New to class A

[jets80]

Wife and I are new to class A motor homes, we always had travel trailer so we are in a delemia as to what to do for transportation while at the camp site?..
Now I know most options..Flat tow,car hauler ECT..but has anyone here just used ride share service (uber/lift)..or car rental(maybe for a day or two)...scooters another option I have heard..What is your method and recommendations?

[ferndaleflyer]

I tow a Smart car. Same size as a golf cart but will go 80 on the interstate and feels like a big car. You would be surprised a the places you can park it and 45 mpg. Last year they are coming to the US and are becoming to get.

[dodge_guy]

My buddy used Uber the first year he had his MH. I to,d him I didn't think h would like it. Well after the first trip he asked me to set up his Focus to flat tow. He didn't like being tied to another form of transportation. Having to wait until they show up, not knowing who was driving you,etc. it's much much better with your own car. And if you get a rental, you still have the same issue of getting to he rental place.

The whole idea of traveling is being on your own, I wouldn't want to be tied to anyone else's schedule.

[Octaneforce]

Uber for sure. Especially since we like to drink once we are set up and dont have to drive. If we are going somewhere that has alot of site seeing, i put my motorcycle on a hitch carrier. Alot easier than towing a car but of course riding a bike around has its disadvantages. Ive driven my class a to get supplies/go to destination during a stay before. Total pain in the butt to unhook and drive off then come back and redo everything. Ive only done that like twice.

[winniman]

We have used Uber in big cities, but by and large we try to avoid big cities. Having your own vehicle gives you the flexibility to camp out of the cities, then travel to see what the local attraction is. Staying in cities at night is not high on my list of priorities. Its much safer and pleasant out in the country.

[FloridaRosebud]

way2roll wrote:
Never used an uber but we used to rent a car before we started flat towing. Enterprise will pick you up and you can get a decent rate.

This ^^^^^^

We have used Uber as well and they worked quite well.

That said, after 1.5 years, we are getting ready to buy a toad.....I want my own car and not have to depend on someone else.

Al

[Rick_Jay]

Johno02 wrote:
We have a 2011 HHR that weighs in at less than 4000 lbs., therefore does not need an extra braking system.

For the sake of the newbies, I think you need to be careful with a statement like that.

IF your coach is either a Ford or Workhorse gasser, it most certainly IS supposed to have an auxiliary braking system installed per the chassis manual from the manufacturer, once your towed exceeds a specific weight. (I think it's 1,500 lbs.) I'm not talking about State regulations, I'm talking about what the manufacturer of the chassis specifies. In my opinion, they're a more knowledgeable source about our motorhomes than the State.

If your rig is a diesel, then the requirements may be quite different. But still, I think it's wise advice to follow the chassis manufacturer's requirements.

In other words, one cannot make a blanket statement about the requirement for supplemental braking based solely on the weight of the vehicle being towed.

ON EDIT: Assuming your rig is on the more common F-53 chassis, Scroll to Page 34 of the F53 Owner's Manual. QUOTE: "The towing vehicle braking system is rated for operation at the GVWR, not the GCWR. Separate functioning brake systems are required for safe control of towed vehicles and trailers weighing more than 680 kg (1,500 lbs) when loaded." Workhorse is similar. Again, if you have a diesel, it'll probably be different, but it needs to be researched.

Now, IF your toad PLUS your rig fully loaded weighs in less than the GVWR, then you are correct, and an auxiliary brake system is NOT required. However, I can say with reasonable certainty, that is a very, very small fraction of all gas motorhome setups. Most push the GVWR just being loaded for travel, forget about adding the toad weight.

jets80,

My recommendation is to find a vehicle you like which can be flat-towed, buy it and use it. Yes it's an expense, but the convenience is well worth it.

Good Luck,

~Rick

[2chiefsRus]

unless you like camping in urban areas or you camp with other people who have a toad or you only camp places with their own shuttle service, I don't think you will be happy not having a toad of your own. just my opinion but for us, we didn't buy a motorhome so we could sit in a campground or spend our time getting rental cars.

[azdryheat]

Not a Class A but my dually has no place to park in downtown San Diego so we Uber. I can't imagine RVing and not having wheels to run errands, sightseeing and such.

[jets80]

Thank you for all that replied .your input is much appreciated..

[Lwiddis]

Can’t rent anything many wild places and small towns.

[Johno02]

We found out early that a toad is the only way to go. We have a 2011 HHR that weighs in at less than 4000 lbs., therefore does not need an extra braking system. Takes less than 1 minute to either hitch up or disconnect. Have to look at rear view camera to be sure that it is even there.

[jplante4]

On our retirement trip we decided not to tow. We wanted to keep things as simple as possible, plus neither of our daily drivers could be towed flat. We rented from Enterprise ("We pick you up") when we needed supplies or when we just wanted to explore. Other than the cost ($3000 over six months - #2 expense for the trip), there are a few problems with this idea.

1. Yes, they pick you up, but only within a certain radius of the office. We found we were selecting campgrounds based on the Enterprise pickup radius - not the best criteria.

2. Some rental locations are nothing more than an office in a body shop manned by personnel from the main office some distance away. The agent is only there to do the paperwork for the rental and may not be there when you drop off. The pickup driver is a contractor and doesn't work for Enterprise, therefore there is no one from Enterprise at the drop off to inspect for damage and indemnify you from liability for the damage.

3. When asked what type of car we wanted, I always answered "Whatever is cheapest". This usually meant a Nissan Note or some other econo-box, but if they don't have the car you reserved (A Seinfeld skit comes to mind), then they give you whatever is handy. Once we got an F250 diesel truck with no granny step and the DW had a tough time mounting and dismounting.

4. The rates vary widely. The "whatever is cheapest" request was usually around $35 a day, but it went as high as double that. When I got a Nissan in Hilton Head for $70 a day, I mentioned that I just rented a Jeep Compass in Myrtle for half that and they knocked it down to $55 a day.

In the end, we didn't see much more than we expected and certainly less than now when we're towing an Equinox. The hookup/unhook takes about 5 minutes and the Chevy just sits back there fat dumb and happy. Search in the towed section and you'll find several posts about this. The conclusion is they will never go back to not towing a dinghy.

[way2roll]

Never used an uber but we used to rent a car before we started flat towing. Enterprise will pick you up and you can get a decent rate.

[Cider]

We started out in a MH with the same dilemma - we are now here at the CG, but how to get around without breaking camp every time. Rentals work, assuming you are close to a location that can either deliver, or rent on the way to a G. A few times doing this, we bought a used Jeep JK and solved all the issues with having to rely on other solutions.