Pros & Cons Of Living In A Motorhome Full Time!
You think living in a motorhome full time would be fun, right? Traveling 24/7, living in nature, visiting the mountains, the beaches, all from the comfort of your home on wheels? It is fun, but there are pros and cons to living in a motorhome, which is what I’m sharing in this blog post. So you’ll know exactly what to expect before diving into motorhome life. Over the past five years, I’ve lived in a travel trailer, experienced van life, and had no idea what I was getting into when I upgraded to my class, a motorhome. But as cool as it may seem, there are downsides to motorhome living. So when I’m talking about motorhomes, I’m talking about those big old buses. Class A’s are what we call them in the RV world. Let’s talk about the benefits and pros of living in a motorhome as well as some of the drawbacks.
Pros: the positive sides of living in a motorhome
What are the benefits of living in a motorhome — all the reasons to love it…
✅ Pro: Luxury & Comfort
The first pro of living in a motorhome is luxury and comfort.
You simply have more space and a homier feel while you’re traveling and driving.
Key Takeaway: Motorhomes offer a more spacious, comfortable, and home-like experience compared to smaller RVs.
✅ Pro: Boondocking & Dry Camping Longer in a Motorhome
Another pro of motorhome living is that you can boondock or dry camp longer. So, you don’t actually have to be plugged up at an RV park to use your motorhome.
You have:
- Bigger tanks
- More fuel storage (for gas, diesel, and propane)
- Larger fresh water and sewer (dirty water) tanks
- More batteries
For example, in my van and my trailer, I had one or two batteries. In my motorhome, I have five or six batteries.
Also, my holding tanks were a lot smaller in my van and trailer versus in my motorhome. Now they are a lot bigger. I might have been able to hold maybe 20 gallons of water before, and now I can hold 100 gallons of water.
Essentially, this means you can live longer without being plugged up. You can:
- Park in a parking lot for a week
- Camp in the desert for a week (or longer, depending on how you use your resources)
The point is that you can RV for longer without actually having to go pay and be plugged up at an RV park.
Key Takeaway: Motorhomes make it easier to stay off-grid longer thanks to larger tanks, more batteries, and more fuel storage — giving you the freedom to camp without hookups for days or even weeks.
>> Not sure what “boon-docking” means? Let me explain…
✅ Pro: Quick & Easy Setup
Another pro to living in a motorhome is that setup is easy!
It might only take you five or 10 minutes to get set up — at least it only takes me that long.
Whereas with my travel trailer, setup took me a lot longer. I would probably spend 30 minutes to an hour getting set up when I got to an RV park.
Now? It’s a breeze.
And whether you’re a girl or you’re RVing alone, it’s absolutely something you can do by yourself.
Key Takeaway: Motorhomes make arrival and setup simple — often just minutes compared to the lengthy process of setting up a travel trailer.
>> Learn: How To RV Like A Pro with my Arrival & Set-Up Checklist
Cons: the downsides of living in a motorhome
Next, let’s talk about the negative side of RV life or the cons of motorhome living.
❌ Con: Parking Challenges
The first con of motorhome living is parking.
The bigger your rig, the harder it is to sneak around and boondock or even find places to stay in your RV.
As someone once told me:
“The RV parks aren’t getting bigger — the RVs are.”
Key Takeaway: Larger motorhomes can limit your parking options, making it trickier to boondock or fit into certain RV parks.
❌ Con: Fuel Costs
The second con of living in a motorhome — or the downside — is paying for fuel.
You’re going to need fuel to move the RV and to use the RV. That includes:
- Gas
- Diesel
- Propane
It costs money to move a big ole bus.
Of course, this all depends on how you’re RVing, but just know that the bigger the RV, the bigger your tanks — and the more money it actually costs to RV.
Key Takeaway: Fuel can be a major ongoing expense, especially with larger motorhomes that require more gas, diesel, and propane to run.
>> Learn: How To Save Money On Fuel Costs With These Fuel Hacks, Especially When Towing
❌ Con: Mobility Limitations
The third con — or the negative side — of living in a motorhome is mobility.
You really need a second car, no matter what motorhome you have, for two big reasons:
- Once you’re plugged up, it’s not ideal to unhook your RV every time you want to go out for food or to explore.
- Your RV can’t go everywhere that a typical car or truck can — like drive-thrus or even certain parking areas.
For me, I have my Smart car. I take it with me or put it inside my garage.
But I also had my Smart car whenever I had my van, and I towed it around with me because I knew the value of having a second car.
Key Takeaway: Motorhomes aren’t ideal for quick trips or tight spaces, so having a tow car (or “toad”) is almost essential.
🎬 Watch The Video:
Watch the video that goes along with this blog post: The Pros and Cons of Living In A Motorhome
What’s Next?
Now, you know, some of the pros and cons of motorhome living, but do you know how to get started planning and preparing for RV life? Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered no matter what type of RV lifestyle you want to live, you can Download my RV life planner to help you navigate RV life from start to finish!
Wondering Which RV is Right for Me? Need help choosing an RV? Here’s My Advice (I’ve bought 6 of them!) >> READ THIS
PS, my RV is a 2018 Thor Outlaw 37RB Class A Motorhome toy hauler (with a garage in the back). — You can take a TOUR
Related:
- VIDEO – First Time RV Buyer? My Advice For Choosing The Right RV (after 5 years Full Time RV Living)
- VIDEO – Full Time STATIONARY RV LIVING TIPS [for Motorhomes!]
- Motorhome VS Travel Trailer (Making The Switch)
- VIDEO – How to determine your RV Lifestyle
- VIDEO – How Much Does It COST TO LIVE IN AN RV Full Time? (WHAT I PAY!)
- VIDEO – How To Prepare For Full Time RV Living [BEGINNERS GUIDE]
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