Motorhome purchase? Pros/Cons!

madeit! said:
A lot of people here are missing the point.  You can buy a good rv for about the same as many of you spent for your go-to-work ride.  You do not need a huge class A coach.  A small used unit ( I have a truck camper) is all you need.  After all, the whole world is your backyard and there is no room to store all that stupid junk that you tend to buy when you have a house to fill up.  Some of you are also ignoring the hidden costs of permenant home ownership.  I.E. furnishing it, landscape maintenance , two nice cars in the driveway, commuting and did I say all that space to store junk that you buy but do not need?
Click to expand...

Well, you won't catch me in a truck camper, but I do agree on the
"storing junk" thoughts. Our house is full, condo too, and my parents?
.............Loaded to the rafters. This is in spite of my efforts to eliminate
any and all unused "stuff". I have too many others adding to the pile.
Can't keep ahead.

JG
 
Have you seen a truck camper lately? Mine has q-size bed, slide out dinette, h/c water, inside and outside shower, sat dish, flat screen tv, wireless internet, microwave, solar, battery and gen power, complete galley with fridge/freezer - this rig is four wheel drive, can camp for free at any Walmart and is considerably more comfortable than some appartments I have stayed in my life.

Regards.
 
madeit! said:
Have you seen a truck camper lately?  Mine has q-size bed, slide out dinette, h/c water, inside and outside shower, sat dish, flat screen tv, wireless internet, microwave, solar, battery and gen power, complete galley with fridge/freezer - this rig is four wheel drive, can camp for free at any Walmart and is considerably more comfortable than some appartments I have stayed in my life.

Regards.
Click to expand...

I don't doubt you, but it's not for me. I think I could live on a boat though.
So far I have not tried it. BTW, on our trip to Texas and back I noticed some HUGE tractors pulling semi trailers. The sleeper units were absolutely enormous.
Anyway, I see the appeal and admire the concept. I just would have trouble
seeing myself doing it. Personal preference. I know some people would
say it's snobby. Maybe.

JG
 
Definitely snobby. Did you know that you can save a lot of money but live just as well if you are not a snob.

Regards,
 
madeit! said:
Definitely snobby.  Did you know that you can save a lot of money but live just as well if you are not a snob.

Regards,
Click to expand...

Yes, I know that is true. You must remember that after 20+ years
of livin' large, there are some things I can not bring myself to do,
even though I know it is just an image thing. My great aunt told
DW (first time they met) that she had married the biggest snob in the
country. I was surprised but not offended.

JG
 
(Cute Fuzzy Bunny) said:
This from the man who drinks white wine with red meat... :p
Click to expand...

This is quite true, but there is a good reason for this gastronomical
faux pas, other than my humble rural roots.

JG
 
We all have different tastes and values.  What one person is happy with, another may be unhappy.  Unless you have a burning desire to keep up with the Jones' buy what you are comfortable with and enjoy your life.  We do!!!
 
That's the neat thing about the RV lifestyle. There is a wide range of entry level prices. You can get in real cheap. You can get in real expensive. You can get some fabulous deals if you're smart and resourceful.

But everyone travels the same roads and sees the same sunsets!

Audrey
 
Man, this thread has really got me thinking. I found a RV show that's a couple hours drive from here so I'm going to go and check out the conversion vans. I won't be buying for another seven years, but it will be fun to see what's out there. I hope they have a Pleasure Way on display.

-helen
 
MRGALT2U said:
This is quite true, but there is a good reason for this gastronomical
faux pas, other than my humble rural roots.
Click to expand...

Cute fuzzy bunny thinks it has the same roots as the "hangtown fry". Placerville California, aka "hangtown" used to string up more than its fair share of horsethieves and claim jumpers. One of them, upon being told he could have anything he wanted as his last meal, chose oysters and eggs. His reasoning was that these were the two most expensive sounding things he could think of.

The dish is still served to this day as a local specialty.

I'm pretty sure the same logic produced "chardonnay and filet mignon".

But cute and fuzzy bunny shouldnt judge people, even pompous ones who cant pair wine with food. :LOL:
 
(Cute Fuzzy Bunny) said:
Cute fuzzy bunny thinks it has the same roots as the "hangtown fry".  Placerville California, aka "hangtown" used to string up more than its fair share of horsethieves and claim jumpers.  One of them, upon being told he could have anything he wanted as his last meal, chose oysters and eggs.  His reasoning was that these were the two most expensive sounding things he could think of.

The dish is still served to this day as a local specialty.

I'm pretty sure the same logic produced "chardonnay and filet mignon".

But cute and fuzzy bunny shouldnt judge people, even pompous ones who cant pair wine with food. :LOL:
Click to expand...

Interesting story, Cutie. I like to make Hangtown Fry for a footbal brunch, but I had never heard the story.

Ha
 
I used to live next town over from placerville. Dang things on every brunch menu around there, along with the place that supposedly served the original, complete with an old fake tree branch mounted to the front of the place with a fake dead body hanging from a rope. Very classy and quite kid friendly...

Theres an alternate story that it was originally ordered by a prospector who had struck it rich and in that story the original included bacon.

Dont be in a room with two old locals, one that believes one story and one that believes the other, when the topic comes up. Makes the mortgage discussions look like a couple of wussies disagreeing over a nit. Umm...wait a minute...

I made a couple of the better sounding variants. Never really was thrilled with the oyster/egg combo.

Didnt make me gag as much as swilling down chardonnay with a filet of beef would though. ;)
 
(Cute Fuzzy Bunny) said:
Theres an alternate story that it was originally ordered by a prospector who had struck it rich and in that story the original included bacon.

Dont be in a room with two old locals, one that believes one story and one that believes the other, when the topic comes up. Makes the mortgage discussions look like a couple of wussies disagreeing over a nit. Umm...wait a minute...

I made a couple of the better sounding variants. Never really was thrilled with the oyster/egg combo.
Click to expand...

According to this,
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/HangtownFryHistory.htm
there are a number of versions of the origin of Hangtown Fry.

Maybe you didn't like it because you left out the bacon..
 
Good point. Bacon makes everything taste good.

Them whatscookingamerica people are lookin to be some of them idjits who think that there prospector story is troo. Theys be needin some lumps.
 
Could someone make a summary of this thread, pros & cons of purchasing a RV :confused: please, as I got lost along the way !!!
 
I too would like to hear more from the board participants. I went to an RV show yesterday and fell madly in love with a 16 foot Airstream Bambi. I think if I bought one, I could go back in time 30 years - or at least that's my fantasy.
 
CFB, White Wine is what an Italian Man drinks, after he runs out of Red.
 
Poyet and region2, you might be out of luck as this thread seems to be permanently highjacked and most of the rvers don't seem to be around.

We have a relatively small RV. RVing is expensive, both for the vehicle and for gas or diesel. You can buy used, but the older the vehicle, the more you worry about problems. RVs depreciate. Private campgrounds are often expensive and can pinch people too close together. JG will think you are "trash." :)

BUT, national forest and state campgrounds are often beautiful and inexpensive. There are a number of no cost/ low cost campgrounds scattered througout the US. You get to travel with your own home wherever you go. You can take the pets. You can eat your own (or your spouse's own) cooking. You can haul bicycles, motorcyles, kayaks, canoes, etc.

We love it, but it is not a frugal way to travel.
 
Martha said:
...most of the rvers don't seem to be around.
Click to expand...

...because 'net access is not always as available on the road. That's improving all the time, however.

I agree with Martha's summary. Like deciding to LBYM and RE, the decision to live on wheels is one of personal lifestyle. Class A's are spacious, but can't go where B's can. B's provide the best fuel mileage, but are cramped compared to C's. Try before you buy! Google others' RV blogs. And read up at http://www.rvbookstore.com

FlogBlogger
 
Another issue when considering an RV are saftey and durability issues. As far as I know, there are no particular safety standards that rvs must meet as rvs. There is RVIA, the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, but I don't think that they have any specific safety standards. The feds don't test rvs for safety.

Some have concerns that certain rvs break up too easily in event of an accident. www.rv.org is a consumer rating association, though some have questioned its ratings as based on inadequate information.
 
Martha said:
Some have concerns that certain rvs break up too easily in event of an accident. 
Click to expand...

...a primary reason for my selecting a class C Lazy Daze, following the footsteps (tire treads?) of Andy Baird and other sages of on-the-road living.
 
Thanks for that link Martha, he's an interesting fella and I love reading his adventures.
 
So without wading through all 9 pages. has anyone addressed the question: Is there a 'best' place to shop for a gently used RV? How about those havens were people go to die like FL, AZ? Can't help but that estate offerings, need to cash out, can't pass the driver test anymore may offer an opportunity to get a better price than might be found elsewhere in the states.

Anyone?

dc
 
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