well i suppose i should go a little more in depth with my current situation. I am 25 yrs old, just sold my house to my mother, which I will see some equity paid out to me and just living temporarily with my gf right now. No rental lease, no mortgage, no kids, nothing really tieing me down. Now for those of you unfamiliar with Alberta's economy, houses have doubled in the last five years and have pretty much reached their peak, some predict a recession in the next few years, so imo not really the right market for me to purchase. And renting is, well, throwing money away. I work in the country doing masonry just outside of Calgary, so the travel to work would actually be shorter.

It would be my gf and I living in the trailer, I have a budget of about 55k for a trailer and financially I think this might be the smart decision. But what do I know I'm only 25 Just looking for words of wisdom, keep em comin

 

Buy a year old and let someone else take the beating. If new you should be able to buy at 25% off list on most brands, if you can not get that deal move on. I have bought @approx 37% off (basically paid $500 over cost). The deals are there, just look and beat the salesman up as much as possible. Yes these figures are true (I have seen many invoices vs list prices).

 

If you want to live full time in an RV try being like a goose and migrate
with the seasons. Leave south Texas about April and slowely drift north.
Rest a while on the Canadian border and head back. Visit the kids and
grandkids when you can.
Oh, yes, get an RV that only sleeps two to avoid overcrowding.
BCD

08 2500 Laramie

 

Like haulin-rv already said, save a bundle and buy a used coach. Depreciation on RVs is huge, worse than cars. If I were you I'd do a little research, 'cause it may actually be cheaper for you in the long run to rent an apartment/condo/house than buy an RV.

 

I have to agree with buying a used RV to start with. You need to try out full timing to see if you like it. Full time RV life is easier if you are moving around to stay in the warmer climates. Be sure to get a 4 season unit if you are going to stay in the cold. I spent winter before last in my non 4 season travel trailer in the Denver area and did ok but it was a lot of work keeping everything from freezing. There is a website www.fulltimerver.com that has a lot of information on full time RVing. Keep us posted on how it works out.

Mike

 

We lived in ours for 6 months while we built our house. Wife, 12 year old son & me in a 32 ft Fifth. Not too bad, and I could really see it with just 2 people. Buy a 2 to 3 year old trailer, and look for a full time rated trailer.

 

My parents retired 5 years ago and have been living in there 36" Cedar Creek RV since ( 2 slides. One living room & one bedroom ). It is also 10" wider than your standard trailer. They head down South every winter to avoid the cold. No storage, small fridge, small stove & small bathroom compared to a house but they seem to manage fine. I have a 33.5" Terry ( one slide )that is winterized and know from experience, that below -15 * C it is very expensive to keep warm. Even with it skirted in, the floor is cold and the slide out portion is freezing. I know people that enclose there trailer with straw bails in the winter and it makes a huge difference ( trouble with mice though ). If you can find a sight that doesn't charge you electricity, you can heat that way and it will save you money. I would defiantly look for a used trailer. Especially with the slow oilfield in AB right now and the strong dollar.

 

Used is the way to go. Do a LOT of homework first to decide what makes sense. Read a few full timer RV books. The Escapees club/web site is also a good place to buy books, talk to fullers.
There is a place in Houston callled pplmotorhomes.com
They are the largest consignment dealer in the US. They have pictures, floor plans, prices. You can get a 2-3 ye old RV, nearly new, for 50%+ off list.
A few suggestions. Aluminum walls, as wood rots. Check out the rigs most owned by fill timers. Some of these are Grand Teton, Travel Supreme.
These rigs are expensive & well made. Others include Alfa, and Mobil Suites seems good(upper mid-tier). Other Mid tier include Hitchiker, Montana, and holiday rambler.
There are many. the more expensive one hold up better to full time use and are usually made better. The mid Tier are used by many.
Talk to some fulltimers at a local RV park their. That will give best info on what works in the cold.
Good Luck!

 

I own several different RV's (bus conversion 35', 26' Airstream, 35' trailer on perm site @ campground in Fla).

1) In your current living situation, see how much space you use. For most people, other than issues of storage and large items (such as furniture) that one wishes to keep (storage unit), a L/R, kitchen area, B/R & bath are enough. Enough for ONE person, and maybe a small pet.
2) Picture yourself in BAD weather (for days on end) - would you be OK with a smaller space. Efficiency in RV's is everything.
3) Physical issues such as winterization, adequate heat, etc. need to be carefully researched in your area. My Airstream was lived in through a Michigan winter w/no problem (but they are well insulated, all sealed underneath and have premium appliances & heater).
4) Cost: in Fla, most people in a pay-monthly RV park w/hookup are paying $400-500 per month. There may be a discount for pre-pay or longer term. You pay for your own propane (cooking & heat - unless you use an electrical space htr on the park's dime...).
5) What about entertainment (such as internet, sat TV, ANY TV...etc ?)
6) Most RV parks (at least in the warmer states in winter) have washer/dryer and most prohibit your use in THEIR park of your own units even if you had them.
7) Slide-outs provide more space, but be careful about leaks and snow load

I find, living in my 2400sf home, I could easily live comfortably year-round in my 26' Airstream, with my large dog. By I know other people find it too confining, and if you add a second person, you need A LOT more space for storage, "issue resolution", privacy, etc.

It comes down to your life style, your attitude and your wallet.

 

"For a TRUE "fulltimer" with enclosed and heated everything, and a 5KW gen expect to pay well over $70K new. "


Uh. my inlaws paid something like $265,000.00 for thier full timing rv. They have a 40 foot motor home. Ususally people rv'ing go south for the winter. They are called showbirds.

But they used to have about a $35,000 5th wheel camper. It was nice. It's really up to the person. If you can find the right rig that your going to be comfortable in, why not? You aint gotta make me warm and comfy, just you.

 

I was referring to 5'ers. I would imagine you can get closer to $500K for the huge BUS conversions out now.

Point is, if he buy's a entry level, mid line or even some top of the lines, expect to be FREEZING!.

Sunnybrook makes a nice "Full timer" Like I said though, big bucks.

 

Nearly all RV's you see around AB are not meant for winter use. The slides are cold even in the shoulder seasons and you will use a ton of propane. Most don't have thermal windows. There are some that are like work trailers for use on rig sites that kind of thing. These are built totally different and I haven't seen one with a slide yet. They are more expensive but I would suspect they must come up used on occasion. We stayed next to one in a remote camp ground, one guy and 2 women living in it. The guy had a Vacuum truck and the women cooked and cleaned on the rig site close by. They said it was a good trailer but had only had it a few months, said it was well insulated (R20) and had few small thermal windows. It was a travel trailer not a 5th and he pulled it with the vacuum truck. The washer/dryer combo units are only 110v and not vented to the outside, so don't expect too much on the drying side. In fact I think you are further ahead just buying a regular washer that spins really fast and finding another way to dry. This would be much cheaper and do a better job.

 

We lived in our Timberlodge from June till late September and our house was ready. It wasn't too bad except that it was a little tight for room.

 

My wife and I live in a 32 ft. Challenger with 3 slides. We bought it because our jobs required that we move every three months or so. We decided that paying rent and deposits everytime was insane. Ours has worked out better than we ever expected. It has a ton of room under the bedroom/bathroom portion that allows us to store our less frequntly used things and there is storage galore inside. It seems pretty well insulated as it's able to stay very cool down here in S. Florida with only one AC unit. As previously mentioned heating is a different issue. If you use the furnace it will eat up your propane tanks very quickly and the slide-outs are poorly insulated. However I think the furnace could be used to bake humans if you have the funds to let it run. As far as being able to do it. That truly depends on your situation with your significant other. If your relationship is good then you should be ok. If not...there are lots of good deals on RV's that are a testimony to the need for space in some relationships. We also have two small dogs. Pets seem adaptable to most any situation as long as you are there with them. As others have said BUY USED!!! and do yourself a favor don't skimp on the bathroom space. Trust me and get the biggest shower, biggest toilet room, and most counter space you can find. pay extra if comes down to a choice between two models and one has a larger space but costs a little more.

 

Buy a model with a 50 amp service and find a site that lets you use it! I lived in my 35' with a wife and beagle for over a year and love it. I actually cant wait to get back state side so that I can get back into it. Currently we are laying the ground work so we can continue to RV once I retire from the military (1/2 way there). With a little thought you can stay pretty warm though the winter. We used 2 electric heaters to augment the propane usage. During the coldest part of the winter 2 30lb bottles lasted around 20 days. Since then I added a heat pump instead of the primary AC unit. Wont help below freezing but drastically cuts propane usage during the cool months. Much of the winter was 20 degrees with nights in the teens (F). One time the water hose froze up due to the water accidentally not left running. You are supposed to fill the water tank and not use the hose but a little heat tape and dripping the water does wonders!
Definatly buy a used model. Mines blue book hasnt changed since I bought it at 3 years old. One thing to remember is that trailers are harder to sell and generally loose money. I figure mine has to last about 10 years and I can throw it away and not have lost a cent. Lower tax and I dont have to pay a realitor every three years when I move! Insurance can be a little difficult as some companies wont insure for full time use. As mentioned a 4 season model and a higher price range trailer are a must. The lower tiers are that. They wont hold up to daily abuse. I worked with a guy who has been living in a Travel Supreame for 10 years and it is still doing well.
One last thought for ya. If you and your GF can live in a trailer for a year there will never be a space issue between ya. It is very comfortable for us but you have to be able to be around them 24/7. There is nowhere to run off to if ya get in a fight. Its like a one room apartment in that regaurd.
OK one more last point. You can get a vented dryer in a trailer also. I have a combo unit that washes and dryes all in one that runs on 110v. Pretty common over seas actually. Takes about 2.5 hours and 10-12 gallons of water per load. Works great but tends to wrinkle blue jeans. Cant have it all I guess.