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mlts22's avatar
mlts22
Explorer II
Oct 16, 2013

Yet another short C running toadless question...

I know some people do this, but how difficult is it to use a short C (looking at rigs like the Sunseeker 2250 or the 2300) as the main vehicle for a long trip. Of course, a "B" would be the best choice, but with the off-season coming up, I can pick up a 2013 Sunseeker or Freelander for a lot less than a new class "B".

I am also wondering this because RV storage is a premium, and at best, I might be able to find a typical parking spot as a place to store something, perhaps allowing for a couple feet to hang over.

Is running around with a 23-24' C fairly easy (as in hitting strip malls in small towns, parallel parking at a county convention, or having to deal with Houston or Dallas traffic)? I have no frame of reference on the difficulty of doing this, so this is why I'm asking.

27 Replies

  • Getting around shouldn't be a problem. Even most small urban delivery trucks (like the Isuzu cabovers) are not any smaller.

    Main downside I see with driving any MH around as a primary driver is getting the inside "drive-ready" i.e. putting away the kitchen, making sure everything latched, camping hookups etc.

    Also, don't forget many locals now have hourly car-shares like zip-car which could be perfect getting around without a toad.
  • Community Alumni's avatar
    Community Alumni
    Driving a Skinny Winnie I fit in a regular parking space width, but of course two spaces lengthwise. Often I will back into a space where the overhang behind the rear axle can safely occupy a non-paved area out of the way. There are often these parking opportunities at the far end of parking lots. One resource I use is Google Maps to get a view of my destination to get the lay of the land to plan the best approach and where to safely park. I have avoided some very tight places by looking ahead. When I have a trailer in tow, I can also find the best way to find pull through routes. The main point to this is that if you do not have a toad to get you from your campsite to a venue or other activity, you have to plan ahead to see if an RV can be accommodated. There are a handful of times we had to forgo a destination because there was no way to get close enough. My wife reminds me that if we drove a car from camp we would not have a handy restroom, fridge full of food and drink or a change of clothes when the weather turns.
  • I've had no problems getting around and finding parking in small towns and rural areas, at 30 feet, if I'm not towing, because I can often park by backing into an edge of lot space with the long rear overhang hanging over the edge. Towing takes away that option for me, I tow only when I have a longer term destination where I don't want to move the RV.

    Getting through Houston, Dallas, OKC, Austin, San Antonio, KC, St Louis, has not been a problem. You are not that much bigger than a delivery truck, and big over the road rigs go through cities all the time. You can even use major city streets if you know which ones the trucks use.

    The problem in big cities, and crowded suburbs, is finding parking, because in those places the parking lots at shopping centers, supermarkets, strip malls, even fast food places, tend to be full, and you won't always find the extra space you need, nor room to maneuver.

    There is a similar problem in residential areas, even where street parking is permitted. I have managed to find parking at friends homes in Sugarland and Katy, they'll park a couple cars at the curb when they know I'm coming, and move them when I get there so I have a big enough space to parallel park into. But I wouldn't try that in more congested neighborhoods like Rice Village, or the Museum District, or anywhere around the Medical Center where it is difficult to find a place to park a car except in a ramp.
  • some 9 years now, and 50K miles on a 24ft class c. From Alaska to Texas, and Seattle to Iowa. Have never had a need for a toad. Would not want one. Would in my opinion would add way more hassel, than any small benefit I might get.
  • I'd say the standard of "B"s would be a 24 footer like the Winnebago ERA. It is longer than the "C"s I'm looking at, but it is narrower, and that is something I didn't know how much it would play a part of getting around.

    That is good advice on the class IV hitch. Camping World sells a skid wheel for about a C-note that should soften the blow on that part of the vehicle going up a driveway.
  • mlts22 wrote:
    I know some people do this, but how difficult is it to use a short C (looking at rigs like the Sunseeker 2250 or the 2300) as the main vehicle for a long trip. Of course, a "B" would be the best choice, but with the off-season coming up, I can pick up a 2013 Sunseeker or Freelander for a lot less than a new class "B".

    I am also wondering this because RV storage is a premium, and at best, I might be able to find a typical parking spot as a place to store something, perhaps allowing for a couple feet to hang over.

    Is running around with a 23-24' C fairly easy (as in hitting strip malls in small towns, parallel parking at a county convention, or having to deal with Houston or Dallas traffic)? I have no frame of reference on the difficulty of doing this, so this is why I'm asking.


    Just returned from a 7 state 4100 mile trip with our Nexus Phantom 23P - same size as the Sunseeker 2300. No problem getting around town, fits between the lines in a parking lot but at 24' it is a tad longer than some of the slots. Do watch out for steeply dipped driveways as even a short C can drag its butt a little. On ours the only thing that hits is the bottom of the Class IV hitch so no harm, no foul. Most of the B's I am seeing are nearly as long, some even longer, than ours and you are right.... they are way more expensive with a lot less room inside. :C
  • I don't even consider traffic. I have taken my MH + toad for 58' total, through many cities. I also drove 45' tour buses into many cities and had no problems. All it takes is a little experience and you will feel at home doing it. Some small towns are much more difficult.