From Luxury RV to Retro Camper Van: Life Update!

Yes we are back in St Pete! Keep an eye out for us on the road!! We are actually trying to get rid of the Ram right bow because its just too much to drive around here (as you said). Plus, we just have no need for it anymore. But I understand you’re mixed feelings. We really struggled with Class C vs tow behind in the beginning. I think it just really comes down to how much you’ll be moving around. The 5th will definitely be more comfortable – more like home. Plus its nice to drop it and then have your truck to get around. But yes Class C has its own benefits as well. Its such a toss up! Good luck with your decision. I think the best thing is to just get in one and give it a try. You’ll learn what aspects of an RV are most important to you.

Hey there – thanks for the comment! I totally understand your concerns. Its definitely a tough decision. I think what you are referring to is when Charlie mentioned the bulb seals. It wasn’t a big deal, but there was a little bit of cracking on the bulb seal where the slide meets the trailer and we would have liked to have had it replaced but never did. We never had any major issues and most problems we had turned out to be minor or a fairly easy fix. Even still, it was definitely more work than we anticipated it being. And it did seem like it was “always something”. I do think that this is just the nature of the beast with all RV’s though! We would definitely have no problem buying another Grand Design if we decide to go down this road again. Hope this helps!

Hey Mike, we posted ours on RV Trader, Craigslist, Facebook marketplace and put links in some of our Youtube videos. I would say the large majority of interest came from RV Trader. It was worth the money we spent to list it there. Good luck!

Hey Tara, thanks so much for your comment! Its awesome that you want to get out and explore with your son! I don’t want you to get discouraged, but glad you are thinking things through. My advice would be to rent a class C for a couple of weeks if you can and give yourself enough time to really try “living” in it. Because of course its great for weekends or short trips when you are not living in it and can get by for a bit without great internet, or skimping on water. But, of course, when its your lifestyle its quite different! But its good to explore other options as well, like you said! We are finding the best way to find monthly rentals is on vacation rental sites like Airbnb or VRBO. If we are staying longer than a week or two, we will often ask the host if there is any discount for staying longer. Many times, they will send us a better rate. Not always – but it sure doesn’t hurt to ask. Another great way is using Facebook groups. If there is a particular city you are looking at, search Facebook groups for rentals in that city. For instance, we recently joined a bunch of groups in Colorado as we are hoping to head there this summer (i.e. Steamboat Springs Homes for Rent or Sale, Durango Colorado Real Estate For Sale Or Rent). Its been a great way to find rentals as people are always posting in them. We’ve also posted in groups ourselves telling our story and what we are looking for, budget, etc and had some great options come up that way. Craigslist is still a good place to check as well, just be careful of scammers and I would never send money up front. And ANOTHER option is doing house sitting. We’ve used the site Trusted Housesitters and have had incredible experiences around the world (New Zealand, Malaysia, Germany, France). Its an awesome way to see the country, or the world. Definitely look into it! Hope this helps!!