The truth about most RV's.

[vintageracer]

With any recreational purchase (Vacation home/RV) most folks use the Hell out of it the 1st year. They then use it about half as much the second year and only once or twice the 3rd year. You then spend years 4 and 5 trying to SELL whatever vacation dream it was you purchased.

With the cost of RV payments, the time value of your money and DEPRECIATION that accompanies any RV purchase you can RENT a RV 12 times a year and still come out way ahead that first year RV renting versus RV ownership. Let's not even talk about getting murdered in years 2-5 of RV ownership.

Yes you could be the one of very few that actually might extensively use a RV continuously for 5 years when the kids are young however that remains to be seen.

As with many things in life good intentions rarely meets the reality of life especially when you throw younger children with their hectic schedules/activities into the mix.

 

[luthj]

As long as you are savvy, a lightly used travel trailer can be a decent deal. Just don't be suckered by the expensive and heavy bling plastered over one of those poorly built units.

 

[Bayou Boy]

To all you guys that say to rent, the whole point of having your own stuff is convenience. We can be packed in an hour and then unpacked and cleaned, ready to put in the storage garage in 90 minutes. How long is it going to take to get with someone renting, convince them that you know what you're doing so they let you drive off, and then return it at the end of the trip. That would be a non-starter for us.

 

[luthj]

If you are experienced, know what you want, and will use the unit frequently, owning makes sense. There are far to many people who buy a trailer or RV with lofty ideas and minimal planning/experience and use it once a year for a few days. For those it makes a lot more sense to rent until you know what you want, and how often you will use it. Instead of getting an expensive driveway blocker.

 

[vintageracer]

For all you RV owners with a Driveway Blocker RV that your HOA or new city ordinances NOW say must be removed from storage at your home you are welcome to come park your RV at my RV and Boat storage lot for $75/month open storage or $150/month covered storage parking located just West of Nashville TN.

 

[windtraveler]

You know I have a lot of the same concerns that you guys do. Crappy build quality not durable etc.

Here’s my dilemma, I have three daughters that are getting older every day. We just rented a trailer and took an amazing 2000 mile trip through NM and TX we used the trailer as the base and went out and did day trips etc. it was awesome, the girls loved it and it was something we want to repeat soon. The other aspect is that we live in TX tent camping is out of the question 7+ months of the year.

I would like to build something but that’s realistically a 2 year project, that’s 2 years of missing out on time with them as they grow.

I’m seriously contemplating buying an RV and using the crap out of it as a semi disposable asset over the next ten years until they are in college. I’m looking at outdoors RV as they seem to build one of the better ones on the market. I have a decent amount of time off so I see us using it at least once a month and maybe more. I wish that there were more good choices on the market.

That is the exact reason my son bought a traditional RV. They had been tent camping with their 2 young daughters and now they have a 3rd on the way. He wanted a way to continue to “get outdoors” but that would allow them a little more comfort, particularly in inclimate weather, and could just “hook up and go” on short notice as both parents are very busy with work. And with #3 on the way they will use it as a guest room for company. He knew what he was getting into when he bought it and is ok with dealing with all the “bugs”. We discussed the pros and cons for a year before he bought it and approached from the angle that they will do their best to use it up in 10 years because he knows it will not be worth much at that point no matter what the condition is.

 

[Patriotone]

As someone else said, we all knew this.

https://www.curbed.com/platform/amp/2019/9/18/20870828/rv-camper-repairs-poor-quality

Good article!

 

[Alloy]

You know I have a lot of the same concerns that you guys do. Crappy build quality not durable etc.

Here’s my dilemma, I have three daughters that are getting older every day. We just rented a trailer and took an amazing 2000 mile trip through NM and TX we used the trailer as the base and went out and did day trips etc. it was awesome, the girls loved it and it was something we want to repeat soon. The other aspect is that we live in TX tent camping is out of the question 7+ months of the year.

I would like to build something but that’s realistically a 2 year project, that’s 2 years of missing out on time with them as they grow.

I’m seriously contemplating buying an RV and using the crap out of it as a semi disposable asset over the next ten years until they are in college. I’m looking at outdoors RV as they seem to build one of the better ones on the market. I have a decent amount of time off so I see us using it at least once a month and maybe more. I wish that there were more good choices on the market.

Nothing is built as poorly as a production line RV.

Bumper pull trailers are the bottom (just below 5th Wheels) of the RV construction.

Bunkhouse trailers are the bottom of the bumper pull construction due to the fact that there is more to build at the same or cheaper price.

The chassis of a motor home is better than the frame under any trailer.

We bought 2 trailers. The bumper pull we used for trips while I added bunks and upgraded the frame, insulation, suspension, tanks, electrical of a 35' 5th Wheel.

Outdoors RV only needs to be 0.5% better than "the Industry Standard" to charge 10% more. They all have the same AC, furnace, fridge, water pump, hot water tank.

Outdoors markets the 2" wall (1 1/2" foam) insulation but this doesn't follow through on the basement, bottom of the slide and under the front cap.

Outdoors uses the imfamous Shwintek slide mechanisms.

Outdoors says the Astrofoil in the bottom of the trailer and slide floor is R38

Stay Away from Foil-Faced Bubble Wrap - GreenBuildingAdvisor

Foil-faced bubble wrap is not the insulation product it is often claimed to be. Its R-value is misrepresented and over-exaggerated.

www.greenbuildingadvisor.com

 

[opp]

As long as they can get some to buy there crap .Crap is what you get

 

[calicamper]

To all you guys that say to rent, the whole point of having your own stuff is convenience. We can be packed in an hour and then unpacked and cleaned, ready to put in the storage garage in 90 minutes. How long is it going to take to get with someone renting, convince them that you know what you're doing so they let you drive off, and then return it at the end of the trip. That would be a non-starter for us.

We do 2-3 trips a yr. Our trailer is a 4x6 utility trailer with tent that sits on it. The trailer typically makes 10-12 trips a yr in utility mode and 2-3 trips a yr in RV mode. It sat in my garage for yrs, now in the side yard.

Fast rental mode. We toss our gear in the back of the Expedition drive most of the trip without trailer, pick up the rental RV trailer for between $87-$119 a night closeish to our destination, continue on our trip. The rentals have the basics loaded. No big deal. Drop it off on the way home. No storage costs, no ownership costs etc.

Plus I can usually pick the type / size we want for the trip.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Sounds like a pain in the butt for a weekend but whatever makes you happy.


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[calicamper]

Sounds like a pain in the butt for a weekend but whatever makes you happy.


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Weekend? Who uses a RV for a weekend? I sure as heck don’t

 

[Bayou Boy]

Weekend? Who uses a RV for a weekend? I sure as heck don’t

We use ours all the time for the weekend. Why wouldn’t we? I’d say most trips are two or three nights for the vast majority of people. Why would you do otherwise when you own it? I’d rather just VRBO than rent a camper. Same price and way more room.


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[calicamper]

We use ours all the time for the weekend. Why wouldn’t we? I’d say most trips are two or three nights for the vast majority of people. Why would you do otherwise when you own it? I’d rather just VRBO than rent a camper. Same price and way more room.


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So you go pull the RV out of storage, clean it load it up, hook it up drag it somewhere for a night or two?

VRBO we do that all the time especially for weekend trips, but occasionally we want to be in a Park and are on 9-12 day trips multiple locations which case rent a trailer or take our own.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Absolutely. It takes 30 minutes to load and 30 minutes to clean. No big deal. It takes that long to clean my bay boat after a morning fishing trip.


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