Order of purchases?

To answer your original question OP, I would first research places to park it near where you work. Once you find a place you think will work, find a couple backup places in case that place ends up not working out. Santa Rosa area is expensive, you may find lot rent + utilities to not be all that much less than an apartment and/or your fellow full timers that are parked there permanently are less than ideal neighbors.

Then, think long and hard about what size trailer you'd be comfortable living in. You will have more choices while traveling if you have a trailer less than 40'. Then, before making your final trailer purchase, decide on a truck. You'll want the truck and trailer purchase to happen pretty close together as your credit will get dinged once the new big loans hit your credit report.

I of course am partial to Fords (see my signature), and you are correct that the resale on a newer used one is still crazy high. We traded in a 2015 with low miles (13,000ish, super well maintained) for the 2017 we have now and the dealer resold it for nearly $60,000. Paid just over 60 for the 2017, got an unusually good deal on it.

Second home write offs disappeared seven days ago!

Grit dog wrote:
Once you get your whole giddy up situated then you can grab a cheap used TC for weekend/back country excursions!

Well, we need to move soon and I would rather pay for a truck and 5er then a $2000+ a month studio or 1 bed.

Once you get your whole giddy up situated then you can grab a cheap used TC for weekend/back country excursions!

JandVcruise2018 wrote:
Also, I have always wanted a reason to buy a F350 Diesal Dually. I have had 6 Mustangs and about 45 cars. I would probably buy a 17 as the resale on newer used is very high and Diesals need to be mantained well. I dont like the idea of trusting that someone else took care of one properly. I perfer to start from scratch with things even if I spend some $$.

Well, don't go casually drive one unless you bring yer checkbook, because you won't want to get out of it, will have to finish the paperwork from the drivers seat! Lol
I'm not a Ford guy and aside from performance (all the new diesels absolutely rip!) I think the new Ford duallies are sweet looking.
I'm sure you've researched it, but maint is easy. Even easier with a rig you can slide under with a creeper without even jacking it up.

Wow JandVcruise2018 - that's how we "sightsee" when we travel. Due to still working full time, we have to cram everything we can into a one or two week trip. We've never felt like we've missed out, only that we'd like to go back again and we often do. As for your wanting a diesel dually, I don't blame you. We purchased ours brand new in 2011, have maintained it religiously through our dealer so they have all records of maintenance and it still only has 30k miles on it. Now in the winter, we keep the engine block heater plugged in and drive it once a week.

Also, I have always wanted a reason to buy a F350 Diesal Dually. I have had 6 Mustangs and about 45 cars. I would probably buy a 17 as the resale on newer used is very high and Diesals need to be mantained well. I dont like the idea of trusting that someone else took care of one properly. I perfer to start from scratch with things even if I spend some $$.

We will be traveling as much as possible and possibly moving around a lot. We will at leat go to various national parks on the weekend. Over Thanksgiving we drove to Vagas and Bryce Caynon in Utah. We drove for 14 hours home the last day. Another 3 day weekend we went to Reno and Bodie. We tent camped near Bodie and spent the last day driving through the mountians. In June we were living in Florida. I got a job offer here in Santa Rosa. We sold everything we couldnt fit into a Tacoma (short bed) with a cap. We drove to Mesa Verde in Colorado, Then to the Grand Caynon, then to Seattle which was about 8 days on the road. Then we hopped on a 7 day cruise to Alaska, then drove 2 more days down here to Santa Rosa. We just got back from 10 days in Costa Rica on Monday. We also went to Mexico and Honduras last year before we moved... we are planning on going everywhere!!!

hussbuss wrote:
Looking at the new tax laws, Interest on your RV will still be deductible if it is on a personal loan and is fully self contained and used at least 14 nights per year. I would start saving campsite invoices as proof. Now if your RV is on a Home Equity Loan, it will not be deductible. Easy fix, change it to a personal loan. Just my observations, but I have read up on the new rules a bit.

Thank you for the information. I'll take this to our accountant, just in case.

NMDriver wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

NMDriver wrote:
You can have to much trailer but you can not have to much truck.

Sure you can have too much truck.

We know people who full time in 20' travel trailers.

It would be silly and a waste of money to buy a new 1 ton diesel dually to pull a little 20' travel trailer.

Everyone gets to have an opinion.

Yes and I know people who start out with a 40ft 5er. Your point being that having more truck than absolutely necessary is silly. Well that is just a silly thing to say. BTW you do not even need a truck to pull a 20ft trailer I did it with an Astro Van.

Most of those people you are calling silly start small and recognize they will want to upgrade to a bigger trailer after a few years. It is called getting a feel for what you like. Not such a silly way to operate.

I will agree that buy anything vehicle new is a waste of money, but I never said the OP should buy a NEW truck.

By this logic, you should buy a class 8 semi-tractor to pull a pop-up because some day you might want a 50' custom built 5th wheel.

A little extra capacity isn't bad but blanket statements that you can't have too much truck is just silly.