for us....we had a pickup truck but no room for the dog (in the truck) w/ the 3 kids.
I like to drive....everyone else can ride along, enjoy themselves, sleep, look out the windows, entertain each other, sit up front and visit w/ me....i get to drive ! and the dog is happy too ;)
im a motorcyclist - so i wanted to put a bike in the bed of the truck (or bicycles), so a 5er was out...and you can't use a 5er or TT going down the road...so were back to the dog issue too.
we leave when we want, we drive til I'm tired & we pull over (mostly rest areas) we sleep, we shower, we eat and get up when were rested and finish our trip....the only thing i didn't really consider was a toad....we used to get someplace and rent a car (I've got plenty of frequent flyer points)...a year into it we added the jeep.
we go see family / friends & we stay on the curb (ill beg or pay for a 120vac line from family)....we're comfortable, and no one is inconvenienced ! We (frequently) drive 1000 miles to see one son who's in college, never have to worry about a hotel...just tailgate in the parking lot (50 bucks for a 3 day weekend and all the shuttle bus we can consume)
we love it...the freedom and the luxury. IMO more should do it, SOONER, rather than later....dont "wait for retirement" you might not make it.