Aug-24-2013 11:31 PM
Aug-25-2013 03:20 PM
MookieKat wrote:MookieKat wrote:
GMW Photo, Wow! Gas guzzlers, indeed!! I guess there's no getting around it!! What about the Chevy Traverse or the Tahoe? Will either of those work?
My friend has a Ford Aerostar that they are using to haul an 18' (3,000 lb) Fun Finder.
Correction: Chevy Astro Van.
Aug-25-2013 03:19 PM
GeoBoy wrote:
You can also look at Taylor Coach in Canada. they make a nice lightweight stick and tin TT in a variety of floor plans. The Toyota Highlander has a 3500 lb. tow capacity and the Honda Pilot with tow package has a 4500 lb. tow capacity. I believe the Chevy Traverse has a 5500 lb. with tow package.
Good luck.
Aug-25-2013 03:05 PM
MookieKat wrote:
GMW Photo, Wow! Gas guzzlers, indeed!! I guess there's no getting around it!! What about the Chevy Traverse or the Tahoe? Will either of those work?
My friend has a Ford Aerostar that they are using to haul an 18' (3,000 lb) Fun Finder.
Aug-25-2013 02:58 PM
Aug-25-2013 02:43 PM
MookieKat wrote:
GMW Photo, Wow! Gas guzzlers, indeed!! I guess there's no getting around it!! What about the Chevy Traverse or the Tahoe? Will either of those work?
My friend has a Ford Aerostar that they are using to haul an 18' (3,000 lb) Fun Finder.
Aug-25-2013 02:37 PM
MookieKat wrote:A question that once mystified me, too....Turns out that there are two kinds of "UV"'s: the "SUV" (Sport utility vehicle), which is usually based on a truck chassis, and the "CUV" (Crossover utility vehicle), which is a sort of ground-up hybrid between a truck and a car. SUV's tend to be beefier and will haul bigger loads than will CUV's.
A Toyota Highlander is considered a full-size SUV, I thought.....am I wrong in this? What are you calling a full-size SUV?
Aug-25-2013 02:30 PM
Aug-25-2013 02:28 PM
Aug-25-2013 02:22 PM
gmw photos wrote:
The best thing I did for me personally when shopping, was to go and just sit in a lot of different campers....for literally about five minutes, and tried to imagine myself in there for days at time, like maybe and extended rainy or cold period of time. There were a lot of designs that I said to myself, "I would not want to be in here for an extended stay".
I also looked at mine and knew right away that I was going to change a few things. For instance, I changed out from a 17" TV to a 32"HDTV, and swapped where it is in my trailer. So now I have a comfortable place to have a good, comfy folding chair ( I can sit for hours in it ) and a much bigger television to look at. This was important to me, but to the next person, it may mean little. It sounds like you are well on your way to understanding what features are important to you. Have fun shopping !
Aug-25-2013 02:21 PM
MookieKat wrote:rfryer wrote:MookieKat wrote:
Wow!!!! You you people are awesome!! Thank you so much for all the wonderful and quick responses to my query!!
Here's a new development: There is a chance that we may wind up living in it for 6 months or so....as a transition to see if we like the new area that we are considering moving to.
Well, you’re going to be faced with some conflicting desires you’re going to have to work out. If you’re going to live in it for extended periods of time you’ll appreciate more room, i.e., a bigger TT. If you want to visit the parks and do a lot of mountain driving the smaller and lighter the better. You’ll find more campgrounds you can get into and have more available sites. And small is an easier tow in the mountains.
Forget good gas mileage, air resistance of a TT is such that you’re probably in the 10 to 11MPG area. Weight is a small factor on the flats, but it becomes much bigger when you’re trying to drag it up the mountains. You’d have to go really small to do better, I pull a 16’ 3000# loaded TT with an F150 5.4 and spend a lot of time mountain driving. Overall, I get 14, but I get less on long climbs, in the 9 to 11 area. If I were pulling 5000 to 6000# I’m pretty sure I’d be much closer to the 10 to 11 mpg range overall. I also agree with Terryallan, go for the full size SUV.
My thought if I were in your position would be that most of my use is camping and the extended living would be an aberration. So I’d opt for a TT in the roughly 20’ range. But I’d prefer a ½ ton truck with a cap to an SUV, too. I doubt if there’s a sweet spot between comfort and gas mileage though there likely is between comfort and accessibility to off the beaten path camping. Good luck on your decision.
Yes...these are conflicting desires, indeed!! I was really feeling turmoil over this, but you have helped clarify the dilemma, so thank you! I guess we will have to lean toward the travel part and rough it out for the living segment, and if it become absolutely intolerable, just rent an apartment for 6 months.
A Toyota Highlander is considered a full-size SUV, I thought.....am I wrong in this? What are you calling a full-size SUV?
Aug-25-2013 02:17 PM
Aug-25-2013 02:17 PM
rfryer wrote:MookieKat wrote:
Wow!!!! You you people are awesome!! Thank you so much for all the wonderful and quick responses to my query!!
Here's a new development: There is a chance that we may wind up living in it for 6 months or so....as a transition to see if we like the new area that we are considering moving to.
Well, you’re going to be faced with some conflicting desires you’re going to have to work out. If you’re going to live in it for extended periods of time you’ll appreciate more room, i.e., a bigger TT. If you want to visit the parks and do a lot of mountain driving the smaller and lighter the better. You’ll find more campgrounds you can get into and have more available sites. And small is an easier tow in the mountains.
Forget good gas mileage, air resistance of a TT is such that you’re probably in the 10 to 11MPG area. Weight is a small factor on the flats, but it becomes much bigger when you’re trying to drag it up the mountains. You’d have to go really small to do better, I pull a 16’ 3000# loaded TT with an F150 5.4 and spend a lot of time mountain driving. Overall, I get 14, but I get less on long climbs, in the 9 to 11 area. If I were pulling 5000 to 6000# I’m pretty sure I’d be much closer to the 10 to 11 mpg range overall. I also agree with Terryallan, go for the full size SUV.
My thought if I were in your position would be that most of my use is camping and the extended living would be an aberration. So I’d opt for a TT in the roughly 20’ range. But I’d prefer a ½ ton truck with a cap to an SUV, too. I doubt if there’s a sweet spot between comfort and gas mileage though there likely is between comfort and accessibility to off the beaten path camping. Good luck on your decision.
Aug-25-2013 02:14 PM
Aug-25-2013 02:13 PM
EarthboundTC wrote:
Take a good look at the newer Ford F150 with the EcoBoost engine and tow haul mode. I get 12.5 avg mpgs towing and around 21-22 without the trailer. The new tow haul mode is so incredible. The way it changes the dynamics of the truck really brings the two together as one.
I couldn't be happier with my truck choice.
Aug-25-2013 02:06 PM