Things to consider: "all-weather packages" are fine, but insulated slide outs and double pane windows would have made all the difference in the cold weather we just went through; a "garage" is a wonderful thing, even if you don't have any toys with you; don't be wowed by a camper's "newness", check the depth of the cabinets, the TV viewing angle, counter height, sink depth and faucet reach (will your hands fit for washing), and breaker box/fuse panel for functional electrical load on battery/30amp/50amp service. These are things not readily changeable, and some of the compromises manufacturers make will surprise you. For our last camper purchase, my wife and I visited all our local dealerships, checking out what we thought we wanted so much we felt like we had lived in it for a few days. Spending time going through our "routines" in the campers we considered help us find shortcomings in design, and allowed us to feel comfortable with the money we were putting into our purchase. Two years later, and 4 months of full timing to date, and we still have no buyers remorse. I would add one more thought, access to components and fixtures for the inevitable repair. You can save a lot of money fixing a leak yourself, but only if you can get to the source...

 

I think the comments in this post are invaluable. The number one selling point in RVs is the floor plan and the interior trim, which are actually simple to duplicate.

Get the spec sheet and study it. Take off your shoes, stand in the tub and pretend to take a shower, those kinds of things are really important.

The unfortunate kicker here, at least from what I see, is there is not a single short fiver or travel trailer in production that incorporates high-end features, no short Excels, etc. Short fivers just don't sell and travel trailers target a different market segment.

My two cents,

Steve