The good. You sleep on the same bed every night. You eat your own food and it is much less expensive and more healthy than eating out every meal. You meet the nicest people camping. You can go where you plan to go. If you don’t like your neighbor, move on. See the USA! It’s beautiful. Get a “senior pass” for $10, at any national park and get in any national park for free, for life. Best deal in government. We are planning our caravan to Alaska next summer! (thanks Mike McEvoy for the tips and blog on their trip to Alaska last summer).
The bad. You can’t cost justify any motorhome based on hotels, gas and food, unless you sell your house and go full time. The motorhome, big or small, gas or diesel, get about 10+/- mpg Sprinters will get up to 18mpg. Our Camry Hybrid gets about 40mpg!
So 1,000 miles, 100 gallons or $400, rounding everything. Maintenance, if done right, will cost $2-3,000 per year. Tires last about 5 to 7 years, @ about $500-700 EACH. Campgrounds average about $40 per night vs. $125 and up for a hotel.
Exercise. After 2 months on the road we are in need of an exercise routine. Sandy purchased a temporary YMCA pass in Ann Arbor for yoga and stationary bike. Just not enough classes and they were 15 miles away. It’s not like going up to the exercise center in our neighborhood in Arizona. My Achilles tendon injury is much better now so I can exercise/walk again. Bicycling is a good exercise but you have to watch out for crazy/distracted drivers on the road.
The Ugly. Repairs. You just think a repair on a luxury car is expensive! And repairs take a long time. If your motorhome is in the shop you have to find a place to live while it is being repaired. Also, you need to be a little handy with tools and small repairs. If you can’t turn a wrench or replace a light bulb then RVing will be a lot more difficult and expensive.
In short, it’s a Lifestyle Choice, pure and simple. Enjoy it.