Can 'O Worms: how long can I expect my 5er to last?

[joebedford]

My first 5er was a 2003 and I traded it for our current 2011 in 2011. The 2003 I didn't feel it was safe to haul down the road because the walls weren't square to the frame any more. The ramp on the TH was hard to close if the walls were leaning over.

My current TH is a 2011. That's 12 years old except it hasn't been used in over two years because of the pandemic.

I don't see any signs of leaning or twisting on this rig like the last one. The only -ve is that there's a lot of (surface) rust on the chassis and axles. Personally, I think it's safe for the highway.

I parked it in Florida over the summer three years ago but we brought it home a year later in March 2020 (again, because of the pandemic). We're hoping to leave it in FL again but we might have to bring it back. Dunno.

I know there are million answers to this question and some people will answer that their rig will last forever and others will say theirs was falling apart on the way home from the dealer.

What's the rule of thumb for how long a rig will last. I know many parks "don't allow" rigs over 10 years old.

[JimK-NY]

Lantley wrote:


It's took competition from Japan back in the 70's to force Americans to build a better car.

Part of the problem is people expect their RV to be as reliable and solid as a car and it is not.

I certainly agree with these points. Current RVs are built to very low standards. I would love to see a major shakeup in the industry which would likely take foreign competition.

I don't think it is at all unreasonable for buyers to expect RVs to have decent quality of construction and to be suitable for typical use.

[Lantley]

JimK-NY wrote:

Lantley wrote:

Go tothe service dept. of any car dealer and you will find lots of new vehicles that are broke.

If you maintain a well built car it will hold up and last 20 years easily.
The same can be said for an RV.

None of this matches my experience or the reports I hear from others. First most new cars are quite reliable and don't have any need for initial repairs. My wife and I have 2015 cars that have required only oil changes, replacement wiper blades and replacement batteries. My 2018 truck has had a couple of oil changes and nothing else. That does not seem to be the case for RVs. New RVs always seem to have a list of items that need to be fixed due to poor design or quality of construction.

RVs often die due to leaks and water intrusion. Many are so poorly built that the seams crack open and water finds its way inside to create havoc. It can be an endless battle. I have never heard of a car leaking because it got rained on. That is true of a new car and one that is 50 years old. I suppose it is possible for a sun roof in a car to leak. That has never happened to me and I would not expect such a leak to destroy the whole car or result in major structural repairs.

A car typically is used daily and can run up hundreds of thousands of miles before it wears out. Most RVs only have some occasional use and still fall apart typically within 10 years or so. There is just no comparison with the quality of design, construction and overall longevity. I cannot imagine buying a car and finding it came with some cheap, Chinese tires that had a history of blowouts. I cannot imagine the need to inspect and caulk the car at least every year. I cannot imagine buying a car only to find that even empty the suspension and tires were already close to maximum load capacity. Sadly that is very frequently the case for RVs and is not something most new buyers would even think about. I cannot imagine buying a car only to find that the trunk keys were the same on every vehicle and the doors could easily be pried open with a screwdriver. I cannot imagine buying a car with plastic windows that are likely to leak and scratch if you look at them sideways.

I will agree that there are more pitfalls in the RV world.
I also agree the RV world preys on new unsuspecting inexperienced buyers.
That said lemon laws exist for a reason.
There are also mandatory recalls, the air bag recalls come to mind.
My point is the auto world is far from perfect.
It's took competition from Japan back in the 70's to force Americans to build a better car.
There is also more regulation on the auto industry vs. the RV industry.
Part of the problem is people expect their RV to be as reliable and solid as a car and it is not. They expect the RV industry to treat the consumer like the auto industry.
RV buyers are simply not aware of the policies and requirements of the RV world.
In the end many RV's lack required maintenance, are overloaded and simply fall apert due to lack of quality control and lack of maintenance.
Ultimately the consumers need to have a better understanding of the RV world and what is required of RV ownership.
The consumer also needs to put more presure on the RV industry by demanding tougher legislation and using class action suits to hold the industry more accounable.
Until then preventative maintenance, keen awareness, and moderate DIY skills and knowledge is key to keeping an RV on the road for 10-15 years or more.

[ReneeG]

To quote Oscar Wilde, "to know the price of everything and the value of nothing". To be so materialistic that one is unable to gauge or recognize something's true value.

For us, we don't care how old our unit is as long as it is in good shape and provides value for us. It's paid for, we can fix almost anything on it ourselves. By the time we have to sell it, it won't matter what we get out of it because the return on investment already has outweighed the initial investment.

[JimK-NY]

Lantley wrote:

Go tothe service dept. of any car dealer and you will find lots of new vehicles that are broke.

If you maintain a well built car it will hold up and last 20 years easily.
The same can be said for an RV.

None of this matches my experience or the reports I hear from others. First most new cars are quite reliable and don't have any need for initial repairs. My wife and I have 2015 cars that have required only oil changes, replacement wiper blades and replacement batteries. My 2018 truck has had a couple of oil changes and nothing else. That does not seem to be the case for RVs. New RVs always seem to have a list of items that need to be fixed due to poor design or quality of construction.

RVs often die due to leaks and water intrusion. Many are so poorly built that the seams crack open and water finds its way inside to create havoc. It can be an endless battle. I have never heard of a car leaking because it got rained on. That is true of a new car and one that is 50 years old. I suppose it is possible for a sun roof in a car to leak. That has never happened to me and I would not expect such a leak to destroy the whole car or result in major structural repairs.

A car typically is used daily and can run up hundreds of thousands of miles before it wears out. Most RVs only have some occasional use and still fall apart typically within 10 years or so. There is just no comparison with the quality of design, construction and overall longevity. I cannot imagine buying a car and finding it came with some cheap, Chinese tires that had a history of blowouts. I cannot imagine the need to inspect and caulk the car at least every year. I cannot imagine buying a car only to find that even empty the suspension and tires were already close to maximum load capacity. Sadly that is very frequently the case for RVs and is not something most new buyers would even think about. I cannot imagine buying a car only to find that the trunk keys were the same on every vehicle and the doors could easily be pried open with a screwdriver. I cannot imagine buying a car with plastic windows that are likely to leak and scratch if you look at them sideways.

[Samsonsworld]

Sure glad you aren't in charge of my finances.

[ktmrfs]

Lantley wrote:

Samsonsworld wrote:
Nobody wants my advice but I'll give it anyway.

Don't buy $60-80k rvs. The more you spend, the more you'll lose. It's like investing in a mobile home. It's generally a bad idea. If you have it to blow....more power to you.

There are bargain models out there, that are cheaper and sell better used, especially if they can be towed with smaller vehicles.

I don't care how well you maintain your 20 yo trailer...nobody wants to buy it except maybe for a deer lease. You won't get a lot of money. Then you get hit with the price of a new one with little to put down from the old. Sell 7-10 yo imo, depending how much you like your unit. Or keep it forever and good luck!

I'm not really concerned with resale value on my unit. I'm more concerned with using the unit myself.
The only way to get value out of any RV is to use it.
If I can use my unit for 15-20 years I am getting good value out of it.
I am at the 10 year point but I am a long way from being done with my unit. I figure I have at least another 5 years to go.
Getting a lot of money for it when I'm done with it is not a priority for me. Using it for a long long time is the priority.
When I get ready to buy again it will most likely be new and factory ordered. With the options I want in the colors I want.
I will not be looking fora bargain unit that is made to someone elses liking. The wrong unit is not a bargain at any price.
My plan will be to keep that unit forever, long enough that resale is a low priority. Again I buy my rigs to use fully and frequently vs. being concerned with resale.
As long as I'm using my RV i am getting full value out of it.

Exactly!!!! Why would I sell a trailer that fits my needs well, is in good shape, does what we want, especially since we have found NONE that would be an equal replacement, let alone a step up. Lots of fancy stuff but not the 3 sided open window view we get, the large grey, black, galley and fresh tanks, and other stuff that is important. I could care less what the sale value of it is.

[Lantley]

Samsonsworld wrote:
Nobody wants my advice but I'll give it anyway.

Don't buy $60-80k rvs. The more you spend, the more you'll lose. It's like investing in a mobile home. It's generally a bad idea. If you have it to blow....more power to you.

There are bargain models out there, that are cheaper and sell better used, especially if they can be towed with smaller vehicles.

I don't care how well you maintain your 20 yo trailer...nobody wants to buy it except maybe for a deer lease. You won't get a lot of money. Then you get hit with the price of a new one with little to put down from the old. Sell 7-10 yo imo, depending how much you like your unit. Or keep it forever and good luck!

I'm not really concerned with resale value on my unit. I'm more concerned with using the unit myself.
The only way to get value out of any RV is to use it.
If I can use my unit for 15-20 years I am getting good value out of it.
I am at the 10 year point but I am a long way from being done with my unit. I figure I have at least another 5 years to go.
Getting a lot of money for it when I'm done with it is not a priority for me. Using it for a long long time is the priority.
When I get ready to buy again it will most likely be new and factory ordered. With the options I want in the colors I want.
I will not be looking fora bargain unit that is made to someone elses liking. The wrong unit is not a bargain at any price.
My plan will be to keep that unit forever, long enough that resale is a low priority. Again I buy my rigs to use fully and frequently vs. being concerned with resale.
As long as I'm using my RV i am getting full value out of it.

[Samsonsworld]

Nobody wants my advice but I'll give it anyway.

Don't buy $60-80k rvs. The more you spend, the more you'll lose. It's like investing in a mobile home. It's generally a bad idea. If you have it to blow....more power to you.

There are bargain models out there, that are cheaper and sell better used, especially if they can be towed with smaller vehicles.

I don't care how well you maintain your 20 yo trailer...nobody wants to buy it except maybe for a deer lease. You won't get a lot of money. Then you get hit with the price of a new one with little to put down from the old. Sell 7-10 yo imo, depending how much you like your unit. Or keep it forever and good luck!

[Samsonsworld]

Lantley wrote:

Go tothe service dept. of any car dealer and you will find lots of new vehicles that are broke.
Newness does not equate to reliabilty. I have a 2003 car that is very reliable. I would not hesistate to drive it anywhere.
It has a proven track record and has been bulet proof so far.
If you maintain a well built car it will hold up and last 20 years easily.
The same can be said for an RV. My RV is 10 years old and while the paint is dull because the clear coat has worn, the RV still has lots of life in it. Keep in mind the clear coat was a poor quality RV finish that simply did not hold up.
Again maintenance is the key, Had I done no caulking or no leak fixing my bRV would have been toast years ago.
But with constant diligence and preventive maintenance it has lasted this long.
The question is do I dump 20K into it at some point to refurbish the entire thing or do I spend 60-80K on a new one?

Buy new. Thought that's what I already said.

[Lantley]

Samsonsworld wrote:
I don't want a 10 y/o car either. You might win the bet. I sincerely hope everything works out to your favor, if that's what you choose to do. BUT the older something gets, the more the odds are against you. You have a higher risk of substantial repair costs. It's just a fact of life. Things get old and break.

Go tothe service dept. of any car dealer and you will find lots of new vehicles that are broke.
Newness does not equate to reliabilty. I have a 2003 car that is very reliable. I would not hesistate to drive it anywhere.
It has a proven track record and has been bulet proof so far.
If you maintain a well built car it will hold up and last 20 years easily.
The same can be said for an RV. My RV is 10 years old and while the paint is dull because the clear coat has worn, the RV still has lots of life in it. Keep in mind the clear coat was a poor quality RV finish that simply did not hold up.
Again maintenance is the key, Had I done no caulking or no leak fixing my bRV would have been toast years ago.
But with constant diligence and preventive maintenance it has lasted this long.
The question is do I dump 20K into it at some point to refurbish the entire thing or do I spend 60-80K on a new one?

[ReneeG]

We have a 2011 Heartland Bighorn purchased new in 2010. It was solid then and is solid now. Yes, we've done maintenance on it including replacing the decals with new acrylic ones, replaced the awning, replaced the slide out awnnigs, and fenders. We had to restring a couple of day/night shades. Roof is still good as are the appliances, and do annual maintenance on the wheels, tires (by inspecting them and replacing when necessary), and maintenance on the suspension. It still looks **** good. Don't plan on getting rid of it yet and won't until we are so old we can't hook it up and shouldn't be towing it due to our age.

[time2roll]

joebedford wrote:
OP here: my 5er is 11.5 years old and my truck is 11 y.o. I'm beginning to wonder about my 5er but my truck is practically brand new.

My entry level wood framed Springdale is 17yo and the truck is 21yo. Complete faith in both to go cross country. No issues that can't be fixed and they don't owe me a dime. I expect to trade maybe 5 to 10 more years. Not giving any money away unless absolutely needed.

[dodge_guy]

Not using it is worse than using it!

[joebedford]

OP here: my 5er is 11.5 years old and my truck is 11 y.o. I'm beginning to wonder about my 5er but my truck is practically brand new.

[Samsonsworld]

I don't want a 10 y/o car either. You might win the bet. I sincerely hope everything works out to your favor, if that's what you choose to do. BUT the older something gets, the more the odds are against you. You have a higher risk of substantial repair costs. It's just a fact of life. Things get old and break.