RV or travel trailer gives freedom for camping and buying a new one is a dream for many. RV’s like class A are one of the most costliest vehicles that hit the road. Because of their high costs, many opt for travel trailers that are less costly. The average cost of rv varies a lot and depends on many factors. Lets see average cost of class A rv, travel trailers and other rv’s with recent examples.
RV’s prices vary a lot, on an average a new rv costs between $20,000 to $150,000. Class A RV are the costliest ones, where as travel trailers are budget priced. Fifth wheels too are towable, but they cost much more than travel trailers.
Lets walk through the summary about how much do every type of RV costs on an average.
- Class A Motorhome : $80,000 to $200,000
- Class C Motorhome : $50,000 to $90,000
- Class B Motorhome : $40,000 to $70,000
- Travel Trailer : $12,000 to $40,000
- Fifth Wheel : $20,000 to $50,000
- Pop Up Camper : $9,000 t0 $20,000
- Truck Camper : $5,000 to $18,000
Average cost of buying a brand new Class A motorhome
Class A motorhome are among the most costly vehicles that run on road. They are the costliest motorhomes and come with abundance of amenities. Class A rv are huge and mostly cater to the needs of those who can afford high end rv’s. Class A rv’s are very long, wide and bigger in height. On an average they tend to be more than 35 feet long and 10 feet in height. Their prices vary a lot and depends on the floorplans, amenities, brand and model year. You get big queen size bed, full kitchen, spacious living area, full bathroom with good shower and bath area in class A rv.
On an average a class A motorhome is priced in between $80,000 to 200,000. Most popular class A rv’s fall in this range. Other wise their prices can be up and above $200,000 as well which can go as high as $500000. With prices above $200,000 you can expect amenities that are much more, the best quality, very much more room for sleeping and living. A popular priced class A rv under $200,000 will have amenities and space that’s above and better than class C or class B rv.
Overall all class A rv on an average are considered luxurious and spacious. We can see number of example of different class A rv’s , of different brands, model year to understand how they are priced. A class A motorhome is a big vehicle, which comes at a big money and should be considered as long term investment.
- 2016 Winnebago Adventurer 32D : $143,000
- 2018 Jayco Precept 29V : $150,000
- 2018 Jayco Alante 31R : $133,000
- 2019 Winnebago Sunstar LX 35F : $177,000
- 2018 Jayco Alante 31P : $130,000
- Winnebago Intent 26M year 2018 : $115,000
- 2018 Winnebago Intent 31P : $120,000
- Newmar King Aire 4531 Luxury year 2018 : $900,000
- Newmar Dutch Star 3718 Diesel year 2018 : $356,000
- 2014 Thor Motor Coach Hurricane 27K : $77000
- 2015 Thor Motor Coach Windsport 27K : $83,000
- 2012 Coachmen Sportscoach Cross Country RD 385DS : $115,000
- 2012 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 43 DFT : $200,000
- Newmar Ventana 4369 year 2019 : $368,000
- Tiffin Motorhomes Allegro 32SA year 2019 : $175,000
- Fleetwood Southwind year 2019 : $170,000
- Fleetwood Rv Pace Arrow LXE 38N year 2019 : $216,000
How much do used class A RV’s cost
A class A motorhome depreciates at high rate and this can be tough to digest as you spend so much. But, that can also be good thing for those who want to or prefer to buy second hand used rv. Lets see some of the examples of old used rv’s prices,
- 2006 Holiday Rambler Ambassador 40PLQ : $79,000
- 2004 Tiffin Allegro : $75,000
- 2002 Itasca Horizon 36LD : $45,000
- 2001 Fleetwood Discovery 36T : $36,000
- 2001 Monaco Executive 43DS : $50,000
- 1998 Monaco Windsor 38 : $26,500
- 2016 Fleetwood Excursion 33D : $144,600
- 2010 Tiffin Allegro Bus : $154,000
- 2014 Thor Motor Coach Tuscany XTE 40GQ : $139,000
A class A rv depreciates at a rate of 50% at around 7 years. Buyers can take advantage of this and go for used ones, but you need to be extremely careful while choosing a used one.
How much is the average cost of a class C RV
Class C rv’s are the scaled down versions of class A rv’s. They are smaller in comparison to the higher end class A motorhomes, but are larger than class B rv. A class C rv can be a good match for couples or smaller families. A class C rv comes at an average cost that lies in between $50,000 to $90,000 for most popular models. The prices go up as you add in more amenities and choose better and spacious floor-plans.
Class C rv’s have lengths that are lesser than class A and tend to be in between 22 feet to 35 feet for most popular RV’s. Like their higher end peers, the class C also depreciates and on an average they depreciate at 35% in 5 years and close to 60% in 10 years. Still in terms of depreciation they do better than class A. Class C rv’s prices also depends on model, brand, floor-plans and year of manufacturing. Lets have a look at various class c rv prices to understand how much they are really priced.
- 2018 Entegra Coach Esteem 29V : $140,000
- Entegra Coach Esteem 30X year 2018 : $140,500
- 2019 Entegra Coach Odyssey 29V : $108,400
- Forest River RV Sunseeker TS 2390 year 2018 : $70,000
- Gulf Stream RV Conquest Class C 6316 year 2018 : $67,700
- Holiday Rambler Altera 25G year 2018 : $69,300
- 2018 Holiday Rambler Vesta 30D : $95,650
- Thor Motor Coach Four Winds 22B year 2019 : $91,200
- 2019 Thor Motor Coach Four Winds 26B : $79,000
- 2018 Entegra Coach Qwest 24K : $148,000
- Holiday Rambler Prodigy 24A year 2018 : $94,000
Cost of used Class C RV’s
Prices for class c rv’s are lesser than class A rv, however they are beyond $50,000 and they also depreciate much thus a second hand class c rv can also be a good deal. Lets some example of used class C rv to understand better.
- 2008 Coachmen RV Freedom Elite 31S : $49,900
- 2017 Coachmen RV Freelander 21RS Ford 350 : $63,990
- 2018 Coachmen RV Leprechaun 220QB Ford 350 : $59,700
- 2005 Fleetwood RV Jamboree 31K : $29,000
- 1988 Fleetwood RV Tioga 27P : $ 15,950
- 2005 Four Winds RV Siesta 24BB : $29,000
- 2007 ITASCA SPIRIT 31C : $40,100
- 2016 Jayco Greyhawk 31FK : $77,800
- 2018 Thor Motor Coach Four Winds 30D : $74,000
You can buy a class C rv of yesteryear at as low as $10,000 , but can that be a good deal? it all depends. An old used rv can be a good option provided it is well maintained. Else, if the rv was not properly judged then you will just burn the spending on a lemon. Before buying a used class C rv make sure you do a thorough checking, as otherwise spending on used rv can be a complete waste of money.
Class B motorhome average cost
Class B rv are often called as camper van, they are mini sized vehicles modified into a recreational vehicles. They are much smaller in comparison to class A or class C motorhomes. Amenities present in class B are almost negligible when you compare it with class A or even class C vehicles. A class B rv is much cheaper as compared to other motorhomes and is normally priced n between $40,000 to $70,000 or even more.
A diesel engine class B motorhome are more costly than the gas ones. They are smaller in length and range in between 15 feet to 25 feet. Since they don’t generally have good amenities, they are not suited for full time or even for longer stays. A solo camper or a couple can camp using class B but it generally becomes difficult without much things in it. A adventurer who manages with little amenities can be a good match for class B rv’s. Class B rv’s are also less wide and can be a good fit for narrow roads, mountains. Class B rv’s are normally seen to have less buyers since they are not equipped with much things needed for camping.
More people buy higher end version of motorhomes thus manufacturer are less kin on building class B motorhomes in general. With class B rv you get an advantage of using normal or regular garage for storage. Also maneuvering them is easy and you can almost use them as a car, which is not possible in case of class A or class C rv.
Lets see some of the example of used class B rv prices:
- Winnebago Travato 59K year 2019 : $81,300
- Gulf Stream 5210B year 2019 : $76,000
- Roadtrek Simplicity SRT year 2019 : $82,000
- 2018 Ehgna Hymer Aktiv 2.0 : $89,800
- 2018 ERWIN HYMER GROUP SUNLIGHT V2 : $75,870
Class B motorhomes are suited for 2-3 people. With this you may get a single bed or a couch cum bed kind of set up. The storage also is less with class B rv’s. Which means you need to be light weight with packing when going out in class B rv. It will have a smaller kitchen and shower toilet will come as combined or at time may well be absent. It comes with things that may not be sufficient for most of the people and thus they are not so popular as compared to their counterparts.
Travel trailer average cost price
A travel trailer has a high depreciation and thus you need to be careful in choosing one. Its an investment not as high as a class c rv or class A rv. But its a sizable amount and you need to compare prices before buying it. A travel trailer cannot run on its own and you need a car to pull it. That’s a disadvantage as you are depended on the car for it. But, it comes at prices which are significantly lower than other rv’s and that can be a plus point for them.
Many people opt for travel trailer as it can be a good fit for family of 4-5 or more with a price range that’s within budget for many. A new travel trailer can bought at a price range of $12,000 to $40,000. A typical travel trailer with moderate size comes at a price mid range of around $25,000. You will also find travel trailer that cost in excess of $50,000. It also depends on the size you get, kind of amenities you pack in and also the floor plan, layout. A travel trailer can have length in between 15 feet to as high as 40 feet. But, having a lengthy travel trailer can be additional pain for your car or suv or small truck.Lets see some examples of new travel trailer prices.
- HEARTLAND PIONEER RB180 Year 2018: $13,900
- STARCRAFT AVALON 18BHS model year 2019 : $15,480
- STARCRAFT SATELLITE 16KS year 2018 : $15,700
- COLEMAN COLEMAN LIGHT LX 1705RB year 2018 : $16,790
- STARCRAFT SATELLITE 17RB year 2019 : $18,000
- KEYSTONE BULLET CROSSFIRE 2200BH year 2018 : $19,700
- HEARTLAND PIONEER RK280 year 2019 : $24,990
- COLEMAN COLEMAN LIGHT 2405BH year 2019 : $26,000
- DUTCHMEN ATLAS 2922BH model year 2019 : $32,800
- STARCRAFT SATELLITE 16KS year 2018 : $15,800
- FOREST RIVER WILDWOOD X-LITE 241BHXL year 2018 : $23,000
- FOREST RIVER WILDWOOD 27REI year 2018 : $30,000
- KEYSTONE IMPACT 3118 year 2018 : $39,800
Average cost of buying a used travel trailer
A use travel trailer can also be a good deal. Since the depreciation is high in travel trailer, one can take advantage of this can go for a used one for less price. A travel trailer depreciates around 35% in five years and around 75% or more in nearly 10 years. Lets see some example of used travel trailer prices.
- 2012 HOLIDAY RAMBLER ALUMA-LITE 2075 : $15,800
- FOREST RIVER WILDWOOD 191RDXL year 2016 : $16,000
- 2016 PACIFIC COACHWORKS NORTHLAND 25RK : $19,000
- 2017 HEARTLAND TRAIL RUNNER 30USBH : $ 21,900
- FOREST RIVER WILDCAT 30DBH year 2017 : $33,000
- 2014 CHEROKEE WOLF PUP 22BP : $13,500
- 2015 KEYSTONE PASSPORT 2920BH : $18,900
- STARCRAFT AUTUMN RIDGE 28QBS year 2017 : $23,000
- 2018 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT 265BHX : $26,600
A travel trailer nearly 2-3 years old can also be a good buy, it depreciates at around 20-30% in first 3-4 years. A lot depends on the maintenance and usage of the travel trailer though. Typical Travel trailer normally comes with a bed, table, small kitchen area. With larger lengths you will get extra bed, more space but also the price will increase. Travel trailer driving can also be tough since you are not driving it directly but towing it. Specially, for new people it becomes a challenge. Backing, braking can seem complex for first timers or newbies.
Is used rv a better option ?
Not always. All rv’s come at price that can be much for many people. A class A rv or class C rv in 6 figures can be too much at times. As we already saw that almost all of the rv’s depreciate highly, it could be a good deal to buy a second hand or used rv. Going for a second hand used rv can however be risky at times as you may end up having a bad one. A not so maintained old rv can become a source of money eater for both maintenance and fuel. A rv normally need maintenance with good schedule else it can deteriorate to a extent that can lead to it being almost useless.
Buying used rv need careful examining, a experience person can quickly tell if its bad one or not. If you don’t have much experience in buying second hand or pre owned rv then its good to take advice from a one who has done that before. There are number of rules that you need to follow before making the deal. Here are some quick rules that you should follow,
- Don’t buy it without physically seeing it and closely examine it inside out
- test drive for some miles
- try sleeping inside the rv for some time.
- smell it inside for odor
- check tires for worn out
- Thoroughly examine the ceiling
- Check for molds
- Make sure roof is intact and not broken and well taken care of
- Inspect floor for breaks, dirt
- Check walls for cracks and breaks
Buying rv’s from dealers should be done carefully and make sure you buy from trusted ones only. Its a money invested and you should not regret it later. Spotting the damages in rv is an art and not all can figure it out. A rv can damage, its walls can break, roof leak quickly. A one days heavy snow can be enough to make it useless. Apart from making self inspection make sure you ask lots of question to the owner. Get all the doubts clear before going ahead. If you are able to identify a better rv with a cost that’s good enough then a pre owned or used rv can be a better deal then going for a new one.
Is renting a rv rather than buying a viable option ?
Renting a rv can be a wise thing, provided you don’t use it too often. Those who need rv very less number of times during a years time can opt out of buying a new rv and rather go for renting it out as per need. You will find lots of dealers renting out rv’s and at better prices. It can be of great convenience to rent a rv and use it as per your need. Many people use rented rv as an alternative for hotels too. It can make your cost per night much lesser. A rv can be rented at prices as low as $100 per night. That comes to around $1000 per week.
Apart from a days rental fee you also pay for per mile prices which is generally less than 50 cents per mile. Getting a hotel at that prices in good place can be tough. A rv not only allows you too cook food but also allows for good sleeping and adventure. People who already own a rv also rent rv’s when they move to a different location for holidays as Renting a car, paying for hotel together can increase your spending. And thus renting out a compact rv that serves for both needs can be a wise thing to do. A rented rv can be a great thing to do. Renting a rv has been of great help to many people who want to travel and see places. It allows for freedom, adventure at prices that remain within budget.
Considering the convenience of renting a rv, one can skip buying new one. However, it totally depends on your usage. A owned rv also need to be maintained and its your responsibility to keep it in good condition all the while. A rented rv is something that you take for a weeks time or more, use it and return back. A physical vehicle lying in your garage will always need a look once in while at least. A owned rv will need storage, covering during off season, which means additional costs.
# Pros and cons of owning a rv
Owning a rv has both pros and cons. A lot depends on what kind of person you are and your rv usage. Its a very common question among those you haven’t bought the rv yet “should i buy a rv or not?”. Owning a rv obviously gives a freedom of travel, adventure and much more. Owning a travel trailer or any motorhome is always exciting and even a thought of buying can be amazing feeling. Lets see the pros and cons of owing a new or used rv or motorhome,
Pros of owning a RV
1. You get good mobility, freedom of travel. You can go wherever you want and camp at your favorite campsite. Cook your favorite meal, sleep, travel at the same time.
2. Feeling home even when you are miles away from actual home.
3. Expenses of vacation are reduced. With a rv with you, you can avoid expensive hotel stays. Restaurant bills can be avoided.
4. A great adventure for you and your family/friends
Cons of owning a rv
1. Initial cost is high, you may spend more than 50,000 upto 1,50,000 to buy a normal good rv.
2. Maintenance cost can be high. Repair, replacement needs significant additional money.
3. Storage of rv during winter can be a pain and additional costs
4. Garage need to be specially built.
5. Fuel costs can be higher, a mileage of 10 mpg or even less can be a pain at times.
6. Parking a rv can be tough and at times finding the parking slot is difficult.
Other costs involved in owning a rv
Buying a rv is great but you need to be aware that once you own a rv, your other expenses related to rv cannot be neglected. There are few things you need to keep in mind while budgeting if you own a rv already. Its a big vehicle that needs significant spending on gas, maintenance, repair, and other things. Once you buy a brand new rv, its kind of necessary that you shop for accessories that will not come in built-in in the rv. Plus, you may also want to change few things in the rv as per your family needs. Setting up the kitchen in the rv is gong to be your first priority. Lets see what all thing you will need to shop or spend once you bring home a 30 feet rv or travel trailer.
# Spending on RV Accessories
Generator – You will need a generator, shop for a generator that is compact and quite.
Hoses – 2 hoses, one for fresh water and other for grey water for your travel trailer rv. You may want to shop for this keeping in mind that you have proper colour coding for both, so that you don’t mix up grey water for fresh water.
Water tank valve – A filler valve for your fresh water tank
Water pressure regulator – Shop this so as to make sure you don’t blow your water system on your trailer. At campground you may not have water pressure that are ideal for your rv and hence having this not so costly device can come handy.
First aid kit – a necessary thing for you to have. Make sure you keep it updated every time you head out for camping.
Electric equipment – You may want to have some electrical equipment like 50 amp to 30 amp converter, extension cords, adapter for 30 amp to 15 amp. While these things may not be needed all the times, but its better to have them as you never know when the need will arise.
Leveling blocks – a rv should always be leveled as otherwise you may face lots of problems. A hydraulic leveling jacks is great but not all rv’s will have these. If the rv is not equipped with the automatic once then go for manual blocks for leveling.
Toilet and shower accessories – Equip your bathroom with all accessories and necessary things.
Kitchen set up – You will need to set up the rv kitchen with all items necessary for cooking and dining. Remember rv kitchen is much different then your home kitchen and you may not substitute items from your home kitchen into your rv or travel trailer kitchen. Buy things that are multi use and innovative (this will save space and weight)
How much is the maintenance cost of rv
Bigger the vehicle, higher is the repair or maintenance cost. A 40 feet rv is obviously going to cost you much for maintenance. A bigger dealer who provides services for maintenance and repair of rv will easily charge you around $120-$180 per hour. A smaller dealer however will not charge so much but trusting them is also up-to you, they may charge you around $50-$80 per hour. You can also find dealers that charge fixed price. Replacing parts in a rv is also another cost involved. Typically some of the things that you end up replacing includes television, refrigerator, air conditioner, generator, inverter,tires, and other accessories.
Replacing a Refrigerator can cost you around $1000-$1200, getting a new tire on an average will cost your $330. An inverter can cost you around $2000. People replace rv parts and amenities on regular basis and its a big business for many dealers. One can shop for rv replacement parts, accessories on Walmart, craigslist and other local stores.
A rv in general is a luxury thing to own and thus its expenses of repair and maintenance are also. high Remember doing this is important as the rv’s depreciate highly and with less maintenance, repair, replacement it will depreciate further. It is important to understand these expenses beforehand as otherwise it will be difficult to manage the expenses. A good thing one can do is take insurance that covers repair and replacement. Many people opt for good sam club offer that covers warranty for replacement, repair costs. Its a good deal if you believe maintenance and repair of rv will cost you in future.
# RV storage and garage
A rv needs a garage that should be sufficiently big enough to accommodate. Thus you should plan for this before owning a rv. Also, if you don’t have a good garage for storage during winter then you can opt for renting a storage area that will be priced around $100-$150 per month with sufficient protection. You can also find places for storage at much cheaper rates but may not be that secure for your rv’s protection. Also, it will depend on the size of your rv, state or city where you are located.
# Insurance Cost
Insuring a rv is much more important than people think. A rv insurance can come at prices that vary a lot. You can get a yearly deal that could be at $100 per year or more than $500 per year. It totally depends on what kind of rv you have. A travel trailer insurance is cheaper in comparison to class C or class A rv. The insurance cost depends on several other factors like you driving record, your gender and age, usage of your rv (whether only for vacation or full time), and most important – credit score. One can also go for extra coverage as per need(like roadside assistance, vacation liability, trip insurance etc).
# Full time rving – costs
Many people around united states opt for Rving full time. Housing prices in many states have risen sharply and that is the reason why people opt for full time rving. I myself live in California’s bay area, its unimaginable how much houses are going for. A 2 million home is definitely too much, but that the reality in bay area now. Buying a new rv is the best option if the plan is to go full time. Many couples live in rv’s along with their kids. Apart from the above costs once has to also consider costs for below,
Fuel cost – on an average a rv gives around 10 miles per gallon, considering this low average one has to plan for the fuel costs.
Laundry – a rv will generally not have cloths washing machine and thus need to plan for laundry bills
Internet – Since you will be continuously moving through days you need internet connection that is portable, which will be little more costly than the wired ones.
Entertainment – Apart from camping in campground you may want to take tours, and other activities during your travel.
Food – Your day to day food costs
Health insurance – this is a must for all citizens but as a full time rver you need to be more careful with this.
Rving full time can be a great option for those who want to save on normal housing across country and at the same time want to live a different life full of adventure and activities. This kind of lifestyle however may not for all, specially these with kids and other responsibilities.
