It’s often reported that the average RVer will buy four RVs in his or her lifetime. After conducting this same poll question a few times through the years, we find that to be about right.
We last asked this question almost exactly one year ago, on August 11, 2021.
What we’re curious about now is whether the number of readers who have only owned one RV has increased. About 600,000 people purchased RVs last year, many (if not most) of them first-timers. We wonder how many of those newbies have found their way to the RVtravel.com website and, more specifically, to this newsletter.
So let’s see how things have changed in the last 52 weeks. After you answer this poll, click through to last year’s poll and compare the results.
Finally, as we always advise, if you are on a slow internet connection, the poll may take a few moments to load. So stand by. It’s be along soon, that slowpoke!
In the early 90’s we owned a 71 Shasta on our undeveloped land. Once the house was built, we sold it. Fast forward to 2016 we bought a Keystone cougar. We went fulltime in 2018 and purchased a 2019 Grand Design Reflection. Finally we upgraded to a Fifth wheel. A 2021 Grand Design Momentum. This one’s a keeper!!!
When we bought the first one it was a small 27′ no slides. When we were looking at them a salesman said we should buy our second one first. My wife and I looked at each other, what did he mean by that. Well, now we know. We now have a 33′ with 3 slides which is perfect for us.
Started out fulltiming in a 20′ Trailblazer TT built in Wisconsin when I was working in Lubbock TX. Next lived in it while going to college in Knoxville TN. Spent a month living in it in snowy and cold Chicago IL looking for a job before giving up and moving back to Texas. Brought it out of retirement when my wife and I lived in it while building our loghouse in east Tennessee. I was in the process of totally remodeling it when we found a 24′ Sunline TT made in PA and just could not live without it. The Trailblazer is now our storage trailer parked at our snowbirding site in Florida. Eventually bought our current Class A DP after retiring and deciding to try fulltiming (again). Sold the Sunline TT after we were sure fulltiming in the MH would work for us. So that makes three, so far.
Three unless we can add in the many tents. 1975 Taurus 23′ TT, 1984 Shasta 28′ TT and now the 1995 34′ Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser. This one is the one we will keep. Picked it up in 2009 and just had a new roof installed. Figure I have about 10-15 more years I will be able to drive it before I am too old.
Let’s not talk about tents, I currently own 7, I’m using one right now.
Bought our first rv in July of 2017 a 32ft Forest River Forester. We have no plans to replace it. Love it and the life style. Although not full timers I refer to us as most-timers.
My first one, if you consider it an RV, was the small pop up camper I pulled behind my motorcycle. Had a full size bed and small dressing area. The second was the same type only larger. King sized bed, larger dressing area and a canopy over the door. We used these two for 29 years and racked up well over 30,000 miles. When I retired, we bought a 28 foot toy hauler. All the comforts of home, but I still miss using the little one.
One. We bought our 40′ diesel in July 2003, and are not likely to buy another RV.
RECO Popup RV, 1992 36-foot Airstream Landyacht, 2002 40-foot Monaco Windsor & now a 42-foot 2006 Monaco Dynasty.
I have owned over 20 travel trailers, including 3 slide in truck campers and 3 pop ups. It all started with a ragged out Shasta of indeterminate age (and no history of maintenance) and became an addiction. As a carpenter’s daughter, I loved being able to take abused campers and turning them into something that my Dad would be proud of. Any camper can be your blank canvas, just waiting for your creativity and sweat to transform it into your travel castle!
“I have owned over 20 travel trailers, including 3 slide in truck campers and 3 pop ups”
That makes no sense – how is a slide in or popup camper a travel trailer?
Picky, picky, Bob. You know what she’s talking about. Sheesh! Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
My first rv was a hightop Ford van that I converted to a camper. Queen bed with bin storage underneath. 12volt deep cycle battery cabled to 12v charge while driving. Small invertor/convertor to operate lights, microwave, mini fridge when dry camping. Tower ac unit when shore power available. Traveled all over the country and into Canada with this rig (when we were much younger). Eventually moved up to 2 5vers, 2 class A’s, and then another high top extended van that I also converted. And now our third motor home! The vans were great for primitive camping areas and I still have the 2nd one for that purpose. But now as very senior citizens I definitely prefer all the comforts of a nice Class A which we are currently traveling with. The van has the advantage of going anywhere including rough dirt roads to nowhere. But dam, a Class A with all the bells and whistles is much better suited for my creaky old back and knees! Owning and operating costs have sure gone up over the years.
2 self-converted horse trailers; 30′ Jayco and 26′ Toy Box for hunting; 40′ DP for full timing. Didn’t count the 2 tents.
Forgot to add the truck camper but the change vote link isn’t there. So it’s 5, not 4.
Two motorhomes, but before them and when I was single, it was my ’74 Vega hatchback followed by a FWD Chevy Luv pickup with an over the cab topper.
2 boats and now a motorhome. So three total.
If we’re counting boats, too, then my answer goes from 4 to 6. If you count airplanes, motorcycles, and ATV’s, then it goes to 16.
I agree with Dick if we’re counting all then 14 with boats and motorcycles.
Had a Smokey TT in the late 70s. Bought an old MH in 2016. It’s still going, better than I am most days.
1- 1985 25′ Winnebago Chieftain (1986-2000)
2- 2000 35′ Itasca Suncruiser, 2-slides (2000-2014)
3- 2015 39′ Itasca Suncruiser, 3-slides (2014-present)
we’ll be selling our MH this year as health issues are forcing us off the road. it’s been a grrrrrreat run.
1974 Dodge Surveyor van conversion
2002 Chinook Concourse
2007Itasca
2017 Sunstar 27N
4. One slide-in, one 12 foot TT, one 18 foot TY and on 28 foot 5er. That’s enough though some days I wish shorter but not paying the price.
Still on our first, a now 15 year old 35ft Class A, Georgetown Class A. When I decide to retire (a third time), we plan on getting a new diesel pusher (but I also think about a toy hauling 5’er) to F/T around in.
The one I have now is my first and probably last. I plan on using it as long and as much as I can. So far, I have enjoyed every minute I’ve had it.
This is my answer also. First, last, only.
First was 1974 Viking tent trailer, 2, 1976 Prowler 21′ TT, 3, 1988 Terry 29′ TT, 4, 2004 39′ Alfa 5th wheel which is now setup on our RV lot in Yuma, AZ. Then in January 2021, we bought a 2005 30′ 5th wheel to travel with during the summers. The first four were bought new.
1- Timeout Tent trailer for a GoldWing motorcycle, for 8 years
2- Lees-ure Lite tent trailer for a newer Goldwing motorcycle, for 9 years
3- Cargo trailer with tent for our GoldWing motorcycle in Europe, for 3 years
4- 1985 Toyota poptop camper, for 5 months of touring in Australia
5- Newmar Bay Star 35′ motorhome (now full-timing it now), for 4 years
This doesn’t count all the years of tent camping in between these times, 43 years minus what’s above
I have actually owned more than one at the same time. We bought a smaller trailer for quick trips, then got a class B for tailgating and parents’ weekends all while owning of big trailer. We also owned several tents throughout the years, but I have been camping/RVing for over 60 years.
what do I count? 2 class As, 2 tent campers, 3-4 tents, 1977 GMC van. slept in all of them, cooked in most of them.
We got #1 at the end of July 2016. We downsized from 43′ to 36′ after numerous trips, including 4-months to Alaska and back, and 48,000 miles. We got #2 33 days and 5,000 miles ago. We expected to trade #1 at some point, but didn’t have a set plan for the timimg. We anticipate keeping and using #2 until we stop traveling via RV.
Started in ’79 in my VW camper pop top-18,000 miles in 3 months at 22 years old! Next a Sportsmobile some years later, to 24′ class C to 24′-5th wheel pulled be a Toyota Tacoma to a 32′ Class C to a 30′ fifth Wheel to a Class A DP to our current 2011 Leisure Travel Van that fits in the driveway! Like I said before ALL viewed as “my glorified tent” with bed made, fridge and my toilet!! Happy camper!
I started camping on the road in my Nash Rambler station wagon back in 1959.
Put a mattress in the back, pack up the groceries and hit the road. Life was so simple then…at 18.
pop up for 17 yrs with the family until the mice got it…now a Flagstaff FBRS21 for my wife and I with the dog…no kids
This is our first RV 15′ tear drop equivalent to 5 rooms my wife and I have been on the road for 5 months of a 3 yr trip we’re loving it just came out of 3 months in Alaska rest of US to do probably won’t go home again for any length of time