How to Choose the Right RV for You

Three years ago, my husband and I made the ever-important decision to purchase an RV. Once we made this decision, we had the overwhelming task of deciding what kind of RV to purchase. Luckily, we had several friends who already owned RVs helping us by offering their knowledgeable experience. However, we had a very difficult choice in spite of their advice and opinions since there are so many different styles of RVs from which to choose, and we became quite confused.

There are actually two types of RV categories. The first category I will address are Towables. Towable RVs are, just as the name indicates, those which you tow behind your vehicle. They include travel trailers and fifth wheels. Both of these types of RVs have their pros and cons.

Good points in selecting a towable RV include:
1. Interior is divided into actual, more private rooms; bedroom and bathroom are upstairs in a fifth wheel.
2. Easy to maneuver (back, turn, and park).
3. Your driving vehicle is always with you.

Disadvantages in selecting a towable RV are:
1. Can be difficult to level.
2. Very little basement storage area.
3. Traveling to and from destinations may cause damage to items that aren’t secured properly, and you have no way of knowing the damage occurred until you arrive at your destination.

The second category of RV type is the Motorhome. Motorhomes are all-in-one, drivable RVs. They consist of a cockpit area for the driver and passenger; a living/kitchen/dinette area; a bathroom and a bedroom area. These, too, have pros and cons to consider.

Pros of selecting a Motorhome:
1. Convenience of having everything at your fingertips while on the road. (Can also investigate noises and fix items that need securing during travel.)
2. Lots of basement storage
3. Easy leveling with automatic jacks.

Cons of a Motorhome:
1. Noisy ride.
2. Have to tow your extra vehicle, so can’t back up without unhooking tow vehicle.
3. Maneuverability can sometimes prove difficult.

After considering these RV choices, and weighing in on the pros and cons of each, we decided to select a Motorhome as our Recreational Vehicle. The main contributing factor in this decision was the fact that we didn’t already have a truck/heavy-duty vehicle in which to pull the Towable RV. Although it was a thought-provoking decision to make, we are pleased with our choice.

By Laura Weaver