Want to do 6 month road trip with family. Need assistance in making this happen!

[Scubayachts]

Good morning everyone. As my title suggests, my wife, myself, and our 2 year old would like to hit the road the first of the year and travel the country. My wife is a stay at home mom and my job (extremely stable) is fully remote and will be for most if not all of 2021. We currently have a Lance 2285 and while we love the Lance, it's too small to do a "full time" 4-6 month road trip in. So we will be selling/trading the lance if this plan were to happen.

We know we'd be looking at a 5th wheel with a mid bunk. We want the mid bunk so our 2 year old has his own room and I will use it as an office during the day to work.

Here is our main concern with this idea and something that I'm looking to you all for help with. Ideally we would sell the rig and truck at the end of the 6 month trip or maybe even around the 1 year mark. How do we not lose our asses financially with this type of plan?

We absolutely want a mid - high end 5th wheel. Do we buy a 1-2 year old unit (DRV, Grand Design Solitude, Jayco North Point/Pinnacle, Luxe) and hope we can resell somewhat easily without to big of a financial hit or do we target a 2015-16 and save some $ up front? I would think the 2015-16 would be harder to resell after we're finished as it would be a 5-6 year old unit. Maybe not? How about a mid grade unit (GD Reflection, Jayco Eagle etc) and buy new or 1 year old?

How about for tow vehicles? I know diesel trucks hold their value extremely well so I'm not as concerned with the truck resale as I am with the trailer. I think I'd target a 1-2 year old mid to fully loaded DRW 350/3500 series. If I buy right aka a good deal, I think I'd do fine trading/selling at the end of the 1 year ownership.

I know this post is a little long winded but I appreciate everyone's feedback in helping us plan for a once in a lifetime family trip!

Thank you!

Gregg

[jacwjames]

It is a sellers market on used and/or new rigs, prices are high and still trending upward. So your timing is already against you.
But if you are intent on doing this buying a good quality used rig is the way to go. I'm not familiar with 5th wheel quality, you need to do some research and try and determine which ones hold there value. I'm sure others will chime in.

Good luck

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by Scubayachts

Good morning everyone. As my title suggests, my wife, myself, and our 2 year old would like to hit the road the first of the year and travel the country. My wife is a stay at home mom and my job (extremely stable) is fully remote and will be for most if not all of 2021. We currently have a Lance 2285 and while we love the Lance, it's too small to do a "full time" 4-6 month road trip in. So we will be selling/trading the lance if this plan were to happen.

While this is your first Post it appears you are not just starting out so much of this will just be You understanding What and How you will do what you are after.

We know we'd be looking at a 5th wheel with a mid bunk. We want the mid bunk so our 2 year old has his own room and I will use it as an office during the day to work.

Sharing your Office with a 2 YO will be a Test - JMHO, as we grabbed/Traveled our two son's this summer with the 5 Granddaughters and Had a Blast - biggest Issue was Connectivity and Not having reservations. Shared spaces were also difficult as the Boys, Many/Most of the Major Parks have sketch Connectivity - read that as often NONE. Keep that in your Plan. Also they needed - Real space to have Teleconferences - not easy if the Kids were awake and making Noise.

Here is our main concern with this idea and something that I'm looking to you all for help with. Ideally we would sell the rig and truck at the end of the 6 month trip or maybe even around the 1 year mark. How do we not lose our asses financially with this type of plan?

Only way I can Imagine is you win the Lottery - RV'ing and Boating are both items that allow you to Lose Money while thinking you are being smart enough to not Lose money - Not Possible. JMHO

We absolutely want a mid - high end 5th wheel. Do we buy a 1-2 year old unit (DRV, Grand Design Solitude, Jayco North Point/Pinnacle, Luxe) and hope we can resell somewhat easily without to big of a financial hit or do we target a 2015-16 and save some $ up front? I would think the 2015-16 would be harder to resell after we're finished as it would be a 5-6 year old unit. Maybe not? How about a mid grade unit (GD Reflection, Jayco Eagle etc) and buy new or 1 year old?

Two things here - Both will Lose Money - so just pick the amount - it is likely the less you spend up front the less you will Lose - Sounds simple - Need to Look harder at the Truck, CHoice..........really big issue with just as much Liability, unless you keep the truck......?

How about for tow vehicles? I know diesel trucks hold their value extremely well so I'm not as concerned with the truck resale as I am with the trailer. I think I'd target a 1-2 year old mid to fully loaded DRW 350/3500 series. If I buy right aka a good deal, I think I'd do fine trading/selling at the end of the 1 year ownership.

I suggest you spend a lot of time on this - look hard at the Duramax - one ton - do not short change yourself Here - Needs to pull and be comfortable to drive. JMHO

I know this post is a little long winded but I appreciate everyone's feedback in helping us plan for a once in a lifetime family trip!

Thank you!

Gregg

Hope I helped with the Replies - BUT - a lot more info is needed to really make this a successful Year.

Connectivity is not always easy and how you plan to work and travel is really not as easy as it may appear. Spend a Good bit of time on understanding and Solving this issue.

Work on a schedule on where you plan to travel - Weather - Connectivity - Hook Ups - How to schedule your Work - the Travel time all will be critical as to the Success!

Working and Touring both require a lot of time so keep this in Mind - 6 Months will fly By, might look at a year - weather and the Summer season are both critical...........so work those both into your plan.

Will be fun to Follow you and how you attack this and if you enjoy it as much as you THINK YOU WILL.

BEST OF lUCK,

[Triangle Drifter]

I have a feeling that once you get used to all the space of a 5er you will be in no mood to sell it.

[TXiceman]

Personally, I would not make any travel plans until well into next year and see how this COVIS spread is going to effect various state. With the COVID rates on the rise, you do not know what states will do to restrict travel.

As for a 5er, you will do better looking for a 5 years old unit and looking at higher end units. The market right now is a sellers market. RVs, new or used are in short supply.

You will do better to wait a couple of years and I think there will be a glut of used RVs on the market from folks that did not get what they wanted out of RVing and are trying to unload the used units, at inflated prices because they are upside-down on them.

As for a truck, for the larger 5ers, you will need a F350 or 3500 diesel dually. It is not just the tow rating, but also the trucks payload capacity to carry, the cargo, passenger and pinweight in the truck.

Ken

[153stars]

Like stated You'll take a lot less of a beating 5-10 year higher end unit. A lot of private sellers use FB market place may not have heard of the shortage. There may be a glut in a couple of years .
Some of the best deals I have seen were truck and 5th sold as pair but I moved my interest and search to DP a few years ago.

[Trapper2022]

A 5th wheel is a great choice. My advice is if you really are only doing this for 6 months buy an older rig. Does not need to be top of the line luxury just clean and not abused. There are always some available but winter seems to be less costly to buy if looking in northern areas. Do not buy older in TX because most are wore out homes used in the oil industry. Get an older gas pick up with a v8 engine. Gas will work fine and save you lots in purchase price. Then if after 6 months you love it and want to continue up grade to better quality. Everyone wants longer toy haulers look for older 35’ range and you will have a big enough rig to live in. Good luck and safe travels


Enjoy the journey

[Roadglide54]

I spent three months on the road from June to September traveling 16 states in northern states from New Mexico. June Colorado campgrounds are open all the way into the UP of Michigan down south. Some states have more restrictions then other states for the most part everything was open in the states with the exception of New Mexico my home base . January I’ll leave this deadbeat state for Arizona desert Quartzsite, Havasu.with the Buggie and Harley. Toy haulers are nice but not the RV to full-time . They are designed for off road and Boondocking I would stay within 35 feet . I can squeeze into most national and state parks with a 35 foot Length.

[Don Juane]

Originally Posted by Roadglide54

I’ll leave this deadbeat state for Arizona desert Quartzsite, ......

Once the rolling Walmart leaves Quartzite, why would ANYONE want to stay THERE? N. Mexico is actually a very favorable place to live OR camp. As a native Texan, I have to say I admire your state. It's likely the mask-free freedom fighters from here who keep invading N. Mexico while trying to escape the heat that's at the root of all the closed and limited access campgrounds. So kudos to someone for trying to stop the spread. N. Mexico is very beautiful at least it is in early spring before the fine folks of El Paso leave their trash strewn all over your natl forests LOL.

[CIDE]

Originally Posted by Scubayachts

Good morning everyone. As my title suggests, my wife, myself, and our 2 year old would like to hit the road the first of the year and travel the country.

<snip>

Thank you!

Gregg

Trying not to be negative or combative - Generally speaking, trailers are for destination camping and touring the area in the tow vehicle, motorhomes are for traveling.

In 2018 I traveled for 38k miles across the USA and Canada in a small class C (because I'm solo). Even though I've been towing trailers since my Dad hooked a wagon to my tricycle, I wouldn't have wanted to be towing for that many miles. In a motorhome, everyone can use the bathroom, your wife can tend the 2 yo and make you a sammich without stopping. For those reasons, I'd look into a medium sized class A too.

[Don Juane]

Here are a few things to note about RV life. First of all I write this exact same narrative in many online travel forums that I subscribe to and I’m a member because while I’ve been traveling the US since the mid 80’s, I’ve now also been traveling Latin America since 2006. The first thing I say to anyone who is about to set out on the road and who wants to travel and work is …. Are you sure you want to be working when your imagined paradise is just outside your window, yet you can’t get involved and are still on the clock eight or more hours a day?” In my book it seems a much better idea to set up a plan to be frugal, following the “Dave Ramsey” book of minimal and within budget lifestyle and save your money like crazy. Then travel. If you are thinking of a new or nearly new coach, you are likely already starting out on the wrong foot. You have to get past “new and sportiness” or anything dealing with the word “status” to become frugal. But the financial part is a whole library of books unto itself. Base line is, you don’t want to have a full-time serious job while you are managing the tedious day to day needs of moving about constantly in a vehicle, planning and scouting for new locations, and all the while keeping the family content, a group who previously seemed well enough like a united group until the challenges of a gypsy lifestyle becomes a reality. Walls of mental munity can start to crop up in many an environment where not everyone has “bought in”. And sometimes that’s hard to recover from. The perceived glory of the experience often fades once the reality of the daily struggle sets in. One often finds that things just aren’t working out the way you had planned. And that can be from transitioning to the much smaller living space as well as discovering that that dream of open forest, hiking and Grand Teton style camping is booked until five years from now.

Campgrounds today need reservations long in advance if you plan to travel in good weather, reservations sometimes years in advance. And if you say no problem, I’ll always find someplace to park then you really need to do some research as to the current situation with 500,000 new RVs rolling off the showroom floor each year and also that many new ones for at least the past decade. Today more and more of the previously generous big-box stores are closing their parking lots to those who often set off with grand dreams only to discover everyone else had the same idea and have flocked to campgrounds that are budging with overlow and that simply have no place to offer anyone stranded without a place to park for the night. And you can’t really blame the big box stores because today’s entitled public pull up on their lot, slide out the slides, set up lawn chairs and grills outside and start parting down while leaving a big bail of trash leaning up against the parking lot lamp post when they leave. So from that, people now circle the wagons every night during the nice periods of weather searching for a spot and ANY KIND OF SPOT just to spend the night. Never mind having an enjoyable place to stay.

Also, one only has to look at the daily news to see what an entitled and belligerent group that today’s Americans have become. Our previously refined and courteous behavior has turned into the movie Animal House at almost every turn. Just read the forums if you want to see what kind of a place our country is turning into. And out on the road you will be right in the middle of all that. The mainstream will feel that since they invested in the camper that this gives them an assumed level of entitlement and the majority feel the entire area and especially the space they have rented belongs only to them. If they haven’t brought in a bunch of dogs and let them roam off-leash (well ol’ Bessie there never bit anyone before you – you must have been teasing her or something), they crank up the music all night or let their kids use your truck or bumper or raft in your area as a repurposed campground. Say anything to the parents and you are likely today to face a firearm. Also you have the generator crowd and I’ve even see this group move their generator two slots away from their own campsite and use it to hold a slot for itself, and it always seems to be one of those $250 dollar models from Walmart that outputs enough to run a house and sounds like a shopping center construction crew is right there next to you while it’s running. Ask them to turn it off and you’ve likely got another fight or assault waiting to happen.

I believe one should really research this so-called “lifestyle” and with that, ask yourself why you really want to do this. For most I think it’s social media which “plays up” people’s lives while showing other’s lives as being some grand illusion causes others to seek it while in reality what is seen online is only people presenting a marketed illusion of happiness while the perils remain well-hidden from the camera lens. In this case too many people start believing something is missing from their own lives and try to make up for it. And what many are presenting on Instagram and Youtube right now is this grand spirit of the road - imagined as a new frontier to escape the mundane surroundings that we live in. And with all that truly surrounds us is those same name-branded malls in the same beige to tan bricked neighborhoods with the same number of pitches and angles in the roof, eating at the same named chain Italian and Mexican restaurants with the same waitresses pushing us blooming onions or cin-ee-buns, it’s no wonder that people get the idea an escape is warranted.

Still it remains that Covid is still upon us - but if you are serious about escaping this disease, keeping clean and germ-free is going to be a nightmare like you never believed when you ae out on the road. On the road you will encounter the super spreader public bathrooms and showers, gas stations with covid-glowing pumps, tight tiny places to wash food and vegetables, face to face crowds on tight hiking trails, points of interest crowded with often those mask-less freedom fighters we all love so, and bumping face to face at other highly risky events. And that’s in the worst of times. For those that hold out for the best, it’s basically the same thing only with a slight let-off in the stress department – dealing with scores of the entitled, them battling you for this or that and being belligerent, fighting for the same resources that you are. Therefore, do your research and perhaps rent a camper for a test run or two or have a better reality check before you invest a lot. Don’t allow such a move to be driven by something as simple as just an idea someone came up with. It’s not easy being out on the road. It’s rewarding but it’s twice the work of normal living to be able to accomplish it. True, I do it and I full-time but personally if I had a full time job right now with the option of a mobile office, especially a job that meant I was always face-down looking into a laptop, on a phone all day or working in some type of performance-monitored environment, I wouldn’t even consider it.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by CIDE

Trying not to be negative or combative - Generally speaking, trailers are for destination camping and touring the area in the tow vehicle, motorhomes are for traveling.

In 2018 I traveled for 38k miles across the USA and Canada in a small class C (because I'm solo). Even though I've been towing trailers since my Dad hooked a wagon to my tricycle, I wouldn't have wanted to be towing for that many miles. In a motorhome, everyone can use the bathroom, your wife can tend the 2 yo and make you a sammich without stopping. For those reasons, I'd look into a medium sized class A too.

Good advice above - Think it might be a smart move to look into Class C - son rented one for a month this summer and Loved it - Boondocked and with his daughter she loved it - especially with the overhead Bed all her own as a bed/Playroom combo. She was 11 so it was not an issue to keep her in - many years ago we had one, Class C, where the two boys we had netting made to keep them safe when they were small in the over cab bed. Add a 4X4 Toad and you are good to go -

If not a C maybe an A there are many that will make travel just easy.

JMHO,

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by Don Juane

Here are a few things to note about RV life. First of all I write this exact same narrative in many online travel forums that I subscribe to and I’m a member because while I’ve been traveling the US since the mid 80’s, I’ve now also been traveling Latin America since 2006.

Wow!! You are sure a downer-type person! RVing is nothing like you describe and many, many work from the road and are happy doing it.

[Nwcid]

Financially what you are looking to do is going to very tough. Even more so right now with prices of RV's and trucks. I can sell my Dually with 60k miles on it for the same price I paid new for it 4 years ago......

An RV is never an asset, it is a choice. Most choices have a cost of some kind. For an RV example, large solar/battery/inverter systems are very costly and you will never see a return on it. On the other hand, it is very nice to have if you boondock a lot.

We did a similar thing this spring/summer. We only did 6 weeks though and hit 4 states. We rarely stay in campgrounds and spend our time outdoors. We interacted with less people during our trip then we would have if we stayed home. In theory our "COVID" risk was less.

I also telework so mornings were for working and afternoons were for playing.