5 ms·

I agree, but a lot of enjoyment can still be had with one. My Winnebago cost about as much as a Model X but the places I have gone, the things I have seen... I

I agree, but a lot of enjoyment can still be had with one. My Winnebago cost about as much as a Model X but the places I have gone, the things I have seen... Its actually very hard to travel by normal car or air now, we just like taking the RV, the space, bathroom and kitchen while driving down the road, our own bed... You really do need to be handy to own one at this point, it's like a 70's American car. Well the engine and transmission and chassis is fine but everything around it, wow. Luckily it is easy to work on and modify. I have thought long and hard about trying to start a "Toyota of RVs", I think if you could make a solid, simple well made RV you could dominate the market.

datavirtue 6y ago
People make them. They are $400k used.
troydavis 6y ago
The closest to a “Toyota of RVs” is probably the Erwin Hymer Group, which is expected to finally - after 5+ years of false starts - bring some products to the US in the next 2-3 years: https://newatlas.com/automotive/hymer-usa-european-designed-campers-us/ https://newatlas.com/automotive/hymer-usa-european-designed-... (Many in the US have never heard of Hymer even though they’re huge in Europe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymer. They’re now owned by Thor, which owns Airstream, Jayco, and many other RV companies: https://www.thorindustries.com/brands https://www.thorindustries.com/brands)
- ngcc_hk 6y ago
  Good to investigate in uk
- SigmundA 6y ago
  Hymer North America went bankrupt due various finial "irregularities". I believe what was left was bought by Thor. Left a lot of people out in the cold on warranties from my understanding. If you want quality look at https://advanced-rv.com https://advanced-rv.com, not cheap.
  - troydavis 6y ago
    Thor planned to acquire Hymer Europe and NA, but discovered the fraud during due diligence and elected not to acquire the NA business (a lot of which was Roadtrek). Thor/Hymer Europe has formed a new US entity for new products. Most of the high-volume brands are a notch down from there. I agree about Advanced. A notch down would be Safari Condo’s XL Flex and Leisure Travel Vans.
smabie 6y ago
Do you think you're missing something by not being "part" of the environment while driving? As in, you drive through instead of "drive in"? I only drive with the windows down because I want to be a part of the landscape I'm in. I think a motorcycle is the ultimate crystallization of that. On the hand, if it convincs you make trips you otherwise wouldn't have made, I think it's a win. I love Road tripping because it forces you to deal with stuff, especially if you're doing it in less developed countries. Probably the most fun I've ever had is driving long distance in Africa. You really never know what's going to happen next!
- ramraj07 6y ago
  Never understood this fascination with "crapping in the woods" so to speak. We have evolved past not having to do that yet some want to find their way back to the same old for some reason. In the end, this seems like different goals - some just want to enjoy nature but not live in any delusion that we need to be more paleolithic to have the most authentic experience, others crave this process more than the end location. I identify more with the former group, and an RV sounds like a better bet for people like that. I would be curious to know which is the least destructive to the places been to and the environment though. If the RV is worse, maybe that's one argument. But I'm not sure that makes sense - someone who stays in the hotel might end up costing more in resources maybe?
  - smabie 6y ago
    I'm not talking about capping in the woods, just needing other people for things is a great way to experience the world: having to go to a restaurant or store to get food, go to a motel to sleep, etc. Like poor neighborhoods have so much more community than rich ones because people genuinely need each other to get by. When you're completely independent and don't need anyone, I think you've lost one of the things that gives life its value.
    - ramraj07 6y ago
      That's fair, but I would wager that countries where RVs make sense (US mainly) is a disjoint set from countries where you have a rich community that's also affordable. If I'm traveling the states by a motorcycle or car I'm stuck with having my meals often at a subway and staying in a super 8 (assuming you're middle class).
Gibbon1 6y ago
I have a 20 year old conversion van. Lot of space if just two people. And you get a good bed and not have to deal with sleeping on the ground or tents. Have a secondary battery which runs an Engel cooler and a small microwave. Downside: No bathroom, shower, stove, etc. Upside: No plumbing to maintain. Lot smaller than an RV.
jacobush 6y ago
C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate?
- LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago
  I don't think so. More like the "Weltraumputze" [1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm3577194497 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm357719449... at [2] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm3946293249 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm394629324... from there [3] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm2855774209 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm285577420... or there [4] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer /rm3862407169 Right? [5] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm1505431040 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm150543104...

datavirtue 6y ago

People make them. They are $400k used.

troydavis 6y ago

The closest to a “Toyota of RVs” is probably the Erwin Hymer Group, which is expected to finally - after 5+ years of false starts - bring some products to the US in the next 2-3 years: https://newatlas.com/automotive/hymer-usa-european-designed-campers-us/ https://newatlas.com/automotive/hymer-usa-european-designed-... (Many in the US have never heard of Hymer even though they’re huge in Europe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymer. They’re now owned by Thor, which owns Airstream, Jayco, and many other RV companies: https://www.thorindustries.com/brands https://www.thorindustries.com/brands)

ngcc_hk 6y ago
Good to investigate in uk
SigmundA 6y ago
Hymer North America went bankrupt due various finial "irregularities". I believe what was left was bought by Thor. Left a lot of people out in the cold on warranties from my understanding. If you want quality look at https://advanced-rv.com https://advanced-rv.com, not cheap.
- troydavis 6y ago
  Thor planned to acquire Hymer Europe and NA, but discovered the fraud during due diligence and elected not to acquire the NA business (a lot of which was Roadtrek). Thor/Hymer Europe has formed a new US entity for new products. Most of the high-volume brands are a notch down from there. I agree about Advanced. A notch down would be Safari Condo’s XL Flex and Leisure Travel Vans.

smabie 6y ago

Do you think you're missing something by not being "part" of the environment while driving? As in, you drive through instead of "drive in"? I only drive with the windows down because I want to be a part of the landscape I'm in. I think a motorcycle is the ultimate crystallization of that. On the hand, if it convincs you make trips you otherwise wouldn't have made, I think it's a win. I love Road tripping because it forces you to deal with stuff, especially if you're doing it in less developed countries. Probably the most fun I've ever had is driving long distance in Africa. You really never know what's going to happen next!

ramraj07 6y ago
Never understood this fascination with "crapping in the woods" so to speak. We have evolved past not having to do that yet some want to find their way back to the same old for some reason. In the end, this seems like different goals - some just want to enjoy nature but not live in any delusion that we need to be more paleolithic to have the most authentic experience, others crave this process more than the end location. I identify more with the former group, and an RV sounds like a better bet for people like that. I would be curious to know which is the least destructive to the places been to and the environment though. If the RV is worse, maybe that's one argument. But I'm not sure that makes sense - someone who stays in the hotel might end up costing more in resources maybe?
- smabie 6y ago
  I'm not talking about capping in the woods, just needing other people for things is a great way to experience the world: having to go to a restaurant or store to get food, go to a motel to sleep, etc. Like poor neighborhoods have so much more community than rich ones because people genuinely need each other to get by. When you're completely independent and don't need anyone, I think you've lost one of the things that gives life its value.
  - ramraj07 6y ago
    That's fair, but I would wager that countries where RVs make sense (US mainly) is a disjoint set from countries where you have a rich community that's also affordable. If I'm traveling the states by a motorcycle or car I'm stuck with having my meals often at a subway and staying in a super 8 (assuming you're middle class).

Gibbon1 6y ago

I have a 20 year old conversion van. Lot of space if just two people. And you get a good bed and not have to deal with sleeping on the ground or tents. Have a secondary battery which runs an Engel cooler and a small microwave. Downside: No bathroom, shower, stove, etc. Upside: No plumbing to maintain. Lot smaller than an RV.

jacobush 6y ago

C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate?

LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago
I don't think so. More like the "Weltraumputze" [1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm3577194497 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm357719449... at [2] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm3946293249 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm394629324... from there [3] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm2855774209 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm285577420... or there [4] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer /rm3862407169 Right? [5] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm1505431040 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094012/mediaviewer/rm150543104...