Buying a new RV is an exciting experience just like buying a new car. But one critical difference between buying an RV and buying a car is that the questions you need to be asking yourself before buying the family RV are completely different. Here are the five most important questions to ask yourself before buying a family RV.
Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A Family RV
Question #1 – What Price Are You Willing To Pay?
As with buying a car, you do need to ask yourself what price you’re willing to pay for this RV. You can use online resources to help you find a reasonable price in your area. What’s important for now, however, is that you do actually set a firm budget. You also can’t go above this price just because you find an RV that’s fancy or attractive (at least not if you want to remain fiscally responsible).
Question #2 – What Age Range Do You Want?
So long as you’re going to be going used with your purchase, you need to ask yourself which age range of RV you’ll be willing to buy as well. Generally speaking, the more luxuries and amenities you want (refrigerator, microwave, oven, TV, etc.) then the newer your RV is going to need to be. If you’re fine without those features, and if you’re on a budget, then an older RV is going to be best.
Question #3 – What Floor Plan Do You Need?
Ask yourself this question with your family in mind. Sleeping arrangements will obviously be a big concern for you, but you also need to think about the layout of the RV itself. Think about what would work best for your family, and gain the perspective of your spouse or partner and kids to truly find the best fit.
Question #4 – How Much Storage Space Do You Need?
This question is also important, because not all RVs are equal when it comes to storage space. The best way to figure out how much storage space you will need is to make a list of the items that you’ll be bringing with you on the next road trip.
Then you can begin to imagine where those items will go as you inspect the RV in person (and you should always inspect an RV in person before buying it).
Question #5 – What Amenities and Luxuries Do You Need?
Not which amenities and luxuries that you want, but which amenities and luxuries that you need? There’s a critical difference there.
For instance, a TV maybe nice to have in an RV, but is it truly necessary? On the other hand, an oven or a dishwasher may be too luxuries that you do indeed need to have.
Buying An RV For The Family
Each of these five questions we have covered are not questions that you would be wise to avoid asking yourself before you leave on your family trip.
My dad is a fan of rvs, but he never ended up getting one. A few neighbors have one I think they are spacious if you use it right.
I didn’t have a RV but when I was a kid we had trailer and we traveled all over with it so an RV would be even better
If you are talking about “family” RVs it is crucial to know that it is never safe or legal to transport children in carseats inside the cabin of an RV. The safest place for kids in carseats is following behind in an actual car.
Here are some very useful links to tell you why:
https://csftl.org/rv-travel-children/
The crash videos in this one will really make you reconsider trying to put a car seat in an RV:
http://procarseatsafety.com/rv-resources-cpsts.html
Thanks for sharing Brenda!
Gives me something to think about – Thanks
Thanks for the information I got caught up in watching that link Brenda shared….scary!
Great tips, thank you!!!
These are all great question to aks yourself before buying an RV and even a camper!
Great tips, one question we ask ourselves is how much would we use it—would we be better off renting one for a long trip.