Talk About a Change of Plans

Parallel

I have some acreage in Northwest Pennsylvania and I was contemplating building a small cabin there to use for a couple of weeks each summer and the occasional hunting/playing in the snow trip. I had determined that it would cost me about $30,000 to build the cabin and then of course my property taxes would skyrocket. So... I thought I would be clever and I decided that it would be better if I bought something like the toy hauler in the photos/link below. My thinking was that we could use it for when we traveled anywhere instead of only to NWPA.

Weekend Warrior 28WSA Toy Hauler

Well... then I discover the wonderful world of GVWR and GCWR so I find myself testing a Ford F250 Super Duty for a couple of days courtesy of the local Ford dealer. This one is a Lariat trim package and has way more bells and whistles than I would like (including leather which Mrs. Parallel hates), but it's a decent deal at about $50,000 for one with the crew cab and the 6.7 L Powerstroke Diesel engine.





Then I'm hearing that I don't REALLY want to tow that particular toy hauler with an F250, some are saying that I need at least an F350 and that an F450 would be better. Well, we have decided that it's just not worth the hassle much less the amount of $$ involved. For one thing I just can't stand having a vehicle loan now that I've been without one for nearly fifteen years. I had about half of what would have been needed to put down... but I still couldn't stomach the loan terms. Mrs Parallel made a salient point  a couple of nights ago that drove this decision; she said that if we bought this toy hauler and a truck capable of towing it we'd be working way more than we had to to pay for it and therefore wouldn't have the time to use it. This rings true to me and, as someone pointed out to me somewhere... you can stay a lot of nights in a Hotel for $100,000+.

So, I took the truck back and said thanks but no thanks and then I bought a new 2014 Triumph Scrambler to make me feel better.


So now the plan is to enjoy the scrambler, NOT build anything on the land, put enough money into my old Chevy Z-71 to make her a reliable toy hauler sans the travel trailer aspect and just LIVE LIFE instead of working to pay for stuff. Sounds like a good plan to me..

bud812

Sounds like a plan to me.

ads75

I've always liked the idea of a RV. But, like you said, that is a lot of hotel rooms. I don't think I would ever use one enough to justify it.

tksmoke

The idea of the open road and parking the RV/camper/trailer under the stars at some beautiful, isolated paradise doesn't exactly match the reality of RV parks, blasting tvs, generators, and stereos.  "Camping" with hundreds of your new best friends a few feet away isn't my idea of the grand getaway.  Plus I hate to drive.  Spending huge amounts on an RV that sits 99.7% of the time isn't in my playbook.  However, I have known folks who developed a successful RV lifestyle.  It just isn't me.

badinfluence

I have a class A motor home and yes I could get a lot of hotel rooms for the price. But at least this way I know who's a$$ has been on the toilet and who's done what on the mattress. .just saying

Mickey

When we retired in Feb talk centered around RV type units both trailer and smaller self contained. First we had to consider ""I"" AM NOT handy at all. Everyone that I know that has them are. Now at the time we did not own a vehicle of any kind and would have to get a good size truck to pull trailer (did I say I am not handy nor can I back up worth crap). We did like you and chose motels. I bought a Taco 4x4 in case we ever saw snow and Linda got a van to travel in for two of us. Works really good travel vehicle as now we don't even use luggage. Those good size plastic boxes in the back are large for each of us and just have a bag at night to take what you want into the motel. Money in the bank and used for travel. All I can say is however you do it get out there before one of you gets sick and can't anymore.

HDumptyEsq

@Parallel. Would you have to pay taxes on a tree house? Or maybe a Katrina cottage would be enough.

@Mickey. I've been following your peripatetic lifestyle since retirement and it sucks to buy a vehicle after a lifetime of company cars. But you seem to have figured it out nicely.

RAC

badinfluence said:

I have a class A motor home and yes I could get a lot of hotel rooms for the price. But at least this way I know who's a$$ has been on the toilet and who's done what on the mattress. .just saying

+1

grege345

I don't know why you'd need a 350 to pull a toy hauler. That diesel would have been just fine. I spent some time in NWPA the past to years. (Allegheny national forest) good times

badinfluence

grege345 said:

I don't know why you'd need a 350 to pull a toy hauler. That diesel would have been just fine. I spent some time in NWPA the past to years. (Allegheny national forest) good times

Depends on how heavy the trailer is. Just because the diesel engine can handle the trailer does not mean the chassis of the truck can handle the weight.

NPHuskerFL

I like toys B-). Sounds like a plan man.

Cookinbob

I figure $1.00 per mile for just the gas in an RV, then as @tksmoke said, you are in an RV park tightly parked with hundreds of neighbors. I'll take a hotel thanks, my wife carries clorox wipes for the toilet, and a sheet from home

badinfluence

Cookinbob said:

I figure $1.00 per mile for just the gas in an RV, then as @tksmoke said, you are in an RV park tightly parked with hundreds of neighbors. I'll take a hotel thanks, my wife carries clorox wipes for the toilet, and a sheet from home

So you are the only couple in the hotel eh?

Parallel

For those who have and enjoy an RV of some sort; don't get me wrong... I'd LOVE to have one. For us it's simple econamics that makes it a bad choice. If we had the cash for these things I'd pull the trigger in a heartbeat.

stemc33

@Parallel‌ it's amazing how quickly plans can change isn't? Not sure how the rules in PA are, but a lot of people across the country are using tiny houses to escape rules of codes and taxes. If you search the web for Tiny Houses you'll get lots of information. It might work for your acreage in PA.

I think your smart about thinking about the economics of the RV and truck. Even if you owned your truck and RV outright, it's still expensive. I was hell bent on trying to live full-time in a RV. Wife wasn't convinced. She just wants to stay in one place after moving all over with the military. We actually lived in a 30 foot trailer for a few months after I retired. Long story short, it just didn't work. I will say that there's lots of positives, like traveling with pets. Anyway, check out the Tiny House stuff. Might be a solution for you so you can enjoy your property.

Parallel

Thanks... Mrs Parallel has been showing me some of those. Perhaps we'll be able to do something long the lines of the tiny house strategy.