Towable versus Motorized RV?
Hi everybody! I have posted here in the past, but it was when we were renting RVs. Now, after renting RVs over the years, we have decided to buy. I always thought we would buy a motorized RV. Howev...
Forum Discussion
We have both. Have owned a (slideless) Class C for over 10 years; and since we need a big truck for our business anyway, last fall we bought a used 28' 5er with a superslide.
Class C pros:
Can tow a trailer: either my kayak trailer, or Hubby's race car hauler.
Our 28' footer fits in most places - we don't HAVE to have a toad
You don't have to exit the vehicle for a potty stop (nice in bad weather); and it's easy to grab a snack or beverage while underway.
It's easy to keep cool for our dogs if we stop for a meal.
Incredibly fast and easy setup at a campsite.
Our preferred RV if we're sightseeing - spending each night in a different location.
The grandkids love riding in it :-)
Class C cons: without a slide, it feels too small for longer stays
Certainly a noisier ride than our truck (but not objectionable)
5er Pros: Ours feels like an apartment with the slide out. VERY roomy. I could live year-round in it without feeling like the walls are closing in.
Our Ford E-350 diesel is a lovely, quiet ride.
Our preferred RV for staying in one location for a few days or more
5er cons: I can't bring my good sea kayaks - I carry an inflatable
Unhooking and hooking up are a "fussy" process, with costly repairs needed if one of us suffers a "brain fart".
Comparing the two "vehicles" - the motorhome is slightly cheaper for maintenance because it's a gasser. It gets about 8.5 mpg (8 mpg when pulling a toad). The diesel truck gets 12 mpg when pulling the 5er - and a boggling 22 mpg just driving around. The price of the truck would probably have been the same as the whole motorhome, assuming they were the same age; but since we need/own the truck anyway, a used 5er is a LOT cheaper than a used motorhome.
Bottom line - there's a lot to think about. For us personally, now that we've done most of our long-distance sightseeing (like Alaska and Nova Scotia) - I think we'll sell the motorhome and just use the 5er for our trips to FLA in the winter. I'm not afraid to tent-camp on my kayaking trips ;-)
Class C pros:
Can tow a trailer: either my kayak trailer, or Hubby's race car hauler.
Our 28' footer fits in most places - we don't HAVE to have a toad
You don't have to exit the vehicle for a potty stop (nice in bad weather); and it's easy to grab a snack or beverage while underway.
It's easy to keep cool for our dogs if we stop for a meal.
Incredibly fast and easy setup at a campsite.
Our preferred RV if we're sightseeing - spending each night in a different location.
The grandkids love riding in it :-)
Class C cons: without a slide, it feels too small for longer stays
Certainly a noisier ride than our truck (but not objectionable)
5er Pros: Ours feels like an apartment with the slide out. VERY roomy. I could live year-round in it without feeling like the walls are closing in.
Our Ford E-350 diesel is a lovely, quiet ride.
Our preferred RV for staying in one location for a few days or more
5er cons: I can't bring my good sea kayaks - I carry an inflatable
Unhooking and hooking up are a "fussy" process, with costly repairs needed if one of us suffers a "brain fart".
Comparing the two "vehicles" - the motorhome is slightly cheaper for maintenance because it's a gasser. It gets about 8.5 mpg (8 mpg when pulling a toad). The diesel truck gets 12 mpg when pulling the 5er - and a boggling 22 mpg just driving around. The price of the truck would probably have been the same as the whole motorhome, assuming they were the same age; but since we need/own the truck anyway, a used 5er is a LOT cheaper than a used motorhome.
Bottom line - there's a lot to think about. For us personally, now that we've done most of our long-distance sightseeing (like Alaska and Nova Scotia) - I think we'll sell the motorhome and just use the 5er for our trips to FLA in the winter. I'm not afraid to tent-camp on my kayaking trips ;-)
