Not for us

[Alex_and_Tee]

Well, I’m sad to say I think my wife and I have decided that, after 6 months of full timing, it is not for us. Neither is living in a 55+ resort.

We are in Palm Creek in Casa Grande, AZ. The park is beautiful and there is lots to do here but my wife is 54 and works from home 40 hours a week. I started a machinery distributorship with a partner and I am out 3-4 days a week making sales calls during the day. So, other than the occasional show in the evening we really can’t take advantage of all there is to offer. Plus everyone here is at least 10 years older than me and probably 15-20 years older than my wife so we really don’t fit in.

As far as the motor home goes, it’s a 2022 Allegro Open Road 36LA. It’s nice enough but we miss not having the space that a home provides. Yes, I know we should have probably rented something and tried it first before buying but even spending a week or two doesn’t compare to full time living. I never thought there would be so much to do to the motor home. It’s always dumping black tanks every 4 days, recharging the soft water system every two weeks, descaling the Truma every few weeks, refilling the propane tank every other week, etc., etc.

I’m sure if I had done more homework prior to diving in I would have been better prepared but, it is what it is.

[valhalla360]

I agree with your choice...if it's not working do something different.

But I would suggest, filing this away as a learning experience and possibly revisiting in a few years.

It sounds like right now both of you are working full time with no travel while hanging out in God's waiting room...of course, you aren't going to get the experience magical full time RV experience.

In a few years when you have more freedom, it can mean traveling the country seeing new and interesting places. With no work, a little puttering around the RV will be a diversion rather than a chore. If you do hang out down south for the winter, it's 3-4 months and the people will be closer your age and more likely to have similar interests...plus you will have the time to fully partake in the activities (assuming that is of interest).

[2112]

Alex and Tee wrote:
This $12,000 is basically the same as if we rented an apartment for 6 months so, in my mind, we spent $2000 a month “renting” our motor home instead of renting the house we were in and learning a life lesson about what we thought we might like and didn’t.

That's a perfect way to see it. I doubt you could rent a nice Class A for $2K A month

[RetiredRealtorR]

We absolutely love RVing, and there's a time and place for hotel-ing, but I must admit, NOTHING is more relaxing than a cruise.

[LouLawrence]

We have been full time living (and traveling) in an RV since 1997. We also enjoy cruising. We have been to Alaska twice, Tahiti once (really small cruise) and some Caribbean cruises. While we love getting pampered, we still love seeing this Country's beauty more than anything. The Pacific NW in the Summer, Las Vegas, the UP of Michigan (in the Summer!), the SW in the Winter, ALL the National parks, the Large Array telescopes in Socorro, NM, the particle accelerator in Aurora, IL, ME, Nova Scotia, Canada (have yet to explore nearly enough).....Geeze, I could go on forever. I love what this Country has to offer more than any other place I have visited or lived (including Belgium and Japan).
It's certainly not for everyone and Alex and Tee did what is exactly right for them. My wife and I just have different wants and needs and have enjoyed every minute of living in an RV for the last 23 years.

[rhagfo]

dodge guy wrote:

Alex and Tee wrote:
Well the saga is almost over. La Mesa has agreed to buy back our motor home for what we owe on it and that is only 10K less than we paid for it (not counting sales tax). So it cost us a bit to realize that RV’ing is not for us and we will go back to a sticks and bricks lifestyle that offers more living space and comfort. We’ll do our traveling on cruise ships from here on out.

Thanks for everyone’s input and insight during this journey of deciding what to buy and what to do. At the end of the day we could have spent a lot more money on a coach and still not been happy. All the best to everyone.

So wait a minute, You think the RV is too small to travel in, but your OK with sitting on a plane for several hours and then sleeping in a room the size of a large closet?

I do agree with not full timing, but I would never want to travel by cruise ship or plane full time. maybe consider a nice used RV for some longer trips where you can come back to your house and relax!

DW and I full time, and go on cruises from time to time. I equate the cabin to the bedroom, and the ship to our rig! We have cruised on both small and very large ships, about 2,200 to almost 6,000 passengers. We have never felt for lack of space, except during the hot deal sales on the main deck!

[Alex_and_Tee]

For the record, our coach listed for just over $229,000. We purchased it for $193,000 including sales tax which was $10,300 and registration/tags which was another $1000. We sold the coach back to the dealer for $171,000. So our “loss” was roughly $12,000 (not counting tax and tags as you would never recover cost of tax and tags). We used the coach from mid September to mid March (they take possession on 3/14).

This $12,000 is basically the same as if we rented an apartment for 6 months so, in my mind, we spent $2000 a month “renting” our motor home instead of renting the house we were in and learning a life lesson about what we thought we might like and didn’t. Could have turned out a lot worse but we walk away with our loan paid off and zero obligations. We are fine with that.

[LouLawrence]

They already said they have sold the RV at a loss they are happy with.

[Chum_lee]

Alex and Tee wrote:
I won’t sell it for a loss. Don’t think there is any reason to. It’s a 2022 with the 26,000 lb chassis and liquid springs and only has 5000 miles on it. If I can’t at least get what I owe on it I’ll continue to suck it up and live in it for awhile longer. We aren’t desperate and our site is paid until November with options for two more years at $4500 per year.

Oh yes . . . IME, you will sell your RV at a substantial loss! The question you need to answer now is, . . . How much are you willing to lose? Why? Because the longer you keep your newer RV, the more ($$$$) you will lose especially if you aren't regularly taking full advantage of it. (depreciation is the reason to sell, . . . ASAP) IMO, you are living in a fantasy world.

Chum lee

[rlw999]

Rick Jay wrote:

I've always said that there are two types of people in this world...."RV People" and "Hotel People". It's usually rare that folks enjoy both, and there's nothing wrong with either. We knew from early on that we were not "hotel people". I LOVE to fly, but absolutely HATE the hassle of an airport. I've been on a couple of cruises, too, which were nice.

My wife and I downsized from our Class C to a Class B because we're both RV and Hotel people -- a Class B is comfortable and easy to drive and is comfortable enough to sleep in for a few overnights while in transit, but when we get to our destination, we can still park it in the corner of the hotel parking lot. Sometimes we'll rent a car, sometimes everything we want is within walking distance or we know we can find parking for our 22 ft Class B (it's fairly small for an RV but still pretty big and too high to fit in most parking garages)


We share your disdain for the flying experience and would rather drive even if it takes a few days.

[Rick_Jay]

Alex and Tee,

Glad to hear you figured out what you both liked, and it looks like it didn't cost you too much. It sounds like you are living very comfortably at this point in your life and you know how to enjoy your money. That's great!!! 🙂 Life's too short and none of us know how much time we have left.

I've always said that there are two types of people in this world...."RV People" and "Hotel People". It's usually rare that folks enjoy both, and there's nothing wrong with either. We knew from early on that we were not "hotel people". I LOVE to fly, but absolutely HATE the hassle of an airport. I've been on a couple of cruises, too, which were nice. But for the money spent and the hassle of getting to the ship and boarding, I just kept thinking that "If we were in the RV, we could have seen SO MUCH MORE and been gone for SO MUCH LONGER!".

But our financial situation is obviously not the same as yours, so we live within our means and enjoy our money best as we can.

In the end, none of us can take it with us, so we might as well enjoy it while we're able to....and before the gosh-danged revenooers get it! (As "Snuffy Smith used to call 'em....yup...I'm that old! LOL)

~Rick

[Sandia_Man]

Glad to hear you have it worked out and can now return to a lifestyle you are accustomed to. We know dozens of couples over the years who have done the very same thing and found RVing wasn't their cup of tea as well, although their losses were much heavier than you incurred. Currently we know two other couples planning to do the same, spending time on the internet can lure folks into something they no little about.

RVing for us started when our kids were toddlers, living in the four corner states were were a day's ride from so many fantastic places. Now 3 decades later my DW and I tool around the mountain west and southwest regions of the country in a 40' class A, we have a home and we still do cruises and nice hotels, but when everybody was locked down due to Covid we were happily going down the road on our next RVing adventure.

[toedtoes]

There is a big difference between taking a cruise for a couple weeks and fulltiming in an RV. Same as there is between fulltiming in a sailboat and taking a two week vacation in an RV.

It sounds as if the OP is not interested in traveling in an RV for any length of time. In that case, it sounds like they are making the right decision.

For many others, while fulltiming is not something they would ever do, taking several two week vacations, or a bunch of weekend trips, in an RV would be ideal.

For me, "living at the Galleria" would be hell on earth.

[2112]

Alex and Tee wrote:
We’ll do our traveling on cruise ships from here on out.

That's us. Pack once, hang out and do nothing for a week, sleep, eat too well and too often, watch the crowd. It's like living at the Galleria with bars, fine dining and a casino for a week. And no bugs or camp smoke.

We wouldn't even consider full timing. That would not be for us.

[Alex_and_Tee]

It’s not to small to travel in but it’s too small to live in. We usually fly first class and book a suite on the ship. A week or two on a ship is no comparison to 6 months in a 37’ motor home.

[dodge_guy]

Alex and Tee wrote:
Well the saga is almost over. La Mesa has agreed to buy back our motor home for what we owe on it and that is only 10K less than we paid for it (not counting sales tax). So it cost us a bit to realize that RV’ing is not for us and we will go back to a sticks and bricks lifestyle that offers more living space and comfort. We’ll do our traveling on cruise ships from here on out.

Thanks for everyone’s input and insight during this journey of deciding what to buy and what to do. At the end of the day we could have spent a lot more money on a coach and still not been happy. All the best to everyone.

So wait a minute, You think the RV is too small to travel in, but your OK with sitting on a plane for several hours and then sleeping in a room the size of a large closet?

I do agree with not full timing, but I would never want to travel by cruise ship or plane full time. maybe consider a nice used RV for some longer trips where you can come back to your house and relax!