http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ --- for those on the fast track to financial independence en Fri, 24 May 2013 00:55:20 +0000 http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2305#post-31264 Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:46:50 +0000 riparian 31264@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Dismantle systems of power. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2305#post-31246 Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:17:37 +0000 B 31246@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>This is happening in the city in which I live:</p> <p><a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/apr/07/ordinance-targets-vehicles-front-south-park/" rel="nofollow">http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/apr/07/ordinance-targets-vehicles-front-south-park/</a></p> <p>Walk by this park every day. The man living in the trailer is completely harmless, respectful and clean. During the day he exercises in the Community Building (which is like a free gym/meeting place), and rides his bike. During the night he performs on the main downtown nightlife strip, which is only a few blocks away from his trailer. College kids give him spare change for his busking and that's how he's carved a life for himself.</p> <p>The article itself is surprisingly fair, including quotes from the man himself. And here are some parts that are interesting:</p> <p>"Tanner does have an acrimonious history with Lawrence City Hall. Most notably, Tanner was responsible for building a homeless camp on city property near the Kansas River, just north of the Santa Fe Depot. The city razed those structures in 2008, and Tanner has said repeatedly that he has never forgiven the city for those actions."</p> <p>"Mayor Schumm said he thinks there are potential health concerns ... such as the potential for inappropriate disposal of sewage."</p> <p>What a cute way of calling him a dirty piece of shit.</p> <p>Thoughts? </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-29105 Sun, 19 Feb 2012 03:01:00 +0000 sky 29105@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>We talked about RVing today and decided to continue doing what we have done in the past: set up our Dodge Grand Caravan with a bed in the back and curtains around the bed, and use that together with motels/bed and breakfasts. We are going to visit family in Seattle in summer and want to do Sturgis and Yellowstone on the way.</p> <p>We will take a screen tent and folding table for camping sites, and for long distance highway driving in the plains and mountain states, sleep at a truck stop in the van. This has worked out very well for us in the past, in the morning we just walk in the truck stop to use the restrooms and then go get some breakfast in the restaurant. </p> <p>The down side of sleeping in the van is ventilation, if it is hot it will not be comfortable. The last time we went in winter, and slept out in 20F temperatures under a stack of sleeping bags. It was great, much better than hauling our stuff into a hotel room, and then hauling it back out the next morning. In the morning, we just started the van and idled it for a half hour to heat up the car. A remote starter would have made this even easier.</p> <p>The van modifications were pretty simple, a curtain around the bed and the bed was an inflatable air mattress on a piece of plywood on top of milk crates, with most stuff stored under the bed. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-29062 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:08:31 +0000 rcamp 29062@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>An RV came up in chats with the DW - and she open to an RV between family history and a trip to the annual RV show last year. We've agreed in principle on a 5th wheel.</p> <p>One of my key motivators lines up with @mikebos: escaping winter.</p> <p>One "on the shelf" plan is buying and placing a 5th wheel in Texas ( Florida came a close second ) and winter birding there. The triangle formed by Washington DC, Florida and Texas holds a majority of both our families. We just move about at whim. Whether we sell the NC house becomes less important as it can serve as a homebase/rental post ER. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-29059 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:37:09 +0000 bigato 29059@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>turning into trailer trash... LOL i loved it. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-29043 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:47:57 +0000 jennypenny 29043@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>We looked at Dodge, Chevy, and Ford conversion vans. We heard good things about Ford and Chevy but many people told us to stay away from Dodge if we were towing (something about the chasis not being as strong as the ford and chevy). In the end we went with the ford because there are more E150s on the road so parts and repair would be cheaper. We also like fords (DH is still driving a '99 Mountaineer with almost 200K miles). We bought our van almost 10 years ago, so things may have changed since then. </p> <p>We also have the upgraded tow package and we had an upgraded set of brakes installed for the trailer. That makes driving easier and will help to prevent wear on your van's brakes. And better brakes help when you're driving more scenic routes, especially in the southwest. (What's that highway between Sedona and Phoenix? I did NOT enjoy that drive :) </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-29039 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:44:19 +0000 Freedom_2018 29039@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@sky: Have been regularly following a few RV blogs for a while (Mobile Kodger, Wheeling It, Our Take on Freedom etc) to get a sense of what full timing folks are up to. Lots of variation in the activities, mileage and budget.</p> <p>Been vising RV dealers and soon will be going to Van dealers too.<br /> Plan to buy used but want to get a sense of what it feels like to be in one.</p> <p>@jennypenny - Sure. Always room for a third ;-)</p> <p>Thanks for the tip on the Econoline chasis rating..I think tow hitch and sway bars make a big difference too. I do have a van question - What other van's/autos did you evaluate before settling on the Econoline ? The trailers I am thinking of are in the 7500 GVWR range...though I am very averse to filling it with crap. </p> <p>@MikeBOS/DutchGirl - From the blogs I've read, most full timers seem to do 6-10K miles/yr..some even less. Seems like the first year is more just because folks want to 'rush' from one sight to the other and then the pace starts to slow. I intend to travel very slow and sort of ease into it..also fits my style of wanting to inhabit a place for a while to get a sense of it (eventually ...years away..might settle down somewhere so it will help in that regard too). Oh and I will have the mandatory RV blog too!</p> <p>Wondering how practical is the whole veggie oil/restaurant waste collection thing..if logistically convenient..I might lean towards a diesel versus gas. $25 gas can't be good for anyone..think Mad Max world.</p> <p>Finally I can fulfill my family's nightmare of turning into 'trailer trash'! Wonder if my Ivy B-School alumni magazine will do an article on their 'happy and free' graduate (guessing NOT..can't be good for admission stats and attracting the wannabe movers and shakers :-) </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-29033 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:58:53 +0000 mikeBOS 29033@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@DutchGirl <a href="http://www.andybaird.com/travels/saving-the-earth.htm">Andy Baird makes the same argument</a>. That, since he's a full-timer, he typically only drives 50-100 miles once every 2-3 weeks as he meanders his way north and south with the seasons.</p> <p>It looks like full timers do use less fuel than part-timers. But I'd only be a part-timer myself, using an RV to escape the winter and see the sights. Meaning I'd have to burn a lot of fuel going back and forth from my home base.</p> <p>The added comfort over tenting it, ability to stay and explore an area for 2-3 months at a time with many of the comforts of home, and avoiding hotel environments/fees is what attracts me to it. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-29031 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:16:08 +0000 DutchGirl 29031@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@MikeBOS i read a fantastic blog (IMHO) on RVing yesterday, and the author pointed out that they used less fuel than the average American. I believe they averaged 6000 miles per year while the average American drives 16,000... I'll try to find back that site...</p> <p>Ah, found it: <a href="http://www.ramonacreel.com/RealLifeRVing.asp" rel="nofollow">http://www.ramonacreel.com/RealLifeRVing.asp</a> . Somewhere in there is her take on RVing and the environment, including gas usage. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-29029 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:57:27 +0000 mikeBOS 29029@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>These aren't to be missed:</p> <p><a href="http://www.andybaird.com/travels/index.html">http://www.andybaird.com/travels/index.html</a></p> <p><a href="http://cheaprvliving.com/StealthCargoTrailer.html">http://cheaprvliving.com/StealthCargoTrailer.html</a></p> <p><a href="http://ourtakeonfreedom.wordpress.com/about-us/">http://ourtakeonfreedom.wordpress.com/about-us/</a></p> <p>I'm hoping to do some RVing in my ER. The future price of fuel has me racking my brain for alternative options though. So far I'm going to experiment with producing my own alcohol and veggie oil to see if I can produce either in sufficient quantities.</p> <p>The best would be if I developed a relatively painless way to create my own fuel, and then gas shot up to $25/gallon. I'd have the road all to myself ;-) </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-29026 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:38:51 +0000 jennypenny 29026@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Sounds like fun. Do you have room for a 3rd??</p> <p>I tow with an econoline. I like it, but you might need the E350 to pull something that heavy comfortably. I like having a bed in the back of the van so we can pull over and rest without setting up the camper if we want. It's also easy and inexpensive to repair. You could probably tow the campers you listed, but you're pushing the limit of the E150 when you get near 6000 lbs. (I'm assuming you'd be hauling a lot of stuff if you're fulltiming it.) </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-28987 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:41:52 +0000 sky 28987@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I don't know much about it, but I'm interested. Have you done a lot of research? A van with a trailer seems like a good combination. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=2141#post-28983 Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:46:25 +0000 Freedom_2018 28983@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I am going in that direction. It offers me the option of being at one place for as long as I want and then moving...I do want to spend a lot of time in the Southwest, exploring out of the way places. There will be 2 of us and a cat.</p> <p>As far as travel trailers go, looks like it is going to be between a 23' Arctic Fox or Nash - seems just about enough space while having the ability to boon dock in remote sites. Tow vehicle preference is a van (Chevy Express/Ford E series).</p> <p>Anyone else in the same boat (er..trailer)? If so would love to exchange notes, ideas, learnings and thoughts. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-26805 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:45:39 +0000 bigato 26805@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Thank you! I will remember that if I ever split with mine. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-26803 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:02:26 +0000 riparian 26803@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>That space came at a big price. The gas mileage was so bad it cost $500-1000 to go anywhere, and it would inevitably break down on the way. It was simple to work on but impossible to do break/wheel bearing/etc stuff with tools we could carry. We couldn't get to a lot of places in it (either off road, back road, or downtown areas with no parking for big vehicles). </p> <p>When I split with my ex I moves into a minivan which I lived in happily for four blissful, inexpensive years. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-26801 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:50:33 +0000 bigato 26801@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>What disadvantages? Isn't it better because of having more space? </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-26773 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:02:30 +0000 riparian 26773@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I lived in a bus for a year and found that most repair shops let you stay in it. We never had to unplug from a campground to go somewhere because we were self contained and didn't pay for campgrounds anyways. </p> <p>But bus living had disadvantages and I much preferred van dwelling. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-23673 Sat, 05 Nov 2011 16:41:15 +0000 graynomad 23673@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>In 10 years living in a motorhome we've broken down a few times, in all but one case we lived in the truck while it was being fixed. Often actually inside the workshop and we used their ablutions over night.</p> <p>The case where we couldn't do that we drove out to a nice dam and I pulled the gearbox out. While they fixed it we enjoyed a good campsite.</p> <p>That said the OP does have a lot of valid points and we've never been broken to the extent of not being able to move.</p> <p>At 27 feet our RV is shorter than a car/caravan combo which I consider a benefit. But one HUGE benefit is the load carrying ability of a truck, we used to carry 1000 litres of water, that's the weight of a small car. We also have maybe 400Kgs of batteries, 10 solar panels, quite complete set of tools including oxy etc etc.</p> <p>All this allows us to free camp in the boonies for weeks, in fact we can stay out of towns for at least 2 months and not need to get any supplies. </p> <p>I don't think that's even possible in a TT or lighter camper.</p> <p>For me that's a real benefit of a heavy vehicle. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-22920 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:37:24 +0000 Bakari 22920@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@Chilly - seasonally I'd definitely go with the travel trailer.<br /> Every couple months is a hard one.<br /> When I was with the traveling carnival, we would move once a week, and I was definitely happy to have the motorhome. For inter-week travel I mainly used my bicycle, and I'd do shopping runs during the weekly move to a new town and just park the RV in the parking lot of the store.<br /> My personal opinion is that the time period of one or two months get right about the boarder between the significance of how easy it is to drive and the space/cost/ability to use tow vehicle factors of a trailer, so I can't answer that one for you. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-22892 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:52:07 +0000 FrugalZen 22892@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@ chilly</p> <p>It would be incidents per miles driven. There are more fatalities on bikes on an per incident basis though.</p> <p>A lot of stats can be got from the AMA (American Motoryclist Association).</p> <p>Though from my own business perspective we worked a crash inolving a motorcycle maybe once every 2 months while in the same time period we would handle close to 200 crashes (3 to 4 per day) involving vehicles other than motorcycles for a rate of about 0.5 (one half of one) percent....while in Florida motorycles make up about 4% of all vehicles registered. </p> <p>From personal experience cleaning up the wreckages a good 60% of the fatalities are NON Helmet wearers and of those a good 40% have been drinking but do not necessarily meet the legal definition of drunk...even a few drinks can impare your judgement and thats not a good idea when riding a bike. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-22886 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:16:26 +0000 chilly 22886@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>".but on a Miles Driven basis the only form of transport safer than a Motorcycle is as an Airplane"</p> <p>I'm a big fan of motorcycles, but really wonder where you get those statistics? Do mean incidents per miles driven, or deaths per miles driven? I could believe the former, but would be skeptical of the latter.</p> <p>I've driven a car or ridden a motorcycle for 27 years and have never been in an accident. That's not statistically pertinent over the population, although as @Bakari points out I may be less likely than average to die in an accident because I'(think I a)m a decent driver.</p> <p>@Bakari - if you were to stay a month or a couple months at a time... would you still favor a TT? How about seasonally. Not traveling day to day though. Just curious. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-22880 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:45:44 +0000 FrugalZen 22880@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Interesting...but on a Miles Driven basis the only form of transport safer than a Motorcycle is as an Airplane.</p> <p>The average motorcyclist drives less than 3000 miles a year...any many much less...few of us are diehard all year riders...I've put 70,000 miles on two bikes in 6 years while my younger brother has not yet broken 10,000 on his 10 year old one. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-22847 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:16:36 +0000 Bakari 22847@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Having lived full-time in both a motorhome and a travel trailer for many years (each) I agree that - unless you are traveling in it - the TT is better.</p> <p>However, one thing has been bothering me: A travel trailer IS an RV!! RV doesn't just mean "motorhome" or "housecar", it also means travel trailers, fifth wheels, camper vans, pop-ups, and truck campers.</p> <p>Anyway - if you are actually planning to drive it around, the ease of driving a single vehicle is by far worth the compromises.<br /> If you live in one place, then the engine and cab just waste space, and you can't practically use it.<br /> You can get a lot more trailer for the same amount of money, and have more flexibility in actually using the tow vehicle if you want.</p> <p>@Elai - I get 25-30 MPG in the truck I use to tow my 7500lb 35ft travel trailer.</p> <p>And a 6x higher injury rate does not translate to a 6x higher "chance" of injury for a person using a motorbike, because the statistics don't get corrected for reckless behavior. It is partially self-fulfilling prophesy: most people believe motorcycles are dangerous, therefor only risk-takers buy bikes. They are the sort of people who drive recklessly - in fact the rates of DUI, speeding, driving w/o a license, etc are all much higher for motorcycles than for cars. Then, of course, the accident rate for motorcycles is high, which then confirms the original perception.<br /> In the one study that compared accident rates within a controlled population (police in cars vs on motorcycles) it was found that the motorbike riders actually had a LOWER accident rate. I suspect this may be related to the superior braking distance, maneuverability, lack of blind spots, lack of distraction, and lack of false sense of security provided by the "cage" </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-22215 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 11:30:23 +0000 jennypenny 22215@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>You don't need a huge vehicle to tow a pop up. And ours has a king bed, queen bed, convertable twin bed, cassette toilet, shower, hook up for an outdoor shower, and indoor/outdoor cooking. For an extra 30 minutes of set up and break down, you get a camper that's much cheaper than anything mentioned, with a lower profile so it doesn't dent your gas mileage as much, and it can be towed by mid-sized cars. They are also very inexpensive to buy used, and easy to work on.</p> <p>If we retired to an RV (my goal, but NOT my DH's) I would probably compromise and get a class C. For part-time use, I think the popup is great (and it feels like camping more than the others). If we were going to buy something to just park at an RV park (where did that thread go anyway?!) I think restoring an airstream would be great fun. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-22212 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 05:50:25 +0000 jacob 22212@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>You need a 3/4 ton truck. That's the reason we went with the motorhome and kept the compact car. (Gas at the time was $5/gal). We (by which I mean DW) "needed" a commuter vehicle.</p> <p>Other than that, I'd say it depends.</p> <p>If you plan to travel around constantly, a motorhome is easier to deal with. It's more maneuverable and you don't need to sit in the truck cabin when on the road. If it does break down, well, you get a motel room for a few nights. </p> <p>If you plan to park it long term, get the 5th or the TT, otherwise you're essentially paying for a rather large truck (450 size or bigger) engine system that does nothing. In particular, you could pay someone (uship?) to relocate it for it, so you don't even need a truck in principle. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-22209 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 05:12:25 +0000 elai 22209@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Are you forced to get a gas guzzling diesel truck to move it around? Will anything approaching gas efficiency ( like 20/30 mpg ) work for the majority of the time that your not towing it around and travelling to see friends and family?</p> <p>I do not want to add a motorbike to the back due to the 4x high chances of death and the 6x higher chances of injury. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-20922 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:54:54 +0000 FrugalZen 20922@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Most of the slide ins I have ever seen don't have more than a porta-potty...they just lack the room.</p> <p>IMO no shower=no bathroom. Bathing from a plastic tub is fine for short periods but not a lifestyle choice I would chose. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-20908 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:08:17 +0000 Freedom_2018 20908@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@FrugalZen:</p> <p>No bathrooms?</p> <p>Check this out: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG881cRr_L0" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG881cRr_L0</a> </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-20906 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:32:56 +0000 HSpencer 20906@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I agree most whole-heartedly with the OP. I have never had the "motor home" for the express reason of high cost and high cost maintenance and high cost of operation and devastating depreciation from (new at least). I have had three travel trailers, having lost money on all three. My standard now is to "Never buy anything you have to hook to a hitch and move to mow under". That idea will save you copious amounts of money.<br /> *RVs of all stripes and boats go in this area". If you gotta move it to mow, your not using it and you don't need it. At least that fits me. I still have a TT, but keep it at a resort and all the maintenance and moving is done for me by the resort owner. For a nice fee on his part. We used the TT ONCE this year, in fact last week.<br /> Go figure!! </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-20897 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 02:26:31 +0000 FrugalZen 20897@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@Freedom_2018</p> <p>Slide in Campers are one of those odd birds. They are great for the reasons mentioned and of course should your truck poop you can slide it onto another...even a cheap used one only good enough to get you home. </p> <p>Still have the problem though with having to stay in a hotel if you end up at a garage away from home.</p> <p>Main drawback is you need to go the store you have to unplug everything (water, electric, phone, ect.) in order to drive there...unless of course you carry a bicycle with you or a small scooter but then again hitch extensions are available so you could tow a small storage trailer or boat with you. </p> <p>Actually most truck campers are bought by people for use on weekend fishing trips where they do tow the boat behind the truck. They almost always come with a set of stands so you can remove them from the truck very easily..jack it up the inch or two and drive out from under it. NOT sturdy enough to do the same at a campground and live in it with the movement of climbing in and out of it.</p> <p>I think if I was going to go that sort of small though I'd go get an empty 6x10 or 8x12 (most full size fleetside pickup beds are 6x8) tandem axle concession trailer...they have a regular house type door, windows where you want, usually basic electric and interior lights, sometimes AC/Heat and you can stand up in them....and spend some time doing up the inside to make my own travel trailer. </p> <p>Probably the most difficult/expensive thing to construct would be a fully functioning bathroom but truck campers don't have them to begin with so thats a moot point.</p> <p>Hooking and unhooking the umbilicals is a problem shared with big RV owners...why do you think they usually have a car dragging along behind??</p> <p>Really though at that small you might consider Scamp Trailers or MiCasita trailers..they are just as small as a slide in but bigger than a pop-up and are designed to be towed by small cars or mini pickups...very light weight....bathroom is a Port-a-Potty slid under the bed and the stove is usually a small thing you attach outside or put on a picnic table to use. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-20868 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:53:29 +0000 Freedom_2018 20868@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Some valid points there though since I have not lived in an RV, am in not much of a position to refute etc.</p> <p>However, I have looked into various forms of travel trailers/RVs etc since I do want to extensively explore the Country, especially the Southwest. I am leaning more towards a truck camper (was impressed as to how much room was in there, especially if they have slide outs..like one I saw from Arctic Fox). My reasons are:</p> <p>- Can go anywhere truck can go<br /> - Nothing to tow, hence easier maneuvering on and off the roads<br /> - No licence and registration fees separately (considered cargo)<br /> - Cheaper in general<br /> - Better resale value (which conversely means that I might not get as great a deal on buying a used one)</p> <p>What do you think? </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1542#post-20865 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:12:06 +0000 FrugalZen 20865@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>and here are my reasons why based on much experience with them.</p> <p>I used to own a Towing Service...sold off my shares and retired for all of 4 months before I went stir crazy...another story. Among our clients were 6 RV dealers.</p> <p>In dealing with RV's, Fifth Wheels, and Hitch Ball type trailers I firmly came to the conclusion I would ONLY buy a Hitch Ball type with either a round roof (think Airstream or Avion) or one whose roof lapped over the edge of the top...meaning the roof and wall did NOT meet at a 90 degree angle but in a seam several inches below the top where the roof curved over.</p> <p>I'll explain the "round roof" first...in much older trailers you will notice two things...the metal sheeting is corrugated and the edge of the roof and the side wall meet at a 90 degree angle. The edge is sealed with massive amounts of silicone sealant in order to keep water out....however water puddles in the hollows of the corrugated roof sheet. Most trailers use a wood sub-skeleton (except Airstream and Avion they use aluminum). It is a given that over time the silicone breaks down or vibrations from being towed will crack it and you find out you have a roof leak about the time one of the kitchen cabinets falls to the ground.</p> <p>Therefore you want something that has a round or flat smooth roof so water runs off...if the roof sheet folds over the edge and is sealed in a seam along the side water cannot puddle and leaks are much rarer.</p> <p>The major problems with large motor powered RV's<br /> are:</p> <p>1/ Not being driven much. It is quite common to find 15 and 20 year old RV's with less than 50K miles on them. Also vehicles of any kind that are not driven much have problems with belts, hoses, gaskets, bearings and seals drying out, and brake shoes and calipers rusting in place. Frequent driving circulates the fluids...especially oils and grease which lubricate and protect those components.</p> <p>Another problem if they aren't moved for any reasonable length of time is engine compartments and the insides of bumpers and frame rails are very attractive places for mice and squirrels to make nests and they are great wire chewers. Starting an RV after a number of months without checking out the engine compartment especially is inviting the possibility of a fire if they have build a nest on top the the exhaust manifolds...lots of dried grass in them.</p> <p>Trailers only have tires, wheel bearings, and brakes to check out before going on your way...and better ones have full belly pans so that there is no where for the mice and squirrels to get in and at the wireing and other tasty edibles.</p> <p>2/ Cost of Towing...Now if you happen to be traveling...it doesn't matter where you are in the US... towing a large motor home is expensive...and even more so west between the Mississippi and California. It requires specialized heavy equipment and there are a lot fewer wrecker services that have the eqiupment than those that only tow cars...and probably 40% of towing services that have the trucks capable of towing an RV will refuse to do so...they are VERY easy to damage and costly to fix. </p> <p>Conversely because there aren't many services that will do it...especially out west...the cost of towing a large Class A (like Jacobs) can start at only a couple of hundred for a mile or two to $3000.00 plus in the direction of Texas, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico...mainly because the nearest services with the proper equipment may be 200 or 300 miles away....as might be the only truck/rv garage.</p> <p>Also when you get towed in to the repair shop the first question will be "What Hotel Do You Want To Stay In?"..because you can't stay in the RV while its in the shop...especially if the repairs will take several days.</p> <p>At Least with a trailer (Fifth Wheel or Hitch Ball) the towing service can pull you through a site at the local campground, disconnect the trailer, and take your tow vehicle to the shop...at least you have your trailer to stay in.</p> <p>Now the next problem...say the motors blown up an the shop says $20,000 to fix it...what are you going to do??? Abandon your home?..You're stuck paying it.</p> <p>However if you have a Hitch Ball type trailer you sell the vehicle you used to tow it for scrap and get a U-Haul and tow your trailer home and worry about replacing the tow vehicle another day.</p> <p>More problematical with a Fifth Wheel though... you can't rent trucks with fifth wheel couplings unless its a big road tractor...and you can't do that unless you have the proper CDL (commercial drivers license). Or you might get lucky and be able to pay someone at the campground to pull your trailer home...not as expensive as a tow truck but probably still a good chunk of change. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1507#post-20708 Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:18:14 +0000 ksoto 20708@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Residency in CO for income tax purposes:</p> <p><a href="http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&amp;blobheader=application%2Fpdf&amp;blobkey=id&amp;blobtable=MungoBlobs&amp;blobwhere=1191399130638&amp;ssbinary=true" rel="nofollow">http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&amp;blobheader=application%2Fpdf&amp;blobkey=id&amp;blobtable=MungoBlobs&amp;blobwhere=1191399130638&amp;ssbinary=true</a> </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1507#post-20704 Sat, 24 Sep 2011 01:15:45 +0000 Mirwen 20704@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p><a href="http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Revenue-MV/RMV/1177024843160" rel="nofollow">http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Revenue-MV/RMV/1177024843160</a></p> <p>you are a resident if you live in the state for 90 consecutive days. </p> <p>Odds of getting caught if you don't work? very low </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1507#post-20682 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:05:48 +0000 ksoto 20682@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I fought this battle years ago when I lived on a sailboat. Before leaving the country on the boat I lived in a state with an income tax. BUT . . . and this is where I made a mistake . . . I never established residency in another state before I left the country, I just stopped filing tax returns other than federal and used an out of state address to do so. A few years later they found me in another state (which, by the way has NO income tax) and wanted proof of when I established residency there. </p> <p>So there was no argument that I was not a resident of the first state during the time in question but it was still considered my "domicile" until I established residency in another state. You can fume all you want about not using any services in a state or even spending a single minute there. Trust me, I did! </p> <p>I had to pay the tax, penalties and interest on some unearned income I had while living on the boat in the caribbean. For me it was not a large amount but I learned that this can be a HUGE problem if you move overseas and are living off taxable IRA/401K distributions and/or unearned income. </p> <p>So, it seems to me that this can work to your advantage if you currently live in a state with no income tax. Just make sure you don't do any of the things that establish residency in another state. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1507#post-20676 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:12:12 +0000 AlexK 20676@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Alaska pays it's residents to live there. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1507#post-20597 Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:32:39 +0000 mikeBOS 20597@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@Mo Should've taken the 5th! ;-) </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1507#post-20590 Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:09:46 +0000 Dragline 20590@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Yeah, its probably not something I would monkey around with. You could get hit with some serious back-taxes and penalties if you are wrong. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1507#post-20585 Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:38:17 +0000 Mo 20585@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>When I was a young, ignorant man I was caught trying to manipulate my official place of residence-- twice in fact. I was trying to avoid various forms of taxes, and a vehicle emissions test, as I recall.</p> <p>I didn't get caught because someone hunted me down. I got caught because I didn't know when to lie and when not to. For example, I was pulled over for having a tail light out. The officer, who only issued a warning, noticed my out of town registration and asked why I was in town. I explained I was in town as a college student, but that I listed my parents home as my residence. He asked a few more questions, and I basically told him that based on that area's residency laws, I was a resident. I was given 10 days to re-register the car. Had I simply answered "Just visiting friends, sir.", very likely I could have kept the ruse up.</p> <p>As an adult in ERE, it would seem that you have an awful lot to lose by getting caught for something like this, but it also seems that with appropriate research you can figure out how to make it unlikely that you get caught. No property and no job seem to be very good places to start. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1507#post-20532 Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:20:22 +0000 George the original one 20532@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Different states will have different rules regarding residency. </p>