Posted on 04/06/2019 4:29:58 PM PDT by N. Theknow
Wife and I are now officially retired. Looking at RV's to allow us roaming on our schedule. We have made an "Our Turn" list of things/places we want to do/see.
After years of caring for ailing parents, divorced siblings who sent their children to be raised by us along with our kids and all the activities requiring Mom and Dad taxi service, working our butts off making our small business thrive (which it is still doing as a nice tax write-off) it is Our Turn and we are getting ready.
I would recommend a fifth wheel and truck over a motorhome, but do you know how many plane tickets and hotel rooms you can buy for $80,000?
I own a cheap truck and rent cabin, but camping is a hoot!
“I highly recommend you rent for a trip or two to make sure that is what you want to do. RV’s don’t hold their value at all, and there are retirees who sink their money into one only to realize they don’t enjoy it as much as they thought they would, but they are stuck with it unless they take a huge loss. “
my next door neighbor did this ... retired and immediately ran out and bought a BEHEMOTH of an RV brand new ... made one trip ... and then spent the next few years moving it around the backyard so it wouldn’t kill the grass ...
I would like a 65” Hatteras, but I would run it un the great lakes
“we bought an RV to bug out in, but haven’t had a hurricane go through since”
I guess buying one worked, then ...
bookmark
I live in the tampa area so there are many..you would preferably want someone certified by the nvria (national recreational vehicle inspectors assoc.) here is there link: https://nrvia.org/
If you can’t find an inspector in your area I would find a reputable mobile rv repair service and have them do an inspection..most, at least in this area will do that. Also depending on the type, if motorized (diesel or gas) you could have a certified mechanic inspect the chassis. The chassis quite often can be the most expensive repairs unless you have a leak in the house then all bets are off...leaks can be very expensive to fix...
Hope this helps..let me know if you need any other information.
My husband and I have a 36’ 2008 Fleetwood Bounder. We bought it off the lot in 2009 so it was a great deal. It’s a class A gas with two slide outs. The entire galley area from behind the driver seat to the bedroom in the back slides out so the main living space is quite roomy. It’s getting harder to find a Class A nowadays that is not diesel. You might get a few more miles to the gallon with diesel but from what I understand the maintenance costs are significant. And a house on wheels has a lot of maintenance. Also the diesel has more of a “bus” feel as the entry is at the front. Our entry is more to the center of the rig and there is a front passenger seat. When there’s just the two of you it’s nice for the driver to have a navigator up front. We tow my 2012 Ford Escape with a tow bar. There is an initial cost to add the tow apparatus to your vehicle. Keep that in mind.
Something to consider. Travel in a regular vehicle and stay in hotels. It is VERY expensive and cumbersome to haul your “hotel” around with you.
Renting a moho is no doubt a lot cheaper. If you like it, buy one.
Wife and I bought an airstream and a truck that had good towing capacity. We got the big one with a slide out and my wife packed with everything she would need. We were rated at 10,000 pounds but were actually over that. The airstream pulled smoothly and we only had trouble with high altitude, but we toured the country for 4 years, went to the Keys but never had the nerve to go to Alaska, but we would have gone with a group, which is a nice way to travel.
After finally moving into a wonderful retirement community, we lost the urge to hit the road as much so we sold. The purchase price minus the sale price was 50,000 so our lifestyle cost 12 K per year. We licensed in low tax states and tried to find good weather. We wintered in south Texas and summered in the Pacific Northwest — everywhere else was too hot and humid.
We recently took a road trip in a rental car and stayed in mid range hotels. It was about the same cost as RV living but we had an easier time driving. We did have to transfer the luggage a lot of times — like each stop.
Oh, one thing about a big RV, ours was 34 ft plus the hitch and it was an SOB to maneuver some times. Buying gas when hitched was usually a nightmare unless we found a truck service station that was friendly to RVs.
On breakage, everything wears out and breaks , and ours had to go back to the factory the first time we used it, (Airstreams are well built, but suffer from the same problem that all mechanical things have, and Airstream has lost a lot of their early quality over the years. We have had trouble finding good mechanics, and it is best if you can fix some things yourself. This is just part of the price for this adventure, and it really is a great adventure, Good luck.
I think your idea to go for a class A is a good one, about 25 % had Class A, 50% had 5th wheels and the other 25 % were like us in a travel trailer.
We had a wonderful time, saw a lot of country, and enjoyed the camping lifestyle but now we are older and it became more of a chore, so the last item is to plan for the exit from the life style when you take the plunge.
You will acquire a lot of good ideas while on the road, and if you see him, say hi to Willie Nelson.
We had a motor home years ago. If I bought again, I’d get a good truck & a 5th wheel.
In a motor home, you either tow a small vehicle or be essentially stuck at the camp site after setting up. Towing a small vehicle can be tricky. You can forget backing up. If you are gonna tow, a 5th wheel is the best, most stable option. Having a truck to get around is very convenient, easier to park at events or attractions.
Mechanically, which is cheaper & more convenient: Servicing the engine & drive train of a truck, or servicing the same on a big motor home & a tow car? That’s a serious question on the road somewhere near Bumtown, Nowhere.
Plus, you can use the truck at home around town as your personal vehicle, making you intimately familiar with how it operates, & protect the biggest part of your investment in your garage at home.
You can use your truck to tow your home,
use your home to tow your truck, or your truck
is your home and truck. Mobility once you
reach your destination is a big consideration.
Extra activities such as trips to the local
store for supplies, off-shoot sight seeing
trips (primative roads), visiting relatives
or friends who live in residential
neighborhoods. These are just some instances
where a class A will be a hinderance.
Most of my traveling friends opt to tow
their home. 5th wheels have great options
and plenty of room with slide-outs. JMHO
One other thought:
Motor home layout has the living room in the front of the vehicle, but a 5th wheel can have the living room in the rear.
Imagine you get a waterfront site at a campground. backing in to the site, your primary view in a MH is through the windshield, looking on at fellow campers. In a 5th wheel with the LR in the rear, your view is of the water.
Trailers have little storage space.
Diesels cost 10s of thousands more than a good V-10.
You live in Florida, Flat.
A V-10 will do just fine until you go up serious hills like the on just south of Chattanooga.
Phone app, All Stays will show most of the rv parks, fuel, low bridges Wal marts, propane and so very much more. Also will rate the parks, good bad or whatever and what each offers.,
Good luck and explore our most beautiful country.
Been to 40 states in our RV’s and most everywhere folks are great.
Rent one first to see if you really like it.
Just a point on storage.
Preplan on what you need and, once you’ve planned what you need to take with you, you should only need enough room for small gifts for the family that you will buy as you travel across the country.
Learn to switch out items if you find anything that you really want and don’t carry any more than that.
I don’t think any retired couple really needs more than a type C RV. Anything more and it’s too much for enjoyment of travel, imo.
Yes - NEVER BUY a new one - might as well throw your money in the fire.
Find low mileage, top quality one 3 years old so majority of depreciation has occurred.
Huge Decision: Class A? or Class B? Huge difference in cost.
If ego, impressing others is a need, Class A. If not, you can find some nice large Class B’s for a lot less money.
Come to Richmond, VA. One of the biggest dealers in nation is here, McGeorge, but they were bought by Camping World. Next door is the original McGeorge owners & employees at a new business, General RV - get them in a bidding war - and you’ll win.
Typo - I meant Class C - there is no B....
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