โMay-09-2018 01:08 PM
โMay-12-2018 07:35 AM
toedtoes wrote:Grit dog wrote:
As funny as the 6 year rule is, antique RVs are functional, if thatโs what the budget allows, but not too many drive 40 year old vehicles around because theyโre better than newer ones (unless youโre talking 20-30 years old, then Iโd take a 40).
I didn't say "better", I said "better construction". The molded fiberglass design means there are no corner/edge seams to weaken or leak. Doesn't delaminate. And the manufacture didn't cut corners on quality parts or workmanship.
To find a small class C motorhome with the build quality of the American Clippers is nigh on impossible.
โMay-12-2018 07:24 AM
โMay-11-2018 10:50 PM
โMay-11-2018 05:54 PM
โMay-11-2018 05:48 PM
Grit dog wrote:
As funny as the 6 year rule is, antique RVs are functional, if thatโs what the budget allows, but not too many drive 40 year old vehicles around because theyโre better than newer ones (unless youโre talking 20-30 years old, then Iโd take a 40).
โMay-11-2018 05:00 PM
โMay-11-2018 06:59 AM
โMay-10-2018 02:00 PM
โMay-10-2018 12:22 PM
Lantley wrote:toedtoes wrote:Lantley wrote:
I don't believe in the 6 year rule. But there is some sort of age rule out there.
Maybe it's more like 10 or 12. At some point the RV wears thin and needs some upgrading. While it may remain functional for the most part, the interior becomes dated and the resale value plummets.
Maybe it's different for every rig. But there is a point where selling an upgrading is more beneficial than holding on to it until the wheels fall off and its value erodes to almost nothing.
How many rigs do we see that have rotted away that should have been sold when they had some value remaining.
I'm not sure I agree with this. If you aren't using it, then selling it instead of letting it rot is a good thing. But if you use it and maintain it as much as possible, why not run it to the ground.
The money I have put into my 42 year old clipper is far less than I would have put into buying something much newer and I plan on using it until its in pieces. Who cares about getting any monetary value out of it, I'm getting a much better value by keeping and using it.
Running it into the ground will result in an RV with zero /minimal resale value because the RV is 42 years old and worn out vs. selling that RV when it has 5-10K worth of resale value remaining.
There is a point of no return when the RV is only valuable to the owner.For the most part this is OK as long as the RV is being used it is providing its full value even if its book value is close to zero.
There is a balancing act between selling and keeping. Maintenance required to keep the old one viable vs. getting a fresher updated model. I don't think it is as simple as keep it to the wheels fall off.It is possible to put too much money into a tired worn out RV vs. throwing in the towel and getting something newer/in better shape.
In the end there is no date or amount of years that will determine the time to sell/trade. Condition of the RV,the desire and ability to use RV will be bigger factors.
โMay-10-2018 11:31 AM
โMay-10-2018 11:11 AM
โMay-10-2018 10:51 AM
Lantley wrote:
don't think the next RV impacts the equation.
Your 2005 is now 12 years old with lots of life in it I agree I have a 2007 truck that I am fond of. However as it ages and wears its value will deteriorate as it becomes old and worn. By 2025 it will be 20 years old and sort of worn out , much in the way you are not interested in buying a 1997 model year today.
It's more about the value of your current RV.
I understand you have no motivation or desire to sell /trade your current unit. But if you continue to play the RV game you will eventually upgrade due to the wear and tear on your current unit.
They just don't last forever!
When that time comes you will choose from what is available at the time in your price range.
While there is no six year rule, there should a thought to sell your RV while it still has some value vs. taking it to the grave or spending too much to keep it viable.
Do you put a new $5k rubber roof on an RV that is worth $6K, those are the decisions we all want to avoid.
โMay-10-2018 10:47 AM
โMay-10-2018 10:28 AM
pnichols wrote:
All the above discussions regarding the negatives of keeping an RV "too long" assume one thing - that when looking for a replacement one can find a replacement that equals or beats what is being replaced, value-wise.
For example, from an absolute perspective ... sure I could buy a 2018 Coach House that does everything our 2005 Itasca does (except for the Coach House having smaller tanks), but I'd have to lay out 3X what I paid for the Itasca (maybe only 2.5X when adjusted for inflation). Does it make any kind of non-emotional economic sense for me to do that ... none at all.
There is one caveat however: For motorized RVs the chassis still has to be maintainable, parts-wise and service-wise as the years pass by. This is not so much of a concern with towable RVs.
โMay-10-2018 10:06 AM