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Old 07-29-2016, 08:02 AM   #41
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Originally Posted by MRG View Post
+1
You might pull it for a while till...........

Seriously check out the loaded capacity of the pickup it may surprise you. Then check out the Airstream with water, propane, groceries and all your stuff.
It's not so much the pull power as the braking capacity
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Old 07-29-2016, 08:22 AM   #42
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As stated above in different manners, I have seen people I know buy new rv/campers and realized it wasn't as much fun as they had originally dreamed it would be. I feel buying a slightly pre owned one is the way to go also and let someone else take the depreciation. The slide ours are a big deal, do add to the living experience also and
should be considered IMO. Good luck in your endeavors and uf it has been a dream to own an airstream go for it!!
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Old 07-29-2016, 10:51 AM   #43
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It's not so much the pull power as the braking capacity
Actually, the trailer handles its own braking. What is critical is the ability to handle the tongue weight, ability to accelerate and climb grades and maintain speed without overheating. There is a minimal low speed braking with out trailer brakes requirement.

The Society of Automotive Engineers has developed criteria of all the important attributes. SAE J2807 Tow Tests - The Standard
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Old 07-29-2016, 11:59 AM   #44
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I read once that with an international drivers licence, the rental is 1/2 price compared to using an American drivers licence. I tried it out on a rental site, and it's true.

I think you can get an international drivers licence from AAA.

Maybe they do this because otherwise tourists won't rent ?
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Old 07-29-2016, 12:35 PM   #45
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Some people find out, in an expensive way, that RV'ing is not for them at all. For people who enjoy it, they get different things out of it.

Some people use their RV as a way to get out of town, particularly if they live in the city. They can be content to camp out near a lake, a river, an ocean shore. Many use their large trailer or fifth-wheel as a cabin on a leased lot and never tow it anywhere else.

As for me, when I want to get out of town, I will go "camp" out in my high-country home, where I am surrounded by evergreen trees and the nearby national forest. So, I use my RV for cross-country treks, what I used to do in my younger years with road trips. That was what we did in our 20s, until we got enough money and less free time and switched to the fly-and-drive mode. Then, we got into overseas travel. Now, I am back to seeing the US, but in a different way. I am a bit more mobile with my motorhome than some RV'ers. I do not think I ever stayed in the same campground for more than 4 nights.

I really like RV'ing for cross-country treks, compared to car road trips. Sure, it is more cumbersome compared to driving a car or even a minivan. However, we now take as long as 2 months off, and do not drive 400 or 500 miles a day. With an RV, we can take a lot of personal "stuff" with us. It's tough to live for two months out of a suitcase, and we would miss home a lot sooner.

With a car, one has more mobility, but then if you move too much there's the hassle of checking in/out of a hotel or motel. Then, you need to look for a place to eat twice a day, and for me it becomes a chore fast. My wife does not mind cooking at all, so when we eat out, it is a choice and not a necessity.

On our road treks, we take the back road to visit and stay in places that people doing car trips would not think of. Motels in these little rural towns can be a bit scary too.
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Old 07-29-2016, 12:43 PM   #46
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I have one more thing to add. For the last 2 years, I combined the RV treks with weekly timeshare stays. For a 2-month trip, we scheduled 2 stays of 1 week each in a nice timeshare condo. That allowed us room to stretch out, and for me to relax from driving.

We quickly found out that not all timeshare facilities have room to park a motorhome, even a smaller one like ours. So, that requires a bit more planning.
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Old 07-29-2016, 01:55 PM   #47
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If you want to try it and are prepared to consider the loss on sale as the price of the experience, then do it.

The sewage issue is very easy - I can take care of it in about 15 minutes now (although it did take longer the first few times). Just remember a few key points:
- carry "sewer gloves" to wear while doing the job (I actually rarely get wet but it makes me feel better)
- attach sewer hose and make sure it is secure in the dump before opening tank valves
- dump black first, close valve, dump gray, close valve
- remove hose and rinse with water available at dump
(this is procedure for "dump stations" which is what we use almost exclusively).

We have found Corps of Engineers campgrounds to be superior to almost anything else for scenery and layout. Most now have water & electric hookups at each site. Otherwise we strongly prefer public parks to private RV parks. We use
Campgrounds and Camping Reservations - ReserveAmerica
as a main place to pick out parks. Some places even have site by site pictures.

I say go for it and enjoy, whether you become lifelong RVers or not. Keep us posted!
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Old 07-29-2016, 02:28 PM   #48
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The sewage issue is very easy
I can recall the very first time my late wife & I undertook this simple operation.......you'd have thought we were dismantling an IED.


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We have found Corps of Engineers campgrounds to be superior to almost anything else
Most definitely!
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Old 07-29-2016, 02:39 PM   #49
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Talk about the tank dumping...

In 2010, while looking on eBay, RVTrader, and craigslist for a used RV, I spent a lot of time researching this important subject. Before I even set foot on an RV, I already knew a lot about the danger of clogging the tank outlet with toilet paper, of the tank level sensors not being reliable, etc...

Then, when I bought my motorhome, I parked it up on the driveway, after I flushed and sanitized the fresh tank and the plumbing, I practiced dumping the tanks with that clean waste water into the sewer cleanout in my front yard. Still, when I dumped the real tank the 1st time, it was not without some trepidation.

I still do not take this task lightly, and make sure all connections are secure before pulling that lever. Better slow and safe than sorry.
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Old 07-29-2016, 03:14 PM   #50
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RV'ing is a lifestyle, meaning those of us that love it, love it because of what it affords, and in spite of what it doesn't.

IMHO it affords independence, coziness, the ability to get up close and personal with nature, the comfort of having your own stuff around you, the congeniality of most RV'ers, the ability to go out on the road for a whole lot of days at a pretty minimal cost, the sound of the ocean crashing, or the pine trees blowing, or the birds tweeting in your ears while you sleep, the smells of nature, like sea salt, pine trees, sage, manzanita - and taking your own home with you where ever you go.

There is a lot also it doesn't afford, or that would be considered a drawback - the hassle of set up and breakdown, the added stress towing a vehicle brings to driving and navigating parking lots, the lower gas mileage, the relative lack of privacy, the need to clean, wash and wax the RV on a regular basis, and, yes, the need to deal with gray and black water.

I think you know you are an RV'er when the things that fall under 'Cons' don't bother you one iota, but the things that fall under 'Pros' make you itch to go back out the moment you put the RV away after any given trip.

We've spent 400 days on the road in the six years we've been FIRE'd, and we have amazing vivid memories from our time out, as well as a good amount of stories (Keep in mind that Tragedy + Time eventually makes for a great story, and RV'ing pretty much guarantees you'll have plenty of stories over time!).

I grew up RV'ing, and I've always loved it, so there was no learning curve for me, though there most definitely was for my DH. So in the beginning we borrowed my dad's RV until DH gave indicators he'd caught the RV fever, at which point we purchased our own. Therefore, I concur with all the advice given here thus far about the wisdom of renting before owning, even if it is a bit costly to do so on a per-night basis. I think you'll quickly know whether or not this lifestyle is for you and your DW.
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Old 07-29-2016, 03:53 PM   #51
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WE thought it would be fun to travel in an motorhome for a year. My friend's parents came back from a year trip in 2008 and wanted to sell the 1993 rv with only 34kmiles on it. They were the 2nd owner. Now 8 years later we have only put 13k on it. The first trip was 2 weeks while we were still working and we went to far so mostly driving and gas was high so cost us a fortune. If you dry camp you run out of power. Then did a few weekends a summer and that was it. In 2015 we took a big trip for a month. I was sick of it at the end. Although, I mostly cooked we spend 6k on rv sites, gas etc. WE have mostly used it as an extra bedroom when we have company. Each owner has sold it for half of what they paid and that is where we are at if we sell it. It is 27 ft. MY DH would like to travel for a year but I could not do it. WE also have 4 dogs (three very tiny) and 1 big guy.
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Old 07-29-2016, 04:35 PM   #52
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We did the “RV thing” a few years back. At first it was the “rush” you imagine - after a few trips, not so much. Because my husband was a fisherman and pulled a big boat, we already had a big truck.

We had tried “pop-up” with HVAC camping and minimal investment. We had a lot of fun as we lived along the Gulf Coast with abundant State Parks. Eventually, I got tired of the trek to the bathroom at night, so we went “upscale”.

After several trips the first year, our interest dwindled. Why? It was a much bigger hassle then the pop-up. So much equipment to maintain, keeping it washed and towing in heavy traffic – well – just not so much fun. We also used ours as another bedroom for large family gatherings at Christmas.

Then along came Katrina. We spent the eve of the storm in our camper at Hattiesburg, MS. Waking up in the middle of the night we heard that it was on target for where our house was located, and then on up to where we were camping. We high-tailed it to Memphis.

After the storm, many people were seeking campers while they re-did their houses. We sold ours at a very good price, glad to help somebody in our neighborhood out who also had “camper plans”, and….most of all….we were glad to be unburdened from having to use the camper.

You are right. It looks like a postcard experience. Reality for us – not so much. Good luck
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Old 07-29-2016, 04:52 PM   #53
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It's good that a couple of people have spoken up about how RV is not for them. Like any other leisure activity, it is not for everyone.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ElizabethT View Post
RV'ing is a lifestyle, meaning those of us that love it, love it because of what it affords, and in spite of what it doesn't.

IMHO it affords independence, coziness, the ability to get up close and personal with nature, the comfort of having your own stuff around you, the congeniality of most RV'ers, the ability to go out on the road for a whole lot of days at a pretty minimal cost, the sound of the ocean crashing, or the pine trees blowing, or the birds tweeting in your ears while you sleep, the smells of nature, like sea salt, pine trees, sage, manzanita - and taking your own home with you where ever you go....
On a trip going up Coastal Hwy 1 in California, it was around noon when we happened to pass a spot suitable to stop for a lunch. So, we did, having lunch while listening to the waves crashing not too far away, and feeling the ocean breeze on our face.

So many times we have stopped like that by a stream (roads are often built along a meandering stream, and that can go for miles, even a 100 miles). I am glad our 25' MH is not too long for impromptu stops, even with it towing a car.

Quote:
I concur with all the advice given here thus far about the wisdom of renting before owning, even if it is a bit costly to do so on a per-night basis. I think you'll quickly know whether or not this lifestyle is for you and your DW.
Well, the question is more "do you RV or don't you", and not about the Airstream vs. another RV. If one does not like this mode of travel, there's no RV that will change that, even if it has gold-plated sinks and faucets.
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Old 07-29-2016, 05:09 PM   #54
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All good questions. The towing capacity of my F-150 is rated at 9,750 pounds and the 20 foot Flying Cloud I am considering is:

Hitch Weight (w/ LP & Batteries) (lbs.) 631
Unit Base Weight (w/ LP & Batteries) (lbs.) 4,271

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (lbs.) 5,000


So OK there. The point about sales tax is a good one which I did not consider.
The towing capacity of your truck is usually not the limiting factor, payload is. This is because the trailer acts a a lever on the back of your truck. You need to understand the actual (or estimate) tongue weight as a result of the trailer. One way to estimate this is 13% of the trailer weight. In addition to this, everything you put in the truck (people, dogs, food, beer, ice, flashlights, etc) takes away from the payload capacity. Even the hitch itself takes away payload capacity.

To see where you start at (in terms of your trucks payload), you cannot just look at the payload figure in the payload guide, as it measures the best possible payload for your style of truck (e.g. supercrew with 5.0L or whatever). Instead, you must look at the payload stick ON YOUR truck. For Ford F-150's, it is a yellow tag on the drivers side. From that, you must subtract the items (and other things) I mention above.

Even better is to load the trailer up, load the truck up, and take it to a scale and weigh it.
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Old 07-29-2016, 05:56 PM   #55
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The towing capacity of your truck is usually not the limiting factor, payload is. This is because the trailer acts a a lever on the back of your truck. You need to understand the actual (or estimate) tongue weight as a result of the trailer. One way to estimate this is 13% of the trailer weight. In addition to this, everything you put in the truck (people, dogs, food, beer, ice, flashlights, etc) takes away from the payload capacity. Even the hitch itself takes away payload capacity.

To see where you start at (in terms of your trucks payload), you cannot just look at the payload figure in the payload guide, as it measures the best possible payload for your style of truck (e.g. supercrew with 5.0L or whatever). Instead, you must look at the payload stick ON YOUR truck. For Ford F-150's, it is a yellow tag on the drivers side. From that, you must subtract the items (and other things) I mention above.

Even better is to load the trailer up, load the truck up, and take it to a scale and weigh it.
Don't underestimate the importance of the above. Consider too the difference between can do it and your safety and comfort. You don't want to be underpowered or under-braked. Until you've gone through an intersection at 40 mph being unable to stop its hard to understand.

I frequently talk to RV'ers at stops often ask how they like the drive(especially across KS). I know the folks driving 2500 vs 3500 based on nothing but their comments. I recall a lengthy conversation with a couple who recently upgraded to a 3500, they didn't know how they camped before. I've never seen a 1500 pulling anything much bigger than a popup. For reference I have a 1500 and have pulled too many things that weigh too much.

Please check that out before you buy. Think about where you expect to pull the Airstream? Rockies are great for camping.
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Old 07-29-2016, 06:23 PM   #56
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Thank you all for sharing your experiences. Both the positive and negative are abundantly helpful. I also posted on the Airstream Forum and received many helpful responses there to my more technical questions. I think we will take this very slowly. Going to go to the Hershey RV show in September and look around. We already have a lot of toys and I want to make sure this one doesn't get played with for a few weeks and relegated to the bottom of the toy chest.

Perhaps what we will do is take a flight out west and as part of a longer trip rent one for only four days during off peak dates (October 1 - March 15 - not that cold in southern California) where the cost is only $3,040 which is not so much dead money.

These rates are not cheap:

https://airstream2go.com/rates
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Old 07-29-2016, 06:49 PM   #57
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Wow! For off-peak rates, still very expensive at $4480 for 7 days on a 23', even if it includes the towing pickup.

Out of curiosity, I check CruiseAmerica, and their off-peak rent for a 25' class C motorhome is just $700/week which includes 700 miles, with 35c per additional mile.

If you just want to check out the RV travel style, a non-Airstream RV is much cheaper.
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Old 07-29-2016, 08:20 PM   #58
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There are probably cheaper rental options if you forgo an Airstream. You're basically wanting to see if you will like this form of vacation/travel. Find something cheaper to rent or buy a used camper that's not a pricey Airstream.


We started out with a used Class C motorhome with no slides, three months later traded for a used Class A with two slides. Kept that for 10 years, used it less each year. Even spent three winters in Arizona in it. I swear it was shrinking daily. Sold it last year and now have a 20' pull trailer with one slide that we use a couple times a year.


As mentioned above, check out the weight before leaving town.
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Old 08-01-2016, 08:48 AM   #59
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Have never had more than 5 business days in a row off...
phil1ben, I know almost nothing about RVing but I think your statement above is the better place to start a discussion about RVing or even vacationing. The advice to rent first or buy used makes all kinds of sense, but honestly, I think I would try just a one week or maybe 10 day car vacation with your wife to see if you are cut out for LOTS of driving and LOTS of close interaction away from home.

DW and I seem to do pretty well for about a week or so and then we get on each others nerves when we travel without lots of space to do our own thing. If you are very close and can't seem to spend enough time together NOW, then maybe you are cut out for the "closeness" of RVing.

We "live" in 1100 sq. ft, and it does work for us, but that's because we have staked out our separate spaces - even though they are in sight of each other. I have a "Les Nessman" offiee (see "WKRP in Cincinnati" if you don't know what I'm talking about.) She takes the Lanai. It works well. But being "stuck" in a 180sf camper for more than a few days could be a real problem IMHO.

So, if I were to offer advice, it would be to see how well you do in a confined space with each other before even considering purchase (or rental) of an RV. Just my 2 cents - I hope it's worth what you payed for it as YMMV.
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Old 08-01-2016, 10:54 AM   #60
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OUrs is 167 sq ft. When we wanted to be alone he went to the bedroom and I sat at the table. A month is our max before someone dies) Also we have 4 dogs so that makes it more crowded. 3 are under 10 lbs but one is an 80lb big guy that loves to lay in the hallway so we need to step over him constantly. He is very old so we put up with it.
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