UNIVERSAL "ROCK THE UNIVERSE" AND DISNEY SPRINGS

COME TAKE A TOUR WITH ME OF MY RV

A traveling experience to remember

I still remember hitting the road on our first official RV trip. Not yet used to hooking up all the hoses after being parked. Not familiar with how to back up, park, and stay in my lane while traveling, we set out for a short trip to Tampa, Florida. We wanted to leave early so we wouldn't be traveling at night, but somehow it didn't workout the way we planned. We left as the Sun was setting. The scenery was beautiful. Traveling down Florida's Alligator alley, then going up I-75 was beautiful.
As we traveled we made no reservations to an RV resort/park, so as we traveled we called around to find one. What we didn't know is that most RV parks close at 5pm. Inspite of the information we received, we continued on our journey. At around 9:30, we just so happened to come across a park the would allow us to park, and they said come to the clubhouse in the morning, and we will workout the pricing of the park. We continued to ride along the beautiful I-75 heading north to Tampa. We drove for what seemed like 2 more hours, and I was beginning to get sleepy. Note: my wife does not drive, or help me drive, and she is not trying to learn. Finally, we arrived at our destination which was in the woods.....the backwoods. As we pulled in, and the neighbors came out to assist us in parking. We were brand new to RVing and we are a minority couple, but to my surprise the RV community is a loving community that assist at every turn. I was overwhelmed by all the support given by people I didn't know. They help me hookup, put in the cable plugin to the amperage, and made us feel comfortable, and very welcomed. The next morning when we woke up, the neighbors asked if we needed anything? to which I replied, "'No".  The Park was very clean, and neat along with the hospitality of the clubhouse workers. Our camping experience was a success, and we looked forward to our next trip. On our way back home I saw some really good gas prices, but they were north of us returning to South Florida of course. But me attempting to be thrifty, I had to catch those great gas prices. So we trekked on to the gas station, and there it was.......cheap gas. I pulled in to the station driving with one hand thinking Im in my car and just as I was almost at the Pump the unthinkable occurred. I heard a loud noise and a slight tug and grind, looked in the rear view mirror and saw my Rig smashed on the side. I quickly stopped got out of the Rig and look at the damage,  and boy did I damage it. The forth cargo door was smashed in dented, and looked horrible. My new Rig that I had less than a month is damaged. I spent the entire drive back embarrassed of how my Rig appeared to others.
The lesson learned in this instance to me is," in an RV never get too comfortable". I won't talk about what it cost to repair it, I still hurt from what had to be paid to fix it.

Buying A New RV , A Checklist Avoid Nighmares

10 minutes with Trent ,Kingdom Purpose Broadcast

TRIP TO EUSTIS, FL NAARVA RV RALLY Vlog #2

My first campsite, and travel adventure in my new RV

                           

I still remember the day we loaded up in our RV to start out on our first trip. I remember checking in, and then going to the spot selected by the receptionist. Right away there were people there so friendly helping me back in. I remember my wife helping me plug in, putting the jacks down, connecting the hoses, and finally letting out the slides. From the inside we connected the cable up with the parks cable system and we were settled in. I pondered if I had connected the sewer hoses correctly, if the jack were set appropriately, if the slides were all the way out. The excitement in the RV was on 10.
On the way going to my destination, I remember stopping to gas up. Man, it was more fuel than anticipated, but nothing could deter my excitement. I remember trying to get used to steering the vehicle as cars, and trucks literally flew past me. I also remember swerving a few times as I tried to stay within the lanes. I loved the feeling of sitting high in the seat of my RV(I have a sign sitting on my dashboard that reads, "YES I DO OWN THE ROAD". I remember pulling in to a particular gas stop, feeling as though I had mastered driving my RV and damaging the cargo door on the drivers side. OH!! I was disappointed to see my brand new rig with damage on the side. I could see cars passing by looking at the damage to my rig that I caused. Non the less we continued on our journey. During our first trip at the park, people were so friendly and helpful. Now Ive got to be honest with you, me being a minority in the RV industry it was very different from what I was used to. It was a loving helpful community of individuals at the time that did not see anything negative, but just to lend a helping hand. In fact, in my many but limited experiences camping, the same love has been shown to me everywhere I have traveled. Our first trip was a business trip, so it was not long, and we did not get a chance to really get our feet wet so to speak. But it was long enough to formulate some opinions  about camping.
1. I love camping
2. No experience is the same
3. I always meet good people
4. Many of the people I have met are wealthy
5. Every campsite has something different to offer campers
6. We always try to eat out away from the camp.
I have nothing but positives when it comes to camping.
But, I would prefer being on concrete over being on dirt/grass.
Nothing but memories for the camping situations I have encountered. I would recommend it to those that I know, and those looking to break into the camping lifestyle.

                                       

Rate and terms, the monster of RV ownership

                                   

Looking to own your very own RV may be easier than anticipated. You've done your due diligence by doing your research and found an RV that suits your families situation, or found something within your budget. So you go to the dealership and you got the price for even lower than advertised. You enter the finance office and they run your credit and ask if you have 10 to 20% down and then.........?
Before I proceed, let me bring some things to your attention regarding purchasing high ticket items.
1. When your credit is run, your credit may take a small hit. RVs are know by creditors as a hard inquiry, or a Recreational Vehicle, which is not a needed item come under that hard inquiry label. So you have to be serious and mindful when proceeding. Just a small story regarding this I would like to share. In 2014, Me and the Wife went to a dealership to buy an RV we had our eye on. We backed out because the APR was ridiculously high. So, understanding as I do that you can inquire from the dealership all of the information they took down about you. So, I asked them and they accommodated me by sending me a letter saying I did not qualify to get the RV. I was stunned that since I did not buy from them they would pull something so malicious, which affected my credit. True story!
2. When buying a Recreational Vehicle they have a formula they use to pre-qualify a buyer. Sometimes it maybe your Fico score + Trade-in and other little systems they will use. Some dealerships work in the same way.
3. I would like to share what my buying experience was like and hopefully someone can benefit from my story. I noticed that when I would go to a dealership they would come to me with a ridiculous APR. If you are unfamiliar with this part of finances you can be a victim of unscrupulous salespersons. If you don't know your three credit scores or have a reasonable idea...simply put you're toast. You must know what your scores are if they pitch you something you feel is unfair where Rate and Terms are concerned.
4. Industry standard for the average buyer is from 6.5% - 8.9%. This was a reoccurring theme for me as I went to dealerships. Simply put they are looking for the unwitting, unknowing, and ignorant buyer. As I stated before, they may even try to sell you from the MSRP, which in turn may cost you from 30 to 50 thousand dollars because you were not familiar with the Industry.
5. Finally, what is a good Rate and Terms in the RV industry? Anything under 50 thousand dollars cannot be financed for 20 years, which is by the way the highest term the industry will allow. So, if you are attempting to purchase something 20 thousand dollars or less, in my experiences must be purchased in cash. I am sure some can finance you, but I've never come in contact with one. The other terms are 5, 10, and 15 years with 10 to 20% down. A good rate would be something just like a car. Many shouldn't go to a dealer until they've work on their credit score. Why? Because they will pretty much have their way with you in the finance office, even if you get the price you want. You should have a win/win, win in the price of the RV, and win in the finance office. I was offered under the 3% in the finance office when purchasing my RV. So, its out there. I even tried to do my own financing to have in hand to negotiate a better deal out the door. Unfortunately, the dealers get much, much, much lower rates than you could ever find on your own. Unless, you're in good with a bank that will do something special for you. Well, there you have it. This is probably one of the most comprehensive personal studies on this subject that I have ever shared, and you will ever read.
Always remember, "Investigate before you invest".
If you read this and offer feedback as to what Dealerships are best, I will give you my personal opinion based on my experiences. If you put into practice the concepts I mentioned, you will be less likely to be swindled.

                                       RV Experiences, Camping Vehicles, and what to watch out for



I just came home from an awesome RV experience. There I saw very expensive RVs from the Hundred thousands up to the Millions of dollars. Where was this you may ask? It was the NAARVA Eastern Region gathering in Eustice, Florida at the Southern Palms RV Resort. I had the opportunity to meet people of means, and living in their dream, as well as living out their dream. Great interaction, as well as awesome connections.
However, there were people there selling RVs, which is not a bad thing, but as I always say...Investigate before you invest. By investigating I mean going online and comparing the price of a  vehicle presented to you by a dealer/dealership. I met a couple from Macon, Georgia and they told me the vehicle they purchased was under One Hundred Thousand dollars, but they had to travel about Seven Hundred miles to find it, but the same RV was selling for One Hundred Fifty Thousand dollars in their home town. Doing your homework is so vital, or you could be swindled out of more than Fifty Thousand dollars. I won't mention the deanship which was there selling RVs, but they seemed a hostile towards those who had knowledge about the RV industry. By this one example you can see that there can be those that prey on those that may not know how to proceed in purchasing big ticket items. Where I live in South Florida it normally takes me about two weeks to look for and purchase a car. I would peruse the internet, newspaper, go to dealerships and talk to dealers over the phone. We all must realize that the dealerships have a right to make money, so don't expect them to do your homework for you.
Actually owning an RV is easier than you think, selecting one is good, but when you hit the finance office the games begin. What is a good rate for RVs? What is the least amount of years can you finance for, and what is the most? Should I get a warranty when I buy? This is important if you want to finance your RV. If you come with the entire amount of the vehicle you can get a huge discount and some awesome perks. In my next blog I will talk about RATE AND TERMS.

Daily Brew with the Brewtons Vlog #1

The process of owning an RV

As I drive along the Highways, Interstates, and cities there is a reoccurring theme that I see while driving my RV, and that is admiration, fascination, staring, pointing and smiling faces. That definitely is a tiny bit of positivity experienced by simply driving my motorhome. I see that there are people that want to own their own motorhome.
I was introduced to the lifestyle by a wonderful couple in the ministry. They wined us and dined us showing us pictures of the inside of their RV and told us of the awesome trips and interactions they had been experiencing. After the wining and dining they left us with one thing......Do your homework! They never gave us any education on what it would take to go to a dealership or private owner, and what we would need in order to close the deal on our dream motorhome. So, that left me with the task of going to dealerships, looking on the side of the road, going on Craiglist, or checking on the internet to see if someone was simply trying to get rid of the RV because they were either fed up with RV payments, death of a family member, or someone just looking to sell their RV.
Doing your homework means:
1. Finding financing
2. Having a down payment
3. Finding honesty in the seller
4. Finding honesty in the dealer
5. Finding your RV
6. Understand that the RV industry is a haggling business
I will go over each point.
1. Finding financing- While I was looking for my RV I knew I could negotiate a better deal if I already had the money up front. You can get an awesome deal it you've already went to an institution, or have the money in hand. Personally, I went to my mortgage company first, and much to my surprise they had the highest rate. You must know what industry standard is in order to know if you've been offered a good rate. I will talk about that in another blog.
2. So, you think you see something that you want to purchase. Unless you have enough to buy the RV outright, you will have to get financing. Along with financing a down payment is required in 99% of the financing cases. (Note) you actually would want to put a down payment on an RV because they depreciate at a rate of about 15% a year from what I've read during my studies, coupled if you want to trade it in after or during the first year. RVs are considered a risk by bankers, and if you were to have any financial issues your RV would be the first thing they would go after. Bankers scrutinize purchasers hard due to that fact. I will go more in debt in a later blog.
3 & 4. Unfortunately, sellers and dealers know things about the vehicle that may not be shared with the buyer. This adds a totally different dynamic to looking at RVs. I can't refer any one dealership to a potential buyer where the salesperson may not be upfront concerning the particular RV. When purchasing my RV I used an independant company to do a pre inspection to attempt to find any thing the seller/dealer maybe trying to side step you on. I will reveal the company if given permission.
5. Finding your specific RV can be a tedious process. Why? Because there are so many RV to choose from. But you should be looking for the one that you have went on the internet, or researched out for your family not allowing a person trying to make a sale dissuade you.
6. This may be one of the most important points I will make. THIS IS A HAGGLING BUSINESS, so be prepared to give an offer after you've been pitched, unless you agree and know it is much lower than what you saw it on the internet, or private sales. Lastly on this point....NEVER, NEVER, EVER buy the MSRP. If you don't know what you are doing you could lose tens of thousands of dollars. Just like a car has book you can look in to determine what the price is at that time, so do RVs. As I always say, "Investigate before you invest".

Daily Brew with the Brewton

What Class/Size RV is right for your family

When I left, we were to tackle the issue of what class RV/Camper may be right for different size families, along with budget. This is a broad ranging question that needs a lot of investigation. Always remember, "Investigate before you invest".
Depending on your budget, there may be some used RV's that can be purchased very easily, especially used ones. In some cases buying used is just as good as buying new. When going to dealerships the MSRP is not the actual price, but to the unsuspecting buyer not doing there homework they are like barbecued chicken to a salesmen. You must arm yourself with the knowledge not to be deceived. Remember, for anything towed{Travel Trailer/Fifth Wheel/Popup} you must have a pickup truck or SUV to carry it along. For Class A, B or C you don't need a pickup truck or SUV, but you may want to tow your vehicle. There are a plethora of question just to answer before you go to look at any RV. Ask yourself these questions:
1. How many people are you traveling with?
2. How much space do you need?
3. How do you intend on using the RV?
4. How often do you want to travel?
5. What is your budget.
6. Do you want to use the restroom outside or inside.
7. During the winter, do you want heat or is it alright do everything in the cold.
These questions have to be answered because it will help you make an informed decision.
The Class A - for me the Class A is what many consider to be the most convenient because it provides all the amenities of home. A/C, heat, bathroom, stove, microwave, and all the comforts of home. The Class A model RV can get anywhere from 8 to 12 miles to the gallon(Diesel) and 6 to 8 gallons for gas
The Class B - is similar to the Minivans. They have all the comforts of home on a smaller scale. These are much easier to drive than the Class A. In my experience the older full timers own these kind of RVs. They come sleek and fashionable as well as expensive and my roomier. In these RVs when using the shower you will be sitting down.
The Class C - these RVs are very similar to Class A with the exception of the cockpit area which sits lower than the Class A. Usually the Class C's are gas models. For the men, your wives may be a little more willing to help you drive because it feels more like a car. Normally, Class C model RV run on gas, which means maybe 6 to 8 miles to the gallon.
The Fifth Wheel - if you are looking for eloquence then this is an ideal RV. They come in many different styles and sizes, but you must tow it with a vehicle. They have many different amenities in some cases than the other RVs, like an upstairs, and separate rooms for the kids, and parents. A beautiful living room in the center of the RV separating the rooms making it a lil more private for the couples looking to share each other. In most Fifth Wheels in the living room is an island, kitchen, big screen TV, and stove/oven.
The Travel Trailer - many times is a smaller scale of the Fifth Wheel but have all the amenities of the Fifth Wheel. The Travel Trails are very affordable compared to the other RVs discussed. With everything included inside.
The Pop up Trailer - these come with a bathroom room inside, but with one hitch....YOU WILL BE USING THE BATHROOM IN FRONT OF YOUR FAMILY. Some come with the kitchen outside along with the faucet and shower. The sleeping space is small in comparison to the other vehicles and very similar to the Class B. These are really the most affordable.
So, you see that you have your work cut out for you. I suggest you do your homework.
"Investigate before you invest".

I-95 was scary. During my first ride.

After my first ride in an RV

Familiarizing yourself with the RV lifestyle

When it comes to RVing, very few are familiar with the lifestyle, much less have never gone camping. There are various kinds of camping apparatus' such as: Tent Outdoor camping, Hike camping, Fifth wheel, Travel Trailer, Class A, Class B, Class C,  Pop up trailer, and finally Toy hauler. The lifestyle of camping can be as inexpensive as under $100 all the way up to over 1 million dollars. For those interested in or have been curious as to what they should be looking for, the first question should be:
1. How big is your family - The size of your family will determine the size of your camper/RV
2. What is your budget - Your budget will determine what you can afford
3. Do you want to use the restroom inside or the bush - Having a camper/RV will determine if you use the restroom in the bush or a camper/RV. I had to get a RV, because there is no way I am doing anything in the bush with the Lions, Tigers, Alligators, and Bears.
4. Do you own a pick up truck - If you already own a pick up truck you can by a really nice camper with very little money and accommodate all family members.
5. How much space do you need - The space needed can help you determine the size camper/RV you need.
6. Do you have pets - We have a Puppy that travels with us, and he has his own space where he doesn't want to be bother during the ride, separate from any other riders.
7. Are you prepared to put ten percent down - Unless you are buying the Camper/RV in cash, you will need a down payment of 10% down. {Note:Some RV dealers have special programs}but in most cases be prepared with your down payment.
8. Do you like the outdoors - No sense in purchasing a Camper/RV if you are afraid of everything that moves. It can get pretty creepy at times especially if you hate bugs.
9. Have you considered Camping/RVing with another family - Purchasing with another family can off set the cost of purchasing if you split the cost. {Something to consider}
10. Have you ever Camped/RVed before - My suggestion to you is to do a rental or go with a friend. Having a Camper/RV requires some work like: Changing the tanks, hooking up the hose to the dumpsites, plugging in the power, and making sure your apparatus is level.
There are many more questions to be answered, if you plan on camping.
I'm going to let you in on a little secret....before we purchased our current RV, we had never camped before. Oh, I forgot I camped before.....in the Army, but I won't count that, while in the field we went to the bathroom in the bush, and I hated it.
There are various models to consider, and lots of choices to accommodate every member of the family. Purchasing any form of camping equipment should be carefully planned out before investing, "Investigate before you invest". That is not just a catchy phrase, but something to heed to before you regret ever doing it. It is way more fun than I ever imagined, and at the same time more work as well. Upkeep of what you purchase will bring years of enjoyment and personal pride when having to use it. There is nothing like pulling into a campground with your RV and equipment ready to build awesome memories. My next Blog, I will discuss and show the various class of Camper/RV.
Remember, "Investigate before you invest".

Hello, We are the Brewtons. Trent and Kathy

Firstly, I would like to introduce myself, my name Is Trent along with my lovely wife Kathy, and we are The Brewtons. This page is designed to inform the RV community of all things RV. Since the process of buying an RV is, and can be a grueling process, we will be giving the readers information that will arm them to have the knowledge needed to get the kind of deals that are best for their budgets, or while getting their RV's maintained they will not be fooled by those in the RV industry that are dishonest. The RV industry can be cut throat, and at the same time knowledge is power, and it can also help you save hundreds of thousands of dollars for things you can fix or have fixed for next to nothing. Look, I don't profess to be an expert, but there are some things you can prevent if informed. I must preface this by saying I would like this blog to be well rounded and not just localize the blog just to RV, but weigh in on current events, and things that may affect our society. That is my motivation for this blog. 

Welcome to Daily Brew with the Brewtons