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FWC advice needed

Four Wheel F-350 freedom consumer flat bed hawk

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#1 foeger

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 04:12 AM

Greetings, I am looking for advice from my fellow wanderers. After years of underemployment and poverty, I enrolled in med school at age 30 and started making a good salary around age 40. It was hard work, friends. It still is. Now I am 48, trying to sell a too-big house on which I will take a big loss, and getting a divorce (no children, thankfully). Things did not work out as hoped. Ironically, I was happier when I was living in a home-made camper with my girl in the bed of a Dodge Ram 50 in the 1990's. Now, I have been possessed with a desire to shed all encumbrances and get back to a simpler life. A series of logical decisions has lead to the absurdity of a $130K flatbed hawk build on an F350. That's background. Now, the question: I have the cash to buy it outright. It will probably totally clean my clock, especially given the loss I will take on said nightmare house. Should I do it, which makes no financial sense but is exciting, or invest the money and keep driving the 2012 Subaru Outback, which is much more sensible but incredibly boring? Or some other option I am not thinking about? I'm not sure if buying the dream flatbed setup represents another false step down the path of consumerist delusion, or a step toward some kind of idea of freedom and independence. Your wisdom and advice is greatly appreciated, Rob
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#2 rubberlegs

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 04:26 AM

Wow, that's a lot of change. I recommend to proceed with any changes very slowly. If it were me, I would not buy such an expensive rig until back to a steady-state condition.


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#3 foeger

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 04:57 AM

Words of wisdom and restraint are what I am looking for, friend. I appreciate it. 


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#4 DanoT

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 05:00 AM

If selling the big house and buying a popup truck camper means living full time in a FWC, then it might be a good idea to consider a van or other RV before spending big dollars on any RV.


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#5 foeger

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 05:07 AM

That is sensible. I was thinking of a cheap rental apartment to supplement the FWC, but I see what you mean, a less expensive setup would make more sense.


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#6 longhorn1

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 10:33 AM

A new Mercedes Sprinter Van with all the whistles is around $150,000+/-. A new FWC Grandby on a flatbed with a new heavy duty truck will be around $85,000+/-. A new Northern Lite hardside camper on a new heavy duty truck will be around $100,000+/-. These are estimates. The Northern Lite is a 2-piece fiberglass, like a clam shell.
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http://texaslonghorns01.blogspot.com/

 

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#7 kmcintyre

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 11:09 AM

I would just watch this forum and others to find a better price point vehicle and truck, bank the savings and travel for a few years.  It sounds like you have the desire to be "on your own" for a bit.  You'll meet great people, etc. too.


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#8 Seattle Mitch

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 02:11 PM

If you finished med school that’s all you will ever need to be considered credit worthy. Get job and buy the camper setup you want. If you haven’t finished school, buy it anyway.
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#9 Cayuse

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 02:54 PM

Not sure that living in an FWC full-time while working makes sense.  Also, using truck with camper as a daily driver if there is any kind of commute/traffic isn't the most enjoyable nor is it fuel efficient (I did it for a few years).  I would look at the truck camper combo as being my getaway/explore/vacation piece, have a small inexpensive home base and a used car that can be used for commuting and running around town.  For me the $$ I save not commuting in the truck/camper just about makes the car payments on my commuter and the stress level is a lot lower driving a smaller car on the freeway in traffic every day.


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#10 Ace!

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 03:47 PM

Maybe I missed it but are you considering living in it full-time, or buying it as an escape when you can get away?  Do you have time off of work enough to make good use of it?


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Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: Four Wheel, F-350, freedom, consumer, flat bed, hawk

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