Community Forums

StevePav · 02-06-2009, 06:22 AM

Last year I puchased a 1990 Fleetwood SOuthwind, 36', tag axle, 54k miles, on eBay for far less than NADA value. It had all the bells and whistles for that model (except leveling jacks), 2 ACs, W/D, the dash air even worked! All I've had to do to her is replace one tire, two batteries, and, this was of my own choosing, new plugs for both engine and genset (as well as oil changes for both).

I'm a firm believer that you can get a really good deal out there on a used RV. Sure, mine has a couple of small delamination spots (that model and year was one of several that had that problem), but nothing I can't live with, and I've still got money in my pocket for gas!

Steve

Georgia Flash · 02-06-2009, 07:15 AM

I agree with StevePav. Figure out what you want and how much you want to pay then shop around. Find what you like for a price you can live with and living with it will be a lot easier.

blacktie.shooter · 02-06-2009, 11:43 AM

I love opinions, an old boss used to say they are like hind ends (my words, not his,) everybody has one - and there are a lot of them here. And that is good, great, in fact. It's how we all learn. The only one I didn't care for was the beancounter who started getting nasty.

I'm qualified to use that term, because "I used to are one." A retired cost accountant and controller, in fact. Doesn't mean my opinion is right, I just offer it as another way of looking at it.

I believe the only people that need to worry about cost per mile are UPS, independent truckers, etc. The rest of us do it because we want to. I do not believe it to be meaningful for coach owners. Here's why: you are loading up that statistic unfairly. It is a valid measurement only in a vehicle you drive frequently, and has no other purpose than transportation.

You are using your coach all the time it is away from its home storage park. Not just when you're driving, but when you're parked and living in it, running refrigerators, stoves, TVs, microwaves, sitting on the sofa, sleeping, showering, ad infinitum. All of these activities are wearing on one or more systems, just as they are at home.

For this reason, I like to look at cost per hour of use, not per mile. Last fall we took a 4,000 mile trip, but that is not our norm. Sometimes we drive a hundred miles to the beach, or up the Columbia River Gorge, and stay a week. All the time we're gone, we are using our coach.

So here is my simple formula for determining and budgeting my hourly use expense, and deciding what I can afford:

1. Annual fuel cost $ 3,000
2. Annual maintenance 3,000
3. Annual insurance, storage 2,000
4. Annual park, campground 2,000
5. Total 12 payments ______ (plug in yours, I don't have any.)

6. Total Operating Costs $10,000
7. Annual hours used
(100 days X 24 hrs.) 2,400 hrs.
8. Cost per hour of fun $ 4.17
((6.) divided by (7.))

Direct Operating Cost represents the total out-of-pocket dollars you need to have available on a current basis. Adjust as needed for your own situation, where you can effect savings, etc.

For actual ownership cost, replace item (6.) with Annual Depreciation plus Carrying Charges (interest.)

Most of your figures are going to be estimates, and that is OK, because that is what we're trying to do - look ahead. If you have hard data, that is great, too. Now you know where you've been, vs. where you thought you were going.

If anyone is really interested, I will write a small MS Excel spreadsheet that will make the foregoing easier, maybe more fun (or maybe disappointing.) I can email it, but you must have the Excel app. PM me with your email address.

Sorry to ramble, just passing on what may or may not help fellow coach travellers. (Yes, I'm old enough to spell it that way.)

Forest Grump · 02-06-2009, 12:09 PM

Ken I hated accounting when I had to take it in
grad school and it hated me. But it looks to me that you are only calculating operating expenses as you say in line 6.

You also have the initial cost of the coach, i.e. the down payment and it's present value the cash you n longer have, and the monthly payments don't you and of course tax and license.

So what would a spread sheet look like for someone who bought a new $100,000 MH with $15,000 down and a 30 year loan and a payment of $800/mo. vs someone who bought a used motorhome for $10,000, upgrades of $2,000 and pretty much the rest looking the same.

melvonnar · 02-06-2009, 03:05 PM

Quote:

So what would a spread sheet look like for someone who bought a new $100,000 MH with $15,000 down and a 30 year loan and a payment of $800/mo. vs someone who bought a used motorhome for $10,000, upgrades of $2,000 and pretty much the rest looking the same.

Tell them the same thing I do"
Mines paid for'
And we will get there at the same time.

tropical36 · 02-06-2009, 04:49 PM

All some of us are saying is....that the real cost of ownership is in depreciation, whether it be for the mile or the hour...
You really can't count fuel cost because if you drove your little eco car and stayed on the road for three months, the added motels and restaurants would far surpass the cost of traveling in an RV and it goes on. Some of the other costs can just be attributed to having a hobby or toy, which always cost money.

dusty567 · 02-06-2009, 04:53 PM

We bought our first mh in 2006 from an individual who had meticulous records on all the maintenance, upgrades, etc. It was a 1996 Allegro 28'with no slides. We spent about 1400 on repairs, upgrades ourself and enjoyed using it whenever we could--even in the backyard! we traded it in 2008 for a 2005 Allegro 28' with 2 slides and only 5,000 miles. We have added suspension upgrades and a towing set up. We love it even more and sometimes just drive it around for a few hours--even this winter. We will take our first extended trip this summer, but we camp out whenever the weather is mild at a campground on post just a few miles from our house! The mh is winterized so we have to use their showers and fill jugs to flush the toilet, then empty the black tank before we put it back in storage on post (Ft. Campbell).

TW · 02-06-2009, 06:45 PM

We bought in 2005 our 1987/88 Winnebago Chalet - 32 ft,
no slideout, but a super floorplan for $15,000 can. bucks. Just wanted my own bed and washroom.
We drove to CA and had an alternator replaced and here at home a few other things repaired, about all together $4,500, traded it in on the Baystar, after a few month BS was paid for, and this spring we trade with a KS 3910 owner. The KS will be our HOME down the road for FULLTIMING. Nothing beats the enjoyment you get out of a Motorhome (at our age now),!
Here are 2 more good older/used RV's (Foretravel and Bluebird)
Enjoy RVing
TW

blacktie.shooter · 02-07-2009, 11:29 AM

Grump, read just a little farther:

"For actual ownership cost, replace item (6.) with Annual Depreciation plus Carrying Charges (interest.)"

You are correct, I did not specifically mention license, I guess I just assumed everyone would lump that in with other fixed costs, like insurance, etc., where it usually goes. You know, "tax, tag, and title."

blacktie.shooter · 02-07-2009, 11:52 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tropical36:
All some of us are saying is....that the real cost of ownership is in depreciation, whether it be for the mile or the hour...
QUOTE]
I agree, of course, I don't think anyone is going to deny that. I was only trying to provide a means to determine a) your immediate out-of-pocket cost to use your coach, and b) a means to expand that to total actual annual cost. From that point, you are then able to make any comparisons or justifications that are meaningful to you.

Let me know if you spot anything I missed, as Grump did. Happy Coachin', Y'All.

melvonnar · 02-11-2009, 09:22 AM

Anyway you look at it RVs are going to cost you money; some more some less.
But---
What price do you put on enjoyment?
What the add on TV says----priceless.
Without my RVs I would not have been able to spend 4 months traveling each year; visit most of the national parks and go to each and every state in the continal USA.
Priceless

blacktie.shooter · 02-13-2009, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by robert h:
Anyway you look at it RVs are going to cost you money; some more some less.
But---
What price do you put on enjoyment?
What the add on TV says----priceless.
Without my RVs I would not have been able to spend 4 months traveling each year; visit most of the national parks and go to each and every state in the continal USA.
Priceless

Robert H - Exactly so! Those are the things to talk to me about, I love it. I don't even want to know what kind of gas mileage, etc., anyone got while doing so.

tropical36 · 02-15-2009, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by blacktie.shooter:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by robert h:
Anyway you look at it RVs are going to cost you money; some more some less.
But---
What price do you put on enjoyment?
What the add on TV says----priceless.
Without my RVs I would not have been able to spend 4 months traveling each year; visit most of the national parks and go to each and every state in the continal USA.
Priceless

Robert H - Exactly so! Those are the things to talk to me about, I love it. I don't even want to know what kind of gas mileage, etc., anyone got while doing so. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I agree, unless there's something wrong and you're just pouring fuel away somewhere for nothing or you're driving your house faster than it's handling capabilities, which in MO isn't more than about 51mph, as most states won't let you go any slower. Yep, we bought ours to see America, not run races with semi's and sports cars, but at least the latter can corner and stop quickly.