8 Pros and Cons of Owning an RV: Should You Buy an RV?

Owning an RV is a unique experience, one which is hard to get in the modern world.

The kind of freedom you have while on the open road, the ability to go wherever you want whenever you want, and the places you can see and experience.

The modern world is one which doesn’t hold much room for adventure and new discovery– unless you own an RV. 

With that said, owning an RV comes with its own set of challenges. Challenges you should be aware of if you’re considering setting out on your own adventure. 

In this guide, we’ll cover not only the biggest pros of owning an RV but also the cons. 

The goal: to give you the full picture of what it’s like to own an RV and help you decide if it’s for you. 

Read on to discover the pros and cons of owning an RV. 

8 Pros and Cons of Owning an RV

Below, you’ll find four major pros and four cons of owning an RV.

By no means are these all of the pros and cons, but they are some of the:

• Biggest
• Most important
• And, in some cases, less obvious if you haven’t actually set out on the road yet. 

Pros of Owning an RV

Here are four of the biggest pros of owning an RV: 

1. Freedom to travel

If you’ve done a good bit of research into the personal experiences of other RV enthusiasts, you may already know a bit about this one.

However, it’s such a major part of RV life that we’d be remiss to not include it. 

The idea that you can set out on the open road and choose which route you take, where to camp, and where you want to go tomorrow and next month might sound simple. 

However, there’s something empowering about it that’s hard to get anywhere else. 

So much about our daily lives has been pre-established and pre-determined for us, or we simply can’t change it. 

When we’re presented with the freedom to choose where we travel it gives us a sense of empowerment that extends to our entire life. 

2. Sense of adventure

In our modern world, we live almost as much online as we do in person. 

If that’s you, RV travel can be just the remedy to bring you back down to earth and revitalize your spirit.

Like the adventurers of old, setting out for a new land thought unexplored, hitting the road in your RV whether solo or with friends or family is something incredibly fulfilling in a way that can be hard to put into words.

Adventure can fill us with joy, with fulfillment, amazing memories, and even spark our creativity in our personal and professional lives. 

3. Traveling builds resilience and independence

One of the things you’ll learn very quickly as soon as you begin traveling in an RV is just how resilient we can be as people.

You’ll need it too. 

Hitting the open road isn’t for everyone, but if you can overcome the challenges– regular and unexpected maintenance, restocking and keeping up with supplies, navigating issues with routes, health issues, the list goes on– you’ll find yourself coming out the other side stronger and better in every way. 

4. More quality time with loved ones

This is a pro not often discussed, but it’s absolutely one of the biggest.

This has always been true, but with modern life becoming more and more “always online”, real human connection is becoming rarer. 

The solution? Live on the road, in an RV, and set out on a real-life adventure with your loved ones. 

It’s not always easy to live in such a small space, let alone on the road and always moving. But you’ll find that the kind of incredible experiences you can have living in an RV are the kind you’ll keep with you for a lifetime. 

Cons of Owning an RV

RV living is incredibly rewarding, but it doesn’t come without its cons. 

Here are some of the biggest and most notable ones you should be aware of: 

1. It’s (likely) not as cheap as you think

Depending on where you look, some information online will tell you that living in an RV is a cheap alternative to standard living. 

While there are endless benefits to living on the road in an RV, cost is generally not one of them. 

It’s true, there are some things you don’t need to worry about while living in an RV. But RV life comes with its own unique costs as well, which usually make up for that.

In the end, the average cost is usually around the same price assuming you’re making a regular RV payment.

When RV travel starts to become much less expensive is if you have your RV paid off (though the same can be said about paying off your home, albeit a home will cost more than the average RV).

2. RV travel is mentally taxing

RV travel is one thing after another. Where will you be standing tonight? Next week? Don’t forget regular maintenance. And the grocery store. And the dump station.

Oh, here comes an unexpected repair. 

Did I mention work? If you’re working from the road, you’ll need to manage all of this while getting your work done.

With that said, there are things you can do– such as planning far in advance– to lessen this buren and make everything easier. 

So, don’t let it keep you from setting out if your heart is set on living in your RV. 

3. It takes work to maintain an RV

It takes A LOT of work to maintain an RV.

Not only that, you’ll typically be doing much of that work yourself as it’s often unrealistic to get to a mechanic depending on where you’re located. 

You need to make sure you’re putting away a bit of money each month to handle regular maintenance and be prepared for the occasional unexpected repair. 

Also, get comfortable with getting your hands dirty with a vehicle’s parts. Even simple tasks like learning how to do your own oil change or replacing a light can go a long way. 

You won’t always need to do this yourself, but it will be an invaluable skill for life on the road. 

4. Less space

Even if you’ll be traveling in a massive Class A RV, you’ll likely be dealing with much less space than the average home.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as decluttering can be incredibly liberating.

However, cutting down and getting used to the space restriction might not feel so great at first.

With that said, if you get creative you can find all kinds of ways to make the most of your RV’s space to lessen this issue. 

Is Owning an RV Cost Effective?

Living in an RV typically isn’t any cheaper than living in a house or apartment. 

However, how much living in an RV will cost you depends on:

• How much you’re paying per month for it
• How much you make
• And how much you’re spending in other areas. 

To some degree, it also depends on where you’re traveling as prices for things such as gas and food can vary quite a bit from state-to-state.

Is an RV a Lot of Maintenance?

An RV takes quite a lot of regular maintenance. Even if you purchase a new RV, you’ll need to be prepared to regularly check your RV and handle small maintenance issues on your own.

You’ll also want to make sure you’re prepared to handle unexpected repairs, something an RV warranty can help with (at least in terms of manufacturer issues). 

Is Living In an RV for You?

Living in an RV has many incredible benefits, but it’s not without its challenges.

If you’re ready for a bit of a challenge, you’ll likely find that RV living is not only rewarding but fulfilling in a way that few things in modern life are. 

You’ll not only develop resilience, but build a lifetime of memories.

So, is owning an RV for you? 

Only you can decide, but we hope this guide helped give you a bit more clarity about whether or not you should set out on the open road.