Anyone on here have one? I am a looking at Class A's, but I've never owned any kind of of RV, so now researching.
What do you recommend?
What do you recommend?
MOTORHOMES
- Thread starter Chuckinden
- Start date
The Featherlite Vantare Platinum Plus will only set you back $2.5 million. This is the Paddock, go big or stay home.
I live in a van...down by the river. Does that count? If so, I don't recommend motor homes.
If you've never driven anything that size, there will be a learning curve with the Class A. We have a class C. My main concerns are having AC at night and a place for my wife to piss so I don't have to hear her complain about walking to bathroom, so the smaller size rv is fine for us. Easy to drive and maintain. Only thing I'd like mine to have that it doesn't is the outdoor kitchen.
Thanks for the input.
I have never owned an RV, but researching a lot right now. I'm sick and tired of flying.
I have never owned an RV, but researching a lot right now. I'm sick and tired of flying.
RV's are like boats, you NEVER use them as much as you think you will (they are work!). You'll never get your money out of them (poor investment).
I had a 5th wheel and would recommend that over a self-contained unit. They are just as nice, much less expensive, and you have access to a usable vehicle.
Not sure why you would view an rv or boat as an investment, or expect to get your money back from one.
Traveling in an RV isn't cheaper, but it gives you flexibility to go on long trips in comfort where lodging is a premium. Also, I like camping, but my wife doesn't so this is a compromise. She may not like motorhome camping either, but then I'll just go by myself.
An RV isn't an investment for a return on your money spent.
Right. In my experience, an rv is more like a money pit. Most people never use them enough to justify the cost. When we bought ours, our intention was to use the rv instead of hotel rooms, condos etc...when we went on vacation. Didn't happen, partly because we found using the rv was work. You also have to consider the cost of additional insurance, property taxes, etc.... Don't get me wrong, we (I) enjoyed it immensely, but the only justification for buying one is simply that you want to have one (with the possible exception of buying it for work reasons).
bluelifer: Have you ever had a Class A? I have been going back and forth on the the A and C, but think the A would be more roomier and make the wife more happy.
Ram did you ever end up parking your RV at a Hotel ? Talk about a kick in the nuts. "Yeap honey i told you this RV would be better than having to get a hotel every time we went somewhere." "We are going to save a ton."
My folks own a 30-foot 5th wheel camper. Its greatest use is as a makeshift motel for whichever current family member is having life problems.
Never owned a Class A. If cost isn't much of a concern, just go ahead and get what you think will make you both happy. If the comforts of home are what's needed to help your wife enjoy camping, then go with the A for sure. A large 5th wheel camper would work too, but for most people that would also involve buying a new truck to pull it.
When the other poster was referring to work, he probably meant for people that travel a lot for work, tradesmen especially. Do a job out of town for a month or 6, and pocket your weekly housing allowance by staying at the nearest KOA instead of a hotel or apartment.
I have had this debate with myself several times. My wife has no interest at all but I still fantasize about it. Ran the numbers several times and could never come anywhere close to justifying it.
I would definitely buy used though. Depreciation on those things is horrendous (It'll depreciate $5K a block away from the dealership) and you'll have problems to get fixed even with a new one.
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@Chuckinden : I fondly remember 6 years ago when you brought this subject up. Let me preface this by saying I have tremendous respect for your views. In my case, I'm looking at something similar, but scaled way down.
Using an RV, I can camp out at places like Hanscomb AFB in MA, USCG Cape Cod MA or Sigsbee NAS at Key West for $20-$25 per night by taking advantage of my retired .mil status. My intended setup: a 16-foot Scamp or small 16-foot Casita travel trailer. I've been a minimalist for years. I'm looking at little more than $35K for a complete new truck and camping trailer which affords some sense of civilization.
Your experiences with daily lot rents during high-seasons in prime locations will probably total much higher.
Costs add up quickly. You may recall years ago how my parents took out a reverse mortgage on their FL house. They could not obtain the same deal on the Middlesboro house (built in 1896 near the old tannery) due to the area. The RV was a freakin money pit. Step-father side-swiped a tree coming out of KY into Indiana back in 2007. They waited 10 weeks for parts up in Elkhart, IN after driving it all the way up there.
Nice RV? Certainly. They visited us twice out here in Texas. I was amazed by the luxury of that beast.
But it is financially impractical. Good friend of mine at work, Lew, sold RVs before he went back to coding Java. He told me often they had another sucker every time someone came by looking for an escape.
Using an RV, I can camp out at places like Hanscomb AFB in MA, USCG Cape Cod MA or Sigsbee NAS at Key West for $20-$25 per night by taking advantage of my retired .mil status. My intended setup: a 16-foot Scamp or small 16-foot Casita travel trailer. I've been a minimalist for years. I'm looking at little more than $35K for a complete new truck and camping trailer which affords some sense of civilization.
Your experiences with daily lot rents during high-seasons in prime locations will probably total much higher.
Costs add up quickly. You may recall years ago how my parents took out a reverse mortgage on their FL house. They could not obtain the same deal on the Middlesboro house (built in 1896 near the old tannery) due to the area. The RV was a freakin money pit. Step-father side-swiped a tree coming out of KY into Indiana back in 2007. They waited 10 weeks for parts up in Elkhart, IN after driving it all the way up there.
Nice RV? Certainly. They visited us twice out here in Texas. I was amazed by the luxury of that beast.
But it is financially impractical. Good friend of mine at work, Lew, sold RVs before he went back to coding Java. He told me often they had another sucker every time someone came by looking for an escape.
It wouldn't be the same. You wouldn't have your own bed and other stuff in a rental. Also, you couldn't just take off on a whim and renting isn't cheap.
I am definitely looking at used up to 3 years old.
It can't be justified moneywise, but fortunately that's least of my worries. Still, I want to be prudent and get the most bang for the buck. Back in the spring, I was looking at a brand new 38' Fleetwood Pace Arrow XLE with all the bells and whistles for $265K. I negotiated them down to $185K, but couldn't pull the trigger. I figured I could get a used one for even less than that.
Like I said before, it's the convenience of going somewhere and not have to worry about getting a room, i.e. away football and basketball games and weekend trips to historic places I would like to visit. Also, I pay $3000 a month in the winter for a condo in Florida. I can get a nice RV spot for $1000-$1300 per month there.
My wife is still not sold on an RV, she is not an outdoor person. Her idea of "roughing it" is staying in a hotel without room service. I am getting older and have always wanted one and don't want to regret it later. If it doesn't work out, I'll just sell it for whatever I can get for it and chalk it up to life as it is.
I'm retired and like to take off at the last minute and don't care if I ever fly again. I just like the convenience of jumping in the RV and heading down the road.
My wife was away a couple weeks ago and one of her flights was delayed due to weather 500 miles away, another flight sat on the tarmac for 45 minutes, then delayed, then cancelled and had to wait three hours for another flight. She texted me, telling me all that has happened and said "when are we getting that motorhome"?
I think he's probably referring to filling/emptying water tanks, securing things for travel, cleaning, general maintenance, etc.
Sounds like you're going into this with some awareness of the pros and cons. You can afford it and the wife seems on board. Go for it. Good luck finding the rig you're looking for.
If I was to ever waste money on one of those things, I would have sold my truck and house and would park/sleep in the Walmart parking lot
265 getting negotiated down to 185? Does that not sound like something that is completely overpriced and a rip off? I mean you basically negotiated 25% off that's crazy to me.
