[legion]

I keep playing with the idea of getting an RV. I'm probably at least a decade off from seriously considering buying one. Maintenance and storage fees (can't park one at my house) make such a purchase unrealistic at the moment.

The RV would be used for family vacations and probably get driven 1-3 times a year. I've always wanted to take a 2-3 week vacation and drive to the west coast, for example. It will need to sleep a minimum of 6 people. (In case some family wants to tag along.) I'd like the smallest RV that meets my needs.

My current thought is to buy a used diesel class C motorhome.

My thoughts are:
-Diesels get better gas mileage.
-Vehicle parts (brakes, tires, headlights, etc.) for a class C will be cheaper and easier to get as the chassis is from a mass-market vehicle.
-Motorhomes depreciate like crazy and getting a used one is MUCH cheaper.

Based on Hugh's comments, it makes me think that you really only get a year or two of ownership of a new RV before stuff starts breaking. It also seems that RVs are designed to be put together in modules--which can make accessing and repairing things like water lines difficult.

I'd like to start planning now for an eventual purchase.

My questions are:
-What costs do I need to take into consideration in RV ownership?
-What are the big things I need to look at when inspecting a used RV?
-What features should be avoided? What features are must-haves?
-What other things do I need to consider?