If you're picturing a bunch of white folks sitting around a campfire singing 'Kum Bai Ya,' forget about that right now. We'll admit that was the first thing we thought of when we were dispatched to check out the nearest KOA Kampground, but the truth is that there's a great deal more to RV ownership than just roasting marshmallows and playing bridge by the lake.

A motorhome adds a whole new dimension to travel, if you think outside the box.

Take the most difficult parts about selecting a new house and a new car and combine them, and you'll have an idea of how mind-boggling the world of recreational vehicles can be for a newcomer. The myriad floorplans, engine choices and vehicle types can make choosing just the right vehicle quite a challenge.

For owners on reasonably low budgets, DIY is the way to go with any large purchase, be it a house, a car, or whatever. Since the Incorrigible is a combination of all three, and Lexie and I are definitely on a low budget compared to the average RV owner, we're after doing as much work on it ourselves as possible.

Since it cost about a tenth of what the average new Class A motorhome costs, it was no surprise the the Incorrigible needed a little TLC before we hit the road.  A night in General RV's service bay took care of a bad pilot light, a short in the brake light wiring, and we replaced the failed rear rooftop air conditioner with a new Dometic Duo-Therm unit as well. All told, the work set us back less than $500, including parts. 

So what does it take to find a motorhome that can provide all the comforts of home without costing a fortune? As it turns out, that's not an impossible dream.

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