RV

THE PUNISHER

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Anyone in here use one for travel or vacation? I have a ambulance I converted to a “ camper van” and want more room for longer trips.

so any tips or advice for a newbie? My plan is about 5 years to get this project in motion while I still can enjoy it.
 
I love my RV. I drive it everywhere. It's a mobile hotel room that I can park anywhere.

How long is a longer trip? My RoadTrek Agile has plenty of room for weeks for two people. It's all about not wasting space bringing a bunch of crap that you won't actually use anyway.
 
We'll be getting another in the next 3 years too.

Not sure which way we'll go since we're down to just the 1 at home minion now. We did have a 27 footer that we loved for about 5 years, then we got too busy to use it and sold it.

Our plan is to figure out what we want, then build a 2nd garage to accommodate it and the rest of the toys, and once that is paid for then get the rv/camper/toy hauler... whatever it ends up being.
 
By the way, I'll have my RV at Battery Oaks next weekend if you are coming and want to check it out/discuss...
 
What’s the one to avoid? Any bad models or chassis? I’m a auto tech and love the GM (easy to fix because they all break) but the Ford 10 clyd engines are a real good choice. I would like a small class a or Ford transit van with the new power stoke engine.....
 
Several years ago LJ and I wanted to try one out so we rented a 32 footer (me, her and 30# Lucy) and set out with no particular destination in mind. For the first week it was new and novel and something we'd never done before and we mostly had fun. The second week was "okay" but more of the same. The 3 rd week it was becoming a PITA to move around in and we were stepping all over each other and I was missing my shop and the time I spend out there. I was hollering at Lucy to MOVE at lease 3-4 times a day and I was spending more time outside sitting in a chair than inside with "all the comforts".

I didn't give a rats azz if the mosquitoes and bugs carried me away, as long as it was away from HERE!! We never got any further than West Texas or any further north than PA and were gone a total of 25 days. We did see some different scenery and enjoyed the places along the way but I wanted to get HOME.

Summation, it's a nice "visitation" but I wouldn't want to LIVE there, (same way I feel about south FL.)

Moral to the story, we may travel like that again (for shorter periods of time) but I'll rent something, would never buy one. Advantage, something goes wrong or breaks, not my problem, I contact the owner and see how he wants to handle the plugged toilet or the bad breaker in the panel box, or the genset that won't start, or the refrig that decides this is a good time to quit, or the oven and cook top that goes out, or the sudden change in how the transmission is shifting, or......... you get the idea....... OH, and there was NOTHING I liked about dumping the damned waste tank!!!
 
go For it you'll have fun. Just be forwarded that the expense adds up fast. Things you don't think about like conditioning the roof, storage, and winterizing. While non of its terrible cost it adds up to what could be a hell of a nice hotel anywhere you want to go.
 
It’s different than a hotel and once you start doing it, you won’t want to stay in a hotel if you can help it.
 
Rented one. They're alright.

Nice to have some other form of transportation for dining, and smaller points of interest.
 
We love it. Have had camper shells, slide-in campers, Motorhomes and trailers.
Pick up and go when ever you want.
Our trailer now is 33' and sits at a campground in Cape Cod year round.
It would do you best if you have space at home for it. Keeping it in storage sucks.
The number one thing to watch out for is water leaks. Check all the cabinets for leaks in the corners.
Water is a mold and rot maker.
If you are buying used. Run from ones that have any musty smell or they have over perfumed.
 
I would love to see this, but I just checked out the prices.

Not on my salary...
Yep not new, on Craigslist they are a few around 10,000 to 40,000. They cost around 70,000 to 200,000 new...I let someone else take the hit.

One like mine would set you back $40-50k depending on condition. New the way it's set up, about $140k...
 
Also it would be used for long trips (1 maybe 2 months) out west even Alaska.

I could easily live in my RV. If I was single I definitely would... I have spent 3 weeks in a row in it with no issue. Planning on a big trip out West next year, likely for 2-3months. I'll be solo for most of it though with the ol'lady joining for a couple weeks and a buddy joining for a couple weeks.

As for Alaska, temperature is a consideration. Most commercial built RVs aren't freeze protected. The plumbing and tanks are exposed. Not an issue until you get down below 20° at night and don't get over freezing during the day without precautions.

I don't really care to travel in that sort of weather so I don't care and have no plans to adapt my RV.
 
One more thing... RVs aren't designed to hang out/live inside all the time. It really is like a mobile hotel room; a place to keep your stuff, clean up, and maybe eat/cook and relax a bit while traveling. I'll never understand the people who buy these monstrosity pull behind and Class As and just vacation IN THEIR RV, at an RV park. They may as well stay home and save their money... I like the freedom to do as I please with minimal planning for the trip. That way the journey is the destination. Can't do that if you go big...

YMMV...
 
Yeah my current rig is a glorified tent, somewhere to sleep in comfort and bad weather. I go to see and get out there, not ride by and see the typical tourist trap crap.
 
Yeah my current rig is a glorified tent, somewhere to sleep in comfort and bad weather. I go to see and get out there, not ride by and see the typical tourist trap crap.
How'd the ambulance turn out?
 
We had a pop-up camper for 16 years, my son grew up with some awesome vacations to places none of his classmates could match. Now I've had a 21' travel trailer for about 18 months. We've been on two three-week trips, one to Yellowstone and one to Louisiana & Texas. Camper and family got along great. May 2020 will likely be Colorado & New Mexico, maybe Utah, our last trip before the boy starts college.

I like a trailer because I can unhitch in a campground and then it's just the truck, so I can go into the back country and fish or hike. Here we are in the Badlands.
Badlands(21).JPG
 
Sounds like you're just about set up then... Maybe some solar on the roof and a roll up awning to expand your power and outdoor living comfort...

What else do you need in an RV?
I have one 100 watt panel (plan on 1 more) that is going on the roof and I have the materials for a roof rack for it .I would like some elbow and head room. It’s a 8x12 box with a 5 foot 8 inch height and me at 6-2 I have to turn my head a lot.
 
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I have one 100 watt panel (plan on 1 more) that is going on the roof and I have the materials for a roof rack for it .I would like some elbow and head room. It’s a 8x12 box with a 5 foot 8 inch height and me at 6-2 I have to turn my head a lot.

Gotcha. The headroom would be an issue for me long-term. The size, not so much. Of course I live in a tiny house. My whole house is 9x18, lol... I joke about my RV being my guest house...
 
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