We Bought a Vandalized Toy Hauler, Should YOU?
Before our RV life, we lived in Southern California. Life was great, but every day was the same. We were in a real-life Groundhog Day kind of situation. To change our pace, we decided to travel the country. So, two years ago, we bought a vandalized RV.
What our RV looked like when we bought it.
Leila wanted a broken, vandalized RV to turn into a ‘tiny home’. I was initially hesitant because I didn't really want to work on an RV. But I had a wife willing to travel the country in an RV for months, so I gave in. Fixing the RV was time-consuming and exhausting, but worth it!
When we started traveling the country, it was glorious! But when you have an RV, the work never stops. We gutted the entire thing (exhibit A, Kalin helping us gut the RV on the right), yet there's always something to fix or replace. This can mean constant spending if you’re not DIY savvy.
Even if you’re good with tools, you may need to buy parts for repairs. So, living in an RV can be a pain, more so when you buy a vandalized one. But is it worth it? Absolutely!
We spent the better part of a year traveling in our RV. When we’re not traveling, we live in a gorgeous forest. The world has become open to us, and getting an RV was one of the best decisions we've ever made for our family. Because we have an RV, we travel a lot more than we used to. Full-time RV living has even inspired more international trips.
For our 25th anniversary, we visited a beautiful RV park in Newport Beach, Oregon. We woke up to this every single morning. The hike around the park was comparable to the Amazonian jungle.
The beauty of having an RV is that the entire world can become your home, and you meet the coolest people in your travels. Would I get a vandalized RV again? Heck, no! It’s way too much work. Our RV is great now, but I wouldn’t want to go through this process again. I would get an RV again, just a new one.
So, should YOU get an RV?
Our rig parked near Newport Beach in Oregon.
If you like to travel and see the world, you probably should get an RV. Whether you get a travel trailer, Class A, Class C, or a toy hauler depends on you. For us, getting a 5th wheel toy hauler was the perfect decision. I originally wanted a Class A, but it turns out that having a fifth wheel attached to a truck is way better.
The truck is safer. You also detach it from the 5th wheel once you get to a destination, meaning you’ve got a vehicle to go into town. So, we would strongly recommend a toy hauler.
Reasons to get an RV
You can travel anywhere, anytime. You don’t need a travel agent; get in your RV and explore the world. There are unlimited destinations for you to hit. You can wake up one morning and decide to take a three-day beach trip.
The journey is the destination. When you see something cool while driving an RV, you stop. On our way back from Newport Beach, we pulled to the side of the road with a view overlooking the ocean. You can't get that experience from a flight.
Everything you need is right there with you. You only need a set of clothes, essentials, and nonperishable food, and you’re good to go. You have a bathroom, an entire kitchen, and a comfy bed right inside your RV.
You’ll travel more. RV living doesn't mean you're limited to traveling in the RV like I used to think. We have had trips to Peru, Ireland, and Costa Rica since our journey started. We returned from our trips and immediately jumped in the RV to travel across the US.
It may spice up your marriage. We've been married for over 25 years, and our marriage has never been better. RV living means a daily life of adventure for you and your spouse.
It’s inexpensive. You don't need anything fancy because there are models for every budget. The RV is not the point; seeing the world is. And having an RV will allow you to do that more frequently. It's going to enhance your life experiences.
Don’t wait for the best time, deal, RV, or the perfect point in your life to get started. Just do something a little crazy. Buy a simple, inexpensive RV and start traveling next week. If you’re looking to get a vandalized RV, our fully renovated RV interior right here should give you some ideas.
Click on the video below for more RVing tips. As always, we can't wait to share more of our adventures with you.
