The wife and I are looking to get an RV.  Bunkhouse model, new or used in good condition.  I have had a few before so I know what to look for but I don't know where to look around here.  We live in port orchard but we are wiling to look anywhere on the western half of the state for a good deal.  So far we have visited Tacoma RV center.  Where else should we be looking and who should we stay away from?

Thanks all.

Spring and early summer might be the most expensive times to buy an RV. I live in one full time. Almost everything RV related costs more during RV season. Consider waiting until after the RV season to look for deals, if you can wait.

I bought my RV from Apache RV center in Portland. They have a location in Tacoma. I'd buy there again if I needed to.

http://www.apachecamping.com/

I'm happy with the 22' travel trailer i got from camping world in Burlington.

I'm not particularly in the market, but I'm curious to know what model you have?  I've only owned a pop-up tent trailer, but my dad had a small bumper pull, but both were "marginal" in my opinion for build quality.  Living in one full-time, I bet you are an expert on build quality, what works and doesn't work.

I wouldn't mind getting back into one someday.  We've looked at Airstreams, which I think have good built quality, but also a very high "premium" due the name and reputation.  But for any more than 2 people, I find their layouts very limiting.

Build quality of all RVs is usually marginal...but they are easy to fix.

I have a 2015 Outdoors RV Black Rock 19B, now called the 20RD.
http://outdoorsrvmfg.com/black-rock/

So why did I choose ORV for a manufacturer?

• Made in La Grande OR. Frames made there too. Almost total control over QC from the moment the frame is welded together to when the stickers are applied.


• Aluminum outer house framing, not wood. Obvious reasons for why this is better than wood.


• Thicker wall insulation.


• Better floor and ceiling insulation than most of the industry.


• The axles and tires are more robust than needed for the max GVWR of the trailer.


• Tall aluminum sheet on the front to protect from rock chips in the fiberglass.


• Arched interior ceiling and roof. Inside, room to stand completely upright and the ceiling and things hanging down from it are not gonna hit my head (I'm 6' 3"). The arched roof makes water run off instead of puddle up anywhere.


• Cheaper than Airstream. A good used Airstream, while well made, was more expensive than a brand new ORV with warranty. It was an obvious trade off, but I'm willing to do the maintenance to keep my trailer in good shape.

I paid $25k for my trailer, including the Equal-I-er weight distributing hitch. It pulls very well behind my 3/4 ton pickup. Loaded for living in with a full fresh water tank, full propane, and two 6v batteries, and with the weight distributing hitch engaged it puts a little more than 6K pounds on the ground.

I have zero regrets, and I love that big back window when I can look out it in the morning and have a nice view.

Rear of Trailer

Side of Truck and Trailer

Ive got a kingsport 321TBS, really like it. Haven't taken it to far yet but this summer have some trips planned.

Ive purchased two RVs in the last 6 years. My first was at U-Neek RV in Kelso. I would have purchased my next one there if they had carried the brand. My second I purchased at Paul Everts in Fife. I only bought there because they had the brand and floor plan I wanted without going to Eastern Wa, or another state. I avoid doing further business with them after the sale.

We ended up getting one at Tacoma RV.  I would highly recommend anyone looking consider them.  Amazing sales staff, completely no pressure, they don't work off commission.  Everything is open and unlocked.  You can walk around and walk into anything they have on the lot.  They charge no PDI (other dealers we looked at charge up to $2500 for PDI) they give you a free lifetime warrantee on systems.  All  costs are on the table up front and no surprises.  I have worked in customer service related fields most of my life and their customer service skills are some of the best I have ever seen.  Everyone from the guy who drove the unit out to our house before we bought it to make sure it fit (free and we live 45 minutes away) to the guy washing the units who we asked for directions seemed genuinely happy to help us.  We spent a total of three days on the lot going through trailers to pick the one we wanted and never once in those three days were we pestered by sales people.  If we passed one they would ask if we needed help but it was always friendly.  You get a free inspection and walkthrough (the PDI that other charge a bunch for), $75 credit in the parts department to pick up things you might need like sewer hoses or whatever, free lifetime systems warrantee and their prices are cheaper than most other places we looked at without adding that other stuff in. (we bought a new model but found the same thing that was two years old at another dealer, they wanted $1000 more for the used unit than we paid for the new one).

Overall we couldn't be happier.  Great company, great people, great prices.

We were looking at a 31' 5th wheel from there. Nice enough staff, but we decided to wait a few months and during that time Camping World told me not to buy from them so fuck them.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/16/marcus-lemonis-if-youre-ok-with-what-trump-said-dont-shop-at-my-business.html

Yeah camping world totally screwed me over a few years ago on a service contract I was having them do and I will never shop for anything with them again.  Look at their reviews online and you will see that I wasn't the only one that they stole money from.  $hit business in my opinion.

I have 3 family members who wont do business with them either. Not the first time I've heard a story like yours.

I refuse to buy anything from Camping World when I can find all I need on Amazon at fair prices without having to join Good Sam Club, which doesn't even resemble what it was forty years ago.

We bought all the stuff we needed to set up the new RV on amazon, much cheaper than anywhere else we could find.  My only problem with amazon is what if the world do I do with the mountain on cardboard boxes I have in my garage?

Cut them into strips about 4 inches wide and roll them into sticks and dip them in wax. Use them in as fire starters?
I make fire starters from dryer lint and wax in a cardboard egg carton, and keep a bag of them in the RV for starting fires.

I packed up all the shit I was getting rid of after the divorce and hauled it off to Goodwill. They happily took the box and the crap inside.

Yeah we tried good will first, the prices were insane, I saw quite a few things there that were actually cheaper on amazon new.  We did get some small kitchen stuff there but that was about it.  Goodwill is usually good for clothing but not dishes or kitchen stuff.

I rarely use Goodwill for buying anything, but they are good for taking crap off my hands. Usually no questions asked, even when the pages are stuck together.

I had not seen that.  Thanks for letting me know.

There are much better reasons not to shop at Camping World than what the CEO says about any politician.

If you can find a B. Young RV dealership... thats the place to go!  B. Young is a 2A supporter.