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Old 08-19-2012, 10:25 AM   #15
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Maybe I am flippant about this but here goes...

We bought our very first RV this year on April 13th. We traveled through many lots and really felt this was THE ONE! Well, here we are studying hard on what we are going to get next because it isn't "THE ONE". Don't get me wrong, we really like what we got but we just didn't know enough about weight, balance, floor plan traps and such. Our current RV has been a wonderful starting point and we won't regret it given what we thought we knew at the time.

We new it would need new tires and expected other odds and ends. So, since we have had it we have probably put in about $8,000 extra in tires, shocks, service and stuff. WOW! Sometimes I am a little sick about it. BUT...it has been a great adventure so far. We have learned sooo much by going big and finding out what we want in about 2 years.

I know that I will be a little sick again when we finally upgrade. We will loose money...NO KIDDING...but we think we will now be able to find THE ONE! that will serve us well for years to come. Well, at least we will know what THE ONE will be like provided it ain't a lemon.

So, for the vast majority of us, money is an issue. (Sorry, I'm not knocking the "1%" folks at all.) Yet, how much it matters is all perspective. Sandee and I have worked our butts off for all these years to achieve a comfortable (not lavish) retirement. If we bought a reasonably priced RV today from scratch and it burned down to the ground without insurance we would financially be able to survive without too much of a problem. Yes, it would suck but life has no guarantees.

So, our hopes are to be able to find THE ONE over the winter. Get it home, rig it out, and hit the road hard next summer. I want that sour stomach feeling to keep me honest with finding that balance of features and affordability.

Finally, Sandee and I have one last sour stomach decision in front of us...pulling the plug on our jobs. THAT will be the biggest challenge we face to do without remorse. At least we have the option to work a bit longer if something went horribly wrong with our RV and it affected our financial situation in unexpected ways. That is why we decided to invest in a FT RV now instead of waiting until after we made that decision.
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Old 08-19-2012, 10:46 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry & Rita View Post
We are going through this right now.
For the last few years we have been in a retirement community and we paid about $85,000 for the house, today we are going to look at a $145,000 RV, we will be going from 2,300 sq ft to 500 or less
The DW says it does not compute, what are we doing???
LISTEN!!! This is really important!

You MUST be on the same page before you make this decision. Sandee and I are still feeling our way in how we work towards our retirement goals and at times we sit down and review where we are in this process. We review what we have in our life today and what it will look like later. We talk about priorities, what we must have, what we would like to have and what we can live without. Those talks have lead us towards a larger (39-43') range of DPs with emphasis on the Newmar line with the Ventana and Dutch Star models being front runners but we are not locked into those yet. We are expecting to be able to sell the house for about as much as we pay for our next RV. It won't be new but most likely in the 2007-2010 range.

We know that any new coach must support a King bed, Stackable W/D, divided bathroom and be able to haul all the things needed for 2 adults and 2 GSDs. It doesn't have to have massive HP but enough to get us where we want to go even if it is at a crawl on a few occasions. We continually talk about this as a team and further define out goals.

This is important because if you are fortunate enough to have had many years of partnership, this is a decision you both will have to live with and agree to without reservation. We have committed to continue searching for THE ONE and understanding this is somewhat a gamble. Again, there are no guarantees in life except you are born and then you die.

Finally, when you make that decision, do so with a realistic budget and escape plan. Our current plan is to sell the house and bank all that for the next house. Our plan includes loosing 50% of the RV value in the 2 years after we pick it up and still being able to get back into a home or our liking. We feel that if that was to happen, we can spend those 2 years without fear of what is next. We also have put aside savings of nearly $20,000 just for making sure we maintain it properly. We have also put together a budget we think will cover our plans to spend the first months in a vacation mode (the most expensive way to RV) and then settle down to parking between 1 & 3 months at a time afterwards and then padded that 20% for what we still don't know.

GOOD LUCK!
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Old 08-19-2012, 11:04 AM   #17
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I wish we hadnt done it. We used it once this June to go to Zion NP. (450 mi) and now we wont use it again until next April. We found its a little cheaper and more piece of mind to drive our car and stay at nice clean motels. We always worry about it breaking down and this worry is what keeps us from going very far. Its a gasser in great shape cost 16,900 and so far the only trouble we had was a rad. fan clutch that went out and we were lucky enough to be close to a repair place in Or. But driving the car is much more relaxing and we enjoy eating our meals at different restaurants. If we could sell it we would in a heartbeat and never look back. So yes we have buyers remorse. Oh yes we've been connected with mohos and travel trailers for 20 yrs. But never did use them much. This lifestyle isnt for everybody..We could travel by car and not have to worry about the expenses of changing tires every 6-7 yrs.Plus who knows what else could leave one along side the road waiting for a tow on a Sunday and finding you may have to stay in a motel anyway for days waiting to get it fixed. But for those of you who enjoy the life.. Hey were happy for you and Happy Trails and may your breakdowns be few..
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Old 08-19-2012, 11:38 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by donandmax View Post
I wish we hadnt done it. ...
Without repeating your entire post you are clear and to the point.



Part of the potential for buyer's remorse is unrealized expectations and perhaps over romantic views of the RV life style. Being realistic about what one thinks they will get out of the RV lifestyle (whether PT or FT) and what they are willing to spend to achieve it. Is one adventurous or not? This plays a huge factor too. Being able to "go with the flow" is probably an extremely important characteristic to have.

Best wishes and good luck!
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Old 08-19-2012, 12:46 PM   #19
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My "stomach sick" moment was when writing the check to pay-off the TT (the difference between the re-sale price vs. the loan). We had bought the TT new and despite saying "we won't sell, before pay-off", we upgraded to a Class A after 3 years.

This time we were much smarter and found a gently used motorhome so the original owner had taken the hit (like we had for the TT).

It is a recreation vehicle, so if you don't use it - it's just a waste.
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Old 08-19-2012, 01:11 PM   #20
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We bought our 06 EXDP last June. 3rd RV, others were TT we lived in while building. If the S&B sells this year and our youngest graduates HS next year, we are heading out. Recently been thinking 'should we down size' based more on current economy and the scare politicians are trying to place on the future. Then....I realize If we loose everything.....it wasn't meant to be. We started from square one and if we end up back there...may God give us the strength to start again. Good luck in your plans.
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Old 08-19-2012, 02:21 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ahicks View Post
I would bet you stop doubting yourself so much as soon as you build a little confidence up regarding your purchase? When you first bring it home you are pretty much starting at zero. After getting a chance to piddle with it a bit, and load it with your "stuff", the confidence meter comes to life. The meter than goes to half scale or so the first couple times you use it, and pegs on full the first time you get to use it for an extended trip....

Congrats, and best of luck! -Al
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Old 08-19-2012, 02:52 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ahicks View Post
I would bet you stop doubting yourself so much as soon as you build a little confidence up regarding your purchase? When you first bring it home you are pretty much starting at zero. After getting a chance to piddle with it a bit, and load it with your "stuff", the confidence meter comes to life. The meter than goes to half scale or so the first couple times you use it, and pegs on full the first time you get to use it for an extended trip....

Congrats, and best of luck! -Al
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Old 08-20-2012, 04:16 PM   #23
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Old 08-20-2012, 04:27 PM   #24
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I always sleep on any large purchase or major change in my life. If I have a restless night, I walk away. A peaceful night means go ahead. This has never failed me. The quiet of night lets your brain make sense of
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Old 08-20-2012, 04:32 PM   #25
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...dang ipad! I hit the send button in error.

The quiet of night lets the brain make sense of the daytime chaos. Listen carefully to that inner voice.
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Old 08-21-2012, 12:04 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fountain42 View Post
Has anyone ever experienced an issue or scenario that made you second guess your decision of buying a RV or RV lifestyle?
I think most of us have at one time or another. Are you planning to full time or will the RV be for vacations? We bought our first RV last November (a motorhome); it was brand new and so were we. We are "vacationers" and have no desire to ever live in an RV. So, it's an expensive toy that we probably should have put more thought into before buying.
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Old 08-21-2012, 01:51 AM   #27
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Buyers Remorse should be my middle name. My DW and I talked about buying a RV for years but never seriously until last November. I enjoyed camping many years ago when I was Boy Scout and Scout Leader. My DW idea of camping is the Hilton. Neither of us knew anything about RV's until that first RV dealer we visited.

I spent hours on-line, found this website, read everything I could find on what to buy, what not to buy, what to ask the dealers, what to look for, we spent months looking at different RV's, comparing prices, making checklists, we set a maximum dollar amount, a maximum size, BUT when we purchased almost everything went out the window. We spent far more money then we planned and we have a much larger RV then we ever dreamed was possible.

We also jumped into the pool (ocean) at the deep end by selling our home and moving into our RV FT last July 12th. To date we have had one mouse infestation, 5 ant infestations, one flood from the washing machine when the gray water tank overflowed into the shower, numerous problems with black water stink which I think I have traced to the rear toilet leaking, a DC power failure that left us without power for 5 days. Little to no space to cook or use the computer or store needed supplies. Driving this beast scares me on so many levels, mostly my fear of what if something goes wrong, how much is it going to cost me, to my last trip when I took it out for the day to visit the RV repair shop ($220 just for labor) on my return home I had to make a narrow left turn, I was so careful to check that my left rear tires were not hitting the curb, my right rear tires clipped the other curb sending the coach into a violet rock and roll. Besides my pride hurt we lost a number of dishes that fell from an upper cabinet.

So yes I have Buyers Remorse but I am all in as they say in Vegas. I now know how to stop ants and mice in your RV, how to fix my 12volt system, how to prevent flooding, how to keep the RV cooler on hot summer days, how to better stack dishes and secure cabinets, and how to cook a big meal with absolutely no counter space. Much was learned from reading this website thanks to so many of you with lots more experience. So for as long as we can afford to live the lifestyle we will shall continue to FT. Learning I am sure something new each day about what it means to own an RV
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Old 08-21-2012, 02:58 AM   #28
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No regrets!!!

When we bought our MH in 2007 it was a 17 year old dream that came through. We had planned towards this.

Not for a second did we ever think that this was not what we wanted after all. If anything this has been even better than we anticipated.

We often hear that with boat owners the 2 best days they have is the day they buy the boat and the day they sell it. This has not been the case for us. 5 years on we are still as happy as on day one.
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