Must Haves and Deal Breakers

[mtlakejim]

I don't know about the rest of you but we are always looking for the next camper. Its more or less a compulsion to turn into every RV dealer we drive by.

I suspect like us many of you have a list of "Must Haves" and "Deal Breakers". Over the years our list has grown as we have learned more and our use of the RV have changed:

Must Haves:
Largest size available (we won't even go in one less than 40' now that we are full time). Except we do as we are looking at a second camper LOL.
IS
Disc Brakes
Cushion Hitch Pin
Hydraulic 6pt leveling
Hydraulic slides
Seating DIRECTLY across from TV
Lots of storage both inside and out
Big bathroom
Easy access to washer/dryer
Residential Fridge
High quality finish
3rd AC
Layout that caters to just two people
High end Luxury finish/layout

Deal Breakers:
Poor Layout
Slides on Passenger/Door side that extend under awning, taking up entertainment space
Poor quality hardware
Poor quality bedding (granted that can be fixed)
Too many large windows (prefer horizontal not vertical views)
RV fridge
Layouts designed to sleep a dozen people
Cheap/flimsy entry steps
Small or hard to open exterior storage doors

So how about you?

[BB_TX]

We occasionally browse new ones just to look. Lots of really nice features on them that ours doesn't have. But then one big feature of ours keeps us in the one we have.

PAID FOR! And happy with it.

But then we are only sometimers and don't live in ours like so many of you do.

[chulavista]

This looks interesting since we've not yet pulled the trigger on our Montana! We boondock exclusively, want to visit national parks so length is a big consideration, we do not plan on full timing, only extended trips when we retire:


Must Haves:


Seating DIRECTLY across from TV (hubby's, not mine!)
Lots of storage both inside and out
Big bathroom
Bed Slide
35' or LESS
Large Pantry
RV Fridge
Solar
Hyd leveling
Solid 1 piece shower

Deal Breakers:
No Pantry
Residential Fridge
>36'
Poor quality fit and finish
two-piece shower
small shower (hubby's' a big boy)

[jcurtis934]

Have to visit Tampa rv show every year to follow what is going on with different manuf's and various models. Hoping to win lottery so I can afford to buy a new rv, while keeping present one for stays on east coast.

[Mikendebbie]

My list is easy.
Must haves...full tub
Deal breaker...no tub

This list is from DW - and I agree (happy wife!)

[DQDick]

We're good on that except for the hitch pin and the residential frig. We try never to look at new ones, everytime we do we end up with one

[Creeker]

We use ours for camping and traveling. Zero intentions of ever becoming Fulltimers.

Deal Breaker
1 Residential Fridge
2 Over 35'
3 Small Holding Tanks
4 No Bath or Fridge access with slides in
5 Too Expensive

Deal Maker
1 Opposite of above.

[mlh]

Deal maker:
32 feet
RL
<9000 pounds
3 slides

Deal breaker:
>10,000 pounds
Rk

I guess this Montana out.
Lynwood

[WeBeFulltime]

Deal breaker for me is furnace and/or water heater on door side (under main awning).

[Texan]

Agree with BB TX that being paid for is more important than wanting a new one. I've made many more improvements on our rig than what I could get in a new one. To buy a new one would be to start over improving on what I had. It has taken me 5 years to get most of what I want on this one so I don't think I will ever own another one. If I were full time then probably but I will never be full time. I don't think there is such a thing as quality build in the rv industry even though some are better than others. I enjoy going to rv shows and seeing the latest and greatest out there but I have lost the new rv fever thank goodness.

[Mudchief]

Like Texan said above to many improvements.

[Slow Hand]

i just got mine figured out. Sure i want a new one but my 03 3280 RL works just fine. Fridge is cold. Heater is a little loud but I got a fix for that coming.

[jeffba]

Nice to Haves:
IS
Double sinks in bathroom
Closet by door-Not one you put the washer and dry in

Have to Haves:
Disc Brakes
Hydraulic 6pt leveling
Hydraulic slides
recliners DIRECTLY across from TV
Lots of storage both inside and out
Easy access to washer/dryer
Residential Fridge
High quality finish
No kitchen island
Pantry
Recliners with each having their own armrest
Room to make the bed
Quality furniture that lasts



Deal Breakers:
Poor Layout
Slides on Passenger/Door side that extend under awning, taking up entertainment space
Poor quality hardware
Cable slides
Electric levelersdrains and or valves hard to get to
Poor quality furniture

RV fridge
Layouts designed to sleep a dozen people
Small or hard to open exterior storage doors

[CADman_KS]

Being new to the whole "big" 5er world, our list is different than anyone's I've seen here:

Must have:
A table that more than 2 people can sit
A king size bed (last camper had the modified queen (shorter), and that was too small)
Sleeps more than 2
Sleeps more than 4

Deal breakers:
Sleeps 2
Sleeps 4
Sleeps 12
Has a midbunk, although it typically meets the sleeps more requirement
Has a desk

For us, we are at a point in our lives where we have our kids/grandkids with us at times, and we need to be able to sleep more than 4 at a minimum. However, we don' t want a bunkhouse / toy hauler, because we don't want to give up all of that space to just sleeping.

The 3741FK works well for us. Can sleep up to 8 comfortably, and the sleeping arrangements don't consume any more space than they were already taking up before.

Our tune may change if we ever were to become full timers, but that is a LONG ways in the future, and will be the next 5er...

[Drifty1]

Our list of must haves.
I/S
Disc Brakes
1,300+ watts solar
3,000 watt Magnum Hybrid Inverter
600+ ah Lithium battery’s
Access to refer, bathroom, bed without running out slides
2 A/C unit that controls are separated for dry camping
Rear kitchen
TV across from loveseat or recliner
35’
Washer dryer not in forward closets
Fair sized bathroom
All drawers on lower cabinets no doors
Larger gray and black water tanks
Larger fresh water tanks
Levelup System
Hydraulic slides
Slide toppers
R/F mogul dish
Air ride hitch

Wait this sounds like 90% of my existing trailer.

[RRman]

We love our separate Toilet room with a door and a cupboard for the TP and "Chemical's" and the shower tub and bath sink Across the hallway. So two people can perform their functions separately and not in each others way or with a cramped toilet stuffed between a wall and Shower...

Neighbors just got a new 43' long Heartland RV with a PANTRY long enough that it includes a sink and behind it a small Bathroom with one of those midhinge doors! No second bath and they already hate their one user/funky door Bathroom.

Would much rather have a central/mid hallway and a split bath but haven't seen ANY lately so one reason we keep ours.

[leahbill]

Must have large night stands on both sides of bed. Large closet, full size shower, large kitchen counter space, residential fridge, closet at entry door, lots of windows on campsite side, and large outside storage.

[Route66Rambler]

Must have RV fridge, TV across from seating, fridge access with slides closed, bathroom access with slides closed, bed access with slides closed, in our budget (we only pay cash), under max weight for our truck (we aren't buying a new truck, only pay cash), large bathroom, night stands at bed, dedicated pantry. IS and disc brakes would be nice so would lithium and solar.