What's The 'Real Deal' In Owning An RV?

[dustyone]

I have seen a couple of small toy haulers that may work for you but I do not know what size your van really is. However I would look into what you really want to do with it. And check out what others are you actually using to do it. If it is the reenacting then maybe that toy hauler would work great you would have adequate sleeping rooms has the quote unquote garage part often can be turned into a bedroom as well. something to think about just take your time before making a decision.... Dusty

[minibike]

IrishRifles, You mentioned hauling a couple of scooters. Not on the hitch I hope? Most aren't rated for more than a few hundred pounds and with the force multiplier of road travel, I'd be hesitant to push that limit. I'll carry one scooter with our VersaHaul, but use a trailer if we take more than one with us. Most travel trailers (other than toy haulers) can accommodate even less.

The others have posted some good advice.

[IrishRifles]

We are still undecided, the trouble is finding a class C that has exactly what we want inside, we have seen either ones that have things we don't need or will use in it or it costs an arm and a leg to get it customized after buying.

[seminolewind]

My 2cents. Hubby bought a class c. I hated it. All I could think about was that big loan he was paying off while the thing sat in the driveway going nowhere.

Finally convinced him to sell it and the rv depreciated faster than the loan got paid. 2 weeks ago I came home with a TT Hybrid. I don't worry about it sitting there unused. I do plan on using it quite a bit . It's not a money pit.

Second, I wanted a hybrid. I had gone camping with daughter and family and they have a 34' TT. After being inside it, I didn't think it resembled camping, especially with the granite-type counter top. I guess I wanted to have a more earthy experience. And I also hate the thought of dragging bedrooms around. These beds -3 queens-pop out. In essence, my 21 foot TT has nice roominess.

So, I would think about lifestyle, and what you plan on doing. Camping or traveling? How often?

[ModestMonk]

Originally Posted by IrishRifles

We are still undecided, the trouble is finding a class C that has exactly what we want inside, we have seen either ones that have things we don't need or will use in it or it costs an arm and a leg to get it customized after buying.

We've struggled with this issue also. We quickly dismissed A,B or C's needing to be able to venture out to see the local sights. Finding the "perfect" travel trailer has been narrowed to two manufacturers. Yet, neither gets the major elements that we want in one model. When we get to the model that works it now is too heavy for my tow vehicle. I thought we were finally onto one, but the manufacturer is increasing the weight for next year.

[Isaac-1]

I just recently bought my first Class A, after having owned a couple of camper vans 10-20 years ago. Over the last 5 years or so I started considering getting another RV off and on, considered a travel trailer for all the usual (no engine, etc.) reasons, but really wanted something self contained. In an ideal world this would probably be a Class B or mini Class A, but all the contenders I found had issues either in layout (I too am in the 6 ft tall club and there were some great options for short people, but finding a full length bed in a small RV is challenging), or were priced out of my wife imposed budget of no more than $20,000, absolutely not over $25,000. I started seriously shopping in June, and finally made a purchase the first of November.

The first step in this process is to define your needs, in my case it was to find a vehicle that would allow us to travel in reasonable comfort, my wife has some health conditions where she can easily become over exerted and then needs a cool place to rest, often for a few hours. She also has some related balance, and accessibility issues which will likely get worse over the years.

So my must have list looked something like this:

1, self contained with onboard power for air conditioning, water, etc.

2, Small enough to travel in, and get in and out of most places without requiring a second vehicle.

3, Large bathroom / accessible shower.

4, Full length bed

5, My wife wanted a kitchen big enough to cook in.

6, Try to stay under that $20,000 wife imposed budget


I quickly started focusing on the Safari Treks in the 15-20 year old age range, although there were others I looked at, I kept coming back around to the Trek's, in particular I focused on the 26 ft models with the large bathroom / small kitchen floorplan (vs the more common small bathroom / large kitchen layout), but ended up buying one of the 28 ft Treks, which is basically the same as the 26 ft, but with big kitchen and big bathroom. It also has nearly double the cargo carrying weight capacity of the 26 ft models.

First I looked at a 20 year old 28 ft Trek that happened to be for sale only 5 miles from my house, it was cheap at $6,000, but was a real money pit / cousin Eddies special. In all fairness it would have been a deal for someone looking for an RV to use seasonally at a hunting camp, or similar, the seller was motivated as he was moving to Europe and would have probably taken $4,000, but it was not for us, and I could have spent $20,000 on it easy trying to fix it up. The two best things I can say about this one is it allowed us to see the Trek floor plan in person, and it moved under its own power.

Over the next few months I actively shopped online, visited some local RV dealers, and strongly considered a few of the 26-28 ft Trek's in this age range that were listed nation wide, missed out on a couple of potential deals, came very close to buying a couple of them in the $14,000 - $17,000 price range. Then ended up buying my well updated and maintained 2002 28 ft Trek out of Florida, going only a little over that wife imposed $20,000. Final cost worked out closer to $25,000 ($20,500 purchase cost, $350 airline ticket to go pick it up, $650 in travel expenses driving it 1,000 miles home (gasoline, RV parks,food, other provisions (sheets, pillows, towels, etc.), $2,500 in taxes and registration, insurance cost once back in Louisiana, another $1,000 in initial odds and ends fixing things up in the first month (mostly little stuff, getting all the marker lights working, new brighter LED headlights, dripping bathroom faucet, etc. they all add up)

In this process I learned a few things, first off RV pricing for any given model is all over the place, particularly once you cross the 10+ year age, as most finance companies and banks will not finance an RV over 10 years of age, which greatly limits the potential buyer pool, although some dealers do manage to find finance options for up to the 12-13 year old models. As a result you can find a steep drop off on price (both selling and asking) as you cross through this 10-12 year age point, then a degree of stability returns in the 15-20 year age range where it becomes more a matter of condition. As an example of this when I was shopping, I found some 2004 - 2006 Treks of the same basic layout as I was considering with fairly firm asking prices of about $37,500 - $39,000.

[wa8yxm]

One of the reasons people will buy and then sell and RV is simply COST.

I mean the Class A I'm sitting in just now cost... the appraised value of the Sticks and Bricks I lived in 12 years ago... Well. Turns out I can't afford both of them.. So I had to sell one.

You notice which one I sold (Since I'm still sitting in the other).

Some folks take a look at the RV life and say "That looks like fun" but once they get into it... The glamor fades (Long about the first time they have to break out the stinky slinky,, ER Waste dump hose at the dump station)

What can I say. RV life is not for everyone.. But then I've often said choice is good.. IN fact a friend of mine, used to have what he called "The law of requisite choice" (You can live only so long as total choices is greater than fatal choices) alas, he ran out of choices and is now deceased.

But where as I wonder what is under the hotel matress, how well it's cleaned and such... Others worry about the afore mentioned 3" hose.

Where as I am fond of mentioning, in political discussions, (Which this is not but the line fits here too) that I grew up on a dairy farm... When the politician asks what that has to do with anything..."I've shoveled that stuff too".... (It is at this point that he knows just exactly how much I believed him). (Hope you are laughing, after all this paragraph is a joke, Serious and factual but also a joke).

[nothermark]

FWIW I read threads like this and sometimes it just comes down to folks wanting the impossible. Small, easy to park, sleeps 6 kids comes to mind. ;-) Look at what you really need in light of what is available and what you can adjust to. Sometimes that comes down to nothing will work for what you have to have. Time to rethink requirements or give up.

[LarryW21]

I thought about an MH-C but since I would have wanted a toad to explore after camp setup I chose a TT.

[nothermark]

Originally Posted by LarryW21

I thought about an MH-C but since I would have wanted a toad to explore after camp setup I chose a TT.

Interesting, we chose the C so we could tow a car. No desire to own a heavy duty truck. ;-)

[loly50]

If you live near Tampa go to Lazydays this place is outrageously big and have anything you will be looking for. We live right next to Sanford, visited La MesA many times but is nothing compared to Lazydays. We did take a ride as pleasure and to see what they had and purchased our 2015 Lacrosse 318 BHS which we are waitting to pick up. We cant wait. The sales person a young lady has been super helpful and accomodating, they have given us 2 weekends in their campground to get the feel of if, we loved it.
We went with a larger travel trailer because my husband already has a Ford 250 Heavy Duty truck and also for less maintenance compared to a class C or A, we also have a large family 2 kids n 6 grandkids which loved it the night we were at Lazydays camp, it was fun, it was a little crampped but it was fun for everyone.
Good luck in your search, you will have fun seing all that is outthere.

[loly50]

If you live near Tampa go to Lazydays this place is outrageously big and have anything you will be looking for. We live right next to Sanford, visited La MesA many times but is nothing compared to Lazydays. We did take a ride as pleasure and to see what they had and purchased our 2015 Lacrosse 318 BHS which we are waitting to pick up. We cant wait. The sales person a young lady has been super helpful and accomodating, they have given us 2 weekends in their campground to get the feel of if, we loved it.
We went with a larger travel trailer because my husband already has a Ford 250 Heavy Duty truck and also for less maintenance compared to a class C or A, we also have a large family 2 kids n 6 grandkids which loved it the night we were at Lazydays camp, it was fun, it was a little crampped but it was fun for everyone.
Good luck in your search, you will have fun seing all that is outthere.[/QUOTE]

[IrishRifles]

What about when it comes to actually buying one... do you negotiate the price like when you buy a new car or is it as was said to us buy a salesmen at La Mesa in Daytona Beach, FL that you "you pay the window price, take it or leave it"?

[GeeWillakers]

Everything is negotiable. Depends on how much you want to buy and how much he wants to sell. With his attitude I would say leave it.