Downsizing?

Buying a short rig for maneuverability reasons and adding a toad seems illogical. Driving a rig with toad should reduce mpg. Occasionally needing to disconnect a C, to run into town for tomato paste, etc. seems a small price to pay. It is good to maintain a check-off list that includes tomato paste and other items that are essential to you including prescriptions and OTC items, tools, adhesives, bailing wire, duct tape, etc. All that said, a typical 27 footer, with rear bedroom, may not fit in your driveway.

Had a 36 ft 5th wheel and a MDT International truck, was wonderful for full time living but when we stopped that we didn't need so much living space. Sold it as a combo and went looking for something smaller. Found a used 2007 29 ft C and love it. Right size for us 2 plus the dog and so easy to drive and park. Fuel economy went up, and we even tow a Cadillac as our towed.

I have friends in my RV club who went from a 34-foot 5th wheel (towed by an undersized Tundra with a slider hitch) to a Jayco Melbourne 24K. They travel extensively and wanted to get away from their daily setup and teardown routines, some hitch problems, and have something more maneuverable that she might drive too. They've sort of moved beyond trips with grandchildren and think they can live in a smaller space.

So far they like it, but do miss their living room recliners facing the big screen TV; they are big on sitting inside at night to watch DVD movies, as it is so hot here much of the year when the campgrounds are open.

Things they've discussed since taking it out a few times include the lack of lounge seating, how to do something to make that folding rear bed more comfortable, lack of wardrobe space, lack of external storage (carried a lot of junk in that fiver), no room to get around when in road configuration, and tiny bathroom. He also worries that the bottom of the RV is not fully enclosed like his fiver was, leaving chassis wiring and plumbing exposed, and about how much he can run his generator without using up all his propane.

Now they are asking about my car towing experience, because they've always had their truck to get around and now need to unhook to go do something outside the campground, as they no longer ride bicycles.

They are not new to RVing, this is their fourth new RV in the 12 years I've had mine. Most of their trades were because the living space wasn't working right for them, once was because of quality issues.

This living space issue is something you have to work out for yourself.

As for the cost, while the Sprinter and the diesel-optioned Transit chassis are somewhat more expensive than the E-350/450 was, most of what you are seeing is inflation. For buying vehicles, the dollar is worth a little more than half of what it was worth 15 years ago. Keep in mind that most of these "Euro" style motorhomes, except for a few on the Ram Promaster, are trimmed out premium level rather than basic or rental grade, so that you should compare pricing of something like a Melbourne to the price of a Greyhawk Prestige, rather than a Redhawk or a Thor Freedom Elite.

We up-sized to a 23'-8" long rig. We had a short list of No-Compromise.
- must fit in our garage (it just fits)
- must have a dinette that we can keep setup all the time
- must have a main floor permanent double bed
- must be self contained with every feature practical & useful....we were "done" with novelty items
- almost a NO Compromise was "We didn't want a slide out"

We got so much more in a small package. You can see many pictures of our Phoenix Cruiser 2350 by CLICKING HERE.

New ones are not cheap, running around $100k. Used ones are not cheap either. If you are a bargain hunter, don't search for a PC. Phoenix USA HERE makes many different lengths and floor plans, as short as 21 feet. But all are pricey. Our model 2350 is offered on the E350, E450, and Sprinter so the price goes up and up. If looking at used ones, I would say to start around a 2004, but make sure it has the integrated spare tire wall introduced mid-year 2004 and retained to this day. Standard in 2007 is a twin battery compartment and whole-house inverter which every owner loves immensely. The general rule is..."the newer the better".

We had a 21 ft. Trailer for 15 years and then to a 30 ft. Motorhome and then from there a 35 ft. Motorhome. I don't think will downsize.
My brother in-law has a 40 ft. motorhome and a Van type motorhome with a Mercedes engine. They use the motorhome for longer trips and the Van for 3 or 4 day trips on the coast.