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RV Buyers Guide
Find the Recreational Vehicle That Fits YOUR Lifestyle!
The term "RV" covers a wide range of interests and budgets and includes a variety of recreational vehicle types. At one end of the spectrum, there are folding camping trailers that sell for a few thousand dollars while at the other end you can find luxurious motorcoaches that rival traditional homes for their high-end features and comforts, with a pricetag to match.
So, before you buy or rent an RV, it pays to gain a basic understanding of how RVs are categorized. The RV world is generally divided into two broad categories: motorized RVs and towable RVs.
Motorized RVs combine a motor vehicle chassis and living quarters in single unit, this means you don't need to bring a second vehicle along unless you want to. Plus, motorized RV's typically come equipped with all of the luxuries of home with prices ranging from $40,000 to over a million depending on the type and model.
Class A Motorhome
| Most Popular Class A Manufacturers | |
| Gulf Stream Coach | King of the Road |
| Airstream | Coachmen |
| Jayco | Fleetwood |
| Winnebago | Georgie Boy |
| Newmar | Holiday Rambler |
The Class A motorhome, also commonly referred to as the conventional motorhome, is the largest, most luxurious of the motorized RVs -- a virtual "home-away from-home" on wheels, fully loaded and equipped for short trips, lengthy vacations and fulltiming. The Class A is entirely constructed on a bare, specially designed motor vehicle chassis and can include diesel engines (referred to as Diesel Pushers) or gas powered engines. These RV's also frequently feature "slide-out" rooms for even more spaciousness.
Length Range : 25 to 45 feet
Typical Price Range: $50,000 to $900,000+
Typical Price Range: $50,000 to $900,000+
Class B Van Camper
| Most Popular Class B Manufacturers | |
| Gulf Stream Coach | Pleasure-Way |
| Roadtrek | Sportsmobile |
| Great West Vans | Forest River |
| Leisure Travel Vans | Thor |
| R-Vision / Trail-Lite | Airstream |
The Class B Van Camper, as the name suggests, is developed from a van body that has been customized to contain RV amenities. Manufacturers add a variety of standard and optional conveniences such as kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping accommodations for two to four people depending in on the model. With the addition of a top extension, today's Van Campers have adequate head room and storage facilities for couples who like to combine motel stays and easy road travel with camping.
Length Range : 17 to 22 feet
Typical Price Range: $40,000 to $75,000
Typical Price Range: $40,000 to $75,000
Class C Mini-Motorhome
| Most Popular Class C Manufacturers | |
| Gulf Stream Coach | Jayco |
| Fleetwood | Winnebago |
| Coachmen | Forest River |
| Georgie Boy | Thor |
| R-Vision / Trail-Lite | Holiday Rambler |
This mid-range motorhome is built on an automotive manufactured van frame with an attached cab section. The RV manufacturer completes the body section containing the living
area and attaches it to the cab section. It's sometimes referred to as a Mini-Motorhome because it provides the conveniences of a larger motorhome in a scaled-down version and at a lower price.
Length Range : 20 to 35 feet
Typical Price Range: $45,000 to $140,000
Typical Price Range: $45,000 to $140,000
Towable RVs are designed to be towed by a car, van, SUV, or pickup truck, but are small enough so as not to require a special highway movement permit. Some of these towables even come with space to haul your "toys," like ATV's, motorcyles, and more. The price for towable RV's can range from $3,000 (without tow vehicle) for a pop-up camping trailer to $100,000 for a top-of-the-line toy hauler.
Fifth Wheel Trailer
| Most Popular Fifth Wheel Manufacturers |
|
| Gulf Stream Coach | Carriage |
| Teton Homes | King of the Road |
| Jayco | Forest River |
| Airstream | Keystone |
| R-Vision / Trail-Lite | Fleetwood |
These two-level units can provide the greatest living of all towable RVs because they come equipped with all the comforts of home and are perfect for weekend getaways. It is constructed with a raised forward section that allows a bi-level floor plan. This style is designed to be towed by a pickup truck equipped with a special hitch in the truck bed. The larger (26- to 40-foot) fifth-wheel models are popular with those seeking maximum living space -- the RV of choice for full-time living. Most include up to three large slideouts and standing room in the front bedroom.
Length Range : 20 to 40 feet
Typical Price Range: $12,500 to $100,000
Typical Price Range: $12,500 to $100,000
Travel Trailer
| Most Popular Travel Trailer Manufacturers |
|
| Gulf Stream Coach | Carriage |
| Trail Manor | King of the Road |
| Jayco | Forest River |
| Airstream | Keystone |
| R-Vision / Trail-Lite | Fleetwood |
Designed to be towed by a car, van or pickup by means of a bumper or frame hitch, the travel trailer provides all the comforts of home and is perfectly adaptable for weekend getaways, family vacations, and full timing. Available in a wide range of floorplans to meet the unique family and RV lifestyle preferences of the buyer, travel trailers are the perfect first RV because of their ease of towing and relatively low price range.
Length Range : 15 to 40 feet
Typical Price Range: $10,000 to $70,000
Typical Price Range: $10,000 to $70,000
Sport Utility Trailer (SUT) / Toy Hauler
| Most Popular Travel Trailer Manufacturers |
|
| Weekend Warrior | Dutchmen |
| Pace American | Aluminum Trailer |
| Jayco | Thor |
| K-Z | Northwood |
| Holiday Rambler | Fleetwood |
Sport Utility Trailers are cargo-hauling ramped RVs. They have a garage in the rear with a ramp to drive a "toy" up inside to haul, while at the same time offering all the comforts of home up in the front area. Common "toys" are motorcycles and ATVs. Toy Haulers can come in both a Travel Trailer or the Fifth Wheel to fit your lifestyle.
Length Range : 20 to 40 feet
Typical Price Range: $11,000 to $40,000
Typical Price Range: $11,000 to $40,000
Folding Camping Trailer / Pop-Up Trailer
| Most Popular Pop-Up Manufacturers | |
| Jayco | Keystone |
| Forest River | Fleetwood |
| Thor | Coachmen |
| Starcraft | Airstream |
| Jumping Jack | Livin' Lite RV |
Manufactured as a lightweight unit with collapsible sidewalls that are made of hard-wall construction or canvas. These towables are lightweight ranging from 1500 lbs to 4000lbs. When set up, they can provide full kitchen, dining, bathroom, and sleeping facilities for up to 8 people depending on the model. Pop-up’s are easy to tow and they give you the feeling of camping in the outdoors while still being protected from the elements. Today's models provide many of the amenities found in other RVs including small slide outs.
Length Range : 8 to 20 feet
Typical Price Range: $3,500 to $13,000
Typical Price Range: $3,500 to $13,000
Expandable Trailer
| Most Popular Expandable Manufacturers | |
| Jayco | Palomino |
| Forest River | R-Vision |
| Dutchmen | Coachmen |
| Starcraft | Fleetwood |
| TrailManor | Hi-Lo |
Combining the ease of towing and lightweight build of tent trailers and pop-ups with the features and stability of conventional upright trailers, these hard-side towable units expand when it is time to make camp.
Sometimes called hybrids, these trailers feature extendable, soft-sided pop-outs or slides, that are used for sleeping areas. Some expandables even feature conventional slide-outs, or will "crank up" for more interior height or width.
Expandables range in size from 15 to 40 feet, yet their light weight and easy handling make them ideal for smaller SUVs, minivans and pick-ups.
Length Range : 15 to 40 feet
Typical Price Range: $10,000 to $50,000
Typical Price Range: $10,000 to $50,000
Utility Trailer
| Most Popular Utility Trailer Manufacturers | |
| Big Tex | Bri-Mar |
| North Star | Featherlite |
| DTE (Down 2 Earth) | Load Rite |
Utility Trailers are the working-class towable trailers. Ranging from single-axle equipment haulers, to tandem-axle trailers, gooseneck & pintle trailers, dump-bed trailers, heavy equipment trailers,
car & motorcycle trailers, landscape trailers and more, these open-bed towables can range in price from $500 to $10,000 or more depending upon size and additional features.
Length Range : 5 to 20 feet
Typical Price Range: $500 to $10,000
Typical Price Range: $500 to $10,000
Cargo Trailer
| Most Popular Cargo Trailer Manufacturers | |
| Wells Cargo | Pace American |
| Haulmark | Featherlite |
| DTE (Down 2 Earth) | Roadmaster |
| Universal Trailer | Forest River |
Cargo Trailers are enclosed towable trailers used to haul anything from landscaping equipment to ATV's and motorcycles. Along with standard cargo trailers, this category includes specialized car trailers, living quarters trailers, motorcycle
trailers, snowmobile trailers, fifth wheels and v-nose trailers. They can be made from aluminum or fiberglass and range from small tear-drop shaped trailers meant to be hauled behind a motorcycle to gooseneck fifth wheel style cargo trailers over 40 ft long.
Length Range : 3 to 50 feet
Typical Price Range: $1,500 to $40,000
Typical Price Range: $1,500 to $40,000
Horse Trailer
| Most Popular Horse Trailer Manufacturers | |
| Big Tex | Bison |
| Sundowner | Featherlite |
| Exiss | Cimarron |
| Hart | Lakota |
| Ponderosa | Sterling Coach |
Designed to transport horses, these towable trailers come in a wide variety of styles and sizes. With aluminum or stainless steel construction, bumper-pull or gooseneck trailers, with living-quarters and tack area or stand-alone livestock trailers, for single horses or
stock transport you'll be able to find the style and size to fit your needs and budget.
Length Range : 10 to 50 feet
Typical Price Range: $3,000 to $40,000
Typical Price Range: $3,000 to $40,000
Park Model / Park Trailer
| Most Popular Park Model Manufacturers | |
| Chariot Eagle | Breckenridge (Damon) |
| Palomino | Forest River |
| Stewart Park Homes | Athens Park Homes |
| Superior | Cavco |
| Skyline | Canterbury |
For those RVers who like to spend the summer at their favorite campground or head South during the winter, park models (also referred to as park trailers) are often an economical and convenient alternative for long-term or
seasonal camping. When set, park models may be connected to utilities necessary for operation of installed fixtures and appliances. It's built on a single chassis which is mounted on wheels.
Length Range : 30 to 50 feet
Typical Price Range: $20,000 to $70,000
Typical Price Range: $20,000 to $70,000
Truck Camper
| Most Popular Truck Camper Manufacturers |
|
| Jayco | Starcraft |
| Forest River | Fleetwood |
| Alaskan Campers | Outfitter |
| Western RV | Lance Camper |
| Palomino | North Star |
Also referred to as pickup campers or slide-on campers, but not designed to be towable, the slide on truck camper is included in this category because of its ability to be removed from its transporting truck by using camper jacks. A slide-on camper is loaded onto, or affixed to, the chassis of a pickup truck. Many have kitchen and bathroom facilities plus many of the amenities found on more expensive RV’s. Because truck campers can be loaded and unloaded with relative ease, they are popular among weekend RVers that want the use of their truck as well.
Length Range : 5 to 15 feet
Typical Price Range: $4,000 to $25,000 (not including price of truck)
Typical Price Range: $4,000 to $25,000 (not including price of truck)
