New RVs - Are you kidding me?

[audreyh1]

We started using RVs because that was the only way to stay at many parks overnight. Many parks didn’t even open their gates until 8am, and if you wanted to be out early birdwatching or whatever, you needed to overnight in the park. Especially if the park was a good long drive from civilization.

 

[skipro33]

A $50,000 RV depreciates by at *least* $25,000 over the first ten years of ownership.

I disagree.
I have 2013 Lance camper I bought new for $25,000 and a 2006 Dodge Ram 4x4 Diesel truck new for $35,000.
Today, a new camper is over $50,000 and a truck over $75,000. I am asked many times if I want to sell my truck and camper for my original purchase price.

 

[youbet]

I disagree.
I have 2013 Lance camper I bought new for $25,000 and a 2006 Dodge Ram Diesel truck new for $35,000.
Today, a new camper is over $40,000 and a truck over $75,000. I am asked many times if I want to sell my truck and camper for my original purchase price.

There are lots of anecdotal examples of RV and TV depreciation rates. Especially if the owner "got a deal" when purchasing them and is handy and willing to meticulously keep them up. Congrats on your good financial outcome, but be assured your situation is not typical.

 

[ransil]

I'm sure you can find individual situations where renting an RV would be cheaper and I'd say "go for it" if you feel confident in dealing with the equipment. My point is that simply driving around the country, it is likely WAY cheaper to stay in middle of the road hotels/motels than it is to do the same in a rented RV (and likely, an "owned" RV - unless that's how you live for months at a time).

The other issue with an RV (Rented or owned) is that it requires the appropriate vehicle (more powerful than a typical sedan - which gets good gas mileage, for instance). IOW, the rental cost isn't the only issue. There are RV park fees that (from what I've seen) rival many middle of the road hotel/motel prices. Plus gas mileage is maybe 10 vs 25 for a sedan.

I get 6.2 mpg in my RV and 20 in the other vehicle.
insurance 2800 yr
maintenance/ repairs
2023 7k ( 6 tires in this)
2024 3k
2025 7k ( washer / dryer in this)

Its my full time residence, its as comfortable as a house.

 

[Slim11]

That's why I get 2 tires every other year on my TT. Keeps the upkeep similar and no big expense for all the tires at once.

 

[Koolau]

You're completely missing the point, at least in the way many of us look at the "camping vs hotels" experience. DW and I (back in the day) camped because we could be where there were no hotels. We started in our 20's canoe camping and back packing. BWCAW, Quetico, etc. Frequently, we spent more money being flown into some remote area and paddling out for a week than we would have spent staying in hotels, eating in restaurants and partaking of the local tourist attractions. But that's what we wanted to do then and we did it. Now, as geezers, we're more inclined to take the "civilized" route. Everything has its time and place.

RVing, camping and hotel-touring are three different things.

I get it. For some, it's an excellent way to travel and I applaud that. I just don't like "roughing it" which means staying any place "rougher" than a Hampton Inn. If I can't go to one state park, I can go to another park in my car. I no longer really hike/bike, so not really an issue.

Enjoy the life-style. My FIL/MIL (and DW as a teen) really enjoyed camping in a 16 foot "Scotty - no potty." DW never converted me, I guess.

 

[audreyh1]

It’s just funny because our diesel pusher was far more comfortable than any Hampton Inn. Over 5 years we spent only one night away from the motorhome and that was due to a major repair.

I can understand not wanting to deal with grey/black water tanks although with full hookups it’s not bad. DH’s least favorite part was the smell of diesel fuel. At least going through the big truck pumps was fast and generally easy.

 

[Octogirl]

Agree that buying pre covid trailers may be best, avoid most RVs built during covid.
We have bought all of our trailers used - all were pre-COVID Airstreams - so the bugs were fixed.
Friends who bought new trailers in past 4 years are at the dealership or factory 1-2x/ year.
Not us ! We like the clean design and workmanship of Airstream.

 

[Koolau]

It’s just funny because our diesel pusher was far more comfortable than any Hampton Inn. Over 5 years we spent only one night away from the motorhome and that was due to a major repair.

I can understand not wanting to deal with grey/black water tanks although with full hookups it’s not bad. DH’s least favorite part was the smell of diesel fuel. At least going through the big truck pumps was fast and generally easy.

Heh, heh, I love diesel smell - compared to black water, but YMMV.

 

[ransil]

It’s just funny because our diesel pusher was far more comfortable than any Hampton Inn. Over 5 years we spent only one night away from the motorhome and that was due to a major repair.

I can understand not wanting to deal with grey/black water tanks although with full hookups it’s not bad. DH’s least favorite part was the smell of diesel fuel. At least going through the big truck pumps was fast and generally easy.

my next repair is the macerator , the box had a crack in it and was leaking, I epoxied it for a temp fix , just got all the parts to replace the box, its a crappy job but needs done.

 

[REWahoo]

my next repair is the macerator , the box had a crack in it and was leaking, I epoxied it for a temp fix , just got all the parts to replace the box, its a crappy job but needs done.

Be sure to dress appropriately for the task:

 

[old medic]

Be sure to dress appropriately for the task:View attachment 59410

 

[surprising]

You have to be honest about every aspect of the costs of owning an RV, not the just the nightly fees.

A $50,000 RV depreciates by at *least* $25,000 over the first ten years of ownership. Let's say you do 5 weeks a year for 10 years, or 50 weeks. That is $71 per night of use just in depreciation. Then if you consider upkeep (tires especially), storage, gas, propane, repairs, insurance...and don't forget the costs of outfitting the RV to begin with: bedding, cookware/dishes/silverware, storage containers, road items like hitches, ramps and tools, and then you have hoses, sewer treatments, etc. It all adds up, and they are all items you don't need if you are hoteling it.

Motorhomes are the worst, but even if you are towing a trailer with a vehicle that you already own and use for other tasks, it is difficult to justify RV ownership on the basis of costs, when you add in ALL costs.

Even full time "van life" people are discovering that living in a $100K+ van conversion driving all over heck is an expensive way to live when all costs are considered, way more expensive than a $2000/mo apartment.

We love camping and are looking for a new trailer, but we are realists about the costs - RVs are definitely a luxury item.

Buy used so someone else pays the depreciation, like cars. We bought a used 2017 travel trailer in 2023 for $16K and have towed it about 16K miles since.

I will say though that RV parks are pretty expensive, upwards of $100+/night just to park in essentially a parking lot. Include gas and yes it can get spendy. But there are other benefits. We just took our trailer to go to a wedding and were there over a week. We could've driven and stayed in a hotel, but we were able to bring our dogs and our bikes.

 

[Fermion]

My favorite is

 

[Koolau]

Buy used so someone else pays the depreciation, like cars. We bought a used 2017 travel trailer in 2023 for $16K and have towed it about 16K miles since.

I will say though that RV parks are pretty expensive, upwards of $100+/night just to park in essentially a parking lot. Include gas and yes it can get spendy. But there are other benefits. We just took our trailer to go to a wedding and were there over a week. We could've driven and stayed in a hotel, but we were able to bring our dogs and our bikes.

Do you drive your RV to the wedding or do you pull a TOAD?

 

[audreyh1]

Do you drive your RV to the wedding or do you pull a TOAD?

Their trailer is the TOAD.

 

[surprising]

Their trailer is the TOAD.

Yep, parked in an RV park for the week we were there.

 

[old medic]

We just took our trailer to go to a wedding and were there over a week. We could've driven and stayed in a hotel, but we were able to bring our dogs and our bikes.

Well our Daughters wedding was a camping trip.... Cost us nearly $1000.... We got 4 sites for several days, rented the pavilion, Chappell and Amphitheatre. Wedding guests filled 3/4 of the campground.
Even the Park Rangers attended...

 

[pb4uski]

I disagree.
I have 2013 Lance camper I bought new for $25,000 and a 2006 Dodge Ram 4x4 Diesel truck new for $35,000.
Today, a new camper is over $50,000 and a truck over $75,000. I am asked many times if I want to sell my truck and camper for my original purchase price.

+1 We bought a 2018 Rockwood Mini-Lite 2509S in Sept 2021 for $20,500 and sold it Sept 2023 for $18.500 so not a lot of depreciation... about $1k a year. The TV was a 2016 GMC Canyon that we bought in June 2016 for $36k and sold with the trailer in Sept 2023 for $30k, so again about $1k a year of depreciation.

 

[TripleLindy]

We started using RVs because that was the only way to stay at many parks overnight. Many parks didn’t even open their gates until 8am, and if you wanted to be out early birdwatching or whatever, you needed to overnight in the park. Especially if the park was a good long drive from civilization.

I used to think an RV was the only way to stay inside the National Parks, but have been pleasantly surprised by the lodging available. We’ve been able to stay in locations that not even RVs can get to, like Jenny Lake, which is tent only if camping. But the Jenny Lake Lodge gives you a front row seat to the Tetons, with trailheads right outside your door, with AAA 4-star dining included. Many Glacier Lodge and Moraine Lake Lodge are other spots that get you closer than any RV can get. These are not inexpensive options at more than $1k/night, but when compared to the cost of RV ownership, including storage and maintenance, we’re WAY ahead. At least that’s how I justify paying those rates.

 

[audreyh1]

I used to think an RV was the only way to stay inside the National Parks, but have been pleasantly surprised by the lodging available. We’ve been able to stay in locations that not even RVs can get to, like Jenny Lake, which is tent only if camping. But the Jenny Lake Lodge gives you a front row seat to the Tetons, with trailheads right outside your door, with AAA 4-star dining included. Many Glacier Lodge and Moraine Lake Lodge are other spots that get you closer than any RV can get. These are not inexpensive options at more than $1k/night, but when compared to the cost of RV ownership, including storage and maintenance, we’re WAY ahead. At least that’s how I justify paying those rates.

Oh definitely, most national parks have lodging, but few state parks do and there are far many more of them.

 

[Trailwalker]

+1 We bought a 2018 Rockwood Mini_lite 2509S in Sept 2021 for $20,500 and sold it Sept 2023 for $18.500 so not a lot of depreciation... about $1k a year. The TV was a 2016 GMC Canyon that we bought in June 2016 for $36k and sold with the trailer in Sept 2023 for $30k, so again about $1k a year of depreciation.

$1k/year depreciation sounds good for a stick-built trailer. If I had a crystal ball for the used trailer that I plan to buy early next year, I would gladly take that.

 

[pb4uski]

Yes, I was pleasantly surprised. We were really planning to sell just the travel trailer but at the last minute I added a sentence that if the buyer needed a TV that we could sell the trailer and TV as a package. I was surprised when someone showed up and wanted both.

 

[old medic]

These are not inexpensive options at more than $1k/night, but when compared to the cost of RV ownership, including storage and maintenance, we’re WAY ahead. At least that’s how I justify paying those rates.

Well our camper cost us about $3500/yr for payment and insurance, average 60 nights a year camping so about $60/night. About1/3 our campsites are free, most less than $50 but a few push $80/ night.
Do all our own maintenance, $24 for an awning strut, a tube of wheel bearing grease and $120 for a battery this year.

 

[finnski1]

I used to think an RV was the only way to stay inside the National Parks, but have been pleasantly surprised by the lodging available. We’ve been able to stay in locations that not even RVs can get to, like Jenny Lake, which is tent only if camping. But the Jenny Lake Lodge gives you a front row seat to the Tetons, with trailheads right outside your door, with AAA 4-star dining included. Many Glacier Lodge and Moraine Lake Lodge are other spots that get you closer than any RV can get. These are not inexpensive options at more than $1k/night, but when compared to the cost of RV ownership, including storage and maintenance, we’re WAY ahead. At least that’s how I justify paying those rates.

I bought a used travel trailer for $12,000. Juts came back from a month in Nova Scotia, Fundy National Park in New Brunswick and 2 weeks in Acadia National Park in Maine. $684 for 22 nights in campgrounds. Half price at US national parks with senior pass. So, $32.57/night. Great deal. Approx 2210 miles total. $597 for gas. All in for 27 days approx. $1200. Didn't count food, would have to eat at home anyway, though we did eat out many times. Store the RV in my garage. No cost. Camping right on the ocean, uncrowded, beautiful and fairly quiet. Was a great trip.