Final Thoughts / Wrap Up
- Class Recommendations
- On the Road a Lot?
Class A Diesel
--Comfortable ride & interior. The most storage. Durable & powerful engines. Great for towing.
Recommended Brands
- Anything Under the Monaco Umbrella:
- Country Coach--The Cadillac of RVs!
- Quality and great customer service from Tiffin Motorhomes.
- Alfa--The best standard warranty, highest ceilings, efficient basement air, no-nonsense interiors, but no variety.
- Great floor
plans from Damon, a company making big strides.
- Not on the Road Much?
5th Wheel Trailer
--Spacious interiors and high ceilings. No motor/transmission to maintain.
Recommended Brands
- Heartland Landmark--Newer
company with great ideas, quality interiors.
- Quality and luxury combined from Doubletree Suites.
- Alfa--The best standard warranty, highest ceilings, efficient basement air, no-nonsense interiors.
- Peterson Industries Excel Limited--Quality construction and beautiful interiors.
- Variety, style and craftsmanship collide in a Nu-Wa HitchHiker.
- Random Advice
- Before purchasing, do your homework.
- Read books, magazines, online reviews.
- Learn what you can from salespeople and current owners.
I learned that people love to talk about their RVs. When you see them at gas stations and truck stops, dealerships or campgrounds, introduce
yourself and start asking questions. You'll usually be pleasantly surprised by the warm reception and good advice.
- Listen to everything they say and don't listen to everything they say. Get it? Remember, just like cars, most people are
in love what they have now. Also, most people have some horror story about something they used to own or their cousin's brother's uncle owned.
For example, to use another car analogy, Fleetwood is very similar to Chevrolet in that they are the largest RV manufacturer with the greatest number
of models in a vast range of prices. I've heard more complaints about Fleetwood than any other manufacturer...but...they sell more RVs.
As a percentage of owners vs. number of complaints, they're one of the best companies out there. If you meet only 3 people who have an "ABC" RV
and they all hate them, that's a 100% dissatisfaction score. If you meet 1000 Fleetwood owners and 10 of them think they made a mistake, that's only 1%!
- Keep in mind that while there are numerous manufacturers, most of them use the same components in their RVs. There's no such thing
as a Winnebago Refrigerator. The things that separate the manufacturers are their attention to quality with regard to overall construction, the variety & livability of their floor plans, their
customer service and their option offerings.
- Test drive, rent or borrow RVs to see how you like them.
- Remember that the interest you pay on an RV loan may be tax deductible.
- Make sure you are properly insured.
- Sign up for AAA or or reputable road-side assistance plan.
- Develop your own safety checklist to use while traveling.
- Don't drive an RV if you're too tired or intoxicated.
- Have fun & enjoy a truly American experience!
- Questions or comments? E-mail me at
Steve@AlbrechtAdventure.com.
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