Maybe time to sell

[Donedroolin]

So my wife just told me the other day she thinks she had enough camping. I did not expect that. She wants to sell our camper. I personally love our Jayco and have put in TONS of love and care taking care of it. I am finding it difficult to even think about selling it and not even contemplating another unit. We are going to buy a boat again we have had three in the past and we both like boating and my son loves it. She thinks we wont be able to use both it should be one or the other. She also said she don't like the drive time anymore towing the camper. And the setup she is tired of. I do all the driving and the outside setup when at campground. We also think about our monthly payment and how expensive campgrounds have become and what else we could do with that money, like nice hotels.

[pconroy]

I can see her point: the season overlaps between the two. I don't know your income situation, but having BOTH an RV and Boat is like having two RVs or two boats from my point of view. Both are expenses. Only you know if you can afford it.

[Campers & Fishers]

A Happy Wife is a Happy Life..

[Jopopsy]

We found the in-ground pool we have and the RV don't really like to coexist all the time. Here in the NE prime pool time is June-September - which also happens to be prime camping time. So you can leave the pool w/ a maintenance guy (added expense) or prep it as best you can and pray you don't come back to a green pool (another added expense - plus a pain in the backside to resolve).

We sold our Greyhawk b/c the monthly bill was getting too expensive for what we ended up using it for - shoulder season camping. Plus as more and more things needed more and more attention, we grew very leary of taking on big bills down the road on top of our monthly payment, storage fees, and insurance.

This past weekend we tent camped. I got a small enclosed cargo trailer, loaded it up w/ our glamping gear from our pop-up days, and set off. Was I as comfortable as I was in the Greyhawk? No way !! But all the gear I have is paid for, the cargo trailer is paid for, and anything that breaks is super cheap to replace when compared to the RV.

The trailer is obviously a super easy tow, and I had it custom made so it was short enough height wise to store in my garage.

We'll take it 'cabin camping' with us next year too when we go on our beach vacation at our favorite RV resort.

I certainly missed having my own bathroom, but other than that? My hobby is paid for and I'm not sweating whats going to break next or what needs maintenance here or I gotta get the rig to Ford for this that and the other thing.

[Jagiven]

My Mom was that way a few years back. My dad misses it a lot, my Mom not so much. But they have no boat to distract them from being out and about.

When talking with others, we call our camper either our own private hotel or our portable cabin. Then many people who do not camp at all, start to think about the advantages of having our own clean space, and kitchen they warm up to the idea.

With a 2013 model, if it is paid off, why not park it in the driveway for a year, and not go anywhere with it. Just pay the storage rate insurance (assuming its paid off), I think all I pay is about $10 all winter. See how it goes. There is very little costs associated with letting it sit for a year. We did something like this years ago with my old truck. We lent it to my parents for about 18 month, just to see if we could live with only one vehicle. They eventually bought it from us. And a number of years latter we bought a second then a third, then a.... car.

What about a seasonal site near where you might like to boat? A good friend does this, about 45 miles from home. He has his boat in a slip about 300 yards from his camper, which is right on the Mississippi river. he takes it out every 4-6 weeks just to scrub it clean. I think he said it costs him about $1000 year for the camper site, $800 for the slip, plus electricity. I suspect all in at the end of the year he pays about $2K, and he is down there nearly every weekend from spring to fall. For him he got tired of pulling the camper every weekend and finding a spot.

Good Luck!

[Sundancer330]

I was kind of in the same boat as you. After boating all my life on the Great Lakes my son turned five and he wanted to go camping. So we bought a tent and all the goodies and camped a few weeks each summer for a few years. When he was eight I was planning a Disneyworld trip and found out about Fort Wilderness, we rented a 30 foot TT and golf cart, flew to Orlando on a cold snowy midwest Feb day and had a blast. He enjoyed it so much that we bought a Jayco A frame TT with the toy hauler deck for bikes and our Zodiac boat. Since I can work from where ever I can get an internet signal we spend most of the summer water camping on the 37 SeaRay traveling all over the Great Lakes and when we need a break we grab the TT and do some land camping. So its easy to do both, I didn't want to invest much in a TT since we don't use it much but its a nice change of pace.

[Marcm157]

I have a boat I am willing to part with fairly inexpensively if you don't mind an older boat (1994) She is is very good shape for her age and has been well maintained. PM me if you are interested - We don't live too far from each other...

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by Donedroolin

We also think about our monthly payment and how expensive campgrounds have become and what else we could do with that money, like nice hotels.

Do the math. The cost between a trailer/camp site/tow vehicle costs is a wash compared to nice motels.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

Do the math. The cost between a trailer/camp site/tow vehicle costs is a wash compared to nice motels.

You are absolutely correct. Anyone that tells you that owning an RV is an inexpensive way to travel is misleading you. You can rent lots of rooms for the amount of money we have wrapped up in our trailers, tow rigs, equipment, etc.

But that isn't what RVing is about. Early in my career, I was traveling quite a bit, away from my family, living out of suitcases day after day. I don't work as much as I used to and the traveling is much less. The RV allows for a slower pace, a feeling of being at home even when away from home, and the ability for my family to truly get away from reality for a day or two a week during camping season. It really is a lifestyle that is for some people at some times and not for others. Do we still stay in hotels, absolutely. But having the RV gives us another option.

To the OP, don't be afraid to let go of your trailer if it doesn't work for you right now. You will know when it is time for another one.

[Scott_Trailer_Newbe]

Well I’m in a different boat. My wife has been pressuring me for years to get a TT. I finally gave in and she is happy with our 2017 White Hawk 24RKS. In our case the purchase was outright so no payments. Our expences consists of the campsite rental which in my opinion is pretty cheap. In my situation she is the camper and I’m the one who needed to be convinced. I’m loving it

[DebKen]

We usually stay at state parks which are a lot cheaper than most campgrounds. We sometimes go places for the purpose of camping but we sometimes use the camper as our hotel room on wheels. In any case it is way cheaper than even a cheap motel when traveling.

[jloco]

Originally Posted by Donedroolin

She also said she don't like the drive time anymore towing the camper. And the setup she is tired of. I do all the driving and the outside setup when at campground.

I'm with her on the travel/hauling/setup part. We use our 38FDDS as a sort of summer home. Close to the beach on cape cod. It stays there all the time. Seasonal site runs from mid May to mid October. Perfect for us for weekend/week long getaways throughout the season. When closing time rolls around, I've had about enough after 5 months anyways. We are quite content as seasonal site campers.

[goducks]

Our 5th wheel is our hotel. I'd have a truck anyway so it's wash. What I pay a month for my 5er is a drop in the bucket for hotels around here in Oregon, SoCal, Wa, ID and MT.
No way can you stay 30-40 nights in a hotel, buy most meals and save money. Yeah there's upkeep but nowhere near the cost difference of motels. Plus you always have to pack suit cases in and out. Listen to noisy neighbors right next door and then go find a place to eat. BTDT with the motorcycle thing for 12 years. Got tired of living out of a suitcase. I guess if you only stay in expensive Rv parks then I could maybe see a cost savings or a wash. We tend to camp in forest service campgrounds alot. We still mix in State parks and some RV parks.
BTDT on the boat thing too. My son has a boat now. It's just as big a money pit as an RV. Plus you still have to fill the tank all the time.
Whatever floats your boat I guess. Good luck with your new adventure. Too bad you can't double tow. Then you'd have the best of both worlds.

[bansai]

I'm trading in the wife if she asks me / demands that I get rid of the camper, because it means she is officially insane.

Not kidding actually.

[repacs0103]

It works for some people and not for others. I'm in the same boat as the previous poster- I've got the truck anyway, and the 5th cost is nothing compared to the 30-ish nights a year that we would spend in a hotel otherwise, especially with kids. My wife and I can't get enough- if we had more time we'd be camping, on the boat, or ideally both every weekend. In our case those are our hobbies so I don't mind spending the money on quality time with the four of us.

Good luck to the OP on whatever route you take.


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[Jopopsy]

My moving away from RV'ing had nothing to do w/ RV'ing itself - we really enjoyed it as a family. I'm just serverly dismayed at the quality that the manufacturers are putting out. I can't help but think I'd be buying a ticking time bomb now. If the quality was there, I'd surely be in a pop-up or hybrid for my downsize. I just can't stomach the substandard build quality for the dollar I'm paying. Charge me 10-15% more but give me something that isn't slapped together and poorly assembled - I'll pay for it.

Sadly I know I am in the minority.

[bansai]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

My moving away from RV'ing had nothing to do w/ RV'ing itself - we really enjoyed it as a family. I'm just serverly dismayed at the quality that the manufacturers are putting out. I can't help but think I'd be buying a ticking time bomb now. If the quality was there, I'd surely be in a pop-up or hybrid for my downsize. I just can't stomach the substandard build quality for the dollar I'm paying. Charge me 10-15% more but give me something that isn't slapped together and poorly assembled - I'll pay for it.

Sadly I know I am in the minority.

Not to derail, but when my daughter finishes high school, we're probably down sizing our camper since we won't need the bunks for most of our trips. I'm going to look at Lance when we get to that point, and Jayco's, and Winnebago's just to see how they all stack up against each other in 3 years or so. Might even get an old airstream and renovate it. We paid I guess about 25K for our camper, brand new, and that's really chump change for a unit that sleeps 8 and rolls down the interstate.

The market for higher end units is definitely developing, but I'm happy with the cost / benefit equation on Jayco at this point in my life.

[goducks]

I once read on an RV forum that a poster said he was "Buying an RV kit to take home and finish". I always look at it as a starting point. No different than buying a house that needs some TLC. Sweat equity is easy for me. I don't mind tuning up the unit that I buy. What peeves me is when things need fixed that could've been prevented. It's all part of RV ownership IMO. You really just roll the dice when you buy one. It's hard not to want to upgrade or downgrade in a few years. Where the decision gets tough is if your current unit is really solid and has given you hardly any trouble. Does one take a chance on something else? Will you be the one that starts the thread with 15 problems and then complain that it's been at the dealer more than in your possession?
Probably not but you never know.

[troutcamper]

Originally Posted by bansai

I'm trading in the wife if she asks me / demands that I get rid of the camper, because it means she is officially insane.

Not kidding actually.

x2
troutcamper

[norty1]

Well my worst fear was confirmed this morning. My wife decided she does not want to camp anymore and we have to sell the rig.

I know this is not a FOR SALE site, but could somebody please find it in their heart to Help me out?

Her name is: ________ and she is ________ years old.






Sorry for your decision but the time comes and it has to be a joint decision.

No offense intended in my humor. I saw this somewhere and changed it around. Talking about camping is the next thing to actually camping, so visit here often for a fix!