Forum Discussion

Ramen's avatar
Ramen
Explorer
Sep 05, 2014

Rig options, Class A w/coupe, SUV w/TT, Truck w/TT

I'm considering doing full time for a few years then relocating somewhere new in the RV. I need to get out of California.

I'm in my mid 30’s, rolling solo and at the beginning stages of selecting my 1st rig. I have enough savings to swing it. Budget is $25k for a Class A or $20k for travel trailer. I've been going back and forth on my options.

I've narrowed down my options to:
- Class A w/coupe (coupe = current personal vehicle)
- SUV w/TT ('07 mid size SUV (4Runner) 4.7L V8 4x4 6,500 tow cap)
- Truck w/TT ('12 Toyota Tundra w/8ft bed 5.7L V8 4x2 9,000 tow cap)

The SUV and Tundra truck are my brother's vehicles and I would trade my coupe to him plus some cash. He doesn’t need both large vehicles and is willing to do a trade.

Class A is my first option
Pros
- Huge interior and space. Apartment like.
- I get to keep my coupe, I like it a lot
Cons
- Rig setup will be huge and might be limited to where and what I can do.
- Need to stick to RV parks.

SUV w/Small Travel Trailer
Pros
- SUV is easy to zip around in than a long bed pickup truck
- Smallest overall setup
Cons
- Limited to smaller travel trailer, around ’19

Tundra truck w/Medium Travel Trailer
Pros
- Medium sized travel trailer a possibility
- Pickup truck for work purposes if I find work that needs one
Cons
- Will be stuck with a long pickup truck
- 8ft truck bed is a pain to park on its own

6 Replies

  • Ramen's avatar
    Ramen
    Explorer
    Sep 05, 2014
    Coupe is a 2007 Honda Accord fwd manual transmission. I'm open to either dolly or all 4 wheels down. This car is a pretty long coupe. Its nearly the same length as the 4runner.
  • tomkaren13's avatar
    tomkaren13
    Explorer
    Sep 05, 2014
    Also need info on the coupe. We have towed a car before. Nice if it can be towed four down, dolly or trailer can have their own concerns.
  • Ramen's avatar
    Ramen
    Explorer
    Sep 05, 2014
    I am going to try to avoid extreme temps for long durations. Living in California all my life makes one spoiled. I don't plan on having company much but from everything I've read, slide outs will be on the list.

    I have towed light construction equipment in my teens, none since. Trying to back up was always a tragedy for me. I'll learn though.
  • Merrykalia's avatar
    Merrykalia
    Explorer II
    Sep 05, 2014
    The only person that can make this decision is you, but here are a few things to think about.

    1. Are you going to go toward a warm climate (south)? or are you going somewhere that can get cold? If cold, you are going to need something that has some pretty decent insulation and that is hard to get with a TT.

    2. Do you like to entertain? If even 1 person, get an RV with a slide. It makes a world of difference, especially if you are living in there fulltime.

    3. Have you ever driven, backed or pulled any kind of trailer? It can be intimidating, but is not hard to do.

    4. I have no idea what your $25K will purchase in the Class A department, but I know that in this area, the $20K will purchase a pretty decent TT. Our friends have a Tundra and the mileage it gets towing is pretty awful - 7.8 mpg!!! That's pulling an HTT. We get at least 10 mpg with our Ford PU and that's pulling a fifth wheel that is 3 times the weight of theirs.

    Just my $.02 worth.
  • Ramen's avatar
    Ramen
    Explorer
    Sep 05, 2014
    rjxj wrote:
    No matter what TT I bought, I would get a slide. If you end up with a friend in there it gets old when you are stepping on each others feet.

    I cant imagine the Tundra getting better than 10 or 11 when towing but others may know more


    Slides are nice do look worth it and I would be looking to getting a Class A or TT with them. I had posted the Tundra's MPG for not towing. I would probably get the same MPG with any of the setups. The SUV requires premium fuel.

    The Tundra has 4 doors. I'm not really a truck person so this is why I'm a little hesitant to go the truck route. I will be stuck with a pickup as a main vehicle. The SUV will be a nicer vehicle as a main car but smaller trailer as a tradeoff.
  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    Sep 05, 2014
    No matter what TT I bought, I would get a slide. If you end up with a friend in there it gets old when you are stepping on each others feet.

    I cant imagine the Tundra getting better than 10 or 11 when towing but others may know more

    We had 2 different Chevy Travers suv's. One had a tow package 5200 lb. One didn't 2000 lb. A tow package is far from bolting a receiver on. Mpg was worse on the non tow package model.

    Short bed truck is good but I would never buy a truck without at least an extended cab. Many trucks will have nearly double suv capability.

About Full Time RVers

1,588 PostsLatest Activity: Oct 16, 2025