I got to wondering -- in a perfect world -- what my next RV would be. I came up with 2 different types of recreational vehicles.

To qualify my 2 choices, I should say that I’m a hands-on kind of guy.  Fixing, adjusting, modifying to suit our needs are the norm for my wife and I.

That said, my top 2 choices for our next RV would be:

a 25-foot fifth wheel trailer

a teardrop trailer

Now, for the "why" I chose each of these RVs...

What a deal... after looking at motorhomes for months, you finally found just the one you want!  It was owned by an elderly couple that bought it new in 1995.  After traveling around the country for a year or so their health started to slip.  They parked it under the carport where it has barely turned a wheel for almost 5 years.  Now they need to get rid of it so they can move into a small apartment.

Because it was semi-protected from direct sunlight, the interior is still in pretty good shape.  The exterior has been waxed occasionally and overall, the condition of this rig looks pretty good.  With complete maintenance records, and after a half hour drive around town you make the deal.  Giving the couple a hefty check, you are now the proud owner of a very low mileage motorhome.

Now all that’s left is that 5-hour drive back home -- straight down the freeway.  About 2 hours out, you experience an explosive blowout on a rear tire.  Fortunately you were able to keep it under control as you pulled over, but now you’ve got a problem. 

Buying a used motorhome can be a bit scarier than the risks that come with buying a used travel trailer.  With a motorhome, you're also talking a much larger bite into your budget. Which is why it's even more important that you know exactly what you're getting when you're looking for a used motorhome to buy. 

With some 10-year-old motorhomes commanding upwards of $50,000 (or even more), being very selective is to your benefit. 

Shiny and new would be great, but they don’t stay that way for long and the depreciation is rapid and heavy. 

A used travel trailer or 5th wheel RV can save you a large percentage from the expense of buying new, while still providing you with a good alternative. 

Maybe your budget is more in line with a small weekend sized rig, but you really want roomy and spacious so you can live full-time at least part of the year on board. 

Whether on the road, or set up on a lake lot at an RV resort, you can get more bang for your buck if you consider a used RV trailer.

RVing is exploding as both a family-oriented activity and a way of life for couples or even single individuals who want to travel and see everything this great country of ours has to offer.

When shopping for a new RV, there are lots of choices! For example, there are different types, classes and manufacturers of recreational vehicles to choose from. So many, in fact, that it can easily lead to a sense of confusion when it comes to trying to determine which RV will best fulfill your needs.

Following are some questions you'll want to ask yourself, along with a list of the pro's and con's for each of the different styles of recreational vehicles on the market today. This will definitely be helpful if you're in the market for a new or used RV.

At home Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle is quickly becoming the way of the land.  Many communities now have laws making recycling mandatory. For lots of pepole, recycling has become second nature.

There are also several things you can do to carry the "green" way of life into your RV lifestyle, as well.

There really is no rule on what the right RV is for fulltime living.

Deciding which RV is right for you may be easier if you think of it as buying a HOME instead of thinking of it as buying an RV. After all, if you're going to be a fulltime RVer, your RV will be a home.