Ok so I'm in a delimma

[southernkilowat]

Need a little input here. I sold the S&B, paid everything off but my truck. I would like to find a year or so old Class C, full-time for a year or so and eventually settle back down and build a new house when I finally do figure out where in the country I want to retire. I am currently still working and have a company vehicle to contend with.
So my options are, trade in the truck for a Class C for about the same payment, get a dolly and haul the company van around with me. (already have permission from the boss to do this) OR; Keep the truck and get a travel trailer. Move it from place to place and shuffle vehicles back and forth.
So, you see my dilemma? On one hand, the travel trailer will be much cheaper than a motorhome but I will still have a truck with 100k on the ticker and two payments. (Truck and trailer) plus a company vehicle to move when I move.
On the other hand, trade in the truck and have only one payment (motorhome) and a company vehicle to move when I move but then I will need some other form of transportation on weekends and when I am off work. I can move the company van when I move but I don't think they will appreciate me using their van on my time :).


I have considered toy-hauler class C's so that maybe I could put a motorcycle in the back and be covered. That brings its own set of problems, like when it rains.

So the long and short of it is: Right now I have a company van and a pickup truck. I cant drive both at the same time and I need a place to live. I have until the week of March 16th to come up with a plan. I will be taking a week off at that time and will make my move on whatever it is I decide on. So, if it were you, what would you do?

[toedtoes]

Since you'll be fulltiming, you might overweight a Class C with the van, a tow dolly, a scooter/motorcycle, plus all your personal belongings. You'll want to look at those weights carefully - especially if the RV price is going to be tight.

Also, while you've got driveway camping worked out, that could fail if you get too big or too much. An RV, van, car/scooter/motorcycle, flatbed/tow dolly is an awful lot to park in a driveway when you're the only one using it. Add in the owners' vehicle(s) and that could get tight quick.

To me, the practical choice would be to keep your truck, buy a TT, and use your truck for work claiming mileage. The distance traveled for work will be less than it is now because you'll be moving around accordingly. With the money saved by buying a TT instead of an MH, you can set it aside to replace the truck when you retire. That gets you through the next year with as little trouble as possible and gives you the ability to use the TT for camping later on.

[wannavolunteerF]

maybe you can get a motorcycle or scooter that you can use most of the time for personal travel, carry it and tow the company van. If you really need a car/truck, rent for a couple of days.. Even Lowes will rent you a delivery truck for a few hours, if you don't have the right vehicle to carry home your purchase. You will be in cities that delivery of most anything is possible, and rental cars are easily available.

[BigD629]

You mentioned a Class C toy Hauler, just put a Smart car in the garage and tow the van. You might still have enough room for a small motorcycle.

[southernkilowat]

All excellent questions. I cover 29 counties here in eastern NC, from Charlotte to Wilmington east and west and from I-95 up to Asheboro and Liberty North and South. Right now I average about 1100 miles a week on the company van; and that's a lot I guess. I am also the Lead Operations Engineer and I am responsible for training new guys, paperwork, reports, etc. I usually stay in NC or SC for some of that, but I have been to TN and KY for work as well.

I spent a year going through a divorce knowing that I was going to get an RV when it was all said and done, and spend a year or two on the road trying to figure out where I want to end up. In that year, I worked out all the details for where I can stay. For example, I can stay at my sons house in Charlotte and plug up there. I can stay with my niece in Wilmington and plug in there. So far I have about 8 different "private campgrounds" I can stay for basically FREE. There is a sewer clean-out at my daughters house where I can dump and there is a campground a buddy of mine owns and I can dump there if need be.
The plan is to move about once a week, depending on what part of my route I am working, and then move where I want too on the weekends (short trips) to the beach or mountains or where-ever.
I will do quite a bit of boondocking too, so I like the idea of a Class C, all self contained.

[toedtoes]

How far out are you wanting to travel while you're still working?

How far out do you currently travel for work?

Are you planning on traveling, parking the RV somewhere, then commuting to your job in the van?

Or are you planning on traveling during your time off and coming back local when you're working?

I don't see much excitement in traveling around if you end up having to commute for long distances every day for work. If that's the case, you might just park the RV at a local RV Park and stay there until you retire - then do a year of traveling around the country to figure out where to put down new roots.

[Lantley]

I deally your only option is one truck and a trailer. Everything else gets complicated. Is it possible to use your current truck for work and towing.

[Naio]

Or get the boss to buy you a magnetic company logo for the door of your truck, and pay you mileage.

Is the company van full of company gear, or just transport?

[Bob_Olallawa]

southernkilowatt wrote:

Lantley wrote:
I'll think way outside the box. Can you buy the van from your employer. Or somehow strike a deal to tow a TT with the company van and sell your truck.
Otherwise 2 trucks one driver is going to be a challenge no matter how you slice it.

I wish! But the van is a Ford Transit and is hardly big enough to haul its self!

Keep the ideas coming!

Make a deal with the boss to rent/lease you the van for your after the clock use. Sell the truck and trailer and pull the little van with the class C you want to buy.

[cjoseph]

Buy a scooter. Put it in the van. Tow the van behind Class A or C on a dolly or trailer. Rent a car if you need one at your destination.

[southernkilowat]

Lantley wrote:
I'll think way outside the box. Can you buy the van from your employer. Or somehow strike a deal to tow a TT with the company van and sell your truck.
Otherwise 2 trucks one driver is going to be a challenge no matter how you slice it.

I wish! But the van is a Ford Transit and is hardly big enough to haul its self!

Keep the ideas coming!

[Lantley]

I'll think way outside the box. Can you buy the van from your employer. Or somehow strike a deal to tow a TT with the company van and sell your truck.
Otherwise 2 trucks one driver is going to be a challenge no matter how you slice it.

[RoyB]

The large tilt trailers really work like a dream. One man loading of tow vehicle is a snap.

Include a large steel front mounted large tool box.

Excellent idea in my way of thinking.

You might extend over the maximum over-all length however...

Roy Ken

[southernkilowat]

Had not considered a trailer, that would solve some problems for sure. I will start looking into that now. Thanks!

[donn0128]

Motor home and dolly would be the easiest. But unless you can and are willing to use the van for your running around, your still stuck. With the correct motor home and a large flat bed trailer you could haul the van and a bike all off the ground, thus no miles added.