Community Forums

barmcd · 02-03-2016, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superslif

My thought's exactly. Most co-workers at my place retire late 60's early 70's....I think some are saving for a more upper class nursing home experience . Both me and my wife came from RVing families. I knew early on I was going to retire before age 55...Hell or high water (yes, pension cut 50%, health care doubled in the last 5 years....) Well, I got 71 work days left (age 53), and off to Alaska June 1st...weeeee...

Back to the OP, By that class A or C now, but I would keep it in the back of your mind, that this one might be the one you full time in....What about a older DP. say 2000-2004 ($30-60k). If your going to pull a toad, you want the power to pull it. Even a class C with the V-10 might be a little under powered at some point. Buying it now will give you time to work out any kinks, do upgrades...or change your mind totally on what will "fit" your full-timing life style. Too bad you can't avoid your states high ownership purchase fees and taxes. Glad we don't have those in Ohio.

The last 15 years we have camped 50-60 nights a year. In retirement, besides going to AK. this summer, we plan a bunch of 2-4 week trips to places on my bucket list: National Park of CO. & UT., UP of MI., Nova Scotia, 1000 Islands, Maine,

LOL!

barmcd · 02-03-2016, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Keep in mind that those who mentioned going full-time early - before Medicare and having to pay fully for your insurance, be sure to investigate where you will domicile (mail forwarding service) because that address will be used for your medical insurance. It's getting very hard to find a reasonable priced policy that will allow you to travel and get medical. This is especially true of South Dakota which used to be popular with full-timers. There have been many posts on this subject. Years ago medical insurance wasn't difficult to obtain and easy to use, unlike today.

My MIL split time between California and Texas--the first time she went to California to stay with her sister, they changed her mailing address and it was amazing what Medicare wouldn't cover in California compared to Texas. After that we made sure she was a Texas resident all the time.

G-JLD9 · 02-03-2016, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Keep in mind that those who mentioned going full-time early - before Medicare and having to pay fully for your insurance, be sure to investigate where you will domicile (mail forwarding service) because that address will be used for your medical insurance. It's getting very hard to find a reasonable priced policy that will allow you to travel and get medical. This is especially true of South Dakota which used to be popular with full-timers. There have been many posts on this subject. Years ago medical insurance wasn't difficult to obtain and easy to use, unlike today.

We are forunate to have Federal BCBC with Gary's Federal retirment he gets now and its the same cost as when he was working. Then in 2019 when he gets his army reserve retirment we will have TriCare also. So South Dakota will work for us. I have read about how much some heath care plans cost and was shocked. Having Fed BCBS and Tricare is a big help to make our full time plans work.

beamisl · 02-03-2016, 01:01 PM

Jen,

This is what we did. As I told you, I looked and looked and this one MH kept coming across my radar. It is the one we bought. We live in MI and the MH was in Texas.

Knew a guy on here who lived 30 minutes away from the MH and he went to look at it. The person had no idea what she had. It had been her Dad's and he died. She had two electric outlets that quit working so she put electric cords to the TV and something else. No one wanted to buy a rig with electrical problems so the price dropped dramatically. It was 2 .50 fuses so fixed for $1.00. Saved thousands for this little unknown.

If you don't put transmission fluid in your levelers they don't work well. Another large amount of money off for this. It had a lot of oxidation on the paint. I de-oxidized it and waxed it and people think it is new. It cost me $15,000 LESS than equivilent rigs I had seen up here.

Get at least 1 slide, it will make it easier to sell when the time comes and more comfortable to use. DO NOT BUY until it is right. Make sure when you buy they show you everything is working. NO ROOF LEAKS EVER!

Mostly, you and Gary have fun! I am getting excited for you so when you do buy please PM me and show me your rig. You are going to have so much fun. We bought from PPL Motorhomes in Texas and it is a good place to look at floorplans.

Lynne

G-JLD9 · 02-03-2016, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dexters

I say buy a small, low cost one now.

Do you have a vehicle that could tow a travel trailer? A small travel trailer probably would suit your needs until you retire.

You don't say if you RVd before. I've heard so many stories about people who spend a large amount of $ on a new class A, have it for 1 year and sell it because the RV life really wasn't for them.

We do have a F-250 and thought about getting a 5th wheel, but since we will be having passangers most of the time we can put them in there while driving. So we have ruled out a towable.

We have had a 1980s class c, sold that and got a 5th wheel. Living in a 5th wheel for 18 months, which I loved, before we bought a house. Sold th 5th wheel and about 2 years later bought a 1997 Four Winds Infinity. Used that for going to football games, and trip; but sold it in 2011 when gas got very pricy. So we both love RVing and last 4 years have been saving for a Dutch Star.

Wild Bill Ed · 02-03-2016, 01:14 PM

One DP that has not been mentioned and with out slides would be a Safari from
The mid 90s, 93-97. CAT power Allison trans and around 20. Mr. Mel could speak to this better than I as he has one. Bill

photopilot · 02-03-2016, 01:19 PM

My wife and I decided we'd had it after the last winter here in NH. I had 5 years until retirement, (she retires in June), so we started a discussion on what we wanted to do when we retire. We considered a double wide in Florida, a condo or class A RV. Since we still want to summer in New England near our (future) grandchildren, we figured the RV was the way to go as we wouldn't be tied down to one place. We had two great vacations when the kids were young in a rented class C, so we know we love to travel and explore.

We started looking online last spring and found an '07 Tiffen Allegro 35 on CL below NADA. We made the common rookie mistake and bought it on the spot- he had three other people coming to look at it. No inspection, didn't even drive it! They were smokers and it took us several weekends to get rid of 90% of the smell so you hardly noticed it. Spent a lot of sweat equity getting it up to my standards, but we had a TON of fun with it, but realized it was not our retirement coach. We lucked out and sold it for what we paid for it last fall and started our DP search, which ended this week with the purchase of a Monaco Camelot.

So why did we buy so soon before retirement? My wife had a fellow teacher pass away before she made it to retirement and figured, as many have said here, you never know when it will happen, so let's do it now! I was really glad we had purchased the Tiffin to learn what we really liked and disliked, and we sure lucked out to sell it so quickly. I think the plan of a budget class C is a good one, but if you find the Dutch Star you love, go for it!

Photopilot

G-JLD9 · 02-03-2016, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beamisl

Jen,

This is what we did. As I told you, I looked and looked and this one MH kept coming across my radar. It is the one we bought. We live in MI and the MH was in Texas.

Knew a guy on here who lived 30 minutes away from the MH and he went to look at it. The person had no idea what she had. It had been her Dad's and he died. She had two electric outlets that quit working so she put electric cords to the TV and something else. No one wanted to buy a rig with electrical problems so the price dropped dramatically. It was 2 .50 fuses so fixed for $1.00. Saved thousands for this little unknown.

If you don't put transmission fluid in your levelers they don't work well. Another large amount of money off for this. It had a lot of oxidation on the paint. I de-oxidized it and waxed it and people think it is new. It cost me $15,000 LESS than equivilent rigs I had seen up here.

Get at least 1 slide, it will make it easier to sell when the time comes and more comfortable to use. DO NOT BUY until it is right. Make sure when you buy they show you everything is working. NO ROOF LEAKS EVER!

Mostly, you and Gary have fun! I am getting excited for you so when you do buy please PM me and show me your rig. You are going to have so much fun. We bought from PPL Motorhomes in Texas and it is a good place to look at floorplans.

Lynne

Lynne,

I sure will PM you a pic of what we get. We are in full search mode now, looking all over the net for a good deal. Hope to find some thing like you did that just needed easy fixes and save some bucks. Being a diesel mechanic will sure save some money since we never hire any thing out. Thats why a older model RV doent scare me at all, we can fix everything.

I look at PPL everyday, I really like there site. Its only a days drive for us to get there so just may just have to take a trip down to TX. We are changing our mind about having a slide, it would be so much more room and resale is better with a slide like you said. So if the right one has a slide, its even better.

I have to go to FT McCoy WI for 10 days this month, and Im dreading the cold already. Its get cold here in KS but not as cold as up there where your are. I told Gary if a snow flake touches our RV we are in the wrong place, lol.

Thanks,

Jen

2500HD · 02-03-2016, 01:41 PM

you've already said you don't want a towable but let me remind you how much money you can save if you already have a TV. $10k can buy a nice 10 year old bunk house TT or fifth wheel that has all the amenities of a MH once parked.

If your work or personal life gets busy you still have use of the truck and the trailer can just sit for a while.

G-JLD9 · 02-03-2016, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2500HD

you've already said you don't want a towable but let me remind you how much money you can save if you already have a TV. $10k can buy a nice 10 year old bunk house TT or fifth wheel that has all the amenities of a MH once parked.

If your work or personal life gets busy you still have use of the truck and the trailer can just sit for a while.

If we were not having friends coming with us on trip, which is the case for the now RV, then I consider a 5th wheel. But our 08 diesel F-250 is just a extended cab so it really only fit 2 comfy. WE need seating for 6 on the trip, so a MH is the way to go for us.

But I offen think of a 5th wheel and a new F-350 dully to full time in, especaly if we think we will stay in one place for a big and then move. But we really like diesel pushers and they are at the top of the list. When the time comes, Im sure we will look at everything.

okcnewbie · 02-03-2016, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2500HD

you've already said you don't want a towable but let me remind you how much money you can save if you already have a TV. $10k can buy a nice 10 year old bunk house TT or fifth wheel that has all the amenities of a MH once parked.
.

This is indeed true.....

However a whole new world is opened up when you have a motor home. We have used ours for site seeing and that was as much fun as camping. Apples and oranges.

G.G. · 02-03-2016, 02:22 PM

Just want to jump on the thoughts to do it now. DH went to the doctor for a routine checkup. While in the waiting room he ran into a couple we haven't seen in a while. Found out the wife has early onset Alzheimers. She's 62 or 63. Her husband retired last year so he could take care of her. So, their "retirement" will be her slipping away from him and eventually dying an early death. Very, very sad.

Superslif · 02-03-2016, 04:44 PM

To the OP'er...No matter what rig you get, your one step closer to the freedom of the open road. You have a plan, and your setting it in motion...There were a lot of people who bought new RV's at all the RV shows, so there is a whole new fleet of used RV's hitting the market.

Over the last 10 years I have seen far too many of my co-workers pass away, many in their late 40's thru 60's. Out of 600 employees at our facility, I can only think of one person who retired in their 50's the last 5 years. I will be #2 in a few months. We work in a semi - physical type of job. Just the wear and tear over a 30 or 45 year stink, wrecks havoc on the old body. Knees and hips are the first to go...I never ever want to get to that point. I still want to hike, bike and ski....and plenty of RVing...

twogypsies · 02-03-2016, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superslif

Knees and hips are the first to go...I never ever want to get to that point. I still want to hike, bike and ski....and plenty of RVing...

...had to chuckle at this....we've had our share of replacement parts and we're still able to do those things and others such as our love now...pickleball.

Also keep in mind that it's a lot easier to recover from surgeries in a RV with everything so close. Plus you can go to the best facilities in the country. We know folks on dialysis that are still full-timing. So don't give up...it can be done!