Long Term Storage

[Bruce3404]

I keep my motorhome at an RV park in Austin. Typically, I travel there once a year and stay a month. The RV is parked in storage and I move it roughly 1/4 mile to a space, use it a month and then back to my storage space. I know this can't be good on the engine to only run it a few minutes per year. About all I do when I leave is add some new fuel stabilizer, disconnect the battery cables and hook the battery up to a solar charger. Any ideas what I can further do in terms of maintenance prior to storing? I do have the option of a local resident starting the MH up every month or so, but not sure that's going to help much. What do the rest of you who store over long periods do?

[msmith1199]

You could pick up a real nice used trailer for 10k and move your TV to it. Depending on how long you've already been letting it sit, that $10k value won't last long and pretty soon you'll have to pay somebody just to tow it away. But then again, $10k isn't huge money and if you're not worried about how you're using it, nobody else should either.

[Bruce3404]

Well, the fuel usage is incredible, so I can't complain there:). I don't imagine taking it out for an hour once a year will probably make much difference. It's a '96, so there's not a ton of value, but I've customized the interior, its got a king sized bed, big screen flatscreen TV, etc. Still, I doubt if I could get more than 10K for it and maybe it would make sense at some point to just tow it from storage to the space once a year and back. Thanks for the responses; I had pretty much figured that I was trashing it by just letting it sit. Apparently there aren't any magical solutions to this dilemma. I thank everyone who has responded and certainly invite anyone else to comment.

[msmith1199]

Bruce3404 wrote:
It's gas. Trailer idea not a bad one, though I hate to take the hit in selling the motorhome and then later take it again when I sell the trailer. At this point, I expect that I'll use the "condo-ized motorhome" another six or seven years under the same circumstances.

In that case you may take a huge hit in trying to sell a motorhome that needs a complete new drive train. I once found a good deal on a low mileage Chev 3/4 ton truck. The guy admitted to me that he only drove it during the summer to tow his trailer camping and that it sat unused all winter long. I forgot the exact miles but it worked out to only about 2500 miles per year that was on the truck. Never ever again would I buy a vehicle that has been allowed to sit like that. I couldn't even begin to list all the problems I had with that truck and per the mechanics almost every single problem was caused by it being allowed to sit. My good deal cost me literally thousands of dollars in repairs.

[rgatijnet1]

Since you only drive it 1/2 mile total per year the fuel in a typical gas tank will last you 500+ years. Fuel stabilizer will not protect the fuel for that long. :B
Get rid of it and get a trailer while the engine still runs.

[Bruce3404]

It's gas. Trailer idea not a bad one, though I hate to take the hit in selling the motorhome and then later take it again when I sell the trailer. At this point, I expect that I'll use the "condo-ized motorhome" another six or seven years under the same circumstances.

[robatthelake]

The only way having it started once a month is going to help is if the friend takes it for a nice drive for an hour or so to warm everything up , exercise the Brakes etc.

Otherwise You are just ruining it! Leaving it sit isn't so bad ,but lack of use of the power train by doing what You are doing is going to bite You sooner than later!

As was suggested ..Sell it and buy a Trailer!

[msmith1199]

Gas or Diesel? Either one it's bad to leave stored without running, but they have different requirements. Why not trade it in on a trailer if this is the only way you use it?