You must be pretty happy. You finally have the money you wanted for purchasing an RV. It’s exciting to be at this point, where you can finally go to caravan sales and buy the vehicle of your dreams. How exciting, you can’t wait to get out on the road and start heading to new destinations.

After all, you have probably dreamed of the day that you could actually buy from the local caravan sales, and you’re ready to live the road tripping lifestyle that you have always dreamed of. Hold on there, tiger.

Before you drive your new motorhome off the dealers lot, you want to make sure that you’re prepared. Many mistakes happen when first-time motorhome owners don’t do their research. To make sure that you’re not one of these unlucky people, pay attention to some of the common mistakes that happen to RV owners, so you can do your best to avoid them:

• *  Trying to drive too far too soon. First of all, you’re going to tire yourself out much too quickly, if you decide to travel too far in one shot, when first setting out. Newbies often schedule their traveling days much too tightly, and end up frustrated when they don’t make their goals. Take it slow; there will be time for you to go to all the places that you want to, especially if you take good care of your vehicle and don’t push it too hard.

• * Packing the RV to the brim. Overweight RVs are not only unsafe to drive, but they are also not good for your insurance, so you want to avoid packing them with too many things. It’s not necessary and it’s not safe, so don’t do it.

• * Investing in an RV that is much larger than needed. If you haven’t bought your RV yet, pay attention. Oftentimes, we think that we need a vehicle that is much larger than necessary. You may want to consider who will be using it. While extra space is nice, it’s going to add onto the cost, and you may find that you never end up using that space. A larger RV also means larger parking spaces, higher fees at places, and a more challenging time driving.

• * Spending too much money, simply because they think they need a whole lot of unnecessary luxuries. That fancy kitchen, the pull-out porch, the overhead glamour lights in the bathroom, and an unnecessary loft space are all things that could add onto the cost of an RV. While yes, they may seem beautiful, how necessary are they for your road tripping lifestyle? If you have a budget to stick to, you may want to take stock of what must-have luxuries you want and what you can fore-go. When you go into your local dealerships, there will be those who will want to sell you the more pricier inventory. Be aware that these vehicles often have a lot of unnecessary features that you don’t need.

• * Traveling without an emergency fund. Breakdowns and mishaps happen. It’s okay. What isn’t okay is when you set out on your road trip without backup money. You may not want to use it, but just imagine needing it and not having it? Before you start the motorhome lifestyle, make sure that you’re financially prepared for the unexpected before you set out.

• * Not paying close attention to maintenance. You need to take care of your motorhome regularly, if you want it to last for a long time. Make sure to stay on top of oil changes, engine checkups, and tire maintenance. You don’t want to lower your motorhome’s value too quickly.

• * Not keeping tanks clean and taken care of. Tanks that aren’t taken care of are bound to deteriorate quickly, as well as smell really bad, so make sure that you stay on top of this part of taking care of your motorhome. Owners that don’t clean tanks regularly may find themselves with big problems on their hands, and no one wants that to happen with their vehicle that they’ve been hoping to buy for years. Dirty gas tanks can be hazardous and dirty sewage tanks can wreak to the high heavens.

In Conclusion

Are you ready to join in on the RV lifestyle? It’s fun, it’s exciting, and worth it. But, with all the excitement, don’t forget that it’s also a responsibility. You may want to make a checklist of the things that you should be aware of when you buy your first motorhome.

Perhaps consider tips from friends and loved ones before you visit caravan sales. It’s important to go into buying a motorhome as prepared as possible. You want to save money where you can, take good care of your vehicle, and most of all, avoid issues with the RV road tripping lifestyle, so you can keep enjoying it for years to come.