Convince Us We NEED an RV!

[AlyLynn]

We have 4 children, love to travel, and drive to Disney from PA between 4-5 times a year! The kids hate flying, and I hate the stress of staying in hotel rooms with 4 kids! The Fort has become a family favorite, and DH and I are throwing the idea of an RV around seriously. Any thoughts on the subject?
Thanks!

 

[ILoveDisney&Cruising]

I say go for it!! When we were contemplating the same thing, everyone told us to do it while the kids were still young. And they were so right!

We've had our travel trailer for 3 years. Our kids are now 9 & 10. We skipped the tent & pop-up because we just didn't think we'd enjoy those that much. Most -- I might even say all -- of our best memories are from camping trips .... well, cruises, too - just don't get to do them as often!

We go to Disney 1-2 times/year (wish it was more). We want to see major parts of the U.S. before the kids are grown & gone. Hoping to camp across the country one of these years. The kids are so hooked, they're even saving their money for a "dually" and their own 5th wheel one day, so we can all continue camping together. My 10 year old says anyone he considers marrying must love camping

I don't like to fly (will if I have to) but I don't care for hotel rooms even more!

Be forewarned, though -- everyone I know who camps is always on the prowl for a bigger and badder tow-vehicle. When we bought ours, DH said it would tow "anything" .... now he "needs" a dually.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Sorry...nobody needs an RV.

However if you are looking for justification you probably can find it by running the numbers...how much are you paying for these trips each year? How long would it take you to offset the cost of an RV plus mainetance plus tow vehicle if anything.

 

[kmccain]

I see that you are from Pa. There is a large RV show in Hershey from Sept 13-16. It would be good opportunity to look at all the varieties and make up your mind. Here is the web site for information: http://www.prvca.org/Default.aspx?tabid=59

We really love to camp! We spend lots of family time together around the campfire.

We just got back from Disney. We spent a lot on fuel but we saved a lot on food.

Hope this helps!

 

[LarryJ]

We have 4 children, love to travel, and drive to Disney from PA between 4-5 times a year! The kids hate flying, and I hate the stress of staying in hotel rooms with 4 kids! The Fort has become a family favorite, and DH and I are throwing the idea of an RV around seriously. Any thoughts on the subject?
Thanks!

I've been RVing since the early 70's first with a pop-up and since 1982 with a 26' TT. I would recommend you join something like http://www.rv.net and do a LOT of reading and then asking questions. We raised two boys in our 26' TT (from when they were 4 until they graduated from college in this TT which we still have) and it was just big enough. With 4 children IMHO you're looking at a 30' or larger TT or 5er and a big, big factor is the tow vehicle and it's capacity to haul all that family around for more than just a Sunday drive. If you go looking ignore what any saleman or dealer says the Towed vehicle weighs or what can tow it. Use the GVWR of the towed vehicle and pick a tow vehicle capable of towing the next heavier trailer. Even used for what you need I can easily seeing you dropping close to $50K and it goes up from there new.

Larry

 

[FloridaTeacher]

We love, love, love camping!!!! Our kids are 17 and 10 and camping trips (for us) are the best vacations, whether we go far away or stay close to home!

The most important questions - can you afford it? Will you use it enough to make it worthwhile?

If yes - go for it! There's no better way to travel and nothing better than going on vacation and being "at home" at the same time!

 

[mamaloya]

Well, here is how I put it to my dh.

The monthly payment on the RV is less than the nightly cost of a hotel. So, if you want to camp more than 12 nights a year, it starts to balance out. Also, it is easier to take off for a quick weekend. Everything is pretty much already packed and you don't have to have saved up for the trip as a campsite is so much cheaper than a hotel room. Plus, if you are on a really tight budget, you don't have to figure in eating out. You just bring your groceries and it costs no more than if you were at home.

Now, as for disney. With 4 kids, an RV will save you a ton. In the off season, a campsite is around $50 whereas a cabin is around $300. You can stay 6 nights for the cost of 1.

Now, size. First, you must consider your tow vehicle (TV). If you cannot get a bigger one, you must stay within the limits of what you have. We started in a tent and then went to popup, then hybrid, now an expandable TT. Our TV is a Chevy Express LT with the heavy duty trailering package. Tow limit is 6600lb. Our camper has a GVWR of 6000lb. We pack light though because you don't want to be overloaded. You also have to take into consideration the people and luggage in your TV. Our camper is a 26' long Kodaik Skamper that expands to 30'. It has 2 sets of bunkbeds in their own room with a closet. Our bed expands out the back and closes off with curtains. The dinette and sofa will also convert to beds. Lots of room for a low wt. You can also get a hybrid with 2 sets of bunk beds that weighs less than ours.

If you are in a minivan or small SUV, you may have to start with a popup. They come with many amenities now. We loved our popup and only got a TT because of all the kids. One other plus of a popup is that it is easier to get a popup site at the Fort at the last minute than the others.

You may also decide to rent one first to see how you like it before you spend the money. An RV show is also a great idea. You definitely should go. Just don't let a salesman push you into something you don't want or are not ready for. Also, don't let them convince you only need to worry about UVW (unloaded vehicle wt). Your tow capacity is the wt of the GVWR which is the wt after you load it. This is my #1 complaint about RV salesmen. They are putting people in potentially dangerous situations by overloading their TVs.

Happy Camping!

 

[MAG_1961]

We went to the fort with friends in May and stayed in their rv. It was a great way to stay. We had lots of fun.

 

[ram101]

We just got our 1st RV went with a class C. We have 5 kids and a St Bernard. We went on the 1st trip to Hershey this summer and it was great, all of the kids loved it, even our 16 yr old daughter loved it. It may have been our best trip to Hershey yet! Kids don't even seem to care if the RV leaves the driveway. They are happy camping right where it is now!
When we would go on vacation we would need 2 hotel rooms, plus all of the food we had to buy. Vacations were short and expensive. We also dabled in renting condos and such but we didn't like that much.
We are taking our 1st trip to Disney this summer and we are camping. When we checked the costs on all our options, the purchase of the RV and vacationing in it was well better then the others.
We love going to Virginia and try going every two years (may change after a trip to WDW). We used VA to compare our cost and it was almost 1/2 the cost in an RV!
I would recomend (based on my limited experience) that you go used before you put in the big $$ on a new RV. We got ourselves a 2002 Class C Coachman with all the options and 54k miles.
We took about 2 years to figure out what we wanted and to be sure it was for us. Slowly eliminated types of RV based on costs and needs.
We even considered gas prices but, with the RV is only get about 2-3 miles less per gallon then the conversion van we have.
As a PP said, don't let any salesman presure you into anything. I almost fell for it, the hint that something was wrong was when he refused to allow me to have an outside service tech look over the rig. Turns out there was a lot of potential damage from their failure to winterize (with full tanks). Found all of the tanks were big blocks of ice.
Also get out and see the shows, look through all of the rigs, sit down relax and see if you like them...bring the kids along once or twice too and see what they like about it.
Good luck!

 

[CCIntrigue]

We purchased our first RV in the 80s when the kids were young. I had never camped a day in my life, but I just suddenly decided that's what I wanted. Our first unit was by Airstream, brand new. That's an unusual first purchase. We would go to FW, buy annual passports, and stay there 2 weeks. Then the next year a month or so before our passports expired we'd go back for another two weeks. Plus lots of beach trips in between. We kept that trailer for 20 years, and it paid for itself several times over. The memories we have are priceless. Our kids grew up as Disney experts, having spent so much time there. They got to travel so much more than they could have if we hadn't had the TT.

My best advice to you is to really study the market. If you want to purchase a unit that will last a long time -- and have a better resale value -- do your homework. Check on construction techniques, materials used, brands of appliances, anything that might cause wear and tear. Don't be fooled by "glitzy" interiors. And look at used units where someone else has eaten the depreciation. We spent 2+ years looking at units before we settled on the Airstream. Same thing with our current MH, and we expect to keep it as long as we're both still living.

 

[bevypoo63]

If you travel as much as you say you can certainly justify an RV.You can buy annual passes at WDW then you would only have to pay for a campsite for each trip. My next trip is about $450 for a preferred site for 7 nights. That is a pretty inexpensive trip to WDW. Obviously the APs are more expensive at the time of purchase but pay for themselves in the end.
If you take your time you may come across a "good deal." People often find that they no longer need or can use their RVs for many different reasons and often sell them for a fraction of what they are worth. You would need to do your homework and be patient but that is how we bought our motorhome.
I love our motorhome because it makes traveling with kids so much easier. No emergency stops for the bathroom. We can make simple food while traveling and there are seatbelts at the table so he can eat while we travel. He also does homework while traveling.
My only regret is we didn't buy one when our older kids were small.

 

[clkelley]

We honestly didn't look at affordability vs. hotel trips. I've been a tent camper for years, and just got tired of the setup. Plus I wanted hubby to start going with me, and have a good way for him to enjoy his fishing spots, and the camper was the way to do it. We went ultra-small, as we are practically empty nesters (My "baby" is 20). If for some reason, the boys actually go with us, they can set up a tent.

I have a really nice tent setup, but it took me nearly 3 hours to set everything up. With the camper, I can take as little as 5 minutes for a quick overnighter on the road, by just pulling in and plugging in the power, or the most setup takes me about an hour by myself, and then I have 135 sq ft under EZ-Ups in addition to the inside of the camper.

 

[AlyLynn]

You guys are great! Thanks so much for the input...We are going to the show in Hershey. I'll keep you updated. (We do have APs, so we could get so much more use out of them!) And it's so hard to find hotels to accomodate all of us anymore, that this seems to be the way we want to go.

 

[stacktester]

I think you'll get a lot of remarks on your topic. I will say that since buying our 1st Toy Hauler in 04 that I've never made the same memories with family and friends before. I say buy it and have some fun. I would consult with some friends who have an rv and get some guidance buying one.

 

[ILoveDisney&Cruising]

I'm glad you're going to the RV show in Hershey! Those are always so much fun and you'll see & learn alot!

I forgot to mention earlier, to be sure and do your research. My dad has been RV'ing for over 30 years and has told me that dealers are able to come down on their prices as much as 24% below MSRP. I don't know how true that is - that sure seems like ALOT!

We looked for several years before buying ours -- a local dealer (Maryland area) wanted $24k (it's been a while, but as I recall, we were able to talk them down a few $$) ..... I found the same thing (new) online at a dealer near the factory in Indiana for just under $17k - so we drove there to buy it.

Of course, now DH wants the aforementioned dually (so do I!) so that eventually, we can get the golf cart ........ always something to dream about.

But seriously - we could be happy for a very long time with what we already have. We have never once regretted our purchase. The memories you'll make will be priceless!

Good luck in whatever you decide -- and be sure to keep us posted!!

 

[clkelley]

I forgot to mention earlier, to be sure and do your research. My dad has been RV'ing for over 30 years and has told me that dealers are able to come down on their prices as much as 24% below MSRP. I don't know how true that is - that sure seems like ALOT!

I believe it. Also, there is a HUGE price difference in different parts of the country. MSRP on our camper was around $17K. Our dealer's "sticker" price was $13,300, we talked him down to $12,800.

If you are buying new, figure out what you want, then check out (for example) RVTrader.com where many dealers around the country list their stock for sale and compare prices. You might find that driving a bit to pick up your "baby" will be well worth the savings. (The only downside is if you purchase out of state, you won't be able to finance the sales tax, you will pay it when you get your first license tag. OUCH, almost $600 for that first tag.)

We were lucky, this dealer happened to be the closest T@B dealer to us, (still 150 miles away) and had some of the best retail pricing in the country.

 

[kmccain]

You have some really great advice here!

I am really glad that your going to the RV show! There is no better place to look or buy! I understand that the manufactures bring them for the dealers and they offer the big discounts. Make sure you haggle if you find something you can't live without. Hold out for that one though! I looked one year and didn't find it there. I found it at a local dealer.

Really do your homework and make a list of what you want. I never dreamed that I would want a class c but I do now! The kids have grown out of their bunks and like the previous poster said, you save time by not having to stop and use the bathroom or for food. There really is a lot to think about.

Have a great time at the RV show! We really enjoy looking and talking to all the people!

 

[kimluvswdw]

We have a large motorhome and frankly I am sick of the payment. If you don't use an rv all the time then I wouldn't pay much for one. Nothing is worse than looking at it sitting there when writing the big check each month.

 

[clkelley]

We have a large motorhome and frankly I am sick of the payment. If you don't use an rv all the time then I wouldn't pay much for one. Nothing is worse than looking at it sitting there when writing the big check each month.

Oh, I agree, 10 years ago, even 5 years ago, we wouldn't have considered a "toy" like this. Financially, and freedom from our kids and more vacation time in our jobs is what enabled us to buy this, and we have the time to use it more frequently than we could have even 2 years ago.

 

[Mr Man]

Lots of good advice already given (especially rv.net).

None of us can (or really should) convince you to buy/not buy anything. You will need to make that decision on your own based on your needs, budget, taste etc. I am sure each of us has our own list, and they are not always the same.

As an interim step while you research the options, have you considered renting an RV, perhaps a Class C given the size of your family- and congrats on such a large family I don't know how you do it, we have 2 boys and they swarm me like spider monkeys (hat tip Ricky-Bobby).

We are still evaluating which RV we want and have rented Class C, Class A, travel trailer, tent camped and borrowed a 5th wheel to boot. We are leaning towards a hybrid travel trailer but are waiting to see if DVC will work for us. If it does, we will alternate DVC resorts & FW Cabins from here on in.

Good luck on your decision. You won't go wrong with whatever you decide.