Camper in pecking order of expenses...

[SpuffingtonMe]

Just throwing out a question to gauge opinions on how valuable the campers are to folk. I think I know the answer but sometimes it's just nice to metaphorically throw around an idea and garner opinion.

I currently own a Knaus BoxDrive600XL which I bought from new about 15months ago now. Have done nearly 9k miles in it and for the first year, lots of family trips. Then the family grew from 4 to 5 and in spite of flirting with the idea of changing out the passenger captain's chair for a (swivel) bench, I've not pulled the trigger for multiple reasons. So the van is rapidly becoming my toy (which in some ways it always was) as a day van for mountainbiking (or up to two nights) and potentially then little short overnights with 11yr old daughter and/or 4yr old son. A far cry from France, NC500 and Connemara.

Problem is, when I bought the van (on HP), my wife was working in a very good job. Four weeks later, she got made redundant out of the blue and 3months later she was pregnant. We're now over a year into a single income and although I'm making it all stick, some months are a bit tighter than others. So my thoughts have come to selling it. Problem is, it's a very good spec incl. 4x4 which is basically only factory order and therefore if not "one of a kind", certainly would require me to order from factory if I ever wanted to get back in one. I also feel like there'd be a huge hole in my life w/o a leisure vehicle. I've had motorhomes for >10yrs now and it was getting rid of my Concorde which had me selling a brand new X5 six months later to get into a Cali Ocean to offset the feeling of being trapped. So I know (and my wife knows) life for me will be verging depressing w/o a vehicle I can sleep in.

So I'm now torn. I know it's a question only I can answer for me and my finances.

However how many of you have tried to ride out rough patches in order to keep the van?

What would you sell before the van?

How long have long-term Cali owners gone w/o getting back into a leisure vehicle after selling?

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

I would sell everything, only two things matter now my Motorhome and my Goldwing!

 

[66tim99]

Just throwing out a question to gauge opinions on how valuable the campers are to folk. I think I know the answer but sometimes it's just nice to metaphorically throw around an idea and garner opinion.

I currently own a Knaus BoxDrive600XL which I bought from new about 15months ago now. Have done nearly 9k miles in it and for the first year, lots of family trips. Then the family grew from 4 to 5 and in spite of flirting with the idea of changing out the passenger captain's chair for a (swivel) bench, I've not pulled the trigger for multiple reasons. So the van is rapidly becoming my toy (which in some ways it always was) as a day van for mountainbiking (or up to two nights) and potentially then little short overnights with 11yr old daughter and/or 4yr old son. A far cry from France, NC500 and Connemara.

Problem is, when I bought the van (on HP), my wife was working in a very good job. Four weeks later, she got made redundant out of the blue and 3months later she was pregnant. We're now over a year into a single income and although I'm making it all stick, some months are a bit tighter than others. So my thoughts have come to selling it. Problem is, it's a very good spec incl. 4x4 which is basically only factory order and therefore if not "one of a kind", certainly would require me to order from factory if I ever wanted to get back in one. I also feel like there'd be a huge hole in my life w/o a leisure vehicle. I've had motorhomes for >10yrs now and it was getting rid of my Concorde which had me selling a brand new X5 six months later to get into a Cali Ocean to offset the feeling of being trapped. So I know (and my wife knows) life for me will be verging depressing w/o a vehicle I can sleep in.

So I'm now torn. I know it's a question only I can answer for me and my finances.

However how many of you have tried to ride out rough patches in order to keep the van?

What would you sell before the van?

How long have long-term Cali owners gone w/o getting back into a leisure vehicle after selling?

Sounds like you might be able to have the best of both worlds (minus the big France, NC500, Connemara trips for now).
Sell the Knaus and release some equity to plug any gaps in future-months' finances, and buy a smaller van - a California obviously - to take you and your mountain bike out of the melee occasionally, and take other family members when you must...?

 

[Californication69]

Just read your write up on BMWLand.
I think you love that van as much as I love getting outside.
I sold my Cali and need 3 years to pay off mortgage then wifey says I can splash £3k a month on something.
So maybe I’ll be looking at the James Cook 600D with 4x4 on the sprinter.
But can’t wait to have a camper again.

It’s only you who can decide if you can keep or sell.
Make the right choice. Stick with it.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Sounds like you might be able to have the best of both worlds (minus the big France, NC500, Connemara trips for now).
Sell the Knaus and release some equity to plug any gaps in future-months' finances, and buy a smaller van - a California obviously - to take you and your mountain bike out of the melee occasionally, and take other family members when you must...?

Keep the Knaus and sell the Kids!

 

[Barry Chuckle]

I would sell everything, only two things matter now my Motorhome and my Goldwing!

Yes but if one had to go which would it be!!!

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Yes but if one had to go which would it be!!!

The house

 

[willwander]

My van is an expensive toy.
The only thing important to me is my health...and my dog….and maybe the mrs…at a push.

 

[Camperfamily]

Sell the Knaus and buy a Beach for your family of 5. Sorted.

 

[RockinNRollin]

I would sell everything, only two things matter now my Motorhome and my Goldwing!

Are they not more or less the same thing? ;-)

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Are they not more or less the same thing? ;-)

Only to the uneducated

 

[CamperFam]

Tough dilema, and hats off to you too.

I think i'd look to try to keep the van where possible.

After a number of years with a MoHo (or equivalent), you start to realise just how enabling they are; short trips short notice or without overplanning/committing, ease of travel, and so on.

In addition, if you sold the van, you'd need to start considering other holiday options. And when you the van up against things such as EasyJet or BA + AirB&B or equivalent, you'll quickly find yourself spending the actual financial benefits of selling the van. I suspect with one income and already mindful of cost, you'll perhaps start choosing not to have holidays abroad due to the overall value and cost of change. At which point, everyone suffers a quality of life drop.

That said, that's the challenge of parenting - choosing when to go step backwards and sacrifice personally to ensure you and the family can step forwards tomorrow.

If you can keep it, I would. But if needs must, at the end of the day, its a vehicle.

 

[RockinNRollin]

Only to the uneducated

To be fair, I've only sat on one, not ridden one. I thought an RT was big until I sat on a 'wing.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

To be fair, I've only sat on one, not ridden one. I thought an RT was big until I sat on a 'wing.

The new 2021 on are a bit smaller, shorter and nicer if you have a bagger without top box and pillion armchair, 1.8 litre 7 speed automatic. The last bike my wife will let me have, she has a 1100 rebel auto

 

[Corradobrit]

The new 2021 on are a bit smaller, shorter and nicer if you have a bagger without top box and pillion armchair, 1.8 litre 7 speed automatic. The last bike my wife will let me have, she has a 1100 rebel auto

Armchair and motorcycle in the same sentence is just wrong. Does your's have the stereo speakers?

 

[RockinNRollin]

Armchair and motorcycle in the same sentence is just wrong. Does your's have the stereo speakers?

Defacto on a Goldwing isn’t it? I have to confess I’m not sure I see the point of speakers - I’ve got earplugs in and a helmet on so to hear anything they’d have to be pretty loud!

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Front speakers yes, completely audible up to 70 mph with open face helmet on, electric screen is fabulous, don't use earplugs, have helmet intercom for phone, satnav and music when two up, Harmon kardon speakers in helmet

 

[soulstyledevon]

I would sell everything I own other than the house.
I love my home and feel privileged to be the current custodian.

Anything else, can be replaced easily. Vans come and go, cars, bikes and surfboards.
I don’t feel attached to any possession in my life…

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

I would sell everything I own other than the house.
I love my home and feel privileged to be the current custodian.

Anything else, can be replaced easily. Vans come and go, cars, bikes and surfboards.
I don’t feel attached to any possession in my life…

Except for your bricks and mortar

 

[CamperFam]

Except for your bricks and mortar

Being in my mid thirties, i'm attached to the bricks and mortar my bank owns...

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Being in my mid fifties, the bank can soon bugger off!

 

[soulstyledevon]

Except for your bricks and mortar

Except for that….

 

[pluc99]

Do you have another vehicle as a daily driver? Think about trading it and the Knaus in for a late model 5 seater Beach or Nugget.

 

[larrylamb]

Except for that….

and your ski lift gondola
Love that.

 

[m10chkcalifornia]

To offer a slightly contrary opinion. Whilst I love the Cali, if it put us under any financial strain such that it was distracting from the things that really matter, I would definitely sell it. I try (and often fail!) not to get lured into devotion for material stuff. But good luck OP on your difficult decision!