Samsonsworld wrote:

I don't want a 10 y/o car either. You might win the bet. I sincerely hope everything works out to your favor, if that's what you choose to do. BUT the older something gets, the more the odds are against you. You have a higher risk of substantial repair costs. It's just a fact of life. Things get old and break.

Lantley wrote:


Go tothe service dept. of any car dealer and you will find lots of new vehicles that are broke.
Newness does not equate to reliabilty. I have a 2003 car that is very reliable. I would not hesistate to drive it anywhere.
It has a proven track record and has been bulet proof so far.
If you maintain a well built car it will hold up and last 20 years easily.
The same can be said for an RV. My RV is 10 years old and while the paint is dull because the clear coat has worn, the RV still has lots of life in it. Keep in mind the clear coat was a poor quality RV finish that simply did not hold up.
Again maintenance is the key, Had I done no caulking or no leak fixing my bRV would have been toast years ago.
But with constant diligence and preventive maintenance it has lasted this long.
The question is do I dump 20K into it at some point to refurbish the entire thing or do I spend 60-80K on a new one?

Samsonsworld wrote:

Nobody wants my advice but I'll give it anyway.

Don't buy $60-80k rvs. The more you spend, the more you'll lose. It's like investing in a mobile home. It's generally a bad idea. If you have it to blow....more power to you.

There are bargain models out there, that are cheaper and sell better used, especially if they can be towed with smaller vehicles.

I don't care how well you maintain your 20 yo trailer...nobody wants to buy it except maybe for a deer lease. You won't get a lot of money. Then you get hit with the price of a new one with little to put down from the old. Sell 7-10 yo imo, depending how much you like your unit. Or keep it forever and good luck!

Lantley wrote:


I'm not really concerned with resale value on my unit. I'm more concerned with using the unit myself.
The only way to get value out of any RV is to use it.
If I can use my unit for 15-20 years I am getting good value out of it.
I am at the 10 year point but I am a long way from being done with my unit. I figure I have at least another 5 years to go.
Getting a lot of money for it when I'm done with it is not a priority for me. Using it for a long long time is the priority.
When I get ready to buy again it will most likely be new and factory ordered. With the options I want in the colors I want.
I will not be looking fora bargain unit that is made to someone elses liking. The wrong unit is not a bargain at any price.
My plan will be to keep that unit forever, long enough that resale is a low priority. Again I buy my rigs to use fully and frequently vs. being concerned with resale.
As long as I'm using my RV i am getting full value out of it.

Lantley wrote:


Go tothe service dept. of any car dealer and you will find lots of new vehicles that are broke.

If you maintain a well built car it will hold up and last 20 years easily.
The same can be said for an RV.

JimK-NY wrote:



None of this matches my experience or the reports I hear from others. First most new cars are quite reliable and don't have any need for initial repairs. My wife and I have 2015 cars that have required only oil changes, replacement wiper blades and replacement batteries. My 2018 truck has had a couple of oil changes and nothing else. That does not seem to be the case for RVs. New RVs always seem to have a list of items that need to be fixed due to poor design or quality of construction.

RVs often die due to leaks and water intrusion. Many are so poorly built that the seams crack open and water finds its way inside to create havoc. It can be an endless battle. I have never heard of a car leaking because it got rained on. That is true of a new car and one that is 50 years old. I suppose it is possible for a sun roof in a car to leak. That has never happened to me and I would not expect such a leak to destroy the whole car or result in major structural repairs.

A car typically is used daily and can run up hundreds of thousands of miles before it wears out. Most RVs only have some occasional use and still fall apart typically within 10 years or so. There is just no comparison with the quality of design, construction and overall longevity. I cannot imagine buying a car and finding it came with some cheap, Chinese tires that had a history of blowouts. I cannot imagine the need to inspect and caulk the car at least every year. I cannot imagine buying a car only to find that even empty the suspension and tires were already close to maximum load capacity. Sadly that is very frequently the case for RVs and is not something most new buyers would even think about. I cannot imagine buying a car only to find that the trunk keys were the same on every vehicle and the doors could easily be pried open with a screwdriver. I cannot imagine buying a car with plastic windows that are likely to leak and scratch if you look at them sideways.