The call of the open road has been heard and you are on the market for a new motorhome. There are some wonderful options out there that will turn the road into an adventure, and allow you to travel while living in a home away from home, but first we want to give you 10 Tips that will make the whole experience of looking for a new motorhome that much easier.

1. Visit Dealerships

The best way to get an idea of what is out there on the market is to go and look around a few RVs and see which ones you like the feel of. Seeing something in a catalog is all well and good, but when trying to find a motorhome, actually getting to sit behind the wheel and check out the amenities first hand is something that cannot be replaced.

You can also check out the dealerships and see which ones of those you like. Finding someone that you like to work with, who is willing to answer your questions, and who has a good reputation is going to make the whole experience that much better for you.

These two things aside, you can get an idea of what kind of deals and offers there are at different dealerships, and this is also likely to factor into your choice of who to buy from.

2. What Tools Are Essential?

This point that we want to make may seem a little strange when you are looking at the motorhome of your dream, but if some of these tools are thrown in as part of the deal when you are getting your motorhome it may change your mind.

It also gives you a little bit of an idea as to some of the things you are going to have to confront when you get your new RV.

Most RVs do not come with a proper lug nut wrench, so getting a wrench set is a great idea. Being able to monitor your tire pressure is also something that is very useful, and there are kits, such as Laser Infrared Thermometers which allow you to monitor this from within your motorhome. You are going to need Leveling Blocks to get your perfect RV set up, and a Collapsible Wagon to move things around. Also, being out there on the road, a Two Way Radio is essential.

3.  Make A “Wish List”

Knowing what it is that you want from your RV before you start looking is going to make the whole process that much easier.

How far are you planning on travelling, and how often are you going to be travelling? Obviously some people are going to be using their RVs to get away, and more for vacations, and others may be doing it on a more permanent basis and turning their RV into their home.

Depending on which of these choices that you are making, it is going to affect the kind of thing that you need in your RV.

With more time spent in the RV, the need to make sure that your basic needs are met is even more vital, not that an RV is going to neglect that, but some may be designed for longer periods of usage than others.

4. Don't Rule Out Used RVs

Doing your due diligence when buying something means that you should explore all options, and of course, as well as some beautiful brand new motorhomes, there are some great used RVs that are available.

Making the choice as to whether you get something used or new may be entirely dependent on how much you intend to use your RV.

Say for instance that you are considering living in your rv and driving around for the majority of the time, but you are not quite sure - a used RV may provide you with a useful stepping stone before you fully commit, and buy the ideal motorhome for yourself. Or just go the whole hog and get the perfect RV for yourself right off the bat.

5. Truly Understand How You Plan To Use Your RV

What is your main purpose for getting an RV?

Are you looking to go on an adventure where you are spending most of your time outside the vehicle in national parks visiting interesting places? You are going to want something that is maneuverable, and that allows you to boondock (camp for free).

If you are going to be working from your RV or homeschooling your kids in the RV then your needs are going to be different. You are going to be camping differently, and you are going to need something that more closely replicates your home.

You can look at the specs of a motorhome and judge how much leeway it is going to give before you need to charge certain things, or refill the water tanks, so you can better plan where to make your stops and how to break up your journey. Different RVs are going to give you differing degrees of flexibility that are going to better suit your lifestyle.

6. Don't Overextend Yourself

Work out your budget, and by this we of course mean look at what you can afford, and whether you need all those extras that Model A offers in comparison to Model B, but you should look a little bit further than that.

Some of the attraction of the RV lifestyle is how much money it can allow you to save on your living costs, and getting a model that allows more self sufficiency, which is less likely to need repairs, is going to help with that.

If you end up paying out for something super expensive that exceeds your needs it kind of defeats the purpose, if you are looking to live in a motorhome to save money. Will the upfront cost be mitigated by the long term savings though? It is, of course, a balancing act.

7. Tap Into The RV Community

Who knows what kind of RVs are best to buy better than the RV community who regularly use them? The great advantage of speaking to people who are out there on the road and who are regularly using their RV is that you are going to get an unfiltered viewpoint of what an RV does, and the possible problems that one is going to encounter with them.

The RV Community is also going to be able to tell you which RV Dealerships are better to deal with, and which ones they think you should avoid, and they may have some great tips on how you can get a better deal.

It is also possible that they may be able to refer you to someone and help you and themselves in that way.

8. Negotiate The MSRP

You do not have to assume that the price that is on the ticket is the one that you should pay, so don’t just go into the dealership expecting that you are going to be handing over the exact amount of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Most dealers have some wiggle room, and will often give you a great deal just to make the sale.

Knowing what the MSRP is will help you with this, because then you will know exactly how good the deal you are being offered is.

The best time for you to buy a new RV, is also a secret that is widely known - the last of the month or end of the year when sales departments need to meet quotas is a great time to be looking.

9. Even New RVs Can Arrive With Problems

You are sure to have done your research, and it makes sense that you should understand what the pros and cons of different motorhomes are. Comparing the specifications of an RV with the wishlist that you have made means that you are going to get as close to your ideal scene as possible.

One thing that you should be thinking is that even when you are buying a brand new home there may be things in it that don’t work as well as they should, or that may present problems when you have bought them and you are off the lot.

Being prepared for any eventuality means that you can better handle it when it arises. Making sure that you have a good policy to go along with your motorhome is going to mean that you can get out of most sticky situations fairly easily.

10. Repairs Can Be Expensive And Mechanics Hard To Find

You can research whichever model of motorhome that you are looking for and identify what the main problems with that particular model are, so that you can think with what kinds of repairs you may need to make.

Water leaks are one of the most expensive RV repairs, so making sure that the RV you choose is not prone to them, is a good way to save money in the future.

Getting a good policy that covers you for repairs and hooks you into a good network that can advise you where and when to get your motorhome repaired is going to be a boon.

Conclusion

Your motorhome really can be a great home, and educating yourself on it will mean that your travels are going to be, if not mostly trouble free, then at least easily navigable. There is a great community out there waiting for you to join it.

You are going to have a lot of fun when you get that new RV. Making sure that you get the RV that best meets your needs is going to enhance that whole experience drastically. Hopefully the tips that we have provided above are going to set you up well for that great adventure out there on the open road.