Comparing Class A Cost To Travel Trailers
I'm looking at going full-time in an RV and I have believed from the beginning that a Class A plus toad is much more expensive than a travel trailer plus tow vehicle, but I'm having trouble comparing ...
Forum Discussion
We fulltimed for 7 months with a tt/truck and 10 months so far with a class A/toad.
Ignoring the initial costs, the difference for us:
Auto Insurance - we now have fulltimer insurance on our class A which we didn't have on our tt. For a year, we pay about $1200 more for class A/toad than we did for tt/truck. But, we have much more comprehensive insurance.
Gas - we had a diesel truck to pull our tt. We now have a jeep as a toad. The costs are essentially a wash. The class A gets worse mileage but our jeep gets better mileage.
Maintenance - a wash. We now have to do two oil changes but they happen less frequently as mileage is split between two engines. And neither are a diesel.
Tires will cost us a lot more over time.
Just an FYI - we tried to fulltime in a Sprinter (27RLS). The space was adequate, the storage was so-so. However, it really wasn't built for fulltiming and, after 6 months, things were failing at an alarming rate. Lights broke, slide seals failed, cabinets started separating, etc. Our 34' Bounder 33C has better space and seems a lot roomier, though it isn't.
Ignoring the initial costs, the difference for us:
Auto Insurance - we now have fulltimer insurance on our class A which we didn't have on our tt. For a year, we pay about $1200 more for class A/toad than we did for tt/truck. But, we have much more comprehensive insurance.
Gas - we had a diesel truck to pull our tt. We now have a jeep as a toad. The costs are essentially a wash. The class A gets worse mileage but our jeep gets better mileage.
Maintenance - a wash. We now have to do two oil changes but they happen less frequently as mileage is split between two engines. And neither are a diesel.
Tires will cost us a lot more over time.
Just an FYI - we tried to fulltime in a Sprinter (27RLS). The space was adequate, the storage was so-so. However, it really wasn't built for fulltiming and, after 6 months, things were failing at an alarming rate. Lights broke, slide seals failed, cabinets started separating, etc. Our 34' Bounder 33C has better space and seems a lot roomier, though it isn't.
