Cruisers Forum
Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: Tall Guy on March 13, 2018, 01:53:55 pm
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I'm pretty sure most everyone here are Motor Home people. What I am wondering is why you went that route as opposed to a Travel Trailer. I already have a more than adequate tow vehicle although my Duramax is right at 300,000 miles. My wife has recently been asking why go the Motor Home route when the Travel Trailer route would be much cheaper. I much prefer the Motor Home but I admit she's right about the cost, and finding an acceptable toad isn't as easy as it once was. I've also found it best to explore my wife's questions because every once in a while she's right. (nod) (nod)
Pros and cons equally welcome.
Thanks!!
Gary
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Hi Gary,
A travel trailer is surely the lower cost decision as long as you don't have to purchase a $50,000 pickup truck to tow with, and have to drive around at home with when you can get by with the easy to drive 30 mpg family sedan. And if you primarily travel to a few destinations and setup camp and stay there for extended periods, a travel trailer is an excellent choice. They are very popular with snow birds who setup camp for months at a time, and drive around locally with the pickup truck.
Irene and I travel to multiple destinations on our 3-4 week trips. It is rare when we stay in one place more than 3 nights. Being on-the-move so much, traveling around in a motor home is surely a more comfortable choice. It is nice that Irene takes care of her personal bathroom needs while I keep driving, and she also gets food and drink. Irene will put in a movie while I drive. It's nice to listen to when trying to make time driving later into the evening. We love the "travel experience" with our PC. It changes the dynamics of road trips.
But it is not torture towing a travel trailer either, as long as your setup is right. Invest in a weight distribution hitch, and tow with "the right" vehicle. I see lots of people stopped at rest areas, enjoying a meal in their travel trailer.
Travel trailer or motor home, if your plan is to tour national parks and other public lands, don't go "big". Go as small as you are comfortable with. The national park road system & camp grounds are not designed for big motor homes or trailers. A 30 foot anything rules out many camp sites which are already slim pickings at peak season.
Ron Dittmer
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Hello Tall Guy,
I'm glad you asked this question. My wife and I are in the same situation. So I'm looking forward to reading the opinions from those more experienced in RV living.
Fred
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Tall Guy
Here in Michigan travel trailer registration is a one time fee.
A motorhome is an annual fee. For example I inquired some for sale; 2013 Lazy Daze 30IB was $749 a year. Tiffin gas 36 LA was $850 year. PC about $300_400 year. Plus add insurance!
Call some MH for sale in Michigan for prices.
Ron
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We've done it both ways. . .started in 2001 with a 30ft. used Airstream trailer and we loved it. The downside was mostly unhitching/hitching in all kinds of weather. Also, the inside temp has to start from scratch (warm/cool)when you are ready to get in it for the night. If you want to stop for a pit stop or lunch break in between stopping points, you have to get out of the tow vehicle and deal with the above temp situations. Disregard what Lucy did in "The Long, Long Trailer". roflol
After going up to a Class A DP, we loved, loved, loved the ready for living climate control in the motor home. Need to stop for whatever. . .no problem with weather, etc. We had a toad, but now that we have our PC2400, we've found ways to manage without one. After having to get off the road for health reasons, we went for a small trailer to keep our hitch itch in check, but all the negatives listed in the first paragraph reared their ugly heads, and we bought our 2400 Sprinter for all the motor home reasons.
I guess if $$$ is a major factor, the trailer route could be better for some. . .we never noticed any substantial difference. Motor homes have their expenses; so do trailers (ask us about replacing an axle on an Airstream while out in the wilds of East Texas pyho). I guess whatever floats your boat. :)(:
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Not sure there is a right or wrong answer, everyone is different.
For us we went with a motorhome because:
1) Do not own a big truck so would have had to buy a tow vehicle
2) Parking on our lot is available for a single 30' vehicle. So a 2552 PC works but a trailer and a big truck would not fit. Car goes in the garage.
3) We like that the passenger can get up and go into the house while moving for a drink, snack or use the restroom
4) We generally travel not camp, so 2 or 3 nights max at any location so setting up and breaking camp is different than if we were staying for a month
5) Like being able to pull into a rest stop and cook lunch. Sure you can do that with a trailer but I don't think it is as convenient.
6) Person not driving can go in the house and take a nap in a real bed
7) Don't have to go outside in rain or weather to get from the cab to the house.
But they make lots of trailers, so just decide what works best for you.
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All excellent advice from Ron.D, Dos Hammies, & Ja Trax (exactly)
The gracious owners of this website have a used 2350 listed in thier current inventory for about the price of a new 20 ft travel trailer.
Replacing the tow rig with a motorhome eliminates added maintenance and insurance cost considerations. The cost of insuring an rv varies widely based on replacement value. Talk to Good Sam.
Many states including CA have a 55 mph trailer towing speed limit.
We don’t have or want a toad. Uber goes everywhere there's cell phone service.
If wer'e camping down in a river valley or canyon we bring plenty of groceries and have no need to go anywhere. Day trip parking with a 2350 sometimes requires hanging the back end out over the weeds, or finding a bigger lot like a nearby grocery store. The 158" wheelbase makes it very easy to maneuver. The shorter model 2100 is designed to fit in a driveway or standard parking space.
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My husband and I have had 3 trailers in the past. The pop-ups were easy to pull and hook up, but were absent on amenities, including toilet. Our last trailer was self-contained. We had to pull it with an F150. It required a 50 pound stabilizer hitch and was a challenge to level. We had been looking at both 5th wheel and motorhomes in preparing for retirement. The 5th wheel would require us to upgrade to larger truck, I did not like driving the F150, so could not imagine dealing with a bigger truck. When I lost my husband unexpectedly, I realized I could not manage the truck and trailer alone. After lots of research, help from my folks, who have been RVing for 30 years, I found PC. I have great hopes that my new 2552 will allow me to continue to camp and travel without the struggles that came with the travel trailer.
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Most of our reasons have been listed but I'll toss in just a few. Our main factor when looking was no tow vehicle and no experience towing but we're really thankful we're in a motorhome for many reasons. Here are a few:
- We traveled with a cat and she would sleep in a safe spot on the bed, get food or water and use her litter box while we traveled. We didn't choose motorhome for her but it worked far better than hours of howling in a carrier.
- There was one time John got really sick on a day we had to drive a good way to camp so he was tucked in the bed with quick access to the bathroom while I drove. He was down for three days and I dropped a day or so after him. I'm not sure where we would have sat for so many days or how we would have traveled in a truck cab with someone that sick.
- I'm an early bird and John needs ample wake up time. On long runs, I can get up and start driving while he sleeps or does his morning coffee and news. I've managed 3-4 hours of drive time before he was awake and coherent enough to take over. We're ready to roll when we get to our destination.
- And last, per our then eight year old granddaughter "if I'm hungry I can eat, if I'm tired I can sleep and I can use the bathroom if I need to go. Our camper house has everything we need... and nothing else.
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For Mrs V and I this was a big choice. We looked at a few F250/350's, and ~30' 5th wheel camper setups. The 'pro's' of the setup was that it gave us a pickup to use at home when not camping. And TONS of space. But... that was about it. I commute 60 miles a day, so using the big rig would be costly or require another car for daily driving. We have a couple acres with a large drive, but storing a ~30 foot camper was still a concern.
Mrs V prefers the 'all in one box' setup a coach gives us. As stated by others above, the ability to use the camper when on the road was a HUGE factor. She loves the option of laying down out back while I drive, and being able to fix a snack while rolling. The bathroom has also proven to be VERY handy on the road at speed.
I also 'exercise' the coach regularly because it is so easy to hop in and drive away. Not sure how often I would hook up the 5th wheel and tug it around to keep it 'limber'. And down here, sitting things tend to rust. :beg
Like CalCruiser I have a 2350, and it fits in some tight spots. I daily drove the coach for about the first month, and it was rarely a problem fitting where i wanted. "sometimes requires hanging the back end out over the weeds" - WELL said. :lol
And we just got a 2000 Nissan Frontier for a toad, so now we have a pickup for house use. It is my daily driver now, that gets 25MPG and fits in a small space. 2o2
So... for us, the motor home is a win-win all the way around.
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Reading through all the replies after my post, I can relate to just about all of them (we don't have a pet), and agree with every reason.
Gary, Keep in-mind that you are asking "motor home" people why they choose it over a travel trailer. To be fair and complete in your research, you should join a travel trailer forum like the one on www.RV.net and get the scoop from the flip side.
Ron Dittmer
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I'm pretty sure most everyone here are Motor Home people. What I am wondering is why you went that route as opposed to a Travel Trailer. I already have a more than adequate tow vehicle although my Duramax is right at 300,000 miles. My wife has recently been asking why go the Motor Home route when the Travel Trailer route would be much cheaper. I much prefer the Motor Home but I admit she's right about the cost, and finding an acceptable toad isn't as easy as it once was. I've also found it best to explore my wife's questions because every once in a while she's right. (nod) (nod)
Pros and cons equally welcome.
Thanks!!
Gary
Travel trailers take a fair amount of time to setup and breakdown. Motorhomes you park, plug-in and you are done.
Travel trailers are bigger.
With the right motorhome, you don't need a toad, my 2551 goes anywhere I want, from shopping to sightseeing.
Typically, it is illegal to have passengers in a travel trailer while it's being towed. No "rolling pit stops" in a travel trailer. With a motorhome, passengers can not only take a potty break, but can even watch TV or DVD's if they so desire.
Travel trailers + tow vehicle have only 1 drive train to maintain. Motorhomes + your everyday driver when you are home each have their own drive train.
Etc.
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We met a couple last summer in a beautiful FW. They wouldn't stay at Cracker Barrel, Walmart etc. because if they felt uncomfortable (crime, noise, cars racing around the parking lot......) they had to get out of the FW to get to their truck to leave the area.
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Flexibility to pull a boat or off-road toys is another MAJOR advantage of a motorhome.
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We met a couple last summer in a beautiful FW. They wouldn't stay at Cracker Barrel, Walmart etc. because if they felt uncomfortable (crime, noise, cars racing around the parking lot......) they had to get out of the FW to get to their truck to leave the area.
If we have a toad on the back, we have to get out to reset the toad before driving. We turn her off and lock her down overnight. We usually walk the rig before rolling. We've spent many nights in parking lots and never had a problem. I heard Cracker Barrel can be scary because they shut off the lights and don't have security cameras but Wal-Mart and others usually have both. We go to the area they tell us to but choose the best lighted spot. We also tend to be with other rigs or truckers.
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We met a couple last summer in a beautiful FW. They wouldn't stay at Cracker Barrel, Walmart etc. because if they felt uncomfortable (crime, noise, cars racing around the parking lot......) they had to get out of the FW to get to their truck to leave the area.
If we have a toad on the back, we have to get out to reset the toad before driving. We turn her off and lock her down overnight. We usually walk the rig before rolling. We've spent many nights in parking lots and never had a problem. I heard Cracker Barrel can be scary because they shut off the lights and don't have security cameras but Wal-Mart and others usually have both. We go to the area they tell us to but choose the best lighted spot. We also tend to be with other rigs or truckers.
I can relate to the "kid's being loud horsing around in a Walmart parking lot". It has happened to us twice that I can recall. As they say "Strength In Numbers", finding comfort congregating with other overnight RVers. In rest areas we usually congregate with the trucks where the noise can be a challenge if parked adjacent to an idling rig. But these days many truck drivers shut off their rig when sleeping. It also helps with noise that our PC has thermal windows, no slide outs, and a 2350 rear corner double bed. Noise from the direction of the driver side is greatly reduced. I can sleep through just about anything. In noisier conditions, Irene wears ear plugs for a good sleep.
We utilize Walmart-type places and rest areas a lot during our trips. The price is right and is awfully convenient. We show our appreciation and purchase our needs there, usually before we go down for the night.
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We have always had Class C and B motorhomes. Prior to purchasing our PC four years ago we were going to buy a small travel trailer for boondocking a couple of weeks or even a month at a time. We wanted a light weight trailer 25 feet long or so and researched them extensively. In the last few years light weight travel trailers have really come into vogue because they can be towed with a properly equipped SUV. I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee with the towing package and it has a 7200 pound towing capacity and a 1000 pound tongue weight limit and a big ole Hemi engine. We found some really nicely designed trailers around 4500 dry weight.
Many things were the final detractions to the trailer idea.
(1) We have always had a dog and always travel with our little friend. No go in a trailer, although we could have just used the back of the SUV for Sally Ann the Wonder Dog. You simply can't travel with a dog in a trailer for all the obvious reasons.
(2) These light weight trailers are light weight because of the way they are built and everything in them is flimsy compared to most Class Cs. If you get a nice trailer you will be looking at a lot of weight and a big pickup to pull it.
(3) Ability to use the house of a motorhome going down the road or for making pull overs to rest stops. Others have elaborated on that topic.
(4) Safety. While we were looking and thinking about all this, a couple who lived in a small town about forty miles down the road from us had just retired. They bought a nice trailer and headed out for a summer of camping in the Rockies. On the way to their destination in Colorado they pulled over to take a break just off I-40 outside Santa Rosa, New Mexico. They were approached and then attacked by three men who ended up killing them and stealing their trailer and tow vehicle after dumping their bodies in the bareness of the Eastern New Mexico desert country. They had escaped from a prison in Arizona a few days earlier. Now, that could have happened anywhere to anybody under any circumstances. The ability to just have your doors locked, pull off the highway for a rest or lunch and never having to leave your
coach became pretty darn appealing to us after that incident was in the news and the ensuing manhunt was constantly in the national news for a few weeks before they were captured.
(5) Heat. We live in a part of the country that can experience real heat in the summer. A trailer going down the road can quickly reach 120 F or more ambient temp in just a few minutes.
(6) No generator. Yes, you can rig one on the back (often after you reinforce the bumper). AND, you have to break camp, hook up and take off to dump your tanks if you are out in the wilds we enjoy.
(7) Unless you are proficient in pulling a trailer, think about backing the thing into a tight campsite while all your new best friends stand there and grin. :-[ If you have not pulled a trailer in the past you might find a big empty parking lot near your home and spend the next several Sundays giving yourself backing instructions.
(8) There is more I could list, but it is a beautiful spring day and guess what I am doing this morning: dewinterizing my Phoenix Cruiser and rejoicing that we didn't buy a trailer.
Paul
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Doneworking (Paul). . .you nailed it! 2o2 :)(:
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Doneworking (Paul). . .you nailed it! 2o2 :)(:
I agree! (exactly) Thanks to all who have replied thus far. Very good information for us newbies to consider.
Thank you
Fred and Paula
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Thanks to everyone for your informative responses! In order to get the Travel Trailer side of things per Ron's suggestion I searched the net for that same question and found the general consensus was it all depends on how you're going to use it. Weekend warriors and stay putters a trailer sounds best but for those who travel around and "pull up stakes" as my Dad used to say a motor home sounds best. Then when you weigh in the added conveniences, security, temperature control (that one turned out to be huge), and ease of set-up I'm comfortably all in on the motor home side.
We desperately tried to make a 2351 work but I'm just too tall. So next Friday we're making a factory visit to discuss a no slide 2551. Ron, I know exactly what you mean about National Park campgrounds being small and difficult to navigate. We've travelled in 46 of our states and every province except P.E.I. & Newfoundland / Labrador and there have been times I've had a problem with my 19 foot GMC pick up, another 25-28 feet added to that would be restrictive.
Thanks again everybody!!!
Gary