RV Discussion Forums??

Golfgar4 · Oct 20, 2004

( I think your idea of visiting the places you're considering for relocation is a good one, and I haven't kept up with prices lately, but you may find it as cheap, or cheaper, to stay in motels and eat out as it would be to rent an RV. )

That's a good point Bird. But we're also considering the possibility of going full time RV'ing. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif So we think it'd be a good idea to get a real feel for it.

I would view this possibility as the least likely of any of our ideas, but we have discussed it. We absolutely love traveling around the country, so it seemed like a natural fit for us. But I think my wife is a little bit more grounded to family/friends than she's willing to admit. At least for now anyway. I think a couple of months on the road would be very enlightening, either way. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Golfgar4 · Oct 20, 2004

Mad,

I just visited the Open Roads Forum that you recommended. It's the exact same one as Woodall's!? And if you go to RV.net, you also will find a direct link to the same site.

Can they all be the same site with different names?? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Bird · Oct 20, 2004

( considering the possibility of going full time RV'ing )

Yep, you need to rent one then. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif If possible, rent the same type you think you might buy in the future.

My wife did not want an RV when I bought the first one (a slide-in pickup camper), but I bought it anyway. And very quickly she decided it was great; just not big enough, so . . . things just kind of snowballed from there. She doesn't want to go back to RVing because she's afraid I'd want to spend too much time too far from family, but it would be OK with her as long as we made very frequent returns to kids and grandkids. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

MadReferee · Oct 20, 2004

re: Open Roads forums aka RV.net

I believe RV.net is owned by the Affinity Group whose subsidiaries include Camping World, Woodalls, Trailer Life/Motorhome magazine, the Good Sam Club, and probably a few others that I don't know about.

According to their propaganda on RV.net/community the forums have over 190,000 topics, 1.9 million posts, 75,000 registered members, and over 5000 posts per day.

This makes TBN look extremely small. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Tractors4u · Oct 20, 2004

( The wife and I are still debating on whether we want to stick around in this neck of the woods, or consider relocating. )

So where are you considering?

chucko · Oct 20, 2004

found you one. No need to thank me

BB_TX · Oct 20, 2004

I don't suppose year round golf is any factor in your future plans? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I am still about 3 yrs from retirement but have also been looking into RVs. Here is my take on it.
Motor homes allow passengers to move around while traveling. May or may be important. But you have to tow a vehicle behind to have something to drive around in. That may not be so bad as you could get a small 4x4 something to allow sightseeing in back areas you could not get a larger and/or non-4x4 vehicle.
5th wheels are less expensive than an equivalent length motor home but you must provide a tow vehicle. Passengers cannot move around inside the tow vehicle and can't ride in the trailer. Your tow vehicle is also your sightseeing vehicle so you only have one motorized vehicle to maintain. You put a couple hundred thousand miles on the tow vehicle, get a new one, and keep going. Not sure what you do on a motor home with lots of miles.
Don't know how the fuel mileage would compare between the two.
Decisions. Decisions. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Golfgar4 · Oct 20, 2004

( No need to thank me
)

Good! Because I wasn't going to! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Golfgar4 · Oct 20, 2004

( So where are you considering? )

There's the million dollar question. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

We want to be somewhere that has 4 seasons. We like winter, but don't necessarily want "mounds" of snow. Wouldn't mind being on a lake with nice views of mountains, or even really BIG hills. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

We're also looking for those states that don't tax pensions and have a lower cost of living than what we've got in Wisconsin.

Areas that we've seen that we really like include: Missouri (Lake of the Ozarks area, Branson area); Northern Arkansas (just south of Branson); Columbus, Ohio and that region; Vermont and/or New Hampshire; Tennessee (Gatlinburg, Blue Ridge mountains); North Carolina (Asheville).

We're researching living costs in all of these areas, and are continuing to look for others.

( I don't suppose year round golf is any factor in your future plans? )

Well, considering that I've been able to play golf every month of the year for the last two years here in Wisconsin, I don't think it is a concern. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Granted, we've had pretty mild winters of late. At least as far as we're concerned. You'd probably be absolutely freezing!

actually, I'm happy to give up a month or two of golf to avoid having to live in the "sun belt". I could not handle the summers down there! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Bird · Oct 20, 2004

Bill, in addition to what you've stated, I'll add a few differences. With the motorhome, if it has to go in the shop for engine/transmission repairs, home is in the shop, too. Motorhome is great if it's raining when you stop; you don't have to even step outside. Conventional pull type travel trailers are not as tall and don't require as much overhad clearance and they can be pulled by something other than a pickup truck, or if pulled with a pickup you still have all the bed of the truck available for other things. Fifth-wheel trailers are the most stable driving down the road, especially in cross winds. When considering size of trailers, it appears that 5th wheels cost more, but if you figure it on a square footage basis, not much difference; 5th wheel length is all usable space; conventional trailer lengths are quoted to include about 4' of tongue. Conventional trailers are usually lower to the ground; fewer steps to climb to get in an out than on a 5th wheel or motorhome. The vast majority of motorhomes come with a generator. Trailers used to seldom have a generator, but now most 5th wheels and only some of the conventional trailers have a space and are pre-wired for an "optional" generator. Fifth-wheels are easier to back than a conventional trailer, both because you can cut shorter and because the overall length of the rig is less due to about 5' of it being up over the bed of the truck. The motorhome is easiest of all to back, of course, and many of them have backup cameras with a monitor on the dash; a great little invention. If you spend a lot of time in one place, the engine, batteries, etc. on a motorhome may suffer from lack of use, while with a trailer, you still drive the tow truck frequently.

( You put a couple hundred thousand miles on the tow vehicle, get a new one, and keep going. Not sure what you do on a motor home with lots of miles. )

The running gear (engine, transmission, etc.) can be rebuilt or replaced on a motorhome.

( Don't know how the fuel mileage would compare between the two. )

Generally speaking, not enough difference to amount to anything if the weight, size of living space, etc. are comparable. The diesel rigs, whether tow truck and trailer or motorhome, get better mileage than the gasoline powered rigs.

Probably not a very exhaustive list, but a few things to consider. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif