When contemplating whether RV ownership is the right choice for you, you can’t think only of the initial expense of the vehicle but all the maintenance fees that will come with it. You’ll have to commit to regular maintenance as long as you plan to own your vehicle. Are motorhomes costly to maintain?
Maintaining a motorhome can be expensive, costing up to thousands of dollars per year. It all depends on how encompassing the maintenance duties are and your RV’s condition.
This guide to motorhome maintenance costs will go job by job with estimates of what you might spend. Although this isn’t an exact science, it will help you predict how much money to set aside toward keeping your motorhome in tip-top shape.
Let’s begin!
Fix Broken Seals – Up to $185 an Hour
The seals around components of your RV, such as windows and doors, will wear down due to time, use, and weather exposure. The seals can degrade on the exterior and interior of your vehicle, so it’s important to check both.
While you might be able to get away with caulking some minor seal damage, seriously degraded seals need replacing. This is a job better left to the professionals, who will charge you anywhere from $65 to $185 an hour.
If the job takes three hours, you could pay anywhere from $195 to $555.
Wax the Motorhome – $25 to $40 a Foot
The next task on your RV maintenance to-do list is waxing your vehicle. This is a less involved job, and best follows after a wash.
Waxing your motorhome prevents dirt and moisture from accumulating on the exterior, so it’s especially recommended during winterization, but anytime will do!
You’ll spend between $25 and $40 worth of wax per foot.
Refill RV Batteries – $5
Motorhome maintenance is big on batteries, as you must keep them in working condition for your next adventure, whether that will be in three months or three days.
You can use distilled water when your battery levels deplete. A large jug of the stuff will cost you about $5, and a little will go a long way!
Replace the Air Filter – $10 to $20
Your RV uses an air filter to catch dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and other contaminants in the air. The filter doesn’t last forever. About once a season, you should check the air filter.
If you can clean yours and replace it, you don’t need to spend on a new filter. That won’t save you very much money when you consider the entirety of your motorhome maintenance routine, but even small savings count!
If you must replace your RV’s air filter, you’ll pay $10 to $20. You usually get several filters to a pack for that price, at least two but sometimes up to four.
Top Off Coolant Levels – $15 to $370
Your RV needs coolant as the season nears its end, as the fluid can prevent the faucets and toilets in your vehicle from cracking in freezing cold temperatures. Coolant is also useful for lubricating seals in the toilet and elsewhere.
If you replace the coolant levels in your vehicle yourself, you only need a jug of the stuff and a bit of know-how. You probably won’t spend more than $20 and a few hours on this job.
However, if you entrust your motorhome to the professionals, you’ll spend anywhere from $104 to $370 to upgrade the coolant in the system.
Replace Refrigerant – $20 to $400
Your motorhome also relies on refrigerant, a fluid that allows your air conditioner to work its best. This fluid can deplete throughout the regular RV season, requiring a refill, and you should especially plan to do that as you winterize your vehicle.
Again, if you go the DIY route, it’s a lot cheaper. You’ll spend upwards of $20 or $30 on self-service.
Should you save time by going to the pros instead, you’ll end up spending significantly more money, between $200 and $400!
Check the Hoses and Belts – $30 to $60
Your motorhome sewer hoses are one of the most important components of your vehicle, as without them, you can’t dump the contents of your blackwater tank at the nearest dumping station.
The internal belts, better known as serpentine belts, keep the engine running, especially the crankshaft and camshaft.
You should inspect these two parts at least once per season, looking for damage and wear and tear. If you need to replace them, you’ll spend about $30 for a quality hose and up to $60 for a new RV belt.
Replace Damaged Tires – $300
Next, it’s time to pay attention to your motorhome’s set of wheels. When these wear down, you shouldn’t hesitate to replace them. After all, you don’t want a flat tire when you’re on the road!
You’ll shell out about $300 for one new motorhome tire, so try to care for them so they last as long as they can!
Rotate the Tires – $20 to $80
If you own a car or truck, you get those tires regularly rotated, right? Well, your motorhome’s tires need the same!
Professional service is the way to go here. Expect to pay upwards of $80 for a tire rotation.
Tune Up the Heater –$525+
Some RVers live in their vehicles even in the cold weather. Others camp out until winter starts to get really frigid. In either case, you need to keep your vehicle’s heater operational not only for this season but for others to come.
Expect to spend up to $525 for five hours of labor on your furnace. If the furnace needs repairs, the cost will be significantly higher than that, possibly even double.
Check the AC – $700+
Summertime is when everyone wants to go camping, but it’s also when the temperatures are at their hottest. Well, at least if you’re in most countries, it is.
You’ll spend substantially more time with the air conditioner on in your motorhome. Without a tune-up, you can’t rely on your AC when you need it most.
So how much will you spend to get your air conditioner up to speed? Anywhere from $300 to $700. If your RV air conditioner is under warranty, you may be able to reduce your spending on a tune-up.
Sanitize the Freshwater Tank – $35
Next is a very important job, especially if you drink from your freshwater tank. At least once a season, you must sanitize the tank to keep the water potable for washing, bathing, and drinking.
A store-bought inline sanitizer will do the trick. The DIY job isn’t too time-consuming, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg either. You’ll spend under $40 for a freshwater tank sanitizer.
Service the Brakes – $800 to $1,000
You need your motorhome’s brakes in tip-top condition so you can stop on a dime. Well, at least as much of a dime as you can stop in an RV.
Brake servicing must be a part of your yearly maintenance routine for your vehicle. This is one of the more expensive jobs, costing close to $1,000.
If even servicing won’t save your brakes and you need to replace them, that’s going to be even more money out of your wallet. Hydraulic brake replacement costs anywhere from $500 to $800, while disc brake replacement is priced between $2,000 and $3,000.
Test and Replace Safety Equipment – Up to $400
You probably don’t think much about the safety equipment in your RV from day to day, but it’s what keeps you and your family and friends safe and alive. You could be in danger spending significant time in your motorhome if this equipment stops working.
Test your horn. Although you hope you won’t use it, you probably will at some point, and it needs to work when you do. If you need a new horn for your motorhome, you’ll spend up to $160.
Ensure your carbon monoxide detector works. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas that can cause death through prolonged exposure. Your motorhome’s carbon monoxide detector needs a battery change once or twice a year.
If the detector stops working, the average price for a replacement is between $35 and $65.
While you’re at it, you might as well check the batteries in your RV’s smoke detector. Once the detector goes kaput, you’ll spend $13 to $25 for a new one.
You should always have a fire extinguisher on board your motorhome just in case. You can buy one for under $50 or a higher-quality model for closer to $100.
Check the Propane Tanks – $75 to $170
The propane tanks in your motorhome certainly do a lot. Propane can power heating, air conditioning, stoves, and refrigerators.
Part of your RV maintenance routine must include inspecting your propane tanks for any signs of damage and replacing the tanks before they run empty.
A new propane tank will cost at least $75. If you want to carry up to 100 pounds of propane at a time, expect to spend about $170.
Test the Windshield Wiper Blades – $20 to $30
You don’t want to drive in the rain without a working set of windshield wipers. Several times per season, check that your windshield wipers are working while you’re sitting behind the wheel. Ideally, it shouldn’t be raining, as this way, if they don’t work, you’re not in trouble.
When you do have to replace your RV’s windshield wiper blades, you won’t spend too much to do so, only around $30.
Clean the Interior – $50 to $150
A clean RV is a happy RV. You especially want to schedule a cleaning before you winterize your motorhome, but it doesn’t hurt to keep the inside of your vehicle clean the rest of the season too.
You probably won’t spend more than $30 or $40 to clean the interior yourself. If the vehicle is in serious disarray, professional interior cleaning can cost up to $150.
Replace the Water Filter – $30 to $50
The average lifespan of an RV water filter is four months. If you use your RV frequently, you might have to replace it even more often. Those who use their motorhomes a couple of times a year can go a lot longer before changing the water filter.
This isn’t a pricey job, but it’s important if you want potable water. You can get a new water filter for under $60.
Lubricate the Moving Parts – $25
If your motorhome has slide-outs, the hinges, latches, and moving parts will need lubrication at least once a month the keep everything working.
You should also check for areas where metal rubs on metal throughout your vehicle and lubricate those. For example, the steps to the entry door, the leveling jacks, and the hitch all need lube. A fresh application of lubrication will also prevent rust development.
You can take care of these jobs yourself and spend about $25 on lubricant. Should you choose professional service, you’ll shell out more cash still.
Conclusion
If taken individually, maintaining a motorhome doesn’t look that costly. However, once you add up all the prices and consider the frequency in which you must do the above jobs, you can see how RV maintenance can get expensive fest.
There’s really no way around this, as skipping maintenance jobs or doing them shoddily will come back to bite you in your motorhome breaks down. Instead, it helps to set aside some cash to spend on maintenance and give each part of your vehicle the attention it deserves.