RV sales and rentals are up - probably because this allows for social distancing AND travel. My previous video: • Don't Buy An RV! - Leh... www.lehtoslaw.com
If buying new 1)Start with MSRP - Dealers and MFG's are cagey about this value, research it if necessary, pay NO MORE than 70% of this value or WALK. 2)Find out what the going used price for the same model that is a couple years older. Pay just a little more than this value or WALK. 3)PDI, PDI, PDI!! Pre Delivery Inspection - EVERYTHING is inspected. Dealers say they do this and some charge a fee for it. Even if they do, DO ONE YOURSELF in addition. Make it very clear to the Dealer that NO FINAL PAPERWORK will be signed until you have completed your own, AND your are COMPLETELY satisfied with the results. FYI. For a pull behind RV (Trailer) a proper PDI takes at least 6hrs. For a motorized unit, 12hrs or better. If your PDI took less time than that, you probably did not do a complete job. Do this, and 85-95% of the problems mentioned in this video will be alleviated. Warranty work, and QC in the industry is pretty bad. Thats the main reason for the complete PDI before signing paper. THEY WILL FIX WHAT YOU FIND IMMEDIATELY OR COME UP WITH A SUITABLE RESOLUTION if you insist on your own PDI before final paper work. Sorry for the rambling post.
As you know Steve I have an RV, a travel trailer, and share your RV videos a lot, you're welcome 😉, but many in my FB groups think there will be a glut of barely used RVs on the market next year. But the bigger issue is that no one is building campgrounds.
Cliff Hartle the adds show the big class A parked in a beautiful idyllic setting. Reality is a crowded private campground or a Walmart parking lot. LOL. You are much better off with a cheaper and smaller used unit that will fit in a forest service or state park campsite. Sadly those campgrounds are becoming more difficult to get into without reservations. There is definitely a gap between perception and reality when it comes to RV travel. A good experience requires a lot more planning than it used to.
I actually live in an RV now. And yes you want to buy a used one for sure. I seen $130,000 units sell at $30,000. My RV is a travel trailer so I don’t have any motor issues or anything like that. And yes at the dealership where I bought it I was able to test all systems before I bought it. Everything works and I’m happy.
I got divorced in the early ‘80’s and got custody of our 31’ travel trailer. Lived in it for 5 years, with my cats, and paid around $100/mo. for space rent, in a nice park. I would do it again, and my new husband and I are planning on buying a Super C (used, of course) so we can see our beautiful country. You have to know what your really want, and make compromises.
That's why I bought a 1962 Ex-Greyhound bus conversion that hauls ass down the road, proven dependability. Each rivet on the body was installed by two people, one to hold the rivet inside and one to hammer it from the outside. Going on 5 years full time living. Detroit Proud! And Super Badass! I can look online at any RV brand and model sitting in a campground and know what it looks like inside. No one knows what's inside my bus conversion because it's the only one on Earth like mine, period! I'm dropping my microphone and walking away.....see ya on the road!
Steve, I lived in a 28’ foot RV for over two years. All the things you’ve mentioned are true but your forgetting the most irritating aspect of RVs, PARKING IT!
This is so true 🤣: "If people would just rent an RV for a couple of weeks, they'd get it out of their system." Same with boats! Rent that boat for a week, son (if boat rentals are a thing). Get it out of your system. 🤣 As the old saying goes "The best days of a boat owner's life are the day he buys it and the day he sells it."
Neither have I, therefore I have two very cheap, highly stylish MidMod models, one of which you could pull with a Pinto (though I would prefer a Pacer), it's a 13' canned- ham camper. Perfect for a middle-aged woman and her cat
It's a nope for me too! Add up all the costs, and you may as well stay in a nice hotel. Friends and relatives of mine have also had horror stories of warranty issues and poor construction of their costly tin shoe boxes with wheels.
I watch a lot of RV videos on YT (not sure why) and I get a kick out of people who spend 5-6 figures on an RV, and a major topic of the videos is where can I park for free.
It is funny you say that. For some reason I watch similar videos, people who take - I think it's class A? Or class c? I can't remember which - smaller vans, boondocking. I cannot say why these videos are interesting, or why people are doing this. But I watch them. :)
I watch a lot of these as well. Most of them are full-timers -- they live in their RV instead of having a stick-built home somewhere. Usually people do this because the total cost of ownership of an RV + gas + parking is cheaper that owning a home and it allows them to take their home to visit places. If they can find cheap or free parking their monthly expenses go down. Many are trying to save for a better home later. Others prefer cheaper or free camping spots because that usually goes hand-in-hand with more space/privacy/nature. Wal-Mart parking lots being the exception - that to me is more necessity that desire.
B. H. LOL true, and how many mile per gallon they get! What people don’t realize is that RVing is not a poor persons undertaking, and that repairs on the road are expensive. I have an older, very reliable Lazy Daze motor home I was selling (decided to keep it), I showed an interested couple the costs of annual repair and maintenance, and they walked away. What I love about RVing is stopping by the side of the road, flipping on the generator, air conditioner, microwave, having a nice meal, going to my own bathroom and taking a nap, on my way to the next destination.
W.Monroe.C I watch them too. If you buy a van and fix it up yourself and do without shower, and air con, and sleep on the side of the road its cheap, but if you are RVing, and use RV parks, it is the same cost or more than an average rental apartment, or more if you throw in the cost of admissions to parks and tourist attractions. If you are really seeing America and want to see the sites, figure on $35-55 a night to camp, and about $100 a travel day for gas in a motor home. I just got done fulltiming for a year, and it was not cheap, but I did have a blast.
In 2016 I retired, sold my house, and bought a used 2003 Chinook motorhome. I've never regretted it. My wife and I have lived in it full time for a couple of years now and we love it.
Ahhh this reminded me of the time me and my buddies went up to McLain State Park (west side of the Keweenaw Peninsula) with my friends 1965 camper. 13 feet long, spray painted camouflage. All these people in their $100,000k plus rigs just glaring at us haha
Glad you were out there having fun. You wouldn't get that from us despite having a quarter of a million dollar unit. I still prefer backpacking. That's real camping. We travel for a living so we have an RV for a home away from home.
Steve, appreciate your information. Good for folks to know. We however, have had 0 problems so far. Our previous camper was a 2018 Coachman Clipper (Forest River). Owned it for 2 years, and no issues. We are getting older, so wanted to move from a popup to a travel trailer, so in March of this year, we traded for a 2020 Jayco White Hawk. So far, no issues at all. Now, I am the type of person, having grown up with a 1963 Gator 1500 Popup, that knows that you have to keep up with maintenance. My parents used that old popup until my dad passed in 1996. I used it after that until 2018, when I wanted a rig that was easier to use, which is why I ended up with the 2018 Coachman. Yes, there are alot of folks that do not know what they are getting into, but, if you keep up with the maintenance, and, learn how to do things yourself, you can be very happy with your RV. RVing is more of a mindset, and once you get into the life, you will love it. BTW, in Texas, the Lemon Law does apply to RV's and Travel Trailers. A friend of mine had a Grand Design that had many problems, and he used the Texas Lemon Law to get his rig replaced. So, you never know. Thanks!
Saw this yesterday..have been wanting to build one but am 65 yrs old, disabled and can't afford a professional build. So have been thinking of buying a used one. Now I'm scared. Searched your old videos...there are 7 or 8. Going to watch them all. Thanks Peace
Yes, I have an urge to rent an RV. But prices are ludicrous...daily charge for the RV based on occupancy ... mileage is additional ... plus insurance cuz your auto/home most likely won't cover any damage. As you said. You could drive and stay in a very nice hotel for the money.
@@lightweight1974 I saw a large family drive to a campground then pickup the largest moving truck locally. They thought it was a much better deal than sleeping on the ground in a group of overpriced tents during a wet spring break, when they weren't sure if they were going to go camping again soon. Seemed like a logical idea💡
I always love your videos. My wife and I live in an RV because she is not retired yet. (We also own a home, almost 100 miles away.) We bought our RV used. That is some of the best advice you gave in this video. When you buy used, most if not all of the problems have been corrected AND we save a lot of money. We also visit our summer place up in your neck of the woods (from here in Texas anyway) at Houghton Lake. Keep up the good work. And once again, I hope I never need your services!
We are on our second RV. We used the first one four months of the year and hard it four four years. We replaced it with a new one this year, so far no issues. We have a month long trip in June. We upgraded from a travel trailer to a fifth wheel.
Condo, Have to keep ours in Storage during the Months between end of October early April. Otherwise it stays in our Driveway so we can keep cleaned and ready of the next week or weekends trip, from beginning of May to mid Oct. when I winterize it always with us. Yes, I then go to our lot at least twice a month to make sure everything is okay. It gets used tons. Don't just assume......
I’m very glad we have a motorhome when we returned to MI from FL in early May. Rest areas were either closed or parking was open but not the restrooms. Motels were mostly closed. Gas stations and truck stops were open for fueling only, no restrooms. Food was hard to find. Talked to several friends driving cars and they had to spend lots of time hunting for restrooms. Some gave up and found a hidden place and .... when nature hits y’all don’t have much choice. Motorhomes are luxuries and are investments in a life style not a financial one. Many people I know like to travel but do not want to sleep in somebody else’s bed. Have we had problems with our MH? Some but not many. No more then I’ve had in my house. We average about 5 to 7k miles per year. We are not week-end campers. We’ve gotten to know and are friends with people from all over the US. People we’d never have met staying in motels rooms. As I said it’s a life style and it’s hard to put a price on that. Some people collect cars, some buy art, some join country clubs, some love cruise ships, some love gardening, some love boating, and others stay home and watch TV or watch Steve Lehto in RU-vid.
I lived in a 32 foot motorhome for about a year while my shop/man cave was getting built. I first thought I would travel in that motorhome after the building was done, since I'm retired and have plenty of free time. I was cured of that silly notion by living in one for an extended period of time. I had more problems with the motorhome than I did with the contractors who built my home/shop. I have no desire to travel in one now. Give me a motel room any time.
I've owned 5 RV's (travel trailers and 5th wheels) over the last 20 years and love them. Yes you have to work on them all the time just like a boat but I use them often and actually have full hookups at my house and use it as a guest house for friends and family too. I will always have one. I buy them used and at great prices. They aren't for everyone but they are for me.
Just bought a new rv trailer yesterday, slept in it at a local campground last night... not only nothing went wrong but I woke up this morning refreshed... oooops, wait, I now have a unicorn growing on my forehead
I go camping using a TENT. Been doing it for years. Same Tent and everything else. My issue is having free time to go camping. I just throw it all in the back of my Truck and take off to where ever. If you're going to go camping, use a tent!!! I've seen a setup using an enclosed Hammick that is warm even out in the snow. It's a really cool setup.
So very true Steve! I bought a Motorhome years ago and although it was great to have once I got to the camp site, it was a PITA the rest of the time. I'd fix 3, 4, 5 things in between vacation trips. We even had to stay a night in a Walmart parking lot and take another day off work because we broke down. Oh the memories of "Old Jalopy". Lol. The best day of ownership was seeing it go to a new owner!! Thanks for the video!
I was lucky, as I bought a used motor home just a few years after they were invented. It didn't take too long to get the RV bug cured. Parking, finding a campground, set-up, and nothing ever seems to work right. I was twice lucky, as I found it a new home after about nine or ten months.
Me too! I'm due for a new one next year, but need an affordable one that's still pretty much new. Mine is almost 20 yrs old. And is on it's last legs. I live in it full time. Best decision I've ever made, except for the RV itself I bought. But I also didn't know what to look for when buying. Now I do.
Yes, there is bound to be a flood of 1-year used models hitting the market after this season. People buying new this year will likely take a larger than normal hit on first-year depreciation because of it. But buyers will make out good.
I love my LTV Wonder RTB I bought new last February. I love it. 15k miles and priceless memories with my grandchildren one on one. I'm so happy I have it now, because it is the ONLY way I will be willing to travel anywhere until we have COVID under control.
I agree we bought a travel trailer that was heavily used for a year and half by a family that went on the road. They worked out Lal of the kinks with any leaks and plumbing issues. Even after I inspected it for 2.5 hours I missed one thing with the suspension, luckily a friend at a shop with a welder fixed it cheaply. Another benefit of a gently used one is they often throw in thousands worth of accessories you would need to buy when new. I saved a bundle there and got a unit really turn-key and ready for camping! You just need to be really careful to get one without water damage. Signs like warped walls, squishy floor rusty bulbs on ceiling are all danger signs!
I'm a Unicorn! Bought a new Winnebago Travato in 2018. I use it as my daily driver. Fits in my driveway and standard parking spots. Only 1 repair problem, covered under warranty, fixed in a timely fashion. GO UNICORNS!!
Purchased a new bumper pull toy hauler. Did the research, went into it knowing the shit storm potential but I did 18 months of research and went into it eyes wide open with all of the risks and cons. But, the pros are the awesome memories we are building with our children that we will have forever. We had our first trip to a resort and it was awesome! Four trips scheduled in the next few months.To your point we rented on last year and loved it. And, be handy, check all of the components, take off access panels and look for loose connections. We looked for used units but couldn't find one that fit our needs and if it did, that it wasn't damaged somewhere. Just be prepared.
Hi Steve. Bought a brand new Aliner RV trailer in 2016. Out the door price around $24,000. I had a problem with the radio in it and replaced it at my expense, radios are cheap. Other than that no problems. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a $250,000 luxury unit, but I don't need all that crap. Before that we bought a new pop up camper. Had it for 20 years. Other than routine maintenance no major problems. Just minor stuff on occasion that I could fix at a campground in 1/2 a day with common hardware store items. Saw 1/2 the country in it. Sold it to a friend and he has no problems with it either to this day. I find no need to get away from it all and bring it all with me. Keep it simple and enjoy life!
That's why I built a teardrop camper. Enjoyed the build, and loved it because it was just like keeping all of your gear in a bug out bag. Decide to go camping at the last minute, and everything is already loaded and ready to go.
Bought a 2002 Lance 815 truck camper in pretty good condition for $3400 last summer. It has a one piece aluminum roof that can be easily walked on and maintained. Put it on my 2001 Chevy 2500 HD 4x4 (gas--I do my own mechanic work and don't do diesel). Truck only has 107,000 trouble free miles. Spent $1500 in solar, inverter, TV/DVD/mp3 player/stereo radio, rear view camera/monitor and cheap inverter generator. The rig has ice cold air, small fridge/freezer, toilet, shower and can be parked in a standard parking spot. My wife and I and 2 chihuahuas are close but comfortable and haven't spent a ton of money for our little home on the road. Being handy is a must, as you need to be able to do your own maintenance and understand how to make the repairs that will undoubtedly be needed. For instance, the rig never had any leaks until this spring when the antenna shaft started leaking. A quick RU-vid search and I made the needed repair. The newer RVs (and trucks!) are WAY more costly and IMHO not as robust. When we pull into a campground, we do get some condescending looks from the fools that have spent their life savings on CRAP that will depreciate 80% in ten years. 10 years from now my (maintained) "classic" will bring at least what we have invested, probably more.
Great advice. We were told rent, rent, rent. I grew up camping in a trailer with my family so I didn’t need to know what it felt like to be in one. We did buy a new travel trailer after looking at them for over two years. Went to every dealership in a 50 mile radius and RV shows. Looked at used travel trailers too but didn’t find the one until we finally did. We bought new and I took your advice and had it inspected by an independent NRVIA inspector since no lemon laws etc. I also negotiated everything online since I found the salesman on the lot didn’t seem to care about what we wanted only interested in trying to up sell us into bigger units. We’ve had it for two years and use almost every month. It’s an expensive hobbie but the memories I’m making with my family are priceless.
Wow. We have a 2008 Monaco we bought new. In 12 years we have only had 2 things go wrong with it that we did not break ourselves. We had a slide motor go out at 8 years, and the alternator went out this year. That’s it! In the mean time it has been 60k miles from Florida to Maine to Washington state to California. We raised the kids traveling and even tried to live in it for over a year after they left home. Not saying we never had anything go wrong...just that what did go wrong was our fault from hitting road hazards or trees in RV parks. We have run into many, many travelers having our same experience. I think as a lawyer you tend to see the bad instead of the good. One reason we are not living in the coach now is there has been a sad shift in RVers. It used to be all recreational families. Now it is Americans who cannot afford a house and live full time in parks. They are a ruder crowd that over-use their space and park utilities...greatly ruining the fun for recreational RVers.
Sold the house and living the last 18 mo in a "top quality" class A diesel pusher. Your comments are spot on. I have had WAY too many problems with this motor home, mostly from sloppy manufacturing. The biggest ongoing problem is getting service. Service locations are backed up (long delays), usually a long drive away, and VERY costly. It doesn't take long for the honeymoon to end.
Maybe it's because people are losing their homes. In the area I'm at there is a spike in RV in people driveways. I know of at least two families that live in there more back to mom and dads house(driveway)
What we didn't realize when we bought our used RV was that most of the major tourist spots, like Key West, are booked a year ahead. It's not a get ready to travel and go where you want, when you want. Reservations are a hassell! That's why we are not using ours this summer. Hopefully the ones that do buy a new one will be willing to sell next year, and we can upgrade!
I bought a new diesel pusher a number years ago. I think every system gave me issues. The fuel lines leaked, the transmission would shift 1,2,3,4,5,6,5,4,3,2,1 while at a stop light! The walls started coming apart. I had it 50 weeks, the dealer had it 26 of them. The last straw was on the road, a 20 x 1 foot section of the roof peeled off. I traded with same dealer for a different manufacturers similar model. It preformed much better but still had it's issues. I'm pretty handy so I fixed most of them, like the power steering line pinched and causing high steering effort, and many other issues. The warranties are great, lol. If it's chassis related you go one place. If it's coach you go to another, if it's (in my case) the AC (coach) fails you go to yet another shop. If you are handy don't fight the urge, unless you have lots of time and money to invest. Listen to Steve Lehto...RENT!
My dad has an RV (big Class A with 2 slides...nice and roomy when those are out). It's currently sitting down in a storage yard down where my dad used to live. He has stayed there since he moved out and moved into the house we currently live in. We once tried to move it out of the storage yard, but found out the battery is dead. Our attempts to jump start it did not work, so we have to get it towed up to the house we now live in. In addition to the battery troubles, there was an existing issue with the refrigerator in the rig. People really don't realize the complexities with operating and maintaining an RV. My dad has been an RV owner for most of my life. I took many family trips as a kid in their RV's. Great way to see the country...but definitely has an ugly side most people don't want to know about. My dad has fixed most of the problems he has had on his motorhomes himself...or knew people personally who could perform the work for him. That's what you get when an engineer owns an RV. If I ever want to see the country in my own time....I'll fly there and stay in a hotel. It may have been fun as a kid, but I don't have an interest with wasting that amount of time traveling somewhere. Been there, done that, have had several tshirts from it. edit: could youtube NOT screw with the formatting of my post please.....grrrrrr
If you are only going to use the RV for less than a month renting is the smartest way to go for most people. I personally only use a pull behind that I use for business from late May through late October. I setup and sell at fairs, festivals, and parties. My 1987 I've had for 2 years now prior had a 1984 that I used for 10 years. Each cost less than $2,000 each. Yes they needed repairs which is normal and I do all the work myself. There are plenty of used pull behind units both new and used. Even buying a 2 year old unit will save lots of money and have most of problems all ready fixed. Just make sure that your tow vehicle is comfortable and setup for towing.
Lemon law be damned...with an rv, I know who slept in my bed last night and what they did, when the sheets were last changed, cook my own food, wash my own dishes, no 11am check out time...do u know ANY of that when you rent a hotel room? no. in this age of pandemic, do you know if the last tenant of that room was sick? No. I don't need a brand new rv, I have now and have always had used ones, never let me down. I highly suggest that if people want to buy an rv, its their money, spend wisely, take your family out and enjoy. And do it in the safety and comfort of a bedroom, kitchen, living room, bathroom that you know whom used it last.
4 года назад
Too late: I've already have a used 85 VW Vanagon Westfalia for 5 years with 320k miles What's been repaired: - engine rebuilt twice (because the builder (GEX) screwed up the first time, hauled it back to Arkansas, fixed it on their dime, but won't warranty it now after I paid for a parts and labor warranty) - alternator - starter - water pump and H hose fitting - power steering pump, lines, and rack - auxiliary air valve - timing - catalytic converter - rear shoes redone - fixed the stove cover hinge - fixed the stove cover latch - LED exterior lights upgrade - curtain hooks - elastic in the windshield curtain - sliding window mechanisms, plural - window crank upgrade - proper 14" tires (trailer tires) instead of passenger car tires - windshield washer motors and nozzles, front and back - radiator - radiator fan - radiator fan temp sensor - engine ground fix - starter charging fix - a real engine temperature gauge - instrument cluster electrical connections and components replaced with LED and solid-state - second horn upgrade - speakers upgrade.. the Blaupunkts were just magnets and destroyed paper - positive wire upgrade - battery upgrade (large SLA main battery plus a removable Goal Zero Yeti 400 and a removable third battery) - 100W solar panel plus an MPPT charge controller w/ remote display - memory foam lower mattress topper I'm currently changing: - the entire headlight assemblies - propane tank (horizontal tank is exempt from regs but it's still 35 years old, small, rusty, and unclear what is what) - front brakes and bearings (same pads as a 1969 Porsche 911) - skylight - bearing and bushings of the slide door - add a backup camera - fix the plate light - fix the driver's seat belt - LED turn-signal delay fix (a resistor) - cruise control 🤘 To Do: - reupholster and re-pad seats, bench, and lower mattress - some body work and fenders/end-caps - paint job - wheels upgrade - air conditioning lines replacement (it has a large compressor, evaporator, and condenser) - get the refrigerator working - consider ripping out the water tank
Absolutely true. I’ve experienced it all with my first one. Just sold it and bought another but we actually use ours way more than most. The entire industry is one of selling dreams and deception. I have a friend who worked as an engineer for a major supplier to RV industry and he saw it from that angle too.
Steve, I oun an rv 5th wheel toy hauler. It is my home I live in it. Everything your saying is true. Plus when you buy one baring a few when you buy a brand new one the secound you drive it off the lot the resale value drops by half.
If you take a trip to Yuma or other retirement community, you can find near new, and used RVs and trailers for sale, by widows and widowers, all over the place. Prices are usually pretty good
Steve, you are so right. RVs are built cheaply, and they break. If you want to own one and travel, you need to learn how to work on them and fix them. As an RVed, I find I'm fixing many RVs in campgrounds.Some obvious fixes are to slides, they constantly fail, mostly due to electrical. Next you have water and plumbing. Most easily fixed if you know what you are doing. Then water leaks into the structure. This is critical to the life of the vehicle. Seal the seams. RVs are a different vehicle , and you need to know what you have.
Steve, 8 years ago we purchased a deluxe class A motor home, all the bells and whistles so to speak and it was as you say "a nightmare", the full wall slides were a constant problem. 2 years ago I feel lucky I sold it or what I did. A couple of years later, we wanted to get back on the road an bought a new class C, no slide, jacks, electric stairs, very simple, and you know, its been literally trouble free, we use it more, go more places, oh and my wife finds it more comfortable driving (I enjoyed the driving in the class A). This class C is probably what started the RV life and is probably what they all should be, simple, its a camper.
Rent and keep all the bills & reciepts tolls, parking, fuel, camp sites,& fees ... Then buy if you are not put off by renting And it will take you up to a year to find the one you need / want to buy don't compromise !! Oh And good Luck :-)
I have owned, travel trailers, truck campers, and 3 Class "A" diesel RV's. As they say, the happiest days was the day I purchased and the day I sold. I sold my last Class "A" 2 years ago and I really haven't missed the RV, we miss the people and still stay in touch with many of them. Some still RV but many gave it up like us.
We've full timed for almost 35 year's and always bought one's at least 3 plus years old. Also buy a better brand not cheaper.Some brands have a reputation.
Some of our best family vacations have been in our RV or pop up. The only reason we are not using it yet this season is that we can not get into a state park or campground. They are all booked!
I've owned a number of tent and travel trailers. Only one (an A-frame) was any trouble (and not a huge problem, either). I won't buy a Class A or Class C in part because of what is pointed out in the video and also because I want to park the mobile home and then roam around. A tow vehicle and trailer lets me do that park and roam thing very well and it also means I don't have another drivetrain to maintain. Seriously, if I already have a pickup or SUV which can pull a decent trailer then I don't want to buy and maintain an RV which has another drivetrain. So at this time I have a small travel trailer and some day I might get a 5th wheel trailer.
We have hundreds of nights in ours and we're still loving it. RV ownership is like home ownership though you're always fixing little things. greasing the bearings, winterizing it, cleaning the tanks, tightening a screw that backed out on a washboard dirt road, etc.. If you're not at least a bit of a DIY person skip it but if you are they are very enjoyable.
I know a guy that bought an old used school bus, stripped it down to nothing but the chassis, and built his own custom RV. He built or rebuilt cars for a living anyway, so he knew what he was doing. It took him almost two years to get it done, but the thing was beautiful. Nothing ever leaked, nothing ever broke down, and it was sturdy enough that you could have driven it off a cliff and barely dented it. Him and his wife have been using it for the last 22 years or so, and to the best of my knowledge, the only real work he's ever done on it was a few years ago, he added backup cameras, and replaced the engine with a newer more efficient one. Sure, it still sucks gas, but the new engine runs off diesel/bio diesel, so he can get fuel just about anywhere for cheaper than he could before.
I agree with what you say 100%. We have two RVs for this purpose. One that we've had for four years and it has all the bugs worked out, and a brand new RV that we expect to have many problems with.
I completely agree to rent first for many reasons as you described. We did so and for us we were hooked! We started with travel trailers and over the course of a few years decided a class a was best for our family “wants”. We purchased a new Fleetwood Flair 31B LXE class a 3 years ago and truly have the unicorn. Many of our friends who purchased rvs much more expensive than ours have had many issues with their RV that impacted use. For us over 3 years of ownership, we had 2 issues that needed to be repaired at a shop both of which was covered under warranty, was able to be deferred until the winter (off season) and was of no cost to us. The first was adjusting the slide wall motors to pull the wall in evenly and flush on each side. The second was the electric steps the control board was replaced at1 year under warranty at no cost to us. Knock on wood after 3 years of use and over 9,000 miles of travel those are the most significant issues we’ve had. Of course there are minor things we have done on our own in addition to normal maintaince like fixing a drawer latch that came loose, tightening a few screws here or there, etc. remember these are rolling homes under constant earthquake while in motion. IF someone is interested in purchasing it is huge to be able to do some minor work and repairs yourself, if you are afraid to pick up a tool this is not the recreation for you as time in shops can be extended during peak season. I think it is important however to know there are many happy stories of RV ownership and not all are disasters. The memories we have made with our kids will last a lifetime and I can’t put a value on that, we have never regretted our decision to purchase our RVs. I will say, I strongly recommend that anyone buying an RV to stay within something that fits comfortably in your budget and have a cushion set aside for repairs when they come up and any upgrades or updates you want to make. RVing is not for everyone and renting first is a great way to test it out before jumping all in. It is however possible to buy an RV and not have constant issues and disasters.
One problem with having and RV (Trailer in my case) is that campgrounds in Michigan aren't currently allowed to have drive up camping, only seasonal campers are allowed. I'm in the campground where I have a seasonal lot and it's sad to see so many empty camp sites on a Holiday weekend. I feel so sorry for owners of campgrounds as it's going to be hard for them to survive on only the seasonal campers.
I personally know a couple that bought an RV to live in and explore the country. They had it about a year and when it needed maintenance, they found out they needed to find a place to live for three months while it was in the shop. Whatever freedom you think an RV will give you, forget it. If you want to take an RV out once a year, rent one.
I agree with you; rental is the way to go. My wife and I use Cruise America. We have rented twice and found it to be a good way to get the RV experience without the overhead. The beauty of this arrangement is that with my wife and myself we rent a smaller RV for just us. We wanted to take our adult kids the second time and we got a larger RV. I know other folks that have purchased RVs used them two - three times in the summer and then let them set. They found that the gas cost get to the destination was high and after the third time they lost their enthusiasm for RVs. Also not counted is the passive cost.; storage, insurance, and winterizing for example are just some. If you have a trailer you need a “tow rig” which you may not need for the rest of the year. It is hard to use an RV for every summer weekend, but when you have $100,000 sitting in the driveway you feel the need to use it even if it is not what you really want to do that weekend. My son-in-law works as an RV salesperson and they report the same as you - RV sales are up. In Utah RV dealers are considered Auto Dealers and were included as an essential service. He used gallons of sanitizer but sold plenty of RVs for the last few months. Also, I believe there is a market for rental RVs right now as isolation units to quarantine some folks who are covid positive but have minor or no symptoms. Thanks for the great advice.
Another problem with an RV is if you want to leave the campsite to a bar or pickup supplies you need to pack everything away and take it with you. Better to get decent sized caravan and a truck to tow it, it also means you have the truck all year round rather than the RV just sitting on your drive.
I bought a used Tiger and have been driving around for ten years with no real trouble, just minor car type issues. It's been all over the west and Canada and to Alaska 4 times. I started off renting a Class C. What I found out was that I didn't want a Class C nor anything built by that manufacturer. I then had a better idea what to look for and what to avoid. One thing I decided to avoid was space, I want small. That way I get to avoid campgrounds and park in the compact car spaces.
I've RV across Canada. Across Australia (rented). Across NZ (rented). LOTS of concerts. Parks. Just kept it simple with a 21ft trailer. Wonderful memories. Very little cost.
I drove from Florida to Elkhart Indiana last year to pick up a brand new truck camper. I paid about 20000 cash for it, and love it. I can park it anywhere I can park my large diesel. I have enough solar and lithium batteries in it to power my rooftop air conditioner indefinitely. The refrigerator quit working on our 1st trip out to the West Coast of Florida. The RV dealership in Indiana just sent the repairmen a brand new one. No problems at all. I guess maybe don't paint all dealerships with the same brush.
I bought a new Casita travel trailer in late 2018 and during the year warranty had one water leak which was fixed. However, it took 3 weeks for the repair. Glad I only live an hour from the factory.
when rv first got populer it was in the 70s you could buy a winni 17 for 6800 bucks a basic unit bed stove and couch but lately i cannot see bringing basically a house to camp in. but guys and gals turning utility trailers and vans is not bad
I love it. I’ve lived in one on and off for years. I would never buy new. Most use them for occasional camping trips so buying used makes sense. I travel for my business and it just makes sense. Thanks for the video though.
If I were to buy an RV I would do a couple things go during a heavy thunder storm, have some mold detection equipment, thermal sensor and a multimeter. Then take it for a test drive during the T-Storm.
We saw Steve's earlier RV warning video but regrettably went ahead and bought the new high end super C anyway. It is very hard to find the high end ones to rent and we wanted some quality family time before the kids are out of school off to college. We had it inspected by a certified 3rd party inspector and he found nothing wrong with it. We thought we found the unicorn and bought it last August 2019. We had the 1 week trip home half way across the country and one other trip 2 hours away for last labor day weekend. The rest of the time it has been in the shop or otherwise down for repairs. We are now having warranty re-repairs to fix the subfloor of the already repaired tile flooring. It came out of a 5 month stint in the shop still with half the original problems and even a few new problems. We are going on our 5th door replacement trying to get a replacement door that is the right one, correct size and color and that shows up undamaged. The jacks have failed twice, once with the RV stuck up in the air with the tires off the ground! The water heater cracked, the A/C didn't work right, there were multiple roof leaks and internal water line leaks, the awning doesn't work, lots of wiring and electrical problems. Not to mention the crooked framing, lack of insulation, poor HVAC design and other issues, most that will never be fixed and makes the rig hard to use in the summer heat or winter cold when/where we most would like to use it. As I write this, it is sitting at the freightliner shop for warranty repairs on the chassis while the RV dealer is trying to line up parts and warranty approval for more warranty repairs after it gets out of the truck shop. Now we are out about $50k in depreciation for only 2 short trips in the last year. I think we could have had a LOT of great vacations for that kind of money! Learn from our mistake. My advice is to heed Steve's advice.
I will be full-timing and traveling the USA for 3-4 years (more or less). I have been researching RV's for the last 15 years (I have had to wait this long because I am a caregiver to both parents - mom passed in 2012). I will buy from a previous owner & will be looking for an RV that is up to 2 years old. I will have it inspected by a certified RV inspector - and you need to make sure you are getting a FULL-COMPLETE inspection that can cost up to $1,000 for a Class A RV, but it's worth every penny to me - because yes, there are too many horror stories!. You can find them from the right owner for up to 75% off the MSRP - if you take your time! And many of these owners have scrupulous maintenance records. There are also MANY RV RU-vid channels that I follow... I will be successful in finding my 'right' RV! Thanks for the info. I have seen beautiful, 2-year-old, $500k Class A's go for $150-200K. Many times you will find a buyer of a new rig, have their spouse pass-away, and/or they have a spouse with a serious medical condition that just came up. It happened with my father - a major episode with many symptoms that took Dr.'s almost a year to even diagnose and then he's treated in the hospital for 12 days, gets out, then 2 weeks later has a major heart attack, right in front of me, and now has 3 stents and a lifestyle that has decreased by 80% (not to mention numerous other past conditions & even recovery from throat/neck cancer, etc)! But, you do have to be very careful, RVs can have roof leaks, and slide-out leaks that are very difficult to detect, therefore you need a professional inspection, that will be well worth the cost!
Great coverage, Steve. I shared a link to your video on a fairly large Facebook RV Group. Maybe you'll hear from a unicorn. My own experience with a used 1996 Four Winds Class C RV has been less than relaxing. It's been mostly a nightmare.
We bought a travel trailer new in the Winter of 2011. No problems until year 4, and it was minor. Covered by the 5-year extended warranty and the selling dealership did the work. It was scheduled over a month out from when I called and took a few weeks to complete. You are correct about the RV industry and quality control - it's seemingly non-existent. Good dealerships matter WAYYYY more in the RV industry than for cars. Finding a good dealer that takes care of problems BEFORE delivery to the buying customer makes all the difference. They are effectively providing the final stage of quality control for the industry. I still have this same travel trailer. My experience is not the norm.
Texas Lemon Law does actually cover RVs and travel trailers and there may be others. In Texas covered vehicles are "New vehicles, including cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, motor homes, towable recreational vehicles (TRVs), and neighborhood electric vehicles that develop a defect(s) covered by a manufacturer’s written warranty." The lemon law kicks in if your vehicle is out of service for repair due to a defect covered by warranty "For a total of 30 days or more - not necessarily all at one time - during the first 24 months or 24,000 miles (if a comparable loaner vehicle was provided while the vehicle was being repaired, that time does not count toward the 30 days) a substantial defect still exists."
I just sold my 5th wheel..Steve is spot on..My RV cost me $150.00 per month for storage alone. insurance, license and registration makes it about $250 per month..My depreciation came to $400 per month during the time I owned it..Thats $650 per month ----almost $8, 000 per year and add to that --- the difficulty of securing camp sites makes "Owning" a very bad investment..When something breaks its horrible to get an appointment for a repair..When you get an appointment, they have to order parts (more time) and fix things AT THEIR CONVENIENCE..I recently was about to purchase a new class "C" motorhome...The price was up because of the demand..They offered me wholesale for my 5th wheel (almost 1/2 the value and only 4 years old)..They tried to sell me a 4 year extended warranty (the new rig came with a two year warranty)..They wanted to bundle it into the loan which meant it would cost $ 18,000.00 over the life of the loan...SLEEZY SALESMEN ON TOP OF EVERYTHING...Yep, Steve is correct...If you want a motorhome----------------rent it!!!!
Amen! We had a new Class C Jayco and it was Lemon Lawed within 8 months of ownership. Service on warranty is exactly what Steve is talking about. Stay clear! Won't own another one again!
Steve , I sold these many years ago most of what you say is true. One thing that's slightly misleading thing, Rentals. A Dealer that runs Rentals will 100% keep them as perfect as possible. If there's a problem before that Rig goes out again it's fixed. Customers in line to have theirs fixed wait. They want you to think these are perfect and then you get the taste. Hot buttons pushed and you buy new. After that all bets are off. We've never had a Motor Coach always pullers. Never bought new. One Tin and Sticks and our Aluminum Framed Fiberglass beauty. It's a 2012 24FT, picked it last year and we love it. By far the best we've ever had. We've had a couple od upgrades done for my safety as I'm now dealing with Parkinson's but I can very much Drive and park it. My wife is learning. Point is stay in your price range 100% second, see the first thing. ALWAYS BUY USED!!!!!! It can be like an old fashion dishonest Car Dealership. We sat in one last year in Iowa, Something Ones the name. I watched and literally told my wife everything the sales guy and Mgr, were doing as he went back and forth, I was spot on. Crooks are easy to spot be it a large Multistore Nationwide place in Central Iowa or one based in the Tampa area named Something Days also around the country. A crook is a crook. We are late Boomers, 58 Y.O. like many in our age group, we love to see the country, 3 Popups and 2 Travel Trailers so you need to know and understand what you're getting into. I've been running around the country since I was a Kid with Mom and Dad and the Grandparents. For me, it's always been in my Blood.
You said it best at the end. You can't expect them to be trouble free. I have bought 4 brand new RVs. I haven't gotten one on the day scheduled. I spent hours inspecting and wouldn't sign papers until all the issues were corrected. The dealer thinks I'm nuts. The last time I spent 6 hours inspecting it. I asked for a hose so I could spray seals to check for leaks. It comes down to knowing what you are buying. These things are horribly built and the dealers can be shady. I love rving it's my thing but you have to know what to expect and that you have little recorse in case of a major problem.
Guess we almost qualify as one of those "Unicorns" Steve. Bought a '17 Winnebago Travato Class B campervan brand new in June 2016. 66K miles on it now, and we have had a grand total of 3 RV related issues (generator coil, trailer wiring misconfigured, and step controller failure). All three were fixed on the day I took it in to be fixed (by appointment of course). It helped tremendously to take the generator to the Cummins Regional Service Center - not the RV dealer - for the warranty repair. It also helped to have a good RV dealer whose service guys made sure the parts were available that day. I'm also very handy, and with the help of a robust FB group made up of 5,000 fellow owners, I was able to pre-diagnose the issues. Finally, a Class B campervan is also a much simpler beast than most trailers and bigger RVs - one of the main reasons we were attracted to them.
I bought my 1984 RV 3 years ago. 29K miles, all aluminum construction for 5 grand, and I live in it at a Retirement RV park full time, 500$ a month rent w/ utilities included. It's not for everyone. My neighbors rig was brand new off the lot and the wiring went bad after just a few months and it wound up at the shop for months being repaired. they paid $150K+ for that thing.
I knew an older gentleman who bought an used RV as is, even though the dealer would not let him drive it. They said their insurance would not cover anything that left the lot. Made it less than a mile before it broke down and their response was too bad, as is. It ended up being one big turd!
on line hotel web sites are accepting reservations but have a disclaimer that is well hidden in that they do NOT give refunds for prepaid reservations. this no refund policy is displayed after you click yes for reservation. it is displayed somewhere that does NOT alert you to the policy as the size of the letters is smaller than usual when it should be larger. booking.com is the site and controls the refunds through the hotel. if they decide NOT to refund you, you don't get your money back.
This is what a credit card charge back is for. In 95% of all cases the major card companies rule in favor of the buyer when a product or service has not been delivered/received. Call your card company.
We have an RV and love it, but like Steve, I recommend that people rent and see what it's like before they even think about buying one! Ours sits for 10.5 months - but we knew going into it what was going to happen and how often we were going to use it (and we bought used because of the huge loss in the first 12 months).
Steve, that video is why I started following you. Before that, we were looking at a Class A or C; it convinced us to not. We’ve only bought used. And we’d sell our house before our RV lol
Spot on advice. We are on our second RV. It's been a great experience, but we learned a lot along the way. It helps to be mechanical, and most repairs can be made yourself. Renting is smart, but buying is cheaper if you know you will use it often. We use our RV about 10 times a year for dry camping adventures. That's probably a lot compared to most, and renting would cost us about $6k per year, and our new RV cost us $11k. So, it makes financial sense for us.
I love my truck camper but I bought it used 18 years old and being a truck camper it has no engine or even wheels. I am retired with lots of free time and I love to explore the outdoors so it works for me. I can also fix anything that goes wrong with it. If you look at my videos you can see the fun trips I'm taking.
I have a customer who is a doctor at a local hospital. She bought an RV at the height of COVID so she could isolate herself, in the driveway, and away from her family. She was afraid that she would expose them so opted to live in the RV for several months. We did electrical and plumbing work to accommodate it. I wonder how much of the increase in RV sales were similar situations.
