Motorhome!

[NW-Bound]

... In fact if I take much longer, I may eventually decide that I've read so much about RV'ing that I don't need to do it - but I don't think so ...

Just get yourself one within your price range (the lower the better, as I think of the vehicle as the means and not the end in itself), and hit the road.

After the first few nights, you will see that all that indecision was for naught.

 

[Eder]

Eder - your beautiful rig looks about the same size (or even bigger) than the rented accomodation I'm living in now!

Thanks...it is the size of large hotel rooms but better amenities...eg...the mini bar is fully stocked and free!

 

[REWahoo]

After the first few nights, you will see that all that indecision was for naught.

So many parallels to retirement it's downright scary...

 

[NW-Bound]

Oh, I have retired many times. On and off for the last 7 years. No indecision there!

 

[SarahW]

Just get yourself one within your price range (the lower the better, as I think of the vehicle as the means and not the end in itself), and hit the road.

After the first few nights, you will see that all that indecision was for naught.

^^ This. A wise man once said, "There are two types of RVs; those that leak and those that are going to leak." IMO, the living area is the most important consideration. I'm big on the comfort factor.

 

[NW-Bound]

Talk about comfort factor, I have slept in a tent only two nights in my life, and that was enough. Even a small RV is a lot more comfortable, and having the bathroom right there means a lot to a semi-geezer who needs to get up once or twice a night.

I really like small RVs myself. I feel like a kid in a tree house. I might change my mind if I were to live in an RV full-time, which is unlikely for me because I have a lot of "stuff" I want to keep. But for road trips, the 25' class C has been working out great for us. We almost bought a larger 29', and both my wife and I now agree that it would be too big for us. In the future, I may downsize to a class B so that I will not need the toad.

 

[seraphim]

We drive a Class B, and occasionally pull our 78 super Beetle Cabriolet. We've considered larger, but feel if we got something too homey, we'd spend all our time inside the unit. If we were going to do that, might as well stay home. We like to be outside and ride our 'bent (recumbent) bikes.

http://bentfalcon.wordpress.com/

 

[SarahW]

Talk about comfort factor, I have slept in a tent only two nights in my life, and that was enough. Even a small RV is a lot more comfortable, and having the bathroom right there means a lot to a semi-geezer who needs to get up once or twice a night.

I really like small RVs myself. I feel like a kid in a tree house. I might change my mind if I were to live in an RV full-time, which is unlikely for me because I have a lot of "stuff" I want to keep. But for road trips, the 25' class C has been working out great for us. We almost bought a larger 29', and both my wife and I now agree that it would be too big for us. In the future, I may downsize to a class B so that I will not need the toad.

We started out looking at Class Cs, and it was almost a toss-up when we decided on the Bounder. I could tell that my hubby really liked the layout of the Class A better. There are so many great choices. (And I'm with ya on the bathroom thing. )

 

[SarahW]

We drive a Class B, and occasionally pull our 78 super Beetle Cabriolet. We've considered larger, but feel if we got something too homey, we'd spend all our time inside the unit. If we were going to do that, might as well stay home. We like to be outside and ride our 'bent (recumbent) bikes.

http://bentfalcon.wordpress.com/

Yep, everyone seems to have their own preferences, so happily they built RVs to suit all! We are into comfort, because after hiking and sightseeing all day we love to kick back and relax. Love it!

 

[seraphim]

Yep, everyone seems to have their own preferences, so happily they built RVs to suit all! We are into comfort, because after hiking and sightseeing all day we love to kick back and relax. Love it!

Longest we've been out in our 19' B is about a month, and have never felt uncomfortable. With retirement looming, and the urge to take off for long periods of time, we've pretty much decided on a slightly longer unit, with a separate sleeping area; for when one wants to read and other wants to sleep. We've got our eye on a Lexington 283TS. Thre's a nice very lightly used one nearby. Didn't want to take a loan out just now, but...

 

[NW-Bound]

Larger RVs definitely provide more space for comfort for longer stays, while the smaller ones are great for mobility. It all depends on what one values more.

Of course the smaller ones have better gas mileage so won't hit one's pocket as hard for fuel fill-ups. Or is it that their sizes and gas mileage encourage one to drive more? Either way, when we go on a long summer trip, the fuel cost is the highest item in the expense list, and easily 2/3 of it. Out here in the "wild wild West", one drives several hundred miles just to get to the next town.

I think my next RV will be another small C or a B+, but with a diesel engine. No, make it a B so that I can take it to Europe later.

 

[travelover]

I've decided to join all you high rollers and big spenders and get my own RV.

 

[Major Tom]

I've decided to join all you high rollers and big spenders and get my own RV.

If the people who make Smart cars made a fully-contained RV, it would probably look a lot like this

 

[brewer12345]

I don't think our travel trailer is a whole lot bigger than that one.

 

[REWahoo]

The RV industry really works hard to appeal to all segments of the market. The big downturn led one company to introduce an RV for the homeless...

 

[NW-Bound]

I've decided to join all you high rollers and big spenders and get my own RV.

Cool! That little UHaul TT of yours looks like the Scamp TT. On the Web, some people say it's 10' while others say 13' long. The weight is around 1200lbs. A person says his even got an AC.

I wonder if a Smart car can pull this. It would be neat!

 

[NW-Bound]

If one wants to build his own motorhome, the following video from BBC provides 3 good examples.

There is an excellent clip at 0:30.

 

[travelover]

Cool! That little UHaul TT of yours looks like the Scamp TT. On the Web, some people say it's 10' while others say 13' long. The weight is around 1200lbs. A person says his even got an AC.

I wonder if a Smart car can pull this. It would be neat!

Yes, it was designed by UHaul to be towed by just about any car. Most of the molded fiberglass trailers like Scamp, Casita, Boler, etc have a 10 foot enclosure with a 3 foot tongue, thus the 10' vs 13' designation.

Mine came with the original swamp cooler rather than an AC, though many have added an AC unit, as it has a standard 14" vent mounting.

All UHauls also came with a 15 watt solar panel to keep the battery charged while on the rental lot. Kind of exotic for 1985.

 

[REWahoo]

If one wants to build his own motorhome, the following video from BBC provides 3 good examples.

This BBC motorhome video has more action...

 

[NW-Bound]

Travelover, the 15W solar panel collects plenty of juice during the day to run your LED light and then some. You should have left-over juice for Web surfing on your netbook or iPad.

Here's a micro travel trailer that has an AC, a toilet, a frig, a cooktop, a sink, and a double bed. Should I take something like this to Europe instead?

It seems like the fellow who made the above "Micro Camper" has gone out of business. It's a shame.

How about a little MH like this?

​

Look at all the little RVs in the background. Europeans do not use, nor have room for gigantic RVs like in the US. Well, I guess I can get a RoadTrek and join them. It would not be out-of-place.

Well, but then there's this American with a bicycle-towed RV!

 

[SarahW]

I've decided to join all you high rollers and big spenders and get my own RV.

That looks cool! Have you taken it on a trip yet? Any pics of the inside?

 

[travelover]

That looks cool! Have you taken it on a trip yet? Any pics of the inside?

Stove, sink and ice box on left, bunk beds at front, double bed that folds into a dinette at rear.

Maiden voyage is in June when DW finishes school. Right now I'm installing refrigerator, brakes and converting bunks into a couch / dinette.

Can you say LBYM?

 

[Major Tom]

When I made my earlier comment, I didn't realize that this was actually your trailer, travelover. I wasn't familiar with the U-Haul Travel Trailers and looking at the photo, I judged that it was a lot shorter than 10 feet, hence my comment.

I found some videos of them on YouTube, including this one:

1984 Uhaul camper for sale on ebay.wmv - YouTube

It looks really neat. Best of luck with the rest of the install, and don't forget to post a full trip report after the maiden voyage

 

[NW-Bound]

Travelover, your TT looks really clean inside and out. I do not know how much of that is due to your restoration, but it looks a lot nicer than pictures of other UHaul TTs that I saw on the Web. The spec says it sleeps 4, and now I see how from your photos.

So, it's LBYM, but a lot of fun one can get from that little package! In terms of "bang per buck", that's hard to beat.

I hope that after your maiden trip, you will think of a voyage to Alaska. I should be going this year, but have to delay until next. Cheers!

 

[travelover]

Travelover, your TT looks really clean inside and out. I do not know how much of that is due to your restoration, but it looks a lot nicer than pictures of other UHaul TTs that I saw on the Web. The spec says it sleeps 4, and now I see how from your photos.

So, it's LBYM, but a lot of fun one can get from that little package! In terms of "bang per buck", that's hard to beat.

I hope that after your maiden trip, you will think of a voyage to Alaska. I should be going this year, but have to delay until next. Cheers!

It was pretty pristine when I got it. It has had two owners since UHaul sold it and they both kept it in a pole barn. I only paid $2500 for it, so I figure I can use it for as long as I want and essentially recapture the purchase price when I sell it.

I drove to Alaska in 1976 in an Econoline camper conversion and had a ball. I'm sure it is still an adventure even now with paved roads. Hope you can do the trip next year.