Coach Downsizing

Downsizing your coach. Is it a trend? I’m not sure. I can’t find any data on how many people downsize. I am seeing more and more signs of people shifting from large 40 foot plus coaches to smaller rigs. In some cases downsizing to very small rigs.

This is but one of many examples on YouTube where people post about the downsizing journey.

Our neighbour elected to do the same a few weeks ago. He sold his coach, a 45-foot Newmar Essex, for a 27-foot Grand Design travel trailer.

We met another couple a few months back that sold their 45-foot Entegra Cornerstone for a 33-foot Newmar New Aire.

Come to think of it, we know of a number of people that decided to downsize their rigs.

A large diesel pusher is still tiny living. At best you might have roughly 450 to 500 square feet of living space. Storage is always limited and the lifestyle forces a minimalist approach to possessions.

Going down in size seems, well, impractical to me, if you are living the RV lifestyle full-time.

What are the main reasons for downsizing?

Aging. The couple that sold their 45-foot Entegra Cornerstone were approaching 80 years of age and they simply wanted something smaller and easier to maintain.

Licensing. Others, at least in Ontario where we live, do not want the hassle of having to deal with Commercial Driver’s Licensing. If you drop down far enough in weight, you can operate an RV without having to obtain a CDL.

Size. Size can be a big reason for many. A smaller rig can go to more places than the larger diesel pushers. They are much easier to drive, park and store.

Money. The decision to downsize could also be an economic decision. A large diesel pusher is expensive to own, operate and maintain. A new premium diesel pusher basically starts at half a million dollars and goes up from there. A new travel trailer can be purchased from about $50,000.

Maintenance. Bigger can be more demanding from a maintenance perspective. Even simple things, like washing the coach, is a much larger chore on a big rig.

We sometimes regret not having built a larger motorhome. We are roughly 41 feet right now and we did not think that the extra few feet would be that material. Until we started living in our coach. We miss not having larger storage bays in our basement. If we were to make a change right now, we would upsize.