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Five-Year Cost of Ownership Calculator: What Your Rig Actually Costs Per Night

What does this rig cost over five years, and per night actually used?

This calculator needs JavaScript to run the arithmetic in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere — the calculation happens entirely on this page — but it does need scripting enabled. The method it uses is written out in full below the form.

A · Purchase and financeOut-the-door figures

Rig class

Condition at purchase

Purchase price $

Out-the-door price, not sticker.

Down payment $

Loan term years

RV loans routinely run 12–20 years. The default reflects what is offered, not what is sensible.

APR %

The rate from an actual quote, not an advertised headline rate.

Sales tax and first registration $

Cash purchase — no finance

B · Fixed annual costsIncurred whether it moves or not

Insurance $/year

Use a real quote. A converted or owner-built rig will not price like this.

Storage $/month

Months stored per year

Registration and licensing $/year

Varies enormously by state.

Maintenance and servicing $/year

Auto-filled from rig class.

Extended warranty or service contract $/year

Lithium house batteries — suppresses the year-4 lead-acid replacement

C · UsageNights is the consequential one

Nights used per year

The single most consequential input on this page.

Share of nights at paid sites %

The remainder is assumed free dispersed camping.

Average site fee $/night

Towing or driving miles per year

Fuel economy when towing or driving mpg

For towables, the tow vehicle’s towing figure, not its solo figure.

Fuel price $/gal

D · ExitAnd the comparison

Five-year depreciation %

Auto-filled from class and condition. Editable.

Expected resale value $

Calculated from the depreciation figure, or override directly.

Comparable hotel or cabin rate $/night

Default tablesDisplayed, not hidden

You are entitled to see where the numbers came from and to disagree with them.

Class and condition	Five-year depreciation	Note
Travel trailer / fifth wheel, new	45%	The first year alone typically takes 20–25%
Class A, new	42%
Class B / camper van, new	34%	Thin supply and strong demand hold these up
Class C, new	40%
Truck camper, new	38%
Any class, bought at 3–5 years old	25%	The steep part of the curve has already been paid by someone else
Any class, bought at 6+ years old	18%	Approaching the flat portion

Class	Annual maintenance	Basis
Towable	1.5% of purchase price	Appliances, seals, brakes, bearings, roof
Motorised	3.0% of purchase price	The above plus engine, chassis, transmission, generator

Item	Default	Trigger
Tyres, towable	$900 in year 5	RV tyres age out at roughly five years regardless of tread. Safety item, not optional
Tyres, Class A	$3,200 in year 5	Six or eight commercial tyres
Batteries, lead-acid	$400 in year 4	Suppressed if you indicate lithium

Result

Cost per night used

Five-year total

Where it goes

At month 60

Break-even

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