Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There's a winning suggestion, right there. When I was younger and in kolledge, I went with a friend of my sister's on a Chicago-to-Phoenix drive in his ~40' long RV. Did I mention that we pulled a 30' glider trailer the entire way? I may be a little off on the actual lengths, but he did say that "we were illegal east of the Mississippi", so he drove that first leg of the trip. Let me tell you, it's a real job to drive one of those things, especially when pulling a trailer. It's OK on the interstate (except when you're in construction with the sawhorses and cones, and then it sucks), but I'd hate to drive one on back roads. If I HAD to have one, I'd buy a much smaller one and also buy a tent for extended family, LOL.
Also, "$10K to $100K" is a pretty big range to be looking in, it's the difference between a nice new/newer one and a piece of junk. If I had only one piece of advice, though, it would be that there should be a whole lot of these things for sale if this "mini recession" turns into something long-term, or worse. RV's, motorcycles, vacation homes, timeshares, Hellcats, etc. are "luxuries" and the first to go when the breadwinner loses their job, my guess is there are going to be a lot of "bargains" out there in the coming months - there's gotta be more than one guy who bought a new RV in 2019 before anybody ever heard of the "Coronavirus", and fast forward six months, now he's worrying about keeping his house. How secure is your own job?
Yep some people just don’t get what’s going on in the world with this Coronavirus, some think it’s BS by the way they are talking on here. We are heading into another Great Depression not a Recession. This Coronavirus is the perfect excuse for companies to shed higher paid employees. When the economy starts to open up it’s not going to be business as usual until they come up with a vaccine for this Coronavirus. I’m retired and glad i am now i went through the Great Recession and it was scary because many companies were getting rid of their older high paid employees, i just made it and retired in 2009. Had to go on SSDI but had 30 years at my job. Now I’m 65 and am happy my oldest daughter is a semi truck driver and her job is a essential one driving for a huge grocery chain. And during the Great Recession my company and like others got rid of Their pension plans and 401k were wiped out because of the stock market taking a dump.
Over the last 40 or 50 years, I have owned or used nearly every type of RV (Recreational Vehicle) except a diesel motorhome or pop-up trailer. I have had gas Class A and gas Class C motorhomes; I have had an 11.5 foot slide-in camper; I have had Travel Trailers and fifth wheel trailers.
One of the major things to keep in mind is that no matter what the brochures say about the number of people that can sleep in the RV, the important thing to know is how many people you can stand to have in there on a rainy day! I soon discovered that even though there are beds for 6 people, having me, wife, daughter, and 2 grandsons in an 11.5 foot truck camper was NOT "happy camping"! It was a great rig, and my one ton dually carried it quite well, but it was just too cramped, even for the two of us.
I have known of people who tow a travel trailer behind their motorhome as a bunkhouse for the kids or extra people. That might be a good idea for some, but I would not do it.
All types of camping rigs: Gas or diesel Class A or Class C motorhomes; bumper pull trailers, fifth wheel trailers, tent trailers, and teardrop trailers, are Recreational Vehicles. Even a converted school bus or cargo trailer is an RV! Most RVs will be fully self contained: It will have a fresh water tank and pump, water heater (some are dual powered, both propane and electric), waste water holding tanks, a kitchen, a bathroom, and beds. Most will have a microwave. Some have only a cook top, no oven. It will have 30 amp or 50 amp cord for plugging into "shore power". It will probably have a roof-top air conditioner (some larger motorhomes have the air conditioner in the "basement"). Most motorhomes and some trailers will have an on-board generator, powered by gasoline, diesel, or propane. Some will have solar panels for battery charging. Some are "toy haulers" that have a built in garage with loading ramp so ATVs, a small car, or motorcycles can be taken with.
Good luck in your searching.
An RV is a very costly proposition. Besides the purchase price, there's licensing, fuel, insurance, maintenance, etc. Plus the cost of parking the darn thing at a park with electrical and water hook-ups. Don't forget that they're difficult to handle in traffic and a pain to park in most places.
For what you'd spend on an RV, you could buy a lot of first class airline tickets and stay in 4 star hotel rooms.
My SIL and her hub had one for years. They took two trips in it. Otherwise, it sat in their driveway, blocking their garage and depreciating. Took 'em a long time to find a buyer when they decided to sell and they got rid of it at a big loss, because they were anxious to sell.
The advice about a trailer is a good one, since you can set it up and still use your truck to go places.
For towability I'd suggest a 5th wheel trailer. They are easier to manage than a travel trailer and come in deluxe sizes. With seven people you'd want one with a bunkhouse or extra bedrooms since space is limited and having to utilize all of your sitting areas for beds can be chaotic and make the space less organized.
RVs are good for watching on youtube with people going places. They are doing all the work and paying all the bills. Your $100K RV will be parked in your driveway waiting for someone to buy it. How do I know?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,688 posts, read 57,994,855 times
Reputation: 46166
Quote:
Originally Posted by abrahland
hi members
me and my fiancee is looking for a camper or rv. Problem is that we've never did this before. we are not sure how much one should cost to get a good deal.
We are trying to work between ten thousand to 100 thousand range price we can afford.
We want a vehicle such as to fit four to maybe 7 people if possible.
... Wonder if there were rabbits in there too for his next trick ha ha . ...
I have used my Diesel Rabbit for RV and 'camping' lots of times. $35 car, runs on free fuel. (since 1976).
7 People? Why in the world would you want to equip a camper for 7? fun (?) Mobile HOTEL?
My mini RV can seat 8 in seatbelts, but only sleeps 4 (that is 2 too many for an RV 'happy' life.
We always take a tent with us in RV, just in case! (Corvid - 19, or any of many reasons) .
You better dabble in this a bit to determine what you NEED. Sometimes we jump into Quick Sand and sink!
You can rent, and also go drive / try out a few.
If you are only going to have 7 people a couple times / yr, yet will be solo / couple for 90% of the time... Look at your TOTAL budget and desires.
me:
1) Prefer to NEVER use an established / commercial campground (Noisy, crowded, expensive)
2) Love to be able to 'stealth camp' (Hospitals, churches, boonies, hiding out in a cluster of trees or buildings or trucks...)
3) I insist on minimum 20 mpg, prefer my Passat wagon (mini 'RV' that gets 52 mpg on free fuel)
4) I like to be very flexible (park RV at / near airport and fly for a few months, such as overseas for medical care)
5) I cap my RV spend to $25k
If you need a MONSTER (7 people camping together...) you can find used Class A's that are pretty BIG and < $50k.
How many miles / yr will you be driving?
Do you plan;
1) LONG drive and staying short period of time in each place?
2) Short drives and LONG stays?
3) Winter Camping?
4) towing with your camper / RV?
BTW... my favorite was my VW campervan.
Least favorite - bumper pull std Travel-trailer (takes too long to set up camp, and I like to drive until 3AM every night... that is a BAD time to be arriving at a campground and having to back into position.
Do yourself a favor and buy a used pop up. It'll give you the RV experience and you'll then be able to learn how to camp. They're also good to travel in vs. some 15,000 lb. fifth wheel or motorhome.
You can sell used pop up's for what you gave for it--if you make a decent purchase.
Illinois is not exactly the most scenic RV state there is. We keep our fifth wheel trailer in the incredible Blue Ridge mountains in storage. We've kept a trailer up there 24 years, and go for long weekends mostly.
RV=rust Value because it will sit more than being used, and if you don’t keep up with the maintenance while they sit like polishing , making sure the tires are all covered because the sun will dry rot them from the UVO rays, and the batteries are taken care of by keeping a battery tender on them at all times when not in use. And keeping a good cover on it not a cheap cover that can trap in moisture. Having a RV is like having a Boat and we all know what Boat stands for Bust out another thousand. A RV and a travel trailer are a expensive toy to own along with all the other things you need to tow a separate vehicle, or a tow vehicle big enough to tow the trailer. A F250 with a tow package and hitch or a 5th wheel are not cheap. I’ve had a trailer and a Trans Van Rv they sat more than i used them. Going to these public camp sites is not the best idea especially if you’re not capable of backing in a big RV or harder yet backing a trailer onto the camp site you have to know how to use your side view mirrors.
OP, it sounds more and more like the folks that are the least enthusiastic about RV's are the folks who have had the most experience with them. Again, I would agree that the best idea is to "start small and cheap", and if you really get into it, keep trading up over the years until you're essentially snow-birding in a land-yacht, there are a lot of folks who do love the lifestyle; your challenge will be to find out if you are one of them before you commit the Big Bucks.
Do a LOT of research before making your first purchase, and know that the guys selling these things are not going to be your best source of information, as they have a vested interest in highlighting the positives and downplaying the negatives. I've romanticized about owning one myself, but have come to the conclusion that Stealth Rabbit has it right, simpler is better. A co-worker who retired a year before I did bought one and did take some trips in it, but is looking to sell it three years later. One of his complaints was that it was not nearly as easy to travel with his dogs as he thought it would be (partly due to leaving them alone in hot weather, etc.).
Hmmmm...
Lots of "doom and gloom naysayers" posting on this thread!
Just remember, what they think and what you want are quite likely at opposite ends of the spectrum!
While their experiences may be of some value in making your decisions, don't let them make the final decision for you.
For instance, I read frequently that Jeeps are noisy, unreliable, uncomfortable for long distance travel, etc. etc. ad infinitum. Then I think of the Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited that I once had. ( manual transmission, lifted, larger tires, custom bumpers, winch, 30 gallon gas tank, 6 disc CD changer, etc.) I remember the long trips I made in it: Montana to CA, return trip through Western Washington and back to MT. Quite comfortable, in my opinion, and very reliable. Yeah, it only got 18 MPG, but it is a Jeep, whaddya expect!
Or the negative comments about Dodge trucks. But wait, I have owned Dodges since the 1970s, and had very few problems! My current truck is a '99 2500 with 410,000 miles. It needs the driver's side seat rebuilt and a new headliner, but that is about the extent of the problems.
I even had a '52 Kaiser Manhattan. Great car! I should also mention the '63 Corvair Spyder. Another great car. I wish I still had both of them! Yet, many said they were junk or dangerous or both. I did not find that to be true.
So, give consideration to what others say, based on THEIR experiences, but remember, THEY are not YOU. How you react to the same scenario may be entirely different, perhaps better, perhaps worse.
Good luck.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Mobile HOTEL?
