| A recreational vehicle, RV, or motor home is any | | | | tow car or chase car, which can be detached once |
| road vehicle which includes room for sleeping and | | | | the motor home is 'deployed', and driven around with |
| food preparation, for camping, short term | | | | much greater freedom and flexibility. The most |
| accommodation, and travel. Motor homes are typically | | | | obscene RVs, which can fetch more than 2 million |
| self-powered, in the form of a fully enclosed van | | | | dollars, have independent bedrooms and en suites, |
| with immediate access to facilities, or a shell built | | | | and an internal garage in which another vehicle can be |
| over a light commercial truck chassis and cabin. Other | | | | carried. |
| RVs are in a trailer configuration, where the caravan | | | | There are more than eighty manufacturers supplying |
| is towed behind a separate vehicle, and can be | | | | RV dealers within the United States and Canada, filling |
| detached and driven independently while the trailer | | | | more than ten distinct classes. One of the most |
| stays in place. | | | | important markets are those catering to middle aged |
| There is a really wide variety of sizes, shapes, | | | | and retired Americans who wish to travel the |
| features, and of course, price ranges to choose | | | | continent - either on vacation or indefinitely - in |
| from. Some RV dealers stock only new vehicles from | | | | comfort and style. It is possibly this group that has |
| the manufacturer, however, most good RV | | | | led to the RV becoming a feature of modern |
| dealerships realize that a motor home is going to be | | | | American life. Almost 8 million American households |
| a big investment for anybody, and so they offer | | | | can claim ownership of (at least) one RV. Common |
| trade-ins and second-hand vehicles for sale. | | | | on movie sets and television, motor homes are now |
| Some RVs and motor homes have only basic | | | | considered a luxury championed by the rich and |
| facilities. Class B camper vans and folding campers | | | | famous. The best part is luxury motor homes are |
| come under this category. Such vehicles may have | | | | more affordable than ever, so you don't need millions |
| room for beds, seating, and possibly a sink and | | | | of dollars to have this ability to travel with freedom |
| counter area for food preparation. Some components | | | | and comfort.. |
| such as tables may double as beds in a different | | | | The smallest camper vans are about 13 feet long, |
| configuration. | | | | and can be found for as little as $5000, while the |
| As the price goes up, so too does the feature set. | | | | largest Class A behemoths can approach 50 feet, |
| Larger vehicles might include the wiring for an | | | | priced anywhere between $80,000 and $300,000. In |
| external electrical hookup, reservoirs for fresh and | | | | the long term, a motor home can offer you |
| waste water, on board batteries with an inverter to | | | | advantages in price and flexibility that no alternative |
| allow you to run household appliances from the RV | | | | can match, whether you intend to use one for |
| mains outlet, a shower, on-board generator (possibly | | | | camping, recreational travel, emergency or |
| powered by the vehicle's engine, if available), gas | | | | medium-term accommodation, for on-site office |
| bottle and stove, refrigeration, and for very large | | | | facilities, or any of numerous other common |
| vehicles, a rear tow hitch with which to pull a small | | | | applications. |