Hanesworthy wrote:
So, out of curiosity, what did you end up doing?
Haha, I was wondering if anyone would ask about what I ended up with. It's been almost a year, and I really should have posted something sooner.
After going to the RV show in January, and having the opportunity to check out every possible RV on the market, I realized that the Roadtrek 190 (or any Class B) was just a bit too tight on space to be comfortable for me (yes, I need to lose some weight, lol!). If there were nothing else available, or I could only have one vehicle, then I would have still bought a Chevy based Roadtrek 190. I still really like it and was sorry I would not be buying one.
So... I ended up getting something I never expected to. After discovering how roomy and comfortable the travel trailers are, I got one. I went back and forth with different brands, new and used, etc. In the end, I learned that the iconic looking Airstream travel trailers hold their value the best, handle and tow the best, and just hold up really well over time, that's what I got...
A 1990 Airstream Excella 25 foot travel trailer. So much for going incognito! But I have a living room with a sofa that makes into a double bed, a full kitchen, bathroom with separate shower and a bedroom with a double bed, and lots of storage space. And it cost half of what I was ready to spend on a used 8-12 year old Chevy Roadtrek. Yeah, not as stealthy as a debadged Roadtrek 190, and since I live in the city now, I have to store it at an RV dealer about 45 minutes away. Incidentally, I found an amazing deal on a great urban condo just outside Vancouver (back to city living). I only have an underground parking space, so a Roadtrek 190 would not fit. A minivan barely fits! So either way, I'd have needed to get off-site storage for the RV. I thought I might be full timing for a while in an RV but couldn't pass up the deal on the condo. So now I have it all - city condo as a home base, and a nice RV to get away from it all (hopefully starting next winter).
I took the opportunity to also trade up to a newer, more modern, fuel efficient and more powerful minvan, a 2012 Chrysler Town & Country (Dodge Grand Caravan). I know some of you will say it's a bit too light duty for such a large trailer, and maybe it is compared to other, larger tow vehicles, but the Airstream dealer I bought the trailer from has set up over 2000 front wheel drive V6 minivans over the years, and have several in their fleet. WIth a custom trailer hitch and weight distribution, I have to say, it works quite well. A bit of a struggle through parts of the Rocky Mountains, but overall, it gets the job done.
The nice thing is that it's a good compromise between something that can tow the trailer, have lots of cargo space, not too large for parking in urban areas, decent fuel economy when not towing, etc. It's even nice and stealthy for occasional van dwelling and urban camping along the way when you don't have the travel trailer and don't want to pay $100 a night for a hotel. I've done it a few times during the summer and it worked out great.
Had I known I would inherit my mother's super low mileage, absolutely mint 2003 Toyota Corolla (just got it registered and insured two weeks ago), I might have bought something bigger and more heavy duty like a V8 SUV or a 3/4 ton turbo diesel pickup for a tow vehicle, since I now have the Corolla for city driving and parking in tight urban parking spaces. If I had enough money, I would have considered getting a newer, low mileage Roadtrek 190 as a tow vehicle. That way I'd have the ultimate in choices when travelling - unhitch the Airstream, leave it at the campground and take off in the Roadtrek for a weekend getaway, or to places a 25 foot travel trailer will not fit. And the 25 foot Airstream for longer-term living or camping.
I still want to own a Chevy based Roadtrek 190. But I need to get a bit more use out of my current minivan before I'd consider selling it. Then I can use the Corolla for city driving and use the Roadtrek for weekend getaways, or multi-week, or multi-month trips to the south-west using it as a tow vehicle for the 25 foot Airstream travel trailer. Sadly, I won't get much of a chance to do any road trips or travelling this winter as my elderly parents are going through a lot right now and need my help. I'm not even sure about next winter, but things should settle down by then.
Thanks again to everyone who chimed in with comments and suggestions. Although I ended up getting a travel trailer, I still want to get a Roadtrek 190, as the ultimate tow vehicle, an RV to tow another RV, haha! When the time comes for me to get a Class B, I know what I'll get. Incidentally, between travelling across the country in May, and waiting for my condo to be available, I lived in the Airstream travel trailer for about three weeks and really liked it. A new adventure, for sure. Due to a family emergency, and ongoing issues with it, I haven't had a chance to use it since, and probably won't for another few months, or maybe next winter. But I'm really looking forwarding to going RVing again! :)
