# RV's



## missmarie (Dec 8, 2009)

Does anyone out there know of any sights similar to TUG for RV travelers?
I am thinking of buying a used one, and know that I will need to do a lot of research.

Thanks for any leads,
Marie


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## moonstone (Dec 8, 2009)

Yes there is. Check out; http://www.trailerlife.com/cforum/index.cfm  or go through;  http://forums.woodalls.com/  which is the same forum but accessed via Woodalls instead of Trailer Life (an RV magazine). The people on the forum are very friendly and helpful. 
Happy Camping!!
~Diane


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## esmith1500 (Dec 8, 2009)

Also try www.rv.net.  Many great forums.


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## geekette (Dec 8, 2009)

back when I hung out with mom and dad on rv trips, there were 2 organizations = Good Sam's and FMCA (Family Motor Coach Association).

I do not know if they have forums, just saying, they were involved in organizing owners, so, maybe they are still active, and online.


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## Phill12 (Dec 8, 2009)

missmarie said:


> Does anyone out there know of any sights similar to TUG for RV travelers?
> I am thinking of buying a used one, and know that I will need to do a lot of research.
> 
> Thanks for any leads,
> Marie



 Marie not knowing how much experience you have I will just say to do your homework before buying a RV. 

 Years ago my wife's sister's family owned one while we owned a timeshare and always gave us a bad time like you spent all your money for seven days a year and we bought our RV and use it thirty times a year. 

 Made since as we would get off work and tow our boat up to some lake and camp out for weekends and the RV was nice,not as nice as our timeshare but nice.:annoyed: 

 We decided we might buy one and wife agreed to rent one for our timeshare vacation in Vale Colo to see how it really feels to have a RV.

 It was nice and we took my mother so she could spend the week with her sister in Denver.

 We left home in N.Ca and picked my mother up in Grass Valley and off we went. It was fun for a while as I drove about ten hours before letting my wife try it. We stopped couple times to eat and off again until gas time when I filled the tank $75.00  and standing in the rain loading up the go go juice.

 We filled the tank twice before getting to Vail and like wife said in our car for $75.00 we would have already been in Vail and not having to pull into a RV camp site and pay more money. Of coarse the rain was much worse and after hooking everything up I was soaked again. So now we are sitting in this parking lot for RV's with little store and bathrooms with wet floors. Sleep time if you like the RV moving in the wind and listening to rain bounce off. 

  Next morning still raining I go out to disconnect and sliding around in the mud I come back in and wife says I'm wet and smell like  toilet water.

 Later the second day we finally get to Vail and checkin and enjoy couple days before going to Denver to drop mom off and then off to Colorado Springs area.

 At this point the RV life was wearing thin but then we find that this RV won't fit into many of the places we went to visit. Next we drove up to Woodland Park area by Pikes Peak to a RV camp and get parked to now decide we need to go rent a car for the three days so we can finally leave this hell on wheels parked.

 We finally made it home and returned the RV to the rental company where we talked to them about buying if we liked our tryout.:hysterical: 

 My wife told the salesperson you couldn't give us a RV free. It took us two days for one day trip in our car at twice the gas. We paid to spend the night in a dumping area you call camp site.

 She gave me that look all husbands get and said we will never talk of buying again. 

 I always tell new people to tryout a timeshare you want to buy before ever buying one and then only resale. You can learn so much spending seven days using something before really knowing if this right for you. Why do you think timeshare sales people grab you within first 48 hours!

 I.m not sure what happened to my happy wife that on day before trip was loading it up with excitement and the women who returned ready to just throw everything off this Hell On Wheels but she was a different person.


 PHIL


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## Rose Pink (Dec 8, 2009)

Phil, I copied your story and e-mailed it to my DH.  He thinks he wants the RV life after he retires.  I keep telling him, "I am not trailer trash.  I prefer  Hilton properties."


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## Pit (Dec 8, 2009)

Have a  look at the SKPs site ...

http://www.escapees.com/index2.asp

and their discussion forum ...

http://www.rvnetwork.com/


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## laurac260 (Dec 8, 2009)

Phill12 said:


> Marie not knowing how much experience you have I will just say to do your homework before buying a RV.
> 
> Years ago my wife's sister's family owned one while we owned a timeshare and always gave us a bad time like you spent all your money for seven days a year and we bought our RV and use it thirty times a year.
> 
> ...



My husband had the same "dream" about the RV lifestyle.  So, we got one.  Then we traded it in for another one a year later.  (long, long story).  I have to tell you, I could not wait to unload that thing and never do it again.  Some people love it.  I did not.  It is more work than owning a home.  We had a nice RV.  Very nice.  But I hate long car trips.  I hate long RV trips even more.  I got motion sickness that lasted for days.  One evening after we landed after a long day of driving I had to make everyone sit down and not move for two hours while I made dinner because everytime they moved I thought I was going to hurl from the motion.  And I never get motion sickness.   I could give you a long, long, long list of all the reasons I was glad we no longer have it, but if you decide to get one anyway, here's something to consider.

It costs more to "own" an RV than what you actually paid for the RV.  Gas, maintenance, paying for the place to stay, all the stuff you buy to set up the RV, insurance, it goes on and on.  And it depreciates the minute you buy it.  If you are going to get one, get the smallest, most efficient one you think you can stand.  And buy preowned.  If you love it, you can always upgrade.  If you hate it, you won't have as much to lose.  Because if you buy new, you can count on selling it for about 1/3rd of what you paid for it in this economy.  That's what happened to us.  It was the most expensive "dream" we ever had.  It turned into a nightmare.


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## Pit (Dec 8, 2009)

laurac260 said:


> And it depreciates the minute you buy it.  If you are going to get one, get the smallest, most efficient one you think you can stand.  And buy preowned.  If you love it, you can always upgrade.  If you hate it, you won't have as much to lose.  Because if you buy new, you can count on selling it for about 1/3rd of what you paid for it in this economy.  That's what happened to us.  It was the most expensive "dream" we ever had.  It turned into a nightmare.



Are you talking about RVs or TSs?  

So, did you go "all in" -- sell the house and hit the road full-time?


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## laurac260 (Dec 8, 2009)

Pit said:


> Are you talking about RVs or TSs?
> 
> So, did you go "all in" -- sell the house and hit the road full-time?



Hey, just the mere fact that you don't have to clean out the crap tank every few days makes a timeshare better than an RV IMO!

No, we did not sell the house, thank god for that.  Perhaps we would have enjoyed it more as empty nesters, but with a 7 year old, a 6 month old and a German Shepherd along for the ride, timing was not on our side.


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## Pit (Dec 8, 2009)

laurac260 said:


> Hey, just the mere fact that you don't have to clean out the crap tank every few days makes a timeshare better than an RV IMO!
> 
> No, we did not sell the house, thank god for that.  Perhaps we would have enjoyed it more as empty nesters, but with a 7 year old, a 6 month old and a German Shepherd along for the ride, timing was not on our side.



Oh, I can't imagine doing it with young'uns. I am playing with the idea of going full-time, but decision time is still 10 yrs away.


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## missmarie (Dec 8, 2009)

Wow, thanks to everyone for sharing their information. I will check out the websites. I appreciate both the pros (was there any?) and the cons!
I actually do not like long road trips myself, but have a unique situation.

I have a son that lives with his dad in AZ. I live in Californiia. I see him every other weekend. As much as I appreciate my family letting me stay in their homes, often, I might get an RV, use a self storage near the airport, and stay at a park very close to my son's home and friends, a few weekends a year. He is at that age when all they want is to hang with their friends. I will then let my brother & his family use it for little weekend family camping trips. There are lots of places in AZ.

I also want to get back into nursing travel assignments. Their is a great housing stipend that you get if you live 50 miles from your assignment, and the assignments last 12 weeks. 

There is absolutely , no way that you can compare a timeshare vacation to RV trips. That's just silly:rofl: 
I have a timeshare, and still say it is the best purchase (private party purchase) that I ever made. I can often rent more weeks for less than the maintenance of owning.
Thanks for the input!


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## missmarie (Dec 8, 2009)

Forgot the other benefit. Here in Huntington Beach, you can buy a pass to park your RV at the beach for 125.00 per year from 6am - 10pm. My in-laws want to beat the Las Vegas heat and visit us here. My place is really small, so they could park at the beach during the day, and park at our place at night. We are a mile away  I love them but they are loud.


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## DaveNV (Dec 8, 2009)

Missmarie, let me be a voice on the "pro" side of things.  Owning an RV is an investment, both financially and emotionally, and it CAN work, if you're prepared to do the things that make an RV trip successful.

After I retired from the Navy I traveled for a year in a 34' motorhome, around eleven western states.  It was an amazing time, and I enjoyed virtually every minute.  But being a retired sailor, I was also used to living in small spaces, working hard, and making the most out of every situation.  I even wrote a handbook of sorts about the experience, titled "How To Live in a Motorhome."  It sold a fair number of copies online, and I saw quotes from the text on RV websites for quite awhile afterwards.

The first question you must answer truthfully, is "How much do I enjoy the 'getting there' part of a vacation?"  In an RV, as Phill12 described so eloquently, a major part of the trip is the "getting there" part.  Often times, that becomes the majority of the trip.  If you don't care for the traveling part of your vacation, you will not like an RV.  It's a different kind of vacationing.  Your intended destination frequently becomes secondary.

Before you buy anything, I strongly, STRONGLY recommend you do exactly as Phill12 did - RENT ONE (or several) and try it for yourself.  If you have friends who own an RV, take a weekend (or longer) trip with them in it.  Experience the joys and hassles firsthand with someone who's experienced, and decide for yourself whether you think it might work for you.

Then, once you're convinced you really want one, do like Tuggers say about timeshares:  BUY RESALE.  Even if it comes from a dealer, buy it used.  You can oftentimes get a recent model for a fraction of the original selling price.  Estate sales and the bulletin boards of snowbird parks in California and Arizona will often bring some incredible gems of a deal.  A lot of retired seniors head off to see the world in an RV, and their plans suddenly change.  Sickness, financial hardship, family demands, and most often, just good ol' loss of enthusiasm, lead to a lot of great RVs being sold for very reasonable prices.  www.rvtrader.com is a great resource to get an idea of what is available, and what things are generally selling for.  Use it to figure out what RV style appeals to you, and where to focus your search.

Be smart, take your time, and make sure you know exactly what you're getting into.  I love camping and traveling, so am a natural for that sort of lifestyle.  But as others here have pointed out, not everyone is cut out for it.  If you expect to be pampered and waited on hand and foot, you're in for a severe disappointment.  If you need a maid to empty your trash amd make your bed, stick with a timeshare.  And if the idea of (as laurac260 points out) cleaning the septic system every few days grosses you out, you may want to reconsider.

It can be gratifying, you can meet some excellent new friends, and you can have a fantastic time in your life.  It can also be annoying, expensive, and very frustrating, if you aren't prepared.

As for me, I sold the RV some time ago, and downsized to a folding Fleetwood tent trailer.  It provides all the creature comforts of an RV at a fraction of the price, but without a great amount of the RV's operating expense.  It fits in my garage, it's available at a moment's notice for weekend trips, and it doesn't cost me money when I use it, or money to store it.  No gas bills, and minimal maintenance.  And best of all, since it tows great behind my BMW X5, once I'm landed at a campsite someplace, I have my regular vehicle available to drive around.  For my camping needs, it's an excellent choice.

Hope this helps you out a bit, and that you'll find something that works great for you.  Enjoy the ride.

Dave


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## missmarie (Dec 9, 2009)

*Thanks to all*

I have come up with a plan. Rent and try some out, check out RV shows,
and really research all the cost involved.


Smoochies to all for their insight!


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## Phill12 (Dec 9, 2009)

BMWguynw said:


> Missmarie, let me be a voice on the "pro" side of things.  Owning an RV is an investment, both financially and emotionally, and it CAN work, if you're prepared to do the things that make an RV trip successful.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




 Dave you gave very good post with all options good and bad! 


 PHILL12


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## EZ-ED (Dec 9, 2009)

missmarie said:


> Does anyone out there know of any sights similar to TUG for RV travelers?
> I am thinking of buying a used one, and know that I will need to do a lot of research.



I applaud your research intentions but keep in mind that the links you now have are populated by people that enjoy the RV lifestyle so you may get the positive picture but not much of the negative. 

We are also looking into RV's but as yet have not decided on exactly what type of RVing we want to do. The cabover is great for the weekend. A pull trailer would be fine for a couple of weeks. A fifth wheel is great for longer trips but requires a pretty beefy tow vehicle. A class A RV would be nice again for the longer trip but requires a towed vehicle. 

One idea we are looking at is the fifth wheel but have it a one location for the winter season (for example Palm Springs).  We can then drive our car to the RV site for the winter season and then have a tow service move it to storage or another location for the following winter. 

For pricing I have found this site interesting and a pretty good value for used RV's.


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## luvgoldns (Dec 14, 2009)

missmarie said:


> Does anyone out there know of any sights similar to TUG for RV travelers?
> I am thinking of buying a used one, and know that I will need to do a lot of research.
> 
> Thanks for any leads,
> Marie


 

This site might be able to give you some assistance as well:
http://www.rvingwomen.org/


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## mamadot (Dec 16, 2009)

We love our RV!! Love the 4 timeshares also. Very different types of vacation.
We have a Pace Arrow 36 ft motorhome. We tow a small car behind.

When you RV you really only want to do 4-6 hrs a day. You are suppose to stop and smell the roses along the way. We are spending the holidays at the Ca. State Beaches in Carlsbad,CA and the Hunntingbeach, CA. Both oceanfront spaces. In Feb. we are heading to a beachfront RV park in Mexico on Sea of Cortez with an RV group called the Escapees.


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## Gramma5 (Dec 16, 2009)

*We Love RVing.(long)*

We also have a 36ft. MH and travel in it in the spring and fall on our way up North to MN for the summer. Then, we live in it for 4 months in MN and see our friends and family for the summer. We live in our home in fl. in the winter. I was not excited about RVing because I thought camping was staying at a Holiday Inn!!. However, after a year of research and looking, we finally decided to jump in and try it. Mind you, I've "camped" 2x in my life in small pull behinds.
Now,we do have a beautiful MH. It has 3 slides and stainless appliances. I even have a washer/dryer in it....We bought it used and had thoroughly researched them. They are not an investment because they depreciate the minute you buy it. And it does have a cost to operate it.When gas was $4/gallon, it hurt to pull into a gas station! If getting 7-9 miles to a gallon is a problem for you, then RVing in a MH isn't for you. We have to buy 4 tires this next spring and it will be about$500/per tire....
The great thing for us is we live in it and visit our grandkids all summer. Plus altho we had travelled alot overseas and in the US, we had not spent quality time visiting this country at a slower pace.It has been so much fun to visit many interesting places and decide to spend an extra day somewhere because you want to see more of it. Of  course, some of that has to do with being retired......
We have taken our grandkids on trips and that is a major reason we decide to go the MH route. We do tow a car.
We have 5 and can sleep them all pls us. 
There are a few  "chores" that come along with RVing but today they make some pretty neat items that make those things much easier.
It is a process to get ready to go on a trip and then to get settled once you are there but we have come to love it. I do get motion sick when sitting in the back when we are on the road but it isn't a problem in the front seat or on the couch. It sure is nice not to have to stop for bathroom breaks or cold drinks or lunch, if you don't want to...The way to see if you would like it is to rent one first! Next Sept. we are taking a month to go back to Fl. and are going out  West and visiting all the Canyons from Bryce to the Grand! Should be fun but it does take planning and making some reservations ahead fo time.


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## laurac260 (Dec 17, 2009)

Gramma5 said:


> We also have a 36ft. MH and travel in it in the spring and fall on our way up North to MN for the summer. Then, we live in it for 4 months in MN and see our friends and family for the summer. We live in our home in fl. in the winter. I was not excited about RVing because I thought camping was staying at a Holiday Inn!!. However, after a year of research and looking, we finally decided to jump in and try it. Mind you, I've "camped" 2x in my life in small pull behinds.
> Now,we do have a beautiful MH. It has 3 slides and stainless appliances. I even have a washer/dryer in it....We bought it used and had thoroughly researched them. They are not an investment because they depreciate the minute you buy it. And it does have a cost to operate it.When gas was $4/gallon, it hurt to pull into a gas station! If getting 7-9 miles to a gallon is a problem for you, then RVing in a MH isn't for you. We have to buy 4 tires this next spring and it will be about$500/per tire....
> The great thing for us is we live in it and visit our grandkids all summer. Plus altho we had travelled alot overseas and in the US, we had not spent quality time visiting this country at a slower pace.It has been so much fun to visit many interesting places and decide to spend an extra day somewhere because you want to see more of it. Of  course, some of that has to do with being retired......
> We have taken our grandkids on trips and that is a major reason we decide to go the MH route. We do tow a car.
> ...



Yes the planning ahead and getting ready is tedious, after all since you can take your life WITH you, you tend to do so, and take more than you really need (but just have to have!)  The reservations can be tedious too.  It is much more cumbersome than trying to book hotel reservations, because there is no "travelocity" for campgrounds (atleast none that I am aware).  This is a pretty big chore, so if you do rent/buy, make sure you know ahead of time the best way to find decent places to stay.  We've stayed at some very nice places, and some that were kind of scary.

And, make sure you plan your trip so that you pull into a new place in daylight.  We made the mistake too many times of getting a late start, then trying to check in, park, etc in the dark.  Not fun


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## Rose Pink (Dec 17, 2009)

I'm trying to understand the lure of RVing.

DH says it would be nice not to have to pack and unpack each night. But, from the above posts, it seems you have more chores to do such as dumping waste, hooking up utilities, etc. I think dragging a suitcase into a hotel is less work.

You don't have to stop for meals or potty breaks. What about the driver? At some point he has to pull over even if he is just walking to the back of the RV. It seems to me that taking a break to stretch one's legs is a good thing. We take breaks when the car needs more fuel. I'm pretty sure RVs have to re-fuel as well so I don't see any time savings.

There are less places to park your RV for the night so you have to plan. With a car trip, you can pull into almost any town and find a motel for the night. One of our favorite getaways was the time we just drove where the road took us and stopped to see whatever attractions suited us and then stayed at whatever motel we found when we got tired. We had no agenda at all except a week or so to do whatever we wanted. We drove along highway 12 in southern Utah and then over into southern Colorado and back up to I-70. Gorgeous scenery! DH thought that kind of trip would be fun in an RV but I don't think you could do that if you have to find an RV parking slot each night.

You have housework and chores in an RV. I'd rather leave the maid a $4 tip.

You have to tow a car for getting around once you are at your destination as the RV is so honking big it won't fit all the places you want to go. DH wants to tow his highly modified jeep so he can just take whatever trail he happens to see. Why does parking an atrociously expensive RV at the side of a back road and leaving it unattended while we explore places the RV can't go seem like a stupid idea to me? Maybe it won't be there when we get back.

Speaking of atrociously expensive, it seems to me that staying at decent motels and hotels isn't any more expensive than the cost of buying, renting and maintaining an RV--plus the costs of renting camping space.

What is the lure of vacationing in a trailer?


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## Passepartout (Dec 17, 2009)

I figure our RV nights are $everal hundred$ each so far. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't RV. But since we have our small 5th wheel, we continue to find places to go where there aren't TS or hotels. It will start to be more practical and le$$ per night when we more fully retire and can get more use from it. 

Jim Ricks


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## mamadot (Dec 17, 2009)

Gosh, just goes to show different strokes for different folks. We rarely make reservation when traveling to national parks. The only place we do make reservations is the CA. state beaches during summer and holiday periods.
Other wise we drive and the about an hour from where we may want to stop use the GPS/trailer guide. Call around to see what is available for the night.
We always find something or you can pull into most WalMarts for the night.
We love the CA. state beaches oceanfront sites for $50 per night. Then sand is at your door step. You have your own high thread count sheets, down pillows,
HDTV/DirecTV, great wine etc.  What could be better??

You can the best of both worlds with RVing and timeshares!


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## Rose Pink (Dec 17, 2009)

mamadot said:


> ...We always find something or you can pull into most WalMarts for the night.


 
I've heard about that.  My dream vacation--the parking lot at Walmart. 

DH is pretty set on going RVing after he retires.  I sure hope he changes his mind.


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## missmarie (Dec 18, 2009)

*well...lot's of viewpoints*

I appreciate all of them. Lot's to consider, well except for the negative pretentious trailer trash comments, which baffle me since it appears her mind is made up, but she keeps on adding to the thread.

I have seen the RV's along the beach, very close to where I live. It does look like fun, especially if you live in a place with a very hot summer like AZ.

Thanks for the links. I am bookmarking them all. :whoopie:


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## Rose Pink (Dec 18, 2009)

missmarie said:


> I appreciate all of them. Lot's to consider, well except for the negative pretentious trailer trash comments, which baffle me since it appears her mind is made up, but she keeps on adding to the thread.


 
It appears my wry humor fell flat.  Rotten tomatoes to me. I use humor as a way to deal with pain. (and the thought of RVing is painful to me.) But now I will be seriously serious.

My DH really, _really_ wants to do this when he retires and I want to be a supportive wife.  I was _honestly_ looking for reasons to sway me and hoped to find some.  I kept adding to the thread because it seemed the best place to get info from Tuggers who were experienced in this area by expressing my concerns and objections. 

As I was lying in bed last night (before I was informed how negative and pretentious I am) I was trying to understand the concept of RVing and how I could reconcile it to my idea of a vacation--so that we could have marital bliss after retirement.  It came to me that it is an outgrowth of camping.  Some people enjoy camping in the outdoors.  I did when I was a kid although neither DH nor I enjoy camping at our age.  My idea of roughing it is Motel 6.  (Okay, couldn't resist the humor--I'm just feeling happy this morning.)  People found that putting air mattresses or other cushions under the bedroll made sleeping more comfortable.  They found tents gave them more privacy.  They found campstoves gave them more options than cooking hot dogs on sticks (though I still enjoy that).  In short, people found ways to make camping more comfortable and they found ways to bring some of the comforts of  home into the great outdoors.  First there were trailers (those little teardrop things are cute), then there were campers and now RVs.  Man has gone to great lenghts (and expense) to  make camping as comfortable as home.  Who would have thought 50 years ago that going camping could mean bringing your television and microwave with you?  Shux, people aren't just bringing the comforts of home--they are bringing the home on wheels.  I have neighbors who live in RVs several months of the year.

So, I came to the conclusion that RVing is like 5-star camping.  Camping on steroids. (Dang! There's the pretentious dry humor again.  I just can't stop being happy.  Though in this case, I'm using humor to ease my distress at the thought of the need to empty the refuse tank.)  

I do remember a couple of times when I had RV envy.  We were camping (not our first choice but that was what the group we were with had chosen) and some of them had RVs.  It was definitely a huge step up from a tent and sleeping bags.  Goodness, some of those RVs are a huge step up from Motel 6.

I can see the point if you are going to be in one spot for a month or more but not for only a few days.

I will now defer to the OP and not post on her thread anymore.


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## Passepartout (Dec 20, 2009)

I agree with RVing being more work than 'hoteling'. In a former life as 'resident of the highways', when I'd see one of those humongous bus-type motorhomes, with Grandpa and Grandma in it, I'd mutter to myself, "One of those people is retired, one is still working".

To be a happy camper, the journey has to be as much fun as the destination.

Jim Ricks


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## Denise L (Dec 20, 2009)

*Our new (used) RV*

Hello,

I have not been on TUG for awhile...too busy making a spot on our property to park an RV  !

Anyhow, my DH has wanted a Class C RV since he was 12 or 13, so I have spent the past two years researching RVs, looking, pricing, renting, etc.  Now we have an RV and I hope it all works out for us  .  We rented in 2007 and again this past summer 2009.  It helped us narrow down what we needed/wanted.  I think I must have made offers and put down deposits on half a dozen RVs.  In the end, we found a great dealer who went to an auction for us and charged a very low commission. Sure, it needed new tires and the house batteries were dead, but it only has 7K miles.  

We have taken it on two day trips (tests) and one overnight trip (another test).  In a couple of weeks, we will try almost a week and see if it works  .  Kids love it, dogs love it, DH loves it.  Me, I think it is okay. Lots of (tons of) work, and now what do I do with my timeshares?! Already I am having to rethink our vacations and two weeks on Maui is probably going to turn into one, because  vacation time is very limited.

Anyhow, if you have any questions about buying for the first time, maybe I can help.  TONS of research, tons of dealers who know me now, etc.  I found the rv.net forums to be a great resource, by the way.

Good luck!  

P.S. My dream this year was a new (used) espresso machine and a new (used) rescue dog. Found them both on craigslist, and found the RV dealer on craigslist, too  )


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## laurac260 (Dec 23, 2009)

Rose Pink said:


> .
> 
> My DH really, _really_ wants to do this when he retires and I want to be a supportive wife.  .



I read your entire post, and boiled it down to this.  This was exactly the reason why I agreed to an RV.  

Rose, if the only reason you would ever own an RV is to be a "supportive wife", well I suggest you let your husband get a corvette instead.  Or take up skeet shooting.  Or let him get a tattoo.  Whatever.  Just pick something that he would like just as much, but would not lead you to divorce court!

I am not a camper.  We had a beautiful RV, one and a half baths, three slide outs, three flatscreen tv's, w/d, microwave, dishwasher, my goodness you couldn't ask for anything else.  It was absolutely beautiful, and expensive to buy/own/operate, and comfortable, and exhausting and did I mention expensive, and lots of work, and you still had long car trips (I think I mentioned expensive, right?)  All that beauty and I hated every minute of it.  Hated the long drives.  You think it is great to be able to get up and fix the kids snacks while moving, never losing time on your trip except to let the driver get out and pee while you pump gas.  Then you arrive at your destination only to have vertigo because you were moving around too much in a moving vessel.  It was like having sea sickness.  When we timeshare, my hubby is sitting on a lounge chair next to me.  Or he's in the pool with our kids.  My biggest chore when we timeshare is slathering sunscreen on my toddler.   When we rv'd, he was cleaning out the poop tank, reading the 20 manuals on how to operate the hvac/gray/black tanks/working the awnings, messing with the slides/setting up the grill/breaking down the grill/leveling/rearranging the underneath storage.  He is a type A personality that cannot help fussing, putzing, cleaning, washing the windows, reading the manuals, etc, etc, etc.  It was no vacation for us.  It was more work than running a house and two kids.  When we timeshare his biggest decision is which margarita he wants to order, or whether we should grill out, cook in or go out to a restaurant.  In other words, relaxing.  

For those of you who enjoy RVing, I envy you, truly I do.  Because I did not enjoy it a bit, and I really wanted to.  To each his own.


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