19. Buying or Building Our Next RV. Let The Battle Begin

We saw this while walking the boardwalks around Old Faithful.

Before we talk about our next RV, let me bring you up to date on where we’ve been.

Kris and I just returned from a two week road trip. Traveling from our home in northern Wisconsin, we headed towards southern Idaho for Kris’ class reunion. This trip was never planned as a camping or RV trip. We’ve always planned on taking our car, a bright blue PT Cruiser GT convertible we call Bob.

There was so much to see on this trip. We tried our best to take in as much as we could. We saw Custer’s Battlefield, Yellowstone National Park, the Tetons, Cody, Wyoming and several more great sights. We even made it to Mount Rushmore during Sturgis, the big biking event. But that’s not what this post is about.

Our Next RV

As we mentioned in episode 18, we are currently without an RV of any kind. We sold the pickup and camper this spring. If and when it will be replaced has been a discussion we’ve been putting off. I have to confess, I haven’t been sure if Kris was as enthused to continue our camping adventures as I have been, but we had a few great conversations about it on our road trip.

What We Miss About RV Travel

After 5 nights in  hotels and 5 nights in a guest room, we’ve listed just a few the reasons we want another RV of some kind.

• Our own bed, every night. We can pick the mattress, blankets and mattress cover in an RV.
• Pillows. More pillows. We both sleep with two pillows. Of our 10 nights of lodging, only 2 nights were in rooms with 4 pillows.
• Coffee. Not decaf or half decaf. Not crappy hotel coffee. We love good coffee.
• Morning space. I don’t know how else to describe this, but even when staying with family, the RV in the driveway presents more freedom than a guest room. Whether it’s in-laws or grand kids, it’s nice to be up, dressed and into that second cup of coffee before you have to take on the rest of the world.
• Economics. With rooms ranging from $100 to $150 a night, and driving a turbocharged car that requires 92 octane fuel, we’d still come out ahead with a small RV.

The RV Battle Begins

After serious discussions about choices, options, and budget, we came up with a plan. Okay, 2 plans. We’ve seen dozens, maybe hundreds of class B motor homes. Most are built on Mercedes Sprinter vans and cost around $150,000. NOT HAPPENING! We will keep it affordable, simple and fun. We’ve decided on a camper van, but with a seriously lower budget. We’ve laid out the criteria for this next RV.

1. It will serve as a second vehicle, something I will drive to work and back.
2. Being apartment dwellers, it has to look good in the driveway.
3. We need a stove, running water, and a bathroom. Water heater and shower are still up for debate.
4. Room to take along a couple of grandchildren is a must.

The Battle Begins

The battle is the execution of the above plan. Kris and I are approaching this from different angles.

The Kris Plan

Start watching Craigslist, dealership trades and private party advertisements. Take our time and cherry-pick that exact camper van to fit our needs.

I have to admit, it’s a good plan. If we take our time and stay focused, we’ll find that used RV of our dreams, and it won’t break the bank.

The Tom Plan

Buy a nice used van, a longer model. Something like a 15 passenger van. Chuck the back seats and build an RV. Not some cheap camper with a water bottle and plastic totes. I want to build something with a nice bed, a bathroom, a kitchen and eating area, and real cabinets. Something to be proud of.

You’ll have to catch the podcast to hear all of the discussion, and we really haven’t arrived at a decision. It will make for some fun episodes though.

We Want To Hear From You

Have you ever built or rebuilt your own RV? What are your thoughts on our plans? Let us know what you think.

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