I’m not in the market for an RV. I’m building a tiny trailer instead. But I’ve always wondered - how much does it cost to insure a top of the line RV? It’s something as expensive as a house and it’s on the same roads as all those texting kids. Gotta be a monster insurance bill.
Get out of my head meh… the wife and I just got back from a road trip and we’re talking what ifs. One was what if we had a rv, quit our jobs, and toured the usa.
@jml326 Doesn’t need to be expensive to do this. A handful of years ago I bought a 1988 Nissan Sunrader Shorty (like the Toyota version). It was dirt cheap. Had 106,000 miles on it. Cheap to insure. Fits in a regular parking space (is about 17’ long). Sleeps four - 2 in a bed over the cab and 2 on the dinette folded down. Gets about 14-16mpg. Has A/C, heat, lights, stove top, sink, toilet/shower combo, microwave instead of a propane oven, awning… Has antique car license plates. Unfortunately health insurance premiums (no medicaid expansion and I don’t make enough for a subsidy, have a cancer with no cure) have to trump owning my lovely little emergency housing/free hotel. Check these out. I think you will be surprised what you can get, how little you will have to pay, etc. that would work for you. Even you don’t quit your jobs and tour the USA, you can still take some lovely weekend trips, sleeping in walmart’s parking lot while driving to get to your destination is comfortable in one of these…
It’s going to be a few years before we can pull it off, but one of the many projects we’d like to take on is to get an old school bus and convert it into a camper.
@bhodilee so cute! Even those are too much. We’re looking at 1,200#s max with a Tuscon; ddn’t get a 6 cyl so pretty limited.
Elantra may be able to do it…
@narfcake ha, stop tempting me, guys! My parents took us to all the national and most of the bigger state parks with a '77 Coleman pop up, carried by a Olds woody wagon. Keep this up, and I’ll be inflicting that on my kid.
@mcanavino Sounds like my childhood. We were in the tail end of a hurricane in that too(2mph under rated as one). Tent ripped off at 3 in the morning. We spent several hours using pop can tabs and sewing them on so we could hook those over the snaps. We had a lot of fun even though in the rain there parents yelling at us “don’t touch the canvas it’s going to leak”… Kind of hard when they put “bunk beds” up over the pull beds out for 2 of us kids (there were 4 kids) and we more or less had the canvas in our faces. LOL
I have cousins (live near Spartanburg SC) that own an RV and pull a small car around behind it (I cannot recall what they have, but it is considered one of the best small cars for this purpose).
When they visited NY last Summer for my sister’s wedding, they left the RV at a campsite and drove the last 30 miles in the car.
I acknowledge that this adds to the cost, but part of this can be offset by using less expensive campsites.
Personally, I like the idea of using a tent or hammock with a car (SUV or station wagon, etc.)
@Jdub@simplersimon maybe its different for someone who works for an airline, but given choice and time, I prefer to drive anymore rather than submitting to the security kabuki, excessive ticket costs, paying for a ticket for luggage, cramped seating, lost/stolen luggage or checked items (twice in the last 10 years)…
No way to get coinciding time off in large enough chunks to make a driving vacation work. Both jobs make that difficult.
Stinking HOA, would have to pay for remote storage and/or parking to keep it
We may rent one for a month or two once we’re retired to give it a try. That way we can bring along whatever packmates may have joined us in the interim rather than trying to find hotels that are accomodating.
CBS ruined RV’s for me when they decided to make a tv show called “Johnny Bago” in 1993.
Whatever ounce of RV love I had left was ruined by all those dudes who share the “RV salesman who cusses infomercial” documentary whenever they get the chance.
No parking in my neighbourhood.
My In-Laws Homeowner’s Association has a no RV rule in their bylaws.
They have yet to make an RV that runs on ChromeOS.
@duodec no HOA’s in my genrrified neighbourhood. I can park junk on the streets for days without a worry. I just cant find parking or trust the area squatters enough.
Big ass fifth wheel here. Not technically an RV, but there’s three TVs and an electric fireplace. Love it, and the kids get to bring friends with them on trips.
@leeeoooooo I had the dodge version. 1990. Blew an engine bearing in 2015. I miss the space. I do not miss the repair bills. The 2005 honda element that i now own just doesn’t cut it space wise (nor for the trailer rating either for that matter).
We’re getting a custom built camper van in short order and I’m so excited. I’m tired of sleeping on the ground. Also having a hot water heater and a microwave doesn’t hurt either
I guess its an RV but its just a normal van so way smaller than those mini-mansions people drive. Easy to to get around, better fuel efficiency, I’m not old (yet), etc.
@metageist I was hoping that was your choice, so yay! Sprinter = Mercedes “reliability” with Mercedes prices. The ProMaster’s build quality has been meh, Chrysler’s FWD transmission reputation is meh, and the driving position is meh.
@narfcake Hopefully, the Ford is a good choice. I actually kind of hate domestic cars, but given the choices, I think the Transit is the best.
We’re getting a fancy Sportsmobile pop top and everything. I’m so excited, and can’t wait for it to be finished! Do you have one?
@metageist Nope, but at my old job, fleet management fell in my lap too, so I researched new trucks/vans from time to time. Yeah, a lot is anecdotal, but when it’s from folks who use them daily, the pros and cons to each become more apparent.
@metageist
Family member ran a small fleet of Ford cargo vans - econolines and similar - for a small biz. Mostly bought new at fleet prices. Gas, not diesel. Mpg sucked, but… average mileage at retirement ranged from 250k to 500k. Love Ford vans.
When I retire I’m going to purchase a Winnebago Rialta (or perhaps something similar), do some SERIOUS downsizing, travel/explore. I don’t need so much stuff; just a barn to park in & have my woodworking shop. camper
I’m not in the market for an RV. I’m building a tiny trailer instead. But I’ve always wondered - how much does it cost to insure a top of the line RV? It’s something as expensive as a house and it’s on the same roads as all those texting kids. Gotta be a monster insurance bill.
@melonscoop insurance is one of the reasons i haven’t tried to talk my hubby into letting me buy a 14 passenger bus
@melonscoop Teardrop trailer?
Oh man. A roller derby trip in an RV would be amazing
Get out of my head meh… the wife and I just got back from a road trip and we’re talking what ifs. One was what if we had a rv, quit our jobs, and toured the usa.
@jml326 Doesn’t need to be expensive to do this. A handful of years ago I bought a 1988 Nissan Sunrader Shorty (like the Toyota version). It was dirt cheap. Had 106,000 miles on it. Cheap to insure. Fits in a regular parking space (is about 17’ long). Sleeps four - 2 in a bed over the cab and 2 on the dinette folded down. Gets about 14-16mpg. Has A/C, heat, lights, stove top, sink, toilet/shower combo, microwave instead of a propane oven, awning… Has antique car license plates. Unfortunately health insurance premiums (no medicaid expansion and I don’t make enough for a subsidy, have a cancer with no cure) have to trump owning my lovely little emergency housing/free hotel. Check these out. I think you will be surprised what you can get, how little you will have to pay, etc. that would work for you. Even you don’t quit your jobs and tour the USA, you can still take some lovely weekend trips, sleeping in walmart’s parking lot while driving to get to your destination is comfortable in one of these…
@Kidsandliz right now plans like this are on hold as we have a 2 1/2 yr old and are trying for #2
It’s going to be a few years before we can pull it off, but one of the many projects we’d like to take on is to get an old school bus and convert it into a camper.
@dannybeans Cool.I have seen some really lovely ones.
Need to be able to select more than one answer for this question, 1-2-3&4 are the correct answers
My kids haven’t bought it yet. We have a deal: whoever pitches in the most sees my RV the least in their driveway.
Genius.
We were looking at pop up campers, but don’t quite have the towing capacity needed.
@mcanavino look at a scamp. Can tow some with an outback.
@bhodilee so cute! Even those are too much. We’re looking at 1,200#s max with a Tuscon; ddn’t get a 6 cyl so pretty limited.
Elantra may be able to do it…
@mcanavino Meerkat. 900# dry weight, aluminum skin, fiberglass top.
http://littleguytrailers.com/meerkat/
@narfcake ha, stop tempting me, guys! My parents took us to all the national and most of the bigger state parks with a '77 Coleman pop up, carried by a Olds woody wagon. Keep this up, and I’ll be inflicting that on my kid.
@mcanavino Go for it. The kid will probably someday remember it all fondly.
@mcanavino Sounds like my childhood. We were in the tail end of a hurricane in that too(2mph under rated as one). Tent ripped off at 3 in the morning. We spent several hours using pop can tabs and sewing them on so we could hook those over the snaps. We had a lot of fun even though in the rain there parents yelling at us “don’t touch the canvas it’s going to leak”… Kind of hard when they put “bunk beds” up over the pull beds out for 2 of us kids (there were 4 kids) and we more or less had the canvas in our faces. LOL
For a road trip, a car + hotel when necessary makes more sense IMHO.
@narfcake eh
I have cousins (live near Spartanburg SC) that own an RV and pull a small car around behind it (I cannot recall what they have, but it is considered one of the best small cars for this purpose).
When they visited NY last Summer for my sister’s wedding, they left the RV at a campsite and drove the last 30 miles in the car.
I acknowledge that this adds to the cost, but part of this can be offset by using less expensive campsites.
Personally, I like the idea of using a tent or hammock with a car (SUV or station wagon, etc.)
@baqui63 Towing = added load = higher fuel costs – and added wear on the car (tires at the minimum). Yeah, it still doesn’t make sense in my mind.
@narfcake yep; all those things. but if you’re going to rv anyway, it solves one of the problems you mentioned.
Pfft. A poison dart frog driving an RV? Yeah right.
@FroodyFrog If you are legal to drive a car, you’re legal to drive a RV.
@narfcake
A frog can cause more harm driving an RV than she/he/it can cause with a car.
@FroodyFrog It’s not species specific. Humans can equally be an issue.
@narfcake
Have I not made it clear yet how I feel about humans?
@FroodyFrog I think the video confirms why.
@narfcake
Just watched it. I’m at a loss for words to adequately describe how I feel about the contents.
@narfcake This does nothing to improve my opinion of South Carolina.
I work for an airline. If I’m taking a road trip, I fly somewhere and rent an RV.
@simplersimon agree, its simpler to rent one if wanted/needed
@Jdub @simplersimon maybe its different for someone who works for an airline, but given choice and time, I prefer to drive anymore rather than submitting to the security kabuki, excessive ticket costs, paying for a ticket for luggage, cramped seating, lost/stolen luggage or checked items (twice in the last 10 years)…
Flying has become meh. It used to be cool.
If I had one, it wouldn’t be ‘recreational’ so much as ‘where I live.’ Maybe someday I’ll wind up in one of these houseboats of the land.
Why don’t I have an RV?
Cause Meh hasn’t shipped me one for $5, or for free if my VMP is active.
We may rent one for a month or two once we’re retired to give it a try. That way we can bring along whatever packmates may have joined us in the interim rather than trying to find hotels that are accomodating.
I spend all my money on crap from meh.
Not only can I not afford it, an RV is not big enough to haul all my crap from meh.
Because I do real camping, in a tent.
@ianrbuck real camping is Holiday Inn instead of Hilton.
@ianrbuck RVing != camping but it is still vacationing with outdoors exposure. Different but still worthy.
Working on it meh! Not quite an RV, but a tow-camper. Expect to have one in the next 2-3 years!
I prefer cruising in a van down by the river.
Maybe in a few decades, when I’m retirement age. Until then my house and transportation are staying separate.
I have a few reasons.
@jmendenhall
@duodec no HOA’s in my genrrified neighbourhood. I can park junk on the streets for days without a worry. I just cant find parking or trust the area squatters enough.
@jmendenhall Then ok, #3 is ‘just too bad’…
When we retire and move to a somewhat better place, we may look at RV parking as a factor in the next abode. Just not sure yet…
Big ass fifth wheel here. Not technically an RV, but there’s three TVs and an electric fireplace. Love it, and the kids get to bring friends with them on trips.
Because we have a real house.
/giphy house
@lisaviolet Nice image there!
Hotels are way cheaper than buying an RV and they have maids and pools and real beds and showers and toilets and fancy magic key cards.
@lbutlr and bed bugs.
@lbutlr magic key cards
@lbutlr black light check
@Barney @lbutlr
Bed bugs are part of the experience, as they add to the ambiances.
I need a F250 with a truck camper on top. Of course I need to convince my wife of this “need.”
@Officemonkey Diesel gets better mileage, dear. The dog can ride in the back, dear.
We can have a fridge, microwave, and toilet always available dear.
And
You can get me out of your hair for long weekends or a week while I go camping/hunting/fishing with (name of buddy)…
Can I go with all of the above except for having one? And horrific fuel economy!
Not to say a part of me doesn’t want one, but I will likely never buy one.
I do actually have a Plymouth Grand Voyager, so I’m already most of the way there…
@leeeoooooo I had the dodge version. 1990. Blew an engine bearing in 2015. I miss the space. I do not miss the repair bills. The 2005 honda element that i now own just doesn’t cut it space wise (nor for the trailer rating either for that matter).
We’re getting a custom built camper van in short order and I’m so excited. I’m tired of sleeping on the ground. Also having a hot water heater and a microwave doesn’t hurt either
I guess its an RV but its just a normal van so way smaller than those mini-mansions people drive. Easy to to get around, better fuel efficiency, I’m not old (yet), etc.
@metageist Class B. Sprinter, Transit, or ProMaster based?
@narfcake we decided on the transit instead of the sprinter, not feeling the diesel
@metageist I was hoping that was your choice, so yay! Sprinter = Mercedes “reliability” with Mercedes prices. The ProMaster’s build quality has been meh, Chrysler’s FWD transmission reputation is meh, and the driving position is meh.
@narfcake Hopefully, the Ford is a good choice. I actually kind of hate domestic cars, but given the choices, I think the Transit is the best.
We’re getting a fancy Sportsmobile pop top and everything. I’m so excited, and can’t wait for it to be finished! Do you have one?
@metageist I have looked at the cargo version of those and thought they’d be really nice as a camper van. Have fun with it!
@metageist Nope, but at my old job, fleet management fell in my lap too, so I researched new trucks/vans from time to time. Yeah, a lot is anecdotal, but when it’s from folks who use them daily, the pros and cons to each become more apparent.
@metageist
Family member ran a small fleet of Ford cargo vans - econolines and similar - for a small biz. Mostly bought new at fleet prices. Gas, not diesel. Mpg sucked, but… average mileage at retirement ranged from 250k to 500k. Love Ford vans.
I’d rather have the freedom of a car and the comfort of a hotel. Plus I cook for a living. I don’t want to cook on vacation.
When I retire I’m going to purchase a Winnebago Rialta (or perhaps something similar), do some SERIOUS downsizing, travel/explore. I don’t need so much stuff; just a barn to park in & have my woodworking shop.
camper
I’d rather rent one for a short time if I ever wanted to travel. A lot cheaper than buying it, paying for insurance, upkeep, etc.