By Arthur Fletcher

There is a lot of detail that goes into buying a recreational vehicle. Before you even consider purchasing an RV, you should consider the type of RV for which you are actually looking. You need one that fits your lifestyle as well as your entire family. There are many differences among the numerous recreational vehicles on the market such as space, size, value, and how the RV is designed to be used.

Recreational vehicles are priced according to size and amenities. Typically the larger ones are more expensive, but there are some smaller models that are completely decked out from top to bottom and can cost you a lot of money as well. Recreational vehicles typically range in price from about $20,000 to over a million dollars, depending on how much luxury you seek.

Before buying a recreational vehicle, you need to be aware of the classes of the RV’s on the market. The Class A recreational vehicles are the most luxurious, largest, and generally the most expensive, whereas the Class B are more like modified van conversions with extensions built into them. These are considerably smaller than the Class A, but are consequently budget friendly. Class B RV’s work well for beginners who have never previously owned an RV, and are an excellent option for the value. They also provide better fuel efficiency and ride well, even on off-road excursions. Then there is the Class 3 category which is the most budget friendly and convenient for weekend trips. This choice is for the family that wants to get away once in a while but doesn’t need luxury or lots of space in an RV.

You can negotiate the price of your recreational vehicle just as you can when buying a new car. You may even be able to purchase a used model for a reasonable price. To gain a good idea for best prices on recreational vehicles, you can visit a regional RV show in your area. Many RV showroom employees will know when the next one is coming up. This is the best way to compare which RV will suit your needs and preferences.

By Bob Masters

Should we get slide-outs
We had decided on a fifth wheel trailer having tried out several loaned by our dealer (he even loaned us the pickup to pull them) and were truly converted to this new (to us) type of RV. The one big decision remaining was the matter of slide-outs, — those box like structures which were made to extend from the RV (when parked) and provided much appreciated additional space inside the vehicle. Our salesman had explained to us how they worked but would not give us any recommendations. He did, however, give us a list of folks who had bought fifth wheel trailers with slide-outs.

What we found on the Internet
First, we thought, we would just see what we could find on the Internet. It was overwhelming! Mostly, we found complaints — the same complaints over and over again. How could anything be this bad and still be so popular?

The six major complaints
The more important complaints included:

* leaking of water and dust around the gaskets that are supposed to seal the slide-out when extended or retracted.

* accumulation of debris on the top of the slide-outs when parked under trees (which is where the shade is!) being pulled into the RV when the slide-outs are retracted

* malfunction of the mechanisms responsible for extending and retracting the slide-out (a real problem if the’re extended and can’t be retracted)

* additional maintenance cost (especially as the RV ages)

* compromised structural integrity of the body of the RV

* reduction of carrying capacity of RV due to extra weight of the slide-outs (500 to as much as 1000 pounds per slide-out).

After reading all this stuff on the Internet we were ready to say ‘no’ to slide-outs. We didn’t have slide-outs on the MCI or Flxible; can they really be that great?

The salesman’s answers
We went back to the salesman and he again pointed out that nearly all of their Fifth Wheels now come with slide-outs. Depreciation is much greater for units without slide-outs. He did have some rebuttals concerning the complaints we had gathered.

Water leakage
The cited water leakage problem is almost always due to lack of proper maintenance. There are lubricants which, when properly applied to the rubber-like gaskets, prolong the useful lives of the gaskets. And, like your automobile (or pickup truck) the RV should be checked out at the beginning of the season to reduce the probability of mechanical mishaps while traveling. If it appears there may be a problem with a slide-out staying properly retracted while the vehicle is traveling, mechanical locks can be fitted to ensure complete retraction is maintained.

Intrusion of debris
The problem of pulling debris inside the RV when retracting the slide-out is not a problem with the fifth wheels we had been considering because they all are fitted with special awnings which extend and retract with the slide-outs.

Maintenance of actuating mechanism
Proper maintenance by the dealer helps to assure the electrical motors and associated gears work properly when they are expected to but, if something were to happen there is a mechanical override to allow the slide-out to be retracted manually. He also said that most problems of this nature occur because the trailer wasn’t leveled before the slide-outs were extended.

Additional maintenance costs
The expected additional maintenance cost only occurs in his dealership if something has to be repaired. The inspections, lubrication of seals, gears, etc., is done by his mechanics when the RV is brought in for its annual checkup.

Structural integrity
The structural integrity is more a function of the size of the slide-out. The fifth wheel trailers we were considering were not compromised by the inclusion of the slide-outs.

Reduction of carrying capacity
The matter of reduction of carrying capacity brought a smile to his face: “It’s a matter of numbers. You can carry so much and that is the limit. So you have to decide what is important and stay within the limit. The slide-outs in the units you have looked at are on the light side (about 600 pounds each) because they are small and not moving appliances.”

Again he encouraged us to check with other customers who had fifth wheel trailers with slide-outs. We hadn’t wanted to bother his customers but decided that, as people complain more readily than they praise — especially on the Internet, we should take his advice.