Gas guzzlers are popular?

[salinen]

I've been looking for a VW campervan for awhile. So I go to ebay and look at the motorized RV's and see that almost every one of these behemoth carbon belching death vacation vehicles is being bid on. Huh? People lining up to buy 6 mph vehicles at $3.50/gallon? HELP!

[sarcasmo]

1. Maybe they are planning on living in them.

With the new Bankruptcy law you might want a cheap roof over your head.

[salinen]

3. That might explain it.

[Warpy]

5. The cheapest roof is a used trailer on a little piece of land

Unfortunately, most cities and towns have snob zoning to prevent people from doing just that, so the trailer has to be located out in the back and beyond, meaning high transportation costs to get into town.

Around here, marginal workers live in awful conditions, old camper shells set up on cinderblocks in "campgrounds," no accompanying vehicle in sight.

Anything is better than an apartment, especially in this town, where they are constructed like cheap motels with no sound insulation.

But yes, people are buying old RVs and planning to live in them, hoping the space rent at the campground doesn't follow housing prices through the roof.

[maxsolomon]

2. mpG

Murkins ain't gonna give it up willingly. They will bear any cost to avoid pit toilets.

[Iblis]

4. God will provide!

That's my parents' philosophy:

"Do and spend whatever you like and God will take care of everything!"

"Dad, isn't kinda like gluttony? You know, one of those deadly sins?"

"Why do hate America?"

*sigh*

[tridim]

6. Are you saying VW campers get 6 mpg?

Or are you talking about full sized RV's? What mpg do VW's get?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. VW campers?

About half a mile per quart of oil.

[salinen]

12. Not the newer ones.

In fact, the transmission is sealed and it is impossible to add or subtract oil.

[salinen]

10. I'm not sure.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. You can't really compare.

Nobody commutes to work in an RV. Low mileages are a problem with vehicles that are being driven everyday, with only one person. I'm sure commuter buses get terrible mileage, but I'd like to see a lot more of those on the road.

[MazeRat7]

9. If you want serious advice, then be a bit more specific in your question.

Motorized RV's ??? Sheehs.. thats a range from the 45 foot bus conversions to the "good-time" van conversions. None of those models are going to get good gas mileage. Certainly not under 20mpg highway. You mentioned a VW camper, did you search specifically for those relics or just "motorized RV's" ? My guess is buying a vintage VW camper is going to be overly expensive since they don't make that model any longer. In other words you are buying a "classic" which I doubt is being sold in large quantities on E-Bay.

Seriously, what are you looking for ? How many people should it sleep ? What kind of terrain do you plan to camp in ? How much are you willing to pay for the vehicle and maintenance (including gas) ? Do you want things like refrigerators, toilets, and showers or will a couple of bunks in the back to sleep in do ?

The range of "motorized RV" is rather wide and the VW micro-bus is on the extreme small end so no wonder what was being advertised on E-Bay seems like a "Behemoth".

MZr7

[salinen]

11. I wanted to see if there were

other small motorized RV's out there. The older Toyotas are small. I want a small camper with fridge, stove, & sink, that will get decent mileage, sleeps 2, dirt road capable but not necessarily 4wd. I really like the 2001-2003 VW campervans.

[Ioo]

13. What on earth get 6 mpg - I think a Hummer H1 get 16mpg...

http://trucks.about.com/cs/suvreviews/a/hummer_fuel04.htm

[salinen]

14. I hear those monster motorhomes

get between 5 and 10 miles per. I hope that's wrong.