Deciding when to buy a motor home?

It's a personal preference wether you like to stay in motels or not when traveling.

But from a financial side of it if you only get out once or twice a year for a trip it sure is not a wise financial decision to have it just sitting in the driveway 98% of the time. RV's do not hold their value. AND they do not fair well just sitting.

If you are a big sight seeing couple you would most likely also want to add a toad to take along too. So that's something to keep in mind that adds to the cost of buying an RV.

Gotta tell you the day I pulled into a CG down in Florida on my winter trip down there and saw that many CG's have some very nice cabins they rent out.....made me wish I hadn't bought the MH.

Those people that rented had a real nice little house to stay in with lawn, driveway, etc and experiencing the CG same as I was, but at a MUCH lower cost than my expenses of the MH, tiny CG site and paying a lot more for it! :W

There is usually no value in it beyond the enjoyment you get from the lifestyle. Full-timers or snowbirds who live in their RVs without moving very often get the most payback, it replaces a house.

If you don't use it much, the fixed costs of ownership, particularly depreciation and the lost earnings on the money (or interest to borrow the money) can push the real cost per day of use very high. This you would know from aircraft ownership, except that RV depreciation probably hits a lot harder.

If you are constantly moving, more than 300 miles a day, the added cost of fuel (compared to more efficient vehicles) starts negate whatever savings you might achieve renting campsites vs paying for good hotel rooms.

Where these numbers fall depend on how much money you tie up in the thing to start with. Depreciation starting at $300,000 eats away at value a lot faster than depreciation starting at $50,000, although the rates may be the same.

kenrhilbert wrote:
Recently looked at a Thor Vegas and both my wife and I like what we saw. Right size for the two of us and our dog.

For that kind of money you can buy a quality Diesel pusher of the 2005 vintage.

I read once that a boat is a hole in the water you pour money into. An RV is the same without the water. Own it because of the experience, not to save money.

Rent it for a week or 10 days and go to a nearby national or state park.

Or a developed campground to get a feel for what it's like to be in that environment. It will help with cost evaluation as well as help you decide if that's the type of scenario you like. I'd actually rent for a weekend/week and try the national or state park route and do the same for a commercial campground.

If you feel the need to justify the expense, then this probably isn't the lifestyle for you. All the justification necessary is you want to do it.

It's all in your own personal choices and your own financial situation. There isn't an established "if you drive it X miles or sleep in it Z nights, it's cost effective to buy". Mostly because there is such a huge price range and the use is so varied.

There was a poster once who said they never slept in their $100+K class A - instead, they used it to travel from point A to point B in comfort and then slept in a rental vacation home. There are folks who never travel more than 50 miles from their home, but sleep in it 200+ nights a year.

Having owned a plane, you understand the concept of "never getting back what you put into it". Don't worry about it - just enjoy it as much as you want/can.

Knowing why you want an RV and determining if that lifestyle will fit you is the most important thing. What do you want out of an RV? How do you want to use it? Are you prepared to spend money on repairs, modifications, etc.? Do you want to mess with dumping poop, being pro-active and doing regular maintenance? Answers to questions like this will better answer the question "should I buy an RV or not" than an equation to determine value.

Throughout the years anytime I compared the costs for RV travel, Travel by airline or car and stay in hotels the RV travel always was cheaper.

In addition you carry your home with you, comfortable bed, chairs, and cleaned to your liking is an added advantage. I know it takes me a day to get used to sleeping in a new bed when staying in hotels on business.

Save money on meals by cooking instead of hotels.

An RV is considered a second home for tax purposes.

Then you have to throw in the unknown... $1200 to replace a refrigerator, $1800 for an air conditioner, plus X dollars for engine or transmission...

We take ours out 1 weekend per month plus a long stay for 3 months every summer. That justifies our expense for owning an RV.

If you've owned an airplane..RVing is no comparison in cost. You can tent and still have a great time. RVs come in all sizes and all costs. There can be no value put on the fun and experiences you'll get. Just get one you can afford so you don't have to go into debt. A used one might be the way for you to go if you've never RVd. New ones take a big depreciation hit that first year.

Since you're retired you have the luxury to travel as much as you want and as far as you want. If you want to get to the west coast, you might consider taking 4-6 months for your trip. There's lots to see along the way. If you want to spend the winter in warmer climate, thousands do it. If you just want to take weekend trips (a busy time for retirees so instead, consider mid-week trips), then you can do that, too.

I hope you get something. You'll be surprised how much enjoyment you'll get out of it.

I would strongly suggest you find a rental company with a rig that is similar to the one you like. Rent it for a week or 10 days and go to a nearby national or state park. Set-up, enjoy the scenery, enjoy the rig and then decide on the things you like and don't like about it. It may change your perspective a bit. It took me 4 purchases to end-up with the rig that will be our last rig!!!

Take your time and spend your hard-earned $$ wisely!!