Class C Lifespan and 240-Month Financing

[TheBar]

Yea but I think that’s few and far between right now. Maybe be back?

New car sales have been down for quite a while. Dealers are offering great interest rates just to move them.

 

[poohbear]

The borrower is the slave of the lender, don't ask me how I know.

 

[Kittykamper]

Without knowing more about you, your age, financial situation, how you intend to use the RV, your mechanical ability, etc., it's hard to give you a meaningful answer.

My financial situation, if things keep going as they’ve been going in this country, is grim……

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

My financial situation, if things keep going as they’ve been going in this country, is grim……

Seeing you are from NY State as I am, I can understand your grim outlook because taxes, policies, and regulations are strangulating this state. It's not that bad, and some places are even good. But in NY, CA, WA, and a couple of others, the state has its hands around your neck.

 

[garyb1st]

My financial situation, if things keep going as they’ve been going in this country, is grim……

Regardless of where you are from, if you're serious about your financial situation, you need to fully understand the real cost of RVing. The purchase price of your RV is something you can plan and budget for. The ongoing cost of RVing which includes, fuel, campground fees, insurance, registration, new tires, new batteries, periodic service and possibly some costly repairs is more challenging and may require some deep pockets.

 

[RV_Lee122]

Often its $200-$300 each time you turn the key. Why? You're either going to fill it with gas, going to an RV park or going to buy groceries or other supplies. Keep that in mind and how you'll moderate it. Wintering on BLM land in AZ allows good financial recovery but anywhere else....its dicey

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

more challenging and may require some deep pockets.

I would add and more challenging than many are prepared for.

Wintering on BLM land in AZ allows good financial recovery

That would be if you are full-time.

 

[Kirk]

is grim……

There are ways to make RV living cost much less. We started our fulltime experience on a pretty limited budget, so we spent a lot of time as volunteers at state and national parks and wildlife refuges. The majority of both have RV sites with full hookups for volunteers in return for working 3 or 4 days per week. In many cases the work is things like lawn care, working in visitor centers, giving visitor tours, and similar things. With the USFWS, they try to use your existing skills to fill jobs which then need help with such as tractor operation, carpentry projects, office help, and such things. By doing that we would spend more than half or out time in places that cost nothing for the RV sites and most of them also supplied a place with laundry equipment for volunteers to use. We really enjoyed the jobs and sometimes we even did things that we only dreamed of, such as a bear study in Maine, rearing baby alligators in Louisiana, leading nature walks in Everglades NP, and several other interesting experiences. You can lower the cost of fuel by traveling less and we mostly moved locations seasonally.

 

[Kittykamper]

There are ways to make RV living cost much less. We started our fulltime experience on a pretty limited budget, so we spent a lot of time as volunteers at state and national parks and wildlife refuges. The majority of both have RV sites with full hookups for volunteers in return for working 3 or 4 days per week. In many cases the work is things like lawn care, working in visitor centers, giving visitor tours, and similar things. With the USFWS, they try to use your existing skills to fill jobs which then need help with such as tractor operation, carpentry projects, office help, and such things. By doing that we would spend more than half or out time in places that cost nothing for the RV sites and most of them also supplied a place with laundry equipment for volunteers to use. We really enjoyed the jobs and sometimes we even did things that we only dreamed of, such as a bear study in Maine, rearing baby alligators in Louisiana, leading nature walks in Everglades NP, and several other interesting experiences. You can lower the cost of fuel by traveling less and we mostly moved locations seasonally.

Thanks Kirk. Sometimes I just feel like my dreams are just drifting further and further out of reach. I don’t have “deep pockets.” In fact, I don’t even really have pockets! I just carry my two cents around in my hands. It sounds like you have had some amazing experiences! I do believe (still) that where there’s a will, there’s a way. Thanks for your post!

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

Kitty, buying a used 3-4 years old can save you up to half the cost of buying a brand new RV. Plus, you'll have the added benefit of the "new" kinks and "to-dos" being ironed out with the initial owner.

An example, my wife and I will be closing the deal in a couple of days on a 2018 Entergra Class C with only 9500 miles on it by the original owner. During the purchase process, the owner had 6 new tires installed, the fiberglass roof cut-outs resealed, and the generator serviced with a new carburetor . She also is having the front driver and passenger seats re-covered. We were in the market for a 2021-23 model, but couldn't turn down the deal on the 2018.

 

[Kirk]

I do believe (still) that where there’s a will, there’s a way.

I would agree with that sentiment, but it may require some advance planning, research, and preparation, as well as a lot of self-discipline. I don't know of any way to get a livable RV without a significant financial expenditure so that will be the first challenge to undertake. There are those who win a lottery or some other windfall, but that isn't usually a good strategy. Most older RVs require a lot of expensive repairs, unless one is able to do the work themselves, and even then, replacement parts and appliances are not inexpensive. If you do not know any experienced RV owners, you might be able to meet some by spending some time walking through nearby campgrounds and watching for the opportunity to strike up a conversation with some folks there. You need some help to find a really good used RV and professional inspections are several hundred dollars or more, but a lot of advice can be gained for free.

 

[RV_Lee122]

Does it have to be a motorhome? Lots of cheap travel trailers out there right now

 

[Lou Schneider]

Seeing you are from NY State as I am, I can understand your grim outlook because taxes, policies, and regulations are strangulating this state. It's not that bad, and some places are even good. But in NY, CA, WA, and a couple of others, the state has its hands around your neck.

When I retired from working in CA I moved to a small town in NV along the CA border. CA equals or surpasses NY in the overall cost of living and especially in the amount of taxes and fees it collects from it's residents. You don't realize how much until you move someplace better (cheaper).

Nevada is much less expensive than CA. It's not perfect and there are cheaper places I could have landed but the lower taxes and fees, lower rents, etc. here mean despite my retirement income dropping to less than half of what it was when I was working full time in CA's Big Cities (primarily Social Security) I now have more disposable income each month than I did when I was working full time in CA. Enough so I can take my RV and visit areas with nicer weather when NV gets too hot for 3 months in the summer or go south to escape the blahs or an occasional sub-freezing night or two in the winter.

 

[Kittykamper]

Kitty, buying a used 3-4 years old can save you up to half the cost of buying a brand new RV. Plus, you'll have the added benefit of the "new" kinks and "to-dos" being ironed out with the initial owner.

An example, my wife and I will be closing the deal in a couple of days on a 2018 Entergra Class C with only 9500 miles on it by the original owner. During the purchase process, the owner had 6 new tires installed, the fiberglass roof cut-outs resealed, and the generator serviced with a new carburetor . She also is having the front driver and passenger seats re-covered. We were in the market for a 2021-23 model, but couldn't turn down the deal on the 2018.

That’s outstanding, Traveler! Congrats! How did you find that? I’m just curious where people seek out used RV’s besides on RV Trader.

 

[Kittykamper]

Does it have to be a motorhome? Lots of cheap travel trailers out there right now

Not necessarily. I just thought it would be easier for me to manage. Have you seen the movie, “The Long Long Trailer,” where they were pulling a humongous trailer up the side of a mountain, and they could barely make it because they had so much junk in there?

 

[Lou Schneider]

Not necessarily. I just thought it would be easier for me to manage. Have you seen the movie, “The Long Long Trailer,” where they were pulling a humongous trailer up the side of a mountain, and they could barely make it because they had so much junk in there?

More recently, have you seen the movie "RV" with Robin Williams where their family rents a motorhome for a week long vacation? The same thing, Hollywood exaggeration posing as comedy. Although I did LOL several times.

The Long, Long Trailer was made 75 years ago when mobile homes were a novelty and RVs didn't exist, not the commonplace units we have today. You won't tow a 35 ft. house trailer with a Mercury convertible, you'll have a lighter, possibly smaller trailer behind a properly set up ow vehicle designed to handle that weight. A totally different experience!

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

Was this it?

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

When I retired from working in CA I moved to a small town in NV along the CA border. CA equals or surpasses NY in the overall cost of living and especially in the amount of taxes and fees it collects from it's residents. You don't realize how much until you move someplace better (cheaper).

Nevada is much less expensive than CA. It's not perfect and there are cheaper places I could have landed but the lower taxes and fees, lower rents, etc. here mean despite my retirement income dropping to less than half of what it was when I was working full time in CA's Big Cities (primarily Social Security) I now have more disposable income each month than I did when I was working full time in CA. Enough so I can take my RV and visit areas with nicer weather when NV gets too hot for 3 months in the summer or go south to escape the blahs or an occasional sub-freezing night or two in the winter.

Lou, that is exactly why my brother moved out of North Las Vegas. Californian s moving into his gated community loaded with cash from selling their ridiculously overpriced home in CA. They also brought with them suit cases full of the same social expectations that caused the heavy tax burden in CA and cost of living to start with.

Did you catch in the news the union representing workers at So Fi stadium recently settled their negotiations to the tune that the minimum wage paid at the stadium will be $40 an hour! Hot dog venders, janitors, ticket takers, etc. in line to make over $55K a year for full time workers. So, how much will ticket prices be for events at the stadium, hey Olympics!

Soon, Nevada will be no different than California. Just look at Colorado as proof of that.

 

[Firstime RVer]

My TT is 9 years old and worth about 1/2 of my as new purchase price. It seems to me that with a reasonable interest rate over the 240 months you would pay about 75% of the original selling price in interest, and with depreciation, end up with very little to show for the investment.
Just my $.02 FWIW

 

[DonTom]

. Californian s moving into his gated community loaded with cash from selling their ridiculously overpriced home in CA.

If they could move the CA border to go around Clark County, I think that would make almost everybody happy.

BTW, they say in CA when one once moves out of CA, no way can they ever afford to move back. I mainly live in Reno, NV, but I never fully left CA.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Firstime RVer]

I feel your pain.. We live in NJ!!!!!
Pennsylvania properties are 2/3 of NJ values and the property taxes are much more reasonable. NJ and Cal are getting ridiculous!!!!