Want To Buy: RV wanted, east Coast Florida to SC, July to October.

[monte]

Jen and I will be hauling out our cat for the hurricane season and looking to buy or rent a RV for 4 months to do some US land travels. If anyone can help with suggestions it would be much appreciated.hopefully we can buy one without US residency or rent one in decent shape. Any ideas most welcome!

Monte

[a64pilot]

I'd say shop for one in the Mesa Az area, a great many end up there, the couples get old or something happens and they sell. It's a sort of an end of the road place for RV's. Similar I guess to boats in Florida.
I assume you want a motorhome? Best deals are the front engine gasoline engine ones, they do burn more fuel and don't drive as well as the Diesel pushers, but they cost a fraction of a Diesel pusher and the vast majority have low mileage, people just don't travel like the think they will when they buy them.
You can buy one of those cheap, drive it for four months and make someone a screaming good deal and not lose all that much money.

Rentals re easily available, but think what chartering a boat for four months would cost, similar with a motorhome.

[rgscpat]

We live part-time in Mesa; lots of "snow birds" spend the winter here and return to the US midwest and Canada in the spring. Something similar should also be true for Florida, and to some extent for south Texas. There should be lots of shopping opportunities.

[hellosailor]

Monte, in the US an RV is just another car or truck, and anyone can buy them. With or without a license.


Insuring one might be more problematic, as insurers generally want to deal with residents not tourists, so a rental might be more practical all around. I'd suggest a fast web search for dealers in the kind (size, brand) you want, and then ask a couple of dealers about the paperwork and pricing to go either way. There are plenty of RV dealers in Florida. The biggest ones might (might) be in the Tampa-St. Pete area on the west coast, which means you just will be passing closer to Disneyworld on the way back east.(G)

[pesarsten]

Just out of curiosity, would you have an interest in a 3 bedroom condo in the Tampa/st Pete area?

I am planning on setting out in Feb and not returning until October/November.



Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[monte]

Thanks for the info guys. I agree buying or a private rental would be preferable. I've seen some suitable on Craigslist for around 10k or so and I'd expect to lose a bit reselling it later. I'd definitely prefer pick something up close to st Augustine where we are likely to haul out, but that's not set in concrete, but either way close to our haul out makes sense logistically. We can take what we want from the boat with the RV alongside rather than storing stuff and travelling to where we buy one. Insurance, hopefully we can sort something out there, maybe a mail service address. We plan on doing a loop to California and back, catching some music festivals and national parks along the way.
Something like this looks ok
http://staugustine.craigslist.org/rvs/4716922538.html

[a64pilot]

With the mileage your wanting to put on it, renting would I think be thousands per month.
One you linked to, buy it for 10 or 12, sell it for 8 or 9, not much for four months

[hellosailor]

Two caveats:
Craigslist has something of a veracity problem. You'd want to make sure you got clear title, and obviously had a thorough mechanic's inspection. In the US, Craigslist and eBay are both, sadly, infested with scams. You can do well there but do be careful.
And then when it is time to sell, you may need a month or two or more to sell it, depending on when and where and all the usual details. It may not be common, but you probably could also make a "buy back" deal with an RV dealer. (Going back to the 1970-era, that was the only way for an American to "rent" a car in parts of Europe. Technically, you bought the car and the seller agreed to buy it back for a specific price in a specific condition and time.)

[monte]

Thanks a64 & HS, that's my plan and yes the buy back would work as well. Hoping another cruiser may have an unused one as well they may want to rent for around 1K/month, hence the early post, or trade for some sailing time

[a64pilot]

Doing the loop to California and back is maybe more than 6,000 miles?
Renting that kind of mileage is going to be real expensive, I certainly wouldn't let anyone put that kind of mileage on one for 1K a month, just would be foolish.

Good news is, gas in the US is the lowest price it's been for a long time.

I think buying one for cash is an excellent plan, and if you get one like the one in the Ad you showed, even if you sell it for a 25% loss, it's still not a bad deal.

I've seen a lot of these, they seem to be a big player, at least should give you a good idea as to cost, I may be wrong. I've never rented one myself. Of course a Class A is the one that is the standard motorhome, Class C is the one that looks like a truck, years ago I owned a CLass A, bought a 5th wheel as my motorhome drove horribly, but your short term so that doesn't matter.

Class C Motor Homes, RV Rentals and Sales - Cruise America

[a64pilot]

I just did a quick look, seems to be close to $100 a day, but that was just a quick look at a 30 day rental

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by monte

Thanks for the info guys. I agree buying or a private rental would be preferable. I've seen some suitable on Craigslist for around 10k or so and I'd expect to lose a bit reselling it later. I'd definitely prefer pick something up close to st Augustine where we are likely to haul out, but that's not set in concrete, but either way close to our haul out makes sense logistically. We can take what we want from the boat with the RV alongside rather than storing stuff and travelling to where we buy one. Insurance, hopefully we can sort something out there, maybe a mail service address. We plan on doing a loop to California and back, catching some music festivals and national parks along the way.
Something like this looks ok
1995 Seabreeze motor home 31ft

Monte... I think your plan is spectacular and VERY doable... The CL ad posted is a smokin' deal, and I would expect you to recover almost all of your initial investment...

You guys are going to have an absolute blast... Not sure of the titling or insurance issue, but I knew both some Swiss and German nationals that bought cars and did the same thing... If you want, I'll call my agent and throw the insurance question at him???

I BTW have been to just about every inch of this country, National and State Parks...etc.. I'd be elated to help ya out with Yea's and Nay's re your destinations and routes when you're ready!

[monte]

Thanks again. Yes we usually buy and sell cars when not sailing. Over the last 4 years we've bought and sold in Italy, France,Australia and Spain. Sometimes a headache but definitely the lowest cost option. last year we bought one in Italy at the end of the season for 1000eu, drove it through Italy, Switzerland and up to France and across to les sables to collect our new boat where we sold it for 1500eu. Not all work out that well but always better than the rental option.
Thanks a lot for the offer happy, we will definitely be up for some land cruising USA advice!

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by monte

Thanks again. Yes we usually buy and sell cars when not sailing. Over the last 4 years we've bought and sold in Italy, France,Australia and Spain. Sometimes a headache but definitely the lowest cost option. last year we bought one in Italy at the end of the season for 1000eu, drove it through Italy, Switzerland and up to France and across to les sables to collect our new boat where we sold it for 1500eu. Not all work out that well but always better than the rental option.
Thanks a lot for the offer happy, we will definitely be up for some land cruising USA advice!

You bet guys... I'll give my agent a shout and throw some questions at him...

[a64pilot]

Most all the foreign nationals in flt school bought cars to drive around while they were here, The Germans especially seemed to get a hoot out of driving the big old American land yachts like a Cadillac etc. I don't think insurance and license etc. is at all hard to do.

We do drive on the wrong side of the road here though, just remember the driver is always in the middle of the road and you will be all right

I'd look into the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone if I were you. I haven't been in over40 yrs, but understand Yellowstone is rather crowded now?