Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

RV talk- owning or renting?

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
Considering selling the fifth wheel for an RV. Anyone use one? I priced renting one. $150-200/day (or more). Seems $0.35/mile is what they charge over the 100 miles per day allowed. Generator they allow 4hrs and then charge for every hour beyond. So if we go to Yellowstone we are looking at 11 days and 3200 miles just to get there and back. Plus sight seeing. Seems you can buy a decent one 18-22yrs old for $10-15k and up. I'm half considering buying one and renting it when we are not using it. Running a spreadsheet to see how it pans out. Just thinking out loud.

Looking for first hand experience of anyone who owns one or has used one. How big a pain are they to drive? Outside of general camper things and vehicle things to look at. . .anything else I should look for? I would check brakes, tires, belts, roof, look for leaks, and go over all the appliances/AC/generator/etc.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
I've rented one a few times and everything was great. Don't rent one here and tow it, rent one close to your destination. Some even offer free delivery within a certain distance. The last time we went to nates we rented one and had the guy drop it off. We rented a 36 footer and it was $114 per night with $20 per night insurance. We use RVshare.com. everything is taken care of through the site. Keep in mind that people can set their own price for amenities like you saw with the generator so make sure to check for BS fees like generator, gas usage, cleaning etc. I even saw one that wanted to charge 5 bucks a day to use their camp chairs, and 5 bucks to use the cornhole boards. BS, just keep looking. There are plenty of people on there who don't have those fees and simply list it at the daily price.

I wouldn't personally ever buy one if I can rent one that cheap. Yeah you can get an 18 year old camper for a decent price but it will come with it's own set of headaches. To me that's like buying a gas chevy with 190k miles on it. Even if it runs and everything works you know it's going to be a continual money pit of crap to fix. And from what I've seen, nothing in a camper is cheap or easy to fix. Unless you're going to be using it a ton just rent someone elses headache. For a $400 per month camper payment that's $4,800 per year. I can rent one every weekend for 4 months straight and break even without the maintenance headache and expenses to deal with.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
I am looking at Class A-C. Although Joe may have been referring to a motorhome. I'm entertaining the idea. I always said I would never own one. I am seeing some of the value in them. Hook to trailer and haul race trucks. Hook trailer and haul the Chevy II or Jeep. Tow bars for the wife's CRV to go behind it. Hauling the dog is doable with one easier than cramming the dog in back seat of truck with the kids. There are "some" perks.

All in all, I think we'd be better served putting a new awning on our fifth wheel, replacing the hot water heater, and just using it. I believe I have the wife talked out of heading west again. The kids want to hit the beach. I'd be fine with the Smokies. Sounds like we may do a few days in the Smokies and head on to the beach a few days. Ironically, neither one will involve a camper as it sounds like we will be sharing a cabin with her brother and his family in the Smokies. Guess I'll buy a roof carrier for the CRV and make it happen.

Eventually I would love a place somewhere between home and the Smokies. If we end up with a piece of ground we may end up going the RV route or maybe place our fifth wheel there permanently. Currently, it makes the most sense to keep plugging away, paying off the house, and keep creating more options. A couple sleeping bags and blow up mattress or a cot goes a long way in an enclosed trailer for me. Lord knows I've slept in worse conditions.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Being that you are a business man...you could always buy one and rent it out. Set it up so that it doesn’t cost you money, but makes you money.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Joe, you're not talking apples to apples with Phil. I believe Phil is looking at Classes A-C.

Ah. I was talking a trailer of Fifth-Wheel. I bet that a class A-C is even worse of a giant money sucking hole, especially at that age.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
We are going the $80 used Yakima cargo box on top of the CRV route for now. We will rent lodging. Shelf the RV idea for a later date.

@Jackalope we have a 2003 Fifth wheel. You are correct. Water heater quit. Okay. We shower at shower house. Toilet broke. No biggie. Shower house trip again. Needs an awning. Eh. . .maybe before our next trip. I'm at the point I am going to fix all three items and keep using it. Not a ton of use but the age gets you. Vents crack and get replaced. Caulking dries out and you touch it up. Things I anticipate. I'm certain I could expect the same on an RV PLUS an engine/transmission /drivetrain to go along with it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big_Holla and giles

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
We are going the $80 used Yakima cargo box on top of the CRV route for now. We will rent lodging. Shelf the RV idea for a later date.

@Jackalope we have a 2003 Fifth wheel. You are correct. Water heater quit. Okay. We shower at shower house. Toilet broke. No biggie. Shower house trip again. Needs an awning. Eh. . .maybe before our next trip. I'm at the point I am going to fix all three items and keep using it. Not a ton of use but the age gets you. Vents crack and get replaced. Caulking dries out and you touch it up. Things I anticipate. I'm certain I could expect the same on an RV PLUS an engine/transmission /drivetrain to go along with it.

You should be able to get some killer bed and breakfast deals along the way considering the state of travel and hospitality right now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hickslawns

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,290
212
North Central Ohio
Huh, I got paid to own my last one for 4yrs lol.

Its just a toy and I don't think owning one for making $, regardless of class, is a good idea.

Now if you owned one already or see that renting income as just extra spending $, by all means have at it if it floats your boat or fits your plan.

Same as a vehicle, I couldn't rent either out not knowing what is happening to it. Wound just a tit too tight for that lol.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Huh, I got paid to own my last one for 4yrs lol.

Its just a toy and I don't think owning one for making $, regardless of class, is a good idea.

Now if you owned one already or see that renting income as just extra spending $, by all means have at it if it floats your boat or fits your plan.

Same as a vehicle, I couldn't rent either out not knowing what is happening to it. Wound just a tit too tight for that lol.

$500 deposit for incidentals and fully insured. I bet most HOPE something happens. 😅👍
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
@Clay Showalter thanks for the link. I'm not seeing anything within 4-5hrs where i can pick one up. Bought a roof top carrier today for $80. Got the crossbars for the side rails already on the CRV for $90. Less than a tank of gas in an RV. lol We would have 3 days of driving to get to Yellowstone if my wife gets her way. Not that I don't want to see Yellowstone. I'm just not digging the drive. Then again, that will be part of the memories.

I'm not sure buying one to rent is a great plan either. Maybe if you are a large RV dealer? Not sure if you are the owner of one 15-20yr old RV it would be great. Maybe offset some of the cost of ownership. Possibly make some money. One blown transmission 2000 miles away from home and you just lost a year or two profit. lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5Cent and giles

Clay Showalter

Southern member northern landowner
6,400
145
Guilford County
You can get deals on tickets to fly to denver, well you used to be able to, then rent an RV and drive to yellowstone. Whatever you do the earlier in the year you to the better, I wonder how busy it will be
 
  • Like
Reactions: hickslawns