Motorhome purchase? Pros/Cons!

[REWahoo]

Originally Posted by ProspectiveBum

For those of you who don't RV full-time, where do you store those beasts? RVing appeals to me, but my HOA regs prevent me from parking one on the street in front of my house.

Our HOA allows parking recreational vehicles (boats, travel trailers, etc.) beside or behind the house along as it is out of view of the street. Lots in the subdivision are 3-5 acres in size, so it isn't usually a problem.

Originally Posted by ProspectiveBum

Maybe we'll have to look into one of the smaller Sprinter-based units, or a trailer that could fit in the garage...

The Sprinter-based units have a lot of appeal but pay close attention to the cargo carrying capability of your unit. We saw some which after loaded with fuel and water were within a couple of hundred pounds of being maxed out on weight. Once you, your SO and some groceries were loaded on board you were over the limit for the chassis. Not good...

Maybe Rich will chime in on his Trailmaster travel trailer. We're in a RV park right now in the mountains of New Mexico parked next to one of those models and it looks really neat.

(Sorry Milton, not a scrubby, lawn chair sitting, overweight, smoking, junk food eating American in sight )

[samclem]

Originally Posted by REWahoo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Milton
Personally, I don't 'get' the RV lifestyle. Based upon this article [globeandmail.com: The end of the road], it seems to consist of obese elderly people driving gas-guzzling behemoths 'rigs' from scrubby trailer park to distant scrubby trailer park (with perhaps a few overnight stops at empty Walmart parking lots en route), where they plunk down their oversized persons in lawn chairs and smoke and consume junk food. To each their own, I guess.

Brings to mind another quote.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Milton
Ignorance of other cultures is regrettable. Boastful ignorance is shameful.

Dang! That's gonna leave a mark!

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by ProspectiveBum

For those of you who don't RV full-time, where do you store those beasts? RVing appeals to me, but my HOA regs prevent me from parking one on the street in front of my house.

Maybe we'll have to look into one of the smaller Sprinter-based units, or a trailer that could fit in the garage...

Yes, a big problem for city dwellers. You can rent space ranging from $100 per month (security fenced lot) to $280 (indoor with hookups). Sprinters are fine but very small - we traded ours in on a larger trailer.

Our ultimate solution is to store this in our driveway under a tarp. We have a 2008 3124KS. Love it - tow it with a Toyota Sequoia.

P.S.
At the moment we are parked in REW's driveway (he's away) and are using his bathrooms, kitchen and air conditioning. Only thing missing is a sewer hookup, but with that big yard of his we figure he'll never notice if we dump the black tank far enough from his house. This is our best RV trip ever. I love America.

[Jarhead*]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

P.S.
At the moment we are parked in REW's driveway (he's away) and are using his bathrooms, kitchen and air conditioning. Only thing missing is a sewer hookup, but with that big yard of his we figure he'll never notice if we dump the black tank far enough from his house. This is our best RV trip ever. I love America.

[whitestick]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

At the moment we are parked in REW's driveway (he's away) and are using his bathrooms, kitchen and air conditioning. Only thing missing is a sewer hookup, but with that big yard of his we figure he'll never notice if we dump the black tank far enough from his house. This is our best RV trip ever. I love America.

Just be careful when dumping and watch out for the snakes, chiggers, and fire ants in that back yard.

[ProspectiveBum]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

Our ultimate solution is to store this in our driveway under a tarp. We have a 2008 3124KS. Love it - tow it with a Toyota Sequoia.

That looks really nice. My current SUV could probably tow it, too. Hmm, I wonder if it would fit in the garage? Probably so, since I'd imagine it's not much wider than a typical SUV.

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

P.S.
At the moment we are parked in REW's driveway (he's away) and are using his bathrooms, kitchen and air conditioning. Only thing missing is a sewer hookup, but with that big yard of his we figure he'll never notice if we dump the black tank far enough from his house. This is our best RV trip ever. I love America.

LOL!

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by ProspectiveBum

That looks really nice. My current SUV could probably tow it, too. Hmm, I wonder if it would fit in the garage? Probably so, since I'd imagine it's not much wider than a typical SUV.

Yes, some models fit into standard garages. In fact, most do. Mine is one of the larger models so it's in the driveway. Very ingenious when you see how it folds up and down using a tortion bar. A 1-person, 15 minute chore at most.

[Marquette]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

P.S.
At the moment we are parked in REW's driveway (he's away) and are using his bathrooms, kitchen and air conditioning. Only thing missing is a sewer hookup, but with that big yard of his we figure he'll never notice if we dump the black tank far enough from his house. This is our best RV trip ever. I love America.

If you were retired, I'd probably believe you.

[REWahoo]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

At the moment we are parked in REW's driveway (he's away) and are using his bathrooms, kitchen and air conditioning. Only thing missing is a sewer hookup, but with that big yard of his we figure he'll never notice if we dump the black tank far enough from his house. This is our best RV trip ever. I love America.

Man oh man. I almost choked on my Big Mac Double Cheeseburger and fell out of my doublewide lawn chair when I read this!

[audreyh1]

Originally Posted by Milton

Minimal footprint and maximum contact with the surroundings. E.g., kiyaking, canoeing, hiking, and bicyling would all qualify (hunting, power boating, bus touring, etc. would not).

I bet my lifestyle footprint is smaller than yours since I don't own or live in a house.

Audrey

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

At the moment we are parked in REW's driveway (he's away) and are using his bathrooms, kitchen and air conditioning. Only thing missing is a sewer hookup, but with that big yard of his we figure he'll never notice if we dump the black tank far enough from his house. This is our best RV trip ever. I love America.

Originally Posted by whitestick

Just be careful when dumping and watch out for the snakes, chiggers, and fire ants in that back yard.

Originally Posted by REWahoo

Man oh man. I almost choked on my Big Mac Double Cheeseburger and fell out of my doublewide lawn chair when I read this!

Dang, REWahoo, what a thoughtful environmental steward you are. I never imagined that you'd find a way to keep the rattlers, chiggers, & fire ants fed & entertained while you were gone...

You're gonna have have to PM Rich the combination to the gun safe so that he can set up a little pork BBQ for your return.

[SteveR]

Before we moved down here we had to store the motorhome. Now we have it safe and sound in the backyard. I can use the savings in storage fees to pay for more fuel.

Here is a shot of the backyard.

And like Audrey said; we don't have a ratty trailer; have only been in a few really run down RV parks; don't stay at WalMart but have stayed in a few truck stops. We aren't all that overweight (DW is underweight) and while we aren't able to do very active things due to her disability, we still get out and do things besides vegetating in a zero gravity recliner with a bratwurst in one hand and a Bud in the other. Not that there is anything wrong with brats in small doses. Bud is a beverage that resembles beer but is not real beer. You don't put corn and rice in real beer.

Oh, our next trip starts in 2 weeks. We have some medical visits up North and will combine those with several campground and RV park visits including a drive over the Cascades to a RV Resort at Newport, OR. Not exactly trailer trash traveling.

I don't apologize for my chosen lifestyle. We traded up from a mountain cabin with one view to a mobile one with unlimited views. The living space is almost the same but the views are whatever we want them to be and with a 8 foot by 5 foot windsheild...that makes one nice picture window.

[Rambler]

Nice rig! Nice pool! Nice view! Nice shade!

[Billy]

I apologize if this information has already been posted.

Rving continues to be less expensive as a vacation choice than those of staying in hotels and eating out.

See Road Trip

And RVIA

As a lifestyle footprint I agree with Audrey. It was our experience that, overall, we consumed less and impacted the environment less than those who lived in a brick and mortar home owning 2 cars, having pets, and driving to and from work each day.

As a lifestyle, RVing gives great choice.

Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement

[73ss454]

Wow Steve, I was going to ask what resort you were staying at till I read your message.

[Martha]

Steve, ya up for a party?

[HFWR]

Originally Posted by Martha

Steve, ya up for a party?

This could get ugly...

[haha]

This thread is titled Pros and Cons of Motorhome Purchase. But is seems that most posts are definitely pro. Motor home buyers must be a very satisfied lot.

Ha