This week, we’re stepping away from trip planning for a bit. No maps, no mileage charts, no “what campground comes next.” Instead, we’re shifting gears and focusing on something a little more fundamental to the adventure: getting an RV.
Recently, there’s been a change in some family obligations that will give us more freedom to travel. After talking it through, Mrs. Weeble looked at me and said, “Let’s go find an RV and do some RVing.”
Now… this may not be exactly how that conversation happened—but it’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
If you’ve been following along, you know that in my October 24, 2025, post, “Thinking About What Type of RV I Want,” I laid out—pretty clearly—exactly what I was looking for in an RV. Floorplan, size, drivability, features—I spelled it all out so I’d have a clear checklist in mind. Since then, I’ve been keeping a close eye on RV Trader, waiting for something that didn’t just look good in pictures, but actually checked most of the boxes from that earlier list.
That casual browsing turned a little more serious this past week.
I came across an ad for a 2019 Entegra Sprinter that caught my attention right away. The listed price was about $20,000 less than anything else comparable I’d seen. It checked most of the boxes I had been looking for. The only thing it didn’t have was a solar package—but even factoring in the cost to add solar myself, it would still come in well under other rigs. Another big plus? It was close to home, so seeing it in person would be easy.
I showed the ad to Mrs. Weeble and said I was seriously considering reaching out to the owner. She said, “Go for it.”
Again… It’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
So I did.
While waiting to hear back, I stumbled across another option: a 2018 Jayco Melbourne, listed for $62,000. This one already had a 1200-watt solar system installed—a big checkmark. It didn’t just check most of the boxes from that earlier list—it checked nearly every box, and even a couple I hadn’t originally thought of. The downside? It was located in Bradenton, Florida, roughly 900 miles from home.
Eventually, I heard back from the Entegra owner—and that’s when things took a turn. The price in the ad wasn’t actually the price he wanted. He was really looking for something closer to $60,000. Was it a misunderstanding? A mistake? A bait-and-switch? I honestly don’t know—but either way, that coach quickly moved down the list.
That made the Florida RV the clear front-runner.
Now, I’ve never bought anything this significant sight-unseen. Pictures are great, but they can hide a lot. I contacted the broker, confirmed the RV was still available, and started putting together a plan—one that lets us move forward without gambling.
Here’s the plan:
- Make an offer about $2,000 under asking (not a lowball—just a fair starting point).
- If the offer is accepted, send a deposit to hold the RV.
- Schedule a full inspection by a certified NRVIA Master Inspector.
The inspector I plan to use has been in business since 2017, has excellent long-term reviews, and doesn’t appear to be someone who just hung out a shingle last week. Once the inspection is complete, I’ll receive a detailed report and a phone call to walk through everything line by line. That alone gives me a lot of confidence.
In parallel, I’ll check the insurance impact and start lining up logistics. Once a closing date is set, Mrs. Weeble and I will fly to Bradenton, do a test drive, and see how the RV looks—and more importantly, feels—on the road.
At any point up to that moment, if something doesn’t feel right, we walk away, get our money back, and fly home.
But if everything checks out?
Then our first RV trip won’t be a planned one at all—it’ll be the drive home.
And honestly, that feels like exactly the right way to start.
To be continued…
If you’ve been down this road before—or are thinking about it now—I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment with any thoughts, experiences, or suggestions. Advice from those who’ve already been there is always welcome.