So you decided that it’s finally time to start looking for a new or used RV for sale in California. Congratulations! As soon as you are out on the road having an adventure and creating memories you will not regret your decision. Whether you are going to be a full-time RVer or a weekender (head out for the occasional weekend) your RV will open up lots of doors for you. You will enjoy a smooth ride when you hit the road, but shopping around for an RV can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you are looking for.
If you feel lost when you read through the descriptions of RVs than this article is for you. Here are 10 terms that will help you out along the way:
1. Gray water capacity
Gray water is the water that is used in your RV. This includes the water from your shower, bathroom sink, and the kitchen sink. You will want to be familiar with how much gray water your RV tank can hold.
2. Sleeping capacity
If you are purchasing an RV that you plan on using along with other people you want to know what the sleeping capacity is. The number that will be listed is similar to how a hotel room works. It will simply state the number of people that there are designated places for when it comes to sleeping. It includes beds, sofa beds, the drop down booth dinette, bunk beds, and loft beds. You can choose to sleep as many as you want, but the capacity lets you know how many will be comfortable.
3. Slide-outs
RVs that feature slide-outs provide you extra space once your RV is stopped setup for camp. The wall, or walls, slide outward creating a larger interior space.
4. CCC
Cargo Carrying Capacity is the amount of weight that you are able to add into your RV in the form of personal items. This is the weight outside of the RV itself.
5. GVWR
This stands for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and it’s an important thing for you to know. The rating tells you the maximum weight that your RV can be while still being safe enough to for traveling. It includes everything from the actual weight of the RV itself to things like fuel, cargo, and your family members.
6. Black water capacity
If gray is for your dirty water you can probably guess what black water is referring to. This is the waste water from your toilet.
7. Breakaway switch
If you are in a motorhome you don’t need to worry about this, but if you are looking at an RV that you will be towing this is important. The breakaway switch allows you to apply the trailer breaks if the RV separates from the vehicle that is towing it.
8. Sway bar system
The sway bar system helps reduce the amount of swaying movement side to side that the trailer will make. This makes it easier to tow your RV.
9. Basement
No, your RV isn’t going to have an underground area of livable space. When you see basement mentioned in a listing it is referring to the storage area that is below the floor of the RV. It is accessible from exterior storage doors.
10. Electrical connector
You will see either 4 pin electrical connector or 7 pin electrical connector listed. A 4 pin will provide enough power for the vehicel you are towing with for the lights of the RV. A 7 pin will provide enough power for electrically operated brakes as well.
These 10 will get you started, but our experts at Sky River RV can help you out with the rest. They’ll even break it down into plain english for you. Stop in at one of our locations to find out which RV meets your needs.
