Expected life of RV

In GENERAL terms, I've found that RVs like to be used. They generally age much more gracefully if they're in use, have good and regular maintenance and are of good quality when manufactured. Leave them sit for months on end and gremlins begin to appear and will often appear all at once (since you're not keeping up with maintenance during months of not using them). If you're using them you would be more likely to fix those little things as they present themselves and thus they don't at least SEEM to be aging as quickly.
Good luck and have lots of fun / Skip

My wife and I are in the very beginning stages of planning to be full time RV people upon retirement. It sounds so exciting! Our current thinking is going with a fifth wheel. Since we will be on a fairly tight budget going forward I was wondering just how long a life these vehicles have (assuming of course excellent maintenance). Our budget issues will constrain us from replacing that vehicle at least for a long time. We will likely be moving infrequently during the winter months and will not be living in the vehicle during the summer months. I know it is a tough question to answer but I would appreciate any insight you might have.

As previously stated it all depends on what you purchase, how you maintain it and where it is used. There are typically two types of RV's. Those made for occasional weekend recreatonal usage and those made for full time living. Full time living models are better insulated, better at dealing with condensation, typically have a much better carrying capacity and usually are heavier. And lastly, more expensive. Many of the recreational models will make it to the end of the payments if the owners are lucky. Many of the full time living models can last many more years with over 70 percent of Airstream trailers that go back as far as the mid 1930's as an example still on the road. Quality is not expensive in an RV, it is priceless if you live in it and want it to last.

Get into the owners forums for the models you are looking at and see what they as owners are experiencing. Also look into webpages like Escapees, LoveYourRV, Technomadia, and other full time RVers blogs. Lots of great information there.

Mine is an '87. It's lived most of it's life in harsh summer and winter environments. Always stored outside, with a mix of covered and uncovered.

It shows it's wear. But functionally, it's just fine.

I think they're like any other vehicle. You see cars and trucks 50+ years old and they look great.
And, you see some less than 10 years old and they are junk.
It's how you take care of your equipment.
Same applies to houses. It's all about maintenance.

Where the vehicle is stored makes a HUGE difference in longevity. If outside in direct sunlight then fading, cracking of plastics, etc occurs.
I just gave my son our 1992 Fleetwood Flair. It has been stored inside it's entire life. It is like new!
Keeping up with all maintence issues also helps.
I believe there is no limit on how long a vehicle will last.
Take care of it and it will take care of you!

Full time living is not for everybody. Two people oiving in 350 SqFt with limited storage space is tough unless your both 100% committed. And it is not as cheap as you might think.
Having said that, my fiver is 10 years old and still looks good. Few maintenance items beed to be done when it gets this old, but overall its been a good one.

A lot depends on the the environment - if the RV bakes in sunlight combined with extreme heat, humidity, and maybe salt, that's different than being in a UV-protected, climate controlled environment.