If you could start over.....

[Shannone1]

Are we the only regulars here with a motorhome ??

 

[auntie]

Gotta think about the bunks also...since once they are to the tween to teen years..they aren't going to realistically be fitting into the bunks. I think with really little ones, bunks are a good option, but once they are to that 10, 11, 12...they are going to be adult sized really quick ,and the bunks aren't going to be used for too long....and you're back to looking at a different set up.

 

[domesticdiva]

I'm not sure what I would do... hmmm. I like my truck because of the way it looks, V8,V6,,, I'm lost. I bought my truck because it was pretty and it looked good with my trailer...heehee I drive an Avalanche and we pull a 19 foot Palomino hybrid. It does the job Gas prices are crazy here too, it costs about $120-$140 to fill my tank, I'm trying to not drive the truck and use our car more.

 

[auntie]

You've got to figure the gas prices are going to be effecting the RV industry and what type of rigs people are purchasing. I know some say it won't effect their plans..but I feel that mostly they are only having a few trips a year...and just figure the extra gas into the vacation. Only if you did hope to use an RV more than that..at some point many of us do start to think along the lines of what do I really need that I will still be able to use affordably..not what is my dream rig. I think those days are gone. Guess that's what the RV shows are for! People are thinking more along the lines of what can I use now..and still use later, without having to upgrade to a larger unit that will put me in the poor house!

 

[my3princes]

I would lean AWAY from a Tundra. We just turned ours in because we couldn't afford the way it sucked money out of the bank account. (we can almost go twice as long between fill ups with the tacoma now) We went to a smaller truck, but they are reliable. We didn't have a spec of trouble and only changed tires and oil. Tundras turn like a school bus! I have never seen a truck with a more horrible turning radius. When we turn this truck in in 2 years, we are going to buy American. I just can't stand it no mo'.

We currently have a Tundra 4.7 L V8. DH made a special exhaust for it which gave it more power and it did fine towing our 30 ft Dutchman TT. That being said our boys are growing and so is our truck. We will be getting our brand new Tundra 5.7 L crew cab on Monday. It will give us a lot more leg room for our trips to WDW. DH is a Toyota master tech so we are a Toyota family. I have also heard first hand reports that the 5.7 is getting better gas mileage than the 4.7. As far as turning radius goes we've never had a problem. My Dad has a Dodge Ram Diesel and I've towed with that before and never noticed any difference in turning. Toyota's are well built and hold up well over the years. The biggest issue in New England is rust. We do basic maintenance on schedule and have never had any other problems

The one thing about the Tundra I have yet to not have enough power. Oh also the 5.7 is getting better mpg than the 4.7.

 

[snocrossmechanic]

I like our current setup. It took a couple of 5ers to get it right and I wont change a thing. We use a 36 foot toy hauler that we took the rear of the hauler (garage) and made it into a playroom/bedroom for my sons. They now have a place to play and sleep that is thier own.

We use a 3/4 ton Chevy Dsl and I know two things that are important to us. Most important is that it is paid for. Second is that its an 03 and we have had only two repairs totaling 800.00. Other than oil and tires it has been great. It has 125,000 miles on it and the brakes are still original and still in very good condition. Would not trade it in for anything.

That being said we are looking at taking a semi truck and converting it for towing our 5er. MPG is about the same but it is much safer for the road.

My overall viewpoint is that fuel is not going to change and I am not going to adjust my camping habits. We will still head down to the fort but this year it will cost over 1600.00 in fuel. Still a better value than airfare, rental car, hotel in my mind.

Happy camping.

Mark

 

[kc5grw]

A year and a half ago when I saw diesel pass unleaded and stay there I decided it was time to buy a different commuter vehicle. I picked up a used Saturn that gets me 30mpg. The truck pretty much sits all the time. I will take it to work once or twice a month just so I know everything is okay. It should be able to last me a lot longer without the 12000 miles a year from the commute. I also don't have to worry about parking the trailer. As you can see I have a decent size lot for living in the burbs. I really can't say I would do anything different as far as TV and trailer. I really like pulling fifth wheels and you just can't do well with a small truck.

 

[LONE-STAR]

If I had it to do all over again I'd have kept my 21' Tailgator. It did the job and would almost be paid for too. It slept 4 pretty comfy and was perfect for trips to the fort or the forest to go 4 wheeling. I had a 22' Hobbi Toy Hauler for less than a year that I thought was going to be better and it wasn't so I traded it for a 31' Cougar 5'er Toy Hauler. It's a great camper and I like all it offers but what used to cost around $75 to haul to the fort is now $150.

Not really sure what to do next. This trailer is great for a week trip or longer but we do more weekends than weeks. I am seriously looking at the Starcraft 21SD Hybrid Hauler. After seeing some dis'ers pop ups and hybrids at the fort I like them a lot. This 21SD holds 2 four wheelers and 1 in the back of the truck since I'll be getting rid of the 5'er. You oughta see the sleeping room this thing has. The great thing is it weighs 3k empty. I'm thinking it could be put on a partial if I couldn't get a full hookup. It would be nice for my little short trips to the woods and double for a golf cart or 4 wheeler carrier.

I thought long and hard about going the way of a Hybrid Hauler but there where just a couple of concerns we had. Not so much at FW but when we camp at the river we are gone most of the day floating. So the trailer is alone we just thought it might be a little easy for people to get in to it. I grew up going to FW in a pop up while it was fun, bad weather in it never was. (always woke up with a wet pillow and wet feet after a rain) Going from Texas to FW we like being able to go in and out of our trailer, bathroom breaks change clothes, or get food out of the fridge. So that rules out a pop up for us. Plus I hauled my golf cart on a swivel wheel to FW last time and riding a thousand miles down the highway through the rain the cart was covered in black filth. (DW did not like washing cart on vacation) So that is another reason we wanted a enclosed toy hauler. As far as mpg my ford gets 12 mpg unloaded or 10 mpg pulling the 5er. So I did not see where a smaller trailer would save me enough fuel to loose the comfort of a bigger trailer.

 

[LONE-STAR]

Donnie here is 2 more that we looked at beside the starcraft.
http://www.kz-rv.com/coyote_rc/highlights.html
http://www.kodiak-rv.com/trailers.php?tab=photo
Kodiak dose not show the pic of there toy hauler but it lists it as a option. I have been in this one at camping world it was nice.

 

[bradisgoofy]

Are we the only regulars here with a motorhome ??

Nope

Hi Rog;

I'm in agreement about buying EXACTLY what you want, don't compromise in what you want or like. With your size family, I mean numbers not anything else, it may be a challenge. Go to ALOT of RV dealers and shows ( may have to wait for the fall shows ) and look at everything that will fit your needs, pop up, hybrid, travel trailer, fifth wheel and all styles of motorhomes. Don't go with a preset notion of, you only want a trailer, etc. It took us 9 months to find our first fifth wheel but when we walked into it, we said "this is the one". Once you find the camper then get your tow vehicle, unless you buy a motorhome, of course, buy one that is AT LEAST 25% MORE then what you need. ( i.e. - If it can be towed by a 1/2 ton get a 3/4 ton, etc. ) I am a diesel fan because they last longer then a gas engine, but either will work as long as the weight is not too heavy. I'd definitely go diesel for a large trailer or fifth wheel.

Even with the price of fuel, I'd still buy our current coach, because we intend to use it as our retirement home and it is EXACTLY what we wanted.

One other note, I found it less stressful to drive with a fifth wheel then a travel trailer. And the Coach is even better, yet.

 

[disney4dan]

Hey BDR, I'd say that it's like anything in life, everyone has different tastes and needs, and there are people on this board who's dream of perfect camping involves tents in remote locations and for other's it's a Prevost on the coast with bubbly while sitting in the hot-tub. Both sound pretty good to me!

My current truck was purchased long before we decided to camp with a trailer. I had a friend who is a Ford Service Manager steer me toward the Tundra when I was looking, and I've been happy since. The Double Cab and Crew Cabs were not available then, and the oldest has outgrown the back seat of the Access Cab. However, this truck has given me 160,000 miles of no problems. Routine maintenance, brakes done twice (mainly because I just won't tow a trailer with brakes that are old - they weren't in too bad shape when replaced). I get a consistent 18 mpg non-towing in summer, around 17 in winter (different fuel blend up here in winter). And it accelerates quick for a truck, has the 4.7 V8. However, because it has that high mileage, we are looking for the next option.

With that said, my father has driven a lot of 3/4 tons and up, a lot with diesels, some gas. My Tundra can not compete with that for towing ability (or for testosterone replacement therapy), but it makes a good daily driver. If I were rich, I'd own a one ton diesel of some sort. But, I'm an average Joe working to get to each Friday and each $ makes a difference.

We ended up finding a used 29 foot Jayco travel trailer that was in great shape and had three bunks for the kids. We looked at a lot of used trailers and the Jayco trailers seemed to hold up well (not a very scientific study, but it was our observation). I agree that the bunks might be tough as the little ones get older. The oldest, who is 16 and weighs in at 138, sleeps on the bottom and it works, but it's not a palace. There are some really nice TT's with slides that have a double sized bunk on the bottom. We just could not pull the extra weight of the trailers with slides and extras. Our travel trailer weighs in at somewhere around 6,500 pounds the way we load it. I keep the tanks empty when travelling (just a few gallons of fresh water to work the sink and toilet while moving) because we are getting close to our maximum Gross Combined Weight. The truck tows it fine, and I don't feel nervous or anything, I just know that it's not good to be that close to the towing capacity for too long. It has AC, which we've only used at the beach once, and the kitchen layout was what sold Nancy on the trailer (she loves to cook, and I love to eat!). It's been the perfect match for our various trips, but the 29 foot length has limited our options on some of the older state park campgrounds in our area.

We have an acre of land with enough room to park what I want either out back or in the driveway if getting ready for an upcoming trip, so the cost for storage was not an issue. Good luck and have fun hitting the RV shows. There should be some good deals coming along with the gas/diesel prices going up!

Happy Camping.

 

[lisa8200]

Are we the only regulars here with a motorhome ??

If by "WE" you mean- You, me, Brad,Jen,and daddyscooltv ( sorry if I missed anyone ),,,,Maybe...
Than again, I'm not sure of the definition of regular. We just got our Coach, and I ate a bran muffin ..

If I never thought I would have to pull a big trailer I might think gas for the truck but, I wouldn't have traded the Diesel for anything when we were pulling the fiver.It's my daily driver but, I don't have to drive far. Lisa on the other hand had to make drastic changes. She drives about 100-125 miles a day. She had never owned a car before, only trucks. This is the last truck we bought her before she had to get a car

Now she drives an Altima and hates it. The car is nice but, she's a truck girl.

 

[lisa8200]

Our fuel cost should be comparable with the coach so I'm happy with where we are at

 

[LiteBrite]

I don't have much to contribute here, but I do have some personal experience with the growing kid/bunk situation.

We bought our bunkhouse trailer when DD was a young teen, and sold it when she was 18. She hit her full height of 5'10" not too long after we started using the trailer, and the bunk was never a problem for her. It wasn't luxurious, but she was just fine sleeping in it.

 

[RvUsa]

Hey Rog, You know how I feel about my truck.... HATE IT!! But we absolutely love our TT and wouldn't want anything else. We went to the Pittsburgh Rv show this spring and could not find one 5er or TT that we liked better. We have never really considered a motor home, it is just not for us, my family had a class C for years when I was a kid, and I loved it, we just like having a TV that we use for other stuff. My theory for us is, with a truck and trailer, I can use the truck for other stuff, a motor would sit there 48 weeks a year and not move.

Now our problem is the truck we choose, it sucks, Diesel, literally. But with the size of the TT we have to have a big truck, so we are in a pickle anyway. I think that if we could go back in time about 9 months, I wouldn't have bought the truck, I would have gotten a nice f-150 and not got the trailer at all, and used all the extra money to rent a cabin at the fort instead LOL. JMHO

 

[dtum]

Wouldn't change anything. We love our Titanium Fifth Wheel (it took a few years before we could actually get it and it's not going any place) and need our truck to pull it. Love the truck also (Chevy 2500 HD Diesel Duramax) and other than towing, we only use the truck on an occasional Sunday. DH and I both have commuter cars for work. Guess at some point you have to consider is getting something you really aren't happy with just to save a little on gas worth it. We looked at many, many trailers, hybrids, etc. but always came back to the fact the we loved the Ti and we are very happy with our decision. Maybe that means fewer trips each year and staying closer to home on weekends, but that's just the facts and we would never change.

 

[JCJRSmith]

Also with the price of gas RV dealer are ready to give good prices. Look into a class A or C and get a small car for commuting.

That is precisely what we did last year. The F150 Supercrew had a 5.4L V8 and the factory tow package and towed our Kiwi without a problem. But because it was my every day vehicle it was killing us on gas. So, we traded it in along with the camper and got a class C and a Saturn Ion.

There are days I miss driving that truck, but then I drive past a gas station and realize that we are better off.

 

[lisa8200]

That is precisely what we did last year. The F150 Supercrew had a 5.4L V8 and the factory tow package and towed our Kiwi without a problem. But because it was my every day vehicle it was killing us on gas. So, we traded it in along with the camper and got a class C and a Saturn Ion.

There are days I miss driving that truck, but then I drive past a gas station and realize that we are better off.

I have a hard time remembering the last time I was able to drive past a gas station without stopping..

 

[Tent Camping Dad]

i'm trying to talk dw into a f-350 duallie and 5er. gas prices are not helping.

 

[PanFanAL]

I say buy the TT you and the misses like and put the kids back outside in the tent.