Why Did I Choose Laverne?

As some of you may have guessed already, acquiring a new (to me) RV is the "potential project" that has come to fruition.  I hesitated to say anything sooner because I wasn't certain it would even become a reality.  In fact, I truly thought it wouldn't happen until next year at the very earliest.  But life has a funny way of working things out.

I have been looking at RVs off and on for the past three years, but much more often and more seriously in the last year.  With so many things that needed to be taken care of first and a big debt elimination goal to finish off this one was a low priority item, however a very high priority goal for me.  It was really big on my want list.  Recently, as a friend pointed out, it was becoming more of a need and I'll tell you more about that in a future post.

So what made me choose a 30 year old motor home, of all things?  Well...

I was seriously considering another one of these Scamps, this time a 16 footer

Motorhome vs. Travel Trailer

For one thing I no longer wish to tow anything.  I went back and forth on this one quite a bit.  While I like the idea that you can park your trailer and still have a vehicle to use away from camp my days of pulling a trailer are to be no more.  Trailers are a lot of work to hitch up and a lot of work to set up once you get to where you are going.  Add the trailer length to the length of your tow vehicle and that's a lot to maneuver around.  Although I was quite able to pull and back up a travel trailer I was never really comfortable with it which made me a nervous traveler.  I don't want to be a nervous traveler.

Quality

Believe me when I tell you I've been through at least 35 RVs in the past two months.  I've dragged my kids along with me every step of the way and even some friends (Bless you!) from time to time.  What I discovered in my "travels" was that the older RVs are more rugged and the materials they used are better.  While they may not be all that pretty inside and rather dated that, to me, is just cosmetics.  I was looking at bone structure.

Size

I looked at everything.  Class A, Class B, Class B+, Class C, vans, trailers, 5th wheels, R-pods and micro trailers.  With slides and without slides.  By the time all was said and done I knew I wanted a small one and an older one.  I like that I can easily and comfortably drive this rig and park it in a regular parking space.  It also fits very nicely in my driveway. 

Attributes

I made a list of what things were the most important to me.  I wanted the bed over the cab so I'd have maximum living space.  I wanted a couch.  I wanted a dining space.  A potty and a shower.  A nice little kitchen.  Good storage space.  This one had all of these things.

Price

A brand new RV is simply not in my budget.  I don't have $80,000 to spend nor do I like the idea of driving off the lot and losing $30,000 before I even get it home.  The depreciation and resale on a used RV is astronomical.

I had set a pretty generous budget to purchase a nice older used RV so that regardless of what I ended up with I'd have plenty leftover for repairs and upgrades.  So to find this particular RV in such amazing condition and at a great price I knew I couldn't pass it up.  Especially after finding out how mechanically sound the truck is as well as the state of the coach.  Definitely a blessing.

Safety

This was the most important part of my decision making process.  I chose a motorhome because as a single women, whether I'm traveling alone or with my children I really like the idea that if we are ever in a situation where we feel we need to leave all I have to do is get in the driver's seat and go.  With a travel trailer I'd have to get out in order to get to my vehicle.  The fact that I have the option to simply drive away gives me tremendous peace of mind. 

Those are pretty much the reasons I decided to go with a motorhome but the reason I chose to buy Laverne was because when I climbed inside it felt like home.  She gave me warm fuzzies and made me feel good.  When I come around the corner and see her in my driveway I get a huge smile and my heart sings.  She is exactly what I wanted and more importantly what I needed.  I am so very happy that she is mine.  😁

Stay tuned for more exciting news and updates about Laverne.