Graduation season is just around the corner. If your child or grandchild is graduating from high school this year and is planning to complete a road trip to celebrate their education, you can provide them with the ultimate graduation gift that will support their love of travel and be a long-term investment for them. A class B RV can not only take your recent graduate across the country this summer, but it can also give them the freedom to travel throughout their college years. However, before you purchase a class B RV for your graduate, there are a few tips you should follow.
Let Them Pick Out the RV
While access to any RV might be appreciated by an 18-year-old who wants to spend the summer travelling, they will appreciate the gift more if it fits their personality and their needs. For that reason, you should take your soon-to-be-graduate with you to visit class B RV dealers or ask for their input when you are considering online options. If you want the vehicle to be a surprise, you can pretend that they are helping pick out an RV for you. That way you will get to know the preferences without ruining the surprise.
Make Sure They Know How to Handle a Large Vehicle
Most recent graduates have two years or less of driving experience. Even though a class B RV is small compared to most other RVs, it is still very different to handle than most everyday vehicles. If your teen has only driven smaller vehicles, you may want to prepare them for their RV by going on a weekend trip with them and allowing them to drive it. Also, go over basic driving tips for RVs including issues such as the wider turning radius, the taller height, and damage that can be done to RVs by potholes. They should also be educated on how to handle their vehicle when they are in cities.
Make Sure They Have Enough Money for Gas and Camping Fees
Since RVs are large vehicles, they often utilize more gas than their smaller counterparts. If your graduate has already planned and budgeted their road trip and you surprise them with a better vehicle for the summer, then you may want to also chip in extra funds to cover the additional cost of gas and camping sites that they will incur while traveling. This way they can utilize the RV without worrying about cutting their trip short due to the extra fuel cost.
Make Sure the Gift Is Not a Burden
Many high school graduates begin to take on more financial burdens the year after they graduate. They may have to pay for college, food, and housing. The cost to store, operate, and insure an RV can be a burden to a young person. You should either be prepared to help with these costs or consider other ways to prevent the gift from becoming a financial burden. For example, you can purchase the RV for yourself and lend it to your teen for use during the summer.
Discuss Their Route With Them
Although your teen may want to explore their new freedom after graduation, it is important that they have a way to contact you in case of an emergency and you know the route they will be following. You should also make sure to purchase roadside assistance for the RV in case an emergency arises while your teen is traveling.
If you want to give your teen the ultimate graduation gift this year, consider the gift of travel and surprise them with a new RV for their summer use.
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