Roadtrip by car vs RV, a couple of thoughts...

[Desert_Captain]

We just returned from a 1,000+ mile 5 day trip from our home in Payson Arizona to San Diego. We combined an important business meeting with the opportunity to visit our daughter and SIL along with 8 of our best friends.

San Diego is one of the least friendly RV destination in the country. Parking restrictions and a expensive RV parks along with southern California traffic makes it less than ideal. Consequently we left the 24' Class C at home and enjoyed the 24 mpg of our Honda Ridgeline vs 9.5 of the coach. Full disclosure: I drive a bit faster in the Honda than our coach. :B

The first night we stayed with our friends in north county {Vista} ironically utilizing the master bedroom of their 40' DP as guest quarters. We enjoyed a great dinner with them and had a blast reconnecting as we had not gotten together in more than a year.

The next day we drove down to San Diego and checked into the Bay Club Hotel on Shelter Island. It is a very nice hotel and you can't beat the location overlooking the marina. Our room was $574 for 3 nights which with the fuel savings figured in and the cost of local RV parks enabled us to just about break even.

Food was a different story... Naturally we were eating out for nearly every meal and the costs added up quickly. We took the opportunity of being in our former home town to hit several of our old favorite restaurants. It's difficult to eat as healthy as we are accustomed in our coach when dining out but it was fun to just relax and enjoy. I was more than a little shocked at how high the cost of dining out had gotten as we don't do it often.

Bottom line... any fleeting/foolish thoughts about selling ther coach have disappeared into the spaceship along with Jimmy Hoffa's body {we get offers almost once a month as folks drive by and see the motorhome in the driveway}. I enjoy doing all of the cooking including when traveling in the RV where we do virtually all of our eating/imbibing in the coach saving serious dollars. While the hotel was awesome we really prefer to sleeping our own bed etc. and after 9+years and 74,000 miles have out pretty well gotten the coach dialed in.

Another factor for us is our habit of usually towing our 10' cargo trailer hauling either the Can Am Spyder or your Rzr SXS depending the destination and the nature of the fun we have planned. This drops the mileage to about 8.5 but we usually stay off the grid or in inexpensive CG's.

We had a great time in San Diego but it reinforced our enjoyment of taking the motorhome as we will continue to do. Coming up... Quartzite for the RV Show towing the Rzr {we'll camp out at Sadden Wash} followed in February by Payson to Pahrump NV towing the Can AM. From the Lakeside RV Park we will day ride the Can Am to explore Death Valley.

:C

[pbeverly]

I think eating out is far more expensive than cooking for yourself. We can cook a great meal outselves far cheaper than going to a restaraunt.

When we go to a restaraunt at home or while camping it is more about taking a break from coooking than saving money.

[dieseltruckdriv]

Last October we took a 10 day 1700 mile trip to see family. I had made a spreadsheet a few years ago that let's me plug in miles, hotel cost, campground cost, fuel cost etc. and I figured it cost us $100 extra at $5 a gallon diesel prices to sleep in our own bed every night.

I don't include food because you have to eat anyway, and we might find a place we want to eat at instead of cooking in the 5er.

For us the 5er is our preferred way to go, but if you want to stay in a motel it's nearly equal cost.

[way2roll]

I never looked at RV'ing from a cost comparative perspective. Mainly because the actual cost and cost of ownership of the RV heavily weights the comparison. We RV for a million reasons not the least of which is the ability to travel in ultimate comfort. I mean, it's a rolling apartment complete with everything at your disposal en'route. Never mind your own sheets, towels, bed, food and completely self contained. I dislike sleeping in a bed that thousands have used before me. I don't like the cleaning chemicals used in hotels and the fact that they probably aren't really that clean anyway. And lastly, the freedom. I can take my rolling apartment literally anywhere, and if I get stuck in a traffic jam along the way, who cares? RV'ing is a lifestyle, not a financial decision.

[time2roll]

Five days and 1,000 miles? I'm in an airplane.

[valhalla360]

BB_TX wrote:
Never tried to justify costs of one over the other for any given trip.

Learned our lesson years ago with a cheap weekend in Vegas that wound up costing 4 times what we expected when all was done and said because we didn't take the time to price out all the misc costs.

Now we do a quick calculation when comparing travel options including most of the misc stuff (gas, meals, entrance fees, parking, local transport, etc...). We don't always take the cheapest option but we have a good idea of what it's going to cost us ahead of time. We have a simple spreadsheet that helps us remember most of the costs to check.

Budgeting and planning allowed us to semi-retire at 37 (work part time while traveling 80-90% of the time) and fully retired last month at 52. Tracking the costs is well worth it for us.

Example: In April, we are flying back into Michigan from overseas for a few days to take care of some personal stuff. Then we need to get to Montana to pick up the RV before heading north to Alaska.
- Flights into Detroit were running $800. Chicago was running $600 but we would have to drive an hour further to get to our destination (mid-Michigan). For $400 savings, well worth it.
- Departing Michigan, tickets to Montana were running $450. On a whim checked Amtrak and for $600 we get a roomette. Costs more but saves us a hotel night cost and we have some heavy stuff that would be require an extra baggage fee with the airlines. Still probably a little more costly but also a bit of an experience since time is not pressing.

[Mayor30]

You can get significant savings on campgrounds if you have the Federal Senior Pass if you're 62 or older. We stayed in your hometown of Payson at Houston Mesa Campground for $12 a night with the pass. We also stayed at Canyon Point,a Forest Service campground on 260 for $19 a night with electric. We usually go to Texas from Pa every year and one Federal Campground in Arkansas is only $7.50 a night with water and electric. Then we stay at Canyon Lake which is north of San Antonio for $19 a night with water and electric and we are lakeside. Like you we do most of our own cooking. For the trip,my wife makes meals you can freeze and then thaw out in the microwave. She makes pot pie, shepards pie,ham and string beans,lasgna and other things like that. Hotels,especialyy good ones are expensive.And like you said,eating out has gone up alot in the past year.So we spend more on fuel,but save on food and overnight stays. We feel it is worth it to sleep in our own bed and use our own bathroom.

[LMHS]

I think that how much using a camper costs vs flying has far too many variables to just make a blanket statement. Sounds more like some are trying to validate having a camper while others are trying to validate the decision to get rid of it.


So you people are flying with your dogs? I've never tried that. I don't think the dog would tolerate that. I'm not sure a planeload of people would enjoy listening to her sing the ancient dirges of her people (aka "rooing"). She has a lovely singing voice that carries well... just ask her.

"Paid for" used (cheap) slide in truck camper + "paid for" used pickup truck + a few fairly cheap modifications (to allow parking overnight in parking lots) = cost of fuel to travel. Also it's 3 hours to a major airport on one end of the flight and 1 hour on the other end to visit family (requires a car rental on the destination end) + hotel room + eating every meal out. I know what it costs for the same trip taken in the truck camper (2022).

In Feb, I'll find out what it will cost to make the same trip in a plane (both my daughters cooped up in a plane together, then cooped up together in a rental, for 3 days). And there's also the 3 hours worth of gas in my Jeep to and from the major city with the major airport. I'm losing my jeep for 5 days because it's 4WD and the roads in winter are unpredictable. I'm the lucky one, I get to stay home with a dog that will be freaked out because her "mummy" is gone.

Basically the cost of allowing the dog to go traveling in comfort is priceless.

[Gjac]

valhalla360 wrote:
For short trips with lots of miles, leaving the RV behind often makes sense.
- You can travel faster.
- You buy less fuel.
- You are paying premium short stay rates for campgrounds.
- You are probably going to go out to eat several times anyway.

Reduce the miles or longer duration trips and it starts tilting back toward RV.

This has been my experience also. When I retired in 2004 I kept track of each trip we made on a spread sheet. Trips less than 3 days it was cheaper to take the car, longer than 3 days the RV was cheaper for me. 95% of my trips were dry camping no FHU campgrounds so this might factor into costs. My trips averaged from $67/day in the lower 48 states to $107/day for a 3 mo trip to Alaska. The biggest expense has always been fuel. Fuel to Alaska and back was about $5000 about 1/2 the cost of the total trip. However, by car and hotels where can you find a hotel for less than $100/day let alone eating out and fuel for the car. An RV trip is totally different experience, I had my bike, fishing rods and rubber raft with me, was able to stay inside the NP's and NFS campgrounds with the RV instead of trying to find a hotel outside and driving into the scenic areas. The trip up and staying at the NP's in the US and Canada was just as nice as the destination. Having said all that, we flew out to Las Vegas last Nov. for my nephew's wedding, rented a car and went to Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Sedona, visited friends in Snowflake and Phenix AZ and returned to LV to fly home. It was a good trip now that we are older, just not the same as taking the MH. I did not figure the cost, but it was much more than a MH trip.

[Matt_Colie]

Captain,
Thank you for the wonderful report with complete real cost breakdowns. While it substantially confirms what my numbers have told me, the thing you did not get into (which is a lot of our case) is that many of the places we have seen and enjoyed do not have any local accommodations.
As far as fly-drive, I have to admit that Hawai'i has a lock there.
Matt

[C_Schomer]

Older camping friends sold their truck/5er last summer and did car/motel trips with us. They like it just fine. the $$ is a wash, and it's getting me thinking, too. I bought my outfit, cash, at great prices, so I will keep it for awhile, but the camping duties are wearing on me. Craig

[ferndaleflyer]

We are over 80 and the DP never sits for long. Most trips are less than 1000mi because Mama thinks any more is "to far" for someone my age. But although we have been out west before I want to make another pass that way. Time will tell. This post opens some eyes. I hate motel/hotel stays. carry it in, pack it up and carry out every day and I like my own bed. If I go I just have to buy fuel, no matter.

[JIMNLIN]

Wife and I are over 80....We've done both over the years although the last few its more leaving the trailer at home and using a motel/eating out. Much easier for us....especially the wife as she does the cooking and I do the labor part.
Leaving the trailer at home allows us to stop any where along the road to see a local sight or a nice spot or place to eat. WE always carry a ice chest with eats/snacks/drinks for that purpose.

We're retired and live in the center of a beautiful 40 acres so no need to just get out a enjoy what nature offers. The trailer now gets used more for the grand kids/great grand kids when they visit.

I never try and justify the rv one way or the other. We've always enjoyed doing both.

[folivier]

Our story, after traveling for about 12 years in the motorhome we bought a cabin 1300 miles from our house. We leave in late May each year and spend 3+/- days traveling there in our Roadtrek 210P van. Then drive home in late Oct. or early Nov. Then in Jan. we drive the Tahoe to the cabin for a month or two.
It's much nicer traveling in the van, we can stand up and stretch, use the bathroom, fix lunch, and have our own beds. Occasionally if the weather's bad we'll stay in a hotel.
Interestingly we get the same fuel mileage in both. In the RT we're driving 64mph and the Tahoe we'll drive the speed limit. But the way our trip is it will take 3 days at either speed.
It generally costs less in the RT since we're not eating out and not staying in hotels.

[Lantley]

BB_TX wrote:
For those retired or unlimited time available, RVs certainly are generally preferable for trips short and long. For those still working, then RVs are great for shorter trips, or longer trips if available vacation days allow. But for those on limited days available and a desire to visit distant areas, then air and hotel makes more sense. Or maybe car and hotel if reachable in 2 long days. 3-4 days to reach a destination by RV and 3-4 days to return when you only have 10 days to 2 weeks open leaves little time to enjoy that destination. We always based our travel method on distance and available time before retirement, and many times afterward. And always enjoyed both. Never tried to justify costs of one over the other for any given trip.

This sort of says it all. Time permitting I'm taking the RV.
I am not retired so time is a factor.
I committed to the RV the day a bought it. The only way I get any value out of the RV is to use it. Leaving the RV parked is in of itself a lost money.
We all know RV travel has a cost, trying to avoid those cost defeats the point of owning an RV!
Choosing an alternative method to travel when you have the time to take the RV is always a mistake in my book. If you are retired time is on your side. While I understand we all have time restraints There is no need to rush back to retired life!
RV travel has never been the cheapest way, unless you ignore the cost of owning the RV.
However if you already own the RV the only way to maximize its value is to use it!

[BB_TX]

For those retired or unlimited time available, RVs certainly are generally preferable for trips short and long. For those still working, then RVs are great for shorter trips, or longer trips if available vacation days allow. But for those on limited days available and a desire to visit distant areas, then air and hotel makes more sense. Or maybe car and hotel if reachable in 2 long days. 3-4 days to reach a destination by RV and 3-4 days to return when you only have 10 days to 2 weeks open leaves little time to enjoy that destination. We always based our travel method on distance and available time before retirement, and many times afterward. And always enjoyed both. Never tried to justify costs of one over the other for any given trip.