New and looking at my first RV purchase

Not sure what year the model I looked at was but it had the two condiment recesses as well as the larger one with a drain. Not insulated at all so not really usable as a cooler. They would have been better off just making a cutout to fit a standard cooler that could be dropped in that space or given you some other storage option.

I do like the idea of the garage and was excited about it until I got a closer look at how it was laid out. I had done a lot of research into building a Teardrop Camper before I started looking into the R-Pods and there is a ton of innovation that people have done with those, surprised that Forest River didn't take some cues or use many of the great ideas that are so prevelant with the teardrop galleys.

Sideways rain can be a bear!

The dealer called the factory and they said the upper bunks on the 182G are only rated to 150 pounds. so that model is out for me. I found the 42 inch width to be plenty but couldn't imagine sleeping in a bunk that was only 30 inches wide.

I really liked the space and storage of the 179 and it was by far my favorite of the models I saw. They have some 182G's on order so I would like to look at those as well just to be sure and I'm still considering the 176 or 176T if I can figure out a way to strengthen the upper bunks on either of these models.

My other option is a Surveyor 191T (Not an R-Pod!) which is a Hybrid with a ton of room but I'm torn, I'm not sure I want the noise you get with tent ends. They are Surveyor delaers but didn't have any of those on the lot, I walked through a couple other surveyors and the quality of those models were of a higher standard than most I've seen.

I commented to the dealer that the cabinets in the Surveyor looked to be the same as the R-Pod and he said that they are built on the same assembly line (he complained that they alternate building each brand on a monthly basis and that he sometimes couldn't get R-Pods when he needed them).

The place I went to is Couch's RV Nation in Hamilton Ohio. It's only 20 minutes from where I work so it was a no brainer to head there. Not sure how true this is but they said they were the largest R-Pod dealer in the country (they probably had close to 100 on the lot). He quoted me prices for just about every model I was interested in but unfortunately didn't have the models I really wanted to see on hand.

Regarding the rear garage, I originally thought it was a great idea as a lot of the teardrop campers utilize space this way but after looking at the 183G I was not impressed at how it was set up. Love the huge sink but the other three recessed areas in the counter top seemed more of a waste of space. They would have been better off making one of those spots a cooler holder, not sure what the condiment recesses could be used for either but the whole area just seemed to be not as well planned.

My main take away from the 2 hours I spent sitting in the bathroom, lying on beds, sitting at each dinette, and walking interior traffic patterns is that these are well made campers compared to others in the same price range. They are small and a bit cramped but perfect for two people or two adults with two children. I don't see the size being conducive to four adults for anything more than short trips but myself and my companion would have no problem in a 179 for extended trips.

Now, the hard part! What model best suits me? I'd love to hear counters to my first impressions and things I hadn't thought of. Being new to this, you don't always know what to look for.

Definitely check out slide out and non-slide models.  Now that I own a camper with a slide I would never buy another w/o a slide.  Even on a large camper the difference is huge.

Good logic and I never considered that! I'm a technical writer so I should have thought of that myself. Just can't assume anything these days though. 

I have friends trying to talk me out of the bunks already (even though they aren't RV owners). Also have other people telling me I should consider the hybrids. Not sure I want to hassle with the tent ends or not and you can't use them in campgrounds where bear are present.

A lot of things to consider but I'm sure it will come down to what feels comfortable once I've had the chance to get inside them.