Is the RV all that important?

A year ago there was a difference of almost $100,000 between the average Christchurch City Council RV of $260,000 (set by council valuer Good Earth Matters in August 2004), and the average home price of $354,000 (April to June average for the council's area as calculated by state-owned valuer Quotable Value).

Now, the average RV for the council's area, according to the latest round of three-yearly valuations released in November, is $377,434. This compares with an average dwelling price in the three months to May 31 of $362,981 after a year of little or no price growth in most areas.

So most prices are close to, but not quite meeting, the current valuation.

The change from last year to now shows up the shortcomings of using the blunt instrument of the RV - a local authority taxation tool - in the finely tuned and fast- changing property market.

Christchurch valuer Mark Shalders, of DTZ, warns against putting too much store by the RV.

"We don't think rating values offer a particularly valuable guide to prices,"Shalders says. "There's better ways of valuing a property."

Shalders says one of the shortcomings of relying on RVs is that they are set on a certain date, and do not reflect market changes until they are done again three years later. Read more...

Travel Trailer RV's

Travel trailers, also often called caravans in many places outside the U.S., are small trailers that can be used as living quarters while traveling. Travel trailers are actually a part of a large family of vehicles having the same characteristics. Also belonging to this group of vehicles are the pop-up trailers, teardrop trailers, motor homes, and truck campers. Collectively, these vehicles are called recreational vehicles, or RVs.

The different kinds of recreational vehicles share several characteristics, so how can one differentiate a travel trailer from the others? Unlike motor homes that are vehicles in themselves, travel trailers are not. Instead, travel trailers are designed to be towed by other vehicles by means of a bumper or trailer hitch. One wouldn't mistake a travel trailer for other towable RVs because of their style and their size.

Travel trailer lengths usually range from twelve feet to about forty feet. Those that are below eighteen feet in length are often called small travel trailers. These travel trailers are usually the simplest and can accommodate about four people at most. Small travel trailers would not weigh more than 3,000 pounds and thus can be towed by a family car or a small pickup truck.

Many travel trailer builders, in their quest to provide utmost satisfaction for their customers, also provide options for personalizing your chosen trailer with interior decors using varied design schemes. As a result, the upholstery, carpeting and windows’ stylish and beaming appearances make up an appealing and unique trailer that is sure to catch the discerning eyes of buyers.

Manufacturers of different trailers with state-of-the-art designs and engineering also provide warranties to assure you of a secured and long-lasting RV experience.

In transportation and temporary living accommodations for travel, recreation, and camping, small travel trailers are the best option to meet the level of comfort and convenience needed by small families or even older couples who are enjoying their retirement. You can still feel as if you are in the comforts of your home; these trailers also come equipped with the necessary amenities such as a small kitchen area, a bathroom, comfortable sleeping and dining areas, and even entertainment facilities.

Though simple and engineered to be lightweight, small trailers are also loaded with cooking facilities as well as a refrigerator, heating, air conditioning, a self-contained toilet, a shower, water tanks, and a separate electrical system. These trailers also feature slide-out rooms so you can enjoy additional space.

RV Rentals

My folks have been retired for five years, and they’re spending their golden years on the road. There have been trips to China and Peru and a train tour of Canada. This year, they’re sticking closer to home — an RV tour of California with the Kelly clan.

“We’re a small company,” said Tom Franks, Director of Comfort Coach RV in Oceanside (760-554-7390; rvrentalssandiego.com). “Each of our coaches is privately owned. Not only do you have a rental company maintaining and managing the coach, but you also have an owner, who has a vested interest in maintaining it. And because these are privately owned coaches that people have purchased for themselves, they’re loaded with features and amenities — nicer upholstery and cabinetry, in-motion satellite receivers, surround-sound speaker systems...”

Franks said, “We carry both Class A and Class C. The Class C is the most popular family coach. It’s made on a van chassis and drives like a van. There’s a bed above the driver’s head and a queen-sized bed in the bedroom, and the sofa folds into a double bed, so it can sleep up to eight.” The Class A slept six people, but Franks suggested that it was a step up. “It’s a bus-style coach, so you sit up above the traffic and enjoy a great view. It will have more slide-outs, so you’ll have more living space.”

Neither model, said Franks, is difficult to drive, and neither requires a special license — you just need to be at least 25 years old. “You’ll be sitting up higher and more to the left than you’re probably used to. You need to allow additional braking distance, and because you don’t accelerate as quickly as a car, you need to allow additional time to get into traffic. We give renters a complete orientation and make sure they know how to operate everything.” Read more...

Class C Motorhomes

Are you considering buying a new or used Class C Motorhome? There are many rv manufacturers that build class c's and you are probably wondering how to decide which one to choose.

Well, our friends at J R Consumer Resources, Inc. have created an RV Comparison Guide that rates and compares 99% of the manufacturers in the recreational vehicle industry.

Buying an RV can be one of the most rewarding purchases you’ll ever make. Imagine having the freedom to travel whenever and wherever you want in a luxurious home on wheels. Unlike the unfamiliar setting of a hotel room, your RV allows you to bring along the comforts and joys of your everyday life such as your own pillow, favorite board games, golf clubs and other familiar comforts. There is no need to make hotel reservations or try to decide where to eat.

See what Google News has to say about Class C Motorhomes.

RV Ratings

When shopping for a new RV, how do you know what manufacturer to choose from? There are so many! Would a comparison guide with many RV Ratings help you in your decision process? Learn more about the recreational vehicle industry with our RV Comparison Guides.

Fleetwood lays off 300 workers at Indiana RV plant

Munson said that weakening consumer demand primarily because of high fuel prices prompted the layoffs in Decatur and the layoffs of another 128 workers at a plant in Paxinos, Penn., and 34 workers at the company's Riverside plant. Both of those plants make gasoline engine RVs. Read more...

RV campgrounds reap benefits of high gas prices

Recreational vehicles aren’t exactly known for their fuel efficiency. In light of high fuel prices, conventional wisdom would suggest RV and camper trailer sales — and usage, for that matter — would be taking a hit right now.

However, as camping enthusiasts decide to remain in the area rather than travel abroad, local RV campgrounds are thriving. Camper and RV dealerships, meanwhile, are finding ways to make ends meet, said officials.

“I think we’ll probably just ride it out,” said Becky Shockley, an official at Cross County RV Center in Mattoon. The fuel situation “hasn’t put the business at a standstill by any means. We’re still selling on a regular basis.”

More than half of Cross County’s sales are to out-of-state customers — especially “snowbirds”: people who travel in RVs to warmer climates in the fall and winter months, said Shockley.

“Motor homes and larger luxury fifth-wheel (trailers), those are not affected” by the gasoline prices, she said.

Cross County also continues to sell larger units to traveling workers — such as those installing oil pipelines or cell towers — who invest reimbursements from their employers in mobile homes rather than spend the money on hotels, said Shockley.

But sales of smaller “weekender” RVs and campers have declined, she added. “We can see a little slowdown there” because of the fuel crunch, Shockley said.

The situation is almost the reverse at Owen Motor Sports near Charleston, where smaller units are selling better than larger RVs and fifth-wheel trailers. The gasoline hike “has slowed down everything, but it seems like the used units and small units are moving (because) people are staying closer to home,” said Jarrod Moran, general manager. Read more...

Man gets second chance at Storey RV ordinance change

Troy Regas will get another chance to pitch his RV park request to the Storey County Planning Commission.

Regas, who owns more than 200 acres in northern Storey County along the Truckee River, lost a request to the planning commission to approve a rewritten ordinance that would have allowed him to put an RV park on land he owns.

The Planning Commission last month heard Regas' request, but the motion to approve the retooled ordinance died for lack of a second. Read more...

Skillet cooks up scrumptious grub in Airstream trailer

The Skillet food cart reopened after a brief closure through the slow winter months on January 15. Owners Danny Sizemore and Josh Henderson have worked in the food service industry for most of their professional lives and are happy to be running with a clean bill of health from the Health Department after a short hiatus last year.

As opposed to most food carts that funnel money to the city by way of food vendor permits, Skillet operates on private land, giving them higher profits and the ability to choose their vendors on something other than price. They are thus able to support local agriculture, products of which make up sixty to seventy percent of the menu. This percentage is likely to rise when summer farmers markets open, allowing them to become an organization that serves the community food, and serves the community well.

The restaurant operates from an Airstream trailer loaded with about 60,000 dollars worth of culinary equipment, including fryers, salad stations, and extensive refrigeration units. Operating in such a small space keeps their overhead costs down, another way they save money to achieve specific, community-focused goals. Read more about Airstream...

Campground Ratings

We have actually pulled into some campgrounds when we were traveling in our RV and made a quick U turn and left. It was easy to see at a glance that these campgrounds were not someplace you would want to spend the night, not to mention several days. Even if you research the campgrounds website or some campground directories before leaving on a trip there is no guarantee that it will be a safe, clean quality campground. So what can we do to know in advance that the campground you are 585planning to stay at offers a clean, safe environment for you and your family?

There are several large, reputable organizations like AAA, Wheelers RV Resort & Campground Guide, Woodalls and Trailer Life who rate campgrounds on an annual basis. These campground ratings are based on important considerations like the campgrounds facilities and services, cleanliness, visual appeal, user experience and more. The rating systems may be slightly different, using stars or a numbered rating system, but the bottom line is where the campground stands when it comes to meeting industry standards.

So, when youre searching through campground directories and websites for that perfect place to stay, check the ratings before you make any plans. These campground rating systems can sure make you feel better about choosing a clean, safe campground to stay at.

RV BlueBook

RV Owners Staying Closer to Home This Summer (WHNT-TV Huntsville)

A lot of north Alabama RV owners say they'll spend their summer closer to home because of ever increasing fuel prices.

RV

Olympia council considers RV parking ban (KNDO - KNDU Tri-Cities)

Associated Press - June 3, 2008 12:25 PM ET OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The Olympia City Council is considering a ban on RV parking on city streets.

Travel Trailer

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Motorhomes

The motor home is also known as recreation vehicles or RV's as they are capable of providing all possible facilities that one can get in a traditional home. Motorhomes can be considered as a mobile home or a house on wheels.

These fully equipped motorhomes are categorized and classified into various classes depending on their size, and the number of features and luxury they provide. There are basically three types of motor homes.

One can get huge amount of information regarding the class A motor homes and motor homes in general from the numerous online websites that provide information regarding these luxury coaches. The motor homes that run on diesel are comparatively more economical due to the cost of the diesel. However both these motor vehicles are equally spacious and equally powerful.

High diesel prices force some RV owners to cut back

For Laurie Potter, the breaking point came last week when she drove into Napa and found diesel selling for $5.25 a gallon. Her commitment to the RV lifestyle crumbled.

Some people might be able to swallow paying $450 to fill a pickup, but she’s not one of them, said Potter, who had been riding in a Dodge Ram pulling a trailer

Now she’s selling both. “There is a threshold for anything you do,” she said. “It’s not worth it to me anymore.” In the future, she and her husband will stay in motels when they travel.

Parked on her pad at the Napa Valley Exposition RV park was a new Nissan Versa, an economy car purchased the day before on Soscol Avenue.

Her Ram got 10 mpg pulling the trailer.

With the Versa “they said 38 on the highway,” she said.

Skyrocketing gas and diesel prices are hitting every motorist in the pocketbook, but none more so than RV owners. Some of the biggest homes on wheels burn a gallon every seven miles.

Read More...