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Despite
gas prices, RV's help save travel money
6/20/2008 8:54 PM
By:
Russell Wilde
Though
rising gas prices seem to contribute to thinning budgets for many businesses,
one RV dealer in Buda said gas prices aren't slowing them down.
"Nobody comes in and buys an RV for the fuel economy," Crestview RV Center dealer Rob Hoffman said.
Rather, Crestview staff said many of their customers find their vacation dollars go further in an RV.
"Compared against the hotels, the flights, the rental cars, the whole travel industry, this is a very inexpensive alternative to that, and it doesn't take a lot to own one," Hoffman said. "Your camp ground fee is what it would cost you to check your bag in at the airline."
Hoffman said a lot of RV shoppers buy smaller campers and pop-up tents, for close to home get-aways.
"We might not travel as far from home, but there's still lots of opportunities in the central Texas area that you can go out and enjoy them," RV Owner Dick Martin said.
Martin has been towing his vacation home since the eighties. He said pulling an RV has its advantages over staying in a hotel.
"I leave and go at my time and my pace, not at their time," Martin said.
That's not to say that climbing gas prices don't affect RV owners.
"I put 14 gallons in it so that's 10 miles per gallon and that's not good at this time," Marin said.
Still, RV owners enjoy other cost-saving advantages that come with their plus size vehicles.
"People are actually finding new locations within a closer driving distance," Leisure Camp employee TJ Basham said. "We're able to get more of the business that used to drive several hours away from us to get further away from home."
Hoffman said his RV customers buy smaller campers and pop-up tents, for close to home get-aways.
Though the travel distance may be short, Martin said his RV gives him freedom.
"We might not travel as far from home, but there's still lots of opportunities in the central Texas area that you can go out and enjoy them," Martin said. "It's like if you owned an airplane, you'd leave the airport at your time, not their time--same thing with an RV."