It’s amazing how large a premium people will pay based on who owned a vehicle. It looks like the premium on the F450 was about $30,000.
I imagine the upkeep on an RV as big, nice, and old as that Airstream might approach $30,000 every year or two, if the new owner uses it as intended.
…unless it gets parked indoors and turned into a museum piece.
30k miles/yr for a camper is a absurd. We do a lot of camping (20+ times a year) and we’re lucky to get 5k miles a year. 30k/yr you’d have to do multiple cross country trips a year.
That was a typo. There should have been a dollar sign there. I fixed it.
And I still disagree with it. You’re not going to spend $30k every couple years on an Airstream. How’d you come up with that figure. There’s very little maintenance in a camping trailer. Brakes, Wheel bearings is the major expense and those aren’t very expensive.
Quelle surprise.
I’m basing that estimate on the high cost of RV maintenance in general, particularly a top-of-the-line expensive one like an Airstream that is too large to fit in the average garage.
People who own six figure RVs don’t typically DIY. They tend to go to RV dealership service departments where labor and parts are most expensive.
What parts are they replacing (or need replacing). We’re not talking about a RV that you can drive…but a trailer that sits most of the time. As I’ve stated I do a LOT of camping and I know several people who own Airstreams. If they put $1k in maintenance every 5 years - it’s a lot. Things in trailer campers just don’t wear out.
I think you are wrong and just guessing . Even if you have to pay to park it in a secured lot when not using it that might be 1200.00 a year . Post some facts to back up your big dollar claim.
If you store your RV outdoors, the roof needs resealed every year. The sealant is cheap, but on a big Airstream, it’s labor intensive to seal every seam.
With an RV that large and heavy, I wouldn’t run it with tires that are more than three years old, particularly if the RV is parked outdoors.
Then there is the unseen water penetration from above and below that leads to rotten plywood, requiring a new floor or some other labor intensive repair.
The most important factor is that maintenance costs on a vehicle tend to be proportional to its overall cost, and this is one expensive and old vehicle.
I almost forgot: All of the interior fixtures on an RV are lightweight, so they tend to be less durable than fixtures in our homes. The electronic appliances are subjected to the vibrations of a moving vehicle, and the propane system should be inspected and repaired regularly. An RV is kind of like a boat in this sense.
RV ownership has taught me that, unless I can store my RV in a garage or sheltered warehouse, I’m better off renting one than owning one.
I get it. You disagree. Can we agree to disagree and move on to more important things, like the price of tea in China?
You’re certainly entitled to your opinion, but not about what I think. Have a good day.
You don’t know what you’re talking about. The seals break down on an airstream over time…but it takes years if not decades. And the cost is a couple thousand…No where near the $30k every couple years you quoted.
Not as heavy as many trucks that run tires a lot longer then 3 years.
Based on your lack of knowledge you should rent an RV. You haven’t a clue as to the cost of ownership or general maintenance.
I’ve looked at storing my camper in a secured lot. Even one that’s in a building and climate controlled is less then $1,500 a year. And here in NH storage rentals (like realestate) is one of the highest in the nation.
I’m just going to drop this here and step away from you angry dudes for a while.
Once a year is considered a minimum, and it’s pretty standard.
These sites show what total nonsense the $30k every couple years maintenance figure is.
Annual upkeep and maintenance questions??? - Airstream Forums (airforums.com)
Average cost of annual maintenance for Airstream Interstate - Airstream Forums (airforums.com)
Here’s aver maintenance cost of other RV’s. Many share same components and same failure rates.
Annual RV Maintenance: Is it Worth the Price? | Maintain MY RV
How Much Does It Really Cost to Own an RV? - AxleAddict
If “The Clown” has other figures then please post. If not then just admit you were wrong.
All this over an estimate of maintenance costs on a 20-30 year-old RV?
This place is a lot more hostile than I anticipated. You have your fun arguing over petty stuff. I’m out of here.
Peace.
That’s NOT what you said.
Geez…Really???
I did not own an RV but I did own a box trailer designed to haul cars. I owned it a bit over 20 years, stored outside and sealed the roof… once! Never really had any leaks. Brakes got adjusted once a year at best and a few pumps of grease into my Bearing Buddies kept things happy.
About trailer tires, however, I could write a book! I learned a LOT about trailer tires on a heavy trailer. If you use trailer rated tires… Don’t! Just stop using them. They are awful. Most are speed rated for 65 mph and tend to explode the belts after 3-5 years no matter how many miles are on them even if you keep the speed down.
LT rated truck tires are better and carry load range E in the typical LT225/75/16 size. And are generally speed rated to 99 mph or more. Last longer. Cost far less in the long run.
Sealing the roof once a year would be ridiculous. You want to check the roof once a year, especially if it’s a rubber roof, to make sure it’s not leaking, but if you’re having to seal it every year it’s because you keep running into stuff.