I was reading a current "F250 or F350?" thread and whenever those type of threads come up there are always posters who advise to get enough truck for your next RV (implication is that it's inevitable to go larger on your next unit)...It made me curious as roughly what percentage "went larger," after how long, and the reasons for doing so.Therefore:Was the last RV you purchased larger & heavier than it's predecessor? How long before you got the itch to go bigger?Reasons for doing so? (family expanded, more elbow room, style of camping changed?)Anyone downsize or stay the same?Going larger seems to be a foregone conclusion in my years haunting this forum. I plan to sell or trade my 5.4L F250 this year in favor of a 1-ton diesel (Ram or GM unless I find a crazy deal on a 7.3L lol) and my initial thought was a 24-26ft TT but since I'll have plenty of truck I'm starting to question if I should just "go large" off the bat; we have a 2nd kiddo on the way and fast-forward a few years and they're going to want to bring friends...

Started with a tent, got married, got kids, changed to a 31' BH TT, kids got bigger, got a 40' 5W TH. Glad I got the dually when I still had the tent. Truck is paid for, trailer is not.

Tent: pre-kids12' Pop-up: young kids, had for 3 years23' Hybrid: worked well, tired of setup, had for 5 years29' TT:Just got it October, shopping for 3/4 or 1 ton to pull it

Premarried, tent. Married old tt with 1/2 ton truck. Bigger tt, 35 foot, 3/4 ton to pull it.

We bought our F350 March 2010 by March 2011 we had a Fifth wheel. Bought a trailer with a dedicated bunk room. We simply needed more room we had a 27' TT without a slide. We fooled ourselves into thinking we could make do, but we got tired of having to shuffle around the trailer just to walk around. Haven't looked at another trailer.

I would say that at least half the people that buy a camper trailer of some sort are usually trying to be budget conscious and their first trailer is never what they really wanted in the first place. I know 6 years ago when we bought our first one, the 30' fifth wheel seemed like it would be something that we could live with even though we silently dreamed of a toy hauler. Last Fall we finally realized that dream with a new Fuzion. It should be everything we ever need, but you never know. Probably the only thing that will keep me from going bigger is the need to upgraded the truck for a bigger trailer.My neighbors on the other hand are a classic example of what you are asking. Their first trailer was a small 24' travel trailer that even though I told them they couldn't, they attempted to tow with a Nissan Pathfinder. After 3 or 4 short trips, they traded in their second vehicle for an F150 to handle the trailer. Soon enough the wife got the itch for something bigger and again they bought something that their tow vehicle couldn't handle. This time it was a 32' travel trailer that put the F150 on the ragged edge even with airbags and an additional transmission cooler. The next step was to trade the F150 for a nice F350 diesel dually. A few weeks after they got the dually I told my wife to be on the lookout for a new trailer next door. Sure enough they soon had a new fifth wheel toy hauler that challenges their dually. That trailer has lasted about 3 years so far.I've seen this sort of thing a few times. It really is best financially if you just buy the trailer and tow vehicle that you ultimately want the first time, but people in general aren't wired that way. In some cases, maybe it is better to work your way up. That way you don't end up with a major expenditure that is a poor investment and suddenly realize that camping just isn't your thing. My advice would be if you know that camping is something you will stick with, you are not going to like a 24'-26' travel trailer for very long with 2 kids. Sleeping capacity was a major reason for our upgrade. We went from being able to comfortably sleep 4 to easily sleeping 8. Being able to take the sister in-law and her 3 kids with us to Disney last fall was a giant leap forward for us. The kids are old enough that they want to bring friends and it wasn't an option before. We look forward to more extended family trips this year!

Poll: Did you go larger? | Good Sam Community

deleted-2
Explorer
May 15, 2013
bmanning wrote:
I was reading a current "F250 or F350?" thread and whenever those type of threads come up there are always posters who advise to get enough truck for your next RV (implication is that it's inevitable to go larger on your next unit)...
It made me curious as roughly what percentage "went larger," after how long, and the reasons for doing so.

bmanning wrote:

Therefore:

Was the last RV you purchased larger & heavier than it's predecessor?

Yes

bmanning wrote:
How long before you got the itch to go bigger?

13 years.

bmanning wrote:
Reasons for doing so? (family expanded, more elbow room, style of camping changed?)

Got tired of fixing, repairing old fifth wheel...we jumped up one day and went shopping because the wife got tired of me *****ing about the old trailer.

bmanning wrote:
Anyone downsize or stay the same?

Initially wanted to didn't because going smaller meant losing features.
lawnspecialties
Explorer
May 14, 2013
Had a 30' Puma TT for four years.
Then got a 32' Sabre TT for a year.
Then started quad racing. Now have a Cyclone that's almost 45' long.
When we sell it, we'll probably get a race trailer and the minimum will be a 48'. Maybe longer.
T-bones
Explorer
May 14, 2013
It took me 9 months to upgrade from the 23' Outback 230RS single TH to the 37.5' Fuzion 315.
With 5 of us and the dog it came quickly cramped inside the Outback without any side slides and we went from 1 bike to 3. It was a hard pill to swallow trading in that quickly but for the amount we used it there was no other option. We get out I'd say at least 50-65 days in our short camping season and that compared to $200/night for hotels was the deal breaker.
NeverHome2
Explorer
Apr 09, 2013
Tent camped hunting and with wife and daughter when we were young. Got an old 16 ft. Scotty and pulled it with '79 f-250 for few years. Stopped camping when our daughter decided she was too sophisticated to go with her parents anymore. Bought a 26 ft. 5ver TH pulled with '99 F-250 V-10. It was OK but we wanted a larger living space with slides and more garage space. Did our homework and bought a new 2011 F-250 SD. 6.7 and Voltage 3200. Now a 2012 Harley Triglide. Life is good!
chr_
Explorer
Apr 07, 2013
Tent camped for years, then a popup, got sick of setup and takedown, and no place to store anything, so got a vintage GMC motorhome. Refurbishing that became the hobby, not camping and going to events, so I now have a 24ft Nomad I pull with my V8 Sport Trac. The GMC is still in my fleet, but The TT is much easier to use.

Kids are grown, but I do occasionally hike with the scout troop, so those times I sleep on the ground...
mrkoje
Explorer
Apr 04, 2013
elknutz wrote:
Just the opposite, went from 3/4 ton, chev and ford over the last 25 years to a Toyota Tundra. The Tundra pulls maximum loads ;.} with no problems at all. By far the most powerful of all of my tow rigs but did require modificaitons to the suspension by adding cab controlled air bags.

Look out Big 3, Toyota is on your donkey!!

You're right I seen it pulling the space shuttle! :R
carpetguy2
Explorer
Apr 03, 2013
I went from a tent to a 24ft tt to a 34ft tt no slide to a 39 ft Fifth wheel.
BenK
Explorer
Apr 03, 2013
Yes, all of my trucks have gotten larger as I grew older

Camping with buddies family. Hid dad was also my tech teacher in high school
Mercury station wagon and guessing 1950's and an old trailer

Next drove the family Ford station wagon (Pink 1954 with a 318 V8 and four barrel)
Tent camping

Next my MGB and just a sleeping bag and luxury when had room for that pup tent

Next my 240Z (2 seater) and sleeping bag or a pup tent

Next my FJ40 and tent camping

Next my K5 and tent camping...got married and started borrowing Popups/trailers

Inbetween the previous, drove up there and hiked in to spend a few
days to a couple weeks living off the land...always had those cans
of Spam and once into the first one...time to go back....

Next my C10 Silverado and tent camped/borrowed trailers/popups

Next my Suburban and tent camp/borrow trailers or just sleep in the Sub. Towed
a 28foot boat that could sleep a few

Now change plans to a toy hauler and not going to make another K5 but ATV's
jbc28
Explorer
Apr 03, 2013
24' 5K TT with 1/2 ton, to same trailer with 3/4 ton, plus two more 3/4 ton's over the next few years, to 28' 9K 5'er with 3/4 ton, to 40' triple slide TH'er with same 3/4 ton, then very quickly to same TH'er with a dually. I should have bought a dually istead of the last 3/4 ton.
ng2951
Explorer
Apr 03, 2013
Went larger.

I agree with the advice to buy for your next trailer. I changed trucks twice before I learned that lesson.

If I were to downside, having too much truck would not be a problem. My MPG might not be as good, but the rest of the performance would not be a problem. It should handle the trailer even better.

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