Driveable vs towable for x country trip

[Joe_and_Lori]

We are trying to weigh the pros and cons of the different types of rv for a 2 or 3 month cross country tour. We currently have a class a but have also owned a c and stayed in a 5th wheel on occasion. All have different perks but whats your thoughts for a long trip through unfamiliar territory. We also don't mind dry camping along the way. We are leaning toward a midsize C but not sure if we want to tow a car but that seems like a necessity especially after recent camping in Provincetown where you can't even drive a full size pickup through some of their streets.

Joe and Lori

[pnichols]

Joe and Lori wrote:
I like the idea of the p30 due to load capacity over a stretched ford or chev chassis.

X10 on load capacity being a good thing to consider.

That's the main reason we looked for - and bought - a small (24 feet) Class C on the E450 chassis instead of the normal E350 chasis. We wanted a lot of load capacity, most of which we can't use, but along with the load capacity comes such things as a larger brake swept area, thicker chassis steel for a more rigid coach platform, and better rear differential gearing for faster, and/or cooler, climbing of grades.

Chassis overkill is a good thing if you can come up with a combination to achieve it.

[Joe_and_Lori]

Pretty sure we have decided on a class c about 30 feet and we will be towing a toad. Currently have the 1987 34 class a on a p30 and found a 1996 31 foot tioga c on a p30 chassis. Like the layout and plan a few modifications but the question is the difference between 87 and 96 p30. Is there any? Also is the ride different on that chassis when comparing an A to a C and the shorter length. I like the idea of the p30 due to load capacity over a stretched ford or chev chassis.

[colliehauler]

No one type of RV works for everybody. That's why they make several different types. I travel with 3 large Collies and floor space is a premium.

[pnichols]

After traveling thousands of miles this fall with relatives who had a TT, I noticed one big hassle with it that was way worse than our motorhome and would of course also be a big hassle with a 5th wheel ... that is side to side (not end to end) leveling of it, and 90% of our campsites needed it.

Their tandem duals on each side of the TT had a too close spacing between them to fit wooden leveling blocks between the two tires or fit the fancy plastic rocker steps between the two tires.

The side to side leveling of our Class C was way faster using the simple stair-step wooden leveling blocks we carry along. Our 24 foot Class C levels quickly due to it's short length requiring less height in it's adjustments.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

We've had 3 RV types:

The 5th wheel was awesome for staying in one place for a bit - when the slide was out, it was like having a small apartment 🙂 We could bring every creature-comfort we wanted. The drawback was that the monstrous truck used to pull it, didn't always fit into the tiny little parking lots that often are part of the quaint little restaurants and shops we like to visit. I agree with others, that hooking up a 5er isn't any more difficult than hooking up the tow equipment on a toad. We never took the 5er on sightseeing trips - it was still big and unwieldy.

Our sightseeing marvel was our 28' Class C; at that size, we didn't always need a toad (or if we were going to really check out an area, we'd rent a car). IMO, the ability to grab a snack or beverage while going down the road; or potty without exiting the vehicle... is priceless. But like the 5er, you still had to plan ahead for fueling (ingress and egress) or parking. This is the case with almost any larger RV, though.

We have since purchased a condo in the south, so our RV of choice is a popup truck camper. Ours is quite stripped-down; if we need a potty, we'll have to find one...LOL! But our nimbleness, our ability to go ANYWHERE, is amazing. We could park anywhere or fuel anywhere a car could. Our mileage was in the mid-teens. It felt more like "camping" - in this case, our "tent" is warmer, drier, and infinitely more comfortable than the nylon kind. We spent 3 weeks in it - I'm not sure if we could have done 3 months?

[pnichols]

NMDriver wrote:
Good luck getting 1/2 of what you paid for your C.

I expect I would have no trouble getting 1/2 or more of what we paid for our C.

It's particular feature set and configuration are highly desired - including but not limited to improvements we've made - and are not available in new Class C motorhomes from any manufacturer and ... we keep it in near immaculate condition. 😉

[NMDriver]

Probably not after adjustment for inflation.

I have been offered more than 1.5 times what I paid for the 5er which is much more than the 2003 inflation adjusted price. Good luck getting 1/2 of what you paid for your C.

BTW the truck I tow with is also my daily driver.

[colliehauler]

You would use the the Burb On the double deck trailer to back the boat. I did say unlimited funds. If your going to dream, dream big.

[pnichols]

colliehauler wrote:
Now if I had unlimited funds a Newell coach would be kind of nice, heck I would even be happy with a Prevost conversion.

:h :h :h

No way would I back a Newell or Prevost down most of the boat ramps that we've seen! I choose boat ramps VERY CAREFULLY for even our little old Itasca hauling a 14' ft fishin' boat ... and even then I sometimes scare myself to death.

[colliehauler]

None of those things would be a advantage to me, what would be an advantage with a motorhome is I could tow a pontoon boat behind it. Since I'm retired I'm not in that big of a hurry and more important everything is paid for. Now if I had unlimited funds a Newell coach would be kind of nice, heck I would even be happy with a Prevost conversion. At least you had rain, we had a dang ice storm.

You'll just have to wait for me at the fuel pump, although I can fill with two pumps, one diesel for the truck and gas for the trailer at the same time. Confuses the counter people though.

[pnichols]

Continuing the fun on this rainy day:

1. My MH generator is fed by a 55 gallon tank.
2. I've had many vehicle batteries fail over the years.
3. My coach area is always cool if the driving area is cool and my coach area is always warm if the driving area is warm ... no dog walking at first is required.
4. The person not driving can "go" anytime with no stops required.
5. We have our whole RV refrig available when going down the road.
6. We just traveled 3000 miles with friends who use a (small) TT RV pulled by a pickup truck. We can stop and set up camp way faster than they can ... or break camp and take off way faster than they can if they had their towing truck unhooked beforehand.
7. My coach batteries are kept charged very efficiently via 6 guage wiring from the engine alternator.
8. My TT battery bank is charged by either of our two generators.
9. We gas-up at the forward pump while leaving the rear end pump free for others ... and travel with a no toad no-slide pretty compact 24 foot Class C that can park in a whole bunch of standard parking spots.
10. Our little home is always with us ... no need to drive back to it before proceeding on to somewhere else.

[colliehauler]

1. My TT has a dedicated 30 gallon gas tank for the built in generator and the truck has 36 gallons of diesel 66 gallon total.

2. Never had the truck batteries fail in 30 years.

3. Have big A/C in small TT will cool by the time I walk the dogs and I don't camp in bitter cold .

4. Truckers do it all the time. I prefer to stop at a rest area and stretch my legs and walk the dogs.

5. I keep a cooler for snacks and drinks beside me. For lunch I can pull over fire up the generator ( push of a button) and have a relaxed meal without worrying about driving and eating.

6. I can hook up in the same time it takes to hook up a toed.

7. My TT battery is charged by my truck driving down the road automatically.

8. My TT battery is charged by my generator as well.


9. Not if you have a toed, you will need the same space as me.

Like I said this is just for fun, it's a matter of personal choice.

[PghBob]

We traveled across the country twice in our 27 foot Class C, and just finished a summer trip to Alaska. Did not tow a car, and only rented a car once for a day on all of those trips. The only time we couldn't park the C was in a lot that was full, so you couldn't park a toad either. But, to be clear, we have not wanted to go to areas that are "jeep friendly" or require the use of a car. We do use public transportation when available. So, think about the kinds of places you want to visit. BTW, I hear you about Provincetown.

[pnichols]

NMDriver wrote:
My 5er is worth as much today as when I bought it used 12 yrs ago.

Probably not after adjustment for inflation.

NMDriver wrote:
I know I can launch a boat with a C or A but then I have to break camp twice a day to put in and take out the boat.

Where we fish for trophy trout, after we launch our boat with our small Class C we can leave the boat on the shore for days while our Class C remains a few feet away at the campsite.

I would't feel comfortable doing this with a towable:



Or this:



With our non-towable motorhome we can do such things as:

1) Have a push button started built-in generator fueled by the main 55 gallon fuel tank.

2) With a push of a button start the main engine from from the coach battery bank if the engine starting battery system should ever fail.

3) Stop for a quick lunch or nap in a living area already warm when traveling in cold weather or already cool when traveling in hot weather.

4) Go to the bathroom while the other one is driving down the road.

5) Go get food/drinks in the coach for us both while traveling down the road.

6) Break camp way faster than with a towable whenever the towing vehicle has been disconnected from the towed living area.

7) Charge the coach battery bank from the main engine's alternator quickly and automatically.

😎 Charge the coach battery bank from the built-in generator.

9) Stop and park quickly in the often small parking lots around points of interest discovered while traveling down the road.