Don't buy motorhome

[user293]

I would say RV's are expensive mostly because they're manufactured and designed to be light and mobile. Which includes appliances, fixtures and other equipment. There are features you would be unable to find in a tent or even most homes, such as AC/DC converter, DC charger, batteries, generator, 12 volt power and lighting. Everything is designed to be mobile.

I did once live in a long mid 50's RV trailer. It came from the manufacture back in the 50's with aluminum double pane windows, all aluminum outer shell, under floor heating ducts, porcelain sinks, shower, bathtub and toilet. Large gas oven built into the wall, large counter space with stove top gas burners. Inside was covered with real wood paneling, with heavy wood interior sliding doors. It had a very solid outer steel/alum door and a wooden screen with very good locks. After years of use the door never fell apart, as with some RV's.

The frame was made primarily from wood except there was also a bottom metal frame that rested on wheels. The mid size electric compressor refrigerator was still running well after 50 years.

I did replace the outdated alum. wiring with copper and installed a newer service panel and replaced the smaller water heater with a 40 gallon.

If you have work done on a RV it can become expensive usually around 100 dollars or more just for the labor.

Absorption / gas refrigerators are usually more expensive more than an electric compressor type, which are more economical to run.

There are electric compressor refrigerators that start at around ~$1000,00 to over ~$2,000.00 designed for off-grid use such as with solar panels, wind turbines, etc.

I normally do all my own repairs and maintenance. Have repaired gas heaters, refrigerators, electrical, roof, etc. that come with newer RV's.

Once you purchase an RV it's not all that expensive to maintain and repair. If you have maintenance and repairs done the added cost is usually for the labor.

[AKOne]

Originally Posted by jamesoak

They just aren't worth the money,every time you set-up something goes wrong,get a tent,lol

Wow ... if that is the case, I have made the same mistake three times. Three strikes and I am out!

[Mudfrog]

My Wife and i use to enjoy tenting back in the late 80s. All was grand until one of our weekend trips went awry at around 0430 hours. I remember vividly, being awoke with a clap of thunder and immediately realizing something soggy was laying on top of us. Yep, the tent collapsed. Needless to say, it was a startling event for us. Hopped into the Bronco and when the storm let up, grabbed our stuff and commenced to heading home. Oh, we did make one quick stop, to toss the tent into the campground dumpster!

Started out slow, our first was a used class C. Suffice it to say, it didn't take long to find out that RVs cost more to use. Doesn't matter though,,, We ain't goin back!!!

If the unit is still under its factory warranty, then there is no annual check up requirement. Guessing you have an extended warranty and if so, i suppose this requirement could be in the fine print.

Not sure what to say except to maybe contact your equipment manufacturers direct to see if they might assist.

[user293]

The problem I have is when the weather is not good, rain, wet, cold, nightime, etc., I'll often want to work, do things I've put off for later, etc. When the weather is good I want to be doing something else besides work.

I can remember years ago in my youth. Most things were made to last 20 - 30+ years and were designed to be repaired. Today we replace most things unless under a warranty. e.g. I use to have an RV AC frig manufactured in the mid 50s that was still running keeping food items the correct temperature after 50 years.

I have repaired newer more modern RV gas/ac frigs, but parts can become expensive. My N641 Norcold, originally thought the problem was with a ~$200.00 PCB turned out to be only slightly corroded connections inside of one the plugs. Sometimes it pays to do your own troubleshooting, reading the service manual for out of warranty items.

Some service manuals will have troubleshooting procedures, in the form a flow chart.

[adamfolger]

user293....Come in out of the rain my friend. I think you need an adult beverage. Ops, I Probably killed another thread....

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by user293

I would say RV's are expensive mostly because they're manufactured and designed to be light and mobile. Which includes appliances, fixtures and other equipment.

Once you purchase an RV it's not all that expensive to maintain and repair. If you have maintenance and repairs done the added cost is usually for the labor.

Our MH weighs 46,000#'s dry weight. So much for #1 above.
In 2015 we spent about $25,000 on repairs. So much for #2 above.

[user293]

In 1968 the value of the dollar was at it's highest. You could purchase more with your earned dollars when compared to today's dollar value.

With inflation the value of your dollar has gone down so you purchase less with your earned money.

Figuring in inflation

2016 - $25,000 is worth $3,615.25 dollars in 1968.
1968 - $25,000 is worth $172,878.59 dollars in 2016.

Your paying additionally for inflation costs. Plus additional shop business expenses that you would not need to pay if you did the work yourself.

All and all when costs of services and products go up for various reasons, the value of an item or service goes down due to inflation while future costs of an item or service goes up, whether improvements are made or not. Often the quality of items goes down because business now a days base earning on product replacement (planned obsolescence) rather than produce products that will last a long time and more easily serviced and repaired with out alot of additional expense.

The phycology of the system has changed. Businesses are basing earnings on the assumption products will not last long time and then fail, requiring replacement vs years ago the businesses models based income on products that could last a long time and be easily serviced and repaired.

It appears your paying for a new business model that tries to improve upon products but in essence often create inferior products not designed to last. If designed to last expect to pay at least twice what your now paying.

[AKmtnpilot]

Sold our last tent when we left Alaska in 2003 at age 63. Now I sit under the awning in the morning drinking coffee watching younger people throw wet sleeping bags and tents in the back of a SUV and head for a laundromat and spend $20 on a dryer. Yep, those were the days. Guess I'll go in the camper and take a hot shower.

[Gordon Dewald]

Yup - something about looking out of the window on a May long weekend and seeing 4" of snow on the ground and walking over and turning the thermostat up. Life is way too hard! LOL

[ga traveler]

I have been lucky. I was always mechanically inclined. I worked for Delta Air Lines for 32 years as a mechanic. After retiring, I got bored and my wife had a great idea. She said if you are going to work somewhere, why not go to a RV dealership. You like motorhomes and you would learn more about them. I was lucky enough to go to the Onan factory school, the Norcold and Dometic refrigerator school, and several other classes. In a little over a year, I became the service manager. Not only has this helped me save lots of money, but I have learned how to prevent lots and lots of problems. Batteries for example. I have learned that using a battery minder on the chassis battery and another one on the house battery, I can keep my batteries from going bad. I checked my batteries this spring. They are both 9 years old and load tested like new this spring.

[Traxless]

Originally Posted by jamesoak

They just aren't worth the money,every time you set-up something goes wrong,get a tent,lol

That's one plan. But we'd rather not.

[tizeye]

I have it on good authority that bears like tents, particularly if you didn't suspend you food on a rope over a tree limb. Motorhomes are much more difficult for bears.

[Old Radios]

Yup, a couple years ago in the middle of the night a bear tore through a couple of tents and riped off one end of a hybrid trailer in a campground I was at. He came along during the night and pushed on my door for a few minutes but had to settle for scratching his back on the awning arm. Pretty much had the place to myself the next day.

[JFN]

Originally Posted by Pepper2

I hate to agree with you, but they are money pits. But we all knew that from the start.

Make that 3, I had one and nothing but trouble, and reading on these forums there are pleanty of problems discussed, not to start a war, but I can't afford the problems a Motorhome can throw you, I now have a 5er and can afford that, oh tow vehicle, well at least my Dodge can be fixed without a specialty shop. So bottom line? To each their own