Owning a motor home is not for sissies.

[timjet]

Originally Posted by Deny

If you want inexpensive camping adventures, get a comfortable (as small as possible) travel trailer, that can be safely towed with a 1/2 ton pickup, that doubles as a daily driver. That is what young Americans, with kids, use for recreational vehicles. By the way, go to the parks they go to, as well, They have fun, you will too.

I am not a young American and I have fun with my mechanically complex coach that breaks frequently.

[sibe]

Originally Posted by MSGDLD

Interesting because I did the same thing this past spring- without the DW knowing. Surprise! The good news is that both of us like it much much better.

FWIW, I don’t know how yours are put on, but I removed ours with a thin blade flexible metal scraper. Slid it underneath and worked them free. It was a rubbery type glue, and all but one of the mirrors came off without even cracking. That was a shock. Most of the glue came off with the mirrors, I got the majority of what was left mechanically, careful scraping or pulling it off with my fingers, then carefully used a bit of mineral spirits on a paper towel to clean up what was left of the goo.

It took me 7 years to work up the courage, go for it!

The previous owner had a glass shop so he did the install.. It looks like typical mastic..
I tested a section when i got the old rig this summer, I heated up the mirror slat and did like you said.. it loosened.. I stopped as we needed to use the Rv..
All our friends call it the shaggin minnie winnie.. Looks like a throwback to Austin Powers..
Thanks, I am getting the courage up

[BUTCHPHI]

Bought a new National Tropical Model 6351 V10 (last of the Tag Axle Motorhomes with new Ford chassis and a tag axle). Ordered in May of 1999 and took delivery in July of 1999. Began full timing in April of 2000. This is the motorhome we still have. Currently has just shy of 150000 miles. We full timed in it for almost nine years. Then bought a house and since then have used about six months a year. Last big trip was 7000 miles in 2017. Following is the roughly accurate total cost (give or take $15000 or so).

CAMPING $78,894.02
GAS $61,700.00
MOTORHOME COST $83,000.00
TIRES $12,000.00
INTEREST $39,400.00
MAINTENANCE / REPAIRS $11,300.00
INSURANCE / REGISTRATION / TAXES $34,555.00
Sub Total = $320,849.02
TOWED VEHICLE COST $88,000.00
Total = $408,849.02
AVERAGE MONTHLY COST $1,793.20
AVERAGE YEARLY COST (19 YEARS) $21,518.37
Could have taken quite a few nice cruises (we did take some anyhow during these 19 years) but would not have compared with what we saw and did.

[HJLowell]

Well Butch
Thats realistic and Honest.
From a 20 year perspective.

Thanks Much for the Reality of it All.

[RM Art]

Yo, Butch - Concise and well presented. Thanks, Art

Love the +/- $15K factor at beginning!

[Deny]

Originally Posted by RM Art

Yo, Butch - Concise and well presented. Thanks, Art

Love the +/- $15K factor at beginning!

Pretty easy to come up with $800 per year for Parking, entrance fees, toll fees, whatever.

Yes $15K is real, & I bet pretty accurate for the gentleman's "incidental" camping expenses.

Yes, I have no regrets, as well. This old world is gorgeous.

[timjet]

Butch, that's interesting to see the cost's over such a long period. I use Quicken to track my budget and it's pretty accurate provided I categorize everything which I do. I will not go back and look at the total ownership costs of my toys.

[RM Art]

I put the "use" costs of toys [gas, lodging, food... etc] in what my favorite grand dad "Poppa Arthur" referred to simply as piss money - LOL.

In other words expendable money you have available [or God forbid need to borrow] for some sort of enjoyments in life [in our case using our toys] that each cost cash money.

Therefore... our "toy availability" costs [in order to be able to spend piss money using them] we keep in the category of actual expenses.

Thusly "toy availability", "ownership costs" = Any of our toy's [RV, boat, classic car, motorcycle, snowmobile...etc] purchase price in relation to resale price received or perceived to eventually to be received, its storage, maintenance, improvements and insurance.

So, I can comfortably say: piss money is pretty much a no brainer; in that if you want to have fun while living ya gots-ta spend some un regulated and non required as savings piss money in order to have the fun!

I can also comfortably say: "Ownership costs" are what we keep close track of regarding all our toys. In that; We purchase items in good condition at appropriate price. We maintain all toys in top condition during ownership. Our toys are all well insured and improvements installed are cost comparative as well as useful and at least a slight price increase for eventual sale price we set at our end of that toy's ownership.

All in all, with full ledger on "ownership costs" for our toys we feel darn lucky to have placed ourselves in the category of having many toys while keeping "ownership costs" at an affordable annual level ... so that we still are able to accumulate enough piss money [and spare time] for much use and many continued/repeated enjoyments!!

That's how we play the game of "toy" life... !!!!

[BUTCHPHI]

Hello Timjet. I also have kept a contemporaneous excel spreadsheet from the very first trip we ever took. Actually my wife records much information on a trip sheet for every day of travel. I then summarize about once a month. Part of the spreadsheet keeps a running total of costs, gas, any maintenance performed, campground fees etc (does not include all the eating out or touring costs other than gas etc). I can look back to any date for the past 20 years (while travelling in the motorhome) and see where we were at that time and where we spent the night and how long we stayed there.
Also the $15000 wiggle number is for the entire period of time not just one year, ha.
I hope the numbers give those looking at the lifestyle some idea of what to expect and I feel our numbers are somewhat low because of initial motorhome cost (compared to cost today for a new one) and that we have had virtually no major maintenance cost, basically almost all routine items you would expect.

[MrsChilerick]

I look at the expenses a little differently. I keep a spreadsheet of every expense related to the MH and the trips and travel related to it. Then I take the number of nights spent in the MH and divide the MH specific costs by the number of nights to understand the “per night” cost of traveling this way vs any other way. I don’t include the cost of groceries or anything else we would have spent staying home.

Last year in our previous MH the cost was approximately $155 per night. This year will be higher as we purchased a new coach.

Regardless, we wouldn’t have done the things we’ve done if we hadn’t chosen to do this route.

[Rob_M]

Originally Posted by Rocket Jock

Just like owning a boat, you have to think of it as a hobby. If you don't like tinkering with things you better have a huge bank account.

Exactly! Some folks would say a boat is a hole in the water that you throw money into. Because I’m a do it yourselfer my experience has been much different .
Just bought our first MH. Used the same logic buying it as I have done with 4 boats so far. After lots of research, including talking to all my diesel mechanic buddies, we purchased a low mileage well cared for older higher-end model with most of the upgrades I would have done already done.
We are on our very first trip with her right now, Paying close attention to everything including the sounds the she makes. Not afraid to crawl under her and get super familiar. Loving her so far. Only one small vent leak and two malfunctioning drawer catches 3 days in. Easy stuff. I feel needed lol.
Ask me next year how that mentality is working out for me lol.

[Fiesta48]

310 projects so far on a 5 year old DP. Luckily the improvements are now starting to out number the fixes. I wouldn't even think of owning a RV without be a DIYer. Even at only a hundred dollars per project (low) I would be up to $31000 if I paid someone else!

[okcnewbie]

Originally Posted by Fiesta48

310 projects so far on a 5 year old DP. Luckily the improvements are now starting to out number the fixes. I wouldn't even think of owning a RV without be a DIYer. Even at only a hundred dollars per project (low) I would be up to $31000 if I paid someone else!

I know. I actually talked a guy out of buying our old Class C. I asked him if he was handy and almost immediately his wife said, " No ". From there I said well you need to be willing to learn. Lot's of good stuff on youtube.
Needless to say they didn't buy the MH.