Luxury RV rental start-up

[GregE_325]

Originally Posted by 3LOU5

Congrats !!

Now join www.irv2.com for good advice and tips on everything RV.

Will do. I've already signed up for Good Sam, KOA and Harvest Hosts. My garage looks like a Camping World store with all of the supplies and equipment that we've bought. Ha!

[GregE_325]

Originally Posted by clyde

That's pretty cool, but is that enough truck to pull it?

I wouldn't want to go through any serious mountain passes with it. Had I known that we were going to be taking on this new "hobby", I would have gone for the 3/4 ton instead. In fact, this truck didn't even come with a trailer brake controller. I've used a Curt portable module to get the trailer home and I'm having the OEM controller installed on Friday.


I've also been looking at diesel F250's for the past few days. I've only had the Ram for about 4 months, but perhaps next year if we are enjoying the RV lifestyle I'll get a bigger truck.

[GregE_325]

Originally Posted by kognito

Cool. 6 gallon propane, or propane/electric?

If it is both, you should have no problem selling the old one.

The original one was propane and electric. I'm debating holding on to it as a backup or selling it and recouping a little bit of the cost of the tankless one. The original one was never actually used since we wanted to get the tankless one installed before going anywhere.

[GregE_325]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

Hey, that’s great! My cousins just bought a teardrop trailer (they have been lifelong tent campers). There’s definitely an RV bonanza going on right now. I think it represents a kind of freedom to those of us suffering from cabin fever.

Thanks! There seems to be an explosion in RV sales. The the salesman at small dealership where we got ours said they had sold over 100 units last month. That total was a record, apparently.

[3LOU5]

I was just going to advise you on getting some sort of brake controller. Also, a good set of antisway bars/weight distribution hitch will greatly improve the towing. I have seen some trailers going down the interstate pass a semi, then all of a sudden, the trailer initiates a fish-tailing motion that looks wicked scary and unsafe.

I will also HIGHLY suggest a good surge guard/protector that will protect your electrical appliances/items from sketchy power posts in some of these campgrounds. The ones from Progressive Industries are highly rated, and their customer service is outstanding. They stand behind their product, and will replace their unit should a thunderstorm or any other power surges fries it. I have the portable one with the Electrical Management System (EMS) that helps to protect my motorhome "against voltage fluctuations, power surges and incorrectly wired shore power which can cause severe and costly damage to RV appliances and electronics". It's pricey, but I feel the investment is worth it.

A good water regulator will also help keep the pressure from blowing up your plumbing. Unlike surge protectors, they're inexpensive.

It strikes me as really odd that people buy their travel trailers, 5th wheels and motorhomes that're worth thousands and thousands of dollars, but don't spend a couple of hundred bucks to protect their investment.

[Nick M3]

I'd also think about some helper springs. The rear looks pretty loaded down.

[3LOU5]

Originally Posted by GregE_325

I wouldn't want to go through any serious mountain passes with it. Had I known that we were going to be taking on this new "hobby", I would have gone for the 3/4 ton instead. In fact, this truck didn't even come with a trailer brake controller. I've used a Curt portable module to get the trailer home and I'm having the OEM controller installed on Friday.


I've also been looking at diesel F250's for the past few days. I've only had the Ram for about 4 months, but perhaps next year if we are enjoying the RV lifestyle I'll get a bigger truck.

When we were looking at getting an RV, we were already seasoned campers with LOTS of experience using a tent. We knew that it was time to get an RV to make the camping experience more fun and comfortable.

So off we went to go check out a pop-up trailer. There was a barely-used one on sale on some parking lot. The owner was there and we decided to check it out. After going through and inspecting it, we decided to buy it from him after excessive haggling on the final price. He wanted a cashier's check, so my g/f and I go to the bank. On the way back, there was another car in the lot. So we go and talk to the owner only for him to say, "Sorry, but this guy just showed up and offered me a better price and he's paying with cash".

We took that as a sign that the pop-up wasn't meant to be, so off I go on another research on RVs.

I decided that while pop-ups are nice, Class C motorhomes (the ones with a van chassis) were even nicer. Imagine driving down the road, and then having your Significant Other go to the kitchen and fix you a sandwich for you to eat while driving and checking out the scenery !! After weeks of research, a 24-footer would be THE best length for our needs.

So we check out a few Class Cs. The thing I didn't like about it was the stupid overhang above the driver/passenger roof. It was kind of wasted space, because if you're claustrophobic, you are SOL if you have to sleep on top of that bunk.

I then decided that while Class C motorhomes are nice, Class A motorhomes (the ones that look like rolling bread boxes) were even nicer. Imagine driving down the road, and then having your Significant Other go to the kitchen and fix you a sandwich for you to eat while driving and checking out the scenery out that YOUUUUUGE windshield !! After weeks of research, we decided that a 28-30 footer would be ideal, since some national parks do not allow anything over 30 feet.

Long story short, we ended up with a 27-foot Class A.

It's true what they say: Sometimes you have to "buy your last RV first", lol.

I guess it's somewhat similar to thinking about buying a Miata, but end up with a Camaro or Mustang.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by 3LOU5

When we were looking at getting an RV, we were already seasoned campers with LOTS of experience using a tent. We knew that it was time to get an RV to make the camping experience more fun and comfortable.

So off we went to go check out a pop-up trailer. There was a barely-used one on sale on some parking lot. The owner was there and we decided to check it out. After going through and inspecting it, we decided to buy it from him after excessive haggling on the final price. He wanted a cashier's check, so my g/f and I go to the bank. On the way back, there was another car in the lot. So we go and talk to the owner only for him to say, "Sorry, but this guy just showed up and offered me a better price and he's paying with cash".

We took that as a sign that the pop-up wasn't meant to be, so off I go on another research on RVs.

I decided that while pop-ups are nice, Class C motorhomes (the ones with a van chassis) were even nicer. Imagine driving down the road, and then having your Significant Other go to the kitchen and fix you a sandwich for you to eat while driving and checking out the scenery !! After weeks of research, a 24-footer would be THE best length for our needs.

So we check out a few Class Cs. The thing I didn't like about it was the stupid overhang above the driver/passenger roof. It was kind of wasted space, because if you're claustrophobic, you are SOL if you have to sleep on top of that bunk.

I then decided that while Class C motorhomes are nice, Class A motorhomes (the ones that look like rolling bread boxes) were even nicer. Imagine driving down the road, and then having your Significant Other go to the kitchen and fix you a sandwich for you to eat while driving and checking out the scenery out that YOUUUUUGE windshield !! After weeks of research, we decided that a 28-30 footer would be ideal, since some national parks do not allow anything over 30 feet.

Long story short, we ended up with a 27-foot Class A.

It's true what they say: Sometimes you have to "buy your first RV last", lol.

I guess it's somewhat similar to thinking about buying a Miata, but end up with a Camaro or Mustang.

Great story!

[3LOU5]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

Great story!

Thanks !!

I could never get tired of telling that story, LOL.

[kognito]

Originally Posted by 3LOU5

I was just going to advise you on getting some sort of brake controller. Also, a good set of antisway bars/weight distribution hitch will greatly improve the towing. I have seen some trailers going down the interstate pass a semi, then all of a sudden, the trailer initiates a fish-tailing motion that looks wicked scary and unsafe.

I will also HIGHLY suggest a good surge guard/protector that will protect your electrical appliances/items from sketchy power posts in some of these campgrounds. The ones from Progressive Industries are highly rated, and their customer service is outstanding. They stand behind their product, and will replace their unit should a thunderstorm or any other power surges fries it. I have the portable one with the Electrical Management System (EMS) that helps to protect my motorhome "against voltage fluctuations, power surges and incorrectly wired shore power which can cause severe and costly damage to RV appliances and electronics". It's pricey, but I feel the investment is worth it.

A good water regulator will also help keep the pressure from blowing up your plumbing. Unlike surge protectors, they're inexpensive.

It strikes me as really odd that people buy their travel trailers, 5th wheels and motorhomes that're worth thousands and thousands of dollars, but don't spend a couple of hundred bucks to protect their investment.

If it is 50A, I am looking to sell my surge protector. I also have a 50A extension cord I could do without.

Stay away from "cheap" water regulators. I highly recommend this one which is adjustable regulator Camping world sells this one also, but they want more of your money.