Why By a Motorhome or RV?

[fordmantpw]

I would have a heck of a time justifying a LOT of the stuff I have from a practical standpoint.

Precisely! Half of us wouldn't have tractors, would drive old VW Rabbits, and live in a shack with an outhouse!

 

[bearcreek paul]

I usually rent a seasonal the last few years were at cape may nj. 3500.00 from April to November. Where are you going to get a home at the shore for that price. This year we moved up to the salmon river in ny. My wife got the bug for salmon and steelhead fishing. The price for a seasonal up there is 1100.00 for may to mid october. When we were running up there for the weekend it would cost 400.00 for the weekend or more. I'll have to post some pics this August when the salmon start running.

 

[Bird]

One thing that is surprising to me is the large number of RVs that are never moved. Nearly every RV park has both trailers and motorhomes that are never moved. In fact, one of my brothers has been living in a 1992 motorhome that he bought new in Alaska a few years before coming back to Texas. And I know it hadn't been moved in the last 12 years until he replaced it with a conventional travel trailer this past year, and there's a good chance he'll never move the trailer. The other brother and his wife have been pulling a fifth-wheel from Texas to Washington state for the summers and back to Texas for the winters. But now he sold his truck and bought a second fifth-wheel trailer; just leave one in Texas and the other in Washington and go back and forth in a sedan.:laughing:

 

[Scooby074]

Brin we never camp at campgrounds like KOA...sardines. State or National Parks only...huge difference in sites and way cheaper in price(average <$25 a night).

This!

I HATE non-government campgrounds. Government (fed and prov) campgrounds here generally have nice wooded (larger) sites, and clean bathrooms/showers.

Private campgrounds are usually not as neatly maintained, and dont have as private sites in my experience.

Now as to vehicles... Multi-hundred thousand dollar Class A's... No way.. talk about up front cost.. and depreciation. And MILEAGE!! It costs a fortune to travel in one of those. How many miles per year / upfront cost.

We have a Jayco popup we pull with one of the trucks. Some day were going to upgrade to a smaller hardside, just because it makes things easier to go on short notice (everything inside is "ready"), easier to set up, and better when the weather turns crappy. Rain in a popup is NO fun.

There is one other thing Im considering. I like exploring the back country here. Something like this rig would be ideal for that. Id make the camper section removable, so Id be able to use the truck for other purposes

 

[MossRoad]

This!

I HATE non-government campgrounds. Government (fed and prov) campgrounds here generally have nice wooded (larger) sites, and clean bathrooms/showers.

Private campgrounds are usually not as neatly maintained, and dont have as private sites in my experience.

Now as to vehicles... Multi-hundred thousand dollar Class A's... No way.. talk about up front cost.. and depreciation. And MILEAGE!! It costs a fortune to travel in one of those. How many miles per year / upfront cost.

We have a Jayco popup we pull with one of the trucks. Some day were going to upgrade to a smaller hardside, just because it makes things easier to go on short notice (everything inside is "ready"), easier to set up, and better when the weather turns crappy. Rain in a popup is NO fun.

There is one other thing Im considering. I like exploring the back country here. Something like this rig would be ideal for that. Id make the camper section removable, so Id be able to use the truck for other purposes
View attachment 326966 View attachment 326967

Get a Unimog and convert it into a camper! (look them up, very fun).

 

[atgreene]

We have a 25' Nash 4 seasons camper (insulated for year round use= quiet & warm/cool) and have traveled a fair amount. We figure with what we save on meals (unless you want to eat 3 squares at Mcdonalds for 2 weeks), hotel rooms (when you can find one w/o making reservations), and the ability to go where we want it more than pays for itself.

W/o hauling the camper, premium destinations are $200 or so per night, 3 meals a day for 3 of us is $75-100, it doesn't take long to pay for the extra gas and the comfort of knowing you can pull over anywhere and make a sandwich, take a nap, go the the bathroom or just plain take a break from traveling. Some of our best memories while traveling have been with the camper, our worst memories while traveling have been w/o the camper.

 

[Deere Dude]

I had a Class C motorhome quite a while ago and made a circle trip through the National parks of Wyoming and Utah and other places and back to Wisconsin and it cost us $1600 for gas and lot rent for the three weeks. A couple years later we wanted to see that stuff again and maybe some different things and we stayed in cheap motels and ate cheaply and even slept in the car a time or two. This was a Delta 88. The final bill was just about the same as the camper, within a hundred or so.

The camper got 10-11 and the car got high 20s and low 30s. We enjoyed it but all in all the camper was more memorable. We did sell that later and got a 5th wheel to get away from drive-train expenses, plus I needed a truck anyway.

Then 11 years ago we bought a 37' 5th wheel with all kinds of slide-outs. We ended up snow-birding for 7 years in southern Florida with it and it was like walking into a kitchen and living room at home. It was totally comfortable. I doubt I would stay in a motel for 6 months, even though it may be just as cheap.

I never made a dollar with any camper I owned. The campground camaraderie is priceless. I like the open fire cookouts and taking bike rides and the hiking trails. To each their own, but that works well for me. I am not a condo type of guy and hate to be in the crowds. I like the feeling of closing out the day in my own bed and watching my own TV, even if it may cost more upfront.

 

[nwltruck]

The family loves camping. I believe my kids would disown me if I ever sold the camper. Most of our trips are to a county park 5 miles up the road. Our summers are full of small weekend vacations. The great thing is that the camper stays fully stocked and plunged in ready to go. Most times we don't decide to go camping till the last minute( busy life). Up front cost can be high but does not have to be. We have a 35" fifth wheel and my dodge will get up to 14 mpg towing it. The lifestyle and experience are worth more than you could imagine.

 

[MossRoad]

If I was going to do it, I'd tow a small trailer. I think it would be nice to be able to disconnect the tow vehicle for day trips rather than packing up the campsite. I already have a suburban for a 2nd vehicle to tow my tractor out to our rural property, so it would only be the expense of the trailer. Maybe in a few years.

 

[rider0]

We either drive and or fly and rent a car and stay in hotels most times at Spring Hill Suites, Holiday Inn Express, etc. We plan the trip in detail and book all hotels months in advance and know where we will stay each night and what we will see. We even know what options we have for dinner by reviewing Trip Advisor in each town/city we visit.

I think this answers a great deal of your question. An RV provides you the flexibility to NOT have your entire vacation planned out in minute detail. You can follow the less beaten path if you like, stay an extra day if you like, follow a whim. This can make people nervous who crave and require a structured life. Personally, I dislike RVs and large parts of the popular culture RV "lifestyle", but I dislike preplanned "cruise-type" vacations and hotels even more. I don't like knowing what I'm going to see and where I'm going to eat. It takes adventure and enjoyment right out of the trip.