Topic: Feature: RV having fun yet?

[Autos_Editor]

A summer vacation in a Chevy Silverado HD crew cab towing a 30-foot Tamarack Trail travel trailer proved to be a "a unique adventure" for Winnipeg contributor Haney Louka and his family, but not an inexpensive one, he says.

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[D70]

 A well written article pointing out the pros and cons of traveling this way today.

40 years ago we graduated from an umbrella tent to a tent trailer. A big step. Then while based in Europe towed a West German Travel Trailer/ caravan 3.8 Knaus . It did not have a toilet or shower or AV but had an electric/propane frig and stove. I installed a propane heater and bunk. Light to tow at up to an illegal 130 km per hour, I received a speeding ticket and instant fine, on the autobahn, something not many drivers get.

Today the kids are gone and I often go solo camping with just a 2 man tent in my weekend warrior.

Haney sums it up nicely
 "like any other recreational activity where we spend money to enjoy our leisure time, is more about experiencing a unique adventure than it is about whether it will save money"

 The big plus for me is meeting like mined people rich with unique experiences. Something I don't get when I stay in off season motel rooms which often cost very little more for OAS recipients like myself.

A recent trip to Alaska camped in Stewart which is right next door to Hyder

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/4906922509/in/set-72157624733706182/

[wing]

I like that Haney did the math for me here.  $200 a night ouchies.  I know this thread will just re-hash what everyone said in the other RV thread.  But $200 a night is some nice digs  

[aknutson]

Well, yes, if you camp in a 30' rented RV and tow with a top of the line pickup, it will be costly. There is much room there for lowering costs. If one intended to RV regularly it would be more cost effective to purchase one, and at that it doesn't have to be 30' long. If you were to make do with a 20' trailer with pop-out ends, like my in-laws do, you can get better camping rates and have access to more camp sites. Also, smaller trailers are lighter and easily managed by a quarter-ton pickup, and while gas mileage wouldn't be great it would be better than the earth-moving HD pickup. If you owned the unit and had better camping rates, you'd be looking at $35-40/night...not too shabby.

[JoBlow]

Doen't make sense for me.  All the trouble and for an expensive vacation no way.  Next I will book vacation to Disney and I will reserve a room in the hotel where the monorail goes in.  In the morning we will have a breakfast at the hotel then we will take the monorail to visit different Disnay places.
That's vacation. Expensive but no clean-up no dish to clean etc...

[wing]

How is buying an RV for tens of thousands cheaper than renting?  Even at $1200 a week that's way cheaper than buying unless you plan on using it 2 months of the year for a VERY long time.

[Jason Evans]

Interested to know... for someone who couldn't just call up to GM to get a tow vehicle, are there any real options for renting a vehicle that you would actually be able and allowed to tow with?  Seems like a vacation like this would be great to do with the kids (see the western side of the country), but are there any options to rent a tow vehicle??

Thanks

[wing]

No not really, renting a tow vehicle is nearly impossible unfortunately.

[aknutson]

How is buying an RV for tens of thousands cheaper than renting?  Even at $1200 a week that's way cheaper than buying unless you plan on using it 2 months of the year for a VERY long time.

Well you do the math - at $150/day that's $54,750 EVERY YEAR - that's a lot of trailer, especially considering you can pick up a decent family trailer for $20K. And of course it only makes sense if you use it, that's the same with anything...

Think about it, if someone is renting it AND making profit, it is obviously cheaper to own it in the first place...that's how the rental business works. For a family that just wants to try it once? That's a different story.

[bridgecity]

No not really, renting a tow vehicle is nearly impossible unfortunately.

Tow vehicles are readily available for rent in Alberta, not sure about other provinces.

[wing]

How is buying an RV for tens of thousands cheaper than renting?  Even at $1200 a week that's way cheaper than buying unless you plan on using it 2 months of the year for a VERY long time.

Well you do the math - at $150/day that's $54,750 EVERY YEAR - that's a lot of trailer, especially considering you can pick up a decent family trailer for $20K. And of course it only makes sense if you use it, that's the same with anything...

Think about it, if someone is renting it AND making profit, it is obviously cheaper to own it in the first place...that's how the rental business works. For a family that just wants to try it once? That's a different story.

Wow I didn't realize people camp 365 days a year....  

Bordercity, certainly not in Ontario you can rent a truck but they do not allow towing.

[rrocket]

No not really, renting a tow vehicle is nearly impossible unfortunately.

Never had a problem renting a U-Haul to tow with....

[wing]

Really?  Not in Ottawa it seems all the trucks have no hitch, a lot of guys rent cube vans those have hitches but you aren't going to go RV'ing with a uhaul cube van.

[rrocket]

Really?  Not in Ottawa it seems all the trucks have no hitch, a lot of guys rent cube vans those have hitches but you aren't going to go RV'ing with a uhaul cube van.

You said to tow.  You mean you've never seen a U-Haul towing a trailer or towing a car??

[wing]

Cube van yes but not the pickups.

[rrocket]

Cube van yes but not the pickups.

Right.  Cube vans double as a place to sleep!! 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I like that Haney did the math for me here.  $200 a night ouchies.  I know this thread will just re-hash what everyone said in the other RV thread.  But $200 a night is some nice digs  

If you have a family of 4, $200 bucks a night doesn't go far in most hotels.

[bridgecity]

Cube van yes but not the pickups.

You definitely have to specify a towing vehicle, but they are readily available in my area.  A friend rented one a few weekends back, new F-150 for $80 per day.  Not cheap, but available.

[CanuckS2K]

Why does money always have to come up when discussing camping/RVing??   

Like I mentioned in the other thread a week or two ago, people do this out of enjoyment, not to save money over spending nights in a motel.  Everyone spends their money on various recreational things, why is RVing any different? 

[CanuckS2K]

How is buying an RV for tens of thousands cheaper than renting?  Even at $1200 a week that's way cheaper than buying unless you plan on using it 2 months of the year for a VERY long time.

I know a number of people that use theirs for more than 2 months of the year.