Thinking about getting a travel trailer

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Buy a used one and see if you enjoy it before dropping $30K on a new model.

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This. Even better would be to rent one a few times and see if you want to deal with it.

Or I can put you on one that is absolutely gorgeous, tricked out and practically brand new. Friend getting out of travel ball right after buying it. Post your email for pics. In North Louisiana.

I think for most people, campers are terrible investments. Even a modestly priced, used camper is going to be $10k+. That requires a fair amount of use just to get your money out of it. Just think how many nights you can stay in a hotel for 10k. Even top of the line, tricked out models are still pieces of shite. They rot, deteriorate, leak, break and lose value every day. You'll never get your money back out of it, they depreciate quickly. Very few,reasons to own one, imo.

Who said anything about a motel 6?

Lots of state parks have really nice cabins that are very cheap to rent. Buying a camper, even used is not an inexpensive proposition.

My personal experience...

I bought my first travel trailer in 2013 and I can sit here today and tell you I regret it and have not nearly used the thing like I thought I would have. The only time I think it is worth using is holiday (3 day weekends) or longer.

Getting off of work on a Friday evening at 5:30pm, hooking up to the camper, hauling to a campground, getting setup...by the time all of that is done, it's time to head in for bed. Wake up and enjoy your Saturday. Sunday morning, wake up and take it all back down and head home. Just not worth it to me on a normal weekend.

For the amount of money I have spent on the thing compared to the amount I have used it, I could have saved that money and rented a cabin a few times a year or taken a nice vacation somewhere without all the work.

I still have it, because they depreciate so fast it makes me sick to sell it. I have been thinking about trying to purchase a lot down on the coast where I can park it and leave it, use it as a fishing camp. I know it would get much more use if I left it parked and setup somewhere.

I am on my second trailer. Started with a 29 ft bumper pull then upgraded 4 years later to a 32' 5th wheel. They lose value faster than any other play toy so you can't expect to recoup much when you are done with it but it does make for easy family get aways. My kids really enjoy going to the state parks. I don't use mine near as much anymore but it is paid for so i keep it. The downside to the cabins is that they rent out quick so you really need to plan your stay months in advance.

On my second one now. They are junk imho. Rubber roofs need constant resealing/caucking, awnings rot, tires dry rot, and most of the mechanics and appliances are constructed cheaply. Must be kept under a RV cover if you expect any longevity at all. I'll keep mine untill I build a perm structure on my camp property then I'll sell it and loose money. Fwiw the old airstreams and winnibego's were built much more solidly if you can find one that was kept in shape.

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campers are terrible investments. Even a modestly priced, used camper is going to be $10k+. That requires a fair amount of use just to get your money out of it. Just think how many nights you can stay in a hotel for 10k. Even top of the line, tricked out models are still pieces of shite. They rot, deteriorate, leak, break and lose value every day. You'll never get your money back out of it, they depreciate quickly. Very few,reasons to own one, imo.

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campers aren't investments. its a means to do usually family things on weekends. Something different, exciting with kids, great if you in group of other campers. A 30k will depreciate less than a 30k car in 10 years. Its up to ones financial stability to judge the worthiness of a purchase. Nobody gets money back out of anything. But you see pieces of shite campers that are 14 years old and people still sell them for 5-8k. They hardly never become valueless.

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2 years ago I bought a 29' TT that was ten years old. Paid 5500. It was clean, in good shape and everything works. I use it year round and at least once a month. I take it and the boat out to the lake and we have a blast.

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and taken care of, you can probably still get 5k for it in a few years.