Community Forums

Littlestinky · 06-16-2022, 09:40 PM

My DW has decided that due to my age, the price of diesel, short trips in our future that I should head to the nearest dealer and trade in my 2000 Safari Continental Panther 40’. I’ve put a lot into this rig besides the usual blood, sweat, and tears plus the money, and everything works great except the steps and will take care of that before next trip. I am 79 and in decent shape. Hate getting down and up (hurts) and wife keeps me off a ladder. I know I have a few more years in me so should I trade down or just sell outright. I just feel I’ve put too much in this pyrrhic victory to quit now. Anyone else felt this way or traded down.

TXiceman · 06-16-2022, 09:48 PM

It will be less expensive to just stay with what you have and enjoy it.

Ken

Skip426 · 06-16-2022, 09:55 PM

I'm chasing down the same old highway (@ 72 ) . But I figure I'll keep going with the current rig ( I'm looking for a 10'X40" burial plot

)

Yes repairs and upgrades take a little longer ( vinyl plank install ongoing this week and probably next ) Price of fuel is a royal { self edit } but we don't plan on leaving anything but an empty bank account when we go .

Cat · 06-16-2022, 10:07 PM

I think sometimes a wife is the reason we -men- die first. Wait-- I'm not bad mounting a wife. Its just they say you shouldn't do this and maybe you shouldn't do that. They think they are just taking care of us. But I don't think they understand that doing things keeps us alive and able to do things. So much of our lives are learned- - balance if you walked over rough areas you learn how to keep your balance. You stop doing those type of thing you lose the ability to do it. I used to be to mentally juggle several different jobs at the same time. I stopped having mentally do that and now I can't do it. Certainly as we get older things change. But the number one thing- research says what keeps you young is staying active. Wives mean well but they kill us with concern and kindness.
We as men have to pause and think can I really do this and do it safely. And if you can then do it.

If your wife doesn't want travel is because the husband can't do it or the wife really doesn't want to travel then that's a different story. And that's my story. Safe Travels

darnold9999 · 06-16-2022, 10:47 PM

Trading down is just going to get you something that you don't know very well that is almost certainly going to require more maintenance and work than what you have unless you get something significantly newer. The $ for something smaller and that much newer will buy a lot of fuel. At some point you are going to be unable to drive what you have safely, but that will apply to whatever you might replace it with as well.

petrel · 06-17-2022, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darnold9999

Trading down is just going to get you something that you don't know very well that is almost certainly going to require more maintenance and work than what you have unless you get something significantly newer. The $ for something smaller and that much newer will buy a lot of fuel. At some point you are going to be unable to drive what you have safely, but that will apply to whatever you might replace it with as well.

Toby Dog · 06-17-2022, 04:38 AM

Well said Cat. Sometimes it takes me longer to get up off the ground than it took to fix whatever it was that needed fixing but I can still get up. As to the wife, well..................They can't help it. I've learned to live with it. Most of the time haha.

GypsyR · 06-17-2022, 11:44 AM

I'm nowhere near that age but I think I have no interest in starting over in another coach just when I've about got this one about figured out and close to how I want it.

**pasdad1** · 06-17-2022, 11:52 AM

I think you should keep your rig. Much better to stay with the devil you know, than the devil you don’t

Littlestinky · 06-17-2022, 09:39 PM

Thank each of you for you advice and especially CAT whose advice my wife loved.

**TonyDi** · 06-17-2022, 09:50 PM

Only you can decide when it's time to trade down or exit the lifestyle. You have a rig that you know and understand. You're used to driving it. I'm not far behind you and I'm still very comfortable in my 45' MH. At least you know what you have and there are no big surprises around the corner

When you start to feel uncomfortable with it that would be the time to take action. JMHO

Nellybelle · 06-17-2022, 10:06 PM

Keep motorhome Trade wife!

PKI · 06-17-2022, 11:00 PM

If you have to ask this question, sell and take up backyard RVing.

Have that conversation with your wife again and consider best for the two of you.

Senior living is best experienced with a compatible companion/partner.

Russ.n.Carol · 06-22-2022, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Littlestinky

My DW has decided that due to my age, the price of diesel, short trips in our future that I should head to the nearest dealer and trade in my 2000 Safari Continental Panther 40’. I’ve put a lot into this rig besides the usual blood, sweat, and tears plus the money, and everything works great except the steps and will take care of that before next trip. I am 79 and in decent shape. Hate getting down and up (hurts) and wife keeps me off a ladder. I know I have a few more years in me so should I trade down or just sell outright. I just feel I’ve put too much in this pyrrhic victory to quit now. Anyone else felt this way or traded down.

I have a slightly different take on your decision to keep the MH you love or trade in for a different one . I am in a similar situation as your wife is all though mine is not exactly the same.

My hubby is 81 and has an illness that causes him to not be able to do many of the things loved to do. I will not go into detail other than he will never be able to do many of the things he loved again.

We just sold our 40' TT that was absolutely perfect in every way unfortunately he is unable to tow the TT and I have never towed anything. Keeping her was not possible.

We purchased a used 30' MH. Hubby can handle driving the MH for short periods of time. He is teaching me how to drive it on our narrow, hilly, windy, an often patch work roads here in the Pocono's. I also will be taking a driving course when I have a lot of hours on it. So I can share the driving when he is having a bad day and we can still enjoy life.

Your wife may have observed a few physical changes in your abilities. All of us if we are lucky enough to live longs lives find there are things we can no longer do. Maybe just maybe she loves you so much that watching you having a little difficultly doing things that you once did with ease and now are beginning to struggle with hurts her more than she lets on. Her gentle (or not so gentle) reminders to not do something is her really saying how much she loves you. Maybe, she wants you healthy and with her for a long time.

I do know it is and should be a very difficult decision for you one way or the other. What it comes down to is having your current MH that you are not able to use or a different one that you both are enjoying.