S&S Rv show

[Chopper Scott]

I went to a Boat/RV show today. Saw some 5th wheel trailers with 3 and 4 slides, must have been 10' ceilings, some really nice layouts. The really shiney ones on the outsides had $10,000 paint options. A lot were in the 80+ range. Most of them had signs stating you could own this for $350,  $400, or $500 a month........... fine print stated 180 monthly payments on top of the down payment!!! Fifteen years of payments. I wonder what one would be worth after you made that last payment? One idea I saw was a fold down deck but after thinking about it all it saved was 3 steps!!! Walking into a unit with opposing slides is impressive. A lot of room but I still didn't see anything that I would trade my ole bus off for. The old days of going camping have sure changed over the years!

[Paladin]

Yeah, personally I'd have a problem with a $500.00\mo payment PLUS $4.50 per gallon or so in fuel costs shortly if what people are saying is true.
I'm not sure how I'll swing just the fuel with owning my bus free and clear but having a payment would be a certain deal killer.

Still, the S&S shows are great for ideas etc.

[libby]

We look at the trade shows to get ideas but one thing that we find discouraging are the units with opposing slides, while they are impressive when open, are often impossible to move thru while the slides are in, but the shows are a great source of ideas about what to do and also what not to do.

[JackConrad]

I would think that to qualify for that "low" monthly payment, you would have a very sizeable down payment.  We have a friend with a S&S that he still owes over 100K and has payments of almost 2K/month.  He would be lucky if he could get 20K for it today.  Sad, as he lost his wife almost 1 year ago and now travels by himself.  Jack

[white-eagle]

i just spoke to another friend who lost his wife last spring.  He can't afford the payments anymore on his discovery motor home, which he's had for over 4 years that i think i've known him.  he's letting them repo it becuase he still owes over $100k.  .

those things just don't last long enough for a payment plan like that. 

[Eric]

We are doing the 5th wheel thing currently as the wife has declared she wants 2 or more slides...we've seen a few with up to 6 slides! and the bigger units they'll finance for 30 years!! crazy...