You think you might like to try the RV lifestyle? If so, it's important that you get the right RV. That is determined by how you plan to use it. After several years of RVing, here are some things I would urge you to consider.
First of all, decide your purpose in getting an RV; that is, why do you want an RV? Do you plan to RV full-time, or do you simply want to go out on an occasional weekend or during vacation and enjoy spending time in state and national parks. And if you plan to full-time, are you doing it for leisure, or will you use your RV to live in while you follow a job?
We purchased our last RV near the end of our careers. We figured we would get out on weekends and vacations while still employed, then use the trailer for longer trips after retirement. We never imagined we would full-time in it. Although we did full-time for over 8 months and enjoyed the time greatly, we would have enjoyed the time even more if we had bought a rig more suitable for full-time living.
If you simply plan to get out occasionally, then you really probably don't need anything large. Since trips will be short and infrequent, you really need something easy to tow or drive and with limited storage. You do want to consider getting caught in bad weather, so having access to a TV/DVD player is probably advantageous. In our first two trailers, we had no entertainment except for a radio, and that was fine. We had those trailers simply as a means to get out and enjoy the country, so we did not want to spend anytime inside; instead, we wanted to be hiking, floating down rivers, or fishing.
The bathroom situation is also an important consideration. Our first RV was a folding camper many years ago; of course, prior to that we simply tent camped. In those days, we relied on public facilities. We always camped in Texas state parks. These parks almost always have shower facilities in their campgrounds. How comfortable are you using public facilities such as these? If that is not your thing, then you probably want a rig that has its own facilities.
If you opt for a bathroom in your rig, be aware that smaller rigs often (usually?) have a "wet bath". This is a bathroom where the toilet and shower are all in the same compartment; thus, when you shower, water gets all over the toilet. There may or may not be a sink in such rigs. In some wet baths, there is enough room to hang a curtain to keep water off the toilet. And some smaller rigs such as folding campers today have port-a-potties. Consider how comfortable you would be maintaining these. Even on larger rigs with full bathrooms, you will have to empty waste via sewer hoses; if this is not something you are comfortable with, you might as well stop reading right now.
In some rigs, there is no full-time bed; instead, the dining table folds down to make a bed. Putting the table/bed up and down can get old pretty quickly, so consider this.
Perhaps the biggest question is whether you want a motor home or a towed vehicle. Again, this depends on your purpose in getting an RV.
A motor home has numerous benefits. First and foremost, you aren't towing. Personally, I hate towing. But if you watch all the motor homes you see on the road, you'll probably see that most are towing a small vehicle behind to use once they park their rig. However, the vehicle they are pulling is usually not very large, so it doesn't create the towing problems larger rigs have, such as trailer sway. Another benefit is that large Class A motor homes usually have great storage in outside bays, something most trailers just simply do not have, not even the larger fifth wheels. And finally, there is something about being inside your home and not having to get out when you park if you don't want to. If it is raining, for example, when you arrive at your site, you can simply stay in your motor home. In a towed rig, you'd have to get out of the tow vehicle (TV) to enter the trailer. This is not a big deal, but rather a mental benefit. As regards economy, you will probably spend less on fuel on a motor home than in a trailer. On the road, fuel costs will probably be about the same, give or take a little. However, once you park, you then use the little fuel efficient car you've towed for all your running around, thereby saving gas. With a trailer, you use one rig for all your travel, and that happens to be a gas guzzling big tow vehicle. So if you end up staying in a park for 6 months, all your travel is in a fuel efficient car if you have a motor home during your stay while if you tow a fifth wheel, you are driving around daily in a gas guzzler.
But there are disadvantages to a motor home. They are expensive. Even the small Class C motor homes can run around $100,000; the large Class A motor homes can run several times that. Unless you get a pull-through site, you have to unhook your towed vehicle before you can back into your site. And if you don't have a towed vehicle, then anytime you want to go somewhere, you have to disconnect all hookups.
If you decide to purchase a trailer, then you have 2 options: a bumper pull trailer or a fifth wheel trailer. Most fifth wheels require larger tow vehicles, at least ¾ ton; however, I have seen large fifth wheels pulled by ½ ton trucks, though I would be very cautious about doing this. And because most fifth wheels weigh 10,000 or more pounds, you really should consider a diesel engine. We have a bumper pull trailer and we use a ½ ton truck for towing. It's a good match, for the tow capacity of our truck is nearly 11,000 pounds while the dry weight of the trailer is 5,200 pounds. The actual trailer weight is about 6,000 pounds, so we still have plenty of room to spare, and that is, I think, the right approach.
Fifth wheels are easier to tow because there is less trailer sway and a shorter overall length. My trailer, for example, is 30 feet while my truck is 20 feet. The hitch adds another 5 feet or more, making a total distance of at least 55 feet. That is roughly equivalent in total length to a truck pulling a 40 foot fifth wheel. I find that floor plans in fifth wheels are generally better as well, but that is my personal preference.
So, what type of rig is right for you? If I were doing it all over again, here are the choices I would make.
If I were getting a rig to simply go out on weekends and vacations, primarily in state and national parks, I would get a small trailer, one that is easy to tow and one that is not too expensive. I would look, for example, at a Casita or a Scamp. These are lightweight brands that can be towed by smaller vehicles. They usually have wet baths and limited storage, but decent living areas for short term use.
If I wanted to full-time, I would get a fifth wheel, complete with washer and dryer hookups. If you are going to live full-time in your rig, then make it as easy on yourself as possible; after all, this will be your home. Look for good storage, both inside and out; remember, you have to carry everything you need with you somehow.