GMC Motor Home, Travel with Teri and Dan

Beating Expensive Fuel Costs

Teri and I got into this motorhoming thing when gas was 1.50 a gallon. We were looking at lowend diesel pushers and high end gas class a rigs before we settled on the GMC. We bought the GMC to make sure that we would like rving in a motorhome. Figured if we picked up an older rig that we would not loose our shirts if we did not like it and decided to sell. Well, we liked it alright and we loved the old GMC coach so much that we spent a lot of money rebuilding it so it would be trustworthy to take us anywhere we wanted to go. Buying the GMC also allowed me to retire 3 or 4 years earlier than planned and not have any debt.
From the beginning I wanted to set up the coach to be as self sufficient as possible. I could see that staying in campgrounds every night was going to be expensive. While traveling there just is no use in us spending 30 bucks a night to stay 10 or 12 hours in a campground and then move on. I can see us spending a month sometime in a park if we find a nice spot for a good monthly fee. But, for the most part, we do not pay campground fees except when doing a rally.
The solar panels and setup afford us unlimited stays without hooking to ac power. The only thing we need ac for is air conditioning and hot water. If it gets warm enough for air conditioning I figure it is time to move to a cooler place. After all, that's why we have wheels. We can heat water for showers by running the generator for 10 minutes in the mornings. If the sun shines every other day we have all the dc electric that we need and use inverters for what little ac we will use. By doing this we save a lot of money. Our total outlay for the solar system was 1500.00. If I had paid more attention and done a little more reading I could have saved at least 100 dollars, maybe 200. The system is paid for already in figuring the campground fees that we have not paid.
I have learned a lot about rv ing in the last 4 years. I did a lot of reading and studying before we got into this. I had friends tell me that I could have written a book and convinced anyone that I was a motorhoming guy even before I owned one. I learned a lot from the internet. Much of my information came from the escapees forum. I also learned a lot by reading other folks' blogs.
Another key to saving money is by picking the right tow vehicle. We chose the Vibe GT after I did some reading about toads. It was one of the lightest toads made in USA when I found it listed in the Motorhome Magazine's list. The car gets from 32-38 mpg. We drive the motorhome to where we are going to live for a while and then we do all of our sightseeing and running around in the car. So, choose your tow car carefully. We also carry a 150 cc scooter on the rear bumper of the coach. That thing runs 65 mph and gets 80 mpg. I can sightsee and run a lot of errands on a gallon of gas with it.
If you have read this blog for very long you know that Teri and I do most all of our own work on the coach. You do not have to be a master mechanic to change the oil and grease the coach. Anyone can also change shocks and do their own preventive maintenance. Stopping a breakdown before it happens will save lots of money. We tend to get taken advantage of on the road. I had 3 tires balanced in Decatur, Al. for 75 bux. They got me good. That is half a tank of fuel. I learned my lesson there.
I was raised on a cotton farm. My dad was a great mechanic. He taught me how to take care of a vehicle and I am thankful for that. If you know nothing about mechanics, and do not want to learn, then expect to spend a lot of money paying folks to do what many do themselves, for free. Hey, I would love to be able to pay a shop to change my oil and grease the coach but I just can't afford it. Teri and I have learned a lot about maintining our coach and even updating the interior ourselves. We have a lot of money now tied up in a 35 year old coach. We feel very comfortable in driving the GMC anywhere, no matter how far away we may go. We keep a close check on everything and maintain the running gear as best we can. We do pay Good Sam for towing insurance but have never needed a hook yet. I do not plan to ever call for a wrecker. Don't get me wrong, a 35 year old vehicle can have surprises at any time. But, as long as we eyeball everything and keep the rig well maintained we save lots of money and time. The only breakdown I plan to have is in my driveway. There I am on my clock and I buy my own parts.
So, there you have it, the way we beat 4.00 a gallon gas. We plan to use our motorhome for many years to come. We never will purchase a larger more modern coach. We add our own modern accessories. This one suits us just fine. Perfect setup for two best friends and a dog. If you are looking at rv ing, do your homework. Decide which rv is best for you. Buy the one you want first so you don't take a bath in your own money trying to get rid of it and get something else. I know a young couple that rushed to get what they thought was the perfect rig. Spent lots of additional money on it and can not keep it running long enough to enjoy it. It is for sale for half what they paid for it 6 months ago. I feel bad for them, but they just got in too big of a hurry and did not do their homework. Got themselves a real lemon with an engine that no one wants.
Hope all of you have a great week. We had storms here in Mo. tonight. The electricity went off. After 30 minutes I fired my Kipor 1 kw generator and then 20 minutes later the electric was back on. Come back when you can. I always enjoy your visit. Sam says it is time for trailmix.
Dan

posted by Dan & Teri Gregg @ 10:05 PM