Park models don’t go anywhere, at least not like normal RVs. Once they are hauled to a location, they usually stay there for good, or at least for years. Yet, they are classified as an RV by the RV Industry Association.
As Andy Zipser noted in an article about park models, “they usually don’t have holding tanks and so need direct water and sewer hookups for their plumbing. And like house trailers, once they’ve been set up they’re usually there to stay, wheels and axles removed and the undercarriages surrounded by skirting.”
So how much in common do people who own and live in them have with most RVers, who can move their RVs easily from place to place? If you spend your time in a park model “RV” rather than one that easily moves, are you an “RVer”?
Inquiring minds want to know. Keep in mind that it can take a few moments for the poll to load on a slow internet connection.
We have friends that live in park models. Some don’t pull to Az but still rv in summer.
Lots of people gave up rv,ing and some never rved and live in park models.
No wheels, not vehicle.
Agreed !
Personally, park models are simply miniature (non)mobile homes.
I consider those vacation homes. An RV is a Recreational “Vehicle”, whether it be a motorhome or travel trailer.
In my opinion; Park models are just a small vacation home located in a campground.
RV’ers are those of us who move around and bring our home with us.
Nope. In my opinion, if it isn’t a self-powered RV (motorhome) or camper that can be disconnected from utilities, hooked up to a normal tow vehicle (no semis required), and be on the road in short order, it isn’t an RV.
These seem more like “little houses” to me. If they don’t move, how can they be a “vehicle”?
Some will argue that since it has a VIN, it’s a vehicle. Not me.
It isn’t the rig, it’s the life-style. We own our RV and spend the winter stationary*. Is that really any different? A group of friends organize into a village every winter.(we lose and gain some every winter, but there is continuity). *several of us keep smaller TTs in nearby storage for regional touring and/or the seasonal migration.
We do the opposite… we spend our summers (may thru oct) in one place, but may occasionally take a side trip to a rally or some other function. However, that said, I do consider us rv’ers as we travel in our 44′ motorhome, not a park model.
Of course not. It’s called a recreation VEHICLE.
A travel trailer is also and RV, even though it is not self-propelled. PA considers travel trailer ‘motor vehicles’ That’s what on my title.
We live in SE Pa. and the Commonwealth of Pa. has a lot of rather odd ideas about what to call things- a non motor vehicle the last time I checked can’t be a motorized vehicle unless you are looking for “use fees”.
Ok Ok. Potato-Potato. Just tell how much you want to “tax” me and where to send it.
We own a park model complete with Florida room attached in FL now for sale. We moved to FL in February 2022(mistake) lived there 13 months and didn’t like it. The weather was nice, but it’s too expensive for us. We moved back to TN and this is where we’ll stay cold winters and all. We did have a cold spell in FL last December after Christmas, got down to 27 two nights.
We have both an RV and a park model. In my opinion the park model is not an RV.
We rented a park model in AZ during the 2019-2020 winter. It had an add-on, full-length “Arizona room” attached, so was about 800 sq. ft. We had a real (not RV) queen bedroom, full bath, L-shaped kitchen with all-electric residential appliances, living room, a den-craft room for my wife’s sewing machine and paper cutter, an outdoor shed with a work bench for my hobbies, and a carport. It was not built to RVIA standards, but to residential standards; had no wheels, holding tanks or propane; and the AC was a residential unit on a permanent concrete pad. So, NO, it was NOT an RV!
Yes we are RVer’s, we have a destination trailer. Still has tires and tongue on. Has holding tanks. We just couldn’t afford RV park prices anymore. And with Diesel fuel so high. We love our little piece of heaven. Minutes from a beach and close to the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the Merriam dictionary, an RVer is one who lives in and operates a recreational vehicle. Wouldn’t that include ATV’s and boats as well? Apparently the term RVer was first used in the 1970’s.
An ATV is an All Terrain Vehicle. You can’t live in it.
A boat is a Buoyancy Operated Aquatic Transport. They could be considered an RV though.
The answer is non definitive based upon the varied definition of the word vehicle. A park model does provide the means for which recreation is achieved so in a philosophical application it could qualify. However this falls short in a physical application since the definition of vehicle says, ” that which is used to transport or convey” which implies a physical thing. Since the majority of park models I have seen had their wheels removed, they are no longer capable of doing that so I must say, “No”.
Of course you are. By definition park models are RVs even though they often only move once. It is no different than fifth-wheels, or any RV, that are parked somewhere and lived in seasonally or full-time.
A “destination trailer” is NOT a “park model”! The DT is built to RVIA standards, a park model to special residential standards. A park model can be 11-13′ wide, but cannot exceed 399 sq. ft.; a DT has a max width of 102″, but can be any sq. footage. A DT can be towed by a conventional pickup, but a park model must be towed by a commercial hauler as a “wide load”. A DT can have any number of slides, while a park model can have NO SLIDES. A park model is essentially a <400 sq. ft. mobile home and mobile homes are certainly not RVs!
I do not, nor do I consider an RV that is permanently on one spot and never moves an RV
Park model isn’t an RV. It’s a permanent fixture. Just like any mobile home park. Most are never moved just sold to the next person. No different than tiny homes.
Interesting here in Florida: For a winter home here in Florida my in-laws started with a travel trailer, which needed a DMV license plate. then moved up to a park model in a Trailer Park, with a DMV license plate, and finally to a nice Resort Park, in a super nice tied down trailer and it needed a DMV license plate displayed in the front window. No wheels, never going anywhere. We never considered them to be an RV, but maybe Florida does? I would guess they needed to get taxes from somewhere.
.
a thing used for transporting people or goods, especially on land, such as a car, truck, or cart.
Or
a thing used to express, embody, or fulfill something.
“I use paint as a vehicle for my ideas”
RV-recreational vehicle.
Park model-used primarily for recreation but does not fit vehicle definition
Hell no.
You’re a trailer park inhabitant.
NOTHING wrong with that, but it’s HARDLY a MOBILE lifestyle.
It is a tiny house…. with wheels attached (& water, electric & septic – all not easily detached). Maybe RV needs to be defined as Roaming vehicle!