Full time with travel trailer

Welcome to the Forum!!

Good advise so far. My added advice is to take your time. Go to big dealerships with lots of inventory or go to shows and look at as many different floorplans as possible. Spend time in the ones that you find most interesting going through the actual motions of cooking, showering, etc. Actually sit on the toilet. Make sure that there is a place for you and/or your spouse to sit comfortably and watch TV if that will be important to you. Try to envision where different items will be stored. Look at the cargo carrying capacity; with two people fulltime, I would want at least 2,000# and 3,000# would be even better.

This article might help you determine what will tow what.

Good luck with your search for the right trailer for you.

As a first time buyer, absolutely buy used. Now a 30 foot TT could potentially weigh close to 10,000 pounds when ready to go, especially for a full timer. Do you actually think you could move that much weight with a mini car? Not going to happen. For that much trailer you are going to want a 3/4 ton truck at minimum. There are several quality brands of trailers to consider. What are your wants and needs? That is the big deciding factor. Make a trip to an rv show or at least a few dealers looking at floor plans and decide what you will be happy living in. Then start shopping.

I clearly remember the dealer telling me I would have no problem towing my new 23 ft. hybrid with a v6 GMC Envoy. By the time I had traveled the 50 miles home with the new rig, I was ready to drive them both off a cliff.

Will you be able to tow a 26-30ft trailer with an SUV? Maybe. But I promise you it will NOT be as enjoyable experience as it should be. Spending all my travel time in a wrestling match with the steering wheel is not my idea of a good time!

As for your choice of trailer, I am not a big fan of used RV's. I worked in the Service Dept of RV Dealerships long enough and have seen enough traded in used coaches to know that buying used is a big risk. That said, there are good used trailers out there. Just be very careful. Especially if you buy from a private owner, have a certified RV Tech give it a once over so that the surprises are limited.

Good luck and happy trails!

First off, welcome to the forum. I hope that people here can steer you in the right direction.

For a 26 to 30 foot trailer, and you want to pull with an SUV, you will probably looking at the largest SUVs. My 4400 pound 21 footer is about the max that I can tow with my 2.8l Diesel, and you being new to the scene, I would not recommend my setup. I have been towing for over 20 years, so I am comfortable with it.

Now, you say you will have this "parked in a local park for two years". Now, you mean RV park? In Indiana? There is a lot to consider there, since Indiana does get cold. The low end trailers are good from Spring to Fall. You would need a unit that is made with an "arctic package" (name varies by brand) that includes better windows, insulation, and heated underbelly, and tank heaters.

Here is a good link here to help you get started. I hope others will chime in with HELPFUL advise.
www.learntorv.com