Best for single senior?

[narrowsparrow]

I will likely have to purchase a used Class B due to the cost of the new ones.

Here is my situation: I am a 70-year old female, not in the best of health, but would like to have one more adventure before I depart. I think the Class B is the most logical choice for me and my 15-pound dog, but what would be the best brand to consider? I also have a mobility scooter that I will have to put onto a lift. Ideas?

Thank you!

[jrobe]

This is awesome. You are an inspiration. I hope I can ask this exact question someday.

It wouldn't be expensive to get a hitch mount mobility scooter rack for any Class B if you could manage the loading & unloading. Hopefully you could manage the moderate maintenance tasks involved in an RV like emptying tanks, etc. Maybe it would be money well spent to look into a rental for a week or so. I rented a Tiger RV (Class C) one time for 4 days. It saved me a lot of money because I learned what I needed and didn't need. Best money I ever spent.

[mkguitar]

there are a few brands which many of us are partial to.

1) determine a budget (our story is we ended up spending less than 1/2 our budget...we found a great van)

2.) determine needs- there are many good videos on youtube ( many from dealers) which show different vans and the features...& how things work

3.) most vans will have a hitch already which will carry your scooter

in general it seem the larger the bathroom, the smaller the bed- figure out your preference


we have had a 10 year old pleasure-way lexor TD for just over 2 years- couldn;t be happier with it.
found it on our PHX craigslist

happy hunting, mike

[BBQ]

[narrowsparrow]

Wow! I am so impressed. I was afraid no one would reply, but I got three speedy replies. Thank y'all so much...

I already have a lift for the scooter. It's attached to my Outback, so I'd have to get it transferred to the back of whatever I get. Or maybe I could get it into the van?

Excellent advice about renting something similar to what I am considering shelling out big bucks for, jrobe. I always think I can do more than I can actually can, so I am familiar with the "what-did-I-get-myself-into?" syndrome. I am in a large city, so I figure there is a place that will rent to me.

As far as mkguitar's practical suggestions, all I've done is to look at various types of mobile homes/truck campers online to determine which would be the best for me. And I've looked up some used ones, only to be horrified by the amount of money these things cost! I am not a 1%er, but I have been saving up. I didn't know what for until I realized that I can't really pay Uber to drive me to New Mexico. Then I hatched this plan... As for needs, I may have accidentally done that by tailoring my search to include the stuff I don't want to be without. I appreciate the cool tip about bath/bed ratios. Saves me a lot of time...

Are there any brands I should definitely avoid? When I look up blogs or "best" articles, I can't always be sure that whoever's writing isn't on a payroll. Nevertheless, the Airstream Sprinter and Phoenix Cruiser have shown up in three places. Sort of out of my price range. There sure are lots to choose from! Is it like looking at cars? Can I figure out my price range, desired features, and then go to a site like cars.com or Edmunds?

[mkguitar]

any rv is a bunch of compromises of features vs space vs cost.

it's interesting to me that for some cooking in the van is not important ( current thread), for us it is a big part of our fun- and a huge money saver.

it is also interest the bed/head thing. we don;t shower in our van and "no solids" in the toilet- we use the campground for that...and the biggest bed we could find.
others require a wet bath and are ok with a bed 50" wide...crazy huh?

the point is different lay outs are there for each persons needs- that's why I suggest the videos, which will often have an owner or a salesperson demoing the unit- watch how easily ( or not) they and the camera person move around in the van.

B's are more expensive per square than other RV's - our advantages are ease of driving, parking and MPG.

a class C will be larger and often cost much much less

mike

[InterBlog]

It would be good if you delineate a set of travel goals for yourself because that would help to constrain what you need. Are you planning to confine yourself exclusively to certain geographic areas? Most importantly, are you only going to be hooking up in campgrounds, or would you like to stay in more remote areas, doing what is called boondocking? Some folks like to be as far off the beaten path as possible, even if they have mobility limitations.

The answers to those questions make a huge difference in the rig that needs to be chosen.

A good used Class B is, indeed, expensive, but my husband and I have found that they hold their values well (although the new ones do depreciate quickly at the outset). We bought ours 2.5 years ago for a price that we thought was inflated - but it was the only model of its type available, and we wanted it, so we sucked it up and paid for it. I think we could sell it today for as least as much as we paid. For this reason, I tend to think of it as a bank account on wheels. It's not like that money is "going" anywhere. And we pay for an agreed value insurance policy, so if it gets destroyed, we still have that same amount of money coming back to us.

[BBQ]

Check out Bob's youtube channel. He has tons of video on RV living.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAj...An6Zz7A/videos

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by narrowsparrow

I already have a lift for the scooter. It's attached to my Outback, so I'd have to get it transferred to the back of whatever I get. Or maybe I could get it into the van?

If you want a B, it will have to go on the back... not inside. A rig with enough inside space would very likely be way out of your price range, as it is very expensive to make them accessible for your scooter. Here are photos of an example. It is a new rig and would be way over $100K, but just to show you that it is possible, but requires the large more expensive vans with the big door:

Midwest Automotive Designs 2016 Mobility Day Cruiser

Since you already have the lift for the rear and you know that you can handle it, I'd stick with it... save some money too.

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by narrowsparrow

I will likely have to purchase a used Class B due to the cost of the new ones.

Here is my situation: I am a 70-year old female, not in the best of health, but would like to have one more adventure before I depart. I think the Class B is the most logical choice for me and my 15-pound dog, but what would be the best brand to consider? I also have a mobility scooter that I will have to put onto a lift. Ideas?

Thank you!

Your dog is the bigger consideration-think about it-your traveling and want to stop. leaving the dog in the van except for a short time requires thinking. heat is the major concern. People who travel with dogs have to make the most considerations. it can be done but you have to work around them

[4DMTNS]

You are indeed inspiring!

No matter what you choose, reliability for you may be the most important feature with your health issues.

Since you are traveling solo, may I suggest you look into a Delorme InReach and the $13/month bare bones subscription. I did it to make sure people know where I am throughout the day AND so I could activate the HELP ME button to activate EMS. It works via satellite so no worries if out of cell tower range. I bought the base model for $220 on sale, and I have 5 friends who get three pre-programmed check-in emails each day.

Good luck! Have fun! Live it up!

[Keyne]

As mentioned above I also recommend listing out how you plan to use th RV. For us this really narrowed down our choices of manufacturers and vans. Then once we narrowed that down we discussed what features were most important and our budget. Honestly it made the decision pretty easy because we really knew what we wanted. Also i HIGHLY recommend renting... we rented to try out the lifestyle and it really made certain layout and feature choices super clear. These vans are all compromises so it really depends on what matters to YOU.

By the way, I think it's inspiring and awesome you want to do this. All adventures take courage. Also, have fun with the process the van search is part of the adventure!

[LarryB]

I suggest as short a vehicle as possible, preferably under 20 feet long. Lots of 19-20 foot class Bs out there. Much easier to maneuver and handle than something longer. However, the bathroom will be tight in that size. Consider not having a separate bathroom, but using a small portapotty and using campground or other facilities most of the time, especially for "solid" waste and showers. Frees up a lot of space and greatly simplifies the inside of the van and systems you will have to maintain.

Go with a major brand, such as Road Trek, PleasureWay, Coachmen, Sportsmobile, maybe some others. Fixed high roof rather than pop-top to simplify setup.

Use your local San Antonio Craigslist, search in the RV section for "Class B" and put in a maximum price, perhaps $20,000 or whatever. That will quickly tell you what the local market looks like. Searching isn't perfect, so some trailers and class A or C may show up in the list. Self-contained Class B RVs sell for $60-100K new nowadays, so don't expect something very usable for under $10K, and expect to make several thousand dollars worth of repairs and/or upgrades over the first few years.

For example, I just searched and found 5 Class B's between $10K and $20K on Craigslist for San Antonio and "nearby areas."

The other places to look are RVTrader.com and local RV dealers, though the dealers are almost certainly already advertising on Craigslist and RVTrader.

Once you've found a list of possible RV's, do an initial screening by phone, asking questions like Does it have a Clear title? (It should!) Has it been smoked in? Does everything work? How many miles? What condition are the vehicle systems, engine/transmission/brakes/tires/etc? Any thing else you want to tell me? Don't talk price yet.

Locate your local RV servicing dealers and ask what it will cost to have a pre-purchase inspection, including the vehicle systems as well as the RV systems. You may have to get a separate vehicle inspection elsewhere, since most RV dealers don't service engines, brakes, etc. Expect to pay up to two hundred dollars to get a full inspection and written report with estimates to fix things.

Take along a skeptical friend and go look at least three RVs. Spend some time inside, getting in and out, sitting, thinking about the layout and using the bed and kitchen and tables and whatnot. Have the owner/dealer demo the RV systems. Have the owner take you for a drive, including getting up to speed on the highway, at least 55 or 60 MPH. Then drive it yourself. Look at the tires. A new set of great tires will run you at least $600. Don't talk price yet.

Arrange for the owner of the most appealing vehicle to bring it to an RV dealer where you will meet them. You are paying for the inspection, so make sure you are the one talking to the inspection folks and getting the report. I happen to think it's good form to share the info with the seller, but others may disagree. You may decide that it is good enough for you. Then it's time to talk price, taking into account the cost to repair things that you've found in the inspection, remembering that it isn't a new vehicle, after all. You may want to continue inspecting the 2nd or 3rd most appealing vehicles, keeping in mind the cost in time and money of doing so, or you may want to wait and keep checking the available vehicles every week or so. More will come on the market as spring approaches, and every vehicle you look at will give you more information about what is available, how it would work for you, and what it would cost. Again, try to be patient.

Good luck, but don't count on luck when your careful, considered approach is what will find you a great vehicle! You are lucky to be in Texas where there are many, many RVs on the market!

As a final thought, expect to get realistic gas mileage. A smallish ~19 foot Class B RV will likely have a V8 and will get 10-15 MPG, depending on its size and the driving conditions.

[g1g]

What I did when I bought mine used is I made a list of must have items and would or could be be nice ones. I was told that other than the make of the vehicle that most appliances and items can be n any kind like they all have the same brand generator, there may only be a couple brands of other appliances that could be in so on and so forth. So said AC was a must so I also needed a generator. I wanted a refrigerator and a commode and of course a bed. A shower would be nice but not necessity as water supply is quite limited anyway.
After doing this I shopped around for the best price with my must haves and anything else was a bonus. Of course you must be able to do certain chores like filling and emptying water tanks, possibly make up the bed unless it is permenant as well as any other task needed as others have mentioned

[narrowsparrow]

I am kind of an experienced hand in traveling with dogs, but I've never done it in an RV before. I can see your point of view, considering I'd have to leave her in the van at some point. I could leave the a/c on, I suppose. When it's hot, I just don't take her anywhere with me in my Outback. Not an option on the road! Thanks for bringing this up, gerrym51.

[narrowsparrow]

Is there a thread on this forum that is a list of chores that need to be done on a regular basis? When I try to look this up on the open internet, I get all kinds of strange results! Like emptying the water from the bathroom, etc. I need to know if I am strong enough to lift these things on a routine basis. I realize it all depends on how much I use the "facilities" and the shower, but I'm just trying to get a ballpark estimate of the daily reality.

I don't know what happened, but I quit getting email notices of all the replies everyone posted. Wow, y'all know a lot about this! I am in good hands. Thanks for all the good info -- from porta-potties to HELP ME buttons (both super ideas) to practical buying tactics -- I really appreciate all the help. But y'all need to be sending me lotto numbers!

I've been watching some of the videos. I am a total novice, but I am liking the Zion SRT. Seems impossible to find a used one, especially in this area.

[BBQ]

@narrowsparrow:

Where do you plan to go?
The destination impacts your RV selection decisions.

If you are going to campgrounds where there are hookups, that makes life a lot easier.

How often do you plan on moving?
Some people like to stay in the same spot for a week,
others for months on end (especially during the winter),
while some would just stay a few days and move on (the journey is the destination).

Do you know anybody doing the same thing you are planning on doing?
From youtube? from blogs?
You might want to copy their RV and set up.

[mkguitar]

the dog thing has been discussed previously- since we live in AZ, we would never leave our dog in a vehicle for more than a few minutes...and never in the summer.

reliance on a genny to run the ac could be dodgy- if it fails or if a breaker blows or you are low on gas or...


if parked somewhere with windows cracked and roof vent open- where you would be comfy for a period of time, then the dog would be ok.

you might have to work taking your dog with you everywhere into your plans.

that will restrict your ability to go into restaurants, museums and other places

we have a dog who can;t be left alone- we work our lives around that...

she loves traveling in her van...with us

Mike

[Davydd]

You would be surprised at the number of Class B owners that travel with dogs. In our circle of friends we meet with at socials and rallies I would guess about half the Bs have dogs. We travel with a cat. In fact we will take her on our Winter Freezeout this weekend get together at Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

[AlexJ]

Originally Posted by Davydd

You would be surprised at the number of Class B owners that travel with dogs. In our circle of friends we meet with at socials and rallies I would guess about half the Bs have dogs. We travel with a cat. In fact we will take her on our Winter Freezeout this weekend get together at Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

A little off topic, but any suggestions on how to convert our shy house cat into a Class B kitty? He cries and fights when we try to carry him two feet out the front door.