Before making our choice, I tried to imagine pulling into some of the CGs we frequent. I thought it through in my head, thinking about what I would do with a dolly versus 4-down.
When having two almost equal options, I like to choose the least expensive of the two.
The dolly would win that contest and provide more flexibility down the road.
We went 4 down. I thought it would eliminate headaches along the way. We bought a vehicle that we're committed to for the long haul. That is the key, I believe.
If you like to swap cars, trade frequently or buy well used, the dolly is a no brainer. If you can pick a vehicle and stick to it for a long time, the baseplate, lights, etc... are no problem.