After reading a few blogs including RV dreams and reconsidering our own experience we are going to revise our annual maintenance budget. It seems that maintenance costs for the RV match or even exceed what the stick house maintenance costs. We have spent somewhere between $1200 and $1400 per year over the last 4 seasons maintaining all systems. Of course some are repairs of dumb mistakes on our part but wear and tear seems to be significant also. We notice that many list a fairly low (less than $100/month) budget figure but always keep a disaster or emergency fund available which seems to be used often. Are we remiss or do we generally understate annual maintenace costs?
How much does the annual maintenance on your rig really cost including the cost of extended maintenance packages? Ours has averaged $1310 per year over 4 years.
Thanks, Larry and Jacki
Judy said
09:30 AM Dec 3, 2007
I think that is alot of maintence expense. I could see this expense if one has an older rig and is not handy into doing some of the work themselves. You sometimes have to be a plumber, electrician, etc in order to maintain. southwestjudy & Bob & 2blackdogs
Sandra said
10:54 AM Dec 3, 2007
Ours has cost us hardly anything over the past three years and three months. I expect as it gets older things will need to be done but right now the most we've spent was to replace a bolt in the slide. All other systems are 'go'. Now that I've said that something will probably happen!
We did a tour of the Titanium factory and saw them being built so we knew that we were getting a good product.
igotjam said
04:43 PM Dec 3, 2007
Everyone's experience I'm sure is different and do it yourselfers will spend less than me, but $1300 yr sounds really low. Not counting rolling costs (tires, bearing repacks, grease etc) I'm well on the way to beat that and my trailer is still under warrantee. In my case Ive spent 67.50 3 times for service calls on warranted appliances, over $100 on caulk to repair leaks, $700 for a new toilet, $25 for screws and misc hardware to replace broken or lost items. This does not take into account fuel to tow to repair shops, motel bills etc. When it gets a few years old and I need a new hot water tank, new water pump, A/C, tank repairs, fridge etc the average yearly cost could be significant.
This is part of the cost of this lifestyle and I anticipate it, but $1300 a year sounds way to low to me.
Howard said
07:08 PM Dec 3, 2007
Well, we are nowhere near that $1,300 a year - not yet anyway.
We did spend $1,900 up front for a seven-year extended warranty plan (less than $300 per year) and we feel that has been well worth it. If we count that cost, we are still less than $600 a year on average.
Of course everyone's experiences will vary. It may depend on the age of the RV, the ability to make repairs on your own, whether the rig was made with full-timing (or significant use) in mind, whether you have a motorhome or trailer, etc.
Now, even with an extended warranty, I don't think it is unreasonable to have a budget of $50 - $100 a month. I'm not sure if we spent that much in maintenance on our stick home, but we didn't drag it down the road at 60 mph either. And we have much lower costs overall.
Good post. It will be interesting to see how your survey shakes out.
Jim01 said
10:23 PM Dec 3, 2007
Our RV Maintenance category covers everything from a new turn signal bulb, to annual maintenance. It includes every little thing that we buy to repair/maintain, our MH. It also includes spare parts that I have purchased to have on hand. (For instance a set of belts for the engine at about $135.00, or spare fuel filters.) Last year, (2006) we spent $1520.00.
We do not consider this excessive. We have a very nice, solid, coach that is not depreciating as much as a newer unit. We are still working out some of the "bugs" that this coach picked up from sitting for a couple of years before we purchased it, but I would imagine that the repair/maintenance cost will continue to be rather high in the future.
Our previous MH, a gas engine 1998 model, did not cost near as much to maintain, but when it reached about 85,000 miles, and was 6 years old, (even with "by the book" maintenance), it just plain started to fall apart. I estimate it would have cost us at least $5000 to keep it any longer.
With a coach that is 15 years old, things just wear out, but we feel that it is the way for us to go, and are willing to "repair/replace" items as needed as we go along.
Once again, what works for us, might not work for you. Isn't this Full-timing lifestyle wonderful?? Everyone can do it their own way!!!
Jim
Judy said
08:40 AM Dec 4, 2007
Also some of us have to consider maintaining a MH or a fiver, there is a difference. southwestjudy & Bob & 2blackdogs
Froggi said
09:04 AM Dec 4, 2007
This has been an interesting thread for me since I'm new at this and am starting out with an older (1999) rig. I started tracking my monthly budget this month, first thing that hits....need new tires.
I have already put a lot into it to not only fix a few things but do basic maintenance service on it that I can't do (seal/caulk roof, oil changes, etc) and added upgrades. I knew I needed the tires and to start myself on a level field, they aren't going into the monthly budget. It's only timing that they didn't get done last month in Elkhart. Wanted to head south! LOL!
I have $100 in the budget and we'll see how far that goes this time next year. I hadn't considered things like light bulbs since, to me, that would be the same as a light bulb inside my house. So I might not be as stringent in tracking as some...
wmalefyt said
12:02 PM Dec 4, 2007
Sandra wrote:
Ours has cost us hardly anything over the past three years and three months. I expect as it gets older things will need to be done but right now the most we've spent was to replace a bolt in the slide. All other systems are 'go'. Now that I've said that something will probably happen!
We did a tour of the Titanium factory and saw them being built so we knew that we were getting a good product.
You really need to constantly check for water leaks on the roof, around all exterior lights, windows, vents, etc. The caulk drys out and cracks which will let the water in before you know it. Don't wait for a leak to appear.......an ounce of prevention!
There are other things like annual maintenance of the refrigerator and water heater, cleaning the AC filters, etc. Doing these little things might just prevent a major repair later on.
mikeway said
12:45 PM Dec 4, 2007
My biggest expense is motor home tires, but amortized over the 5 year life, a tire is about $55 annually. Normal lube and oil is a once a year expense; every 15,000 according to CAT and transmission service is every other year. Figure $400 per year.
Almost all other types of maintenance I do my self, but I do know people that will go to factory service to install a light bulb or fix a squeak.
Mike
Jim01 said
04:57 PM Dec 4, 2007
Donna,
We keep track of every penny that we spend. Everything we purchase needs to go into one category or another in our budget. Things like tail light bulbs are used to keep the MH in safe operating condition, (just like new tires or brakes), so we include them in our MH repair category. Also, if I buy a can of paint to repaint the entry steps, that also goes in MH repair, because it's something to keep the MH in good repair. It may raise our MH repair costs, but in our budget, it needs to go somewhere.
Jim
SKOOBDO said
06:48 PM Dec 4, 2007
I've had my RV since March 2006, and so far the only money I've put into it as far as maintenance was cleaning supplies, 2 tubes of caulk, 2 anode rods, misc tape, propane regulator, and wheel bearing repack/brakes adjusted. Total cost for over 1 1/2 years is less than $300. I just keep money aside for the "just in case" happens. But, so far no major issues with my unit and no major $$$. knock
RVDude said
05:32 PM Dec 5, 2007
Post moved to correct category...
-- Edited by RVDude at 08:54, 2007-12-06
Luvglass said
07:24 PM Dec 6, 2007
We don't keep accurate records, but my "gut" says the majority of our real maintenance costs for the first 2 years have been oil and fluid changes for the truck. The repairs to the trailer have been more caused by "newbie error" than regular maintenance. The bits and pieces we've purchased haven't added more than a few hundred dollars.. Fred
-- Edited by Luvglass at 19:25, 2007-12-06
Sandra said
11:19 AM Dec 9, 2007
I guess I should clarify my previous post. We've done a roof patch or two, lubed slides and such, what I was getting at was no expensive maintenance has had to be performed. Our microwave did quit and was replaced under warranty. We only had to pay the labor to install. We have a stove burner that needs to be replaced but it will still light manually. We will probably replace most of the caulk this year. We've had various interior bulbs burn out. We had our kitchen taps replaced but that was under warranty. We had a leak from where the hose goes to the kitchen plumbing that was only a matter of tightening a fixture and setting up fans to dry out the carpet.
All in all, as maintenance goes, there hasn't been a lot as I said before.
Ken & Sarah said
08:07 PM Dec 9, 2007
Since I own an older unit, ’95 Travel Supreme, I am interested in the maintenance side of things. I am also like Howard not a very mechanically minded person. I have done maintenance on cars etc. when push comes to shove but I am not that good at it. So I am interested in the costs of maintenance and what needs or should be maintained on an RV and the frequency of it. I figure I have another 790 days to get the hang of it before we begin the journey most of you have already begun. So in pursuit of the goal of maintenance knowledge, I came across this website, some of you may have already seen it, but I thought it worth sharing, http://www.rv-boondocking-the-good-life.com/rvmaintenancechecklist.html I turn to you knowledgable folks to tell me if this is a good list to build from and what do I need to add or deltete. Thank you for knowledge I am able to gather from all of you blogs and input to this foru.
Jim01 said
06:21 PM Dec 10, 2007
Ken and Sarah,
Brian has a very good list. Ideally, you would perform every maintenance item on his list. But, in real life, you would constantly be checking/working on your RV.
Now, I don't think anyone wants to do that when they go Full-timing. My suggestion would be to try to do all the checks and maintenance before you hit the road. Then while you are traveling, you can keep an eye on most things as you are using the RV. Of course, you'll want to be sure all of the yearly checks of brakes, propane systems, and other safety items are performed.
As you are traveling, take notice of anything that sounds, feels, or looks different. Each RV has it's own personality, and once you get to know it, you will hear a new noise, or sound, feel a different vibration, or see something that doesn't look quite right. Then check it out or have it checked before there is a major problem.
I hope this helps. It's very hard to say what should or should not be done. If you have a manual for your RV, try to follow the maintenance recommendations in it.
How much does the annual maintenance on your rig really cost including the cost of extended maintenance packages? Ours has averaged $1310 per year over 4 years.
Thanks,
Larry and Jacki
southwestjudy & Bob & 2blackdogs
We did spend $1,900 up front for a seven-year extended warranty plan (less than $300 per year) and we feel that has been well worth it. If we count that cost, we are still less than $600 a year on average.
Of course everyone's experiences will vary. It may depend on the age of the RV, the ability to make repairs on your own, whether the rig was made with full-timing (or significant use) in mind, whether you have a motorhome or trailer, etc.
Now, even with an extended warranty, I don't think it is unreasonable to have a budget of $50 - $100 a month. I'm not sure if we spent that much in maintenance on our stick home, but we didn't drag it down the road at 60 mph either. And we have much lower costs overall.
Good post. It will be interesting to see how your survey shakes out.
We do not consider this excessive. We have a very nice, solid, coach that is not depreciating as much as a newer unit. We are still working out some of the "bugs" that this coach picked up from sitting for a couple of years before we purchased it, but I would imagine that the repair/maintenance cost will continue to be rather high in the future.
Our previous MH, a gas engine 1998 model, did not cost near as much to maintain, but when it reached about 85,000 miles, and was 6 years old, (even with "by the book" maintenance), it just plain started to fall apart. I estimate it would have cost us at least $5000 to keep it any longer.
With a coach that is 15 years old, things just wear out, but we feel that it is the way for us to go, and are willing to "repair/replace" items as needed as we go along.
Once again, what works for us, might not work for you. Isn't this Full-timing lifestyle wonderful?? Everyone can do it their own way!!!
Jim
southwestjudy & Bob & 2blackdogs
I have already put a lot into it to not only fix a few things but do basic maintenance service on it that I can't do (seal/caulk roof, oil changes, etc) and added upgrades. I knew I needed the tires and to start myself on a level field, they aren't going into the monthly budget. It's only timing that they didn't get done last month in Elkhart. Wanted to head south! LOL!
I have $100 in the budget and we'll see how far that goes this time next year. I hadn't considered things like light bulbs since, to me, that would be the same as a light bulb inside my house. So I might not be as stringent in tracking as some...
There are other things like annual maintenance of the refrigerator and water heater, cleaning the AC filters, etc. Doing these little things might just prevent a major repair later on.
Almost all other types of maintenance I do my self, but I do know people that will go to factory service to install a light bulb or fix a squeak.
Mike
We keep track of every penny that we spend. Everything we purchase needs to go into one category or another in our budget. Things like tail light bulbs are used to keep the MH in safe operating condition, (just like new tires or brakes), so we include them in our MH repair category. Also, if I buy a can of paint to repaint the entry steps, that also goes in MH repair, because it's something to keep the MH in good repair. It may raise our MH repair costs, but in our budget, it needs to go somewhere.
Jim
I've had my RV since March 2006, and so far the only money I've put into it as far as maintenance was cleaning supplies, 2 tubes of caulk, 2 anode rods, misc tape, propane regulator, and wheel bearing repack/brakes adjusted. Total cost for over 1 1/2 years is less than $300. I just keep money aside for the "just in case" happens. But, so far no major issues with my unit and no major $$$. knock
-- Edited by RVDude at 08:54, 2007-12-06
The bits and pieces we've purchased haven't added more than a few hundred dollars..
Fred
-- Edited by Luvglass at 19:25, 2007-12-06
Since I own an older unit, ’95 Travel Supreme, I am interested in the maintenance side of things. I am also like Howard not a very mechanically minded person. I have done maintenance on cars etc. when push comes to shove but I am not that good at it. So I am interested in the costs of maintenance and what needs or should be maintained on an RV and the frequency of it. I figure I have another 790 days to get the hang of it before we begin the journey most of you have already begun. So in pursuit of the goal of maintenance knowledge, I came across this website, some of you may have already seen it, but I thought it worth sharing, http://www.rv-boondocking-the-good-life.com/rvmaintenancechecklist.html
I turn to you knowledgable folks to tell me if this is a good list to build from and what do I need to add or deltete.
Thank you for knowledge I am able to gather from all of you blogs and input to this foru.
Brian has a very good list. Ideally, you would perform every maintenance item on his list. But, in real life, you would constantly be checking/working on your RV.
Now, I don't think anyone wants to do that when they go Full-timing. My suggestion would be to try to do all the checks and maintenance before you hit the road. Then while you are traveling, you can keep an eye on most things as you are using the RV. Of course, you'll want to be sure all of the yearly checks of brakes, propane systems, and other safety items are performed.
As you are traveling, take notice of anything that sounds, feels, or looks different. Each RV has it's own personality, and once you get to know it, you will hear a new noise, or sound, feel a different vibration, or see something that doesn't look quite right. Then check it out or have it checked before there is a major problem.
I hope this helps. It's very hard to say what should or should not be done. If you have a manual for your RV, try to follow the maintenance recommendations in it.
Good luck,
Jim