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Motorhome/campervan owners: is it worth it?

Spoof

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We're considering buying a small camper/motorhome, just a 2 berth, don't need anything fancy, probably 10+ yrs old. Idea being we can just take off for a weekend if we feel like it without having to go through the process of searching/hiring - particularly at peak times when prices are high, availability is low, and you can't just pick up on a Friday tea time and get back late Sunday night.
But realistically, I have no idea on ongoing running/maintenance costs, ease/difficulty of replacing anything that breaks, and whether in the long run it's just easier to plan and hire a few times a year. I found some nice van conversion solutions and I really lke it. How difficult is it to convert it yourself?
Is it worth the investment?
 
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Hey Spoof
I am living in my RV full time so I have learned many things it’s 32’ Gulfstream
Hi-Riser on a Ford F-450 chassis w/ 460 engine,C6 transmission,4w disc brakes, and a huge Dana rear differential 4.60 gears.
I would look at the newest year possible that you can afford. Then your brand of preference. Then the condition. Do you want to get in n go? A fixer upper? Mine I got in n went after some minor updates lED upgrades. Full service n tuned up cleaned n detailed and a pair of new tires on the front end. Due to bad weather checking n cracking. Rears looked like new. So I left them on I learned about the date codes on tires when at 2500 miles the inner RR let go at 65 mph. I felt something about 1 minute before it shredded thank god I slowed down I had been on cruise at about 74 mph . No damage but about10 miles at 10 mph before I got to the next town. Found a tire store my 4lesson in RV tires. Date codes they recommend replacement at 6 yrs no matter condition my tires were 10 yrs old.# 5 lesson cost almost 1500$ to replace all 4 rear tires.
Btw my rig only had 23K miles when I got it.
Let me back up though I retired in may of 2017 looking near n far found my rig in Omaha Nebraska drove it back to my place in Iowa n got busy. Cleaning outfitting it while also selling my home and sorting my past 30 yrs finally in February of 2018 right after the Daytona 500 I left Iowa at 3am due to an incoming winter storm. I headed for Texas I made it to Eldorado Kansas on I-35 I smelled something antifreeze on a hot engine. The exit was right there I got off made it to a hotel. It had started to snow n sleet. So I checked into the hotel at 9-10 pm next morning I go to find out what happened the water pump came apart. But overnight it had rained n froze everything was covered in about 1/2” of ice all day it continued rain n freeze next day more of the same.Meanwhile I am looking for a place to fix utmost places are closed due to weather. I accept the fact that I’m probably going to have to fix it myself, but I didn’t like the idea of working in the dead of winter outside on a motorhome so I continue looking and I’m in the line at Walmart and one of the places that I called called me back and said where are you etc. and I told him where I was at that. I could get the motorhome going as soon as I got back to the hotel they said OK we’re going to our shop this evening to get some of our trucks ready for snow, plowing efforts, etc. we have a crew working on the roads doing plowing work, but we will be at the shop in an hour so I finish my shopping at Walmart. Go back to the hotel get the motorhome started and take it to their shop. two men working at the shop they bring it inside but meanwhile, my motorhome is covered by about 2 inches of ice. I cleared about a 24 inch circle so I can see out the windshield and I head that direction to their shop, it is a horrible drive to their shop, but they were only about a half a mile away from me, thank Lord they pulled me into the shop and close the door behind me and they are stunned by what they see water and antifreeze is pouring out the bottom of it and it looks like a giant ice cube and so we go in and I explain to them what happened and everything and the motor was still running fine so they said it’s late in the day we’ll get the heaters turned up in the place so it will melt off and they said they would start working on it the next morning I said OK can I catch a ride back to the hotel where my pick up truck and my small tool Trailer was at the hotel I forgot to mention I was towing my truck my pick up truck on a towbar with my trailer on the back of the truck. If it had been summertime, I would’ve just fixed it myself, but winter time in Kansas is miserable almost as miserable as it is in Iowa. I asked him what time they will be starting the next day they say around 6 AM. I said well I’ll be over about nine or 930 to see what I can do for you and so I go over there the next day, of course I bring coffee and donuts and ready to work. I walk in the door and they have my right front wheel off the motorhome jacked up and it is like Niagara Falls coming off the top of my motorhome along the driver side of it. One guy is inside working. The other guy is underneath and of course, with water about an inch deep in the shop. He was pretty well soaked up to his waist and they worked all day till about 7 o’clock that night and finally I was there all day I had to go get new belts because when the water pump let go it shredded the belts which I replaced new I had already replaced with new ones when I was doing the service so I had to buy all new belts again I went and bought the water pump upper lower radiator hoses I’d already replace the heater hoses and so they finish the job put it all back together and meanwhile, the one guy that was underneath he was the shop owner and the foreman and so he left it up to the other guy to finish it up put the wheel back on, etc. get it refilled with antifreeze which by the way it was almost 5 gallons so we started up and it’s running everything‘s good and I’m satisfied so he’s as well. Would you like to go out front and we can settle up the bill and the first night you know I’ve never been in El Dorado Kansas before so I asked him I said where’s a place to get something to eat and so they told me about it and they called their wives and they said how about we meet you down there in about an hour I said that’s fine so they went home cleaned up and I went back to the hotel and cleaned up and changed. we met them and they bought my dinner everything but then the next day they were working
 
I didn’t want to keep them out all night, but I wanted to let them know that I appreciated them putting my motorhome inside letting it thaw out and hopefully getting me back on the road so we ate supper and drank many drinks and shots and finally I said I better get out of here because I’m starting to catch a buzz so they packed up and headed out too and the next morning I went out there with coffee and donuts and by the way, they did buy my drinks and supper that night because I think they knew they were gonna make some money off me and so after they get my Motorhome fixed the next day And him and I go up in the front office and figure out my bill. They present me a bill with $2500 expecting me to pay with a credit card or debit card while I reach into my pocket and grab a roll of cash and he goes. Oh you’re paying with cash I said yeah cash is in my Book And so he goes here. Let me see that Bill he takes the bill and adjust it and he gives it back to me and it’s $1300 I peeled off 13 $100 bills and we shook hands, and as I went out the door, I shook the other gentleman‘s hand too, but I was so thankful that they brought my motorhome into the shop fixed it and got me back on the road for what I consider a reasonable price if it had been summer, Iwould’ve fixed it myself. But I was not gonna work outside in the dead of winter in February. from there, I made it to Sanger Texas, where I checked into a KOA campground I’ve never used any of the facilities inside the motorhome before so I thought well I better get set up and hooked up to the electricity, water and sewer, and I’ve I’ve worked previously at an RV dealership in the 70s when I got out of the Navy so I thought I knew my way around around campers and stuff and I hooked up the water and next thing I know I have water flowing out over the left rear tire next to the water inlet. The people that I bought it from said oh it’s been well-maintained and serviced and all that well what they neglected to do was winterize the water system. I had broken pipes under the bathroom sink which of course was packed with all of my towels, washcloths, etc., so the water had filled up my tank, which I wanted to do, but then when I pressurize the system that was when the water started flowing out of the broken pipes under the sink. sorry for the long story, but that is the way things go. My suggestion is by the nicest best maintained unit you can find with records to show everything that’s been done to it and enjoy the great outdoors because I’ve enjoyed living in my motorhome, even with all the stuff that’s gone on. then the spring of that year I had to return to Iowa to finish liquidating my property that was in storage I planned on being in Iowa for six weeks. I ended up being there for six months. Then once I was there, I finally got all my stuff done and I was headed back to Texas, but I wanted to travel around Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin to visit friends and family before I headed south again and when I was headed south that was when I had the Tire episode anyway I hope you read all the way through so you’re kind of understand where I’m at in life now I’m 71 years old and I’m not giving up my motorhome because I love it and of course overtime I have fixed up the inside quite a bit from what it was. Everything was pink when I got it, I almost vomited when I opened the door the first time, but I’ve changed everything and most of the colors are blue and neutral. I hope you read it all the way through good luck with your unit. I hope you find one you like.
 
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