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Purchasing Motorhomes
The crowd clamored, we responded. If putting gas into your motorhome hasn't eaten all the cash you'd otherwise spend on Internet access, post away!
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I will admit to have given thought to purchasing a motor home down the road as an alternative to a second (vacation) home.
The appeal is the freedom it offers; you can take your second home anywhere you want.
But, is there an invoice price on these things? I've been to an RV dealership once and the list of options for these things is mind-boggling!
You guys should see the owners manual to a Motorhome (my rental unit was a 38 ft. 4 slide diesel unit; 300 hp). Every separate installed component has it's own manual (Leveling jacks, TV, DVD, VCR, satellite system, refrigerator, microwave, etc). The actual chassis manual is not all that large. In the unit I rented, I needed to refresh my memory on how to put the leveling jacks down and release the air in the airbags.
There is a lever on or near the dash that will release the air in the suspension. Once the air is gone, you can hit the button to start the Atwood leveling system. The levelers come down slowly and once they hit the ground, the unit shakes a little as the computer finds the best position for the stands.
Once you get the Motorhome positioned, you have your own Marriott suite to enjoy!
Mark
One December they drove from Columbus, Ohio, via Los Angeles, to Seattle to trade their dually pickup/Airstream trailer rig for a new (left-over) Airstream motorhome. Going out they made it to Seattle in a very impressive 5 days but then got caught in an ice storn right after they made the deal and it took longer for them to get back (just in time for Christmas).
They kept that Airstream for about a decade before trading it to a SW Ohio dealer on another new Airstream. Amazingly, the folks who then bought their traded-in Airstream at the out of town store lived on my in-laws' block, right around the corner!
The unit that my friends bought listed for $321,000... has three slides and is 37 ft. long. Very nice unit; also has a dishwasher in the kitchen!
This unit looks very much like the other A-class units that are around... several tones of tan/brown in the paint job.... no aluminium. :shades:
Airstream was also using the Sprinter chassis in their class C units and I'm not sure if they will keep making those or not.
Mark
In the end, though, I gotta ask. If you really have to take it all along, wouldn't it make more sense to stay home and just get the video?
-Mathias
Who draws the line at a Sportsmobile Class B
Motorhome life is not a cheaper way to travel, it's just a "different" way to travel! And yes, you want to take everything along because you will never know what you will need! :P
I look so forward to my next Motorhome trip. I spend at least two months planning the trip and reserving Motorhome parks that I want to stay in. Part of the fun is the adventure.
Class B units are great but get "long in the tooth" right quick. You have to have room to spread out! Nothing like sitting under your awning having a cocktail watching nature (and other motorhomers). I have found that other Motorhome folks are so nice and friendly.
On one of my stops near the Sequoia National Forest, I was backing my unit in the parking spot and several of the surrounding campers came over to watch me maneuver my 38 ft. behemoth in a small spot. It made me rather nervous with everyone watching but I made it OK. I barely had enough room to let out my four slides as trees were so close on either side. The Motorhome park knew I had a large unit but there didn't seem to be very many spots that would accomadate a unit such as mine but we managed. The water and electricty connections were easy to reach but the sewer connection was WAY too far way (maybe 20 ft), so I didn't connect to it just relying on my holding tanks.
The satellite worked perfectly where ever we were and I also had a chance to catch up some DVD's that I've been wanting to see!
Obviously, Motorhomeing is not for everyone, but it's good for those who appreciate it.
Mark
It has its appeal, staying in or near national parks and that kind of thing.
I have generally been of the same school of thought as Corvette - let someone else pamper me while on vacation!
And yet - some of my best trips when I was in my early 20's were camping trips. I'd kinda like to do that again, but sleeping in a van instead of on the ground.
By the time you pay to insure them, store them, winterize them, constantly repair them, they are more trouble than they are worth!
The short "good times" just aren't worth all of the expense and constant trouble.
Just my not so humble opinion...
My brother and his wife own a 2005 36 ft. diesel motorhome. This is their second and they don't seem to have "constant" repairs (previous was a 2001 gas unit). They do have a Motorhome garage on the back of his regular garage so there are no storage fees.
Mark
I couldn't say the size; it wasn't huge but was enough to have all the basics: bed, kitchen space, shower/toilet, and living space.
They lived like that for 4 or 5 years, as I recall. Kind of an intriguing way to live and got me thinking about "someday - maybe..."
Unless you get a diesel pusher aren't these things basically built on a 1-ton chassis? So you basically get a vehicle that's constantly hauling around its max GVWR, which is understandably hard on the drivetrain. We spent a solid week of our vacation in Blythe, California having our transmission rebuilt one year. Not a fun time.
Maybe it's a different experience with high end models (at 300k+ it BETTER be!) but sticking a motor on a single wide trailer and driving it cross country... No thanks. My dad still loves it, though.
-Jason
I had a little trouble connecting my sewer hose and the guy came over to help me. Motorhome folks seem so nice and eager to help if needed. I asked the guy how long had he been "Motorhoming" and he said for a couple of years. I asked him where he called home and he told me that he didn't have a home as they were using the Motorhome full time. He said before "full-timing" they lived on a boat in Long Beach for 17 years. Wow, can you believe that? I guess they are used to living in rather small places (assuming he didn't have a yacht as large as Bill Gates business partner ...Paul Allen). :P
Mark
I thought that was pretty cool until I found this:
"Classic Airstream design, Chevrolet 454 gas engine, Diner style interior with booth seating for 12 and 3 tables, Galley with sink, ice bin and microwave, Inside and outside audio/PA system available, Rooftop LED sign, Onan 7kW genset, Honda 6 kW genset."
An Airstream Motorhome Diner.......who'd a thunk it?
I'm trying to remember the other one...A class C 24 footer I think it was a Winnebago.
I would much rather stay in a resort somewhere or take a cruise. When you add everything up, it just isn't worth it, at least for me!
I put this in the category with boats. Had one of them once. It only makes sense if you're a motorhome/boat type of person.
You can't make a financial case for them.
I'm with isell. While the allure of "go anywhere and stop anywhere" has its appeal, I'd much rather stay at a resort or go on a cruise. In either case, you get to go to luxurious/exotic locales and not be encumbered with driving/maintaining/equipping the motorhome. Just plop yourself down at the place of your choosing.
Matter of fact, last cruise I took last year ended up costing about $150/person/day.....that included all the food (in abundance). About a month ago, I was in Vancouver (absolutely gorgeous city, BTW) for work. Extended it to include some personal time. Including hotel and food, it came in at about the same $150/day.
I doubt I could even get the gas for the motorhome out of my driveway for $150/day.
I'm booked on two cruises next year and will also do another motorhome trip. I don't want to live every vacation in this thing, just have fun with it for about 6 two week excursions a year.
If a person is just wanting to use a motorhome for the "yearly" vacation..... I wouldn't do it. It's too expensive for that.
Mark
If purchased, it's something that's gotta get used. A lot.
We had some friends who bought a fifth-wheel for camping. During the summer, they were out pretty much every weekend in it, cuz they felt that they 'had' to use it to get their money out of it.
Which is why, even though the wife and I have talked about acquiring one down the road, we will think long and hard about the opportunity cost of purchase.
Oh, and Mark? What exactly is it that you do that allows you to take 6 two week vacations each year? I'm hoping that you are retired, because otherwise, I want to get into your industry if 12 weeks of vacation is available.
Life seems to get quite complicated the more homes, cars, boats, RVs, and ex-spouses one accumulates!
First class accomodations, wonderful food, entertainment and a constantly changing view.
I guess I'm glad we had our motorhomes. We bought them both used and sold them without losing much.
When I think of the storage costs, fuel costs, insurance, paying for hookups, messing with holding tanks, etc. I'm glad they are both long gone!
Yeah, a lot like owning a boat. Been there too!
I suppose it would depend on how far apart the homes are.
For example, my wife and I have talked about acquiring a little cabin up in the mountains to go to on the weekends. As this would be within driving distance of our primary residence, there would be no reason to have a car up there.
Now, if we decided to buy a vacation home in Arizona or Florida, then it becomes a matter of how often you are there. If it's just for weekends and you get there via plane, then I suppose a rental car would work.
But, if you were in a position to live 6 months in one homea nd 6 months in the other and you fly between the two, then perhaps having a car at each home makes sense.
When I was a kid, my dad owned a bass boat. Since he worked for the Fire Dept, he was off frequently during the week and so was up at the lake quite a bit, so I suppose he got his money's worth out of it.
Break Out Another Thousand.
Happy motorhoming to all!
PS. And of course, they say the TWO happiest moments of owning a motorhome/boat/cabin is the day you buy it and the day you sell it!
Mark
I had dual 454s in my boat. A fillup was $400. Good only for a weekend of boating on the OH river.
This summer, without the boat, I'm amazed at all the free time I've got. In previous summers, I spent as much time maintaning and cleaning the boat as I did using it.
I would imagine motorhomes being about the same.
Service is basically done at certain mileage intervals. The two weeks that I rented the motorhome, I didn't have any issues except it needed an exterior washing when I brought it back.
Everything worked fine. If I did have a motorhome, I would want it in a covered storage area vs. being outside in the weather. I would worry about mice and creepy crawlys getting inside the unit or in the storage bays.
The gas amount that you spent would be rather difficult to do in a weekend in a motorhome. The one that I rented had a 90 gallon tank and over a two week period going 1,400 miles, I spent $560 (averaged 8.24 mpg). Diesel in California was running about $3.50 a gallon on average.
Seems like a motorhome would be so much more versatile than a boat. You can't pull a dingy car but I guess you could carry a motorcycle. :P
Mark
Another time a fellow camper's roll out awning did the same thing. I helped him for two hours before we finally just unbolted the whole awning and he threw it away.
I had a cable snap once time on my Starcraft Tent Trailer.
Luckilly it was in our driveway and not on a campsite!
It's actually very common to tow a small (or large) car behind a motorhome, much as you would tow a dingy behind a boat. Jeep Wranglers and other 4wd SUVs are popular for this, as you can disconnect the drivetrain from the transmission with the throw of a lever.
Just set up at your desired location, then jump in the second vehicle to go get groceries or go exploring. It also means you have an escape pod if you break down at the side of the road.
Mark
Just completed a driving trip (700 miles round trip) and I see motorhomes traveling and can't help but wanting to travel in the same manor. Is gas going to get any cheaper? Who knows... but every form of transportation will be affected so might as well travel that way that you want.... MOTORHOMING! :P
Mark
It's different for an airplane as they can run ten to fifteen million for a small one. I see them advertised in Forbes and Robb report. I have also seen timeshare cruise ship suites... what a maintenance fee nightmare!
Motorhomes are cheap enough to own them on your own rather than have other people involved (in my opinion). If a person can't afford a diesel pusher, there are many nice gas units that can fit almost any budget ($80,000 to $150,000).
If a person thinks they aren't going to use it enough, that's where renting comes in... pay as you go! No worries, no maintenance, no repairs, etc. :sick:
Mark
What I wonder about is if a person buys a unit and it needs service, how nice are the folks going to be 2,000 miles from the purchasing dealer? I see that there are some good deals on the Newmar brand "Dutch Star" but I'm not sure how many service centers there are around the country to take care of these units. I guess I could google it and see what comes up. :shades:
I don't want this thread to die out but I'm afraid I can only talk to myself for so long and then I can get mighty boring, LOL! :P
Happy motorhoming to all!
mark156
tidester, host
I'm not sure about the legal position, but I don't think the idea of a small child flying the length of an RV and hitting the inside of the windshield if you have to make an emergency stop, is a particularly appealing one. :sick:
Very good question. I purchased our Forest River MB Cruiser in Colorado, licensed it in Alaska, drove it to our home in CA. The only issue we had was on our trip to the Hill Country of Texas. The Sprinter has a Ceramic spring in front. It broke going into a steep driveway. I was able to drive it 100 miles to the Chrysler dealer in Boerne TX. They were wonderful. Ordered the part and replaced it in two days. We rented a vehicle and did our exploring with the rental while they had the Sprinter. The major parts are Mercedes Sprinter so any 5 star Chrysler dealer should be able to fix them.
Now do I like the vehicle? Yes very much. Plenty of power and great mileage. We averaged 22 MPG on that trip with a high tank of 24.8 MPG. We drove a lot of 70+ MPH as on the Interstates you will get run over by trucks if you go slow.
We now have 4900 miles and will probably sell it. We are involved in starting a new Church and do not have time to travel. I cannot see letting a 2006 vehicle sit and depreciate. Currently you would have a difficult time finding a Sprinter camper conversion. At least none are listed on eBay. They are in the process of building an all new Sprinter. It will be available with gas engine :confuse: and a new V6 diesel. Will it get great mileage like the old ones? I have no idea. I know that my local Forest River dealer had one 2005 for $70k last year. I wanted the 2006 model as they added the second propane tank for the GenSet.
Going to repost this in classic car spoter.
What length did you purchase and what style is it? Some have the bed above the cab and some have the rear bed. Personally, I would want the version with the over-cab bed and have a sofa AND dining table.
The ones that I have seen on the Lazy Days site in Florida, are 23 ft. in length. I'm not sure if weight would be a problem but having maybe a 29-30ft, with two slides would be nice and give a lot of extra room
Sorry to hear that you are not going to able to travel as much. I'm sure a smaller diesel motorhome with great 'miles per gallon' should sell pretty quick. Good luck on the Church.
Mark
http://www.winnebagoind.com/products/winnebago/view/
Someone will be very lucky today!
Mark
:confuse:
When I see "BIG DISCOUNT" ads on ebay, etc, the lowest I've seen a motorhome listed as it's "Buy it now price" was about 72% of the retail sticker. So, 68%s sounds about right for invoice.
A friend of mine who purchased a motorhome this summer purchased a $310,000 unit for 78% of retail sticker and felt they got a wonderful buy.
Mark