Opintions on a chaser car

DW has followed me for 50,000 miles. Walkie talkies or family radios if you prefer. We figure 50 mph average with bathroom breaks. We only do 250 miles a day, but we're retired.

If this is a 1 and done trip like you think, then have your wife drive another car. However, as the kids get older, you will be faced with them growing in a constant confined rear seat. Thus, a bigger vehicle or a constant 2nd vehicle will become more often included in the vacation.

If the truck you have works well for your family needs most of the time, don't make a big purchase just for this trip. You will eventually have to replace it as the kids get older assuming they continue to camp.

A crew cab truck is nice, and it will quickly become the family vehicle. You've got a year, a super awesome deal might drop in your lap.

I'm not familiar with what's available to rent to pull a 5th wheel (I have a TT) but if it's one trip in 6 ~ 7 years I'd be thinking about renting a bigger truck for the trip.

So, you are a family of 5. You have a tight fitting pick-up truck and a 5er for a trailer. Kids are uncomfortable in the back seat of the truck. You want to take a second vehicle as a chase car. You plan on doing a trip longer than 2 weeks, cross country.

So, who is driving the second vehicle? Are they willing to drive those kind of miles. My wife and I both drive. We switch off so the other can rest (and we usually never do more than 250 miles a day and try to always be honkered down for the night by 5:00 pm, which allows down time, and the possibility of site seeing or doing an activity where ever we are overnighting.

Is the other driver in a state of mind and attitude to be pushing miles like this? My wife and I want to be in the truck together. There's just too much to miss if we are separate. And if you take a second vehicle, which kids are riding with who? Here again, a situation that happens in one vehicle is completely missed and never understood from the ones in the other vehicle. Memories are lost this way. And then, there is the communication factor. With 3 kids and 2 adults, eventually someone is going to need a bathroom. How do you communicate between 2 vehicles if you are in an area with no cell phone reception?

In my opinion, if traveling as a family, you need to "travel" as a family, all under one roof. Use your tow vehicle as your run-around vehicle by disconnecting the trailer at an RV park, a KOA, or a state park. Maybe I'm a bit different in my thinking here, but as a family ... you should all be together under one roof.

It sounds like you have no qualms about purchasing a new vehicle. If that's the case, then bigger is better. After all, those kids will be getting bigger too. And until they start driving themselves and getting part time jobs, they'll be traveling with you. 3 kids in their early teen years can take up a lot of space in the back seat of a cramped pick-up truck. And teen-agers won't want to share a jump seat at all.

If you have the resources, now is the time to get the bigger truck. Look for a full crew cab (full 4 door truck) with full bench seats, front and back. My truck is a 3500 dully Duramax, long bed (8 feet long with a contractor-construction shelve) on the bed. You can still get bench seats for the front, although ours is a split front bench seat, so both halves can be adjusted independently as singles or together as a bench. This provides seating for a 3 person in front... complete with seat belt.

The back seat is also split, but does not move. Each half can be raised, leaving the entire back seat area open. It's great for when transporting people, to have all that space for taller items or lots of cargo inside the cab.

My suggestion, because the kids WILL grow, they are not getting smaller, and your needs are for this moment as well as for your future 10 years, get the truck with a full crew cab now, travel as a family under one roof, and make memories together.

oh no. I have a tahoe and a pontiac grand prix so we'll take one the other cars which would be best probably.

Is the current truck the only vehicle in the family? If you have to buy a car specifically for the trip, I would seriously look at upgrading the truck. If not, just take one of the other cars.

Get a bigger truck and it will last for a long time.

donn0128 wrote:
Upgrade the truck. Unless you already have a suitable car it means purchasing something and this is a perfect excuse to buy now your next truck.

I spent a little time this morning look at the cost of a suitable truck that is larger, and I would probably have to sell my commuter car and my existing truck to afford a newer one at this time. As Alfred mentioned, this is probably a one and done trip for at least 6-7 years. So a chase car may be the solution for now maybe. By then, 2 of the 3 kids will be driving so they won't want to ride with us anyway. Thanks for the comment!

Alfred,
Thanks and that's a great point. I think once we get our house paid off we might consider doing more trips with/without kids but by that point we'd probably have at least one kid driving and that would be a good experience for them to just follow us out in their own vehicle. they won't want to ride out with us if they are driving anyway so you make the great point of this likely being our only trip in the near term anyway so the rental makes perfect sense or even taking my commuter car with us. I love my truck and it is a happy medium on size and I do know that it would handle any mountain pass the west had to offer so I'm feeling much better about the trip after your post! Thanks. One thing is for sure is that we really feel the need to go while our kids are young for at least one trip so here we are! Let the planning/saving begin!

Have you thought about how frequently you'll want to be taking long trips with 5 people?

I love the West and enjoy trips there. The driving is very different than in other parts of the US due to the vast distances. 5 people in a small truck would sure get uncomfortable (it would seem to me) after awhile. I see your concern about doing that trip with your current equipment.

You seem to like your current truck very much and it is probably well suited for your lifestyle. So if you're not planning many long trips with 5 people maybe renting a "chase" car is a good idea. That is double driving though. Cost of gas/rent would be much less than changing to a larger truck. If your trip out West is a one timer- maybe the chase car is not a bad idea.

However, if you are seeing yourself taking many trips, especially long distance trips, using a truck to pull a 5th wheel, then looking at converting to a larger more comfortable truck for 5 people might be worth considering. That will be an expensive option, it also means you'll be dealing with a larger truck for around-town times.

Driving around out west is a wonderful experience. Taking your 5th wheel up (and down) mountains will require a strong vehicle. I suspect your current truck is capable (?) but if you convert to a larger truck, you'll want to be getting sufficient power so your driving experience is pleasurable. Once you spend time out west experiencing all that it has to offer, the chances are that you'll want to return again and again.

Good luck with your thoughts. Lets see what other thoughts forum members have to contribute too!