If you love your home comforts, but also love the great outdoors, then what you may want is one of the RV camper vans. They give you a dependable, economical, and most of all comfortable way to get to different destinations easily. There are some fantastic advantages to RV camper vans of all types, but it is important that you get to know them, and what choices are out there for you. After all, you want to be able to get as much enjoyment as possible out of them.
Advantages of RV Camper Vans:
Whether you buy a new or used model, you will have something fully self-contained. What this means is that you have something that you can both drive and live in, and that also offers a lot of storage. What you may not know, however, is that there is actually a huge difference between RVs and camper vans. Camper vans are a Class B vehicle, which means you can park them wherever you like. This makes them a whole lot more affordable than RVs, which are specialty vehicles.
RV Camper Vans and Your Different Options:
There are camper vans, motor homes, conversion vans, and more. It is important that you know the difference between these types, because they influence important things. For instance, you may not be able to park all of these models outside of your home. And you may even need a special driver’s license for certain models.
A camper van isn’t really a motor home, but both offer the same features. This may seem quite confusing, but it will make more sense once you come to understand the following industry guidelines. Hopefully, this will also help you to make the right decision.
Class A and Class B:
A Class A vehicle uses the chassis of a commercial truck or bus, or one that has been designed specifically for that type of vehicle. This means that a Class A vehicle looks like a bus. Its front end is flat and vertical and it has large windows. It also has all the amenities that you would see in a home. Class As can be pulled or driven. This is what most people know as an RV.
A Class B vehicle, in contrast, is a camper van. This uses the chassis of a van, adding no more than a few extensions. It often has a pop up roof that comes up when you’re camping. Some have a fixed roof, which is known as a “high top”. A camper van drives itself, being a singular vehicle that you can drive or live in. Furthermore, it must have bathroom, eating, and sleeping facilities for it to be considered a Class B. This means it must be fitted with a gray and fresh water holding tank as well.
Features to Look out for in RV Camper Vans:
In an RV, you can have any features that you like added. The only real limit is your imagination and your budget. A camper van is much smaller by design, which means it is also more limited. That said, it isn’t uncomfortable either. For instance, a camper van is likely to come with a small kitchen including an electric, battery-powered, or gas fridge, a grill, and a two-burner stove. Usually, it also has dual-voltage lighting, powered through AC power at the campsite or a dedicated battery. A lot of people are surprised to hear that camper vans have air conditioning, space heaters, water heaters, internal showers, and toilets. In fact, there are camper vans that appear to be an RV because of the luxuries they have included in them!
The Driving Experience:
One of the main reasons why people will purchase a camper van instead of an RV is because vans are much easier to drive. That said, a small RV is not as large as a big camper van, so it does depend on the particular model you end up choosing. It is always easier to maneuver a van than a bus, however, particularly when turning in the road. In fact, turning a bus takes years of practice, and a parking lot the size of a small football field!
Then, there is the fact that you may need to get a CDL driving license if you want to drive an RV. This is not always the case, so you do have to investigate whether the RV you are interested in will require a special license or not. In general, larger RVs do need a CDL, and many states have set it as a requirement as well.
Then, there is the fact that a camper van is far more economical when it comes to fuel, compared to an RV. Considering the fact that diesel and gas prices are rising all the time, this is an important thing to look into. After all, you do want to be able to enjoy your camper van or RV and actually hit the road with it every once in a while.
Parking and Maintenance:
Usually, you can have a Class B vehicle services with a regular mechanic. This means that you save a lot of money and time by not having to go to a specialized garage. Furthermore, if you like to tinker with vehicles yourself, you will find that the camper van is perfect for that. You don’t have to hire a paid professional whenever something needs changing or tightening up.
Similarly, if you can park a car somewhere, then you can park a camper van there as well. There are many city ordinances and home associations that have stopped people from parking an RV in the street. This cannot be put in place for camper vans, because they are a Class B vehicle, rather than Class A. This also means that you don’t have to pay for storage fees, since you can simply park your camper van on your own driveway or anywhere else where you can park a car.
When people talk about a “motor home”, they generally mean a camper van. However, motor homes are often a lot bigger than camper vans. They also offer more luxurious features. Camper vans are all about being able to hit the road whenever you want to while keeping costs down but still offering you good levels of comfort.