Buy an RV? Talk me out of it...

[Synergy]

So, we travel a lot. Many weekends a year to my hometown, plus many long weekends around the US, plus a few longer trips to wherever takes our fancy. We will not be traveling much until we are infected and recover - we can't afford to be quarantined far from home.

Anyway, this leaves quite a lot of room in the vacation budget. We are considering purchasing a travel trailer, something we've always thought about doing but haven't ever prioritized. Suddenly it seems more attractive. There are some excellent deals out there right now, and it would allow us some travel during these odd days. We would store it in my hometown, so there is actual cost offset. I'd also be able to stay there instead of a hotel while I work, though I'd have to figure out how to get reimbursed for that.

There is also the side perk of knowing we'd have a vaguely comfortable place to call home if worst came to worst. It'd also be nice to be able to comfortably escape hurricanes, which is a little less doomsdayish.

This would be a (relatively) inexpensive trailer, and we would not need to finance it. It's still quite a lot of cash to spend during odd days. What say you all?

 

[SueDonJ]

A related recent thread: Is the future of travel in RVs?

 

[Synergy]

Thank you! Great read =)

 

[Passepartout]

So, we travel a lot. Many weekends a year to my hometown, plus many long weekends around the US, plus a few longer trips to wherever takes our fancy. We will not be traveling much until we are infected and recover - we can't afford to be quarantined far from home.

Anyway, this leaves quite a lot of room in the vacation budget. We are considering purchasing a travel trailer, something we've always thought about doing but haven't ever prioritized. Suddenly it seems more attractive. There are some excellent deals out there right now, and it would allow us some travel during these odd days. We would store it in my hometown, so there is actual cost offset. I'd also be able to stay there instead of a hotel while I work, though I'd have to figure out how to get reimbursed for that.

There is also the side perk of knowing we'd have a vaguely comfortable place to call home if worst came to worst. It'd also be nice to be able to comfortably escape hurricanes, which is a little less doomsdayish.

This would be a (relatively) inexpensive trailer, and we would not need to finance it. It's still quite a lot of cash to spend during odd days. What say you all?

Like timeshares: Buy late model used. You'll save thousands. There are always LOTS that have very little use.

 

[b2bailey]

Don't. Do. It.

 

[easyrider]

One thing I worry about is break downs regarding rv's. My brother in law is in Moab with his camper. He towed a Jeep. We were planning on going but had family obligations.

Anyway, his 2014 Chevy Silverado Duramax blew the head gasket causing a bunch of problems. He ended up buying a used Ford 3500 dualy in Moab. No one wants to buy his Duramax. The newer Ford isn't set up for his camper yet. They are staying at a hotel. So when the Ford is finally set up for the camper, he will need to have his wife drive the new Ford truck that will be pulling the old truck while he drives his rock crawler Jeep home at 45 - 50 mph.

Years ago I remember my Suburban breaking down while pulling a big travel trailer down the Oregon Coast. I had to have the Suburban and trailer separately towed to a parking lot. I had to impose on family to come get me and the family to tow the trailer home. I had to grab a truck and car trailer and go back to get the Suburban.

This is just one set of reasons I prefer timeshares.

Bill

 

[RX8]

So, we travel a lot. Many weekends a year to my hometown, plus many long weekends around the US, plus a few longer trips to wherever takes our fancy. We will not be traveling much until we are infected and recover - we can't afford to be quarantined far from home.

Anyway, this leaves quite a lot of room in the vacation budget. We are considering purchasing a travel trailer, something we've always thought about doing but haven't ever prioritized. Suddenly it seems more attractive. There are some excellent deals out there right now, and it would allow us some travel during these odd days. We would store it in my hometown, so there is actual cost offset. I'd also be able to stay there instead of a hotel while I work, though I'd have to figure out how to get reimbursed for that.

There is also the side perk of knowing we'd have a vaguely comfortable place to call home if worst came to worst. It'd also be nice to be able to comfortably escape hurricanes, which is a little less doomsdayish.

This would be a (relatively) inexpensive trailer, and we would not need to finance it. It's still quite a lot of cash to spend during odd days. What say you all?

I am having the same thoughts. Here is my almost identical thread.

Please talk me into, or out of, an RV

Been thinking about RV's as a possible new way to explorer life, especially with all that has happened in the last few months. Have two boys, 11 and 14. The thought of traveling the US visiting national parks and family members in the comfort of an RV seems appealing. I am not talking a huge...

tugbbs.com

 

[WinniWoman]

No

 

[geekette]

Try a popup camper. far cheaper, lighter to tow, easier to store, barely much of any backing up issue. A blown tire is pretty easy to fix.

If you find you aren't into that kind of travel, even selling for a loss doesn't put you back much, and you get to save the memories. If you dig it, trade it in on something larger.

I agree on risk of breakdown. Don't attempt Alaskan trip unless you have replacement Everything on board and able to do the work yourself.

 

[billymach4]

 

[Tahiya]

We bought an R-pod travel trailer and a Ford F-150 to pull it in 2013, and took a 7 week trip around several western National Parks to celebrate my retirement. Although we loved the travel trailer during that trip, we have turned out to not use the trailer as much as I expected since then for a couple of reasons. This has made it an uneconomic purchase. (By contrast, the truck has been very useful.)

1. Although ours is among the smallest travel trailers in any Campground, it's too large to use it in many forest service and BLM campgrounds. That leaves us with state campgrounds, and commercial ones. If you are wanting the travel trailer because of Covid-19, these types of campgrounds typically have the spaces so close together that we wouldn't feel safe camping now.

If you want the benefit of Water and Electric hookups, you are also restricted to these more densely packed campgrounds.

2. Because we tend to prefer the state campgrounds to commercial ones, it can be very difficult to get a reservation. I book State campsites 9 months in advance, on the morning that they become available. For the more popular campgrounds, it's common to not be able to get a reservation at all during the summer months, even at 9 months out. That's unfortunate for us, because our plan was to use the travel trailer during the summer, and use our timeshares during the other seasons.

It turns out to be expensive to store the travel trailer if you don't have space at your own home. Uncovered, but locked sites run between 100 to $150 a month per space in our area.

It is also expensive to maintain the travel trailer. Ours has had a water leak in the kitchen since we bought it new, and two attempts to have the dealer fix it have failed. Also, routine sealing of the joints is extremely expensive. ($1400 per sealing.)

I concur with other posters that it's probably best to just rent an RV.

 

[Synergy]

Thanks guys! The primary use for this would be as a permanent hotel room in my hometown, with occasional local (Florida) camping trips. We'd store and use it on a friend's land for about what we'd pay at a storage place. I can't see taking it any further than the Smokies ever, we don't get to take weeklong trips often and wouldn't want to spend much time on the road during them.

I understand the appeal of starting with a pop-up, but I grew up with one and have zero interest in pulling around something that needs set up when we get somewhere. The biggest downside in my book no matter what we got would be the continued, fairly frequent maintenance.



Still waffling. But boy, would it nice to have some nice safe weekends away to look forward to!

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

I believe Good Sam and others offer a maintenance contract, which means you pay a monthly fee and get significant discounts for any repairs. Budget that into the RV, but under no circumstances should you buy brand new! Just like a house, the RV body settles, so you may have some big repairs in the first couple years, they're covered by the warranty but a pain having them in the shop for a few days. Personally, if I have money, I would buy a 1990-2001 Bluebird Wanderlodge.

TS