There are 30 Million American RV Enthusiasts. This is Why!

Infographic Transcript

Regardless if you love the outdoors or you just love going on trips (who doesn’t?) you should definitely try RVing on your next vacation! Find out which are the main reasons why so many Americans prefer an RV vacation. And if you’re convinced, but worry about how much it will cost to buy a new RV, don’t worry, you don’t have to rob a bank to go on memorable trips in an RV.

What do Frequent RVers Say?

RVs appeal to travelers for their flexibility, convenience, comfort, family togetherness, affordability, outdoor lure and versatility.

73% of frequent RVers prefer this type of trips due to savings on typical family vacations.
67% consider that RVing allows families to spend quality time together.
67% affirm that RVing allows you to be more physically active.
58% prefer RVing due to the educational benefits for the children who travel with their families by RV.

Tent Camping versus RVing

First of all, neither tent camping nor RVing has a clear advantage when it comes to getting to the campsite (which includes packing and driving) and unpacking at the campsite. While it might seem easier to pack for camping in a tent depending on the size of your family, packing for tent camping can be either easier or a daunting task compared to packing up the RV.

However, when it comes to enjoying the trip regardless of the weather, safety and additional comforts (like electricity, air conditioning/heating, running water, TV, integrated bathroom, stovetop, etc.) RVing is a clear winner. Not to mention sleeping arrangements, where an RV is clearly superior to a tent; sleeping on the ground, being cold and scary sounds are a big issue when tent camping especially when traveling with kids.

Of course, where mobility and costs are concerned RVing comes at a disadvantage, but it’s important to mention that RVs are becoming smaller, lighter and more fuel-  and cost- efficient.

RV related advantages lead to more time outdoors – the majority of RV trips last 3 nights or more, compared to 1-2 nights in the case of tent camping. While for 64% of tent campers the length of the most recent trip was of 1-2 nights (compared to only 40% of RVers), only 9% of campers spent more than 5 nights compared to 22% of RVers.

RVing versus Car and Hotel

Vacations by Type A motorhomes – typically the largest and most luxurious of RVs – were 45 percent less expensive than upscale air/hotel vacations. When looking at average costs for a seven-day trip (of roughly 1,000 miles), going by plane, renting a car and staying at a hotel or motel is by far the most expensive reaching $4,113. This is followed by going by car or plane and renting a home with $3,114 and going by car and staying at a hotel/motel costing roughly $2,956. If choosing a motorhome a trip in a type C can cost around $2,157, while a type B will cost around $2,044. The SUV plus trailer option, reaching $1,993, while a car plus trailer is the cheapest at $1,993 per trip.

Rent or Own an RV?

New RV prices are as follows: a basic class C and B can cost from $50,000 to $80,000. A luxurious C class can take you back anywhere from $85,000 to $140,000, while a luxurious B can mean an investment between $90,000 and $125,000. While a basic A class costs between $50,000 and $100,000, the price of a customized class A starts from $500,000.

Additionally, to an average price of $122,715 you have to consider storage fees, insurance, maintenance and repairs. If you do intend to buy an RV, by renting you can discover which features, floorplans and size you prefer.

When asked how many outings do RVers have per year 47% said 11 outings or more, for these 47% it is probably best to buy instead of renting. However, for RVers among the 24% with 6-10 outings, or the 20% with 3-5 outings or the 9% with 1-2 outings per year it would make sense to rent an RV instead of buying. Why? Well, from a financial point of view it’s better to rent than own if you don’t intend to use your RV at least 50 days per year.

Important to note that multi-location national and regional RV dealerships primarily offer Class C motorhomes. Also, the RV rental business is a $350 million industry and growing.

Sources:
The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (http://www.rvia.org)
Good Sam RV Travel Guide & Campground Directory (https://www.woodalls.com)
Outdoor Industry Association (http://www.outdoorfoundation.org)
Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle and Camping Association (http://www.prvca.org)
Go RVing (http://gorving.com)
Camp Nut (http://www.campnut.com)
For It Yourself RV (http://www.doityourselfrv.com)
DaddleDo Blog (http://daddledo.com)
The Fun Times Guide (https://rv-roadtrips.thefuntimesguide.com)
Cost Helper Cars (http://cars.costhelper.com)
AxleGeeks.com (http://www.axlegeeks.com/)