Seeking Advice From Full-Time RVers: How to Learn Faster, Avoid Mistakes, and Travel Smarter

Why full time RVers are gold mines of real-world knowledge

When you ask a full-time RVer a question, you’re tapping into thousands of miles of lessons—campground wins, boondocking hiccups, repair shortcuts, and budgeting tricks earned the hard way. Full-timers test gear across climates and seasons. They’ve dealt with wind, weight, water, watts, and where-do-we-sleep-tonight. That experience compresses your learning curve like nothing else.

That said, not every answer will be exactly what you need—yet. Rigs vary (Class A vs. travel trailer), power systems differ (lead-acid vs. lithium), and travel styles diverge (resort parks vs. boondocking). Don’t be quick to discount advice that doesn’t fit today. Add it to your notes app, journal, or maintenance binder. Great ideas are seeds for future trips; treat conversations with full-timers as brainstorming—fragments you can save and assemble later.

Where to find helpful full time RVers

• Campground neighbors & weekly/monthly snowbirds: Early evenings and dump-station lines (yes, really) are prime spots for quick, specific questions.
  
• Facebook groups & forums: Search first, then ask clearly. Be polite; thank folks who respond.
  
• RVer meetups, rallies, and workshops: Hands-on sessions about power, towing, or maintenance are led by people who do this every day.
  
• YouTube & podcasts: Follow creators who show their process and data (amps, PSI, weights), not just the highlight reel.
  
• Local RV parts stores and technicians: You’ll often meet full-timers grabbing parts. Ask what worked and what didn’t.
  

How to ask better questions (and get better answers)

1. Describe your RV & use case.
   “We have a 28’ travel trailer, 2 adults + dog, mostly boondocking 3–4 days at a time in the Southwest.”
2. Specify the decision.
   “Choosing between a 200-watt suitcase solar or adding 400 watts to the roof this spring.”
3. State constraints.
   “Budget under $1,000, no drilling through the roof this season, truck alternator is stock.”
4. Ask for trade-offs, not absolutes.
   “What do I give up with a suitcase vs. roof panels?”
5. Close the loop.
   If the advice helped, return and share your outcome and numbers. You’ll cement relationships and get better help next time.
   

How to weigh conflicting advice

Full time RVers come with strong opinions—because they’ve lived the results. When answers clash, sort them with this simple framework:

• Safety first: If seasoned RVers mention braking distances, weight, hitch setup, propane safety, or electrical protection—prioritize those. No debate.
  
• Environment match: Advice from an East Coast RV park-only RV may not translate to windy BLM boondocking in Arizona. Match climate and usage.
  
• Evidence beats anecdotes: Photos, measurements, weigh-ticket numbers, and voltage curves versus “it felt fine.”
  
• Maintenance load: A model that adds complexity to maintenance may break your travel rhythm. Ask, “What fails? What’s the maintenance?”
  
• Resale & reversibility: If you might sell your rig, purchase upgrades you can transfer if it makes sense to do so. Model-specific items might not fit your new RV. (portable panels, soft-starts, tire-pressure systems).
  

What to write down (so you don’t forget)

Create a living “Field Notes” document in your phone or travel binder:

• Routes & regions: Wind corridors, mountain passes, bridge heights, best fuel stops, and dump stations. Best Food!
  
• Campground intel: Sites to request/avoid, shade vs. solar, quietest loops, weekly rates.
  
• Repairs & maintenance: Part numbers, torque specs, belt sizes, sealants that actually worked.
  
• Power math: Daily amp-hours used, solar harvest on sunny vs. cloudy days, generator run times, inverter limits.
  
• Comfort tips: Condensation tricks, mattress hacks, storage bins that fit a specific cabinet.
  
• Vetted vendors: Mobile techs, welders, tire shops, upholstery pros.
  

Even if the advice isn’t perfect now, storing it builds a library for the future you. Ideas are draft solutions; brainstorm first, sort later.

Common questions to ask Full time RVers – With Logical Answers. 

• “What was your last breakdown, and how did you fix it?”
  Gives you failure modes and proven fixes—pure gold for your toolkit.
  
• “If you had to spend $500 on reliability tomorrow, where would it go?”
  High Return on investment upgrades (spares, TPMS, surge/EMS, suspension bits).
  
• “What’s the one upgrade you’d do earlier?”
  Reveals the order of operations so you don’t buy twice.
  
• “What do you carry that you rarely use—but when you need it, you’re grateful?”
  Think spare water pump, fuses, Dicor Lap Sealant, tire plug kit, and multimeter.
  
• “What did you stop carrying?”
  Saves weight and space (by eliminating duplicate kitchen gear, bulky tools, and “just-in-case” gadgets).
  

Red flags when crowdsourcing advice

• Brand absolutism: If someone says every other brand is trash, probe for numbers and context.
  
• No model numbers, no data: “Just get the big one” isn’t helpful.
  
• One-season opinions: A single summer in fair weather isn’t a full-time experience.
  
• No mention of safety or weight: If towing advice ignores GCWR/GAWR/tongue weight, walk away.

Where do you find these pros?
Start with your campground neighbors, local RV parts counters, and moderated online groups. Search first; then ask clearly. Say thanks and share your results later—that’s how you build a community that helps you back.

Full time RVers are generous with their hard-earned wisdom. Treat every chat like a mini coaching session. Be curious, be safe, and remember—don’t discount good ideas just because they’re not for today. Save them, and they’ll pay off down the road.

Key takeaways for The Smart RVer

• Full time RVers are your best field testers.
  
• Context is king: match the advice to your RV, climate, and travel style.
  
• Record everything: ideas that don’t fit today often solve problems tomorrow.
  
• Safety and data first; absolutes last.