It's always something

[JCat]

MY RV is 11 years old this year.
Only has 58,000 miles on it.

But this year it seems like I spent a fortune maintaining it and upgrading it.

Here is what I did:
Replaced 2 existing AC units $3000
Added a 3rd AC unit $2000
Replace engine batteries $250
Replace house batteries gel cell $1100
Fixed oil leak and changed oil $500
Replaced coolant $100
Fixed drawer slides $250
Replaced slideout Awning $300
Replaced in dash GPS with XM/FM/Ipod Radio - $500
Replaced front tires - $1500 (michelin)

$9500 total that I can recall, I am sure there were other things as well.

I hope next year will be better

[Gjac]

I think a lot of the problems we face get better with experience. Once you get used to having to fix things after each trip and begin to understand how things work you feel a little more comfortable. I have spent $12k in 11 years on mods, repairs and maintenance. I did most of the work myself except for chassis work, suspension, headers etc. At just over 100k miles I am not sure what can go next, everything is original(eng,trans,refer,AC's,etc). One way to look at it is this cost($12k) is a lot less than a one years deprecation of a new MH($30k).

[tropical36]

2oldman wrote:

falconman wrote:
Things even change more when your a fulltimer. Even as an experienced DYI type you find that there isn't any place to work on your rig.

Join Escapees. Many of their parks have shops.

I've managed to do a few things in a lot of RV parks, including an inverter circuit run to the fridge, a fresh water tank connection, auto park repairs and have even changed the oil and filter behind the Walmart garages. Makes for a great place to buy and dispose of the oil, as well. Replaced an AP green pressure switch and also a starter in a parking lot, when it failed to start after lunch. This was in Sugarland, TX and an auto zone was located conveniently up the street.
Anyway, hiring all these little things out would have cost quite a bit.

[pop-sicle]

What seems like sticker shock at first if you haven't put major money in previous years then average $863 a year or $72 a month.... not bad I would say...

[2oldman]

falconman wrote:
Things even change more when your a fulltimer. Even as an experienced DYI type you find that there isn't any place to work on your rig.

Join Escapees. Many of their parks have shops.

[tropical36]

tinkerer wrote:
I might be wrong but I always say that if you own a motorhome you have to have a lot of money or be very handy at fixing things yourself. 🙂

And then still have a lot of money, just not as much of it and then again, it just depends on what you call money, as I'm sure, us poor folks here, look super rich to some....:?

[LVJ58]

Over the 15 years we've owned our coach the cost for maintenance; repairs;add-on's & upgrades has averaged $1,967 annually.

[falconman]

Things even change more when your a fulltimer. Even as an experienced DYI type you find that there isn't any place to work on your rig. Most all places don't take kindly to you changing oil or removing parts. They don't even like you to wash them. I just paid $500 to have my generator repaired. A repair that I could have done myself a lot cheaper but no place to do it.

[zigzagrv]

tinkerer wrote:
I might be wrong but I always say that if you own a motorhome you have to have a lot of money or be very handy at fixing things yourself. 🙂

X2......I don't have a lot of money. 😉

[tinkerer]

I might be wrong but I always say that if you own a motorhome you have to have a lot of money or be very handy at fixing things yourself. 🙂

[JCat]

AGM not Gel on the batteries.

[JCat]

$700 AC units I think not.
Here is what I had installed and they are great, 3 15,000 units put out a lot of cold AC.
Here is the one I added.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/Penguin-II-High-Capacity-Air-Conditioner-with-Heat-Pump-Black/72425/&?&affiliateid=5193&gclid=CjwKEAjwjpeqBRCDiKqliK2aiicSJAAgKD2FUhMbwMvhmjAHf1U7IhfrlW5Jpf2fboI8dnNSHPbpohoCUpnw_wcB

[wa8yxm]

I seriously hope you did not replace house batteries with GEL Cells

AGM is ok, but GEL's are not a good choice (Many confuse AGM and GEL and that includes Optima which advertises their AGM batteries as Gel even if they are not).

[lj2654]

Last year I spent about $6000 in work. $4900 for an air leveling system to replace the SMC IDS hydraulic system that is no longer made in the Beaver Coach.
Oil and filter changes for the CAT and genset. Serviced the Aquahot too.

So far this year not much....New thermostat and control box for front a/c $129!

[tropical36]

JCat wrote:
MY RV is 11 years old this year.
Only has 58,000 miles on it.

But this year it seems like I spent a fortune maintaining it and upgrading it.

Here is what I did:
Replaced 2 existing AC units $3000
Added a 3rd AC unit $2000
Replace engine batteries $250
Replace house batteries gel cell $1100
Fixed oil leak and changed oil $500
Replaced coolant $100
Fixed drawer slides $250
Replaced slideout Awning $300
Replaced in dash GPS with XM/FM/Ipod Radio - $500
Replaced front tires - $1500 (michelin)

$9500 total that I can recall, I am sure there were other things as well.

I hope next year will be better

Still better than spending for and starting all over again on another one. They all need something or the other from time to time and it doesn't seem to make much difference with the newness or not. At least like the most of us, you don't need another hobby with owning a motor coach.
I'm always fixing a modifying on ours too, but so far, haven't got into any really heavy costs. Has to be forth coming though with the original fridge and ac's, just for beginners.
Rig has better than 90K miles on it and must say it's been a good coach, considering that it was 9 years old, when we got it, with 46K miles on it then.

[gemert]

Robert78121 wrote:
Sounds like you're farming this work out. I have had to fix my drawer slides too, but to the tune of less than $50 in parts. If you're not inclined to learn to fix your rig yourself, you will continue to spend that kind of money.

I'm learning but some of us don't have the knowledge, tools or especially the facilities to do the work. My Beaver sits about 6 inches (maybe 😎 off the ground. I can't slide under in gravel lot to work on it so I have to do with what I have. I'm good with electronics type stuff but all that greasy stuff is a mystery.