Motorhome purchase worth it?- Rent out when not in use?

[DisneyDad0f5]

This is a fantastic conversation. I thought I would add my two cents so to speak.

We are on our second travel trailer in three years. We had a major warranty issue with the first one and got some money rebated back so we chose to pick out another one. While this sounds like a huge hassle (and it was), this situation allowed us to learn what we liked and more importantly didn't like about our first TT. As someone mentioned above, if you find a unit to sleep seven comfortably, the seating usually suffers. If you find one that seats a large group, the sleeping are suffers. There are some Class A that are hybrid now with a sleeping berth over the driver's area, and the front two seats turn around to give a good mix of seating. There are even some with bunks that further expand the sleeping capability.

What we learned about our style of camping, is that we require more room for hanging out as it were rather than sleeping. We are a family of seven, but my children are 22, 20, 18, 15, and 4. They all still live at home and travel with us more times than not. Ultimately, I made the decision that if they want to travel with us, then they will have to compromise their sleeping comfort. We carry a tent with us or air mattresses on the living room floor. That is where the adult children sleep. I am comfy in my king bed and the adult children have a choice, sleep in that manner, or find their own accommodations. LOL

I do not think I would rent out my camper, but I have considered the idea. My wife is simply too particular about the trailer to allow others to use it, but I can certainly see the potential benefits. We like the convenience of having all our stuff loaded up, and ready to go when we feel the urge.

There do seem to be some "cost" benefits but in my experience cost is not the main reason you would buy a camper. I will say that you might save some money on preparing your own food with kitchen facilities rather than eating out if you were staying in a hotel.

We actually leave next Wednesday to head to Fort Wilderness and we will have the max of 10 people on our site. We are bringing the tent and the older kids are going to attempt to conquer the parks. The wife, myself, and the 4 year old DD will hang at the fort and go to the water parks or the pools for a couple of hours each day. Other than that, we will relax in the comfort of our own "living room" watching TV or playing cards. Regardless, camping is a very customized experience. If you have the itch, I say go for it. If you are thinking this hard about it, you will not regret getting started. Now, what type of camper you pick first, that might be a different story.

Enjoy!

 

[Sjm9911]

Maybe rent one out yourself and see if you can fit everyone and everything in it. Also it will help you decide if its something worth pursuing. That way your not all invested in it.

 

[trubgerg]

If you want to save money by camping, a tent is the way to go.

 

[allison0523]

We have a 35ft four winds hurricane 34B that sleeps 7 comfortably. It has a queen bed in the back bedroom, a set of bunks, tri-fold sleeper sofa and dinette that folds down. A lot of the newer Class A motorhomes have electric overhead bunks in the front now for an added sleeping space. We purchased our motorhome when it was a year old and saved about 30K off of retail price. We wanted a motorhome because we had a dog we wanted to be able to travel with and prefer our own beds and cooking compared with hotels and restaurants. I think in the lodging and food aspects of it, eventually it pays off. The cost of the motorhome was about the same as an expensive car or truck (65K). Although you can rent condos or houses pretty cheap in most areas now that would at least give you a full kitchen to cook. We just went to an RV show and the Winnebago Intent 31P will sleep up to 10 I believe with a great floorpan at a reasonable cost. I wouldn't purchase a motorhome solely to save money personally. We rent our motorhome out to people we know well and trust on occasion. The money helps to pay for repairs and costs to store the motorhome. Our motorhome is 11 years old now and have been paid off for a few years. I would say if you are interested in purchasing and keeping the motorhome for a long time it may be a good option for you.

 

[michelb]

As mentioned, RVs are about compromising; the biggest ones might be 500 sq ft. You either get sitting / living area or you can maximize sleeping area but it's hard to get both unless you get very large. If you are planning on having a lot of people sleeping, some questions to think about are "Do I want to be able to be able to use the main living area while others (particularly kids who might be going to bed early) are sleeping?", "How many people do I want to be able to sit, eat, watch TV, etc comfortably?", "Do I mind making up / taking down a bedding area every day?" It's also a comprise because of weight. Large fifth-wheel trailers can sleep several in comfort and often have decent living space but may require a pickup that can to 16-19k lbs which rules out many pickups. Do you want to have a lot of storage (inside and outside)? Again this is a compromise. Do you want / need a generator? (adding a generator in many FW will take up much of your storage) Motorhomes are very convenient for quick bathroom breaks or gettting snacks / drinks (We use the same principle as airplanes; if I say it's safe to move around, passengers can quickly go to the bathroom or get food but most of the time, everyone is buckled in).

The previous post is a good example of the compromises. On paper, it sleeps up to 10 but the dinette is only 64" (the "mattress" is probably only 62") so that's just for young kids and the sofa, which I don't believe is a pull out, only "fold-out" is even shorter at 60" (probably 56" sleeping surface) so in practice, I think it only really sleeps 6 (which is still not bad). And it only has 7 seat belts. It can sit up to 8 (I would argue that it might not be that comfortable for extended periods of time - IMO, booths are great for eating / storage / bed for small kids but it's not a place I'd want to sit for a long time). Obviously in this layout (which is very common), if someone is sleeping on the dropdown, no one is sitting on the captains chairs. It's also important to who's sleeping were; sofas / booth often do not give you a flat sleeping area, drop down beds might not be suitable for older people because you have to climb up / down - it's also not trivial to get in / out especially if you are sharing with another sleeper. It's not uncommon for sleeping surfaces to be against the wall so if two are sharing, you may need to climb over someone to get in / out.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

A lot of good counsel has already been provided, so I'll try to keep mine short.

Owning a RV can be a financially beneficial way to go depending on your circumstance and nature of travel. For us, the general rule of thumb has been 3 weeks as our 'break-even' point. Once I factor in all costs (storage, insurance, fuel, fees, etc...), we break even at about 3 weeks on the road. As our nature of travel has started to change, however, that break-even point has started to come into question - so it's a very circumstantial consideration. Also note that this is for a travel trailer being towed by a vehicle we'd own anyway. A motorhome would likely carry much higher relative costs.

All of that said - the most important advice shared above is to try it first. The money you would sink into a MH is enormous, and depending on the manner of your purchase, you may or may not be able to walk away a year later if it doesn't work out for you. We actually started by borrowing a pop-up from a friend for a weekend, then bought our first hybrid rig at a low cost with the intent of only keeping it a couple years to try things out. After that, we knew that we wanted to continue and the nature and amenities of a rig we wanted to continue with. Find a way to 'dip your toes' in the waters of the RV life. Rent, buy an older used rig that won't take much of a hit with depreciation, etc... You would be well advised to really get familiar with the lifestyle before investing what it would take to go all in with a MH.

Good luck - and keep asking those questions!

 

[allison0523]

Do you want / need a generator? (adding a generator in many FW will take up much of your storage)

The previous post is a good example of the compromises. On paper, it sleeps up to 10 but the dinette is only 64" (the "mattress" is probably only 62") so that's just for young kids and the sofa, which I don't believe is a pull out, only "fold-out" is even shorter at 60" (probably 56" sleeping surface) so in practice, I think it only really sleeps 6 (which is still not bad). And it only has 7 seat belts. It can sit up to 8 (I would argue that it might not be that comfortable for extended periods of time - IMO, booths are great for eating / storage / bed for small kids but it's not a place I'd want to sit for a long time).

I agree with most of what you said except the comments about the generator and seatbelts. The generator on most motorhomes only takes up 1 compartment.
Also, I recently went to an RV show and most of the newer models now have seatbelts on the rear facing seat of the dinette, which is really nice since it adds 2 more seats to a total of 9.

 

[michelb]

I agree with most of what you said except the comments about the generator and seatbelts. The generator on most motorhomes only takes up 1 compartment.
Also, I recently went to an RV show and most of the newer models now have seatbelts on the rear facing seat of the dinette, which is really nice since it adds 2 more seats to a total of 9.

Sorry, I wasn't clear on that; my comment on the generator was specifically for fifth wheels (FW)

 

[Sjm9911]

If you want funny , my pop up camper says it sleeps nine, lol . Im guessing there putting a few people on the floor and roof. Whatever it says is the max , is not going to be comfortable for anyone.

 

[rideswithchrist]

Have you looked into a Skoolie? I know some people are dead set against camping in a bus, but for larger families, there are more options to customize and build in bunks and such than there are in a MH and they are much much cheaper.
Check out the Wild and Free Lawsons, I think they are a family of 9 in a skoolie they converted and it is beautiful, in fact- they stayed at the Fort last year.

That said- my hubby is one of those dead set against a bus haha. We are looking at an Avion Camper because we don't want to tow a vehicle to get around so a motorhome is not a good fit for us right now.

Like Pa said, if you have older kiddos, you could get a MH that fits most of you and then have a nice tent set up for older kids. I suppose you could also tow a small popup with the motorhome for beds for kids too, but that seems like overkill.

you can rent it out and set it up yourself to make sure everything is good, or spend the extra time with the renter to show them exactly how to set up the motorhome properly. If something is damaged,Outdoorsy has coverage anyway. But that is a personal choice for sure. I would rent out a camper if we had an assembly line Jayco, but since we are looking at a vintage camper- no way.

 

[Carrie Ellis]

We purchased a Keystone Cougar 34 foot bunk house bumper hitch in 2005. We had 2 sets of twins that were 4, 4, 9 and 9. It was perfect for us. It also allowed me to pack a month before we left! Loved it!!! Fast forward to when the kids were 15, 15, 11, and 11. It started getting tight. It was not really the sleeping situation but the bathroom! Now the kids are 22, 22, 18 and 18. No way would they fit! My oldest is using the ole RV long term in Alabama for his internship.

If your kids are older (a few) it really boils down to beds long enough to be comfortable and bathroom space.

I would recommend visiting a couple RV shows before deciding.

Ditto with what everyone has said. It does allow us to bring pets and saves us on kenneling.

 

[Napria]

I agree with everyone here. Never would I rent my RV, and an RV, especially a motor home won’t save you money. Oh, it’s tempting to justify it, and I have tried. But when you add up the monthly added insurance, regular maintenance and the purchase price of the motor home (and storage, if needed), you would save much more money by staying in a hotel.

My husband used to take the purchase price of our first fifth wheel and divide it by the total number of nights we camped in it since we purchased it. Then he’d add the insurance cost. Then the cost of the campsite. THAT would be the cost of our vacation. Even after owning that fifth wheel for 10 years a hotel room was significantly less expensive.

We have an RV for the lifestyle. We like the people we meet, having our dogs with us and having a familiar place to live in with our own bed, toilet and shower while we travel.

 

[North of Mouse]

@Napria, you are so correct, but the cost/upkeep is more justifiable the longer you are in it each year. We've always been fortunate to have 3-4 long trips a year, and now we have 2 months +. Also, considering it's both of our 'hobbies' as well adds in. We know people that spend a 'whole' lot on other 'hobbies' - fishing, boating, entertainment etc. etc. so that adds in also. We have always RV'd and as long as we can, our mh is the only way we'll go.

 

[PartyOfSe7en]

We have decided to buy! Our kids are 4 mo, 19 mo, 5, 8, and 11. We are both off work in the summers and travel about 45 days a year not counting weekend camping. We have been looking at several bunkhouse options that appear they would work well for our family. I would love to hear things you wish you considered or knew before you picked your rig. Do some lengths limit places you can stay? Things we may not have thought of yet as new motorhome owners? We have rented 3 times but still new to the game. Thank you!!!

 

[PartyOfSe7en]

Have you looked into a Skoolie? I know some people are dead set against camping in a bus, but for larger families, there are more options to customize and build in bunks and such than there are in a MH and they are much much cheaper.
Check out the Wild and Free Lawsons, I think they are a family of 9 in a skoolie they converted and it is beautiful, in fact- they stayed at the Fort last year.

That said- my hubby is one of those dead set against a bus haha. We are looking at an Avion Camper because we don't want to tow a vehicle to get around so a motorhome is not a good fit for us right now.

Like Pa said, if you have older kiddos, you could get a MH that fits most of you and then have a nice tent set up for older kids. I suppose you could also tow a small popup with the motorhome for beds for kids too, but that seems like overkill.

you can rent it out and set it up yourself to make sure everything is good, or spend the extra time with the renter to show them exactly how to set up the motorhome properly. If something is damaged,Outdoorsy has coverage anyway. But that is a personal choice for sure. I would rent out a camper if we had an assembly line Jayco, but since we are looking at a vintage camper- no way.

I am not skilled enough to convert a bus but would be open to buying one. Just haven't seen anything on the market that suits. We are planning to buy a used motorhome, no more than around 5 yrs old is our aim at the moment

 

[2goofycampers]

Some of the National Parks have length limits. You can check out the websites of any you might be interested in visiting.

 

[rideswithchrist]

I am not skilled enough to convert a bus but would be open to buying one. Just haven't seen anything on the market that suits. We are planning to buy a used motorhome, no more than around 5 yrs old is our aim at the moment

That is us too hehe, also why we are looking for an Avion that someone else renovated...but the Skoolies we saw already converted were being sold for 15-20K, so a nice used motorhome would be nicer and likely more comfy of a drive for the driver.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

We have decided to buy! Our kids are 4 mo, 19 mo, 5, 8, and 11. We are both off work in the summers and travel about 45 days a year not counting weekend camping. We have been looking at several bunkhouse options that appear they would work well for our family. I would love to hear things you wish you considered or knew before you picked your rig. Do some lengths limit places you can stay? Things we may not have thought of yet as new motorhome owners? We have rented 3 times but still new to the game. Thank you!!!

Congrats on your decision - and enjoy the process. As noted above, some state and national parks have length limits. If you tend to do more of the RV park type of camping, length is less of a concern.

I guess the biggest thing I would suggest is to spend extensive time in any unit you are considering. Tell the salesperson that you want to spend a few hours in the motorhome and to be left alone while you do it. Sit on toilets, stand in the shower, lay in the beds, convert tables to beds (and back), be together as a family and see how the layout works, pull the slides in and pretend you are driving, look at where the pack 'n plays will go when set up and when stowed away, etc... With a family of 8, the useful nature of the space will be the most important. Consider how you will spend your time, how you will cook (do you want an outside kitchen?), and how you will use bathrooms. Understand how you will store clothing, food and supplies for 8.

The other thing I would look at, with a family that size, is the structure and convenience of the utilities. Unless you are primarily using campground bath houses, a family of 8 is going to tax the waste and water system of a typical RV. You will be dumping a lot. Make sure the rig has decent size holding tanks and that the dump system is convenient. The most annoying thing I discovered about our trailer was that the dump valves are located under the slide. Any time we camp more than 3 days I have to crawl under the slide to dump. As often as you will have to do it, I'd want the valves and pipes to be in very convenient places when camping.

Good luck!

 

[PartyOfSe7en]

Congrats on your decision - and enjoy the process. As noted above, some state and national parks have length limits. If you tend to do more of the RV park type of camping, length is less of a concern.

I guess the biggest thing I would suggest is to spend extensive time in any unit you are considering. Tell the salesperson that you want to spend a few hours in the motorhome and to be left alone while you do it. Sit on toilets, stand in the shower, lay in the beds, convert tables to beds (and back), be together as a family and see how the layout works, pull the slides in and pretend you are driving, look at where the pack 'n plays will go when set up and when stowed away, etc... With a family of 8, the useful nature of the space will be the most important. Consider how you will spend your time, how you will cook (do you want an outside kitchen?), and how you will use bathrooms. Understand how you will store clothing, food and supplies for 8.

The other thing I would look at, with a family that size, is the structure and convenience of the utilities. Unless you are primarily using campground bath houses, a family of 8 is going to tax the waste and water system of a typical RV. You will be dumping a lot. Make sure the rig has decent size holding tanks and that the dump system is convenient. The most annoying thing I discovered about our trailer was that the dump valves are located under the slide. Any time we camp more than 3 days I have to crawl under the slide to dump. As often as you will have to do it, I'd want the valves and pipes to be in very convenient places when camping.

Good luck!

Thank you so much. That is excellent advice

 

[MudQueen22]

Mickeyfan0805 about summed up what I would say.
Wanted to say congratulations! We are also off during summers, and we enjoy our adventures in our travel trailer.