Class a vs. small trailer

[Dianekiger]

I'm new to rv.net so if I'm asking this question in the wrong place, please forgive..

My husband and I have a 32' class a that we use a lot. Most of our camping is fairly close to home and our kids and grand kids tend to join us. We love the space of the class a especially because of the slide but we also love the roominess when it's just the two of us.

We are retiring next year and would like to spend a year camping around the U.S. I'm a bit of a nervous Nellie and the thought of all that driving (including a tow vehicle) is a little scary but spending all that time on the road makes having all that space attractive.

We are considering keeping our motor home for all those short family trips and buying a small trailer and towing with my 1999 land cruiser. We are looking at lite trailers in the 20' range and I'd like it to have a slide. We would sell the trailer when done with our trip. I know this is subjective, but could we survive with that small space after being used to the class a? I could help with the driving with the trailer but I would not want to drive class a with tow vehicle. Btw, land cruiser as a tow vehicle seems doable. I've been researching. It has 171k miles on it but it is a fantastic vehicle and would have it completely checked out before leaving.

Any thoughts?

[Dianekiger]

Thanks so much for all your thoughts! Some of them made me laugh but they were all most helpful. We definitely have lots to think about.

[hitchup]

I'd say it would be less expensive to use what you have and give you more $'s for traveling.

Thinking you can sell the TT after a year of living in it fulltime, it will have dropped drastically in value.

In our years of traveling across the US, we've seen more TT's lying in ditches either in the median or on the side of the road than MH's. The wind seems to gravitate towards TT's. That's why we went heavy 5er, so we can stay in our lane.

We've seen more MH's fires on the side of the road from OR to FL.

[NYCgrrl]

I'm planning a bucket filling trip much like yours': travel the country for a year or 2 between careers. On this end, the man is retired for life; I'm not nor am I interested in being currently.

You might think that living in NYC I'm used to living in teeny tiny spaces but this would only be partially true. Lived in 1800 sq ft apt (currently) and also a studio with loft bed and 2 children. And I'll never forget the railroad apt either, LOL.

I mention that to point out how I made my choices of what size unit to go with based on MY experiences and current wants. I don't want a pseudo house on the road that I'll spend too much time cleaning w/o a cleaning person; have sticks and bricks to return to when the adventure is over. I want a functioning and livable space that concentrates on the needs of 2 people. The grand can sleep in an adjoining tent if that makes her happiest and when I eat and cook I prefer to do that outdoors in a screen room. I want an RV(and TV) that is as fuel efficient as safely possible. So I've currently narrowed my choices down to a TT and TV suited to hauling OR Class B with a hauled Mini Cooper.

Can't tell you if a class A or TT best fits your needs since you know this better than I. can only pass on the thought process of how I'm making my decisions.

Whatever you opt to do ENJOY it to the nth:!

[wannavolunteerF]

I currently have TT and truck and am fairly comfortable towing it. Hooking up and unhooking takes more time and effort than I would like as I age. I was talking with someone just Friday about driving a Class A. He has one that is 32-33 ft long and I was asking about test driving it, because I think I want to make the move to a Class A for security reasons as I travel alone. When I told him what I was driving and towing now, he told me that the MH would be an easy transition. He said he had driven trucks and trailers of various types, including semis and he felt like the Class A MH was much easier, even towing a vehicle.

OP, you say you won't drive if you stick with MH, let me encourage you to learn to drive. There are classes available from some dealerships and also a couple of companies that teach courses around the country. Even if you don't drive regularly, knowing you can in an emergency will help you feel better about traveling far away from home and family. I plan to take one at the point I buy a class A, just for the guidance and confidence. I had a truck driver instructor work with me for about an hour or two on backing my trailer and it sure helped my skills and confidence to go where I want.

[gbopp]

Trackrig wrote:
No question, stay with the MH for the room and comfort. Why pay for a TT, get it into good condition, new tires, new batteries, paying more insurance, etc. And you have a high mileage TV. My answer might be different if you didn't own the MH already. Why reinvent the wheel or fix what isn't broken?

Bill

x2. If you like what you have, use it. I think you will be more comfortable traveling in the MH.

Especially if you're stuck in a traffic jam and need to use the toilet or want something to eat or drink. It's convenient.

Enjoy your travels in which ever you decide.

[ITguy]

We started the whole RV "thing" with a Dodge Durango pulling a 20' travel trailer. It worked out fine. Nobody ended up dead. Divorce was discussed only a few nights a week. Not every night, by any means. Yeah, it worked out fine.

Let's put it this way. You're talking about REALLY cramped quarters.

We moved up to a 32' motorhome. Our marriage is back on solid ground.

Space is good.

[camp-n-family]

If one is accustomed to driving the Class A, driving it with a towed vehicle ("toad") doesn't feel much different.

Driving a Land Cruiser may feel more relaxing to you, but once you put a 20' TT behind it you will no longer have that feeling. If the A with toad makes you nervous, a TT behind your 'Yota will most likely make you feel that way even more. (Not that it bothers me at all, but I understand.) No, I don't think you would gain anything that way.

X2! Exactly what I was thinking.

[2chiefsRus]

It might be a closer call if you didn't already have a Class A that you are familiar with. Or if you were going to sell the Class A and buy a travel trailer. Honestly, I think you would be happier if you were both comfortable driving the Class A with a toad. I would work towards that goal. I grew up on a farm driving tractors pulling large farm equipment; also pulling horse trailers.

Driving our 40 foot Class A with a minivan in tow is much less stressful than pulling a trailer. For one thing, you know what is moving around in the Class A while you are on the move. With the Travel Trailer, you have to wait until you get there to find what you forgot to secure before departure.

Throw in the convenience of the onboard generator and not having to leave the coach in the rain. Plus you don't have to move your electronics from the trailer to the towing vehicle. Basically everything is right there with you in the coach.

[rfryer]

No one can guess how you’ll adapt to a smaller space but you. But based on your initial comments you’ll likely feel confined and whether the tradeoff is worth it is the big question. I think there are other aspects beyond just the space, though. Pulling a small TT does have some pluses. Better gas mileage, much more flexibility in roads you take, places you can go, access to gas stations and such, and opportunities for camp sites. Plus you can park the TT and use the TV to explore or make a run to the store. And you can easily access public lands where the camp fees are peanuts compared to commercial parks.

On the other hand, The TT will not have all the amenities of your MH so that’s a tradeoff to an extent. And if you’ve always traveled in a MH and commonly get sites with HU’s and want HU’s for the TT you’ll sacrifice some of the advantages of the small TT to get in about anywhere, the more pristine spots as a rule don’t have any facilities.

I have to admit to being bias; I’ve been pulling a 16’TT for 25 years and have no desire to go to a MH. I wouldn’t be nervous about pulling a small TT, if set up properly and kept away from you TV max ratings I think with a little practice you’ll find it a piece of cake. Mine is. Good luck on your decision.

[dahkota]

We have been fulltiming for 6 months now. We started in a 32' tt with an F250 tow. Just last week, we switched to a 34' Class A. Honestly, the room is the same. But there are other differences. The class A is more convenient - we don't have to dig out and hook up a generator if we need 120V power. The class A is less work - our set up time is now under 3 minutes instead of the 15 it took to unhook, level, and set the tt. Our breakdown time is also about 1/5 the tt in the class A - we don't have to hitch and install the WDH and other tt involved specifics. If we want to, we can park the class A and drive off in our towed. You can't leave a tt anywhere without a tow but a campground without having to worry about tickets or towing. So, having experienced both, if only briefly for the class A, the class A wins. Especially if you already have one.

[ncrowley]

Stick with the Class A. If you are willing to tow a trailer, you can easily tow a small car behind the class A. I do not even know the car is back there unless I look in the camera. The class A will allow you to stop more easily along the way for a lunch even if the weather is bad. Traveling from place to place will be more enjoyable in the Class A. You are also losing a lot of space with the trailer and if you are going to use it a lot, the space comes in handy.

[rexlion]

If one is accustomed to driving the Class A, driving it with a towed vehicle ("toad") doesn't feel much different.

Driving a Land Cruiser may feel more relaxing to you, but once you put a 20' TT behind it you will no longer have that feeling. If the A with toad makes you nervous, a TT behind your 'Yota will most likely make you feel that way even more. (Not that it bothers me at all, but I understand.) No, I don't think you would gain anything that way.

Now, if you were a minimalist couple, you might find towing a small popup or fiberglass trailer (Scamp, Casita, etc.) quite easy and it would get you into some national forest campgrounds where the A might be too long. But it sounds to me like you prefer the comforts of a more spacious, better-appointed rig. So why not "dance with the one that brung ya"... keep the A.

[DutchmenSport]

I have never owned a CLASS A. But just from a common sense perspective, I say, stick with your CLASS A. It's not so much you'll have to adjust to a smaller space if you switch to a small trailer. It just makes better sense to use what you already have, what you've already become accustom to, comfortable driving, and don't need to accrue a new expense with a trailer. I think your money would be better spent purchasing a car trailer for your Land Cruiser and towing that behind your "A". Enjoy your "A" .... space, comfort, and familiarity will make a year journey much more enjoyable.

Good luck with your decision. (and imagine this coming from a very happy TT owner!)

[Jay_Pat]

I say, keep what you have and start out with some shorter destinations and see how it works out for you (have several travel days to get somewhere).
If there are things you don't like, then you know what changes to make without guessing and wasting your money.
Pat