Towable versus Motorized RV?

[NekkidFish]

Hi everybody! I have posted here in the past, but it was when we were renting RVs. Now, after renting RVs over the years, we have decided to buy.

I always thought we would buy a motorized RV. However, we now own a large truck, and could get a towable RV.

Is there anyone who used to have a motorized RV, and now have a towable RV? If so, which do you prefer and why?

Or, reverse the question ... Did you used to have a towable and now have a motorized? Same questions.

Thanks bunches! Jules

[john_bet]

For us and our way of traveling and our daily usage we will stay with a towable.

[NekkidFish]

wannavolunteerFT wrote:
Don't forget you can tow a car behind a Class C too.. Not sure what engine and tow capacity the one you were looking at has, but my parents drove a 24 ft class C and towed a Chevy Cobalt.. gave them a car to use when touring, especially in historic areas where streets were narrow... just be sure to match the weight of what you are towing to your tow capacity.

The one we are looking at has the tow package and can tow up to 5000 pounds.

Still researching and pondering here.

[wannavolunteerF]

Don't forget you can tow a car behind a Class C too.. Not sure what engine and tow capacity the one you were looking at has, but my parents drove a 24 ft class C and towed a Chevy Cobalt.. gave them a car to use when touring, especially in historic areas where streets were narrow... just be sure to match the weight of what you are towing to your tow capacity.

[wintersun]

A Class A motorhome towing a small vehicle is the easiest way to go and also the most restrictive and the most expensive. Least expensive is a small travel trailer that does not need a diesel powered truck to tow.
It is all about trade-offs.

Three couples I know personally have gone from medium size 5th-wheel trailers to large 5th wheel trailers have all sold their trucks and trailers and bought Class B motorhomes and tow a small sedan behind them.

Either way you will have a tow vehicle and something else to use when the primary motorhome or trailer is left at a campground.

A Class C motorhome may be small enough to use without need to tow a smaller vehicle behind and that leaves open the options of have a kayak or bicycle rack or even a motorbike supported at the rear.

The larger and longer the RV the more comfortable it will be for long extended trips but the more restrictive it will be as to where you can go and where you can stay. A Class A is a RV that requires going to private RV parks. With a Class B or C MH you can stay in the majority of campsites at national and state parks and forests and beaches.

Getting groceries, getting fuel, getting in and out of parking lots at shopping centers, is all a lot more challenging with a long RV rig.
Getting to key tourist spots at places like the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone or Zion, and you will not be able to go into the parking areas with a Class A towing a vehicle or a car or truck towing a trailer, whereas you will be able to drive in and park a Class B or Class C motorhome.

[NekkidFish]

Holy cow. What a day! Spent all day at two dealerships. Just roamed around the first dealership, so hubby could see a lot of the insides of both the TT's and MH's. Went to the second dealership and said we wanted someone to spend time with us teaching us and showing us around.

Went in tons of vehicles and learned a ton! Near the end of the afternoon, went in a 2014 trade-in, that a guy traded in to move up to a class A. It's a 2014 32' Coachman Leprechaun, with a lot of bells and whistles. Hubby fell in love with it. I learned that hubby felt more comfortable with a MH instead of a TT. I was very torn, so this helped a lot in my head.

This RV is hard to pass up. It only has 2002 miles. I know everybody says don't buy the first one, and I'm not sure we will buy this one, but oh boy it is hard to pass up!!

Off to have an adult beverage and think. 🙂

[toedtoes]

I bought my MH used - 38 years used to be exact. Yes, there were some issues I had to deal with, but having read many posts here about issues with new RVs, I don't think my experience was any worse. On the positive side, if something didn't work, I just fixed it. No fighting with the dealer or manufacturer to get them to admit it was their responsibility to fix it at no cost to me. No waiting months for them to get around to fixing it because warranty work is lowest priority.

In addition, even with money I put into fixing things, I'm still well below what a new RV of equal size would cost - and that's not even comparing build quality (thanks Irv Perch!).

I have no monthly payments (paid cash for it) - I own the MH outright. I don't worry that if I do something it will void the warranty. Any work done on my MH is prioritized by "safety issue", "useability issue", and "upgrade". I can spread out the work accordingly so I am not overextended in costs at any one time. Without the monthly payment, I have that much more money available to spend on camping fees, gas, etc.

If I were to sell it (not going to happen), I would recoup what I paid for it and more. And even if I didn't recoup all the costs for repairs, I would still be out far less than had I bought a new RV.

Just pointing out that there are benefits to buying used that are often neglected on this forum. I would never tell people "buying used is the best way to buy", but at the same time, I don't agree with those who say "buying new is the best way to buy". Like camping or RVing, it's all about your own needs, abilities, and desires.

[wbwood]

NekkidFish wrote:
So WBWood, did you buy your MH used? I have such a fear of buying anything this big used, fearing I am buying somebody else's problem.

Nope...bought the TT and the MH new....First pop up we bought in 2000 was new....the pop up we bought last year, but never end up using was used.

As far as new vs used....we feel the same way. I want to spend my time enjoying the unit, not worrying about something breaking or having to repair it.

[NekkidFish]

Thanks for all the info Deb and Ed!

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

I forgot one more aspect of the motorhome: spontaneity! With the turn of the key - I can whisk a half-dozen grandkids to the park, where I've got a clean potty for them, a place to make sandwiches, and a place for the babies to nap peacefully. Or I have the "headquarters" for a family day at the drag races, or a tailgater... or someplace for ME to be while Hubby checks out a car auction.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

We have both. Have owned a (slideless) Class C for over 10 years; and since we need a big truck for our business anyway, last fall we bought a used 28' 5er with a superslide.

Class C pros:
Can tow a trailer: either my kayak trailer, or Hubby's race car hauler.
Our 28' footer fits in most places - we don't HAVE to have a toad
You don't have to exit the vehicle for a potty stop (nice in bad weather); and it's easy to grab a snack or beverage while underway.
It's easy to keep cool for our dogs if we stop for a meal.
Incredibly fast and easy setup at a campsite.
Our preferred RV if we're sightseeing - spending each night in a different location.
The grandkids love riding in it 🙂

Class C cons: without a slide, it feels too small for longer stays
Certainly a noisier ride than our truck (but not objectionable)

5er Pros: Ours feels like an apartment with the slide out. VERY roomy. I could live year-round in it without feeling like the walls are closing in.
Our Ford E-350 diesel is a lovely, quiet ride.
Our preferred RV for staying in one location for a few days or more

5er cons: I can't bring my good sea kayaks - I carry an inflatable
Unhooking and hooking up are a "fussy" process, with costly repairs needed if one of us suffers a "brain fart".

Comparing the two "vehicles" - the motorhome is slightly cheaper for maintenance because it's a gasser. It gets about 8.5 mpg (8 mpg when pulling a toad). The diesel truck gets 12 mpg when pulling the 5er - and a boggling 22 mpg just driving around. The price of the truck would probably have been the same as the whole motorhome, assuming they were the same age; but since we need/own the truck anyway, a used 5er is a LOT cheaper than a used motorhome.

Bottom line - there's a lot to think about. For us personally, now that we've done most of our long-distance sightseeing (like Alaska and Nova Scotia) - I think we'll sell the motorhome and just use the 5er for our trips to FLA in the winter. I'm not afraid to tent-camp on my kayaking trips 😉

[NekkidFish]

Thanks so much for all of the info 2112. All of you are the best, and I appreciate your patience as I learn about all of this.

It is going to be pretty here this weekend, so we are going to a local dealer just to look around .... so hubby and I can start the discussion about what is important in whatever we get.

[2112]

Here's some more: From reading the Tundra brochure you should have 9500 lb towing capacity. Generally this is considering a 600 sqft trailer frontal area but Toyota didn't spell that out. If they did I missed it. Most TTs are close to 900 sqft. All this means is you will have more resistance at highway speeds so you will derate for that. It really doesn't matter because your limiting factor will be the 1430 payload.

From the document I take it all 5.7L models have the tow package. That's good. You are prewired for a brake controller but one is not installed. No big deal. You just buy one and mount it.

There is no option for larger tow mirrors so you will most likely want removable mirror extentions. I have towed a 26' TT without them and didn't need them. They were required for the 35' TT though. I just couldn't see around that long trailer.

You have a 145.7" wheelbase. A short wheelbase will sometimes struggle with a long TT. They will want to sway. The HA hitch is great for that type of setup but they are EXPENSIVE. If you do get a 32'our longer TT pack light and be smart to where you are placing the weight in the TT. If it struggles with sway get the HA.

With all this said, IF you go the TT route I recommend no heavier than 8000lb GVWR if the payload allows and no longer than 30'. The shorter the better. The camper dealer can install the controller. Try it without the extended mirrors knowing you can buy them if need.

After your husband reads all this I'm sure he will lean more towards an A 🙂

[NekkidFish]

2112 wrote:
Your payload is 1430 lbs.
Subtract your husband and your weight, any weight you plan on putting in the truck or truck bed, 100 lbs for a hitch. The remainder is how much trailer tongue weight you can carry.

Look at the GVWR of each trailer, not dry or delivery weight. Go with 12% of that value as tongue weight. That puts you in the ball park. My guess is you are looking at no more than a 8000lb fully loaded trailer.

Now go shopping 🙂

Thank you Texas! That helps me wrap my brain around this so much better!

And no, I did not do well at math I school. 😉

[2112]

As far as your 1430 lbs being too low; don't worry about that. You have a nice, comfortable, well equipped truck. Your truck has the bells and whistles you wanted and a smooth car like ride. Work with what you have. You were happy with the truck yesterday and should be just as happy today.

There are trade-offs. Don't compare your #'s to mine or anyone else's. Sure, mine can carry over 2000 lbs but mine doesn't have the nice upgrades yours does and mine rides like a truck. I have an Infiniti for creature comfort and a truck to haul stuff.