RV's are they worth it

BONZO

BONZO

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We are buying a new motorhom next year . I'm in a pondry about what to buy . Are R v more trubbel than they are worth dose it cost simler to repair as say a auto...trail .i know they only do about ten to gall . And if any ones knows it .Is deasal better than petrol . We own a auto cruise at the moment I get 25/30 to gall and not too bad on repairs . So I need the boys with the Big toys to set me right. John. Linda ...ps sorry if spelling is doggie I'm only 57....lol
 
Having more room . And travel longer.
 
Love em or hate em, once you have one, you have to run it. Matters not what anyone says to you, if you have a taste for an RV the only way to cure that taste is have one. Yes, I have had a couple of RVs and more than my share of Europeans, big, small and ones as big as your average RV. I know which ones I prefer,and they are not made in the States.
 
Depends what you want.........
lots of room ? Our lounge/dinette is 12ft square Plus the front seats.
proper bed.......ours is 6ft x 6ft 4in and is walk around with a 10in mattress
proper appliances....our fridge freezer is big enough for two children to stand in if you take out the shelving.
plenty hot water......our boiler is 6 gallons...many are 10 gallons.
plenty cold water......our tank is 70 gallons
excellent fuel consumption.....buy a european van
10mpg is an average for petrol...diesel may be 12 to 14mpg But if the engine is at the front you'll go deaf.

A PERMANENT grin so big it joins at the back of your head....buy an RV.

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We've had 3 RVs and loved em but wouldn't have another too big, restrict spontaneity and too expensive to run.
Our diesel did 10 / 12 mpg
Our petrol did 7/ 9 mpg
Maintanence was certainly no more expensive than a Euro van and in a lot of cases cheaper.
If you want one try one they certainly are cheap now but dont expect to sell quick if you hate it.
Glad we did it when we did and got it out of our system they are a fantastic thing to drive. (y);)
 
My avatar is a photo of our third and present RV, 30ft long twin slideouts and all the bits as standard that luxury Euro vans charge the earth for as extras .
We run on lpg which equates to around 18mpg. Servicing not over expensive , parts readily available and for us totally reliable, spacious and a pleasure to own.(y)

Regrettably and not by choice we will soon have to part and downsize to 3500kgs.:crying:
 
You need to decide if you want an RV or you want what an RV brings.
If you just wish to own an RV I suggest that the extra size, fuel economy and planning will soon become a burden. However if you want an RV for the extra space, comfort, payload, storage
Space etc then none of the above will matter
Judging by the posts on here RVs are no less or more troublesome than euro but generally have simpler systems so easier and cheap to repair, no complex electronics or circuit, just good old fashioned big engineering
running costs will be different but spares maintenance and general servicing will be similar if not cheaper than you are used to
You certainly get more for your money if spend it on an RV
 
trekkin said:
You need to decide if you want an RV or you want what an RV brings.
If you just wish to own an RV I suggest that the extra size, fuel economy and planning will soon become a burden.
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LPG is so cheap that fuel economy isn't really and issue. Planning? not sure what you mean by that, we've just come back from two weeks touring the Highlands for Christmas and New Year and regulary tow a 27" boat/trailer combo to the South of France in the Summer, and we're 33" long.

There's not too many places that I want to go too, that we cant, and normally meet lots of people when we get there that arrived ...by coach lol

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So why do you not have one.
 
Owning our RVs has been far from being a burden we go where any one else does, we have travelled Iberia, France, Belgium, ROI and UK including Wales Scotland etc. with no more forward planning than would be necessary for any motorhome.
Statements like "RVs a burden " are to say the least misleading.
If you want comfort and space at little extra cost . Go for it (y) but take care with your choice and GVW regarding licence. Don't be smitten by the real big ones , they are fabulous but then it becomes less easy.
 
I am not sure how many miles I get to the gallon, but assuming 10 with LPG currently less that £3 a gallon its too bad. Obviously it would be great if it was smaller, and narrower when I am driving, but when you can stop and open the slides its great. Even now parked as Leigh on Sea with the slides in there is plenty of room for me and the great dane to move around in.

Its easy for me to empty the tanks and fill with water, and once done we can last well over a week or more if I am careful. The LPG tank for heating etc lasts for ages, and with the onboard genny which just works off a switch from inside I can run the microwave and electric grill - well basically all the plugs as long as you are sensible. I have a normal size fridge freezer, three ring cooker with oven (not that I use the oven and only one of the rings) king size double bed, settee that makes into another double and you can still walk round it, nice shower, seperate washbasin and loo, and I had a washer drier fitted.

It was my first foray into motor homing, and I have been up to Orkney and Shetland, down the West Highlands and Outer Hebrides, Cornwall, and am currently in South East, not always the easiest place to drive round.

Its certainly trickier than a car to find places for, but we generally manage. Its nearly 10m with my mobility scooter on the back we are maximum width and 3.65 high.

So far I am happy with it :)
 
View from my window as I type

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BONZO said:
Having more room . And travel longer.
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If you want the amount of room that you can only get with a slide out, you are on your way to getting one, I was talking to somebody with an American 5th wheeler and he said that by the time he had pushed all the slides out his batteries were flat.

We have never had one so only playing devils advocate really, but if I was considering it I would be asking about winterisation including double glazing, I would want a garage (that is a must), how power hungry are they as in can you live in a field for a week without a generator, ask yourself what is the maximum size you could get parked up in the type of place you like to or want too go to, we all use our van differently. We are 28 foot and have always managed to get where we want to be without any advance planning but we have been in some tight spots and would not go any bigger.

Possibly not very economical but in the grand scheme of things if everything else is right it a small price to pay and most likely won't break the bank.
 
Forestboy said:
We've had 3 RVs and loved em but wouldn't have another too big, restrict spontaneity and too expensive to run.
Our diesel did 10 / 12 mpg
Our petrol did 7/ 9 mpg
Maintanence was certainly no more expensive than a Euro van and in a lot of cases cheaper.
If you want one try one they certainly are cheap now but dont expect to sell quick if you hate it.
Glad we did it when we did and got it out of our system they are a fantastic thing to drive. (y);)
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I'm with you on this We've had 2 our last being a 38 footer pusher Cummins Diesel and as you say difficult to park, expensive to run etc AND as most are LHD they scare the sh*t out of the front seat passenger (usually the missus) and that ain't good I can tell you:eek:
 
Larrynwin said:
Big beach :wink:
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I am enjoying it here as its interesting to see the tide coming in and out, virtually to within a few feet of my front wheels, there is a landing ramp as well that you can walk out right down to the edge of the deep channel, and over in the distance the large ships leaving the Thames - its another 'first' for me never having been to this part of the country. It makes me think of some of the old Dicken's tales - Old Leigh on Sea is nice as well.
 
LOL Martin, if your in the middle of a field for a week, you can run the genny lol

On a serious note, with room and no payload issues, I have 400 watts of solar panels and I have circa 840 Ah of leisure battery capacity, and a 6 kva built in generator ;-)

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I too own an RV and like larry have never found it a burden as we love the lifestyle. But judging by the responses from those who have chosen to sell and would never buy again clearly they must be to some.
Our first at 27' was very much just a turn up without planning However our current RV is a little larger do find a quick call to ensure they have a suitable pitch goes along when to remove the element of supprise on the warden's face
 
Out of interest, if someone was in a eurovan how long could you be off grid in the winter in the UK or somewhere cold and still be comfortable and have showers, keep food frozen, cook etc? Genuine question as I have nothing to compare only ever having done this in an RV
 
funflair said:
If you want the amount of room that you can only get with a slide out, you are on your way to getting one, I was talking to somebody with an American 5th wheeler and he said that by the time he had pushed all the slides out his batteries were flat.

We have never had one so only playing devils advocate really, but if I was considering it I would be asking about winterisation including double glazing, I would want a garage (that is a must), how power hungry are they as in can you live in a field for a week without a generator, ask yourself what is the maximum size you could get parked up in the type of place you like to or want too go to, we all use our van differently. We are 28 foot and have always managed to get where we want to be without any advance planning but we have been in some tight spots and would not go any bigger.

Possibly not very economical but in the grand scheme of things if everything else is right it a small price to pay and most likely won't break the bank.
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You will see by my previous posts on this thread , some of what you post here is not strictly so, we plan little other than as you avoiding 3.5 ton weight limits and 6' width limits, my RV is 29' o/a (typo error on first post) just a foot longer than yours and with four wheels on rear wheel drive far better traction than front wheel drive.
Flat batteries when operating fifth wheel slideouts indicate a problem, insufficient batteries or charge.
We have twin domestic batteries and twin 120w solar panels and of course an onboard generator as back up.
Slide operation uses little power. We are cosy in winter with a choice of radiators, blown air or catalytic heating.
As far as economy goes I guess many towing caravans with fwd units get little more than the 18mpg (cost)that I get on lpg.
 
I personally disagree with the distinction. We don't have conversations about micro motorhomes such as Romahome, or questions such as "A panel van conversion! Is it worth it!!

So I just think that we have "motorhomes" from their on in it is down to the potential buyer/owners personal preference based on what they think that they need, can afford, are comfortable to drive, can park at home etc

You'll never find two people that have exactley the same buying requirements to be honest. We, workwise often see two couples, best mates, or brothers who are intending to go off travelling the world together, but, you rarely see them buying exactley the same motorhome.

I view motorhomes like religion. What I think is right, doesn't make me right or wrong, its just what suits me. It doesn't give me the right to belittle others on their choices, nor should I be challenged as to my choice. it also doesn't mean that I won't completely change my mind on my next motorhome (We've done that before lol we went from a 36' Wide bodied RV to a 22' European Coachbuilt) That was a shock to the system, packing wise

Life is a journey lol
 
eddievanbitz said:
LOL Martin, if your in the middle of a field for a week, you can run the genny lol

On a serious note, with room and no payload issues, I have 400 watts of solar panels and I have circa 840 Ah of leisure battery capacity, and a 6 kva built in generator ;-)
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Might be in the middle of a field with somebody else who might not like generators, I am not trying to make this a generator thread as that has been done plenty of times. Rather the question was how power hungry is your average RV (if such a thing exists) can you live with average sunshine for a week or two with your set up or do you still need 240v input, generator or otherwise.

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Wow - a week or two in the UK with two solar panels. Is that what yours will do? And what can you use while you are there?
 
The American v Euro debate goes on and on, it's best not to get involved. :D The best way to choose a van is by the layout. Get a layout you can live with and that suits your camping style and you'll keep it. Whether it's an 'RV" really shouldn't come into it. There are American RV's that are as small as my Hymer. There are European motorhomes that dwarf most American RVs. There are American C/B classes that you'd think were European. Don't get hung up on it. Generally the bigger the motorhome the more it will cost to run on fuel, but that is not always emphatically the case, some Mercs we've owned have bean awfully thirsty and only did a few more MPG than a mates diesel pusher. That said they are now building RV's on Mercs. :doh: The bigger you go the more planning you'll need and spontaneous touring in the style of "Oo I wonder where this little lane goes" will be curtailed, but if you prize the extra space above that, go for it(y)
 
funflair said:
Might be in the middle of a field with somebody else who might not like generators, I am not trying to make this a generator thread as that has been done plenty of times. Rather the question was how power hungry is your average RV (if such a thing exists) can you live with average sunshine for a week or two with your set up or do you still need 240v input, generator or otherwise.
Click to expand...

With my solar panels , even in dull conditions I don't need my generator to enable me to maintain services on board .
 

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