Should I let it sit without moving

[crazy Canadian EH]

Looking at buying soon ( 321 RSTS) and parking at seasonal lot for a few years before becoming a snowbird. Good Idea or Bad

[Seann45]

Sitting is very hard on the running gear.. tires, brakes and bearings.. expect to have to replace them before you tow it anywhere.

[Rustysocket]

For the most part that is exactly what RV's do... they sit.

Now would I go out and buy an RV to put on a seasonal site for a number of years and then expect to be able to just go hook up and take it on the road without some issues.... no.

I would think your tires would be suspect and all the other things the previous poster mentioned as well. The slides may or may not need some lubrication and maintenance. You will likely have a mice problem, or not. It's really hard to say.

Many of the things that happen to a RV are the result of vibration as it is towed down the road... the one downside I see to simply parking a unit is that by the time you put it into the real test your warranty is expired and your left to deal with everything on your own out of pocket... and yes you will have issues and no RV dealers tend to not come to your seasonal site to repair.

All RV's suffer from these issues but for those of us who tow our RV on a regular basis were accustomed to dealing with all the little issues that happen due to time, regular wear and tear, vibration and just regular maintenance little by little as we go, return from or prepare our next trip.

The problem I see with the unit on a seasonal site is that when you arrive your in vacation mode... and when you leave the unit stays there until the next vacation. It's hard to show up to a seasonal site and deal with a roof issue, a water leak, regular maintenace type tasks... not that it can't be done... but It is certainly going to be less often than those of us who have the rig at home and can walk in when it's raining to see whats going on or just take a moment to do a few tasks that need to be done.

As long as your prepared to take care of it rather than have every trip be a vacation and especially to make sure (and spend the money) when it is time to get it ready to go on the road it otherwise makes no difference where it is parked..

At least that's how I see it.

Unless I had some particularly spectacular reason to purchase now I'd be more inclined to purchase a new rig when your really ready to go use it as you intend.

[crazy Canadian EH]

Thanks for the feedback. We would love to start camping now and pay off FW over the next 3 years and then buy TV and do the traveling. Have done the seasonal thing before but trailer was never towed after. Not worried about warranty as most dealers up here suck anyways. Have no problem changing tires and brakes after sitting few years and would put slides in and out to keep them working

[bansai]

Reminds me of a conversation I had in college with my economics professor about opportunity costs.

If you aren't going to be using the camper for a couple years... the money you would have spent on a depreciating liability (your camper) could instead be allocated to something that makes you money over the next couple years. Not sure if you are paying cash or financing, but in any event I'd seriously look into what you could do with that money that puts it to work for you over the next couple years, and then buy a brand new 2018 or 2019 camper with your increased purchasing power.

That was based on your original post... if you plan on using the camper now though, forget everything I just wrote Wasn't sure if you were planning on using it the first couple years, if no - it's really hard to justify buying something that depreciates so quickly in advance of wanting to use it.

[rider438]

After 2 years of weekending we put our TT up on blocks at a seasonal site. We left it there 3 seasons then started doing the weekending thing again. Never had any issues. There are hundreds of people at that park (Brennan Beach) doing the same thing with their FW's and TT's. If you plan on using it, I don't think you will have a problem.

[Bassdogs]

Unless you plan on framing it in on the site w/ decking etc, I would hook it up at least once a year and tow it for 50-75 miles just to spin the wheels and knock the rust off the brakes. Maybe take it somewhere for a little maintanence you don't want to do yourself and then set it back up on the seasonal site. Surely you know someone who has a towvehicle you could use for a day or 2.

[bankr63]

Fine idea if you are going to use it. Just be prepared for a couple of thousand $$ on tires and running gear to get it road ready again.


If you are not going to use it much or at all in the interim, lousy idea. Let someone else buy a 2017 model and then you buy "it" (any used 2017) in a few years. Your price will be much lower, and the original owner will have taken the initial depreciation, and you will have avoided several years of rental on your seasonal site. If you get a nice one, they will probably have taken care of all the little issues that trailers seem to have, and may have made it more liveable.


Someone right now is enjoying my dream retirement 5er, and I will be happy to buy it from them when I am ready for the snowbird thing. Right now I enjoy tripping around to all our great provincial parks in our little HTT

[crazy Canadian EH]

Thanks for all the replies
As If I would buy it and not use it for a few years. That would be stupid. The plan is to use it on a seasonal lot for a few years ( I dont work in the summer) so it would get lots of use. Then we would start towing it in a few years to visit different places in the summer and then head to warmer places when our cold winter sets in.

[SouthCo]

Seems quite a few didn't read your second post before posting. I wouldn't think twice. Get your camper and use it as you plan to on a seasonal site until you can snowbird in a few years.

Your camper will probably need tires and the brakes and bearings inspected but otherwise will be no worse off than any other camper that's towed regularly. In fact since it won't be bouncing down the road it'll probably be in better shape. Just my opinion...

[Bearles]

Get it and start using it, either way sitting or moving chances are in "a few years" it will need tires and bearing/brake service anyway. At least you can start to enjoy it and see what mods you may want to make before you start moving around.