Episode 191: Frequently Asked RV Questions Part 3

Have you ever been told not to park your RV on the grass when storing it for winter? Have you wondered what calamity would befall it if you disregarded this advice? Have you wondered if that advice was the Gospel truth or an old wives tale? Well, on today's podcast I am answering Frequently Asked Questions sent in by the Girl Campers.

Which comes first, choosing your camper or tow vehicle? Sent in by Vicki Tripplet. 

This is such a great question. You will need to ask yourself a few questions to get the answer which, of course, is going to be different for everyone.

Let’s start by approaching this as if we are speaking to recreating campers. Those weekend warriors and two week summer vacation RVers. In other words, not full timers or retired people.

Most of us drive our car every day so it is important that we really like what we are driving. There are some people who have a vehicle that they use just for towing but most do not. Their tow vehicle is their everyday ride.

The question I would be asking myself is:

Do I have an RV in mind that I really love and am unwilling to change? If so, you may have to change tow vehicles to accomodate that . Walter Cannon gave a great explanation of matching tow vehicles to RV's. The link for that very important topic is here. 

Conversely if you own a car or have brand loyalty to a vehicle that you don’t want to stop using, you may have to compromise on the RV you choose in order to keep that tow vehicle. The good news is that there have never been more options for the lightweight towable world.

Full timers need to be asking different questions. 

Where do I plan to travel?
Will I be boondocking on BLM land and need an off road model or larger tanks and solar options?
Will I be in one place for a long time, like those who park in Maine all summer and Florida all winter but don’t really travel in their RV’s.
Will I be outdoors a lot and just want a comfy bed?
Will I be working remotely and requiring an office area, wifi capability and a floor plan that won’t make me stir crazy if I am in the RV for long periods?

A good place to start is to listen to all of the Girl Camper Podcasts from last year where we covered the pros and cons of all the different RV types.

Re-imagining the Toy Hauler 
Pros and Cons of the Class C Motorhome
The Pop Up Camper Explored 
The Pros and Cons of Teardrop Trailers 
The Pros and Cons of Class A Motorhomes 

In the final analysis, it is such a personal decision and I recommend not signing on the bottom line, especially for full timers, without first renting the unit you are considering through RV Share or Outdoorsy. That’s a great way to get a realistic feel for the unit before you buy!

What do people on the road do for full time health insurance? Sent in by Chiarrai O’Mathghamhana

This is a tricky topic because most networks operate in a geographic zone so you’re signing up for doctors In Network in a prescribed area and some insurers require policy holders to live "in state." You have to carefully search this out though and do your homework.

Recently the Road Life Project, a member group of full time RVers, made a group health care policy available to members.  I encourage you to look into it. There are many benefits to belonging to this group of people who full time live on the road and one of them is the availability of a group health insurance plan.

Other options for health insurance on the road include working with a broker like RVerinsurance.com for a plan or checking with websites like ehealthinsurance.com for rates.

Should I park my RV on grass over the winter? sent in by Carol in North Carolina.

"I'm getting ready to store my travel trailer on the grass in my side yard for the winter. My father in law says I should put it up on blocks so the tires keep their shape and don't freeze. He said if I don't do that I could lower all four jacks and raise the RV off the ground a few inches to take the weight off the tires....