OP
OP
IMZvonko
Member
Ha. I'm usually the opposite. I'd go in looking for a 30' and keep going up to better (longer) models.
Dipping my toes in
- Thread starter IMZvonko
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Depending on trip length living out of a suitcase soon gets old. Even on our 2 week vacations I would get fed up with the packing and unpacking even for a night unless well organised.
Meals out can be expensive and you need to abide by time constraint, eg if out late you can grab a bite back in RV anytime but if local food places close at 9 then you need to be there by 8. Depends on your style of exploring and eating i guess.
Same bed every night.
You can spend time outside your RV, sit around a campfire and watch the stars. Sit by a stream or in a forest not in a hotel room.
Many campgrounds, particularly forest ones are pretty cheap.
I think if you caught the bug you'd end up buying one and using it a lot.
Pros for hotel, someone else makes the bed and cleans up. You need to be up early so less likely to laze about. Get up and go without the unhooking etc if staying for short periods of time.
Meals out can be expensive and you need to abide by time constraint, eg if out late you can grab a bite back in RV anytime but if local food places close at 9 then you need to be there by 8. Depends on your style of exploring and eating i guess.
Same bed every night.
You can spend time outside your RV, sit around a campfire and watch the stars. Sit by a stream or in a forest not in a hotel room.
Many campgrounds, particularly forest ones are pretty cheap.
I think if you caught the bug you'd end up buying one and using it a lot.
Pros for hotel, someone else makes the bed and cleans up. You need to be up early so less likely to laze about. Get up and go without the unhooking etc if staying for short periods of time.
Ex-Calif
Well-known member
"Look honey. This one is only 2 feet longer but has a wet bar. And the payments are only $50 a month more..."
X-Roughneck Strike 3
Well-known member
One thing you may try is to do RV searches on Youtube. You can do a bunch of virtual walk through, and dealers are putting up more videos daily.
We lived in a Metro area and walked alot of Lots. That is another good thing. Just don't jump into the Essex or other luxury lines of RVs if you don't have the cash to buy, LOL, nothing will compare after you jump in one of those.
I would also sign up for free RVtrader account. Search USA wide to get a idea of dealer pricing. Set a notification for certain models you like and you will get a email announcing that model nation wide when it comes up for sale. You may even fly and buy like we did. I flew from San Antonio one way for $140 to Detroit, Motor City to Purchase a used 2017 Winnebago Aspect 30 J. RV trader has Lots of filters too, $$$, Certain Areas, Specific Features, private seller, etc. RV Trader, check it out!
Before COVID the strategy for buying used was plug in the coach to NADA blue book and you should pay mid Pricing return as the High end of USED pricing reality. RV pricing is crazy and you can get burned paying too much. I know the demand went thru the roof with COVID but here is the link anyway. Play with mid line return pricing for USED and match that against what dealers are pricing the coaches at. Their are risks with RV and personal purchases. Scams etc, so buying from a person you must get the feel and read the T leaves... if they sound flaky, keep looking.
You have to also take into account the upgrade the owner has done, Solar, etc so that must come into play. Some of these used older coaches are dressed out to the 9s and that has to factor in. Trashed RV vs A Guy or Gal who babied and upgraded their RV. You must factor in that also!
The best strategy to me is buy used from a Older couple with cash. They tend to upgrade and keep their coaches in better shape (Not always). The deals are out there. Think Gently Used!! I got a 2 year old Winnebago Class C Aspect with 2100 miles on the odometer. Looked like I was stepping into the coach as it rolled off the assembly line at the factory. At that time I know I saved around 10 Grand buying used comparing the models the RV places were selling at that same time.
Pic from our Drive back from Detroit in 2019. Found out the lady put the wrong VIN on my Temp Plate later when I went to Register it with a incorrect VIN on the State of Texas Inspection. Luckily I called Wichita Falls, Goodyear and the guy corrected it and sent me a new copy.
We lived in a Metro area and walked alot of Lots. That is another good thing. Just don't jump into the Essex or other luxury lines of RVs if you don't have the cash to buy, LOL, nothing will compare after you jump in one of those.
I would also sign up for free RVtrader account. Search USA wide to get a idea of dealer pricing. Set a notification for certain models you like and you will get a email announcing that model nation wide when it comes up for sale. You may even fly and buy like we did. I flew from San Antonio one way for $140 to Detroit, Motor City to Purchase a used 2017 Winnebago Aspect 30 J. RV trader has Lots of filters too, $$$, Certain Areas, Specific Features, private seller, etc. RV Trader, check it out!
Before COVID the strategy for buying used was plug in the coach to NADA blue book and you should pay mid Pricing return as the High end of USED pricing reality. RV pricing is crazy and you can get burned paying too much. I know the demand went thru the roof with COVID but here is the link anyway. Play with mid line return pricing for USED and match that against what dealers are pricing the coaches at. Their are risks with RV and personal purchases. Scams etc, so buying from a person you must get the feel and read the T leaves... if they sound flaky, keep looking.
You have to also take into account the upgrade the owner has done, Solar, etc so that must come into play. Some of these used older coaches are dressed out to the 9s and that has to factor in. Trashed RV vs A Guy or Gal who babied and upgraded their RV. You must factor in that also!
The best strategy to me is buy used from a Older couple with cash. They tend to upgrade and keep their coaches in better shape (Not always). The deals are out there. Think Gently Used!! I got a 2 year old Winnebago Class C Aspect with 2100 miles on the odometer. Looked like I was stepping into the coach as it rolled off the assembly line at the factory. At that time I know I saved around 10 Grand buying used comparing the models the RV places were selling at that same time.
Pic from our Drive back from Detroit in 2019. Found out the lady put the wrong VIN on my Temp Plate later when I went to Register it with a incorrect VIN on the State of Texas Inspection. Luckily I called Wichita Falls, Goodyear and the guy corrected it and sent me a new copy.
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Isaac-1
Well-known member
I think you have hit upon the big advantages, having your house with you, even if it is your tiny vacation house, and not your main house, you have a thousand pounds or so of your stuff with you wherever you go, including things like laptop computers, your comfortable pillow, as well as stuff you probably would not bring with you if you were traveling by plane or even car, such as BBQ grill, bicycle, beach chair, and lots of things that don't start with the letter B. For those with medical conditions, the advantages keep going up, not hauling cpap machine around, a refrigerator to keep your insulin in, a kitchen if you have special dietary concerns, ...
The big disadvantage is cost, you will never or almost never save money vacationing by RV as opposed to staying in a hotel, there are just too many expenses to add up, even if you were to magically get the $20,000 - $200,000 RV for free, there is still cost of ownership (storage, insurance, maintenance, etc.), travel expense (fuel, rv parks, wear on tires, ...). Cost of ownership and depreciation alone for most people makes those seeming insane RV rental prices look appealing for those that plan to use their RV for less than 2-4 weeks per year, of course going the rental route means it is not going to be pre-loaded with all your stuff when you get ready to hit the road.
As to places to stay, scenic views, etc. sure there are the picturesque views, but there are also those overnight stops at gravel parking lot commercial campgrounds beside the highway, where the family of 5 next door 15 feet away decides to stay up until midnight watching the big game on their outdoor tv, or the long term resident guy with the diesel pickup truck and no muffler that warms his truck up for half an hour at 4 am.
We are currently debating taking the RV or taking the car on for a trip in May to Memphis for our nieces graduation. Let me run down the economics for you. Travel distance 500 miles each way, this is a long but doable 1 day drive in a car, not so much in an RV where everything happens slower, and is much more fatiguing to drive, in general we try to target not more than 350 miles per day our coach, maybe 400 out west with open roads, every time I have pushed past 400 I have regretted it the next day, driving 400 miles in a motorhome feels like doing 650 in a car, my longest day to date in the motorhome was 500 miles and 12 hours, almost to the mile and the minute with only stops for food and fuel. This would in effect add a day or so to our travel time if we take the motorhome. Then there is the money side, assuming we take my wife's car we are looking at about 25 mpg fuel economy, so 40 gallons of gas at $2.50 per gallon (maybe higher) = $100, if we take the motorhome at 8 mpg that becomes $312, assuming $100 per night motel, that is 2 nights right there. Then comes the cost of where to stay, the nearest RV park is 10-15 miles away from their house at $35 per night, given we are only likely to stay 2-3 days the economics clearly suggest we should take the car.
Let me leave you with these images of potential overnight camping spots where we have stayed for a single night. First the dream camping site, on the canyon rim at Goosenecks State Park, UT, then a typical (maybe little nicer than typical) roadside RV park, both out west, both dry camping, both cheap ($10) / free, photos taken about a week apart on the same trip.
The big disadvantage is cost, you will never or almost never save money vacationing by RV as opposed to staying in a hotel, there are just too many expenses to add up, even if you were to magically get the $20,000 - $200,000 RV for free, there is still cost of ownership (storage, insurance, maintenance, etc.), travel expense (fuel, rv parks, wear on tires, ...). Cost of ownership and depreciation alone for most people makes those seeming insane RV rental prices look appealing for those that plan to use their RV for less than 2-4 weeks per year, of course going the rental route means it is not going to be pre-loaded with all your stuff when you get ready to hit the road.
As to places to stay, scenic views, etc. sure there are the picturesque views, but there are also those overnight stops at gravel parking lot commercial campgrounds beside the highway, where the family of 5 next door 15 feet away decides to stay up until midnight watching the big game on their outdoor tv, or the long term resident guy with the diesel pickup truck and no muffler that warms his truck up for half an hour at 4 am.
We are currently debating taking the RV or taking the car on for a trip in May to Memphis for our nieces graduation. Let me run down the economics for you. Travel distance 500 miles each way, this is a long but doable 1 day drive in a car, not so much in an RV where everything happens slower, and is much more fatiguing to drive, in general we try to target not more than 350 miles per day our coach, maybe 400 out west with open roads, every time I have pushed past 400 I have regretted it the next day, driving 400 miles in a motorhome feels like doing 650 in a car, my longest day to date in the motorhome was 500 miles and 12 hours, almost to the mile and the minute with only stops for food and fuel. This would in effect add a day or so to our travel time if we take the motorhome. Then there is the money side, assuming we take my wife's car we are looking at about 25 mpg fuel economy, so 40 gallons of gas at $2.50 per gallon (maybe higher) = $100, if we take the motorhome at 8 mpg that becomes $312, assuming $100 per night motel, that is 2 nights right there. Then comes the cost of where to stay, the nearest RV park is 10-15 miles away from their house at $35 per night, given we are only likely to stay 2-3 days the economics clearly suggest we should take the car.
Let me leave you with these images of potential overnight camping spots where we have stayed for a single night. First the dream camping site, on the canyon rim at Goosenecks State Park, UT, then a typical (maybe little nicer than typical) roadside RV park, both out west, both dry camping, both cheap ($10) / free, photos taken about a week apart on the same trip.
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Old_Crow
Well-known member
I love Goosenecks State park. My wife made me park on the other side of the road, though. Didn't want to be that close to the drop-off.
Isaac-1
Well-known member
The initial drop really is not all that far, there is a bit of a ledge maybe only 20 feet down as can be seen in this photo where I walked down a ways and took a photo looking back at our coach. It did not stay that empty, we arrived at around 3:30 PM, and before sunset in October at least 5 or 6 other RV's filled in some of the spaces in front of and behind us at about 100-200 ft separation.
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X-Roughneck Strike 3
Well-known member
Not sure I did not see this mentioned in the replies, but PPL is a RV consignment Sales Lot here in Texas. Start Looking to buy now if your serious. A good place to Scan what is for sale, and what they are selling for, as you ponder your upcoming purchase. Think Gently used. Have plans A,B,C,D.
I think there are 3 PPL locations in Texas. They have data, (looks old) for sales of motor homes, and lots of links to what they are selling right now.
www.pplmotorhomes.com
Go to their main page and Browse..Used for sale right now. We walked the lot and I got the, OK, that is what moldy, musty smells like. Lot's of used ("A-Z") reality on their lot in New Braunfels, TX when we browsed.
Forgot to mention. Welcome to your Upcoming RVn Adventures.
JD
I think there are 3 PPL locations in Texas. They have data, (looks old) for sales of motor homes, and lots of links to what they are selling right now.
Sold RVs
Go to their main page and Browse..Used for sale right now. We walked the lot and I got the, OK, that is what moldy, musty smells like. Lot's of used ("A-Z") reality on their lot in New Braunfels, TX when we browsed.
Forgot to mention. Welcome to your Upcoming RVn Adventures.
JD
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Isaac-1
Well-known member
JD if you wan to compare and contrast the used motorhome shopping experience go to PPL in Houston, walk the lot for a couple of hours, and you will quickly start wondering if they call this good condition, I would hate to see bad, also and you would think they would fix the broken (entry steps, grab bars, ripped upholstery ...) before they put it up for sale. Then drive up the road a couple of hours to Motorhomes of Texas in Nacogdoches, where nearly every coach is plugged into electricity, have the air conditioners running, are cleaned and staged with bowls of plastic fruit on the counter and silk robe draped across the bed. Though having shopped the lot there some too what I really want to know is how do they get all those water spots off those 20 year old glass shower doors.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Continuing what Lynx0849 said about 2-foot-itis...
So you upgrade your almost new 28 footer to a 30 foot model (at considerable financial loss), only to discover a year or so later that what you really needed was a 32 footer. And so on...
So you upgrade your almost new 28 footer to a 30 foot model (at considerable financial loss), only to discover a year or so later that what you really needed was a 32 footer. And so on...
X-Roughneck Strike 3
Well-known member
Ike,
I will agree, MH of Texas does have alot of beautiful used coaches. They have a "on point" detail crew for sure. They must spend days, on these things preparing them for sale. They do market and present their coaches for sale with some pizzazz for sure. I have been to their site many times in the past.
As for the shower door spot removal, prolly some ancient trade secret, Bobcat urine? Just a wild guess.
I can see it now. Your first day on the job.
"Ike, Did you see the bobcat in the cage out back? Take this cup and......"
JD
Laura & Charles
Well-known member
Even if you’re not full time, a cross country trip will be most enjoyable taking a fair amount of time. For us having our own food/refrigerator/kitchen, our own bathroom, and our own washer and dryer is way better than living out of suitcases in hotels.
Some folks don’t mind laundromats, we very much do. It will take a sizable rig to have a w/d. But getting comfortable driving a large rig comes easier than most think before they’ve done it. (And the view from that big class a windshield is truly spectacular in scenic areas.)
Some folks don’t mind laundromats, we very much do. It will take a sizable rig to have a w/d. But getting comfortable driving a large rig comes easier than most think before they’ve done it. (And the view from that big class a windshield is truly spectacular in scenic areas.)
Isaac-1
Well-known member
We are one of those that don't mind campground laundromats, at least not if they are in good condition and clean. We also carry enough cloths and move around often enough with vacation travel rarely staying in the same place for more than 3-5 days that if one stop does not have a nice laundry setup, the next one likely will.
