Full timing is NOT cheap!

[wildmandmc]

Been thinking of selling house and doing the FT. WOW on the $$$$. But i do have a 5'er.

[fatsurf]

You said you took the motorhome in for regular maintenance and they are recommending a radiator and battery replacements? Am I missing something, did you take it for service due to overheating or leaking. What issue will the new radiator correct? Are you having battery issues? This whole thing smells rotten unless there is information you have left out of your post. Run from this service center do not walk and get a second opinion on these issues. Radiator and batteries are not normal maintenance without and problems present.

This is likely one more example of a shop taking advantage of a woman.

[DebbieMH]

Originally Posted by fatsurf

You said you took the motorhome in for regular maintenance and they are recommending a radiator and battery replacements? Am I missing something, did you take it for service due to overheating or leaking. What issue will the new radiator correct? Are you having battery issues? This whole thing smells rotten unless there is information you have left out of your post. Run from this service center do not walk and get a second opinion on these issues. Radiator and batteries are not normal maintenance without and problems present.

This is likely one more example of a shop taking advantage of a woman.

No, actually the place I took it to took very good care of me. They did some more investigating and found a gasket was leaking on the radiator and fixed it, so I didn't have to get another new one! And my batteries, there is a reason why they crapped out on me so soon, but I know what that reason is. In both cases, I asked the shop to look at the radiator and load test the batteries. I knew there was a problem before taking it in.

[scbwr]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

The most expensive way to travel/RVl by land is in a MH.
If you want to full-time for less, switch to a 5th wheel trailer and truck. Then don't move as often.
I've read of some who are full-timing on $2,000/month.

I would agree although I have never full timed. I love our Bay Star and it works for us as I can't store an RV on my property (55+ Del Webb Community) and my garage is a bit tight for a truck. But I can see that for full timing I'd either want a DP, or more likely, I would go for a fifth wheel and truck. I'd miss the convenience of pulling into a rest stop and having the bathroom and kitchen right available without getting out of the MH. But I think the cost of servicing a truck (diesel or gas) would be cheaper than maintaining and servicing a DP motorhome.

[jerryd13]

I will add that yes it is not cheap, however most folks could help the cost by learning how to, Change heir own engine, Transmission, and generator oils, air, oil, and fuel filters themselves.


Keep the tire pressures set PROPERLY. DO NOT DRIVE A CLASS A Or large MOTOR HOMES IN PLACES FOR OFF ROAD VEHICLES, TERRIBLE GRAVEL AND ROCK COVERED ROADS. Work to maintain your roof, clean it once a year and replace any cross joint tape seals at the end and rear cap seams with ETERNA BOND 4" OR 6" wide tape, Use DAYCOR and caulk any places that are in need of either removing old cracked caulking, or just places needing a touch up, USE DAYCOR not the lowes or Home depo Silicon stuff, no, Trust me, USE DAYCOR, then after you have a clean fiberglass roof, paint a coat of good Pettit EZ Poxy primer suited for this purpose, and then 2 coats of final EZ Poxy polyurethane or other suitable paint for this purpose. I use PETTIT BRAND BOAT PAINT as I was familiar on my past boats, I found it very good for fiberglass boat surfaces ount in the sun and rain. If you have Rubber or other surface materials, Check with people knowledgeable with the proper coatings for such, but keep the roof happy.


Add distilled water to your batteries, check batteries every few months, sooner in real hot areas. Keep, things in good shape, and have a good quality Surge suppressor on your supply cable. Before turning on the pedestal AC power, make sure your coach ac units, HW heater, are off so as to reduce the inrush current through your transfer switch and surge protector when you first power up your coach. The turn on ac units one at a time, as well as other needed electrical devices.



I am sure we can all save here and there, but a home costs a lot also, I like most things about RV full time except for some awful bumpy highway and roads, fuel prices and RV park prices and availability. Park owners sooner or later will become more reasonable or we will all be parking in the desert.
Thank you

[Arch Hoagland]

DebbieMH
Do your batteries require water or are they sealed batteries?

[dbircky]

Full timing might not be cheap, but at least you’re not dropping five figures on real estate taxes every year. That’d buy me a lot of engine parts, or a new installed engine every five years.

[DebbieMH]

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

DebbieMH
Do your batteries require water or are they sealed batteries?

Sealed ... there is a reason my batteries wouldnt hold a charge and I know what it is, so I'm not concerned with changing them now.

And ... everyone is corrrect, a S&B can also be expensive, and it is expensive to rent ... I love the full time lifestyle and will continue as long as I am physically able. Heading out next week for South Carolina - life is good :-)

[markandkim]

Originally Posted by jerryd13

I will add that yes it is not cheap, however most folks could help the cost by learning how to, Change heir own engine, Transmission, and generator oils, air, oil, and fuel filters themselves.


Keep the tire pressures set PROPERLY. DO NOT DRIVE A CLASS A Or large MOTOR HOMES IN PLACES FOR OFF ROAD VEHICLES, TERRIBLE GRAVEL AND ROCK COVERED ROADS. Work to maintain your roof, clean it once a year and replace any cross joint tape seals at the end and rear cap seams with ETERNA BOND 4" OR 6" wide tape, Use DAYCOR and caulk any places that are in need of either removing old cracked caulking, or just places needing a touch up, USE DAYCOR not the lowes or Home depo Silicon stuff, no, Trust me, USE DAYCOR, then after you have a clean fiberglass roof, paint a coat of good Pettit EZ Poxy primer suited for this purpose, and then 2 coats of final EZ Poxy polyurethane or other suitable paint for this purpose. I use PETTIT BRAND BOAT PAINT as I was familiar on my past boats, I found it very good for fiberglass boat surfaces ount in the sun and rain. If you have Rubber or other surface materials, Check with people knowledgeable with the proper coatings for such, but keep the roof happy.


Add distilled water to your batteries, check batteries every few months, sooner in real hot areas. Keep, things in good shape, and have a good quality Surge suppressor on your supply cable. Before turning on the pedestal AC power, make sure your coach ac units, HW heater, are off so as to reduce the inrush current through your transfer switch and surge protector when you first power up your coach. The turn on ac units one at a time, as well as other needed electrical devices.



I am sure we can all save here and there, but a home costs a lot also, I like most things about RV full time except for some awful bumpy highway and roads, fuel prices and RV park prices and availability. Park owners sooner or later will become more reasonable or we will all be parking in the desert.
Thank you

Dont forget the toad!

[FLJOE]

When we had our 38' gas Class A, I found it pretty easy to change my own oil/filter. But when we purchased the new 43' tag axle DP there was no way I was going to attempt any maintenance on a modern diesel. First of all, by me doing scheduled maintenance it probably would have voided my factory engine & chassis warranties.

For those that have never owned a large tag axle diesel pusher, when you do annual maintenance, you are not only servicing your diesel engine and everything that goes with that but you have to do the diesel generator also. For example, a year that I was not replacing an air filter or any extra parts, my complete service would be anywhere from $800 to $950 for coach and generator. On a year where the air filter might need replaced plus one or two other things that annual service visit could quickly run up over $1,600 or more. Hit the five year to seven year mark and now you will end up doing 6 to 8 house hatteries plus tires, there is another $4,000 to $6,000.

Yep, there may be some pretty "handy" individuals out there but I seriously doubt they would be doing all their upkeep and service on a modern large DP.

[hogdriver]

If you use an automobile as an example, assuming you paid $35,000 for it and disregard warranties and depreciation. Some reasonable numbers would be 2 x $50 oil changes/yr. Tires maybe every 4 years at 4 x $200…so $200/yr. Say a random repair every 2-3 years at $300….so $100/yr. You easily arrive at 1-2% the original cost /yr…..or $350-$700/yr.

If you pay $200,000 (low) for a Class A diesel and use similar numbers you arrive at $2000/yr.

I budget for $2000-$3000/yr. Yep, it’s not cheap. It’s a lifestyle choice. I agree a 5th wheel or similar is cheaper, and there are many DIY RVs done cheaper. You can spend half your remaining life fixing or repairing things if you want to…..it’s your decision

[Cuda67bnl]

Originally Posted by FLJOE

First of all, by me doing scheduled maintenance it probably would have voided my factory engine & chassis warranties.

No….it wouldn’t. Nobody can void a warranty because you didn’t pay someone else to do the work……..

[twogypsies]

What's the reason of going through so many radiators?

[RayandWendy]

Spartan was putting very cheap radiators in their 2014-16 chassis. They finally upgraded them.
Later...
Ray