Deciding when to buy a motor home?

[kenrhilbert]

Currently retired and I am in the process of evaluating whether to buy a RV. Recently looked at a Thor Vegas and both my wife and I like what we saw. Right size for the two of us and our dog.

What I am trying to determine is there a value either in the number of miles traveling during a year or the number of trips made during a year that is a rule of thumb regarding owning an RV. I understand the expense and having own an airplane know how costly it can get.

Any comments regarding experience with Thor Vegas or Axis would also be appreciated as well.

[phxchica]

Just wanted to tell you I had never rved before and went out last month and bought a brand new Class C Jayco Greyhawk for myself and two kids (19 and 6). We love it and now that I have retired will get a lot of use from it. So try it out if you want but if you are like me and just know you will enjoy it, go for it. We had cruised a lot and per my older son, this is like cruising on land, but with more space and no buffets! As far as use goes, I intend to use it all summer and school breaks (fall, winter and spring) and at least once a month otherwise. For some reason I read all these used rv ads talking about low generator hours and thought that meant I should use it sparingly. I have since learned the more the better and a minimum of 20-30 minutes a month to keep the lines open. I bought new because I like the idea of a warranty and not living with someone else's problems. I did a lot of online research and knew exactly what I wanted and what it would cost before I walked into a dealership. Good luck and enjoy!

[malexander]

I can't justify the 3 airplanes & 3 motorcycles in my hangar OR the RV. I just like'em all:D

Anyway, I like to fly, motorcycle, & RV. I probably fly about 15 hrs/yr. RV and motorcycle a lot.

[Harvey51]

We bought a four year old MH for $25 000. We used it quite a bit for 6 years but now find ourselves in different circumstances, looking after MIL who is no longer able to get in and out of the MH. This means we will not get much RVing for a while. But we aren't giving up our little cottage on wheels. It's kind of a second home sitting there waiting for us. It will be used as a bedroom for visiting relatives. The insurance company insists it be insured all year so can be used as an extra vehicle. And our daughter gives us some respite time so we will get away in it for a week or two anyway.

I enjoy maintaining it so practically no expenses other than the insurance and tires. It is going in for b rake service tomorrow for the first time in 7 years. I think taking an interest in an RV and doing the maintenance is important; if you hire everything done it will get expensive.

[prstlk]

We are ft and get lots of questions about the lifestyle. It is NOT for everybody. That said I would never buy a new or near new anything before trying the life style. Renting a rig for week will show you the lifestyle, the type of rig is not as important as finding out you both enjoy the rv experience. Spend 80k on a coach and find you hate or just don't enjoy rv ing and your not just stuck reselling the unit, but you will be out sales tax tabs and fees. Depending on your state that could be thousands.
I'm not implying you intend to go full time right away but even a few days in a rig that either of you not enjoying the journey in can be hell.


Rent first the look for a specific rig and Floorplan.
Jmho

[catkins]

RVing is a travel lifestyle whether short trips or long term. I MUCH prefer sleeping in my own bed and having my own bathroom, no hauling items in and out of hotels............etc. While not cheap,no travel style is, to us it is priceless. We travel at our pace stopping to see what we want to. Can stay longer usually if we wish. All is part of a grand adventure. Been doing it since 1998 and hoping to have many more safe travel years ahead as we get a bit older. Hood luck with your decision!

[ncrowley]

I try and get the coach out about once per month. Distance is not as important as getting it out and running. Go at least 35 miles. You also want to exercise the generator under load if you have one. You want to run the generator under load fro 30 minutes to an hour.

[Grit_dog]

Well, pencil out rental costs vs ownership costs, easy to figure if you know what you want to buy and how much it will set you back, based on intended use and see where it lands.
Then afte you know the objective info you can make the subjective determinations involving whether you "want" or don't want to own a rv.

[rockhillmanor]

kenrhilbert wrote:
A lot of your comments have been very helpful. I would like to clarify my question regarding the amount of trips or miles driven. When I owned the airplane, the rule was you needed to fly at least 100 hours per year. This is because less means the airplane is sitting to long. So I am looking for a similar rule....

Planes and MH's can not be compared. Apples to Oranges. I owned a plane also and the way you use/store them are not the same.

You can let a MH sit as long as you want paying payments on something you don't use which seems foolish AND the longer you let a MH sit the more rust will occur on the exhaust system, steering mechanisms, calipers, etc.

A MH parked permanently in one place or left sitting long periods of time is the kiss of death. I would buy a MH with 78,000 miles that was driven regularly, before I would ever buy a MH with 10,000 miles on that has been left sitting and not driven.

[Artum_Snowbird]

I had a good look at both of them on the site. A couple of things to be aware of 1) The super wide screen TV's don't look so wide with regular programming. 2) The lack of an oven just doesn't work for us. You either have to have your generator going, or be in a plug in site to cook other than stove top. 3) The shortage of counter space is really obvious. If you plan on preparing meals in there, you will really miss having more space. 4) The round sink instead of a double sink seems OK, but there is no where to put drying dishes if the space is already taken up with dirty dishes. 5) The twin/king bed arrangement is OK, but you might find you like the bathroom size on some of the other models better. 6) Choosing between a dinette and a sofa is a real tough choice. The dinette, if it's large enough for four, is nice for company visits, but the sofa is more comfortable for relaxing for two.

Hope that helps a bit.

[kenrhilbert]

A lot of your comments have been very helpful. I would like to clarify my question regarding the amount of trips or miles driven. When I owned the airplane, the rule was you needed to fly at least 100 hours per year. This is because less means the airplane is sitting to long. So I am looking for a similar rule.

Also regarding the Thor, looking at a used 2014 version. Wife likes the size as she feels can handle it, also like the layout and the king size bed. So I would like to here about any issues regarding the models either Axis or Vegas. Good and bad.

[rockhillmanor]

It's a personal preference wether you like to stay in motels or not when traveling.

But from a financial side of it if you only get out once or twice a year for a trip it sure is not a wise financial decision to have it just sitting in the driveway 98% of the time. RV's do not hold their value. AND they do not fair well just sitting.

If you are a big sight seeing couple you would most likely also want to add a toad to take along too. So that's something to keep in mind that adds to the cost of buying an RV.

Gotta tell you the day I pulled into a CG down in Florida on my winter trip down there and saw that many CG's have some very nice cabins they rent out.....made me wish I hadn't bought the MH.

Those people that rented had a real nice little house to stay in with lawn, driveway, etc and experiencing the CG same as I was, but at a MUCH lower cost than my expenses of the MH, tiny CG site and paying a lot more for it! :W

[tatest]

There is usually no value in it beyond the enjoyment you get from the lifestyle. Full-timers or snowbirds who live in their RVs without moving very often get the most payback, it replaces a house.

If you don't use it much, the fixed costs of ownership, particularly depreciation and the lost earnings on the money (or interest to borrow the money) can push the real cost per day of use very high. This you would know from aircraft ownership, except that RV depreciation probably hits a lot harder.

If you are constantly moving, more than 300 miles a day, the added cost of fuel (compared to more efficient vehicles) starts negate whatever savings you might achieve renting campsites vs paying for good hotel rooms.

Where these numbers fall depend on how much money you tie up in the thing to start with. Depreciation starting at $300,000 eats away at value a lot faster than depreciation starting at $50,000, although the rates may be the same.

[Tom_Barb]

kenrhilbert wrote:
Recently looked at a Thor Vegas and both my wife and I like what we saw. Right size for the two of us and our dog.

For that kind of money you can buy a quality Diesel pusher of the 2005 vintage.

[Tyler0215]

I read once that a boat is a hole in the water you pour money into. An RV is the same without the water. Own it because of the experience, not to save money.