel (please mention Thomas Kenemore referred you, thanks!)
Lippert (LCI) 24/7 RV tech support chat, videos & more enjoythejourney.life/LCI or call 432-LIPPERT
LEARN HOW-TO RV! enjoythejourney.life/masterclass
OUR HITCH! GET YOURS enjoythejourney.life/hitch
Get all your truck, towing, RV needs & more enjoythejourney.life/Etrailer
Best RV Jack Pad: enjoythejourney.life/pad
Cheri's official BEACH TRIBE apparel! Join now! teespring.com/beach-tribe
Tom's official MOUNTAIN TRIBE apparel! Join now! teespring.com/mountain-tribe
SHOP OUR AMAZON STORE www.amazon.com/shop/enjoythejourney.life
********** SOCIAL: Follow us & share with your friends **********
Join the 'Journey Tribe': enjoythejourney.life/join
Subscribe to our CZcams channel: enjoythejourney.life/CZcams
Subscribe to our newsletter for updates: enjoythejourney.life/newsletter
Join our Facebook Group: enjoythejourney.life/group
Facebook Page: facebook.com/EnjoyTheJourney.Life
Instagram: instagram.com/enjoythejourney.life
Website: enjoythejourney.life/
********** OUR FAVORITE RV RESOURCES **********
FAVORITE RV PARKING AND CAMPSITE FINDERS!
Get $100 off a Thousand Trails camping pass! Contact Aaron Aaron_Massa@equitylifestyle.com or 360-489-4407 or contact Kimberly for a "used" membership enjoythejourney.life/TT or 800-272-0401 (mention Tom Kenemore if you call in)
WALNUT HILLS RV PARK (because Andy Rocks!) enjoythejourney.life/RVpark
The Best RV Routes, campsites & more! enjoythejourney.life/rvtripwizard
Low Bridges & Find Every Camp Spot - enjoythejourney.life/allstays
FREE RV parking: geni.us/boondockers
RV FREE at wineries, breweries, golf courses & more (save 15% off with code: HHFRIENDS15) geni.us/winedock
Save 50% on 1000âs of campsites! enjoythejourney.life/HalfOffCamping
********** OUR FAVORITE RV GADGETS & GEAR **********
It takes a lot of gear to make RV living comfortable and more efficient. Check out our favorite gear (and fun stuff) that we use to enjoy the RV life
Get all your truck, towing, RV needs & more enjoythejourney.life/Etrailer
Our Amazon Store www.amazon.com/shop/enjoythejourney.life
********** CHERI'S FAVORITE RV KITCHEN GADGETS **********
Cheri loves to cook healthy food, which is sometimes a challenge in an RV. Check out her favorite RV kitchen gadgets that help get the job done - www.amazon.com/shop/enjoythejourney.life
********** OUR WORK/VIDEO GEAR **********
Want to know what equipment we are using to make videos like this one while traveling full-time? www.amazon.com/shop/enjoythejourney.life
Get A Free Month of Video Music enjoythejourney.life/musicbed & enjoythejourney.life/music
FREE CZcams Channel success tools we use enjoythejourney.life/CZcamsSuccess
********** LEARN FROM US **********
BOOKS: Get Tom's best-selling book FREE on Audible! geni.us/fansonfireaudio or Kindle and Paperback geni.us/order
ONLINE COURSES: How To Pick The Right Business to Start for You! geni.us/startup
Entrepreneurs Guide To Finance Your Business or Startup In 2020 geni.us/finance
Google, Facebook, Yelp Review Marketing Entrepreneurs 2020 geni.us/marketing
Thank you so much for using our links! Tom & Cheriâ :)
********** CONTACT US **********
Email: tomandcheri@enjoythejourney.life
Mail Bag:
Lake Effect Media
14870 Granada Avenue #1037
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Tom & Cheri, Full-time RV travelers sharing our adventures (and challenges), advice and more from the road. Inspiring others to do it now and live life on their terms, a life of freedom and adventure. đ
Enjoy The Journey . Life, All Rights Reserved
Our channel is for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV or travel experts. We share our opinions and what has worked and not worked for us in the past. Before taking any action or making a purchase decision, you should do your own research.
Some of our links are affiliate links. We may make a small commission if you use our links which helps support our channel. Thank you!
#rvliving #rvlivingfulltime #RV
Don't believe the dealer when they tell you that any dealer that sells your brand will do warranty repairs on your rig. WRONG! I took our trailer to a close by dealer, that sold our brand trailer, for repairs. My trailer sat on their lot for almost three months, with no repairs being done, then the dealer called and told me I needed to pick up my trailer, as they were not going to do the warranty repairs since I didn't purchase my rig from their dealership. I then had to return my trailer to the dealer where I purchased it, 150 miles away, and it set at their repair shop for an additional two months.The dealer finally called and said my trailer was ready. I had left a detailed list of repairs that needed to be addressed when I dropped off the trailer for repairs. I drove the 150 miles (one way) to the dealer, only to find out that the majority of the repairs were not done. The large slide had a bearing break after a couple of times using it, and needed to be replaced, which I had mentioned in my repair list. The repair shop had just used about a can of WD-40 on the bearing to make it stop squeaking during operation instead of repairing it properly. After making an unnecessary 300 mile round trip, I was back home without my trailer. After another two months, and a thorough explanation of my problems with the owner of the dealership, I finally got my new "repaired" trailer back home just in time to winterize the rig. A whole camping season was lost due to uncaring dealer's and their lies. BEWARE new buyers!
Donât let the RV dealer convince you to buy extra stuff like water hose ,water filters or Black water hose because Walmart has the same thing for cheaper and better quality
This is very good advice.
Great tips!
@@BrokenDreamsReborn it happened to me
@@catherineduarte4824 We are sorry that happened to you. We are currently looking at buying our RV and we will make sure to not let the dealer add on any extra stuff. We have bought some things already through Amazon and Walmart.
@@BrokenDreamsReborn the dealership gave us a complementary starter box but salesman kept saying we should buy the upgrade box because it had better hoses , toilet paper, tank freshener and water filter the later that week I went to Walmart and they had the same things đ€Šđ»ââïž It what is our first time buying an RV
For me, I started with a small used 15 foot trailer that was 25 yrs old. Started out small to learn all the aspects of camping/traveling. Slowly moved up to bigger and newer units. My only point is on the first unit a person buys should be a low cost unit. If you spend big on the first unit, than that's a lot of money being spent only to find out RVing is not for you. One other point is RVs depreciate. Rarely, will a unit increase in value. Understand, having a RV is all about "cost of doing something" in the hopes you are enjoying what you are doing.
Great tips! Thanks!
@@EnjoyTheJourneyLife Thanks, started learning about RVs and cost when I was 25, I'm now 50 and what I've learned, RV's can be fun and enjoyable if you truly understand what it is all about.
Love your channel and you chose great music. God bless you all and safe travels.
Recommend spending a few hours simulating camping in the unit on the dealer's lot before making that purchase. Check out the ease/difficulty of using everything, moving around, accessing storage, etc.
I have had 6 motorhomes over a span of 20+ years. I have had a great deal of experience repairing and upgrading them, from rebuilding generators to replacing plumbing, etc. With all of that knowledge I fell prey to one of the BIGGEST mistakes ever: Blindly trusting the seller because of his personality, charisma, or what ever you want to call it. They will try to appeal to your sense of compassion and kindness. Let the coach speak for itself when you look. I didn't go through the motions of thoroughly looking and inspecting the motorhome because the seller was a "nice guy" and you get that feeling that they are trustworthy because of how they carry themself. When I went to look at the coach, his wife and two children were VERY charming and this was distracting. Believe me, when I gave him the $$ and he seemed to "run away" after the deal was done, my nightmare began. The WORST thing of it all, was that I should have known better, after I know what to look for and I didn't because I thought he as a man of integrity. He would make a good actor.
The other bad experience I had was when I had an appointment to see a motorhome which was a two hour drive from my house. When I got there, I find out he sold the RV to someone else, despite the fact that he should have honored our appointment. I arrived 15 min early. All he could tell me was "first come first serve."
I am mainly talking about private sellers here. I always try to see the good in people, but you have to understand that unfortunately it is not true.
Ha! Where was this video in 2017 when we bought our first rv!? We bought it and launched ourselves into Pacific Northwest tour for 2 weeks. 3 kids and the dog... What an adventure and rough learning experience that was!!
Great video....awesome sunset!! đđđșđž
Wow, thank you so much. Iâve been really researching different Rv manufacturers for all aspects and components of the coach from the frame to the roof and everything in between. My ideal Rv would be a fifth wheel, but the right tt would work too. Iâm wanting to start full time late this fall. My ideal fw or tt will allow me to do winter camping as well. Itâs really overwhelming researching all the information. Several things youâve mentioned in here I didnât even think of. Thank you both so much for the info, and Jd too. I watch you both pretty faithfully
Love the new intro. Love the set up of this video. Itâs not boring.
Thanks for all the info. So happy you two are in a happy spot !!
Take Care & Happy Trails !!
Thanks so much Michelle! â€
Great video, thanks. There's a few on the list we wish we'd done when we bought our class A. We 100% agree with joining a FB group of that rv to get some great info. Just have to sort out the good and bad advice. There are people out there, that no matter what are gonna be negative about most things......lol
The way I look at extended warranties is the same as life insurance. It gives you peace of mind while you have the policy. You may outlive the policy terms, but you know you have some financial security it needed.
Lots of things to think about. We are looking to upgrade. I agree don't buy to big, we bought a 17' just to make sure we liked it. Now for the upgrade to something like a 25' for our family of four.
Thank you do much for your video. You brought out alot of very good points. I was planning on hitting the open road in a couple of years, and RV fulltime. Money is my biggest draw to mot Irving. I get $1,060.00 a month from social security and a small pension. I have just realized the cost of the vehicle, the camper and all the insurance there will be no money left for food or gas. I would get a job to save up but I live income based and the more money I make the more I'm charged for rent. I guess I wont be rv-ing at all.
Biggest Mistake would be not watching your channel (and mine) before purchasing :)
YES! đđ Check out our friend JD's channel for more awesome RV and truck videos! czcams.com/users/CorpusChristiGuy
Both of your channels have been my research. JD is responsible for me buying a bigger truck than I ever expected, thank you but ouch. In the end I did get a SRW and went Ram instead of Ford. I hope I donât regret that. I also learned so much about RVs. Enjoy the journey has been responsible for all my accessories that will help me enjoy the RV instead of fight with my learning curve.
Good tips for the buyer to think about for sure. I think just like buying a vehicle there is no perfect purchase, but might as well avoid as many of the mistakes as possible. Especially the ones that cost the most money. Gordon & Alice
My husband and I both have CDLâs but I honestly donât like pulling fifth wheels, in fact I try to get the smallest camper with a short absolute must haves for ease in towing. I work at my job enough and donât want to be tense the entire time Iâm traveling for leisure.
Although the dealership weâve purchased from has always given us a short walkthrough explaining how things work they certainly donât have a place to do a shakedown. We even bought a used pop up one time and I mentioned to the owner that it showed signs of a water leak in the ceiling, they assured us it had been fixed. The day we brought it home I set it up and put a sprinkler on the top. Leaked NOT fixed! I was irate and demanded my money back, I got it less the cost of state fees because they couldnât recoup that, which IMO was wrong of the dealer. The owner asked if I actually did put a sprinkler up to test it, I answered of course I did, I donât want to be camping far away and find out then!
thanks for the info guys. I am getting ready to buy my first rv and am looking at 21 feet.
Yup, I ought the 42ââ 5th wheel (the Forest River version of your rig) to haul my trike, but you are right, I found there are many parks that donât consider the needs of a larger RV, even in the roads in/out of the camp grounds. I followed the âgolf cart guyâ to a space and didnât pay close enough attention to the branches on the trees along the route he was leading me, resulting in $4,000.00 damage to the RV. My fault, but an expensive lesson..
My wife and I have been watching your videos for a little while now. Although many others were great, this one really gave us so much great information for our first rv purchase. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much!
One huge mistake folks make is listening to either their truck or RV salesman about towing capacities of a truck...99.9% of salesmen have never towed an RV in their life. Do you own research and remember that payload will most likely be the limiting factor. Do not go by the brochure numbers they are ALWAYS calculated with a very stripped down model. The only number that means anything is the one on the driver's door sticker.
Good Practicle suggestions you offered: (rent one 1st before purchase.) (take your time, be willing to walk.) (negotiate in spite of inventory shortages.) (Shakedown Trip , which I SHOULD have done AT the dealer or campground close by.) (Paying someone else again for an inspection of a new unit, seems out of place., tho I understand why you suggested that.) (RV height- Careful going thru Boston on Storrow Drive. Trucks, etc always getting stuck in low low underpasses) (Insurance- my ins. company agent gave me inaccurate info on my 1st trailer years ago. It's not cheap, but I now keep it on all year., never know when a high wind will toss a tree limb onto the rig causing endless tears.) Am enjoying your vids. Frank in my Silver Conestoga Wagon.
We still havenât gotten our initial items fixed. We should have done inspection. It was our first one. The issues went from we will come get it take to factory fir one week at end of season. To now itâs doting break and 5/6 weeks. We want them to keep it. Even the washer was broken. Still back ordered. Iâve asked for a new one year warranty on the dryer and washer since dryer is still just sitting there. Itâs been so sad to us fir our first experience.
If you buy a class C (like we did) Make sure the vehicle year matches the RV year. Ours was sold as a 2019 and come to find out the Vehicle they sat it on is a 2017 and it is legal (in most states) that they don't have to tell you. This also may apply to class A's.
Not sure about the advice to add the cost of extended warranty to financing. In that case you are taking a product that lasts only a few years (the warranty) and paying for it for several more years with interest. I would rather pay for the warranty separately if I chose to buy one. Great video though, thanks!
Very good video. We're in the process of acquiring an RV for full-time use and I can't stress enough the importance of an RV Inspection by a certified professional (NRVIA as an example). The money spent is well worth it!
We are currently looking for an RV for full time and plan to get the RV inspection too.
Research, research, and research. Always research!
Still love those Grand Design toy haulers, our next will mostly be one. And I know that 450 is awesome !!
Yes, we've never had a Grand Design, but we did have an F450 King Ranch 4X4 in the past, and it's definitely been the most comfortable vehicle we've owned for long hauls!
@@Powerstroke98 I had a 2000 F250, when I wanted a new truck I really liked the 450, but money talks.. I bought a Ram 3500DRW, does all I need it to but still want a 450
@@Powerstroke98 : I'm glad to hear you say that, because I want to get a 450 for its power and turn radius, but I'm concerned about ride quality. (Stiff suspension, commercial-grade tires with stiff sidewalls, etc.)
Great information. Thanks for sharing. Lynn and Danny
Thank you great information!! Safe Travels đ
you folks are great, luv watching you videos and the education you give
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge. Can you make any recommendations for a good extended warranty?
We don't have one, so we can't make any recommendations...good luck!
@@EnjoyTheJourneyLifeOh OK thank you. I just called Thor, and Dodge, and they cover many parts, but not labor, which the extended warranty does cover. But will your dealership provide a labor warranty?
I secretly went out on my own (without the family knowing my intent ) looking for an RV before buyingI I didn't go to the RV Dealer that I ended up buying from, the day I bought one they were running a special $ 5.00 down payment if you qualified with a credit score of 800+ and I did ! They didn't want to hold up thier end of the ads and offering of such a deal( I let them off the hook,) later finding out that the rig could have been FREE if I sued them for false advertising which I wouldn't do !
RV: Ruined vacation!!!! Lmao!!!! đđđ
Weâve had a couple TT.. but itâs time to make that upgrade to the 5th wheeler!!!! We need one to tow our toys!!
Thanks for all the information!!
The only thing I stress about is the camping spots.. Iâm in Minnesota too and so far Iâve been to many campgrounds with big sites.. crossing my fingers that we wonât have so many issues with camping spots in other states!!! đ€đŒđ€đŒ
I always enjoy your videos and watching your journey. Great information!
My FIRST recommendation to a "RV Newbie" is to attend an RV Boot Camp. The Escapees RV Club started this important education at least a decade ago and it has become so successful the several other groups have copied the format. RVBC graduates are SMARTER RV buyers and safer RVers. Mistakes made with RVs are often expensive and, sometimes dangerous. Complex topics like all the different weight ratings and the myriad of systems found on a modern RV that an RVer must understand and deal with are explained and simplified. Newbies who don't yet own an RV can drive into the venue and stay in a local motel. IT IS LIKELY TO BE THE BEST VALUE YOU'LL GET FOR YOUR RV DOLLAR! Just DO it; you can thank me later.
Great advice John!
Tom, if you dont mind me asking, who is the dealer in Minnesota that you purchased your RV from? The 1 that gave you a super price. Thank you for answering if I'm not being too nosey. I'm just looking to cut down on my shopping time and get more camping time. Thank you for the video, I found it to be very informative.
Sure, here you go Helen www.rvworldmn.com/
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic. Good food for thought.
Thank you!
Great tips!! LOVE the sunset!!
I saved this video to watch again. Thanks for the great recommendations.
Your channel is always so helpful. Our new Jayco Jay Flight is on order and should be ready in March. Can we make a request? Would you do more tours/reviews of campgrounds you stay at. As always take care and be safe.
Thanks for the video
Thank you for all the information, big help
Good video. Thanks for posting.
i won't join FB groups...i very much limit and curate my digital consumption. I'd rather contact the manuf. or reseller directly.
But the manufacturer isn't going to give you an honest, unbiased assessment of their vehicles' quality.
Great information Tom.
Great info Tom thank you !
I bought three campers this past year. Now Iâm living in my rock wood 22â camper trailer. We lost a tire on our trip from Nh -> CO. Def wish I could go back and not buy those first two campers! And honestly I would buy a more realistic camper to live in now
We are currently looking to buy an RV and we are going to be getting it inspected from a certified RV inspector. This was a helpful video! Thanks for sharing! ~ Shion and Matthew
Awesome! Congrats guys!
Good to know. Thanks
Thanks for the information.
Single axel vs double axel
Gorgeous sunset đ
All such good advice. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
We lost our housing at the beginning of the lockdown. We were fortunate to have friends help us BUT more fortunate for a family member to cosign on a trailer with us. Even more of a blessing, the CU gave a limit and the dealership found something that fit our needs and made the finances matched up!!! I am so grateful for all those people for making it work đđđđ
DON'T get me started on all the different types of insurance!!! đłđłđł
Thanks so much for sharing Jennifer!
Love the video. Thanks so much. Also just wondered what the name of the song you use at the end of all your videos? Great song for sure!!
Thank you.
Thank you for telling us that
Yes you forgot to say donât buy from Camping World unless you want terrible service. Itâs your choice.
I love your ending song. Is it something you came up with yourselves or is there somewhere I could find it in itâs entirety?
Buying too much RV for the truck you currently have is a big issue. Be careful :) Dont push it. Better to have more truck and less RV than the opposite.
Yes! That's why we bought the Ford F450.
@@EnjoyTheJourneyLife I've got a 350 now looking at 450's later this year.
I like the new intro. Thanks for the tips.
Thanks! This great information! Who do you recommend for full time RV insurance?
Thanks for watching Randall. I put all of the links, including our recommending insurance broker in this companion blog post enjoythejourney.life/rv-buying-mistakes/
The downside of always relying on a dealer for repairs is downtime. Learn to do the basics.
Great tips, looking forward to the Insurance episode.
Lots of good info!!
0MG, what a BEAUTIFUL SUNSET. I wish I would have known you before we got our RV. Oh yea, we got over 12 thousand dollars added to ours after the fact. LIVE AND LEARN!!
Oh wow! Sorry to hear that!
You got it.
Cool
You have great đ info.
We always take our RV to a park with full hook ups to try EVERYTHING out. That way the service dept can send someone out right away.
Wouldnât it be great if the dealers had camp spots at their facility so you could try it out before leaving?!
Great idea Joan! I hear of more and more RV dealers doing that.
Talking insurance. What is considered as a "full time RVer"? Is that referred to how many days a year we camp?
Great question Rob! We will add that to our insurance video!
We have no big truck and are looking at a 5th wheel, so, how do we do a "test drive?
Buy a truck - you are going to need it to tow a 5th wheel.
@@taztaffie why spend $80K on a truck to "test drive" a trailer then find out it is not for us? Need to test as a package before we buy either piece.
What exactly are you wanting to test? Are you unsure how the truck/5th wheel combination acts when driving? If you describe your issues about what you are concerned about, I'm sure many viewers will help you.
Attend a truck driving school to get CDL. Then go trucking a few years. See the whole USA and get paid. Now you can pull anything with the experience and you will know your way around. Living together in a class 8 will make any size RV feel like a palace.
@@bblee2112 getting ready to retire - not looking for another career.
Thanks for this video. I an in a place I'm starting to look for an RV now.
Luv the colors of those *Sunsets ....plus blooper time again
I love that youâre filming at DHRSP! Does that mean you were able to fit your rig? If so, did you fit in Quail Loop? That park is my happy place . :-)
Okay, I'll bite....what's DHRSP?
Don't Listen to this advice! Never ever get a Facebook account!!!
đđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđ
Advice for today. I own a 2020 reflection 315rlts bumber pull. 38 feet from hitch to rear. Not a toy hauler, just massive living and storage capacity. People that buy these toy hauler Momentums for bragging rights. Massive trailers when you're actually hauling nothing intended for its rear cargo purpose. You can throw in your moped in the back of your truck. So you're pulling a trailer a massive toy hauler at an expanded length with a weight of 12 to 15 thousand pounds with or without all that trailer just to put in your harley. Its overkill often for nothing more than bragging rights. And you paid how much for nothing practical. Let alone the 80 thousand dollar truck youre now needing to pull it with. Just making a point..So happy that people in an upper wealth class can make life so appealing to the lowly blue collared types. Im a truck driver and small businesness owner combined. Your videos are an unrealistic portrayal that clearly caters to a certain wealth class. You parking next to my big rig, we'd have very little in common. I drink Miller beer and whiskey cokes. You drink wine. I don't have to do much with my trailer. It seems like you do too much. You are limited to snot nosed camp places parked 10 feet from another or an open boring field. As a truck driver, I can get my rig in to more pristine regular remote with power camp grounds than you'll ever come to know. Or a battery system full power that i can live perpetually or a few weeks or longer with water. A filter system smartly cost effectively made to draw water from the lake for showering. Washing dishes. And drinking. But I'd be bathing in the lake anyway. What is it that you need to haul exactly in your rear cargo space, that supports your momentum. Hopefully not bicycles and chairs that already fit easily within mine through the service door or within my extended 2006 e350 van one ton with 5000 pound airbags. Value of my towing vehicle 14,000 dollars. 5.4 gasser with 373 gears that pulls it with ease. Not cross country but routinely 3 to 4 hour trips. You make it look so fabulous when you dont own a home. If i sold my home ,I still wouldn't portray it to be as glamorous as you do. Happy that you have an f 450, but an e or f 350 with air bags at 15 thousand less the cost will be just fine. Air bags are a far better way to fine tune load levels and truck stability. A thousand bucks or less installed verses an over kill truck. Why not just a f 350 dually. And yet specs tell me my old van chassy can legally pull your momentum provided I cut it in to a fifth wheel pull. Common people really want to know facts. Not glitz and glamor. Tha last people I'll trust are people making videos doing walk through of aircraft and unrealistic non obtainable goals by the predominant working class
Boy are you bitter and whiny! đđđ Boohoo and congratulations.
Beautiful sunset!