Cost of a motor home; any class

I have a good feeling, about 100% of everyone reading your post will agree that RV's cost a bundle and owning them makes no sense if you're considering the dollar value only. Why we do it is beyond reason. Maybe we are all nuts after all! Well.... I must enjoy being nuts then! Dollar value doesn't compare to the enjoyment I get out of it! (That is nuts, isn't it?)

Having a RV is not the cheap way to travel. But for me it is the way I want to travel.
It sounds like you may be looking to trade up. for some new problems.:D Look here as they have a lot of RVs in your price range.
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/classa/class-a-motorhomes.php
They have class C coaches and maybe a diesel in your price range.
Bill

My experience has been that it's not particularly inexpensive, but thus far has not been anywhere near as costly as you're seeing. I have had some water intrusion related repairs to make (a lot of labor, not all that much material cost) and some upgrades and some maintenance (new tires), but I think it's added up to only a few thousand. The total cost certainly wouldn't seem to me to be particularly more than maintaining a fifth wheel and suitable tow vehicle of a similar age and vintage and condition.

RVing is not generally a frugal way to travel, though it can be possible to RV relatively frugally. Tent camping is certainly cheaper. For most of the trips I've taken, it would also have been cheaper to drive my car and stay in motels. The motorhome is rather nicer and more convenient and I think worth the extra costs for those reasons.

If one dares think RV owners are "nuts" over what they spend to keep their babies going ... try taking a look at what airplane owners and boat owners have to, and do, spend! :E

As someone who bought an "older" class C (1975), I look at it this way:

I paid cash for it and it was extremely inexpensive for an MH.

The costs of maintenance are going to be incurred within about 5 years of ownership of a new RV (sooner if you can't find a good shop to handle warranty items); the costs of age-related repairs are going to be incurred unless you trade in your current RV for a new one every 5-10 years. So, if you plan on keeping your RV, these costs are going to happen sooner or later. It's more a matter of do you want to spend the money on them sooner or later - I chose sooner.

Even with all the dollars I've spent repairing, maintaining, and updating, I am still a good $30K+ ahead than if I bought a new/newer comparable class C.

And I REALLY like my clipper far better than any new RV out there.

So, I don't worry about what I put into it to keep it going. I don't worry that I've spent more than I can re-coup by selling it. Because I didn't buy it to "break even" or "make a profit" - I bought it so I could enjoy it. And I do very very much. And that is worth the money I've spent.

I can't speak for RVs but if I look at just the cost, then using my TT is certainly the cheapest way yo vacation. I spend > 35 days per year in the camper,
so multiply the average cost of a hotel room ($130/night) plus meals ($70/day) plus any airfare for 2 - multiply this by 25 years then using the TT is by far cheaper. I've quite handy, so maintenance costs are minimal - nothing major has broken on any TT in 25 years;

Then there are intangible aspects. Waking up in the middle of a National Forest, camping right on the beach, watching the sunset over the desert, walking 20 steps with a fishing rod and catching "dinner", taking the bicycle over a mountain trail etc, etc, etc

At the end of the day it's not about the "expense" it's about the shared memories.

The excursion we pulled the TT with was getting old (180,000 miles) and was starting to wear out so we went looking for a tow vehicle. We found that you can buy a good used class A for far less money then something to pull an 8500 LB TT. Maintenance on a class A is less then on a TT and a truck.

We knew it could be expensive to maintain but now looking back on the 3 years I feel I have to caution prospective motor home buyers about the ongoing costs. I won't try to list all that we've done to it; some necessary repairs and some optional improvements but it certainly adds up to many thousands.

It's the same as buying a used car. Some are good and some are bad. Some where owned by people who maintained the vehicle some where not.

So IMHO, JMHO I think it is erroneous to make a blanket statement that ALL RV's are costly to maintain. Just saying you need to do your homework and buy a used RV right.

My personal experience:
I bought my first 31 ft MH from a family that showed horses. Their darling 14 year old daughter was on the circuit with her horse and was on her way to winning the congress twice.

Yup they towed a 2 place slant horse trailer with that MH! BUT, I knew that father took REAL good care maintaining that MH that carried such precious cargo as his daughter traveling to all those horse shows with just Mom at the helm by themselves. :C

That said. That MH was THE best RV I have ever bought. We put on thousands of miles full timing and showing dogs. Which in itself is a 'very' hard life for any MH.:B
We drove her hard and put her away wet.

Other than a thermostat for the HWH I had no major repairs. My only big expense was adding the toad and that's not considered repairs.

I've got to guess I am not the lone ranger of owning a MH that when maintained can give years of repair free enjoyable RV'ing.

Being new to this I agree that the issue for us isn't the cost of ownership. If something fails then it is an opportunity to try something new. If the coach had been new or nearer to new than our "Jack" is then yes we would be putting factory parts into place.

Instead we get creative. Try new things. Drill new holes. Apply new paint. If I did not possess Ninja level skills with power tools and my girl wasn't an electrician by trade I'm certain I would feel differently.

I laugh when I see the RV industry ads about how cheap it is compared to a typical vacation.

Any recreational RV is a toy. It will depreciate and wear out and eventually be worth $0. I own one because I prefer to travel that way, on my own schedule, with my own supplies, with my dog, sleeping in my own bed. I enjoy it and can afford it. I don't have any illusions about saving money.