How many of the Newbies will be around in a year?

[Gaucho]

Originally Posted by Camped49

The pandemic made me take the jump to getting a B class and I suspect there are many like me who have just jumped into the B life.

Count me as among the n00bs.

Although I have been planning to do this for 2 years now, events keep preceding me which cause society to keep stealing my moves! I sold my city condo and my plan has been to go fulltime while I tour the Southeast until I get sick of RVing or I find real estate somewhere I like to settle down. So, first, the RV market took off (and crowding the campgrounds), and now people are fleeing to places that I wanted to look at for homes (raising their prices)

I am pretty unfamiliar with the Southeast, and doing the vanlife will allow me to check out areas with no pressure to buy while also experiencing locales over multiple seasons.

[themexicandoctor]

Class B owners are a cultured group for the most psrt.

Cultured & learned as to what they need & what they can live without. They usually always had a Class B or a Van with few amenities of which they have traded out of, or, a Class C or A which was just too much rig.

The Magic of Class B Ownership is that I always feel like a Newbie?;

Experiencing the pitfalls & pleasures of a House on Wheels you can pick the Grandkids up in & spend the day at the beach, enjoy a cooked lunch on site, take a nap, shower & shave & then drive back home without ever thinking about standing in line, to use anything Public.

And then hitting something on the road on the way & crawling underneath the rig with a mask over your mouth (before Covid), & glasses over your eyes as you search with the flashlight to see where that drio is coming from;

PTrap - no problem
Engine - problem
Grey tank - not the end of the world
Black Tank - big problem

[Tim R.]

We have been looking from before COVID. We just found our 1997 Pleasure Way and plan to keep it for a while. We have a lot of experience living/traveling in small spaces. Lived aboard a 40ft sailboat for nearly 7 years In Maine and spent a year full time cruising from Cape Breton Island to the Bahamas. Now we plan to spend some time land cruising.

[themexicandoctor]

Originally Posted by Tim R.

We have been looking from before COVID. We just found our 1997 Pleasure Way and plan to keep it for a while. We have a lot of experience living/traveling in small spaces. Lived aboard a 40ft sailboat for nearly 7 years In Maine and spent a year full time cruising from Cape Breton Island to the Bahamas. Now we plan to spend some time land cruising.

Perfect Newbie.

There is sometimes a light dose of harmless elitism here.

You will get used to it.

Enjoy your experiences!

After all, Mariners are the ultimate Class B individuals ...

[Theputnams515]

We plan on using ours as a hike and ski base camp. We plan to.boondock with it and are trying to outfit it for that.

We don't like having to drive back and forth daily to ski and spend time in the mountains, this rig fits our needs soni think we will keep it for a while.

Especially once we can get outfitted to get the wrangler in towd.

Having a wrangler and many items that go bang im used to elitist forums lol

[Tim R.]

Originally Posted by themexicandoctor

Perfect Newbie.

There is sometimes a light dose of harmless elitism here.

You will get used to it.

Enjoy your experiences!

After all, Mariners are the ultimate Class B individuals ...

Thanks

Class B elitism? I doubt they can top the elitism I have experienced in the "yachting" community.

[Phild]

I am counting on a pretty large sell-off in about three years. I figure it will take another year for the virus to stabilize, a year for people to start having the expense of an RV and getting little use and finally the realization that it will be better to sell than have a depreciating expense getting little use. Just my theory and what I am saving for now.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by Phild

I am counting on a pretty large sell-off in about three years. I figure it will take another year for the virus to stabilize, a year for people to start having the expense of an RV and getting little use and finally the realization that it will be better to sell than have a depreciating expense getting little use. Just my theory and what I am saving for now.

Welcome to the forum Phild!

You're probably right in that the selloff will come, but not next Summer as some predict. Most likely in the 2-3 years that you predict as many who've made such a big investment in their rv are reluctant to admit they weren't able to use it as much as they expected.

[booster]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

You're probably right in that the selloff will come, but not next Summer as some predict. Most likely in the 2-3 years that you predict as many who've made such a big investment in their rv are reluctant to admit they weren't able to use it as much as they expected.

Could be either way I think, and may even be two waves of selling with the first wave being those that bought and financed and the second those that paid the van off and probably less invested. Holding on to a big payment when it isn't being used would be a big incentive to sell, and by then they will probably want to take cruise or something else.

[Beachlife]

Originally Posted by Doneworking

This is a forum for Bs. My original post and question, however, indicated the fact that Newbies are buying Bs and lots of Cs. They also are buying a ton of trailers and a few Class A rigs as well.

We will certainly pick up a goodly number of permanent fellow B'ers in this new purchase group, but I really wonder about about the C's and trailers as well. B's are multi use vehicles and the other categories are pretty well singular in use. Also, their storage requirements are different.

One of the truly compelling things about a B is that just about anyone can drive, park and generally handle them. Not everyone can successfully pull a trailer, understand load distribution, hitch equipment for control, towing capacities (especially of SUVs) and so on. A C is generally much easier to work on than a B because access to systems is generally better. But, you don't run to the grocery store in one do you?

When winter storage time gets here I wonder how many Newbies have thought through what you do with your new toy in freezing weather. I wonder how many of the purchases will really stick, not just on B's but on all types of recreational vehicles. And if you are not "handy" working on your own stuff, we all know how far behind schedule rv service places are right now and probably will be in the future.

Time will tell and next summer, we probably will know the answer.

Well said and the RV market is crazy now. I see this as a fad. Enjoying and using a RV often is far different from just doing weekends (perfect for retirement of two). We bought a new Class B last year, and I really like all the things you mention (parking and daily use) and YES I keep it in my driveway tucked along a fence. I can do adjustments, provisioning, and cleaning without making a all day event. I live in Florida so Winter only means more snowbirds. LOL I am told by friends who are thinking about Class B's they are waiting until the market floods just like boats. I thought about selling my boat, but I cannot replace it so I would only say with things/toys take time and maintenance. Enjoy and explore.

[Keyne]

Interesting that RV's are so popular. For us we have done the opposite. This is our 4th year with the RV and we haven't camped once due to COVID. We live in the North East so we camp in campgrounds. My wife has an auto-immune disease so high risk for issues with COVID. As a result, we have been very risk averse with travel and exposure. Hearing friend's experience at campgrounds we frequent were too risky for us (some masks, not a lot of distance, lots of people, etc.), and a lot were closed to out of state campers most of the season. Hopefully next year we can get out and enjoy it all again.

[themexicandoctor]

I have a good friend who lives in Hawaii* & his plan was to;

1. Grab a smoking deal on a Class A, C or 5th Wheel in California around September when Winter was coming

2. That by then the Banks would be paying you to use Credit

3. That dealers would be paying you to take inventory off thier lots

4. Or at the huge foreclosure auctions of new RV type dealers

5. Etc, etc

*a Class A is a huge Status Symbol on Oahu

[Texasnielsen]

Not new to either the RV or camping world but new to Class Bs.
Funny as I was just discussing this topic with my wife over dinner the other day. From the questions and comments I see on other forums I suspect there will be a lot of turnover in the next 12-24 months. Similar to the boat, bike and frankly new designer dog scenarios described on earlier posts.
Many people see or read about something, envisioning themselves as that swanky model in the ad. As we all know it doesn’t take long for the realization of costs to set in for all of the many subjects (maintenance, storage, “mandatory” upgrades &#128521 and so on. The complexity of the new vehicles are certainly not the same as my 1974 Ford E100 was.

So, like most things nowadays that take both money AND a prolonged attention span, I believe there is going to be a significant amount of turnover.

On a side note I am not giving up my Revel until they (the man) demands that I give up my Drivers license. Happy vanning folks.

[themexicandoctor]

Unfortunately with your wife's condition/s, you should be.

Even an opportunistic Tick Bite could be enough to tip the scales any further.

In the future do you plan to camp in the North East or the Southern States?

[Texasnielsen]

Originally Posted by themexicandoctor

Unfortunately with your wife's condition/s, you should be.

Even an opportunistic Tick Bite could be enough to tip the scales any further.

In the future do you plan to camp in the North East or the Southern States?

Ticks! Not to go down a rabbit hole from the OPs post but my wife’s aunt just got bit by a tick and the doctors are now telling her she can no longer eat beef or pork. And they own a cattle ranch!!! Called alpha-gal. What??? I thought we only had to be worried about deer tick disease.

[bblakersfield]

I’m praying for a “buyers market” in:
Class B’s
Stocks
Real estate
Seems as though there’s always a greater fool.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by bblakersfield

I’m praying for a “buyers market” in:
Class B’s
Stocks
Real estate
Seems as though there’s always a greater fool.

bblakersfield, you sound like a man that may have been around in the 80's. Many banking institutions during that time went under by adhering to the theory you reference. The banks lent money on houses at unreasonable amounts while relying on the false premise that if they had to repo their investment, there would "Always be a bigger fool along willing to pay more than the last one". That theory actually worked well, until it didn't.

Those smart enough to not buy into that theory were able pick up bargains in the aftermath. Might happen again fairly soon as history tends to repeat itself.

[themexicandoctor]

MD's send me Hail Mary clients with intractable illnesses & or pain from all over the World. Plus I contracted all over the World for 32 years dealing with some aspects of what we are experiencing now with Covid 1.0, 2.0 & 6.0.

Its a bleak horizon if you look too closely.

However this is not the venue to talk Politics or offer any Medical advice but its freely available on the web if you know where to look. Your wife needs all the information she can collect, decipher & then act upon.

Do NOT wait for your Doctor/s.

AG is the tip of the iceberg. And that is just for Ticks borne disease.

https://aspenn.com/tick-control-movi...-lyme-disease/

This is an older film but it gives you an idea of the coming storms, some that are already here.

----------------------

But what does the above have to do with Newbies are year from now;

Do everything you can, to be in the best possible Health.

Enjoy the outdoors & be grateful for what we do have.

The World is never going to be in a better place than what it is right now. Nor are you as chronologically young as you are in this moment, not at a Cellular Level but in the number of revolutions left.

Expect that the people who can afford to buy in, for the most part will stay with the lifestyle.

Yes there are costs associated with the uptime AND the downtime but I think the general public, especially in the USA the last 20-30 years have moved away from how much fun & engaging such a lifestyle if but for the weekend warrior, the full timer & everyone in between.

Its not fun when the black needs dumping but even during this Covid Unrest, people are reconnecting with their friends & family members, like never before DESPITE the 6 feet/mandatory mask/fear that is present.

RV vacations increase that Bonding process.

Its a shared experience.

Versus loved ones separating into Hotel Cubicles, etc.

Or barely engaging.

Its so easy today, to connect at a shallow level but when in or on or outside the RV, there you are, emotionally naked.

But I do expect unless availability of campsites & amenities increase in pace with this demand, there will be some disgruntled owners next summer, Oldies & Newbies.

Covid is what is in the rear view from the perspective of someone in this field, we know what it looks, sounds, smells & walks like.

Versus the endless opportunities the great outdoors of RV Life offers as a Travel Medium to get somewhere & how to live, when you arrive.

The RV Life offers you this. In abundance. No timetables. No alarm clocks. No lines. No gym hours.

If you look down you will see a pair of the finest fitness technology ever designed for the Human Being.

Sticig out of your shoes.

Airports, taxi type services, hotel rooms, crowds & borders are alreasy for people who live & vacation in the USA.

THIS IS THE GREATEST TIME* TO BE A HUMAN, ALIVE & HEALTHY, IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD ...

*the key is Human, Alive & Healthy & why I personally am taking the next couple of days which is now becoming weeks if not months to relax & return to optimal health

[pacificstar]

Honestly it might be 50-50. Many people jumped at the chance to get away. Some of those folks will realize its not for them and sell, get something smaller or larger. We bought a 1971 VW camper when we first got married and camped a lot. We started having kids and moved over to boats. Eight years ago with boat payment, slip fees high and general costs of repair we switched to a cab over camper on our Toyota Tundra. We sold that 11 months ago and have looked at all options for travel. Class B's and Airstream Trailers is where we ended up. We narrowed it down and bought a Solis Winnebago. It had most everything we were looking for, very similar to our purchase 50 years ago. Is it perfect..... no however for a few years traveling we're excited. I wish everyone all the best.

[themexicandoctor]

Great answer!

Do you likebthe build quality on the Solis?

Any things you would want to change?