My wife and I are thinking about purchasing an RV, specifically this used Bluebird model. We take lot’s of vacations to our home in AZ, and we absolutely love driving around on the back roads of the Western United States. We have been contemplating an RV for quite a while, and this one is a good deal.
Does anyone have any practical knowledge of living in an RV for more than say a month or so? This would be a summer-time gig so cold temps would not be a hassle, and yes this particular beast has central air and heat…
Specifically, how does one get their mail if they are traveling for prolonged periods? How well do these rv’s tow a car? Will I need a CDL license to drive this thing? My wife and I are going to look at it this weekend, so having some of these Q’s answered before hand would be a huge help. Thanks all…
My parents RV, and have for a couple of years. No trips of more than two weeks for them, though.
First, no CDL license is required. My parents really found it helpful to get a couple of walkie talkies to help back in to parking spots, which can be tight.
They also joined the Good Sam Club. It’s an RVing group that sends them magazines and stuff. I believe they have campground reviews available. They also have tips about how to make RV life easier.
Keep in mind that repairs to an RV are much, much more expensive than those to a car for a similar job. Also, you have a house there, so you’re combining the homeowner repairs with vehicle repairs. You’re likely to get mice when the thing is parked. Make sure you put out mousetraps and check them fairly often.
Cars have to be specially fitted with a tow bar. Alternatively, a very few cars come towable; I believe Saturns, Subarus, and some SUVs do. I don’t believe towing a car affects performance that much as far as gas mileage goes. It’s low, anyway, and the towed vehicle is not catching too much wind.
My parents have just stopped their mail when they’ve gone away, but they haven’t gone for a month at a time. There might be mail drops or forwarding services available.
A second vote for Good Sam. Membership is a whole $25 or so per year, and gets you discounts at GS campgrounds / RV parks, discounts on RV parts and services, and for another $80 or so, they offer emergency service. They also have a trip planning service that will map out the RV-friendly route for you.
As for a “toad” - (towed car) there are remote braking systems that will apply the car’s brakes when the RV’s brakes are on. They go for $800-1000. Not cheap, but if it saves you from one breakaway or jack-knife while going downhill, you’ll be happy to have it.
Oh, when you’re hooked up at a campsite, don’t leave your blackwater valve open, lest you get a “poo pile” in the tank - some friends of ours did that, and wound up needing a $200 service call to get it cleared out. (ick!) Leave the valve closed, and only open it once you’re at around half full, then close it again. This way, the solids don’t (uhh…) pile up and dry out.
My folks RV and workamp. They’ve been to Montana, Colorado, Alaska, Nevada, New Hampshire, and points in between.
I would say organization is the key. Make sure you know where everything is and that everything is in its place unless you are using it. When the RV is parked for long periods of time, make sure the wheels are covered.
You will find a whole community of RVers, and they are generally a good, helpful bunch.
Filling up with gas will be more expensive, since the tanks are bigger and the gas mileage is not very good.
