Now retired: Pulling a camper, or, driving a motorhome????

My drunk uncle used to say all sorts of crazy stuff. :)

I'm not a full timer or retired, but I do know it's pretty much 50/50 what a person decides to use for full timing.

Yes, motor homes are nice. But you still have to climb 3-5 steps to get inside the door. If you have a toad, you still have to go through the exercise to unhitch the toad, handle the tow bar, and work with that brake controller system.

In a trailer (TT or 5er), you still have 3-5 steps to get inside the camper, but with power jacks, back-up camera's in tow vehicles, much-much-much better designed weight distribution systems that 30 years ago, auto leveling on some models, slides, and all the amenities, there's really not much difference between towing a trailer with a truck, or towing a car with a motor home. Both take effort, regardless of age or retirement status.

So, really, it's just 50/50. Basically I think it REALLY comes down to what each person can afford, and how they determine they will use their rig.

Another reason for a MH over a TT is the availability of all that basement space, especially if one is full timing. On the other hand, 5er's provide a lot of basement space too.

So, in the end, I still think it's just a personal preference, and how each person wants to use their equipment.

I have a truck (don't pull a trailer) and a DP motor home. I think it might be a little harder to get in and out of the MH than a truck, especially when carrying sacks of groceries.

Bill

Do you own a truck now? Do you plan on full timing or just camping once or twice a year. More info would help give you better guidance.

We've full-timed for 16 years in a travel trailer, 5th wheel and motorhome. By far, the motorhome was the easiest to get into. Once in, you have no steps as opposed to a 5th wheel. The travel trailer had no storage. For both, we hated driving the truck around for siteseeing.

Disconnecting the towed vehicle from the motorhome is faster than the trailers from the truck.

Naturally, in the 16 years we've aged and even had knee and shoulder replacements while having the motorhome. It was a breeze to recuperate in, drive and disconnect the Jeep. That's our opinion but everyone is different.

One issue to consider is the cost of maintenance and repairs of 5th wheels/trailers vs. motorhomes i.e. tires, oil changes, air filters, wheel bearing packings, gas/disel milage, insurance, towing services etc etc

I personally would rather have a MH when I retire. Much easier especially if you don't have a toad! Even with a toad it would be much easier to connect it than a trailer.

I definitely prefer a TT.... I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I don't like the maintenance costs of a MH. I like having my van for sightseeing and day trips. Picture yourself in each one. Go to some RV shows. Which one excites you more?

We went from a TT to a MH and should have done it years ago. Sightseeing with the toad is easier then the truck or Excursion. There is more room for storage, square ft and weight. We don't have to deal with the hitch, only 2 small pins and the hitch stays on the MH.

Well taken, Starcraft69. Definitely not going to be full-timers, but much more than a couple of times per year. At this point we own neither a pickup nor a toad. If I purchase a motorhome (most likely a Class C) I will also purchase a good used toad. If I purchase 5er I will also purchase a pickup. One piece of info. of note is that we have 2 vehicles right now with a bunch of miles on them. So, we will need to purchase a daily use vehicle soon anyway. All responses are surely welcomed, but don't want to get too far away from my original intent of post - convenience/ability to camp with TT/5er, as opposed to a motorhome as a senior adult. (I turned 66 in Aug., DW turned 67 in Dec.)