Pros & Cons on Motor Home Ownership
Family vacations are a time to explore new places and spend time together, but they can also be expensive, uncomfortable ordeals. Motorized recreational vehicles (RVs), or motor homes, offer one option for traveling. Some families find motor home ownership a much superior alternative to staying in hotels or owning a towable RV, but others find the experience lacking.
Other People Are Reading
-
Costs
-
Motor homes represent a major expense, both in terms of the initial purchase price and other, ongoing costs. According to Roadtrip America, a small, used motor home can cost just a few thousand dollars, but larger luxury models approach $1 million. Every motor home will also require periodic maintenance and repair. Motor homes also consume gas at a much higher rate than cars, making them more expensive to drive over long distances. Finally, motor homes require owners to pay for camp sites when they travel and, in some cases, for storage costs during the off-season.
Savings
-
Despite their high potential cost, motor homes can actually represent a savings for owners. Compared to the price of airfare, hotels and rental cars, a motor home vacation to low-cost camp sites can be substantially less in many cases. Motor homes also allow you to prepare your own food instead of buying prepared food at restaurants, saving you money and allowing you to take more control over your family's diet. Finally, a motor home represents equity; if you ever sell it, you'll earn back a portion of what it cost.
-
Complicated Buying Process
-
Even a modestly priced motor home represents a major purchase, and the buying process can be complicated. There many different types of motor homes to choose from, ranging from large, square Class A motor homes to smaller Class B and Class C models, which use conventional van and truck frames and are easier to maneuver and park, but feature less interior space. Once you select the best motor home for your family, you'll still need to work out a financing arrangement with the dealer to pay for it.
Ease of Use
-
Motor homes are easier to drive and park than towable RVs. Because they combine the engine and drive mechanism with the living quarters, they are a simplified solution to owning an RV. There's no need to buy a truck for towing, as with a towable RV. When you travel with a motor home, you'll have all of your supplies and personal items with you at all times, so there's no risk of leaving things behind at a hotel or forgetting things when you go out for the day. Finally, every time you travel with a motor home you'll already know how to use the appliances that are part of your rig, eliminating the need to learn the nuances of a rental car or rented hotel room.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit rv image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
