My DH and I have a 2003 HR 5th wheel and a 4x4 GMC tow vehicle. I have a Mini Cooper that I adore. We plan to sell the stick house next winter and live/travel in the RV fulltime for a second time. The first time, in 2003, we stayed for 2-3 months in different places while I worked as a travel nurse, and I drove my car behind the RV when we moved. In 2007 we bought a manufactured home, returned to regular jobs and have used the 5th wheel for vacations and short summer weekends in local campgrounds. I am retired now and my DH will retire a year from now. Our RV and truck will be paid for and our income will include military retirement and SS for both of us.This time, we plan to do a combination of staying in places for several months during a season, and then traveling over a month or so to a new destination. I envision winters in the south and summers in the PNW or New England with lots of stops inbetween.I am torn about keeping vs getting rid of the Mini. I don't like driving the truck for daily errands, the car will be paid for, and I just plain love my Mini. I'm wondering what other's experience has been in keeping a second vehicle vs not..upsides and downsides. The cost of keeping the Mini will be of course insurance, maintenance, licensing and fuel when we travel. But when we are staying, the fuel costs are so much lower in the Mini it may offset what we use on the road.

Sell the current truck and fiver and buy a used Class A. Tow the mini behind the MH. That way you can keep each other company when you travel..We did that and it worked fine. As it turned out the MH mileage was almost the same as the truck-fiver combo!

We have friends who do exactly what you are describing. They operate the RV dreams website and do many get together rallies and seminars. You can visit their website and send them some questions if you like.http://www.rv-dreams.com/Personally, I can't imagine having to do that as I enjoy the trip as much as the destination and I would hate not having someone to share that with.

We full timed in a Class A motor home and towed a small car.That way when you are parked you can use the small car for touring and shopping.But, you have to be a motor home type of person.Some people like motor homes and some like 5th wheels.It is a personal preference.

Not sure how long your 5ver is but if your Mini is manual xmission, you might consider a double tow in states that allow it. So if you were traveling through a state that allowed triples, just flat tow the Mini behind the trailer. In states that don't allow, you would still be driving the Mini. If you Mini is an automatic, you can still do the same thing but the car would have to be on a dolly.

We are not able to tow the Mini as your 5th wheel is 37ft; even if we could my husband said he wouldn't do it. I think I'll probably end up storing it for a while with my kids before deciding to keep or sell it. I keep thinking if we are going to spend winters in AZ or the SW in a resort type park I would love to have the car for daily driving and site seeing. It's not just a car...it's a MINI!!!!

Thoughts on a second vehicle while fulltiming | Good Sam Community

DianneOK
Explorer
Mar 07, 2014
Tow it behind the mini.....
MotorPro
Explorer
Mar 07, 2014
AprilWhine wrote:
Not sure how long your 5ver is but if your Mini is manual xmission, you might consider a double tow in states that allow it.

So if you were traveling through a state that allowed triples, just flat tow the Mini behind the trailer. In states that don't allow, you would still be driving the Mini.

If you Mini is an automatic, you can still do the same thing but the car would have to be on a dolly.
What would they do with the dolly in states that don't allow double towing?
piku
Explorer
Mar 07, 2014
We're in a similar boat. We have 3 cars and a motorhome. One car is a barely street legal race car that stays where we tend to spend a lot of time in the summer in storage. Another car we've been trying to sell but seems unsellable. It's nice to have 2 cars where we're at. We have a Lexus GX470 as our toad. It does well and fits the family. Looking forward I plan to sell the unsellable car and buy a small crotch rocket motorcycle which I will hang off the back of the lexus with a hitch hauler. Perfect solution for me since the second vehicle only ever has me in it anyway.
galtgirl
Explorer
Mar 01, 2014
Thanks everyone for the interesting and thought provoking discussion.
For us a class A is a "no go" Neither of us has any interest in living in a motorhome and besides we couldn't afford one unless money fell from the sky. I know it's a bit unconventional, but I like the idea of driving the Mini ahead or behind the truck. I've always loved driving and we have two dogs so we can each have one with us. I don't see it as a big problem and as long as John agrees with me I can't think of a good reason not to.
If and when we don't want to keep a second car I'm sure one of the grandkids would be happy to take it off my hands.
JimM68
Explorer
Feb 28, 2014
We're looking at that same question, or at least I am...
Historically we've towed my Wrangler TJ behind our Class A, and it has always worked well...
But with the addition of a third dog, it's just not big enough.

Last weekend I put a towbar baseplate on my wife's 010 Liberty. It will easily hold me, the missus, our 16yo, and the 3 dogs...
But the car has no soul.
I'll never give up my wrangler, but as we get closer and closer to fulltiming, I keep wondering how I will make that happen?
sowego
Explorer
Feb 28, 2014
I'd either sell the fiver and get a class A and tow the mini. Or sell the fiver and buy a toy hauler you can put the car in!
pawatt
Explorer
Feb 27, 2014
John&Joey wrote:
If you have a feel where you want to spend the winters, then store the mini there over the summer. Once you get back to your "home base" you have two cars again.

Just what I was going to suggest.
kakampers
Explorer
Feb 27, 2014
Nolan wrote:
I know of four other couples who have a truck, 5th wheel and a car. We have a car also. The wife leads and I follow. Has worked great since 2009. Did think about double towing it, but would have to buy a hitch and everything, plus a camera to see it back there. So keep the Mini. I'm sure it's fun to drive in the curves and it will take you more places then a truck ever will.

This is us too! We have a Kia Soul, which I love! We've been fulltime for going on nine years and have had a second vehicle for probably 6 years. We have a camera behind the fiver, but double towing is not something we would consider...I'd keep the mini and drive it from location to location...Good Luck!
JKrussow
Explorer
Feb 27, 2014
khenson wrote:
It is nice to have the extra eyes on the road to tell me on the walkie, "Hey! You just lost (fill in the blank) out the back of the truck!" :D

That's funny because it was the first thing the DW said as we pulled out on the freeway to start our fulltiming adventure. The "blank" was an empty 5 gallon gas can. Funny how much turbulence there is in the box.
khenson
Explorer
Feb 27, 2014
We've been full-time for 2.5 years and my wife has always driven a chase car behind me as I tow the fiver. She loves it and I couldn't care less about having it.

It is nice to have the extra eyes on the road to tell me on the walkie, "Hey! You just lost (fill in the blank) out the back of the truck!" :D