Choosing The Right RV
An RV is a huge investment, so you want to make sure you’ll enjoy the one you choose. It can be daunting, however, to narrow down your choices when there are so many types on the market. Not only are there different styles to consider, like trailers and motorhomes, but there are a variety of amenities available within each style.
To ease your mind, Copley's RV has created this quick guide to help you determine what RV will work best for you and your family. Our showroom is located in Hobe Sound, Florida, so don’t be shy about coming in with any questions you might have when you’re done reading. We can also show you our available stock of great new and used RVs and other camper styles.
How Do You Like To Camp?
When you imagine yourself out camping, are you in an RV park with plenty of hookups and a rec center nearby? Or do you see yourself dry camping out in the wilderness with no one around for miles? You should choose your RV accordingly. The largest RVs are better suited to big RV parks with the space to host them. Smaller, more energy-efficient RVs and trailers will work better for boondocking because they’ll require less power and are easier to transport to secluded spots.
If you’re a powersports fan, or you plan to bring everyone’s bikes for some off-road riding, you may want a trailer called a toy hauler, which has an enclosed garage space for ATVs, motorcycles, bicycles, watercraft or whatever other small vehicles you might want to bring.
Where (And When) Are You Going?
Consider the places you most want to travel. Climate is an important factor to take into account when purchasing an RV. If you intend to spend time in the South during the summer, you’ll want an RV that ventilates well and has an air-conditioning unit to keep you from sweltering. Planning to head north during the winter months? You may want a four-seasons RV with sufficient insulation to keep out the cold and the elements. Even in temperate climates, the weather can still impact your trip, so make sure you find an RV that can handle shifts in temperature and sudden deluges.
How Many People Will Join You?
If it’s just you and a partner going off into the wilderness together, you probably won’t want to get an enormous RV with slide-outs because you simply won’t use all that space. For the traveling couple, a fifth wheel or small travel trailer would work perfectly, as would a small motorhome. A family or big group of friends will mean you’ll want plenty of beds for everyone, plus sufficient space to store everyone’s belongings, so if you’ve got big plans with a group, go for larger RVs and more expansive travel trailers.
Trailer Versus Motorhome
The biggest determining factor between purchasing a motorhome or traditional RV and getting a trailer or fifth wheel is the type of vehicle you own. Trailers and fifth wheels require towing, so if your current passenger car doesn’t have a high enough gross combined weight rating (GCWR) to tow a travel trailer, you’ll either need to separately purchase a truck that does or consider getting an RV that’s all-in-one with an engine. Fifth wheel trailers require their own special coupling which necessitates a half-ton truck at the least, so again, if you don’t have this type of vehicle already, you’ll want to look into an RV or motorhome.
Towing can present some challenges, although these aren’t too hard to master given patience and time, and it gives you the ability to take your own car with you. This lets you unhitch your towing vehicle when you’re at camp and head off on day trips to see tourist attractions or run errands. Driving a motorhome or RV can be convenient, but definitely limiting in where you can fit your vehicle, and when you want to go anywhere, you’ll have to take everything with you. Think carefully about which option suits you best before you make a big decision.
Now that you’ve narrowed down what it is you’re after in an RV, come see us at our Hobe Sound showroom! We can get you in the RV of your dreams in no time. Copley’s RV is conveniently located for our customers in St. Lucie and Palm Beach Counties, as well as those in Jupiter Farms, Florida.