Room to Expand — You will always want to buy an RV that will give you more room than what you need. Keep in mind when you travel you will have additional people that may be traveling with you such as grandkids or your kid’s friends. It seems like many people will buy an RV for the number of people that are in their family but will not consider the extra people that may be along for the journey.
Gas Mileage — Although it is important to allow room for extra travelers you want to think very carefully about gas mileage when buying an RV. A newer RV will always get better gas mileage than an older one. The older the RV the fewer miles per gallon it will get. Many people see the appealing sticker price of an older RV, but you will end up paying more in fuel costs with an older RV. Gas versus diesel engine, diesel almost always gets better mileage. A smaller RV with a diesel engine is optimum for fuel economy.
Proper Care — Make sure the RV has had a pre-purchase inspection. There are many reputable companies out there that will offer pre-purchase inspections for a reasonable price. This is much more important if this is a private seller. There may be issues the RV owner did not know about, and there is no real way to know when the last time the RV had a full inspection.
Checklist — Make a physical checklist of the things you want in an RV. Spend some time really thinking about this list when you make it. As you are looking at RV’s you may discover there are some things you missed on your list of wants. You may also see some things that you do not like, make sure you note these likes and dislikes so it will become easier to find the right RV.
