If you consider the RV rental to be about $200/day then it implies that you should be on the road on your RV for at least 30 days to justify the fixed expense of buying an RV. Annual RV Trips - Buy an RV if more than 30 days, else rent! The number of days that you plan to be on the road with the RV is the most important factor in deciding whether you should buy an RV or rent an RV. As you may see it costs about $6,000 of fixed expense just to own the RV. Additionally, these direct expenses will largely be similar whether you rent or own an RV. that should be part of your vacation budget.
Exclusions - RV Trip Direct Expenses (Fuel, Propane, etc) Please note that the above analysis does not include RV trip-related expenses like fuel, propane, etc. While this is difficult to predict, we have made a simple assumption that you will spend about $1200/year on such maintenance. 1.5 Unscheduled Maintenance - $1200 RVs are prone to wear and tear and would have unscheduled maintenance like roof resurfacing, propane tank issues, refrigeration, changing mattresses, etc. We've estimated it to be about $50/month or about $600/year. Read more: 10 Things to know about Rental RV Insurance 1.4 Recurring Maintenance - $600 Even if you don't use the RV at all you will still need to do the oil change, winterization, de-winterization. We've considered $40/month which is about $500/year. 1.3 Annual Insurance - $500 Annual RV insurance may cost anywhere from $350 to $600. 1.2 Storage - $1,200 At $100/month of storage, it will cost you $1200/year to store the RV. It is also different from depreciation that also changes as the vehicle ages. Note - This is different from interest expense that can vary. Related article: Top 18 Factors to consider before you Rent an RV 1.Annual Cost of Ownership of an RV 1.1 Opportunity cost - $2500 Assuming the RV costs about $50,000 and you can earn 5% then the annual opportunity cost is $2,500. Proximity to an RV dealership that services RVs.We'll try to take the emotion out of this decision and help you make an objective decision by evaluating it on the following factors: However, buying an RV is an important commitment financially as well as the time & effort you need to invest in it. Your spouse and your kids may likely be even more excited about buying an RV. If you see an RV next to you on a highway or if you see folks vacationing in an RV on social media and feel the urge to buy an RV then you are not alone. Renting vs Buying an RV | Top 10 Factors To Consider Before Buying an RV