Posted by Claire on Oct 24, 2011
Before you buy an RV online, you have to decide which type of RV to purchase. Towable RVs are more popular than motorhomes with first-time RV buyers, primarily because towables offer greater selection at the low-end of the price scale. A camping family that is ready to move up to an RV can purchase a lightweight folding camping trailer (commonly called a pop-up) that can be pulled by their family car for a few thousand dollars, considerably less if purchased used on RVT.com.
While upscale amenities, multiple slides, premium interior and exterior construction features and other upgrades can equalize the price difference between travel trailers and motorhomes, it is the engine that is at the root of basic cost differentials. When you buy a motorhome, you’re buying as a single unit both living space and the expensive engine that moves it. When you buy a travel trailer, 5th wheel RV or truck camper, you’re only purchasing the living space. You must provide the engine to tow it at additional cost. However, if you already own an appropriate RV tow vehicle (pickup truck or SUV) or purchase one used at a good price on RVT.com, you’re ahead of the game financially. You can put the money you would have spent on a tow vehicle toward upgrades and additional amenities in your new RV.
Next time: Comparing features
Posted by Claire on Aug 26, 2011
If you’re tired of straggling through airports and trying to keep the kids entertained during a cramped flight, if you’re tired of hefty hotel bills that take a huge bite out of your vacation funds, if you tired of spending money on food your kids won’t eat, maybe it’s time you tried RVing. RV vacations are 27% to 61% cheaper than any other type of vacation, according to a study by PKF Consulting, an international travel and tourism consulting firm. Vacationing in an RV combines transportation, hotel and food costs in one neat, cost-efficient package, allowing you to take control of your vacation — and vacation costs.
Travel. Vacationing in an RV gives families room to spread out comfortably while on the road. You can stop to check out local attractions, sample a piece of homemade pie or stop for ice cream along the way. There are no schedules to keep or security lines to get through. And no one arrives at your destination tired and cranky.
Lodging. When you RV, you carry your lodging with you. A night in a comfortable RV campsite costs a fraction of what you’d pay for a night in a hotel. And many RV campgrounds now offer hotel-like amenities such as swimming pools, free WiFi, game rooms, playgrounds and more.
Food. A kitchen stocked your family’s favorite foods and snacks is just steps away when you RV, allowing you to eat healthfully and inexpensively and serve the foods your family likes to eat.
Posted by Claire on Jul 15, 2011
Today we continue our step-by-step walk through the process of buying an RV online:
4. After you’ve narrowed your search to a few RV manufacturers, click on Consumer Reports for links to unbiased RV ratings and reviews. Use this information to narrow your search.
5. Go back to the type of RV you want to buy under RVs for Sale and browse listings for manufacturers on your short list. Decide which RV models have the floor plan and features you want. In narrowing your search to a specific model, consider information from consumer reports sites. You can also used Advanced Search features to shop for RVs in your city or state or to find specific features.
6. When reviewing RV listings, take advantage of the navigation bar at the top of each ad that allows you to save listings, print or share them via email and social networking sites.
7. After you’ve winnowed your choices down to a final few, click on Price Checker. Our price checker will show you the vehicle’s NADA book value, as well as the number of listings for that model on RVT.com, including the high, low and average asking prices. This information will point you toward good deals and can be useful in price negotiations with RV sellers.
8. Use the Contact Seller box included in every ad listing to connect with the seller of the RV you want to buy, cut your deal, and you’ll be a happy RV owner in no time!
Posted by on Mar 18, 2011
In most of the country gas prices have climbed to around $3.50 per gallon with pump prices edging $4 a gallon in California. According to the Energy Information Agency, gas hasn’t cost this much since the fall of 2008. In September 2008, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline was $3.80, plummeting to a low of $1.60 in January 2009. Since then gas prices have been rising steadily, not exactly good news for RV travelers who log a lot of highway miles.
In response to high gas prices and a growing demand for more eco-friendly RVs, RV manufacturers have begun rolling out RVs that are smaller, lighter weight and more fuel efficient. Existing motorhome and travel trailer models have also been remodeled to decrease weight and improve fuel economy. Last year, sales of energy-efficient lightweights jumped 40%; and lightweights continue to be a fast-growing market. In the not too distant future, RV manufacturers hope to produce an RV travel trailer light enough to be pulled by the average family sedan.
RV manufacturers are also experimenting with biodiesel fuel. There are a few biodiesel RVs and some hybrids on the road, but most have been adapted by eco-conscious RV owners. Engineers say the industry is still a ways away from producing viable and affordable biodiesel RVs. Something to look forward to!
Posted by on Feb 28, 2011
After you buy your RV online, you’ll want to insure your RV to protect your investment just like you insure your car. In fact, that’s what nearly half of U.S. RV owners do. They insure their new RV just like they insure their car. They simply ask their insurance agent to add their RV to their auto policy as if it were another family vehicle. The problem is your RV is much more than another vehicle.
Recreational vehicles are a combination of car and home that requires specialized RV insurance tailored to protect both functions of the vehicle. Specialized RV insurance is offered online by insurers that cater to the specific needs of the RV market. Some major national insurance companies also offer specialized RV insurance.
When shopping online for RV insurance, look for these features:
> Roadside assistance with extended towing. If you have an accident or mechanical problem in an RV, you’re likely to be far from home and may be pretty far off the beaten path. The cost to tow an RV can be triple that of towing a car. Long-distance tow coverage will save you money and provide peace of mind. You should also look for an RV insurance policy that will return your RV to your home after an accident or mechanical problem. If the repair to your RV takes a while, it will be more convenient to have your RV repaired at home.
More insurance tips next time
Posted by Nancy on Jan 24, 2011
Taking the time to carefully winterize your RV will make things go more smoothly in the spring and extend the life of your vehicle. Even though winter is nearly over your RV can still benefit from these tips if you forgot earlier.
Tires
If your RV is parked on an unpaved surface, you can put flat concrete blocks under the tires. This will prevent the tires from sinking into the ground when the soil gets soft
after things warm up as spring approaches.
Moisture
Some owners like to cover an RV in a tarp with the idea that this will keep snow and water out. This does not prevent water from getting in underneath the tarp. If you must cover your unit, choose a material that “breathes.” Otherwise the moisture that gets in can cause mold and/or mildew.
You can purchase a product that is designed to control moisture and leave it inside your RV during the winter months. They usually come inside containers that are designed to take in moisture from the air, while at the same time not letting that water drain or cause stains.
Propane
Those of you who remove propane tanks will want to be sure to close the outside line. You can also wrap the burners on the stove in plastic, using tape or something else to close them around the line. The chemical in propane that allows us to smell it is enticing to spiders and you do not want to find that they are nesting areas that are sources of propane when you open up your RV in the springtime.
Posted by on Jan 21, 2011
In our last two posts we’ve been talking about how much cheaper RV vacations are compared to the typical vacation where you fly to a destination, stay in a hotel, rent a car to get around, and eat all your meals in restaurants. It doesn’t take an accountant to figure out that combining all 4 travel elements into one comfortable package – your RV — puts you in the driver’s seat. You’re no longer at the mercy of airlines, hotels and restaurants. When you vacation in an RV, you control how much you spend and on what. And economy of scale means that the more people in your travel party, the more you’ll save, which makes RV vacations a fantastic deal for families.
It’s all well and good to talk in generalities, but folks want to know how much they and their family will personally save when they vacation in an RV. The RV info site Go RVing has created a handy online Vacation Comparison guide that allows RV owners to crunch the numbers and see how much they’ll save on different travel combinations. Just click an RV model and a vacation package and GoRVing.com compares the costs. Click here and try it yourself.
Tip for RV buyers: If you’re shopping for an RV, the guide can aid your decision-making process by giving you a good idea which type of RV — motorhome, travel trailer, truck camper or folding trailer — will save you the most money when you vacation.
Posted by on Jan 19, 2011
Forget staycations this year. The affordability of RV vacations makes it possible to take your family beyond the city limits and explore America without denting the family budget. In a survey conducted by international travel consultants PKF Consulting, RV vacations were found to be as much as 61% less expensive than nearly every other type of popular family vacation.
When the costs of air travel, hotel stays, car rentals and restaurant meals were compared to RV travel, RV vacations were the hands-down winner. Here’s why:
> No hotel bills. When you travel by RV, you carry your living room, bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen with you. For the low cost of a campground site, you stay in the equivalent of a deluxe hotel suite.
> No air fare. Also, no long check-in and security lines, delayed flights or luggage hauling. Toss everything in your RV and hit the highway. RV fuel costs are outweighed by high air fares and other costs. (See our last post for information on fuel costs.)
> No rental car. RVers carry their ground transportation with them.
> Low food costs. Vacationing RVers save a bundle on food costs by preparing most meals in their onboard kitchen or barbecuing at their campsite, leaving plenty of money to splurge on a few restaurant meals to sample the local cuisine.
Isn’t it time to put the fun and adventure back into your family vacation? RVT.com has great buys on new and used RVs of every make and model.
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