https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...66946686e4.jpg
At LAX. Haha

At RSW:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...368208623f.jpg

Heading home after a great two week RV trip with the Florida kin. As usual, was glad I brought my tools along. Seriously, how do people who are not mechanics or engineers succeed at RVing?

The same way anyone handles tasks for which they do not have the requisite skills.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to pay someone else.

For what trailers/campers/RVs cost, it amazing how shoddily they're put together.

https://live.staticflickr.com/4323/3...06f990ec_c.jpg

That is precisely why I keep telling the better half, "Anytime you want to do that, let's just rent one."

Older airstreams look decent though.

https://www.colonialairstream.com/wp...g-Header-1.jpg

This is definitely true of class C rigs. The class A's, as a broad generalization, seem to be assembled with a bit more care.

I sat down and did a little math. The Jayco 31XL that my sister bought sells for about $68k on average. Let's look at what goes into it. I'll assume that Jayco gets 20% off published internet pricing on everything, and use those prices below:

A Ford E450 cutaway, with the V10 engine, is $27k. That's nearly half the total sale price right there.

The appliance package (Oanan 4kw genny, 8cuft fridge, head, power converters, range, microwave, aircon, furnace, water heater, etc) total about $6,500.

Let's assume that there's a 25% margin (total, for the manufacturer and the dealer), which is $17,000 (no discount here.)

We're already up to $50,400, which leaves less than $10,000 for literally everything else. The molded fiberglass bits, the sofa, the beds, the cabinetry, the water and sewer systems, the lighting, the sliders, the wiring, the labor to build it all... With that being the case, it's no wonder they're done somewhat on the cheap in many regards.

We we're looking at RVs about 6 months ago. If they have been on the lot 1 or even two years they are marked WAY down.

The trick is to find one with almost no miles on it and a few years old. Something that someone just doesn't use enough.

There are deals are out there... Our truck camper is a 2007, and we bought it used in 2016. Looked like it had never been used, and the generator had 4 hours on it.

You just gotta look, and be ready to jump when the opportunity presents.

someone actually thought it was a good idea:

I always wanted to get a short bus and make an RV out of it but dont have the room to mess with stuff since i live in a building :/

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...86ad5d679c.jpg

Just convert the bus into a workshop first, then use the workshop to convert the bus into an RV.

A cathedral makes 4 unhappy citizens content, you pretty much can't grow beyond a city population of 12-14 without one. Hospitals aren't even a standard city improvement in Civ2. :)

--Ian

Apparently, it is possible to have both a hospital and a cathedral but it's not useful for memes.

And then there's the majestic and still fully functional Coltea Hospital in Bucharest, Romania

https://t-ec.bstatic.com/images/hote...1/60124238.jpg

And once again, Steve brings sense to a MT topic. On point, Six:
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d8e6f8be79.jpg