Shopping for an RV is fun — until you make a decision to actually buy one. Then the panic sets in because it’s really happening. When we bought our first RV, I nearly broke out in a full-body sweat because we had fallen in love with a model that was over our budget. But after traveling in it for over a year and a half, we still feel like we made a really good decision — and that the extra money really was worth it.

(By the way, if you’re in the market for an RV, be sure to go into as many as you can or even rent an RV or two so that you can get a feel for different floor plans. Click here to read more about buying an RV.)

A Review Of Our Tiffin Allegro Coach

After touring what felt like hundreds of RVs and almost buying a different model, we ended up with our motorhome— a Tiffin Allegro 32-SA Class A gas coach. It’s got a big windshield, two slide outs and it comes in at 34 feet (which is a good size for camping at most state and national parks)!

While it was a bit more money than we budgeted for, we feel like it was worth the investment. Tiffin is a great company and both the length and features that came with our coach are perfect for our travel style. It helps that we negotiated the price down, too.

Tiffin Allegro: The Pros

High Quality

Tiffin has a reputation for making high-quality RVs. I can back that up as we’ve put about 20,000 miles on ours and it’s still holding up well.

The quality is what sold us on our purchase. We had been spending time in an RV with a similar floor plan from a different brand. While we liked it, the minute we walked into the Tiffin, everything felt sturdier — solid cupboards, comfortable sofa and supportive dinette booth seats.

The Floor Plan

We love the floor plan. The kitchen faces the door, which makes me feel safer because I can see outside while I’m cooking. The layout allows us to move around comfortably and there’s plenty of storage. In fact, we didn’t even learn about the storage drawers under the dinette seats until after we’d bought the coach — a happy surprise!

Little Luxuries

There are two features that I didn’t really care about in the beginning but have come to love: the fireplace and bedroom fan. That’s right, we even have a fireplace, which comes in handy on chilly days. Imagine sipping hot coffee by the fire on a chilly morning while gazing at a misty meadow. It’s a dream come true!

And the ceiling fan in the bedroom actually does lower the temperature — it wasn’t just a “decorative” fan.

Smooth Driving

Lastly, Tiffin RVs drive really well. Typically, diesel coaches are more powerful than gas coaches, which can make for smoother driving. But our Allegro was built on a longer chassis with a foil cushion, making for a pretty smooth drive. You can read about my husband’s first time driving the coach here.

Tiffin Allegro: The Cons

Wasted Space & Energy

It’s difficult to find fault with our rig, but there are a few quirks. One of the pros can be a con in a boondocking situation (camping without electrical, water and sewer hookups): the residential fridge. It is huge and convenient, but sucks up a lot of battery power.

And although the bathroom is roomy, there’s actually a lot of wasted space. There isn’t enough storage, so we’ve improvised by placing a wire stand to store more items. Tiffin could have installed a small shelf unit to add more storage space. But considering how well-thought-out the rest of the rig is, I’m sure they had their reasons for not offering that feature.

The Dinette

The biggest con is the size of the dinette table. It’s slightly too narrow and when my husband and I are both sitting there, it’s a bit crowded. Sure, one of us could sit in the passenger seat and use the pull-out shelf, but it’s not as comfortable. But given all the other features, the dinette wasn’t a deal-breaker for us.

The Size

I mentioned that 34 feet is a great size, but I’ve actually been longing for a smaller, more nimble vehicle so we can stop spontaneously and take photos or explore on road trips. That’s hard to do with a 34-foot rig — plus the 10-foot car we tow behind it.

Overall, we really like our Tiffin Allegro. And unlike many of our friends who are buying their second or third rig, we’re quite happy with ours and plan to keep it for the foreseeable future. The layout, quality and features make for a comfortable and enjoyable RV experience.

If you’re in the market for a new RV and the Allegro is within your budget, I highly recommend heading down to your local dealer and scoping it out. Even better — rent one like it on Campanda and find out if it’s a good fit for you.

Click the link below to rent an RV in your area:

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Already own an RV? It could be earning you money. Rent your underused RV on Campanda — you can name your price, choose your renters and select your dates. It’s your RV, rent it out on your terms.

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Authentic Retro Design

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The post The American Dream: A Retro-Inspired Trailer With A Rowboat Roof appeared first on Campanda News.

Casual Turtle Campers

1. Terrapin

Homegrown Trailers

2. Woodland

Sprouting Sprocket Studio

3. Hütte Hut

Tonke

4. Fieldsleeper International

ESCAPE

5. Traveler

6. Vista

WOHNWAGON

7. Wohnwagon

Portland Alternative Dwellings

8. Salsa Box

9. Miter

High Camp Trailers

10. Teardrop

Zyl Vardos

11. Music Box

12. Fortune Cookie

Güte

13. Collingwood

14. Classic

15. Tobermory

Bonus: (Not For Sale)

Just About Anything Made By Jay Nelson

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The post 15 Amazing Handmade RVs & Mobile Homes You Can Actually Buy appeared first on Campanda News.

But Dutch architect and designer Eduard Böhtlingk saw remarkable possibility in this overlooked RV feature. His “De Markies” trailer design from the 1980s took the awning concept to the next level — two-thirds of the De Markies living-space is, in fact, a floored awning.

This experimental project featured an ingenious use of space. Böhtlingk developed the idea for the De Markies (which is Dutch for — you guessed it — “The Awning”) as an entry for a 1985 design competition that explored the concept of temporary living. The trailer was Böthlink’s answer to the competition’s central question: “How do you define living space in today’s mobile world?”.

More than 30 years after Böhtlingk first published his plans for the De Markies, his innovative design remains one of the most unique trailers ever conceived. It’s modern yet timeless and elegant design has continued to win it awards as recently as 2015.

Triple Your Living Space In Seconds

The concept of the De Markies is as simple as it is brilliant. When folded up, the trailer is the size of a common RV. With the awnings closed, the whole trailer measures no more than 6 x 15 feet.

The magic happens when the trailer’s side walls are opened and the accordion-like awnings come down to create two new living compartments. In seconds, you can effectively triple the living space into 290 square feet — enough room for up to six campers.

The living space is divided into three separate parts: The midsection consists of a plywood and steel frame and contains a bathroom, kitchen and seating area with sleek, collapsible furniture. In one of the awning extensions, campers find two separated sleeping areas. On the other side, there’s a living room with a terrace.

While the bedroom awning shields light and provides privacy, the other awning is made of a transparent but weatherproof plastic. In nice weather, the awnings can be retracted like the ceiling of a convertible — making it possible to sleep under the stars or spend a breezy morning under a summer sky without ever leaving your couch.

Coming Soon To An RV Park Near You?

Only a few prototypes of the De Markies trailer were ever produced. But with the growing “tiny house movement” there has been a revival of interest in Böhtlingk’s design. It may only be a matter of time before this visionary concept becomes a viable reality and De Markies trailers start appearing in your local RV park.

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The post The De Markies: A Travel Travel That Triples In Size appeared first on Campanda News.