Please just try.

[Wacamp1022]

Would like to know how much what you have chosen to live in has cost you. The initial investment, what it was, how it has worked out. We my wife and I are setting out to full time RV for our retirement years. I am struggling as to what to get and a price range.

 

[oldsoul]

Hello, i think it depends ultimately on how mechanical you are and how much stuff you have. I live in an older class C that needed some tlc to get healthy, but i did all the work myself so the costs were much lower.Depends on what your willing to give up in terms of creature comforts and how minimal your willing to live i guess. My rig cost me under 5 thousand after all the work i did, but its always ongoing. Every month i try to improve on it, and save a portion of my income to that end (emergency fund).

 

[SirJoey]

<br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I now live in a super old class C ('74), which I purchased 2 years ago. Initially, I paid 3 grand for it, thinking it was in good condition &amp; needing very little work, but it's turned into a money pit. I've poured 2 grand more into it, &amp; it seems to be falling apart faster than I can afford to fix it, so I've decided to sell it, &amp; upgrade to a travel trailer (if I can), strictly for LIVING in, not for taking on the road, as my little light-duty truck can't handle towing much. Besides, I have a tiny little 5x8 cargo trailer conversion for road trips.</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>Additionally, a 24' travel trailer would give me 50% more living space than the class C currently does.<br /><br /></strong></span>

 

[josephusminimus]

Would like to know how much what you have chosen to live in has cost you. The initial investment, what it was, how it has worked out. We my wife and I are setting out to full time RV for our retirement years. I am struggling as to what to get and a price range.

<br /><br />Seems to me a lot depends on how much you, first, learn about RVs and what goes wrong with them before you purchase one [and after learning it, how much shopping you do for the one you buy].&nbsp; I'd owned camper trailers over the years and never had any problems with them, so when I bought my RV I was entirely unaware.&nbsp; The result was I was examining engine, drive train, tires, etc, instead of evidence of past roof leaks, seals on the sewer fittings, other types of leaks, insulation, evidence of sagging of the over cab.&nbsp; I spent too much on the RV, considering the issues I didn't examine before buying.<br /><br />Afterward I learned a huge amount I'd have been better-advised to know.&nbsp; I learned it by joining a number of RV permanent-living groups, RV owner groups and discussion boards, and doing a lot of reading about the problems I bought [as well as how to solve those problems.]<br /><br />The Yahoo Toyota RV group is a good one for older RVs and permanent living in one, the Toyota RV discussion board, the VanDwellers group has a lot of interesting suggestions, and this site is a good starting place for an overview.<br /><br />But the cost to you probably involves a lot of what you want out of your life, where you want it, how you want it, as well.&nbsp; <br /><br />Turns out RV dwellers might appear at first glance to be a subculture of sorts, but in fact they're as diverse as the rest of the population.&nbsp; This is reflected in the advice you get in all matters related to living in an RV, each person providing answers to you based on personal values and experience.<br /><br />

 

[cyndi]

I spent years (literally) looking for my class C. Bought an 88 well maintained Ford Jayco for $4,200. That included 6 spankin' new tires, brandy new awning and 2 new batteries. All major maintenance had just been done (with reciepts). First time out the transmission went and has now been worked on 5 times (still owes a debt of undying gratitude to my fellow RTR attendees for getting me home from Q, last year xox) and still isn't working. &lt;sniff sniff&gt;<br /><br />I'm giving the tranny one more chance and then throwin' in the towel and going in another direction.&nbsp;

 

[Seraphim]

Wacamp

Our first Rv was a 1995 Intervec Falcon we paid 12k for five years ago with under 26k miles. We only sold it because we wanted a bit more room and got a slide in truck camper instead.

A truck camper adds a bit of versatility, but also permits you to change one part of the combination without changing the other. Truck goes bad- get a different truck without changing the house. Or, upgrade the house withorut having to buy a new motorized portion. The same can be said for a trailer, but a trailer and TC each offer differrent advantages, depending on where and how you want to travel.

The older or less cared for unit will require more $$ to bring into good condition. Unless you can do all the work yourself, it's going to cost. I'd suggest getting the nicest unit you can afford. In a TC, put the money into a nicer truck, and skimp on the camper. Sesame advice with a a truck-trailer combo.

 

[Wacamp1022]

Thanks for the replies. We have a 21 foot fifth wheel now, but. We know we will need more room. Our plan is to buy a class A. Will have to wait to see what tomorrow brings our way.

 

[angeli]

Hi Wacamp1022,<br /><br />Good luck with your efforts.<br /><br />When my husband and I first hit the road in the early 90's, we lived out of a cabover camper on our Ford F150, totaling @$3000.&nbsp; We were moving, and had spent our rent deposit money on vet bills for our very sick puppy.&nbsp; Puppy recovered.&nbsp; Rent deposit took about a year to save in the expensive market we were trying to relocate to, even tho much of the time we were boondocking.<br /><br />When we changed vehicles, it was for another F150 towing a 16 foot Scotty trailer.&nbsp; $1300 for truck, @$1000 for the trailer and that was in the mid 90's.&nbsp; Monthly park space was $400, but that was still about half or less of house rent.&nbsp; We later traveled cross country in the trailer, and were able to boondock much of the time, so fuel was the big cost there. <br /><br />The park where we spent most of our time, in Colorado, had some tourists, but also a healthy number of folks who had retired to their RVs.&nbsp; Most of these folks had either class A's or large C's.&nbsp; They seemed to have fairly large retirement incomes, with a healthy amount of discretionary income.&nbsp; The ones I knew that were very budget conscious had larger trailers: about 25' or so, towed by good sized but not overly large trucks with better fuel economy.&nbsp; <br /><br />It would not be possible really to give a good estimate of expenses because so much depends on your habits, your expectations, and the areas you plan to hang out in.&nbsp; For example, in our location in Colo, we owned and ran a small metaphysical/art shop, but still lived in the Scotty in a park just blocks from our offices, because cost of living was so very high there, and we were trying to save money.&nbsp; It was not difficult for us to do that, but we're pretty adaptable, and did not have high expectations of personal wealth.<br /><br />Bob has written a pretty good article on budgeting, links anyone?<br /><br />But I've heard the folks here say to get the best that you can afford, and not to scrimp at the beginning on your vehicle.&nbsp; The fewer repairs you have to deal with, the better.<br /><br />Personally, I believe in separating the vehicle and the living space (as in truck/trailer or class A/toad) if you are planning on going from park to park , and not boondocking much.&nbsp; In my own opinion only, I think that would be more economical in the long run.<br /><br />PS - going back out on the road in about 5 months, and I'm still dickering around about the best way to do it this time.&nbsp; Money seems to be a lot harder to come by now! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[WanderingRain]

Mine is a little low since I am by myself and I am a middle aged fellow who can get by on few comforts. My Ford Econoline E350 1995&nbsp;van costs $4,400 at 118k. Brand new tires --another 800 for all 4. That's about it. I just moved in whatever stuff I had from the apartment after taking out the 4 rows of seats behind the driver and passenger. Some class A's are becoming cheaper now. I can see some for less than 10k at PPL Motorhomes.<br /><br />

 

[rvwandering]

&nbsp;Have you considered keeping the fifth wheel for awhile and seeing how it works out? It's surprising how little room you actually need to be comfortable. The smaller you are the more places you'll be able to fit into , the easier it is to boondock and get into small public campgrounds. Plus you know your RV so you know any problems.<br /><br />&nbsp;A downside to keeping the fifth wheel might be getting financing for another RV if that's what you eventually decide. I've heard that it's harder to get a loan if you don't have a sticks and bricks house.

 

[Seraphim]

What TonyandKaren said: I'm curious why you would need something larger than a 21' 5er? Carve your possessions down to the basics. Live OUT of your 5er, rather than IN it. The one negative aspect to our TC is that it's TOO comfortable inside; our smaller Class B encouraged us to get outside more. The TC begs us to stay inside lol.

 

[Wacamp1022]

We have thought about starting out in 5th wheel, if we move up our launch date. Not to change the subject... But My thought was if boon-docking a lot the motor home offered the ability to move away without gritting out of the vehicle. how has folks found Boone-docking in such a setting.