And so it begins...

[81SHOVELHEAD]

Originally Posted by Laredo Tugger

A lot of realities beginning to surface.
If you're in the market for a new camper I would wait.

https://www.rvtravel.com/campfire-ri...vers-road-1042

RMc

Purchased our 2021 295RL in April 2021 66k MSRP 52K sales price . Now March 2022 102K MSRP 81K sales price .
Noticed a lot of Covid-19 TT & 5th wheels & Heavy Duty trucks are up for sale . Sad part is they're asking Outrageous prices for these used vehicles.
I agree if you're in the market I'd wait . With the current fuel prices the market gonna flood with slightly used RV's & Heavy Duty trucks

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by 81SHOVELHEAD

Purchased our 2021 295RL in April 2021 66k MSRP 52K sales price . Now March 2022 102K MSRP 81K sales price .
Noticed a lot of Covid-19 TT & 5th wheels & Heavy Duty trucks are up for sale . Sad part is they're asking Outrageous prices for these used vehicles.
I agree if you're in the market I'd wait . With the current fuel prices the market gonna flood with slightly used RV's & Heavy Duty trucks

Only trouble, when that market floods it’ll be with a bunch of overpriced units that people have loans on. I considered changing RVs this year, especially with the value of mine jumping from 35k to 51k last year, but then I’d have to pay 80k or more for another one. Even though the cost is basically offset by the increased value of mine, just something about paying $100k for a $65k RV doesn’t sit right with me. In 4-5 years, if they’re still that much, it’ll have become the norm, easy to chew on that I guess.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by 81SHOVELHEAD

Purchased our 2021 295RL in April 2021 66k MSRP 52K sales price . Now March 2022 102K MSRP 81K sales price .
Noticed a lot of Covid-19 TT & 5th wheels & Heavy Duty trucks are up for sale . Sad part is they're asking Outrageous prices for these used vehicles.
I agree if you're in the market I'd wait . With the current fuel prices the market gonna flood with slightly used RV's & Heavy Duty trucks

And, along with the "Oh, your truck can tow anything we've got on the lot", you'll hear the salesman say, "Right now, we've got a special on this trailer, the discount last year was 14K and today, our special discount is 21K... You can save an extra 7 thousand dollars over last year's discount... Sign here......

[HRM7!]

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

I never used to dry camp with our Alpine. I figured why bother trying to get a 40’ 5th wheel into some spot in a national forest when I can have a nice full hookup site for $35, well that has changed. I’m not taking it off the beaten path, literally. We do have a big trip planned for this summer, out the entire month of July, but several nights will be at military famcamps which saves us a lot.

Military Famcamps(?) I was surface Navy for three years during Vietnam - Do I qualify for FamCamps, and if so could you send a link of some sort? Thanks -Bob

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by HRM7!

Military Famcamps(?) I was surface Navy for three years during Vietnam - Do I qualify for FamCamps, and if so could you send a link of some sort? Thanks -Bob

If you have access to the bases, you are authorized to use the famcamps. Most are on base so getting on base is the key. I’d say 90% of the bases have a famcamp, you would just have to look to see what bases are in the area where you’re going. Once you find a base, contact outdoor rec/MWR and book your spot. I’m not aware of one central site, each is run by the base.

[j.w.]

Who can use a military campground? Although bases tend to have their own specific rules on this, in general, to use a military campground you must be a military retiree or dependent, a spouse or minor dependent of an active duty service member, a National Guard or Reservist or minor dependent or a 100% service-connected disabled veteran. Surviving family members of service members killed in action who have access to other benefits like healthcare and medical retirees and their families also qualify.

This is from Military .com

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by j.w.

Who can use a military campground? Although bases tend to have their own specific rules on this, in general, to use a military campground you must be a military retiree or dependent, a spouse or minor dependent of an active duty service member, a National Guard or Reservist or minor dependent or a 100% service-connected disabled veteran. Surviving family members of service members killed in action who have access to other benefits like healthcare and medical retirees and their families also qualify.

This is from Military .com

The short answer, you must hold a military ID granting you access to the base.

[linux3]

In 2016 we bought our TT outside Cleveland OH for $16K cash out the door. OK so we live in NYS so didn't pay sales tax to Ohio.

I've looked at what our TT goes for now and it's just stupid. We really like our TT but it isn't worth $27k. Or maybe it is.

We were thinking about a small 5th wheel and a 2500HD. We all know about 1/2 ton towables.
Anyway, we gave up on the idea and will just enjoy what we have.

Our style of travel is to have a vague idea of where we want to go and when we are tired of driving / riding we find a near by CG. This was getting tough and expensive last year what about 2022?

Or maybe enough people will get scared off by the price of TVs and RVs and fuel and quit. Maybe then we can get on with our style.

[pdaniel]

Originally Posted by Laredo Tugger

A lot of realities beginning to surface.
If you're in the market for a new camper I would wait.

https://www.rvtravel.com/campfire-ri...vers-road-1042

RMc

We have been RVing for 40 plus years starting with an 18 foot TT that made us feel we were into luxury. $3800.00 out the door and towable with a gas engine truck.
We upgraded through the years ending up with a 2019 5th wheel, 35 feet long, which had an MSRP of $86000.00-out the door for $63,000.00.
Same model today, with a few added bells and whistles, MSRP of $115,000.00.
And there aren’t many discounts.
And that make and model can be towed with a gas engine truck-provided it isn’t in the western US, so tack on a diesel-as on commenter said-if you can find new or a good used if you can find one.
I wouldn’t attemp to begin RVing with the prices.
But with the cost of fuel-and the realization RVs are maintenance intensive-there might be some good buys to be found.

[adeakins]

$5.00/gal regular gas and $6.00/gal diesel at 7 ~ 10 mpg will empty your wallet. My 5’ver and TV are paid for, but fuel added to higher park fees combined with complicated reservations make for harsh challenges

[Skillet92]

We upgraded to our Laredo 40ft 5th in February of 2020 and almost talked ourselves out of doing that because of the cost. That same style camper is almost 100k now. No way we would have been able to do it now. At some point people are going to stop buying and start selling. Give it 5 years and the market will be a lot different.

At the prices we have now most families can afford to go to hotels or resorts when you factor in the cost of the truck we RV, and site costs.

[81SHOVELHEAD]

Originally Posted by Laredo Tugger

A lot of realities beginning to surface.
If you're in the market for a new camper I would wait.

https://www.rvtravel.com/campfire-ri...vers-road-1042

RMc

Yep just look on the MFG's buy/sale websights . Lots of 2017/ 2022's up for sales at rediculos high prices . Just Happy our 2015 Hemi Ram 2500 & our 2021 Montana High Country 295RL are paid for .
Fixing to get real folks .

[jfk69]

We got back into RVing in 2018 after a 20 year hiatus. Even before the hiatus, we only had our old TT for a couple years. The rest of the time it was a tent. But in 2018, I’d been casually shopping RV’s. We wound up getting the opportunity to buy an extremely well maintained Jayco 33’ fiver for almost nothing. I towed it and loved it and we started camping again. A lot.

Fast forward a couple years, the lease was up on my Ram truck so I started looking for a heavy duty truck as my Ram was pulling beyond specs. Ended up with my signature truck. Bought it used in September 2020. Didn’t really want it at the time, as I still had a lease payment but we bit the bullet. Man, did we get lucky. Got it right before things got stupid at a very fair price. Could sell it today for a fair bit more than we paid. The winter of 2020 I worked on the DW to upgrade the trailer. It was a solid rig, but I didn’t “love it”. In February of ‘21 I found my signature trailer. Most I’d ever spent on any type of RV, but a very good price, considering it had been on a permanent site for two years and was impeccably maintained. At the time, we bought it for 8-15k less than an identical unit on RV Trader. We paid cash, so no payment on the RV. We put the Jayco up for sale and sold it in three days for slightly more than twice what we had paid for it two years earlier. Yes, this was as the RV craze took off.

We mostly camp at state parks, and we haven’t taken a long trip out west or southeast…yet. It just hasn’t worked for the DW and I as we are both still working. However, even with rising fuel prices, rv’ing is still very economical for us. State parks in most states are still reasonable relative to a hotel room, and we can fix our meals rather than eating out every meal. I see fuel as a mid major expense item relative to total cost of ownership, and a $1-2 increase in fuel price is a ding, but not a deal breaker. For ‘22, we plan to drive a bit less and stay a bit longer to offset pulling costs.

I understand on a fixed income, harder choices may need to be made. But campgrounds generally offer reduced rates for longer stays, if you have the RV you don’t “need” to replace it, and you can eat meals in. In this inflationary economy, I still don’t see where RV’ing has become an unmanageable expense. Just my opinion and worth what you paid for it lol.

[notanlines]

Am I the only one noticing all the naysayers coming out of the woodwork at times like this? The thread started with "and so it begins..." as if all those same people who have been projecting the downfall of RV'ing will suddenly be found to be correct. Now were ending with "Fixin' to get real, folks." And yes, a few more projections in between.
I'm curious to know if this is how y'all go through life. For God's sake, look around you! People are buying RV's, boats, side by sides, jet skis and the like in record numbers. Medical services and procedures are simply at a miraculous level. We have the finest selection of foods in our stores of any country in the world.
Gas a little high? Housing a little high? Consumer prices a little high? Yes, they are, but this gloomsday-doomsday cloud that some of you live in is just sad.
I'm reading any number of threads on these forums where people are cancelling trips of four hundred miles or so because of high fuel prices. Good lord, how about just scaling back your activities on that trip and go anyway? Cook in the RV, gather firewood in the woods rather than at 7-11, I could go on and on.
We have all been through all this before. This to shall pass. (Thank you Abraham Lincoln)

[linux3]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Cook in the RV, gather firewood in the woods rather than at 7-11, I could go on and on.
We have all been through all this before. This to shall pass. (Thank you Abraham Lincoln)

Down here in South Florida I don't want to think about the total price of the fuel to get here.
Western NY to Florida. Why? It is what it is.

My wife doesn't like eating other people's food and why not grill out on a warm Florida evening. Aldi's saves us a ton of money.

True we were thinking a 5'er and a bigger truck would be nice.

We are keeping our 2016 Passport 195RB, it's paid for.
We are keeping our 2020 Silverado 1500, it's paid for.

We will be spending that extra money we didn't spend on gas and CG's but we are still on the road.

Just so Jim.
LG

[RK1978]

We are keeping our 2008 Hideout and 2007 Dodge 3500. Trailer has been modified over the years to meet my wife's needs because of declining health and mobility, and the truck runs fine. We will continue to travel and plan ahead to get the spots we want. Just got back from Hollywood FL, closest place to where we wanted to be and saw 5.69 being asked for diesel along I-75 in north FL and southern GA. The most we paid was 4.99, and we get 12-14 mpg unless there is a headwind. Maybe the high prices will reduce the demand for campsites. We plan to go to the Pacific NW to see our soon to be born first great grandchild and will budget accordingly for a 5000 mile trip. Wouldn't do it any other way.

[notanlines]

Pat and Rob, thanks for your vote of confidence. I hope there are plenty more like you out there.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Pat and Rob, thanks for your vote of confidence. I hope there are plenty more like you out there.

Jim I think there are more than we think or it sounds like by hearing some folks. Don't know what it's like where you are but I've never seen the amount of RV traffic as I see these days where I'm at. RVs are checking in/out of this park daily and it stays at maxed out capacity no matter how many new sites the owner adds - crazy.

I was visiting with a couple from Quebec yesterday about their trips here to FL (last 3 years). About to head to central FL from here in the panhandle a bit north of you (Apopka). Talked about them spending a month or two here then on down into southern FL a month or 2 at a time. I touched on costs and the lady (husband nodding in agreement) said she was a letter carrier for 32 years and had all the cold, snow etc. she was going to have and wasn't going back when it was cold - costs or not. In fact, she thought it was a little too cold here in the panhandle....

From my perch it appears that although there may be a few that are modifying plans most are just "grinning and bearing it" realizing a few things; "this too shall pass" as was mentioned, we don't get to call whether we're here tomorrow or not and we all only go round once in this life so need to make the most of it while we can.

[ChuckS]

Naw its like a lot of other things... Folks thought RVing was so cool and along with COVID lockdowns and restrictions they figured it was "just the thing" Needs a truck as well to tow the monster RV... so why not go for it..

Now folks are starting to realize that owning an RV takes upkeep or a lot of money to pay for the labor rates ( that are insane ).. plus the pong lead times to get repaired.

Add in the increased RV parks fees and now the inflated cost of fuel and it is not within the budget of many that are working, got kids, etc..

It ain't as neat of a thing and their budget blew up.. They gotta live so they will dump them .. and the overpriced trucks

We bought our Alpine in 2014. The 2007 GMC Duramax was already paid for.. So is the Alpine. I don't have to pay labor to get things fixed on the RV or the truck..

WE take care of what we buy and the RV will last as will the truck.. We will still RV and have two long trips to YNP this year..

Yes it used to cost me $65 a night at our favorite RV park.. Its now $105 a night.. I could care less..

We planned, we saved, we don't owe our backside to the banks, and we are enjoying life that my wife and I both worked our backsides off while raising three kids.. we worked for over 45 years each and we are both 68. Retired, enjoying life, being smart with our money and having a blast.

We. are blessed with great health..

I do marvel at the new 2022 GMC Denali and I look at the prices they are asking, look at our 2007 and just smile... last time we were out in Sep at an auto dealership helping one of our kids buy his first new truck ( 2022 Chevy Silverado ) the salespeople were going nuts trying to convince me that today was the day I needed to trade in the 2007 and get a new diesel.

Naw.. we passed. The kid got his first new truck ( he aint a kid at 38 but he is still our youngest) .. He was taught the cost of living and saved for 5 years.. we just were lucky to have a bit more to help him...

He told us after getting the new truck that he doesn't know where the heck some of these folks are getting the cash to pay for the rent, new cars, new furniture,etc'

We will continue to RV with our older truck and 2014 Alpine unit we can't physically do it anymore.. We hope that's about 20 years.. That would be something if we are still RVing at 88...

One thing is certain.. I will never buy an electric car or truck.. They can push that till the cows come home and it ain't gonna happen on my watch...

Wishing folks on here many great adventures, safe travels and good health..

FAM camps are also great but too much of a hassle for us since we both "carry" everywhere.. but they are a less expensive option.

Boon docking is great when the temps aren't over a 100 or 5 feet of snow on the ground like we get here in Idaho up in the Mtns.. I do enjoy having the Alpine parked right along the river in the tall pine trees up in the Mtns..