RV vs Timeshare?

[Timeshare Von]

This is a great (and timely) conversation for us, as I approach retirement considerations (age 60 now).

We have done a lot of travel via timeshare over our 15 years of marriage . . . and have experienced RV travel on vacation in Alaska (three 2-week stints over the past 8 years). Additionally I do quite a bit of car camping (at least 5-10 days/year in state/national parks).

For us, it is about the creature comforts and expectations . . . and to be honest DH and I are not on the same page for the long term. I *think* I would love to live the full time RV lifestyle . . . he's more worried about "where will I get my mail?" . . . or "where will 'home' be?" He's a few years younger than me (4) but hasn't worked outside of the home since we married in 2002.

I have friends who have the luxury of working from an RV lifestyle . . . and they LOVE it! I have several friends who are gearing up to go hit the road in the coming year or two, to enjoy that lifestyle while they both have their health, mobility, etc.

My DH is really most worried about the expense of it all . . . initial purchase of a Class A plus a tow-behind small car as someone previously mentioned. I don't see a small tear drop being comfortable enough to make a go of that. If at some point it would become "just me" . . . I would probably upgrade my vehicle to a newer SUV capable of towing something behind it . . . or a conversion van with nice upgrades that could serve both purposes (driving + sleeping/living).

 

[DaveNV]

My DH is really most worried about the expense of it all . . . initial purchase of a Class A plus a tow-behind small car as someone previously mentioned. I don't see a small tear drop being comfortable enough to make a go of that. If at some point it would become "just me" . . . I would probably upgrade my vehicle to a newer SUV capable of towing something behind it . . . or a conversion van with nice upgrades that could serve both purposes (driving + sleeping/living).

The issue of not having a separate vehicle is that every time you want to go somewhere, you have to uproot your house to drive it. A Class A, B, or C motorhome is fine, but you need to consider what else you'll need to be comfortable. A trailer means you'll already have a car or truck with you. That often is the best of both worlds. But it all needs careful planning.

During my motorhome year on the road I mentioned above, I had purchased a Jeep and towed it behind the motorhome, wheels on the ground. I had bicycles on a rack on the back of the Jeep, and a canoe on the Jeep's roof. We were loaded. After setting up in a park someplace, the "house" was settled, the bikes safely locked away in an add-on side room we set up, and the Jeep was available for adventures away from our camp. It worked quite well.

Dave

 

[WinniWoman]

We don't even like towing along bikes or kayaks or any of that with us when we go away. We consider it another hassle. We do take our own bike helmets. And my water floaty thingamajig. The Home Away rental we have for this June comes with a row boat. With use of my floaty most times- good enough for the week.

We like to just pack our clothes and food (ok- and our camping chairs with small umbrella attachments for the beach or events we might attend) and that's about it. We got rid of our bikes. Now we just rent them (or canoes or kayaks or whatever) when we want to when we are away.

 

[Elan]

I don't have any experience with a motorhome, but I do have RV experience (own a trailer) and I have thoughts of buying a motorhome/conversion van in retirement. I agree with those that say it's not an either/or choice. If I go the route of buying an RV for retirement, my plan will be to use it to see the more obscure places where other options are sparse or non-existent. But, I would not be opposed to pulling the RV into a hotel or resort parking lot and spending a few nights in larger, more comfortable accommodations. Of course, this isn't the cheapest way to go, but it might be the best option to keep everyone happy.

If I were forced to make the decision, I would try to assess how much I valued being able to get to the more "out-of-the-way" types of destinations, where there aren't other options for accommodations. If that's highly important, then timeshares certainly aren't going to cut it.

This would work

 

[easyrider]

Getting close enough to retirement age that we have to start thinking about this question. I'd love to hear from anyone who has experienced both lifestyles and what their thoughts were on the advantages and disadvantages of each - in comparison. Right now I'm leaning towards a teardrop camper (or a fifth wheel) and experiencing both.

All are welcome to chime in with their thoughts, what's everyone think?

We started with a big tent, then later progressed to a tent trailer, then later progressed to a 24ft and 32ft self contained travel trailer, then later progressed to vacation rental homes and timeshares and now have a mountain vacation property near Mt Rainier.

The best trips included living on my boat for no more than a a week at a time in places like the San Juan Islands and many northwest mountain lakes.

I like being able to bring Rex so the vacation house works pretty good. It is on a river in a beautiful area. BUT, the vacation home is alot of work. Almost too much work.

The 24ft trailer was too small. The 32ft trailer was a fifth wheel and had a really comfortable bed. With trailer travel we stayed outside most of the time. The 24ft trailer did break down a few times. I backed into a rock that messed up the grey water tank, the wind got my awning and flipped it on top of the trailer, the fridge and furnace had issues. The 32ft realy didn't have too many problems. Both trailers had to be cleaned and tarped when not in use. I didn't tarp the 24ft trailer one year and ended up with ice lifting a vent seal which caused a leak in the ceiling.

Last week I was at Lake Chelan. The resort I stayed at has a boat launch and docks. I checked into my two bed unit with a fantastic view of the lake and mountains. Everything in my unit worked great. Every morning I went fishing and in the evenings we would sit on the deck and enjoy the sunset. My room had a gas fireplace and gas bbq. At the end of the week we packed up and went home. When we got home the only thing we had to do was unpack. I kind of like this type of travel that includes the amenities of home and less effort on my part.

Bill

 

[Makai Guy]

When I retired we decided to get an RV. For the ability to continue to have mobility after setting up camp we decided to go with a 5th wheel trailer and a pickup truck to pull it. We especially liked the fact that this made it very easy to travel with our largish canine companion, Cookie (whose face I've used for my avatar for many years now.)

Setting up and taking down our camp started out as quite a hassle, but with a few iterations we soon learned the ropes and it all got easier and faster, especially after we developed our own set of checklists. Living in Michigan at the time, we took a bunch of weekend and longer trips around MI and a couple of winter trips "down south". In the summer of 2003 we even took the trailer out west and worked in Yellowstone NP for the summer (see link in my signature block, below). On one of those "down south" winter trips we discovered Aiken SC, fell in love with the place, and moved there shortly thereafter.

As anyone can imagine, living together in a cramped RV space isn't much fun unless BOTH parties are enjoying themselves. After we moved to SC, when I'd visit the RV at its storage place, it would get me fired up for our next RV adventure, but all it did for my wife was remind her of the hassle involved in getting ready for a trip. That, combined with the fact that we no longer seemed to have as much to get away FROM, caused our RV use to drop off dramatically. Eventually we sold both the 5th wheel and the pickup.

Fast forward more than a decade. I've developed significant loss of mobility due to severe lumbar problems that three operations have failed to relieve. An awful lot of the setup/takedown work with an RV involves stooping and low level work near the ground that I would now have a lot of trouble carrying out. So I guess it's a good thing that we got out when we did.

But I still get a wistful feeling when on the highway and seeing somebody heading down the road in their RV ...

 

[DaveNV]

I agree it’s not either/or, and there are limitations to RV travel. You can’t drive an RV to Hawaii, for example.

As mentioned, an RV is great for visiting obscure places, unless you want to hotel it. (Moab, Utah, anyone? No timeshares there yet. Although WorldMark has started the process to build there.)

So RVs and timeshares can coexist. You just have to decide what works for you.

Dave

 

[Timeshare Von]

The issue of not having a separate vehicle is that every time you want to go somewhere, you have to uproot your house to drive it. A Class A, B, or C motorhome is fine, but you need to consider what else you'll need to be comfortable. A trailer means you'll already have a car or truck with you. That often is the best of both worlds. But it all needs careful planning.

During my motorhome year on the road I mentioned above, I had purchased a Jeep and towed it behind the motorhome, wheels on the ground. I had bicycles on a rack on the back of the Jeep, and a canoe on the Jeep's roof. We were loaded. After setting up in a park someplace, the "house" was settled, the bikes safely locked away in an add-on side room we set up, and the Jeep was available for adventures away from our camp. It worked quite well.

Dave

That is how my friends Suzi & Glen roll! Check it out.

 

[sun starved Gayle]

Last week I was at Lake Chelan. The resort I stayed at has a boat launch and docks. I checked into my two bed unit with a fantastic view of the lake and mountains. Everything in my unit worked great. Every morning I went fishing and in the evenings we would sit on the deck and enjoy the sunset. My room had a gas fireplace and gas bbq.

Hi Bill,
Was this a timeshare resort ? If so, can I ask which one ?
Thanks !

 

[Elan]

I'll add this. The more "home like" one wants an RV to be, the more maintenance and repair it's going to require. Our current RV (a small trailer) is pretty minimal, but has a stove, sink, fridge, water heater and furnace (no toilet, no AC). All of the listed items are pretty straight forward to repair and/or replace, and are not prohibitively expensive. If one opts for a 34' Class A Motorhome, there can be lots more things go wrong, and you're not getting anywhere all that remote without a secondary vehicle.

 

[easyrider]

Hi Bill,
Was this a timeshare resort ? If so, can I ask which one ?
Thanks !

Hi Gayle !! It was the Worldmark Lake Chelan Shores just outside of the Chelan. We usually get building 16 which is a two story condo with views of the lake, mountains, pool and part of the dock. The other building WM owns is building 20. Building 20 has better views of the lake and mountains at sunset. Building 20 is closer to the road so occasionally it can get noisy when the Harleys go by. The resort is on a hill so all of the rooms have a view. Here is a resort map.

http://lakechelanshores.com/page/27206~476416/Property-Map
https://www.worldmarktheclub.com/resorts/lc/

Bill

 

[ace2000]

A teardrop camper is great, as long as it's nice weather. Do you ever plan to go where it rains, or gets cold? You may not have the space to get out of your own way. Great for a weekend away in good weather, but what if that doesn't work out?

So, why is a teardrop not good in bad weather? I assume because there's not much room inside?

 

[ace2000]

If my decision had to be made today, I'd go with a nice teardrop camper and a nice bundle of WorldMark points and hit the road!

 

[TravelTime]

X

 

[vacationhopeful]

Used to own a VW camper van ... for about a year. Did not like the communal bathrooms nor the closed in space between units or spaces. Nor it being my only set of wheels.

Brought a vacation house a year later.

 

[DaveNV]

So, why is a teardrop not good in bad weather? I assume because there's not much room inside?

Yes. A lot of teardrop trailers don't even have stand-up room inside. Imagine cramming into one when the weather is poor. If it's just two adults, that's one thing. But add kids to the mix? I can't even imagine how bad it would be.

Dave

 

[heathpack]

It takes a (or 2) special people to live 4 feet apart for months- or years. As many here know, I am a retired trucker. We had fair numbers of senior (retired) couples who trained together then ran 'team' trucking coast to coast. It's possible to make pretty good money, pack quite a bit of it away if the couple's retirement is bit short, and 'see the USA'. I'd make a small unspecified wager that 90% of those people were not operating as a team, trucking, after 2 years. Most often, they found a way to simply retire, or one continued trucking and one went 'home', or they went their ways. I was not in a position to track them accurately to find who did what. Nor did I really care. I retired and never looked back.

Jim

We have spent weeks on our boat without getting into each other’s hair too much. We have a division of labor that has evolved of its own accord, I think that helps.

I take the boat in and out of any slip/dock, he works the dock lines.
I drive up to the mooring and keep the boat where it needs to be, he picks up the mooring lines.
I navigate, he’s in charge of sail trim.
I plan meals and provision the galley, he gets all the non-galley gear together
He drops the anchor, I drive the boat backward to set the anchor
He operates the radio and dinghy, I wrangle the dogs
I cook, he cleans

It works for us.

 

[VacationForever]

We have spent weeks on our boat without getting into each other’s hair too much. We have a division of labor that has evolved of its own accord, I think that helps.

I take the boat in and out of any slip/dock, he works the dock lines.
I drive up to the mooring and keep the boat where it needs to be, he picks up the mooring lines.
I navigate, he’s in charge of sail trim.
I plan meals and provision the galley, he gets all the non-galley gear together
He drops the anchor, I drive the boat backward to set the anchor
He operates the radio and dinghy, I wrangle the dogs
I cook, he cleans

It works for us.

Those duties were identical to how my ex-husband and I split them, but without the dogs. I just could not deal with the small shower and bathroom. When we were in a marina, we would take our long hot showers on shore but I did not care for walking up the dock in the morning with mangled hair and sleepy eyes. When it was cold up in Alaska, we were bundled up pretty well before heading to the marina shower facility. It was certainly not my idea of fun.

 

[easyrider]

Yes. A lot of teardrop trailers don't even have stand-up room inside. Imagine cramming into one when the weather is poor. If it's just two adults, that's one thing. But add kids to the mix? I can't even imagine how bad it would be.

Dave

I think it would be nice and dry inside to sleep or watch a show. I often sleep in my suv during salmon season. I kind of like the sound of the rain on the roof. I use a laptop to watch movies or just listen to AM radio talk shows like coast to coast. My Expedition is my camper. It tows a boat, has plenty of room for 2 adults plus gear, is dog friendly and looks decent. I can park it almost anywhere.

The weirdest place I ever camped was on a rainy night, in a meadow, next to a church, off the Columbia River. It was salmon time. My son had to use the restroom, which was outside, and he kind of freaked out. I had parked in a grave yard. We immediately moved camp, meaning I put on my shoes and drove away.

Bill

 

[heathpack]

Those duties were identical to how my ex-husband and I split them, but without the dogs. I just could not deal with the small shower and bathroom. When we were in a marina, we would take our long hot showers on shore but I did not care for walking up the dock in the morning with mangled hair and sleepy eyes. When it was cold up in Alaska, we were bundled up pretty well before heading to the marina shower facility. It was certainly not my idea of fun.

In a marina we just connect to shore power and turn the hot water heater on and have as much hot water as we want. The only time we’re lacking for hot water is when we’re anchored or moored. We mostly go to Catalina Island which is pretty rustic. My standard MO is I get up and ride my bike and then shower ashore. I’m pretty rustic myself by the time I’m done riding, so shuffling off to the public showers is the least of my concerns.

I like the rustic side of things though, spending time on boats is right up my alley

 

[VacationForever]

In a marina we just connect to shore power and turn the hot water heater on and have as much hot water as we want. The only time we’re lacking for hot water is when we’re anchored or moored. We mostly go to Catalina Island which is pretty rustic. My standard MO is I get up and ride my bike and then shower ashore. I’m pretty rustic myself by the time I’m done riding, so shuffling off to the public showers is the least of my concerns.

I like the rustic side of things though, spending time on boats is right up my alley

Well we did that too, i.e. hook up to shore power. But I hate a small shower room.

 

[vacationhopeful]

Lived 7 weeks in a residental scout overnight camp one summer. The week before I arrived, a contractor torn down the shower building. Try living in canvas tents and swimming in a cedar lake during a HOT HUMID NJ with only to have a outdoor cold water rinse shower to wash your hair and sweat off all summer.

Any shower room with hot water is better than an open outdoor, cold water only shower ...as the ONLY option.

 

[Timeshare Von]

In a marina we just connect to shore power and turn the hot water heater on and have as much hot water as we want. The only time we’re lacking for hot water is when we’re anchored or moored. We mostly go to Catalina Island which is pretty rustic. My standard MO is I get up and ride my bike and then shower ashore. I’m pretty rustic myself by the time I’m done riding, so shuffling off to the public showers is the least of my concerns.

I like the rustic side of things though, spending time on boats is right up my alley

We have friends in Alaska who have a nice (about 41" boat) they keep docked in Valdez. They do fishing charters, including overnights. We've been fortunate to go out with them for 3-4 days/nights . . . and was pretty amazed at the space and amenities. We aren't really "boat people" but for a few days to get away, to fishing and sightsee . . . it was quite comfortable.

This view never got old, that's for sure!

 

[heathpack]

We have friends in Alaska who have a nice (about 41" boat) they keep docked in Valdez. They do fishing charters, including overnights. We've been fortunate to go out with them for 3-4 days/nights . . . and was pretty amazed at the space and amenities. We aren't really "boat people" but for a few days to get away, to fishing and sightsee . . . it was quite comfortable.

This view never got old, that's for sure!

That’s a pretty ok setting for a few days away....

 

[VacationForever]

We cruised for several weeks up the west coast to Glacier Bay and spent a couple of weeks there and we were right up the glaciers. My ex-husband and my son got onto a dinghy and went close enough to chip off some glacier ice and we boiled them, filtered them and made hot chocolate, just for the fun of it. There was one area where the glaciers were calving constantly and we got the yacht through the icebergs but we were pretty nervous. We even have a picture of an eagle sitting on top of one of the icebergs. I think that was some of my best memories of being on that yacht. We also went through Whitsundays in Australia and spent weeks there.