A new installment of the trailer saga

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

DH and I bought our first trailer in Spring of 2009. 
It was a 28-ft tow-behind, two-bedroom, one slide out for the living area. 
We had four children, three of whom were at home and one was at college. 
We kept it until 2016. A that point, DD#1 graduated form high school, and we had one child remaining at home with three years of high school remaining. 

We traded Trailer #1 for Fifth-Wheel #1 in late 2016, It was 35 feet, three slide outs, island kitchen, one bedroom, and a full sized pull out couch in the living area for DD#2. It also had an outdoor kitchen, an amenity we were soooooooo excited about. It turned out to be a disaster. The outdoor kitchen just simply wouldn't seal correctly. Mildew, mold, and mushrooms all the time from the outdoor kitchen into the trailer interior. I had two dehumidifiers running in it at all times plus the buckets of absorbing chemicals sitting specifically in the outdoor kitchen. We replaced the entire outdoor kitchen and some of the interior carpeting in 2018 when the outdoor kitchen was so damaged that the counter top had actually warped. In 2020, I couldn't take it anymore; the mildew/mold had started again. Because of the pandemic causing shutdowns, trade-ins for trailers were getting absolutely insane deals. We'd paid ~$60K for Fifth Wheel #1 and after four years of using it at least 45 nights per year, we got $35K to trade it in. 

Hence, Fifth Wheel #2. We happen to find a fifth wheel that had the exact same floor plan as Fifth Wheel #1 but there was no outdoor kitchen. I ADORE the floor plan. It was perfect--solved the outdoor kitchen problem and I got to have the "same" trailer. However, it was 38 feet on a short day. 
We did fine with it at our last house--fine regarding being able to park it. We had to back it up about 200 yards, but the surroundings were wide enough Last year we bought a new house/property. When you look at it, it seems so simple. However, for the life of us, we cannot get the damn thing in and out of the front gate without hitting something nor can we easily drive it around our circle drive way without running over various parts of the landscaping. We didn't realize this would be a huge problem. There is intentionally designed RV parking on the back corner of our property. The last owner clearly parked an RV there. It must have been a shorter RV--both in length and height. We actually hit the top of the trailer on the RV awning with one of the AC units. We purchased this house in May 2022, and we first parked the trailer there at the end of June 2022. Since then we've damaged the trailer significantly three times. The second time was February 2023 and was $5,000 worth of damage. The third time was two days ago. DH actually started looking at downsizing the trailer over the summer after the February incident. I was displeased with the cost though. Even though we were down sizing, it was going to cost us $17K to do so. I was not interested in that. Last month, when we took the trailer out for a weekend, the fridge wouldn't work. WE can spend $2700 on a part to fix it, or we can buy a new fridge for $900. Then, last night the heater didn't work. Now that's probably an easy fix, but DH wouldn't even stay tonight because it's 25ºF and we were cold. Add all that to clipping a gate post with the backend of the trailer on our way out of the driveway on Friday, he's hit his limit (pun intended). (ALSO, IF HE WOULD LISTEN TO ME WHEN WE'RE PULLING OUT OF / PARKING THE DAMN THING, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED!!!)

We were near the RV dealership that he was talking to over the summer that wanted $17k for a 29-ft fifth wheel after I gave them my beautiful Fifth Wheel #2!!! Of course, the sales guy was like "just take out a loan." Um, no. I don't actually need to take out a loan to give you $17K. I can pay you that in cash. I DON'T WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY. 

Today, they still had the trailer. With the damage done to Fifth Wheel #2 on Friday, I'm out $13,500. I don't want to spend the money, but DH just isn't going to tow Fifth Wheel #2 anymore. It's way too stressful. And the whole point of having an RV is to have a way to reduce stress. 


So, yes, I did finance Trailer #1 and Fifth Wheel #1. I did finance a bit of Fifth Wheel #2 because at the time the interests rates for RVs were like 4.5%. I paid it off in two years. We are not financing any part of Fifth Wheel #3. 

There still is a chance this whole thing falls through. We left Fifth Wheel #2 at the dealership, and I suppose they could suddenly change their mind about letting us trade it in. However, it's all supposed to be finalized and us picking up Fifth Wheel #3 on Thursday. 

[Rukh O'Rorke]

wow - sounds like a very expensive enterprise all around!

Good luck with 5W#3!

[bookkeeper]

Wow, that's a lot of chaos for just owning a camper.  Good luck finding something that is a better fit for you and your property.

DH and I have a small class C motorhome.  24 feet long and it fits in a regular parking space.  We bought one without a slide feature because we didn't want the maintenance or time involved with set up/take down.  Even though the camper is only 24 feet long, I hop out and help DH park or back out into traffic when I can.  We have a back up camera that also comes in handy.  My parents had RV's for years and I learned to look out and plan ahead before I ever owned one myself.

Camper storage is tricky, whether you rent a spot or park it at home there will be obstacles.  My brother has a 42 ft class A motorhome that he parks in a building on my Mom's farm.  He talks about finding storage for this monster if and when the time comes to sell the farm.  A private storage locker to fit a 42 foot motorhome goes for $500/mo. where he lives.  I pay a private party $125/mo to store mine in a pole barn next to some chickens.

[Rukh O'Rorke]

Nov 27, 2023 8:40:55 GMT -5 bookkeeper said:

Wow, that's a lot of chaos for just owning a camper.  Good luck finding something that is a better fit for you and your property.

DH and I have a small class C motorhome.  24 feet long and it fits in a regular parking space.  We bought one without a slide feature because we didn't want the maintenance or time involved with set up/take down.  Even though the camper is only 24 feet long, I hop out and help DH park or back out into traffic when I can.  We have a back up camera that also comes in handy.  My parents had RV's for years and I learned to look out and plan ahead before I ever owned one myself.

Camper storage is tricky, whether you rent a spot or park it at home there will be obstacles.  My brother has a 42 ft class A motorhome that he parks in a building on my Mom's farm.  He talks about finding storage for this monster if and when the time comes to sell the farm.  A private storage locker to fit a 42 foot motorhome goes for $500/mo. where he lives.  I pay a private party $125/mo to store mine in a pole barn next to some chickens.

just to park it is expensive? I had always thought I migh purchase something small for retirement and do a lot of road trips in my early years.....but this info leads me to think hotels are they way to go for me. Just sleep in car a few nights if/when that is not option? I'm wondering what the appeal of an RV is with all this maintenance and ongoing costs....

Looked up rentals, and they are curiously priced at a daily rate that is similar to hotel costs.....

[souldoubt]

Nov 27, 2023 12:06:51 GMT -5 Rukh O'Rorke said:

Nov 27, 2023 8:40:55 GMT -5 bookkeeper said:

Wow, that's a lot of chaos for just owning a camper.  Good luck finding something that is a better fit for you and your property.

DH and I have a small class C motorhome.  24 feet long and it fits in a regular parking space.  We bought one without a slide feature because we didn't want the maintenance or time involved with set up/take down.  Even though the camper is only 24 feet long, I hop out and help DH park or back out into traffic when I can.  We have a back up camera that also comes in handy.  My parents had RV's for years and I learned to look out and plan ahead before I ever owned one myself.

Camper storage is tricky, whether you rent a spot or park it at home there will be obstacles.  My brother has a 42 ft class A motorhome that he parks in a building on my Mom's farm.  He talks about finding storage for this monster if and when the time comes to sell the farm.  A private storage locker to fit a 42 foot motorhome goes for $500/mo. where he lives.  I pay a private party $125/mo to store mine in a pole barn next to some chickens.

just to park it is expensive? I had always thought I migh purchase something small for retirement and do a lot of road trips in my early years.....but this info leads me to think hotels are they way to go for me. Just sleep in car a few nights if/when that is not option? I'm wondering what the appeal of an RV is with all this maintenance and ongoing costs....

Looked up rentals, and they are curiously priced at a daily rate that is similar to hotel costs.....

If you don't have the space to store it then the cheapest to store a travel trailer or RV where I live starts at $180 a month and goes up depending on the size.  That said I live in a densely populated area where the average house lot size is 6k feet and other areas likely have more space and cheaper RV/trailer storage options.  I bought a truck so I can eventually tow a trailer but we'll rent initially because unless we use it a lot the monthly cost is prohibitive vs. renting since we don't have anywhere to store it.  If you're planning to use one a lot in retirement then it can be worth owning but again if you don't have a space to store it that's one more expense to think about. 

[TheOtherMe]

DN1 and family pay for a season pass for their camper.  They take it over in the spring and it stays in the same spot until ownership declares the season over--usually end of October.  

Neither of their kids is interested in camping and don't go with the parents very often.  Kids don't usually stay overnight.  They built a huge garage to store it in.  They were tired of fighting the mice that came with storing it at my BIL's farm.

[bookkeeper]

Nov 27, 2023 12:06:51 GMT -5 Rukh O'Rorke said:

Nov 27, 2023 8:40:55 GMT -5 bookkeeper said:

Wow, that's a lot of chaos for just owning a camper.  Good luck finding something that is a better fit for you and your property.

DH and I have a small class C motorhome.  24 feet long and it fits in a regular parking space.  We bought one without a slide feature because we didn't want the maintenance or time involved with set up/take down.  Even though the camper is only 24 feet long, I hop out and help DH park or back out into traffic when I can.  We have a back up camera that also comes in handy.  My parents had RV's for years and I learned to look out and plan ahead before I ever owned one myself.

Camper storage is tricky, whether you rent a spot or park it at home there will be obstacles.  My brother has a 42 ft class A motorhome that he parks in a building on my Mom's farm.  He talks about finding storage for this monster if and when the time comes to sell the farm.  A private storage locker to fit a 42 foot motorhome goes for $500/mo. where he lives.  I pay a private party $125/mo to store mine in a pole barn next to some chickens.

just to park it is expensive? I had always thought I migh purchase something small for retirement and do a lot of road trips in my early years.....but this info leads me to think hotels are they way to go for me. Just sleep in car a few nights if/when that is not option? I'm wondering what the appeal of an RV is with all this maintenance and ongoing costs....

Looked up rentals, and they are curiously priced at a daily rate that is similar to hotel costs.....

Yes, storage is expensive.  Not storing your RV out of the elements is also expensive.  If your camper sits in your driveway year around, you will have sun rot on your tires, awning and roof membrane.  If you have mature trees in your yard, they will cover it in sap.  We live in a part of the world where hail storms come every summer.  Our RV got $10,000 worth of damage sitting in our driveway last year.  Chloe shared her story of water damage from a compartment that wasn't sealed properly. Storage wouldn't have fixed that problem, but it might not have been as bad.

Why would anyone want to own the RV instead of hotels?  Location.  I live in a very rural area.  There are not hotels everywhere I want to go.  Heck, I drove it to my Mom's last summer when we all spent the weekend painting her house.  I had my own bed, my own groceries and cocktails, and my own space when spending time with my family.  The camper really shines when we use it to visit our family and friends.  We can pull right up in their driveway and not cause any disruption inside the home we are staying at. Driveway camping for the win.