Anyone ever do the math on the economy of an RV vs. a motel?

[chinaco]

I don't know. Ford really never advertized this feature. I didn't not even know about it until I stumbled onto it on a used car lot. Anyway, the important thing here is that any large van is a great alternative to tent camping. Just remove the back seat and you have a very comfortable tent on wheels.

Ford has an E-Series Full-size van. Retail sticker is about 26k. http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/eseries/?v=html

It has the fold down seats.

 

[Sam]

Ford has an E-Series Full-size van. Retail sticker is about 26k. http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/eseries/?v=html

It has the fold down seats.

I don't see any picture or reference to the bench to bed as the one I had in my 93 Chateau.

 

[chinaco]

I don't see any picture or reference to the bench to bed as the one I had in my 93 Chateau.

Opps. I think you are right!

 

[kat]

The closest contender now is a recent model used Sportsmobile.

But first I'm going to try the whole concept of being on the road. Going to borrow my parents' old rusty van for a camping trip in Maine (in case it rains the whole week and my dog and I have to sleep in the van). They can have my Honda for the week.

Then I'm going to drive my Honda to Texas and rent a class B camper van for an extended trip through the SW. I'll know best after that trip how often I'll want to do something like that, and how it fits with how often I want to go overseas.

Thanks again for all the opportunities to bounce around ideas.

kate

 

[brewer12345]

This very low end approach is all I would be likely to try. Those huge and expensive vehicles kind of intimidate me; though I suppose if you make the road your home it would work out fine.

Ha

I think this is fine if you have the big pick-up already. If not...

 

[SteveR]

Audrey pretty much hit the nail on the head. People RV to go places with their own stuff, prepare their own meals, sleep in their own bed, go places they want, when they want and with all the comforts of home with them without the hassel of hauling all your stuff in a cramped car or stuffed into luggage that is ill treated, frequently lost and limited in size and weight. Never mind the airport waiting times, hustle and bustle, cramped airplane seats sitting next to a 300 pound guy that has not taken a bath in a couple of weeks and can't stop talking to you about himself.

Sure it is expensive and there is no way to truly justify the cost-benefit ratio.

I hate motel rooms, cabins, and being stuffed into an aluminum tube with 200 strangers with God knows what diseases for hours with no food and surly "attendants" who hate being there as much as we do. Sure it is fast but at what price?

I swore off camping cabins after getting a nasty case of scappies from the bed...we even sprayed it with Lysol and used our own sheets but the nasties got me anyway. Never again! I will take my own bed, my own sheets, cook with my own pots and pans, grill on my own grill, crap in my own toilet, shower in my own shower, and eat on my own dishes. I don't want to worry about what is in the carpet, what is on the toilet seat and who had what in the bed less than 5 hours ago. Sure I know that I can't always take the MH everywhere but when I can I will.

It is all about control of your environment in a world full of risks and nuts.

 

[youbet]

I swore off camping cabins after getting a nasty case of scappies from the bed...we even sprayed it with Lysol and used our own sheets but the nasties got me anyway. Never again! I will take my own bed, my own sheets, cook with my own pots and pans, grill on my own grill, crap in my own toilet, shower in my own shower, and eat on my own dishes. I don't want to worry about what is in the carpet, what is on the toilet seat and who had what in the bed less than 5 hours ago. Sure I know that I can't always take the MH everywhere but when I can I will.

It is all about control of your environment in a world full of risks and nuts.

Gosh Steve, DW and I have been enthusiastically looking at RV's for some time, but your post has really put us off....... Are all RV types paranoid this way?

I mean........ we have camped in tents around the USA and Canada, flown into remote Canadian outpost cabins, stayed in B and B's on trout streams, stayed in privately owned cabins in wilderness locations, stayed in American plan resorts all over "up nort," spent the night in dozens of typical roadside motels, enjoyed four and five star urban hotels and even slept in the guest bedrooms of friends all over this country. I (DW less so) have stayed in various accomodations in Asia, Europe and SA. Certainly there were sometimes some issues keeping things from being "perfect," but never anything as gross as you describe! Where have you been staying?

Much of our enthusiasm over acquiring an RV stemmed from listening to happy RV owners. But if that happiness is not from the RV experience itself but rather from having had awful experiences staying anywhere other than your home or RV, I'm wondering if there is some catch. Perhaps for people who are not overly concerned about various public accomodations, as you seem to be, the minuses of RV travel such as the maintenance of on board sewage tanks, etc., would offset the advantages?

Your post reminded me of a movie about Howard Hughes I saw long ago.

Even if your experiences with public accomodations had been very satisfactory (as ours have been), would you still find your RV investment worthwhile and fun in and of itself?

Can other RV owners comment on this? Is your love of RV'ing driven by your personal experience of finding public accomodations disgusting as it seems to be for Steve? Or do you find RV'ing to be fun for its own sake?

C-T started this thread. I wonder when he shares an RV with his friend on trout fishing trips, is it to avoid staying in a public accomodation such as a motel or cabin? Or is RV'ing in and of itself, a fun experience?

 

[SteveR]

Don't read in more into what I said than is there.

I love the freedom for RVing and having my own 4 Star suite attached to the truck cab. If I want to stop and fix some lunch...I stop and fix some lunch. If I get tired and want to take a nap...I stop and take a nap. If DW needs to move out of her seat because she needs to change positions due to her back then she can.

We got into RVing not just because we don't like to live in wake of other people's "personal" stuff left behind in various public places; we got into it to meet people who want to make friends and who we can share a common base of experience. RVer tend to be more friendly and open than most other "strangers." This makes for easy conversation and a more friendly atmosphere (usually).

We want to RV part time and not full time like many here because we want to keep a home base until our grandkids either move away or get too adult to want to spend much time with us. We do intend on Snowbirding...escaping winter as much as possible.

Sure I am animated about airports, airline travel and staying in beds that are not properly sanitized. My DW has a lot of health issues that make air travel very difficult and once we RE we will have the time to take our time to get to a destination....and smell the flowers along the way, instead of rushing to get there so we can spend our 1-2 weeks of "vacation" and then rush home to get ready for the work week. Yuck! Been there, done that, and have the T-shirt to prove it. I have over 600k FF miles and spent almost a decade on the road. Living out of a suitcase, eating 3 meals a day in restaurants, sitting in uncomfortable airline seats in the "cattle car" is not my idea of a good time.

We RV because we no longer feel the need to rush through life. We RV because we want to make new friends and to see, really see, new places and to take the time to get to know folks who live there. We want to take the backroads and stay off the beaten track. We also like want to keep life comfortable and to have familiar items with us and to have a clean bed, our own food with us as part of the experience.

No, I am not anti-people; on the contrary; I am a very friendly guy but I am also very focused on comfort for me and my DW due to our health issues. Hauling a lot of stuff around through airports for extended trips is not an option anymore.

Oh, and we can take the pets with us anywhere we go.

I think you will find that most other RVers have the same general feelings about traveling in their own "personal space" with their own stuff under their own terms and on their own schedule.

 

[BarbaraAnne]

SteveR and Audrey- You make RVing sound great...I wasn't interested before but I am becoming more convinced that we need to consider the RV lifestyle possibly part-time. Thanks for sharing your insights...

 

[donheff]

SteveR and Audrey- You make RVing sound great...I wasn't interested before but I am becoming more convinced that we need to consider the RV lifestyle possibly part-time. Thanks for sharing your insights...

Ditto. But I still worry about big, parking lot like RV parks. Can you comment about that? Also, what about pets and trying to stop and visit attractions? Don't you run into problems with heat?

 

[SteveR]

Ditto. But I still worry about big, parking lot like RV parks. Can you comment about that? Also, what about pets and trying to stop and visit attractions? Don't you run into problems with heat?

You have a choice about where you "park". Sure there are very closely packed RV parks. A lot of folks prefer them because of the chance to meet folks and to use the swimming pool, showers and other amenitites these places offer...at a price. You can also choose to boodock on public land...little of any charge to do so..You just have to be self-sufficient (water, refrigeration, electric power, grey and black tank capacity..beer etc.) You can be all by yourself or go with groups. Slab city and Quartsite are only a few. BLM lands are usually free or only a small fee. Then there is Walmart, Cracker Barrel, Elks Lodge, truck stops (Lovs and Flying Js) where you can stop for the night or a few hours to catch some ZZZZs. You can camp in National parks, state parks and even some local parks.

Some places have pet restrictions on the number and breed (dogs). Seeing attractions with a pet is very possible since most RVs have generators that can be used to create electricity to power a roof airconditioner to keep the coach cool. A generator uses about a gallon of fuel an hour and will usually keep the coach cool enough except maybe on a very very hot day unless your generator can run more than one AC unit then you should be fine.

There are lots of options and you can choose whichever one meets your desires and needs.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Ditto. But I still worry about big, parking lot like RV parks. Can you comment about that? Also, what about pets and trying to stop and visit attractions? Don't you run into problems with heat?

They're out there. Then again, so are breathtaking state and national parks. Long-stay parks like we have here in Fla tend to be dense but are really neighborhoods rather than resorts. Depends on your perspective. There are active message boards and a little homework usually prevents you from landing for long in a "trailer park."

 

[ex_CFO_now_RVer]

Big parking lot like RV parks appeal to us more than a state park where weekend campers party all night. We are "RVers" not campers. Most large RV parks cater to a mature RVer, albeit sometime much older, but they come with structured rules and regulations. Also, our 40' MH and dish prefer the open and southern sky.
IMHO.

Dave

 

[Zoocat]

I, I'm wavering again, thinking I like my money staying where it is and trading in the Honda for a Subaru Forester, and getting one of those tents that attach on back. I'm right in the middle on my thinking right now.

What a fun idea! I have a Forester and never considered that it might be able to pull a trailer. Is that really true, even over mountain passes?

BTW, the Subaru is a fine car, in my lengthy experience of owning them, over 25 years. One good thing about the Forester is that you can lay down the two back seats. With some padding it could be a nice bed for a woman and a dog.

 

[Red-y]

I have a Forester and never considered that it might be able to pull a trailer. Is that really true, even over mountain passes?

We just got back from a hasty trip to southern CA to visit a critically ill relative. We did some camping and sightseeing on the way back...saw a Subaru Forester hauling a 13' Scamp (very lightweight fiberglass travel trailer) up over an 8100 foot pass north of Mono Lake on US 395. It seemed to be doing fine, although we passed it in our '91 VW Vanagon.

 

[youbet]

I am also very focused on comfort for me and my DW due to our health issues. Hauling a lot of stuff around through airports for extended trips is not an option anymore.

That makes sense Steve. Your post did seem like a bit of a rant against public accomodations and I was wondering if your endorsement of RV'ing stood on its own or only relative to your disdain for other venues. Now that you've explained your point of view and personal circumstances, I completely understand your comments.

DW and I enjoy a wide variety of leisure activities and, fortunately, are still able to participate in most of the things we've enjoyed over our lives. Leisure time may find us on a fly-in fishing trip one month and at a high tier urban hotel for a week of theater and concerts the next. Variety is important to us. And since I didn't RE until 58 yo (if you even want to call that "early" retirement!) it's time to do it all and procrastinate no longer!

We're looking at adding RV'ing to our list of activities. RV'ing won't replace many of the things we're doing now, but rather will be an additional activity. If we have to give up other activities to RV, then RV'ing doesn't look so attractive.

Our open-mindedness and flexibility are actually making it tougher to decide what to buy. We've ruled out a big Class A and canvas sided pop-ups, but everything else is still on the table. What to do..... what to do

 

[Babeebloos]

Our open-mindedness and flexibility are actually making it tougher to decide what to buy. We've ruled out a big Class A and canvas sided pop-ups, but everything else is still on the table. What to do..... what to do

What to do Go to an RV Show...ask lots of questions...Rent an RV in every 'class' that you might be interested in!

Take a nice trip...experience the lifestyle....crash a local Airstream 'Rally'...

Decide for yourself the things you really need in an RV. You can go all out with a very comfortable motorhome, towing a little runabout car for side trips...to a pop up camper. There are units everywhere in between the two. If you want to 'boondock' and be out in the wilderness you might find having a full shower and inside toilet will enhance your experience. If you stay in RV Resorts, you might cut back on the full shower setup because you might use their shower facilities. You must consider your tow vehicle first...or last if you decide on something bigger (they MUST match)
Once you get your perfect combination...for YOU, then everything falls in place.
Be sure before you purchase anything, that you are getting exactly what you want or feel that someday you might want because like everything that depreciates it's very expensive to make later changes.
There are lots of options, opportunities to buy great used units...in all classes.

RVing is a life altering experience....I only wish I had started 'earlier' in my life to be able to share with my two daughters what I'm experiencing now, btw...I'm a single mid fifties woman doing this all by myself. I meet friends I've made from the rallies I've gone to and we're planning a little month long mini caravan (4 Airstreams) trip this summer going to Bryce Canyon and some other points of interest we've all been yearning to go to. (Area 51) Then in October we're going to Albuqurque for the Hot Air Balloon Festival where we'll be camped right at the base where they all take off!!! You can't be any closer than that...

The question above was: Anyone ever do the math on the economy of an RV vs. a motel

My answer is.....PRICELESS !

 

[HobbyDave]

http://www.rv.com/featuredrvs/mountainaire/index.htm

I think some RVs can never be justified, unless you're usually staying at a $500 per night hotel in Manhattan

I mean come on now, $400k for a small house on wheels? I think it's pretty, but I can't imagine spending that much no matter how much cash I had.

 

[Sam]

I mean come on now, $400k for a small house on wheels? I think it's pretty, but I can't imagine spending that much no matter how much cash I had.

Are you sure? What if you have 10 million? How about 100 million?

 

[HobbyDave]

Are you sure? What if you have 10 million? How about 100 million?

Well, I think it's all personal preference. If I had 100 million, I'm sure I'd be buying 10k computers, just because I could. Not that I need such a powerful monster, it's just something I would splurge in. I'd also have huge book cases, and probably a secret passage behind them.

On the other hand, I think I'd cringe at spending too much on something like an RV. I guess it's just what I value. I wouldn't want to buy an expensive car, or house, etc.

I think I figured it out. I have uses for a 10k computer, there are certain things I would be able to do I can't do today. I also would use huge book cases, and a secret passage way. Having these expensive things would add some level of joy to my life. On the other hand, I loved driving my 16k V8 Camaro, that thing could spin it's wheels at 80 mph. Paying more for a car would be a waste to me. And we already have a house too large for us, I'd hate to have something larger.

So I guess what I was saying was that a 50k camper would be nice, and get me to where I'd want to go. Anything more would just be gold trim and hardwood that I don't have much value for.

 

[HFWR]

Are you sure? What if you have 10 million? How about 100 million?

In that case, here's my car:

And here's my driver:

Someone complained (can you believe it!) - So I put some pants on her!

 

[Sam]

Now, that's the right attitude. Proper behavior too!

 

[audreyh1]

Ditto. But I still worry about big, parking lot like RV parks. Can you comment about that? Also, what about pets and trying to stop and visit attractions? Don't you run into problems with heat?

Don, I gave you a pretty extensive answer to your question in my post above. Did you miss it?
http://early-retirement.org/forums/index.php?topic=12946.msg239004#msg239004

Somehow we've managed to avoid all those nasty parking lot looking RV parks - and yes, I agree that there seem to be a preponderance of them, but that doesn't mean you're obligated to use them! LOL!

Many (most?) RVer's we see travel with pets. Some people RV mainly because they want to take their pets with them when they travel. I suppose people leave A/C on when they leave pets in the RV - you would need a generator for this.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

Big parking lot like RV parks appeal to us more than a state park where weekend campers party all night. We are "RVers" not campers. Most large RV parks cater to a mature RVer, albeit sometime much older, but they come with structured rules and regulations. Also, our 40' MH and dish prefer the open and southern sky.
IMHO.

Dave

Well, campers don't get to "party all night" in state parks in TX thank goodness! They have a "no public display of alcohol" rule that prevents outdoor parties while still allowing "discreet" consumption or consumption within the privacy of your RV. And they are serious about enforcing the quiet rules as well. It makes for a lovely peaceful environment.

Our experience has been that even in the state/federal parks the majority of the attendees are the mature RVer. Except for summer and holiday weekends, of course. But I've been in many places where many families are there for the weekend, and in general are quiet and well-behaved. It still amazes me, but seems to be true more often than not.

For us another huge appeal of the state/federal parks (beside remoteness, privacy and wildlife) is they usually have miles and miles of walking/hiking trails. I love being able to go off for long walks in nature.

Audrey

 

[kat]

Many (most?) RVer's we see travel with pets. Some people RV mainly because they want to take their pets with them when they travel. I suppose people leave A/C on when they leave pets in the RV - you would need a generator for this.

Audrey

I'll be traveling with my German shepherd, and together we'll have to figure out the weather.... Here in the Northeast, if he's in the car while I'm doing something, I just leave all the windows down two inches, parked in the shade. (Lots of trees here.) Haven't had a day that seemed too hard for him, but maybe I stay home myself on those days. The South will be different.