Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.
We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!
About 2 + years and two RVs. First RV was a gas Allegro 36LA. We purchased that because we were not sure how much we would actually use it. Picked it up in Dec of 2012 and didn't go home for four months. Had so much fun we decided we would do a lot more traveling. A few more trips in the 36LA and we traded for our current Phaeton 42LH. About two months after getting the Phaeton we sold the house and officially went full time.
We have decided that when we get so decrepit that we have to crawl up the steps well go back to a S&B.
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Paul & Kathy
2014 Phaeton 42LH
"When the time comes to look back, make sure you will like what you see"
We had a 40' toyhauler 5th wheel while still working, then went to a 40' motorhome and that's what we started our fulltime adventure in. Traded it in on our current motorhome which better be our last LOL!!
First was a 16' trailer with only solar & mobile internet (no bathroom) - was fun for a year. But needed a little more.
Second was a super huge 17' travel trailer with all the amenities. Was great for 3 years, then we wanted to slow down our pace and that's when we felt the small space.
Third is a 35' bus conversion that we've been in since 2011. Love love love it. Can't see us changing it in the foreseeable future.
All of our changes have been shifts in our own desires and phases of our travels.
About two months shy of being 4 years for us in ours. Haven't had any kind of regret that we felt necessitated a change to another RV, so in our case of full-timing, just the one RV. However, we did do two years of extensive research of fifth wheels and motorhomes before making our choice.
Terry
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Terry and Jo
2010 Mobile Suites 38TKSB3 2008 Ford F450 2019 Ford Expedition Max as Tag-along or Scout
We started in July 2003 with the RV we had, a 35' National RV Dolphin gas motorhome and it worked OK. But we realized that now that we were fulltimers and had some money, we should get one a bit larger, diesel, with some features we wanted. In May 2004 we took delivery of our second RV, a 40' Newmar Dutch Star diesel motorhome and still have it. It is better insulated, the 5' length let us add a combo washer/dryer, it has more storage, has two 15K heat pump/ACs instead of two 13.5K ACs, and a bit better ride (we had made changes to the Dolphin for a better ride, so it was not stock).
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Bill Joyce, 40' 2004 Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid Journal at http://www.sacnoth.com Full-timing since July 2003
8 yrs fulltime in 2 different (but very similar 5ers) Had the first one 4 years. Researched for over a year before buying the first one which we custom ordered with many changes. The 1st rv design worked great for us so our second is very similar (but just off the lot not custom ordered). The only reason we traded was that our first one was extremely poorly built and constantly broke down and in need of repair. Luckily our second and current 5er has been much better. Never rv'd before our fulltime adventure started 8 years ago. The 2 5ers we've had are the only rvs we have ever used. Lovin the life..............
We're on #14. We got our first one about our 2nd year of marriage, that was over 30 years ago. The first 8 were deer camp specials, they just got bigger. We started full timing last March and are on #2. We went from a 5th wheel to a toy hauler (5th wheel).
Wow, very interesting to see how different people have evolved. Keep them coming.
We have not started our full time adventure yet have over the last 35 years we have had.
Started with cap on the back of pick-up with 2 kids
Next slide in truck camper
Next. Little 16' foot
Next 30'TT as seasonal camper
Next 36'TT seasonal camper
Next 32' gas motor home( lots of traveling following our son play college football
Next 37' gas motor home ( lots of tailgating and a few long trips.
Next 38' 5th wheel ( but only used on a seasonal site,never towed it
Current unit is A seasonal 40' park model.
Future either a 43' 5th wheel or a 43' motor home , still up in the air but the 5th wheel has the edge right now, not fare away from having to make this decision.
Keep the info coming, it is all very helpful as I research this thing to death.( just what I do, I do like the hunt.)
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Bob C
The fulltime Dream begins, class of 2016
2016 Dodge Ram 5500 HD Classy Chassis hauler bed/air ride
We had two before our current Fulltime RV. First a 74 pop up, then a 98 pull behind and now the fifthwheel. Don't know if this will be our last or not.
We have RVed for over 35 years, starting when our daughter was very young. During the years we have been many places, seen a lot of this beautiful country and met some wonderful people, we have had the following RVs during those years,
When it becomes your full time home, size does matter!!!
the bigger the RV the longer the marriage will last. I don't care who you are everything couple needs to sometimes go too there own corner for time outs!!!!!!.
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Bob C
The fulltime Dream begins, class of 2016
2016 Dodge Ram 5500 HD Classy Chassis hauler bed/air ride
When it becomes your full time home, size does matter!!!
the bigger the RV the longer the marriage will last. I don't care who you are everything couple needs to sometimes go too there own corner for time outs!!!!!!.
I would agree, after almost 40 years of marriage, sometimes we still need our space and it is raining or storming outside.
I think you will find that most full timers have gone through a series of RVs over the years of building up to fulltiming (unless they start off brand new to RVing like Linda & Howard). Based on what I've read in this and other RV forums it seems most people go through 3 to 4 RVs before settling on a final size of RV (35 to 40 foot for most).
Typically start out with a pop up or truck camper, move into TT or MH, and then a larger TT, 5th Wheel or MH.
It seems many fulltimers will change RVs once or twice while in fulltiming mode.
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"Small House, Big Yard "
"May the FOREST be with you" Alfa See-Ya 5'er and 2007 Kodiak C4500 Monroe
When it becomes your full time home, size does matter!!!
the bigger the RV the longer the marriage will last. I don't care who you are everything couple needs to sometimes go too there own corner for time outs!!!!!!.
That's awesome Bob and I totally agree. We had a 30' TT when we first started camping last year and got our 40' fiver when we decided to go FT. A group of us were sitting around the campfire the other night speculating on what we would get if we won the lottery. Most of us would stay in what we have...but I would get one of those cool Semi trucks to haul mine with a little convertible as my run around car :)