How many RVs have you owned?

[Kirk W]

On another forum I saw some mention of how many RVs a typical RVer ever buys and how long most buyers will keep the RV. It got me to wondering what is the case for members of these forums? We bought our first RV to replace a series of tents. It was a small, very used popup and that was followed after only 2 seasons by a new, very large (for a popup) Starcraft with a furnace & refrigerator. We kept that for 9 seasons and then bought a used, fully self-contained travel trailer that we kept for 8 more years. After a couple of years we then bought a 3 year old class A of 25' and kept that for 8 years, when we bought our 36' class A that we were fulltime in. We kept that one for 14 years until we reverted to part-time and a 20' travel trailer which we have now owned for nearly 10 years. A little math and we have averaged keeping our RVs for 7+ years. How about sharing your RV history? Nothing scientific in this but it might be interesting to compare.

[Pat & Pete]

Hmm , RV history ...

12 years . Full time in our 36' Monaco . 

We started camping in tents . Then we moved to renting cabins and cottages . Then we jumped straight into our Monaco . 

We've been contemplating and starting to look for another house or cabin or cottage or ??? as a base to 'range from .

[Randyretired]

My first RV was a homemade camper purchased for hunting and fishing.  I was 18.  Then came an upgrade to a popup camper then another popup camper.  Next we took a 1 ton box van and removed the box and extended the frame some. Built it into a large popup and converted the van to a 4x4.  We ice fished some so it was designed so that opening 2 valves drained everything for winterizing.  Next came three 5ers.  No slide, 1 slide and then 3 slides.  Today we have a Teton we purchased 10+ years ago.  When this goes that will probably be it.  I have been an RVer ever since 18 and a tenter or sleep in a car or wherever before that.  We have never full timed but we have stayed in the RV for months and occasionally more than a year.

[agesilaus]

Three popups, successively larger, one Trailmanor, a Titanium Fiver, and now an Arctic Fox TT. Not counting tents, six in all

[Jim Gell]

Like Kirk, I too was a tent camper most of my life, until I bought a Trail Manor hard top pop up & pull out trailer that I used on vacations for a few years before I retired.  I had a desire to RV fulltime after retirement so I joined this forum and researched that while still working and while I waited 4 more years for my wife to retire too.  By then I had purchased a used high quality 9 year old 40' fifth wheel, a great used HDT with Auto Shift, and nice but used smart car.  I wanted comfort, safety, and conveniences like washer and dryer, residential fridge, king bed, etc. but did not want to put a lot of money into it because I was not positive the full time RVing would suit us.  I had the truck modified to carry the smart car and did some upgrades to the trailer so we were ready to drive off into the sunset the day my wife retired in 2014.  Since then we have appreciated the choices we made.  A few years ago, after Mercedes announced discontinuation of selling gas versions of the smart in the US, I traded in the 2011 smart car for the newer redesigned model which we like much better.  We still enjoy and appreciate the now 17 year old 5vr and 21 year old HDT.  When we look at newer RV's, for the most part, I feel like we would be downgrading quality for perhaps some newer technology and that new RV smell and shine.  We will probably only change RV's if/when we decide to get something smaller and easier to handle in our old age.  

[bobsallyh]

Borrowed an Apache tent camper from a friend in 1974 to go to races at Pocono Raceway. Just an ice box and a gas stove. It rained like anything one of the days we were there. Had a ball. In 1975 we bought a Viking tent trailer, again, just an ice box and gas stove. First trip out, Myrtle Beach Travel Park, Myrtle Beach, SC. Late 1976, sold the Viking and bought a 1976 21' Prowler Travel Trailer. Used that hard until we had the misfortune of flipping it at the Maryland-West Virginia state line at the Potomac River. Then our local U-Haul was going out of the RV sales, had a friend that worked there and just about stole a 1988 Terry 29' travel trailer. Used that until going full time in 2003. Sold the Terry in about 2 hours in Yuma, AZ. and bought a 2004 39' Alfa fiver. Still have that and it is permanently on our RV lot here in Yuma. In January of 2021 we bought a 30' 2005 Alfa fiver for our traveling unit in the summer.

[TXiceman]

First we started in a borrowed tent and then we bought a tent.  

Then in 1984 we bought our first RV, a StarCraft pop up camper.

18' Prowler, 21' Coachman Catelina Lite, 28' Champion motorhome, 34' Pace Arrow Motorhome (a real POS), 31' Winnebago Minnie Winnie, 36' Avon 5th wheel, we restored a 1978 28' Silver Streak, we restore a 1989 Avion 35' travel trailer, 36' Carriage Cameo, 38' Carriage Cameo, and our current RV, a 40' 2013 HitchHiker Champagne (for the past 8 years).

So that is 12 RV plus the two tents.

I forgot the 6 sailboats we owned in there.

Ken

Edited May 8, 2022 by TXiceman

[TexasPSDX]

Several tents, '75 Southwind 27', 24' Frolic TT, 29' Nomad TT, Starcraft popup, Jayco popup, Hi-Lo, 2003 Mobile Scout 30', 1983 Avion 34V (we restored), 2016 Reflection 35' 5 wheel, 2012 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40' and now in a 2019 Jayco Eagle HT 32.5'.  That makes 11 rigs + tents since 1984. We owned 2 sailboats we stayed on when we in between RVs.

 

Edited May 8, 2022 by TexasPSDX

[2gypsies]

Tents

Apache popup

Scotty 12' trailer

27' trailer

33' 5th wheel

40' motorhome

All provided lots of good times!

[sandsys]

We started out backpacking and car camping about 50 years ago then bought a Bethany TeePee tent trailer that had only a furnace. We rented a Class C and took a 2-week trip from Minnesota to the west coast and back. Then we bought a Volkswagen CamperVan which was my daily driver along with our weekend and vacation camping vehicle. When we sold that we didn't own any RV's until we went full time in a Leisure Travel Class B. Traded that for a 24' Winnebago View Class C. Traded that for a Winnebago Journey 34Y Class A. Sold that though PPL in Houston and bought a Sportsmobile custom conversion van in Austin. Wish I still had that last one.

Linda

[Dutch_12078]

I tent and no-tent camped first with my parents and then alone pretty much from the time I was born in 1943 until a four year stint in the military cured me of wanting to sleep on the ground. My wife and bought our first RV, a new 1968 VW Westfalia camper conversion, and then over the years owned a variety of TT's as our family needs changed until I retired in 2005. On my way home from my retirement party, I spotted a 1986 Toyota based 21' Dolphin Class C that looked like it needed some serious TLC and bought it on the spot. I figured rebuilding it would make a nice hobby that would keep me busy and active. Eight months later we took our first trip in it after several nights of driveway camping and we loved it. Three years and many miles later, we decided we wanted to take longer trips and have a bit more room so we started scouting out project Class A's and found a repo'd 1995 Coachmen Catalina 33' no slides unit that actually wasn't in bad shape, mostly just needing to catch up on routine maintenance, new tires, etc. Two months later we made our first trip with it after selling the Dolphin, and were solidly hooked on Class A's. In 2013 we bought our current coach, a single super slide 34' Georgie Boy Landau that only needed light maintenance and some upgrading of the appliances. Oh, and along the way in 2010 we began fulltiming and are still at it. We talk once in awhile about trading up, but given our ages, health, and the condition of our current rig, we likely won't do it.

[Chad Heiser]

I got the RV bug from my parents when I was a kid.  We just did weekend a few week long trips a year, but it was great.  The first RV I bought for myself as an adult was an Article Fox truck camper.  It was an 8’ camper, but had a slide and was actually quite roomy.  I kept that for several years, it eventually outgrew it after I got married.  I traded that camper and a ski boat in on my first 5er, a 35’ Montana Big Sky.  It was a great trailer and we had it for 7 years.  It got me hooked on 5th wheels and the comfort and homey feel they provide.  We traded that rig in unexpectedly on our way home from a cross country trip when we stopped at a Montana dealer in Reno, NV just to look.  We fell in love with another Montana Big Sky that was a couple feet longer and had the perfect floor plan and amenities for us.  We kept that rig for another seven year stint.  We sold it after I was finally able to convince my DW to factory order a 42’ DRV Mobile Suite.  We have loved that trailer for the last 5 years and made many great memories in it.

[Star Dreamer]

We started with a van back in 1979. After 43 years, we still have that van. We added a tent and kicked the kids out to the tent for a few years, then had 2 pop up campers that we pulled with the van for about 4 years each. Later after the mice ate the canvas on the second pop up, and the kids moved out, we went back to to a tent. Next we bought our first enclosed car hauler with living quarters and used that for 9 years. We bought a new car hauler with living quarters and only kept it for one year as the formaldehyde kept getting the wife pretty sick in it. We then moved to our current toyhauler in 2019 and have now had it for over 2 years. The van rides in the Toyhauler and still goes camping with us!

Edited May 9, 2022 by Star Dreamer

[Randyretired]

These replies are great and remind me of the words my boss had when I mentioned we purchased a new to us RV.  He also was an RVer.  He said of most us RVers catch a disease he called 2 footitis.  Just 2 more feet he said and went back to work.  

Edited May 9, 2022 by Randyretired

[JimK]

We bought a used, 2004, Northstar truck camper in 2010.  We fulltimed for a couple of years and have used this same RV for many, many months and about 100,000 miles since then.  It works and looks as good as it did back at the start except for the mods which have made it even better.  We have no desire for anything newer or bigger.

[RV_]

Coleman Canvass Popup 1970s pulled behind my custom Subaru Brat, 7 super-stock VW Westphalia pop-top bus campers and an eighth VW Eurovan after them while we were stationed in Europe for seven years, all of those while we were active duty. We had the external potty and LR tent for two of them and all but two had the propane tank and furnace stove I restored/customized each differently removing the entire interiors and cleaning and re-paneling with new paneling/carpet and did linoleum on two, and upholstery, rebuilt custom engines in several, dual carbs, heater improvements and other stuff.

Then our first full-time rig the 1990 HitchHiker fiver 34.5 foot, and when that was bent by a dealer we bought the 1998 36ft Challenger fiver w BR and LR slides.

Then we came off the road and our first part time rig was a 2003 Sunnybrook 28.5 lite fiver with a big LR slide. Then we did a 19ft Scamp fiver deluxe with the wood interior that was really nice for the size. We sold the Scamp and our last long bed Ram diesel when we moved here to CO. Our truck wouldn't fit in the garage and the sun is too intense for us to leave it outside, and now are waiting for our Rivian R1T EV truck to be built/delivered and see what RV trailer we decide to tow then.

Edited May 10, 2022 by RV_

[agesilaus]

Hope you did not put a big deposit down on that Rivian:

Quote

Rivian produced 2,553 vehicles in the first quarter, putting it on course to meet its production goal of 25,000 EVs this year, the company said Tuesday. Rivian also reported that it delivered 1,227 vehicles in the first quarter

One third of the year and they delivered 1200 trucks, thats a long way from their reduced target of 25000

 

[RV_]

Here is a pic of my Model Y charging just after I got it taken June 9th 2020. It still has the temporary tags on it. I'll post a pic of my Rivian whenever I get it. I was told late 2022 to mid 2023 when I ordered it in 2021 because I did not order the loaded model. It should be a blast. Tank turns? If it can that will be amazing!

Yep it sure is a long way from their pre-chip shortage plans like everyone else. I put the $1000 refundable deposit down on it. Sorry but I have been through the attempts to predict the impossibility of EVs, then that they will never be affordable, and many more comments like yours. Tesla started out the same way. Remember the jokes about their Fremont tent add on to meet demand? They did. Remember GM contracting out the design. manufacture, and battery manufacture to LG (Goldstar) for their first BEV the Bolt? LG made every battery that caught fire while charging.

I had a barber once that insisted Tesla went out of business when they were building the Fremont factory.  He "read it somewhere" and "heard all about it." I didn't bite and he wasn't a good enough barber to keep.🤣😂We will just have to agree to disagree.

You see the limitations on chips affects all the start ups especially the latecomer big corporations with more at stake - VW, GM, the Dodge folks, and Ford. Just like Rivian. The difference, like Tesla, is that Rivian is a small nimble company that can maneuver obstacles much faster than the big companies.

I am cheering all the EV manufacturers, and as we all know they will all get eventually get it right or go out of business trying.

When Tesla started the ICE manufacturers and the National Automobile Dealer Association (NADA) made a good case that they invested in their dealerships and that no manufacturer that has dealers should be able to sell cars in competition with their dealers, running them out of business. But instead of passing laws that way, they passed laws making it illegal, still, in some states for any manufacturer to sell directly to the consumer. The reason stealerships are against EVs is that they now make most of their profits from service. EVs need little service compared to ICE age vehicles. I have owned my Tesla two years in June and I had one recall for HVAC cabin temp sensors, and monthly, or more often, Over The Air updates, most of which added value and neat new stuff the car can do now it could not when I bought it. I just turned 70 and if I ever have to hang up my keys I will likely get the full self driving package for my car which WILL be out of BETA in the next  ten years when I will turn 80. See the motors are good for at least a million miles and the battery packs are replaceable with the newest batteries and tech for much less than a new car. So like I said, we will get our new RV/trailer after our new EV TV is delivered.

I am having a blast! You?

 

Edited May 10, 2022 by RV_

[bruce t]

How did this thread get on to EVs?

Anyway. My first camping was with the boy scouts. Hire B class and mid 90s our first A class. Then a custom bus conversion. Then a 40ft DP. Now a 20ft van conversion. All fossil fuelled gas guzzlers. Love them. 

RVing is a disease. Nothing can cure it apart from using the RV. So given it's incurable I will just have to live with the darn disease.

 

 

 

[RV_]

1 hour ago, bruce t said:

How did this thread get on to EVs?

Why do you want to keep talking about them Bruce?

I too loved my four Ram Cummins diesels, all fossil fueled.

Edited May 10, 2022 by RV_

[GlennWest]

Well back on topic, we bought our first Drv. It was nice but had way too many problems. Didn't wear well either. Inside looked old quickly. Anyway got this Teton and never looked back. For us it was basically a marriage saver. Work was poor to none on east coast. So I went West where work abound. DW said she needs home and don't care if it has wheels. If I had stayed in hotels, we would likely divorced. This will probably be our last as I am planning a small house for our later years. Never rved before. Had not even considered it. 

[Kirk W]

5 hours ago, bruce t said:

My first camping was with the boy scouts.

Mine also. My first camping was it a surplus Army tent the scout troop owned. Our first family camping was just out of the Navy using an old umbrella tent that Pam's grandmother gave to us.  From that we moved to a 12'X12' tent that was modern for that time, but once we discovered the world of RVs our lives were never the same. 

2 hours ago, GlennWest said:

Never rved before. Had not even considered it. 

It is also interesting to hear how different folks got started in the RV community. I think those stories are just as diverse as are the choices of RV. 

[TXiceman]

My family camped under the trees on cots and no tents when I was growing up.  We had a great time as kids, my mom, not so much.  After we were married, my wife and tent camped on the local lakes with our 17' sailboat in tow.

When we bought the first real RV, the Starcraft pop up (no furnace, no A/C, just an icebox and a hand pump at the sink.  We thought we were in the lap of luxury for a few years.  Then we ran into a real cold snap and fought to keep warm.  Soon after this trip we were looking for a hard sided trailer with A/C, heat, shower, microwave and a real fridge and bought the 18' Prowler.  This was great, such luxury and then we started the move up and up to the current rig.  We no longer camp...we now GLAMP and enjoy retirement.

Ken

[GlennWest]

I have to back up on what I said. I did camp out with a crew of boy scouts for several years. I was a leader. Just tents and bon fires. Had lots of fun with them. But that is the only prior camping I did. DW done girl scouts one year. They were too much like babies for here. 

[Second Chance]

1974 VW Westfalia (new) 2 years

(Insert various sailboats here)

2003 Coleman pop-up (new) 2 years

(Insert adopted kids circling the drain and first wife dying here)

2012 Trailerable trawler (used)

2013 FR Surveyor Sport TT (new) 2 years

2015 GD Reflection 337 fifth wheel (new, launched full-time) 4-1/2 years

2020 GD Solitude 310GK-R fifth wheel (new, ordered) 27 months as of this posting

I guess that adds up to five in 48 years (not counting "floating RVs")

Rob