So, You Think You Want a Recreational Vehicle...

Our "new" baby is a 31' 1979 Airstream International Sovereign.  

The reasons that cause people to purchase a recreational vehicle are many and highly personal for everyone. The same goes for the type of rig the potential RVer eventually decides to purchase.

Often the decision to buy an RV begins with a dream; perhaps of freedom while still having the comforts of home, or being able to bring certain family members normally excluded from the typical family vacation (AKA - the pets). If the dream persists long enough, you might eventually conclude it’s time to make it a reality.

Ah, reality. It isn’t nearly as much fun as dreaming. Reality requires actual work: getting everyone on the same page; asking all kinds of hard questions; making notes to keep track of pertinent information... Oh, and let’s not forget patience. That last one is especially important for anyone considering the purchase of an RV. There are numerous choices out there, and turning a dream into the best reality for you takes time. We started discussing the possibility of purchasing an RV more than two years ago. Though we eventually purchased a 35 yr. old Airstream, when the subject first came up, ownership of a vintage trailer wasn’t immediately on our radar.

Okay, RV dreamers. Where do you start on the road to reality? Like it or not, the answer is research. And that’s where those hard questions with their resulting answers will become very important. Some of those hard questions will require research to come up with the best answer. For those who haven’t actually considered what it’s like to purchase an RV of any kind, we give you this comparison to help start you on your journey. It’s like buying a house and a motor vehicle all in one purchase. Regardless of type or age of the recreational vehicle, you just might be making two purchases. Owners of the large Class A motorhomes, conversion buses, and some Class C motorhomes often end up towing a smaller vehicle used for local trips while the coach becomes home base for the duration of the stay. Travel trailers and 5^th wheel trailers require a properly equipped tow vehicle, capable of safely handling the weight of the fully loaded trailer.

How did we make our final decision? There were many discussions (and sometimes arguments) about what type of RV would best suit our needs (we have a large fur kid family and possibly other adults who might join us occasionally). Four main concerns kept popping up in every conversation. How much did we want to spend up front and on long term maintenance of the recreational vehicle? Did we want to be able to use it immediately? Or was a project more appealing? Our choice also needed to suit the hauling weight of the tow vehicle we already owned. After all the back and forth discussions, we kept coming back to vintage trailers. There is a certain aesthetic appeal to vintage trailers (Otherwise known as the cool factor). It turns out we have a soft spot for Airstreams. Then the search was on.