RVT.com RV Trader Blog

RV Life Offers Best of Both Worlds

This is the time of year when RVers thumb their noses are homeowners stuck in chilly northern climes and point their RVs toward the sunny South. One of the true delights of RV living is the ability to follow the sun and the pleasant weather across the country. Many full-time RVers spend their summers in the cool forests of the North or along the balmy shores of the Great Lakes. Come November when the first snow flurries start to fly, they pack up, bid the grandchildren farewell and set off for summer camping grounds in sunny Florida or the toasty Southwest. In April and May as spring flowers start to bloom, the migration reverses itself.

Sometimes called “snow birds,” these savvy RVers have discovered a lifestyle that is not only promotes good health and happiness but is kind to the environment. Compared to the energy expended by a typical home, RVing is a particularly green way to live. Relocating twice a year minimizes heating and cooling use, reducing energy consumption even further.

Not only does living year-round in a sunny, outdoor environment encourage exercise, boost vitamin D absorption and promote RVers’ good health, but green RV living gives a nice boost to the planet’s health too. As RVers will tell you, it’s the best of both worlds!

Are you ready to embrace the RV lifestyle? RVT.com makes it easy to buy the RV of your dreams online.

You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby

Scarred with age, its coat of paint a distant memory, the 1929 Studebaker RV recently discovered in South Carolina is a real blast from the past. We discovered the story (make sure you check out the great pics) on the Hemmings Auto Blog posted to globalpost (click the link for story and photos).

Back in the early days of automotive history, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone and Thomas Edison were camping buddies who, like President Theodore Roosevelt and other manly men of the day, often set out into the wilds to commune with nature. According to the post, Firestone is rumored to have built an RV on a 1929 Studebaker chassis and this ancient RV may have been one of a limited production.

Taking a look at the venerable hulk, it’s possible to see inklings of early RV models. The well-weathered Studebaker has the look of an army truck circa 1950 with a roomy cab and diamond grill-covered windows in the rectangular van-like cargo area. It’s safe to say that this early RV lacked the comfortable amenities of its modern incarnations.

Whatever the actual history of this supposed ancient motorhome,  the “Dulce Domum” painted on the vehicle’s side certainly expresses the sentiments of modern RV owners everywhere. It’s Latin for “Sweetly at Home.”

You won’t find used RVs as old at the 1929 Studebaker dinosaur found in South Carolina, but you will find plenty of comfortable, modern, new and pre-owned RVs in excellent condition for sale at great prices on RVT.com.

RV Shows Offer Chance to Compare Models

Ready to try out the relaxed, enjoyable RV lifestyle? Or perhaps you’ve been RVing for awhile and are considering upgrading to a newer or bigger RV? Maybe you just want to get a look at the hot new green RVs everyone is talking about? If you’re thinking about buying an RV, the place to go is an RV show. One of the nation’s biggest RV shows, the 57th Annual California RV Show, is coming up October 16-25 at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA. You can find other RV shows around the country on the RVT.com website.

At an RV show you can check out all the top RV manufacturers and their most popular models under one roof. It’s a great way to comparison shop. See what’s standard and what new features are being offered. Walk through a variety of models and get a true feeling for the space available and whether it’s a good fit for you and your family. Bring the kids. They’ll have as much fun at an RV show as you will.

At an RV show you’ll find plenty of folks to answer your questions and fill you in on the latest advances in RV technology. You’ll also pick up plenty of useful how to and been there done that tips from veteran RVers. Use the show to create a shopping list of must have features, then do your shopping online at RVT.com where you’ll find hundreds of new and used RVs at great prices.

RV Is a Gift for the Whole Family

Halloween isn’t quite here but stores are already setting up Christmas displays. It’s a little early to get into the holiday spirit, but some gifts take more time and planning than others. This holiday why not give your family a gift that will bring you all closer together. Give your family an RV.

Doing things together as a family, psychologists now tell us, is the best way to keep kids engaged in healthy activities and out of trouble. Numerous studies have shown that when families eat dinner together, children do better at school academically, are better integrated socially and are better able to stand up to peer pressure. If you can get all that from sharing a burger and a little chitchat, think what the togetherness of an RV vacation could do for your children.

RV families not only eat together when they travel, they explore and learn together and have fun together. While RVing, children have an opportunity to help out and contribute to the family which builds self-esteem. Family activities and games give parents and children a chance to bond and talk. When parents spend time playing with their children, children are more apt to come to them in times of trouble. Started when children are young, RVing can form the cornerstone of a positive parent-child relationship that can carry you both through the turbulent teen years.

Who suspected something as enjoyable as RVing could have such deep psychological benefits? Just ask any RVing family; it does.

Get Best RV Deal with RVT Price Checker

The economy has turned everyone into a bargain hunter. Whether you’re making a big purchase or a small one, these days you want to know you’re getting the best deal possible. That’s especially true when you’re buying a new or used RV online. To make it easy to compare RV models and prices, RVT.com recently introduced a new RVT Price Checker feature to make sure you get the best possible deal when you buy a new or used RV online.

RVT Price Checker lets you find and compare the low, high and average asking prices for any RV make or model listed for sale on RVT.com. Click View a Demo to see how the feature works. Compare prices by RV make, model, type, new/used, private/dealer ad, year of manufacture, length, location state or distance from your home. With a click, you can even view the listings that match your search criteria.

The North American leader in online RV sales, RVT.com has 10 years of experience in online sales and has helped facilitate the sale and purchase of thousands of RVs over the Internet. RVT Price Checker is just the latest innovative feature we’ve created to make it even easier to sell or purchase an RV online. Visit our website at RVT.com and give it a try.

Homeschoolers Use RVs as Mobile Classrooms

Parents who homeschool their children are investing in RVs as mobile classrooms. Book learning has its place, these parents argue, but there’s nothing like actually being there to give a child a true appreciation for what he’s learning. It’s not a new idea.

Occasionally, you’ve probably read about a family who packed the kids into their RV to crisscross the country for a few months or a year. The advantage of seeing new sites and meeting new people is obvious. But for most families it was a unique and short-lived experiment. When the kids reached middle school or high school, it was back to the traditional classroom. Today, however, the proliferation of homeschooling has turned an occasional adventure into an educational choice for many RVing families.

History and geography lessons particularly lend themselves to onsite learning. An RV tour of Civil War battlefields allows kids to put themselves in the picture. Hike along the Appalachian Trail to experience the difficulties the pioneers faced when starting their trek west. Spend a day helping out on a farm to learn about how food gets to the table. Tour a factory to find out how things are made. Explore geology and paleontology while fossil hunting. When you have an RV classroom, the opportunities for learning are endless — and exciting.

Gentlemen, Start Your RVs!

When you think of drag racing, big, boxy RVs aren’t the vehicle that comes to mind. But that didn’t stop fans of souped up historic GMC motorhomes. The 3rd Annual Florida Sunshine Statesman GMC Drag Race drew RV fans from across the country to Orlando, Florida for an all-in-good-fun, pedal-to-the-metal race down the drag strip. Watch RVers burn rubber on RV Buddies.

Veteran RVer Bob Heller was crowned King of the Strip, setting a new record of 22.514 seconds at 62 mph. Bob drove a souped up 1974 GMC with a 455 big-block engine with 110,000 miles on the odometer. A true RVer, Bob handles all the repair work and maintenance on his beloved GMC.

There are more than 20 GMC RV clubs nationwide dedicated to preserving this classic motorcoach. The GMC’s automotive heritage, revolutionary front-wheel-drive drive train, low center of gravity, air-spring suspension and sleek, bullet-shaped good looks have made this RV a cult classic. When they first started rolling off the production line in 1973, GMC motorhomes were the first to break away from the boxy look of their predecessors and adopt a sleek, aerodynamic design. GMC motorhomes featured the same drive train and front suspension used in Oldsmobile’s Toronado, providing a truly comfortable ride. Innovative coach bodies featured fiberglass and aluminum. The last GMC RV rolled off the assembly line in 1978, a victim of the fuel crisis.

RVT.com offers many classic GMC motorhomes for sale online. Just select GMC from the “Make” category and click.

Consider Upgrading Before Starting Long RV Trek

If you plan to tackle a major RV road trip like a multi-month tour of Alaska or a cross country trek across the U.S., now is the time to assess your RV needs and start shopping. RVT.com offers great online deals on new and used RVs. Even if you’re an experienced RVer, if you mostly RV on weekends and have never traveled extensively in your RV, you may want to consider upgrading your current RV model.

It pays to plan ahead for the type of traveling you want to do so you have plenty of time to shop for the proper equipment before you hit the road. For example, if you plan to drive extensively through Alaska’s mountainous areas, you may be more comfortable navigating the state’s narrow, twisting, gravel roads in a motorhome or truck camper instead of trying to keep control of a trailer. 

If you plan to camp primarily in national parks, check the National Park Service website for size or weight restrictions at the parks you plan to visit. Not all national parks offer hook-ups and RV services. You may be more comfortable camping at nearby RV resorts or state campgrounds that offer full RV services.

If you’re planning to live in your RV for extended periodsof time, you may want to upgrade to a model that offers slideouts, a larger bathroom or more extensive kitchen facilities. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find the RV you want at a good price on RVT.com.