Depressed Because I can't Afford a Roadtrek

[slothlover]

I'm happy for you guys with the class b's. I'm in my 40s and just don't see how I can get one anytime soon. Did any of you have to save up awhile before you purchased your dream van? I'm looking for some encouragement.

[Skip426]

Don't allow your self to get depressed .
At 40 , I hadn't purchased my first RV, I was still making payments on my house, truck and other toys , both DW and I were working full time and just making ends meet .
At 45 , we managed our first ( Used ) 5th wheel , it was 11 years old, 3 years later , traded up to a 6 year old unit , 2 years after that a 4 year old 5er. Didn't trade up to my first new 5er till I was 55. Then at 60 , traded for the current coach . The coach was 12 years old when purchased and I'm fairly confident it will outlast me .
Save what you can , when you can , some one said " If you don't have dreams and goals in life you won't achieve anything."

[paddykern]

Camped in tent for 8 years.
Upgraded to pop-up and camped in that for 30 years.
Saved up and bought a Pleasure-Way last year at 63 years old.
Wished I could have done it sooner but better to not over extend the finances for toys.
Enjoyed every minute of the pop-up.
Love the Pleasure-Way.

Had a friend that bought a class A and he was way over his head.
Bank foreclosed a year after he bought it.

We take five weeks off every year and have to budget for that also.

Start out inexpensive and work your way up without over extending yourself.

[slothlover]

Originally Posted by Skip426

Don't allow your self to get depressed .

At 40 , I hadn't purchased my first RV, I was still making payments on my house, truck and other toys , both DW and I were working full time and just making ends meet .

At 45 , we managed our first ( Used ) 5th wheel , it was 11 years old, 3 years later , traded up to a 6 year old unit , 2 years after that a 4 year old 5er. Didn't trade up to my first new 5er till I was 55. Then at 60 , traded for the current coach . The coach was 12 years old when purchased and I'm fairly confident it will outlast me .

Save what you can , when you can , some one said " If you don't have dreams and goals in life you won't achieve anything."

Thank you!

[slothlover]

Originally Posted by paddykern

Camped in tent for 8 years.

Upgraded to pop-up and camped in that for 30 years.

Saved up and bought a Pleasure-Way last year at 63 years old.

Wished I could have done it sooner but better to not over extend the finances for toys.

Enjoyed every minute of the pop-up.

Love the Pleasure-Way.



Had a friend that bought a class A and he was way over his head.

Bank foreclosed a year after he bought it.



We take five weeks off every year and have to budget for that also.



Start out inexpensive and work your way up without over extending yourself.

Thank you !

[tommar]

I just bought a 1998 Dutch Star by Newmar. It's a diesel pusher, Cummins 6.8.3 on a Spartan chassis. I'm new at this too and as I am nearly 67, I'm pretty old to start out in the RV scene. BTW, I've already knocked over a mailbox with the DS! DW was upset with me. Relatively speaking, I didn't pay all that much for this DS. It LOOKS new?! So, it's more than possible for you to get the RV of your dreams. Just hope my health holds for a few more years.

[Spk64]

At 30 we had an old Class C we got for next to nothing, we camped in occasionally for about 6-7 years and I always drooled at the big DP's we would see going down the road. Always thought no way would ever own one. 25 years later, job and investments treated us fair. We purchased a 12 year old DP to test the waters and we so far have enjoyed every minute. In a few years might get a newer model for retirement.
Hang in there, keep looking for the right one for you at the right time.

[Adamsta]

Was pretty lucky to score my rig.
39ft dp 1997....

It was my wife grandfather's and he bought it new in 1997. When he passed away about 5 yrs ago and it just sat. Being a high dollar rat playground... I have spent every penny I have on this thing...the first 6000 was for tires and mechanical stuff, fluid changes, filters, etc. And the next 12000 was for the updates... Flatscreens, usb charger outlets, fireplace, new cabinet hardware, etc.... To make it wife approved and not the true definition of your granddad's motorhome.... Could not image having a payment to go on top of regular maintance and repairs.... We would not be able to afford to get it out of the driveway... My wife and I are 30 and we have a 2 yr old....

It will come your way just keep looking... Chin up my friend....

[slothlover]

Originally Posted by tommar

I just bought a 1998 Dutch Star by Newmar. It's a diesel pusher, Cummins 6.8.3 on a Spartan chassis. I'm new at this too and as I am nearly 67, I'm pretty old to start out in the RV scene. BTW, I've already knocked over a mailbox with the DS! DW was upset with me. Relatively speaking, I didn't pay all that much for this DS. It LOOKS new?! So, it's more than possible for you to get the RV of your dreams. Just hope my health holds for a few more years.

Lol! A mailbox! Thank you!

[slothlover]

Originally Posted by Adamsta

Was pretty lucky to score my rig.
39ft dp 1997....

It was my wife grandfather's and he bought it new in 1997. When he passed away about 5 yrs ago and it just sat. Being a high dollar rat playground... I have spent every penny I have on this thing...the first 6000 was for tires and mechanical stuff, fluid changes, filters, etc. And the next 12000 was for the updates... Flatscreens, usb charger outlets, fireplace, new cabinet hardware, etc.... To make it wife approved and not the true definition of your granddad's motorhome.... Could not image having a payment to go on top of regular maintance and repairs.... We would not be able to afford to get it out of the driveway... My wife and I are 30 and we have a 2 yr old....

It will come your way just keep looking... Chin up my friend....

Did you do the USB and cabinet upgrades yourself? I could get an old one but I would need help updating it.

[Interblog]

From the day I decided that I wanted a camper van until the day that I actually GOT a camper van was 45 years (and the van was 8 years old, not brand new).

In between those two days was the repayment of massive student loans, saving for retirement, payments on a house, buying a car, raising a child, and many other necessary things.

And then after my husband and I got the camper van, we spent the next 2.5 years putting in countless hours of DIY to make it what we want, because we certainly couldn't afford to pay someone else to do all that work.

This is just the way life is, for all of us who were not born into a bucket of money.

The important consideration is not so much momentary affordability, but how you are managing your health. Diet? Exercise? Lifestyle? Medical check-ups? Because if you are in your 40's, you want to still be around in your 50's or 60's when the day finally arrives when you CAN afford a camper van. And that part doesn't happen by accident.

[n-e-d]

Wanted a Westphalia bad when I was in my 20's, thought of hoboing across country but life intervened with first born so settled for Vega Kammback wagon and tent. Got tired of tent camping after 2nd born and a week in Maine in the rain and spent next 40yrs in Condos/resorts/motels/hotels. Now we have a nice Class c and I just bought a Transit EL HR van that I am slowly converting for short overnite trips. Bottom line..Patience.. manage your money..Keep your eye on the prize but dont be afraid to lower your expectations. Good Luck

[tommar]

Originally Posted by Interblog

The important consideration is not so much momentary affordability, but how you are managing your health. Diet? Exercise? Lifestyle? Medical check-ups? Because if you are in your 40's, you want to still be around in your 50's or 60's when the day finally arrives when you CAN afford a camper van. And that part doesn't happen by accident.

Absolutely true! At 66+, I have a ton of health problems! My Dutch Star is a pharmacy on wheels. I'm not letting the health issues stop me but I wish I could do more DIY stuff. I totally concur about the above quote. For god's sake, don't do stupid stuff like smoke! I used to smoke--quit 40 years ago, but at 66, I can feel every puff I ever took. Stupid Tom, I say! (Tom's my nickname.) Most of my health issues are things that I had no control over... but smoking is not one of them!

[Isaac-1]

I agree even the used market prices on class B's is insane, so if you can't afford a nice used class B, take a look at small class A's in the 26-28 ft range.

I have a 2002 28 ft Safari Trek (actual bumper to ladder 29'6"), it was well updated and I paid just over $20,000 for it last year, in my 6 months of shopping before I bought I similar good condition 01-02 Treks, though perhaps without the various updates (400 watts solar, new carpet, new seating, etc.) sell for as little $15,000. Safari also made a similar 26 ft Trek, though the 26 ft models do tend to sell for a couple of thousand more than the 28's like mine, perhaps because they made fewer of them (they also have about half as much cargo capacity as my 28 ft).

You may think a class A is too big, but lets compare the dimensions of a 2002 Safari Trek 2430 vs a comparable 2014 Roadtrek (because it was the first brochure I found on a modern Roadtrek)

The Safari Trek 2430 is on a 157 inch wheel base Workhorse P32 chassis measures 26'10 long, is 11'1 high to the top of the air conditioner, and measures 98.5 inches wide not counting mirrors and awnings, interior headroom is 6'6".

A 2012 Roadtrek on the Sprinter Chassis RS Adventurous is on a 170 inch wheel base, measures 22'9" overall (so less overhang than most other brands) is 80 inches wide without mirrors, and is 9'7" tall with air conditioner.

Sure the Safari Trek is a little longer, but with the shorter wheel base, both can fit in many of the same parking spaces if one were to back in, and if there was a curb to overhang, with width is a bit wider, but no wider than some other class B's (Leisure travel vans makes a Sprinter based B+ that is 97.5 inches wide), height wise neither one is fitting in a parking garage or going through a fast food drive through, so the extra 18 inches does not make much difference, now with the Safari you can save about $40,000 gain a lot of usable space and cargo capacity, still have a nice interior with Corian counter tops, convection microwave, ....

There are other 26 ft Class A's I am just using the example I know.