Depreciation

[-Gramps-]

From my blog:

Depreciation:

This subject pops up every now and then in the Internet forums, rv.net, IRV2.com, FMCA.com, where I hang about on a regular basis. It may be a post titled "Is your Class A a Money pit?" or "A motor home costs a whole lot more than you think it does!" The people who post these kinds of entries may or may not really have a problem with what a coach or any other large RV may cost. They might just be bored. It's Sunday night and the DW is watching "Real Housewives of xxx", so there is nothing better for them to do than post some sad story about how broke owning a coach is making them.

The last time I saw one of these threads, I responded to it. I said that owning a motor coach is like having kids. You make a huge financial investment, with no return, but they make lots of good memories, are good for the soul, and will greatly improve one's life if you let them.

I believe the RV lifestyle is under-appreciated by most people who are not part of it and also by some who are. Becoming a Motor Coacher has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me and my wife. Has owning one depleted my bank account? I suppose it has, but then, maybe not.

I might have put away the money that I spend each month paying for my coach. I might have put away the money I spend on trips, including gas and food and camping fees, but I doubt it. I would have spent all of my trip and fuel money on airplane tickets, hotel rooms and cruise ships, or something else. The chances are that even if I did save it, a lot of the money could still have disappeared without me spending a dime of it.

The present economic situation has poked a whole lot of holes in a lot of financial balloons. I just try to take advantage of what our coach can do for us. I may have to spend money on gas, a new water pump to replace a squirting frozen one, new wiper blades to replace frozen ones, a new water filter to replace a cracked and frozen one, but considering what our coach does for us it is worth it.

I can tell you this that minus the monthly payment, the time I have spent in Florida, which included eight nights at Disney World, didn't cost us much at all. Not when compared to what two weeks would have cost staying in fancy hotels and eating out. I wish I could have stayed there a lot longer. Responsibilities called me home.

Home is a very subjective word when you own a motor coach. Home is where my coach is. I felt quite at home in Fort Wilderness. As a matter of fact, the guard who checked us in said, "Welcome home, Mr. Parker."

It was home. A few years ago we spent New Year's Eve in Saint Augustine and the next day climbed a lighthouse. My daughter was there and my son-in-law and my grandson. My wife was there and so was Teddy Bear. I had my favorite DVDs, my favorite beer, my favorite books, some of them anyway, and the things I like to eat the most. I also had great cable TV.

At night we listened to music coming from the Disney Parks. We also heard the fireworks and, if we walked a little ways from our site, could see them, just over the tops of the trees. If we wanted to ride the monorail, we did. If we wanted to take a boat ride, we did that, too. We went to one park, and saw Cirque Du Soleil, followed by sushi at Wolfgang Pucks. We pin traded, we took Teddy to the Waggin Tails Dog Park. We basked in the 70-degree sunshine. We even had the pleasure of spending time with our friends Gary and Janis. What could be better than that?

It was wonderful. It was wonderful until we had to say good-bye. We had to say good-bye to the warmth of our surroundings, our friends and our family. We said good-bye and then made our way back north. We came back to the cold, to work and to our son, daughter and grandsons, whom we missed a lot.

It won't be long before we take our motorhome back out on the road and enjoy another great trip. We will make new friends and see new places.

So, I don't worry about "depreciation" I try to appreciate the emotional and spiritual return I get from my poor financial investment. I hope that all my fellow Coachers and RVers do the same.

Derrick
aka "Gramps"

[Bob46]

Derrick,
Great post! Traveling in our RV has been a great blessing to our family. We have traveled all over the US with our children. The memories are truly priceless. My grandparents traveled all over the US and Mexico and I definitely have the gene!

[-Gramps-]

I was referring to some people who post here and don't own an rv or are just looking to have a bit of fun..I have owned a coach since 2005, this is my second one and we have been full-timing since Christmas. Having been self employed for many years I was fortunate enough to take some month long trips in the rv...trial runs for full timing it later. I think I have quite a bit of knowledge about costs on the road having put 30,000 miles on my coach and 25,000 miles on the first one which I traded for a new one. So I many not be as seasoned as some, but I am hardly a novice.

Believe me I know what it cost (which is why I don't own a Prevost!) and I know what joy I get back from it which out weighs the cost most of the time....

[TechWriter]

-Gramps- wrote:

Depreciation:

This subject pops up every now and then in the Internet forums, rv.net, IRV2.com, FMCA.com, where I hang about on a regular basis. It may be a post titled "Is your Class A a Money pit?" or "A motor home costs a whole lot more than you think it does!" The people who post these kinds of entries may or may not really have a problem with what a coach or any other large RV may cost. They might just be bored. It's Sunday night and the DW is watching "Real Housewives of xxx", so there is nothing better for them to do than post some sad story about how broke owning a coach is making them.

From someone who just started full timing, these are mighty "brave" words. I gather from your blog that you've only RVing for a few years, but you speak as if you're an expert -- and a condescending one at that.

At heart I think you're confusing RV lifestyle with the RV itself.

I, too, love the lifestyle, but my RV can be problematic -- and at times a money pit. That's part of the lifestyle. And RV depreciation? I don't give it a thought because RV values drop like a rock. Not worth worrying about.

I've only been full timing a few years, but I think you have a lot to learn about costs on the road.

[frankdamp]

I can give you a specific example. We bought an '02 Georgetown 32' Class A when it was 8 years old. The seller had owned it from new. From some paperwork we inherited, I think the original selling price was around $80K. We paid $37.5K for it. We sold it on 4 years later, through a consignment dealer, for $20K. I think the dealer resold it for $24K.

[-Gramps-]

1968mooney wrote:

-Gramps- wrote:
Well, we love it so much we are now full-timers, signed the closing papers on our house today, buyer signs Thursday.

Bless your heart. :h

Actually we have been full-timing since around last Christmas..but just now selling the stick house (we hope) that is another story, one full of intrigue and drama. Stay tuned.

[georgelesley]

Great post. Those that do not RV don't realize that the road IS the destination. A few years ago the DW offered to drive from our home in MN to Houston,TX pick up her cousin that she is close to and drive the two of them to FL to see the cousins daughter and family. The cousin's reply was "why don't we just fly".

We now live in TN and are much closer to the cousin who now lives in SC. On a recent visit to us the cousin saw our new to us class A and said "I would really like to travel that way". I strongly suggested she and DH rent for a week first to see if they really get what RV'ing is all about.

[DSDP_Don]

Derrick.....Not only was it a very nice post, but was grammatically well done.

[ncrowley]

Thanks to the OP for the thread and the initial post. It is was said very well. What was said echoes the way I feel. I have done some wonderful things in the coach I would not have done without owning an RV.

[1968mooney]

-Gramps- wrote:
Well, we love it so much we are now full-timers, signed the closing papers on our house today, buyer signs Thursday.

Bless your heart. :h

[-Gramps-]

Well, we love it so much we are now full-timers, signed the closing papers on our house today, buyer signs Thursday.

[imgoin4it]

I don't like the cost but I do not not like it enough to change or quit. We will continue to RV as long as we can.

[Cloud_Dancer]

For me it's simply the high cost of having a handy, fun, comfortable and convenient way of traveling. There's nothing like it. No wonder there's not THAT many of us out there, it's very expensive. One of these days I'll have to give it up, but not today.

[Kayteg1]

I bought my 1972 conversion 10 years ago.
Sure I remodel the interior, but now it is worth double what I paid for it.
The memories that come from using it PRICELESS

[3oaks]

One size does not fit all and it is very presumptuous to speak for other people not knowing every individual's circumstances. The fact that " This subject pops up every now and then in the Internet forums, rv.net, IRV2.com, FMCA.com" proves my point.

To each, their own. Some people are more fortunate than others and have different opinions. So be it. What ever "float your boat" or in this case, keeps your RV rolling. :@