New or Used...I need advice

[kscherzi]

Family (2 adults, 2 boys ,1 dog) camped for years in a tiny popup. A 25 foot Airstream is huge by comparison.

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by kscherzi

Family (2 adults, 2 boys ,1 dog) camped for years in a tiny popup. A 25 foot Airstream is huge by comparison.

Great point. Comfortable size depends a lot on previous experience. We traveled the country for 35 years with VW Camper vans (and still believe it's a good concept) so when we got our 20' Airstream we were amazed at the space.

Trouble is we decided to spend a lot more time traveling, six months a year so got a 25' Airstream, smallest of the large Airstreams but with all the features. This thing is huge by our experience.

Talk to someone who has a big motorhome and they will tell you they could never get by with our little 25', not even close. They're cramped in a 30' Airstream, often stuffed to the gills with stuff.

This point is made regularly in this forum, and followed with a similar argument about tow vehicles.

[Msmoto]

Do as I say, not as I do...LOL

Having purchased several new RV's, I can attest to the huge expense, primarily depreciation. So, my suggestion would be to hang around forums like this, possibly visit dealers and listen to what they are saying, not purchasing anything for awhile, and after a few months you will be given an education.

Then, begin the purchase of a new model if you really want to, or used if you want to be sensible.

Size, while some of the 25 footers have the best bathroom facilities, i.e., the front beds, i believe, a 27FB has a large amount of room and is one of my favorites. The 25D is impossible to make the bed, so I would avoid this.

If new..a 26U is IMO very attractive.

Discounts...almost always about 18% on new, so figure what you want to pay for used based upon this as the "new" price....I would drop off an additional 20% for a one year old model and additionally 10% off for each year after this for the next couple years. Then they seem to hold value.

More opinion.....problems can occur with new or used and while I believe a used one may have been through its "teething" period, not always.