Why full time?

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

Again...it's all about "life style".....

This is about the only point that you make which I would agree with. You do not need to defend your lack of enthusiasm for the fulltime RV lifestyle and Escapees have many members who are part-time RV travelers. You seem to think that everyone here is either fulltime or used to be and that simply is not true. There are many who love the fulltime lifestyle on these forums but I doubt it is a majority of us. Only a small share of RV owners ever choose to live in them as their only home. Before you even consider the fulltime lifestyle, you need to learn what it is, which you clearly have not done. If you have no interest in the fulltime lifestyle, there is nothing wrong with that and you remain among the majority of RV owners. 

[Roadtrek 1]

 

After looking at my situation, I'll never be full time.    

At least you and the other people on this forum are polite and respectful... I'm not trying to convince anyone else,  I'm already sure that this is not for us. 

On another forum which I don't participate any more,  a couple of people  told me if I was concerned about fuel economy ... you're in the wrong hobby"... WOW...I thought that was pretty offensive until someone else said...." you paid too much  money on a small  Class B with such limited space.... the only thing that might be useful for is "rolling brothel".    I guess you cannot control what people will say,  but,  I dropped my membership in that organization.   That last comment was over the top rude and disrespectful. 

As I said...we absolutely love road trips and the Class B is a fantastic touring vehicle...it's certainly a small space but,  it's extremely deluxe inside for the two of us. 

We just have to be careful about staying under 3,200 feet without power... our 3 way refrigerator doesn't work above that altitude on propane and the generator loses power with altitude as well.... SO, we look for RV parks with full power.   

 

Here's a picture of the inside of our rig.   I think it's pretty nice. 

[rynosback]

6 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

All of the above shows fulltiming isn’t for you.  You don’t need to explain to us.  

I agree.

[rynosback]

You have a nice looking rig, but I could not fulltime in it.  As it is to small for my wife and myself.  My 40ft 5ver is home to us.  We absolutely love it.  It makes you realize that you do not even need 1/4 of the stuff that we had in our 2400 sqft home.

I am not sure what membership you dropped.  Not sure why a few comments that members made offended you enough to drop a membership.  You just have to remember that you are on the World Wide Web.  You asked for an opinion and you will always see different sides and passions behind them.  I would never let a few people run me out of anything.  If someone is rude, confront them about it.  They could have had a rough day when posting there response up.  You could just always just use the ignore feature so you would never have to see any of there responses on that forum.  Enjoy your sticks and bricks home.

[Roadtrek 1]

12 minutes ago, rynosback said:

You have a nice looking rig, but I could not fulltime in it.  As it is to small for my wife and myself.  My 40ft 5ver is home to us.  We absolutely love it.  It makes you realize that you do not even need 1/4 of the stuff that we had in our 2400 sqft home.

I am not sure what membership you dropped.  Not sure why a few comments that members made offended you enough to drop a membership.  You just have to remember that you are on the World Wide Web.  You asked for an opinion and you will always see different sides and passions behind them.  I would never let a few people run me out of anything.  If someone is rude, confront them about it.  They could have had a rough day when posting there response up.  You could just always just use the ignore feature so you would never have to see any of there responses on that forum.  Enjoy your sticks and bricks home.

 

Thanks... yes I understand.... although we've heard of people "full timing" in a Class B...and seen you tube videos....we would not be able to do that.   Our home is fairly small, so we're used to smaller spaces but our home seems enormous compared to the space on the rig. 

I understand about the "web".... actually.... it was a yearly membership which I really didn't get much out of so I didn't renew.  I think what bothered me the most is that the moderator didn't think that this comment, especially about the "rolling brothel" didn't rise to the occasion of being so offensive as to do something about it.   I can't respect that and decided the only way I could respond was to terminate my account, money does send a message. 

I discovered that this particular group was so biased on Class A's that there were virtually no Class B members willing to contribute and share information... I think they were so intimidated by the really rude and snotty comments coming from the Class A clique they just disappeared....when I joined I didn't know that and was wondering why there were no recent posts from Class B members....

As I said.... everyone on this Escapees Forum have been very nice and polite, I appreciate this.  I realize that there's something out there for everyone with respect to the kind of rig and style of traveling. 

My wife and I wanted to have an RV experience and we're achieving this on a different level.... but, when we're done we'll go back to other traveling... maybe international...As long as we have the RV...I kinda figured that international travel was going to be sidelined for the moment... not enough money to justify both and we might as well use the equipment we have...

Our home will continue to increase in value due to the location and increasing scarcity of single family homes.   And living in a world class city has the advantages of abundant services...... including health care, restaurants and entertainment.   There's virtually nothing we can't get here. 

 

[Arthur Redmond]

On ‎2‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 7:32 PM, JRP said:

1) most people don't fulltime because its cheaper. They fulltime because they love to travel & explore. It can be cheaper if you need it to be. You spend as little as you have or as much as you have. That applies whether you live in a house, boat, or RV.

2) dealing with health care is no different in an RV than in a house. Some choose to go back to the same area periodically to visit the same Doc. Some like me see different doctors all over the country. 

3) If you don't see a benefit then don't do it.  Lots of folks do things I see no benefit in. 

4) Yes, RV's depreciate like most of what we buy. But your life depreciates quickly too, enjoy it while you can. 

5) Its only complicated if you make it so. I don't have a plan other than going north in the summer and south in the winter, and having fun.

I could not have said it better than this, thank you. Going back full time some time this year.

[2gypsies]

9 hours ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

We love to travel.... we went across the USA in a big perimeter circle meandering to wherever we wanted to go.......11,000 miles...We visited many great places... it was wonderful , lots of memories and pictures, .... but, it was fantastic to return home..  we were very happy to return... When we got home...we decided that we would never be able to do do this on a 24/7/365 day basis.... just not our style.  What do you do about all your friends that you leave behind?   Sure, we have friends in many different places.. not just here, but..... it's still a loss. 

 

We found that... using applications like Priceline ...we could save 50 percent off of the normal price ... wound up staying in decent places for only $25 to $30 more than staying in RV parks...  Now.. maybe a lot of you just boon dock and pay zero....we like staying where we have power.... most of those places are at least $40 per night.... sometimes more..... when you factor in the fuel, RV parks and maintenance of the vehicle.... you're not saving any money driving the RV ....it might be less expensive to take the car and stay in hotels?      Hotels are open all night...and you can drive longer and faster than any RV..... most RV parks you need to check in by 9 or 10 PM....

 

 

 

 

I'm curious how long of a trip was your 11,000 mile perimeter circle?   No wonder you stated you would never be able to do this on a 24/7/365 day basis.  Full-timers don't do that kind of traveling.  We would some seasons spend the whole time in one or two states and explore thoroughly.

We didn't leave friends behind. We still have them.  Plus, we added many, many more.

Motels?  That is another reason to RV. You don't have to sleep in someone else's bed.

We've never paid $40/night for a RV site.  Of course, we didn't need hookups either.  Our propane worked just fine - even up to 8500' elevation. You might want to have yours checked out.

Full-timers don't drive long days and no reason to go fast. They're not in a hurry.  Certainly, very few would need to check in at 9 or 10pm.  They typically quit driving in the afternoon which leaves time for relaxing or checking out the area.

I'm glad you realize that you couldn't full-time because it just wouldn't work for you.  Nothing wrong with that.  Enjoy!

[GR "Scott" Cundiff]

When we retired and announced to family, friends, and co-workers that we were going to sell the house and fulltime RV we also said that this was want we wanted to do and that we weren't expecting it to appeal to everyone else.  This was our dream and our life, not theirs.

This thread reminds me of that.  Since we are on the Escapees forum it comes as no surprise that the majority are coming forward with explanations of why it is a terrific way to live and how most issues are easily resolved.

Outside our circles are many who don't see what we see.  I think the best thing we can do is acknowledge that this is what we like and it is perfectly fine for others to come up with all kinds of reasons why it doesn't work for them.  

Honestly, it is fine with me - the campgrounds are full enough already.

[docj]

55 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:

Full-timers don't do that kind of traveling.  We would some seasons spend the whole time in one or two states and explore thoroughly.

We didn't leave friends behind. We still have them.  Plus, we added many, many more.

Motels?  That is another reason to RV. You don't have to sleep in someone else's bed.

We've never paid $40/night for a RV site.  Of course, we didn't need hookups either.  Our propane worked just fine - even up to 8500' elevation. You might want to have yours checked out.

Full-timers don't drive long days and no reason to go fast. They're not in a hurry.  Certainly, very few would need to check in at 9 or 10pm.  They typically quit driving in the afternoon which leaves time for relaxing or checking out the area.

With all due respect, your response reflects your view of how full-timers live their lives and is definitely not in sync with how we live ours.

We did a 6,000 mile trip this summer that lasted ~75 days.  We do like to travel 6-7 hours (300-400 miles) a day because we like going to specific places we want to see rather than meandering about.  I'm not saying that what we do is better than other approaches, but it's how we like to travel.  However, we always end our days by ~4pm and never drive at night.

As for places to stay, we ALWAYS have hookups and are prepared to pay for quality accommodations.  I think the least we spent on this summer's trip was $35/night.  We simply don't boondock; it's not us.

When we completed our trip we returned to the site we own in Rockport TX where we are spending the winter. We'll go on the road again in early June and will be gone through Labor Day.  

Are we full-timers?  Sure we are; we live in our MH full-time regardless of whether we're at our home site or on the road!  We have no other abode.

[Solo18]

I full-time is a 32' Class C that I bought new in 2012, and it is certainly NOT cheaper than living in a house or my very nice condo!  But I never thought it would be cheaper, nor did I think buying this and traveling constantly as I do was a good investment.  At my age (75) I am more interested in experiences than investments. And I see more of my relatives than I ever would in a house because my kids, grandkids, and cousins are spread out across the country.  So, I bounce around visiting whoever is nearby.  Most years, I drive 20,000 miles per year, so I don't stay long in one place.  

One of the big advantages of this lifestyle is that i can visit people without actually staying with them and stinking after the proverbial three days!  I even prefer to stay in my comfortable motorhome when I visit my kids.  I have everything I need here--comfortable Laz-y-boy recliner, comfortable bed, and refrigerator full of food whenever I want a snack or a meal.  Most importantly, I never have to pack a suitcase or sleep in an iffy hotel bed.  And I never forget to bring anything with me--its right in the parking lot!  I went to the UK for six weeks last year and while it was a great trip, I missed my home on wheels! 

Another thing I enjoy is the people I have met and the friends I have made on the road!  RVers are almost universally helpful and friendly.  And even serious illnesses can be dealt with on the road.  In fact, when I recently needed treatment for a serious condition, I was able to shop for specialists across the country and found one who did research here in the Pacific Northwest, where I have been spending the last three months participating in a research study that will last a full year.  It has slowed my travel for the past three months, but I am in an area where I am getting excellent care and will be able to travel for the rest of the year with occasional checkups back at the research center.  Yes, it is a little confusing that my internist is in a state 2,000 miles away, but I am going to fly out to see her in mid-April.  And my hand-surgeon who did my carpal tunnel surgery is in California, but I am able to pick and choose doctors and medical centers as I travel.

I am looking forward to heading out next week to see my son, DIL, and grandkids, and then head to the desert for a few weeks.  And i am already making reservations in Florida for next winter.  I get horribly bored when I have to stay in one place, so even though I travel alone, I hope I can keep at it many more years. 

Looking at how much you like your houses and are concerned about investments, I certainly would not recommend you take up this lifestyle.

PS - I have never boondocked or stayed overnight in a Walmart parking lot.  I also have not been to Quartzite, but I want to go there for a few days because I have friends that stay there most of the winter and want to visit! 

[rynosback]

1 hour ago, Solo18 said:

 

One of the big advantages of this lifestyle is that i can visit people without actually staying with them and stinking after the proverbial three days!  

 

Now this is funny.  My wife has always said that family is like fish.  After 3 days they start to stink.  This was the first time I had ever heard of that expression until you also stated it.

We get together once a year for a week with her family.  We stay at a campground close by.  This way we can come and go when we want.

[Roadtrek 1]

3 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

See my answers below in bold;  

I'm curious how long of a trip was your 11,000 mile perimeter circle?   No wonder you stated you would never be able to do this on a 24/7/365 day basis.  Full-timers don't do that kind of traveling.  We would some seasons spend the whole time in one or two states and explore thoroughly.

Approximately 90 days;  we left the middle of September and returned home December 15, 2017. 

We live in Southern California and went up north and our first main stop was the Great Basin National Park,  took a few days to get there after one night in Mammoth.   From there we went east on Highway 50,  with stops in Arches, Badlands, Colorado, and other scenic places heading gradually towards Mt. Rushmore.   We then continued east along the northern route straight across to the eastern side of Wisconsin.  There we boarded the SS Badger... a freightliner steamship across Lake Michigan and landed in Michigan.  We drove across Michigan to our vacation home on the eastern side of the state on Lake Huron.   We stay there every year for a couple of weeks to work on the place and see friends.      After that,  we headed east to Delaware, Maryland and Rhode Island  and saw some more friends and family and later went to Colonial Williamsburg,  Gettysburg and Jamestown.   Later,  we went to North Carolina and saw more family and spent a few days seeing the Biltmore Estate in Asheville.  Continuing on went to Savanah,  Florida and Alabama.      By the time we left Alabama ( it actually snowed the morning we left ) we headed back across Highway 40,  Route 66 finally getting back home to Los Angeles. 

We didn't leave friends behind. We still have them.  Plus, we added many, many more.

We've met some wonderful people on our trips,  some keep in touch others not.  

Motels?  That is another reason to RV. You don't have to sleep in someone else's bed.

This is where I would agree with you 100 percent;  our coach has a king size bed that is extremely comfortable and private and we don't have to bring luggage. 

We've never paid $40/night for a RV site.  Of course, we didn't need hookups either.  Our propane worked just fine - even up to 8500' elevation. You might want to have yours checked out.

Our heater worked just fine;   it's the propane refrigerator that was a problem on a trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.     Yeah,  my error,   I didn't read the manual.   When we came down to sea level it works just fine.    My unit is a Dometic 8501 and it's all in the manual. 

Full-timers don't drive long days and no reason to go fast. They're not in a hurry.  Certainly, very few would need to check in at 9 or 10pm.  They typically quit driving in the afternoon which leaves time for relaxing or checking out the area.

I normally drive between 60 and 65 … it's more relaxing and yeah,  I'm not in a hurry.   And,  it seems like this is the sweet spot for getting 18 to 19 MPG,  we have the 3 litre V6 diesel.   We tried to arrive and find a place to stay around 4 PM... it wasn't always possible.   When I take the car,  I can frequently go until 8 or 9 PM …. and the car just cruises a lot faster.   BUT... with the RV I can and have pulled over at rest stops whenever I felt the need to take a break or eat... it was much easier to do that in the RV and of course unplanned bathroom breaks.   We went to some very desolate places and there's nothing like having your own bathroom with you no matter where you are.    I absolutely love that feature.    We even did a couple of boondocks.   

 

 

3 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

I'm glad you realize that you couldn't full-time because it just wouldn't work for you.  Nothing wrong with that.  Enjoy!

We have a lot of money tied up in this rig as I made some special upgrades to the coach;  front and rear cameras,  satellite navigation with fully integrated audio/ Android Auto,  integrated  solar panels,  new suspension, and  backup proximity sensors with alarms ...I have to keep and use this to get my money's worth.   We have more trips planned for 2019.    It's certainly a lot of fun and a luxury item.   With only 43,000 miles it's still drives like a pretty new rig,  extremely powerful and smooth.

Not sure that we'll take it back across the USA quite yet;   diesel fuel really spiked last year in the fall.   

[Kirk W]

Your class B does look nice and I have seen many others that do, but it just wouldn't work for us. My wife has had an ankle and a hip replaced and is currently recovering from back surgery so those just require too much bending. But we did live in a gas chassis motorhome of 35' long with no slides for 12 years and we now own a 20' long travel trailer that has no slide and we have stayed in it for as long as 5 months, so you see that not all fulltimers live in 40' long RVs. While we have never traveled in a class B, it really doesn't mean that we have more expensive RVs as I suspect that our current travel trailer was one of the lower priced RVs (bought it new in 2012) of the regulars on these forums. We have known some who are fulltime in a class B, but not many and most of them are singles. I can't think of any type of RV which we have never met anyone living fulltime in, but only once have we met someone living in a popup. 

I agree that the best way to get your money's worth from an RV is to take good care of it and keep it for a long time. We bought our first RV in 1972 and have kept them an average of just under 9 years each. We will have owned our current RV for 7 years when we had out for Escapade with it in about 10 days. 

One thing that most people who have not lived in an RV seem to assume is that all of us live in pretty much the same way but that is far from the truth. There are just as many different ways to live in an RV as there are to live in any other type of abode. The only limit to how you can live in an RV is your own imagination! 

[Dutch_12078]

5 hours ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

 

We have a lot of money tied up in this rig as I made some special upgrades to the coach;  front and rear cameras,  satellite navigation with fully integrated audio/ Android Auto,  integrated  solar panels,  new suspension, and  backup proximity sensors with alarms ...I have to keep and use this to get my money's worth.   We have more trips planned for 2019.    It's certainly a lot of fun and a luxury item.   With only 43,000 miles it's still drives like a pretty new rig,  extremely powerful and smooth.

Not sure that we'll take it back across the USA quite yet;   diesel fuel really spiked last year in the fall.   

You seem to be unduly concerned with getting your "money's worth" from something you bought for pleasure/recreational use. Our attitude is that we got our money's worth in full the day we bought our RV, and everything since then is a bonus. We don't worry about resale value or depreciation, and fuel costs are not even a significant concern. Of course we'll use the cheaper accessible fuel stop when there's nearby choices, but at ~8 MPG, even a $1.00/gal increase in fuel prices only adds about $125/1000 miles to our costs. Just skipping a few restaurant meals would make that up if we cared to. We do less traveling and longer stays these days, which also saves money, but that's an age factor more than a money factor. Now in our mid-70's, we don't find much we need to hurry for anymore. Except maybe the bathroom...

[mds1]

I have really appreciated the comments in this thread. Thank you to the original poster for starting the dialogue and all the experienced folks adding so much.  As someone who is planning to fulltime, all this is very interesting and reaffirms my commitment to living the fulltime lifestyle. 

My wife and I are planning to take off in October of this year. We have been planning since September of 2014. I’ll not comment about her reasons for wanting to go fulltime but will say there has not been one moment since we made the decision that either has changed our opinion. And we both came to an agreement if one of us would later want to leave the fulltime RV lifestyle then we would give the other six months notice. 

For me, it’s time for a change in life and not a small one. I’m 56 years old and still have enough health to handle the rigors of the road.  I’ve experienced everything I wanted to in our current home and town.

Going fulltime, or even buying this costly rig, is the worst financial decision I’ve ever made. If I look at it only as a financial decision, I’d not do it. 

Not to be morbid, but I see death all the time in my job as a death investigator. This effects my views of life. I’ll not go into the details because I’d most likely have to defend my views which would be difficult to do. Life is short for sure...

My wife and I are in a good place right now in terms of finances, with everything paid off and saving more than half of what we earn.  Although we are persons of average means. It’s time for a change and we are able to do it in a big way. We are young enough that there is plenty of time to change course again later. In fact, we already have several ideas of what we would like to do should we decide to come off the road. We set a goal to stay on the road for six years. It does not matter to us if we achieve the goal or not. It was just a way of helping us to plan. For example selecting a fifth wheel we would want to live in for that long and guestimating what our financial situation might look like in six years if we were to want to make another big change. 

We all have our reasons for wanting to do this and I can safely bet those reasons are very similar.  I’m glad it’s not for everyone and hope the industry grows to meet the ever increasing demand of those going fulltime or just RVing.  I’d say if someone is on the fence about doing this then get an RV and travel as much as possible. But two-week vacations might not be enough to assure this is doable. So have a backup plan in case it does not work out.

I never expected to stay in this house nor want to take care of the land in retirement. So, it’s a good time to sell out and move on. The possessions we don’t want to part with will be confined to a storage unit that is no larger than 5x10. The rest of the possessions don’t matter, we can buy them again at the same places where we sold them so cheaply. 

[Barbaraok]

I chuckle every time I see someone complaining about the price of fuel.   Obviously a lot of you weren't on the road the summer of '08 - - we paid over $6/gallon for diesel in Nova Scotia that summer! 

We did 11K miles in 6 months our first year out and were exhausted!  Never again will we travel that fast.  11K is a year's worth of travel if you want to enjoy seeing the country - otherwise all you see are truck stops.  

[dewilso]

As others have said...do what you want.

 

[Roadtrek 1]

1 hour ago, Barbaraok said:

I chuckle every time I see someone complaining about the price of fuel.   Obviously a lot of you weren't on the road the summer of '08 - - we paid over $6/gallon for diesel in Nova Scotia that summer! 

We did 11K miles in 6 months our first year out and were exhausted!  Never again will we travel that fast.  11K is a year's worth of travel if you want to enjoy seeing the country - otherwise all you see are truck stops.  

 11,000 miles in  90 days was certainly a whirlwind tour... although remember we were traveling 250 to 300 miles per day while we were on the road and did stop for a time in various places..we saw a lot of stuff.  Class B's are meant for tours, not for just parking at locations and hanging around.  Of course we had plenty of  "truck stops" along the way when we were mobile, but, it was a means to the destinations we visited. 

11,000 miles in one year is just a normal commute for a lot of people. That's only a little more than 200 miles per week. 

[Roadtrek 1]

2 hours ago, rm.w/aview said:

Seeing the Class B sub-forum come to life again is nice so thank you for that, some of the forum headings seem to lay dormant with no input for weeks/months.

You're welcome... I'm glad to see a good dialogue between all of us. Of course people will have different opinions and experiences which we can all learn from. 

[docj]

9 hours ago, rynosback said:

My wife has always said that family is like fish.  After 3 days they start to stink.  This was the first time I had ever heard of that expression until you also stated it.

It's a rather famous quote from Benjamin Franklin.Franklin quote

[Roadtrek 1]

3 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

You seem to be unduly concerned with getting your "money's worth" from something you bought for pleasure/recreational use. Our attitude is that we got our money's worth in full the day we bought our RV, and everything since then is a bonus. We don't worry about resale value or depreciation, and fuel costs are not even a significant concern. Of course we'll use the cheaper accessible fuel stop when there's nearby choices, but at ~8 MPG, even a $1.00/gal increase in fuel prices only adds about $125/1000 miles to our costs. Just skipping a few restaurant meals would make that up if we cared to. We do less traveling and longer stays these days, which also saves money, but that's an age factor more than a money factor. Now in our mid-70's, we don't find much we need to hurry for anymore. Except maybe the bathroom...

I think most of us are concerned about money and costs, but, not everyone is willing to admit it..... Most of us would like to see a healthy return on investment....

I'm glad that you felt you already got your "money's worth" 100 percent the day you acquired the RV...I wonder how many people would agree with you..? . 

Resale value is only important if you intend to sell.  I understand .  Look, I normally keep my cars 15 years....

As for the RV...it's a higher commitment in terms of maintenance..an accident in an RV is less forgiving than a car so it's absolutely essential to replace your tires, brakes and shocks whenever the need it. Driving on tires older than 6 years is a hazard regardless of miles.   I'm learning that there's a cycle for all of this.....you can schedule tire, batteries, propane sensors and maybe a few other things every five or six years.   

When you have close to  six figures invested in a vehicle... it's a big commitment. 

Remember, a brand new vehicle like mine is well over $150,000 in 2019 which is why these vehicles are so expensive as used RVs.    You bet I'm concerned about getting my money's worth.

[mptjelgin]

27 minutes ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

 11,000 miles in  90 days was certainly a whirlwind tour... although remember we were traveling 250 to 300 miles per day while we were on the road and did stop for a time in various places..we saw a lot of stuff.  Class B's are meant for tours, not for just parking at locations and hanging around.  Of course we had plenty of  "truck stops" along the way when we were mobile, but, it was a means to the destinations we visited. 

11,000 miles in one year is just a normal commute for a lot of people. That's only a little more than 200 miles per week. 

What you are describing is a "vacation" mentality to RV'ing, which is frankly how most are used. It is certainly reflective of the pace that we traveled at when we were working and using our RV for vacations. We had no choice but to put in longer days in order to reach our destination. Same thing returning home. 

For most full-timers we don't consider ourselves on vacation. We're not even camping. We live in our RV as a means to be able to stay in different areas. It is truly a different mentality, so don't take offence when folks say that 11,000 miles in 90 days is too much. It simply reflects that what you are describing is very different that what most of "us" are doing. We'll be traveling from Central Texas to Maine for the summer, and we'll likely take 45 - 60 days to cover the 2400 miles. 

We drove more than 11,000 miles per year when we worked. But honestly, what does that have to do with this discussion?

[mptjelgin]

5 minutes ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

I think most of us are concerned about money and costs, but, not everyone is willing to admit it..... Most of us would like to see a healthy return on investment....

But this is not an investment!!  It is odd to me that you continue to talk about it as if it is. Investments are instruments to maintain and grow your money. An RV is what you purchase with discretionary money. There is a definite predictable cost of purchasing and maintaining an RV, and hopefully you get the desired amount of enjoyment/benefit from spending that money. 

BTW - For reference, our full-time fifth wheel (bought new) plus the cost of our current pick-up (also bought new) is less than the $150,000 that you've quoted for a vehicle like yours. You spent a lot of money for a very specific RV, and that may definitely be coloring your attitude toward the cost of RVing, full-timing, etc. 

[docj]

31 minutes ago, mptjelgin said:

so don't take offence when folks say that 11,000 miles in 90 days is too much. It simply reflects that what you are describing is very different that what most of "us" are doing. We'll be traveling from Central Texas to Maine for the summer, and we'll likely take 45 - 60 days to cover the 2400 miles. 

We're going to be traveling from coastal Texas to Prince Edward Island later this year.  With stops to see grandchildren on the East Coast along the way, the trip will be on the order of ~2,800 miles and that entire trip (with stops) will take us most of the month of June.  That way we get to spend two full months on PEI until starting back after Labor Day.  Personally, I can't even imagine spending 45-60 days just getting there.  Maybe that's how "most of us" on this forum travel, but it sure isn't how we do it.  JMO

[NDBirdman]

30 minutes ago, mptjelgin said:

But this is not an investment!!  It is odd to me that you continue to talk about it as if it is. Investments are instruments to maintain and grow your money. An RV is what you purchase with discretionary money. There is a definite predictable cost of purchasing and maintaining an RV, and hopefully you get the desired amount of enjoyment/benefit from spending that money.

Well said!  When we bought ours, I figured I would be lucky to get 50% back after a few years use.  I had no thoughts about making $$ on it.  Same with tow vehicle.  In fact, the previous truck when traded in on current truck, I was happy with the 30% return on cost.  I'm under no illusion of ever making $$ on my set-up.  This, and all vehicles/toys/etc ever purchased was never thought of as an investment but just means of entertainment of one form or another that I was/am willing to loose, just like my once, maybe twice a year trip to the black-jack/craps tables.  As for anything RV related, well, except for the manufacturers/stealerships and parts counters, etc, I can't see any investment return (financially.  Mentally, big return).