If you could start over.....

[big kahuna1]

I started with a dually gas tow vehicle and switched to diesels back in 1995 and have owned nothin' but diesels since and would never go back. There is no comparision. Nothing, NOTHING, compares to a diesel when it comes to towing and if you think otherwise, you have been lied to and are fooling yourself. I get better gas mileage by far, towing and non-towing, and the engine will last darn near forever. Nothing wrong with a gasser but the simple fact is, a diesel just simply tows better.

Yes, a diesel cost more and you hear people say you cannot make up the cost difference in the gas vs diesel price but they are dead wrong. A diesel engine will out last any gas engine and the diesel engine will not lose value as it gets older and you put mileage on it. A gas engine...not so much. You will get the same or more money back at resale in what extra you paid for a diesel at time of purchase.

I also own a dually and it is my daily driver. It is no different to me then driving anything else. Of course, I have been driving them as my daily driver for 15 or so years now.

If you THINK you may ever upgrade to a bigger fiver or trailer then a diesel should be on your mind regardless of the gas price.


NOTIN' BUT TRUCK:

Big Toys for Big Boys!!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Man...Im so glad I asked this question. You guys are very thorough and have already been through what Im giving alot of though about going through. And Im really nervous about making some bad decissions.


Ive always LOVED to tent camp.....BY MY SELF, as a GUY. Im trying to get this May trip together and make sure the ol'lady is going to be happy in a tent for 10 days...and i am quickly realizing, this aint gonna work for her.

For me, I crammed a tent between my handlebars and headlight, an ice chest, sleepingbag and campchair onto my passengerpad, and a change of clothes into the saddlebags and off I went, happy as a clam!!! But add the comfort of women to this and its a whole different story.

Thats why I have been thinking about a tt/tv set up, or even a MH. Im afraid I bit off more than I can chew thinking I could convince the girls that its no different than a cabin....because thats what they are gonna want this to be like.

I hope I dont offend anyone by saying this...but Ive never considered staying in a camper as CAMPING. Ive never considered staying in a cabin as camping either.....Ive always though of it as actually being OUT in nature....sleeping and snoring in the fresh air, etc. But, NOW......now that I gotta make everyone else HAPPY with all their female comforts and crap....I guess I better get as close to camping as a camper set-up will allow!

I mentioned last week that the brakes went out on my conversion van...I THOUGHT that was going to be my TV....but after inspecting the underside...that things a rustbucket from Boston and I wouldnt be surprised if the transmission drops soon due to the horrible amounts of rust under the dang thing!!! SO Im gonna trade that in as well as my wifes little old escort on SOMETHING soon, and I figured if Im gonna have to get a new vehicle, I may as well plan ahead and get something that I will be able to use as a TV too. The DW and I both have about a 75 mile round trip commute to our jobs, and the new vehicle WILL be used as a daily driver as well(if I dont go with a coach) and thats why I was considering whether I should go with a 6cyl over an 8, but I dont want to short myself on power, so should I short myself on trailer? My 2 oldest girls wont be doing much camping with us anymore since their hitting that age that theirs more to life than hanging out with mom & dad, so I dont really NEED a BIG floorplan, but dont wanna end up feeling cramped either. I have a 6 car driveway, so storage on whatever I decide will not be a factor. I have the golf cart, so an SUV or van is kinda out unless I get a toyhauler, which is really looking good to me right now.

John mentioned not getting a trailer at all and just saving the money for cabins....which Ive been doing for several years now and everyones happy in cabins, but theirs just smething missing about the cabing thing...I dont know exactly what it is...but if anyone knows what Im talking about, I know you guys do.

I really DO need to go to a unch of dealerships and check out the options before I can decide on any kind of trailer. And, damnit.....I guess Im gonna get me an F150 cuz I really like em!!!!! and Ive done a little research on the MPG difference between the 6 and the 8....in many instances the 8 actually gets better milage than the 6....HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE????

Thanks for taking the time to give me some guidance guys....I dont care what they say about ya'll.....ya'll are ok in my book!!!

 

[Tent Camping Dad]

yes diesel is the way to go.

 

[bxtx]

To build on this discussion (very interesting BTW), what about SUV options not just pick-ups? We're going to change our 2000 Expedition V8 5.4l later this year, and the 2004 Trailer Cruiser queen bunk house in 2009 or 2010. It's been a great combo - the camper is 5300lb GVWR. The floor plan won't work so well for us once DS3 is out of the pack n' play and into a bed (around 18 months from now). We'd like a little more living space inside too with a slide. We use our trailer ALOT (18 nights already this year) but it's fairly flat towing down here on the SE Texas coast. Our season runs pretty much all year around.

We are a family of 5 plus a 80lb lab (I can see with furbaby in 2-3 years too) and I need the SUV space esp. as we have folks come in from England and we need to haul them around (even just locally) so I need a 7 seater min + truck space!

We're looking at a 3/4 ton Surburban or the Expedition EL. Anything else out there that I'm missing?

Cheers!

Bex

 

[AuburnJen92]

Hi Jen. I'm sorry to hear you didn't care for your Tundra. I'll have to see about the turning radius when we test drive..if we don't get one into our shop before that. Going from a full size truck like the Tundra to a smaller truck like the Tacoma, I'm sure there is a signifcant difference in the gas mileage. I've used a Dodge Dakota (simillar in size to the Tacoma) for a week or so. We do the collision repairs for Enterprise. I'd think one would have a pretty big savings in fuel going from any full size pick up to a mid or small sized truck. The one we used was a fine truck but I don't think we'd be looking to tow a 6000 lb travel trailer with a truck of it's size. We're thinking full size...but not diesel..as it's an everyday vehicle, and I can't justify spending money on a heavy duty truck.

DH says that the new Tundra's have a better turning radius, but not as much as he would have liked, hence, we went down to the Tacoma. Yes, as a daily driver, it is MUCH better on gas mileage. Also, I couldn't justify paying the extra 10K they tacked on to the pricetag since the three years since we got the Tundra. The thing I can remember most about that truck is that DH (or I) could not make a u-turn on a four lane highway, ever. He had to stop and back up. I know they are very reliable and have all the consumer report accalaids (sp?), but I know that in two years, DH and I will be done with Toyota trucks. We had this conversation again last night and just don't have a good taste in our mouths with Toyota leases. At the time, we had to lease, but in two years, we will have that option to buy a truck, so we are going American.

 

[VACAMPER]

We love our suburban. My dh would prefer a diesel to pull the tt but we all can't ride in it. Suburban pulls it great though. No problems.

 

[AuburnJen92]

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 ..

Rog,

I know getting a coach might not be what you want, and what you need for your family is at the forefront. We weighed heavily on what our family was going to do in the coming years and the offer that was put on the table for the rig we got. Someone (and I am sorry to say I forgot who) said that they got a travel trailer because they didn't want the motorhome to sit for 48 weeks. That is a major point for anyone to consider. How long is your RV going to sit, travel trailer, popup, or motorhome? We have the luxury of being able to go to Disney as much as we can afford because it is only 1:45 away. We also use it during softball season and take it to tournaments so the girls have a place to eat and get out of the sun. We take it to football games and find that it is much cheaper to tailgate than to pay the $250-$450 a night for the hotel rooms in the areas in the SEC. (that's if you can get a room) Since we use it for more than just camping, it was a good fit for us and, fortunately for us, a real steal because the coach was kept in such good condition for a 1994. I had mechanics go over it with a fine tooth comb.

I know you will make an informed decision and be happy with what you decide. The more research you do, the better off you will be. It took us fools 3 times to get it right, but we are very happy with our coach and wouldn't trade it for the world, unless, of course, we win lotto tonight and go and get a new Monaco with slides!

 

[kc5grw]

One thing people should look at when shopping for a diesel 3/4 ton or 1 ton is to look at used. There are a great many good deals to be found on used diesel pickups that in many cases never pulled anything. Unless I win the lottery or get a really big raise I probably won't be buying another new diesel pickup. I bought my current F350 CC dually used. It's a 2000 that I bought in 2003. It was a lease return and had 40000 miles on it. I got a good deal on the truck, a ton less that new and it has been a really good vehicle. I've got 113,000 miles on the truck now and its still going strong. It is perfect for the fiver I have now. The trailer has a max GVWR of 11000 is usually loaded closer to 10K. If I decide at some point to get a heavier trailer I'll probably be looking at a used class 8 to convert to a tow vehicle. Even used I think the medium duty trucks already setup for RV towing are way overpriced. You can find some really good deals on used class 8s with 500k - 700k miles. At this point there are probably still more miles left in the truck than I would ever put on it pulling a trailer. This of course means that it would be a dedicated TV, but that is what my pickup is now. Unless things change considerably in the future I will probably always have a cheap economical car as my daily driver.

 

[lisa8200]

Rog,
Your earlier post was to long to quote but, I feel like you. The 5'er or the coach are not what I consider camping but, if thats as close as momma will let me get, I'll take it. At least I get the rest of the environment.

 

[auntie]

Sounds like your going to need a new means of transportation anyway...so it's a good idea to get something that will tow a trailer or toy hauler. Looks as if that's what you're leaning toward. It's hard to say with the kids..since you've got a couple that are probably past wanting to go with mom and dad anyway...(we've reached that point)..yet then again, they come back around. You can't please everyone. Remember you can always pitch a nice sized tent along with the trailer when the whole crew decides to come along. We'll be doing that this summer, my younger son has three friends he wants to bring..and having all of them in the trailer is going to be a tight fit. 16 and 17 year old boys. Aside from their size...they...well...sometimes they... well, they FART! There I said it! Don't ask me what it is about boys, but no matter how old they get they apparently think this is the MOST hilarious thing ever...bar none! Having the tent available is great for occasions like that! I would advise you to go with what's going to make your wife comfortable. You guys work hard and will find yourselves using it more than the kids eventually. You know what they say... "When mama is happy ...everyone is happy." If she's not...well you know the rest.

 

[wrongagain]

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!
Happy Camping.

I dont usually drink, and I have never been in a hot-tub, but I do like the prevost.
I hate the price of diesel.
But ,its what I wanted, and so far I have not regretted getting it.
Today at the pumps diesel was $4.39.
YIKES

 

[gon2wdw55]

We have a 1985 chevy luv truck with the diesel great mileage, but it don't have enought grunt to pull a lawnmower plus I can't find a 5th wheel hitch. Don't know where I would put hitch anyway bed and body are long gone from rust, I look like Fred Flintstone with my feet hanging down. Dealer won't even take it on trade, I say but it has a diesel that only holds 12 gallons-40 to 50 bucks to fill up.

 

[kc5grw]

Diesel prices could worse:

Diesel Prices (US$ per gallon)
Date - 4/14/2008
Belgium - 7.19
France - 7.70
Germany - 7.98
Italy - 8.06
Netherlands - 7.77
UK - 8.73
US - 4.06

Gasoline prices in those countries are higher than diesel though.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/diesel1.html
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/gas1.html

 

[stacktester]

We have a 1985 chevy luv truck with the diesel great mileage, but it don't have enought grunt to pull a lawnmower plus I can't find a 5th wheel hitch. Don't know where I would put hitch anyway bed and body are long gone from rust, I look like Fred Flintstone with my feet hanging down. Dealer won't even take it on trade, I say but it has a diesel that only holds 12 gallons-40 to 50 bucks to fill up.

My first truck was a 82 Isuzu Pup. It got a ton of mpg. Oh lord where is that truck lol.

 

[lisa8200]

The BIL of one of my nieghbors just told me a guy he met in Georgia was selling a 2005 Diesel Coach with 7000 miles and the Tow ba for a Jeep ( 2006 I think ) with the Jeep included for 80K. Seems like a great price for a 2.5-3 yr old coach with a Jeep Towed and tow bar included.Should I see if he is firm on the price for you.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

I wouldn't have answered one of my own posts using my old screen name and therefore tip BDR off to who I used to be.

For the record. That wasn't a tip off. We already knew.

 

[Dis Dawg]

For the record. That wasn't a tip off. We already knew.

Wow, you guys are psychic! Anyway, you guys gave me a great welcome!

 

[PanFanAL]

Hey BDR, I have my second, well actually third F-150. Loved them all. My current has the 5.4 V8. It has the 24 valve 300+hp. Tows great. But the last one I had was a 4.6 V8. And honestly I don't notice much difference in the power. But the gas mileage sure is. Ford claims that this new 5.4 gets the best mpg of any V8 they have made. But I will disagree. My last F150, the one with the 4.6 was an ext. cab, with the 8 ft bed. It was a monster, but I got 21 to 22 mpg on the highway, not towing of course, but that is great for a truck thatweighed over 6000LBS.

 

[des1954]

Rog - I haven't read the other responses other than FtWGuy's and I definitely agree with him. A V-6 in a truck does NOT get better gas mileage than a V-8. The V-6 has to labor a little more to handle the size/weight of the truck/SUV.

Case in point....we had a '96 Explorer with a V-6 (bought it new) and it got 17mpg on the hwy & 13-14 in town. This was the Explorer Ltd. with all the bells and whistles. We were so disappointed that the following summer we traded it on a new '97 Eddie Bauer Explorer w/a V-8, and still have it. Even at 150k miles, I get 17-18 in town & about 20-21 on the road. It's a great little truck & when I pull the GEM Car on a trailer, the truck doesn't even know it's there.

Be careful that you know the total weight your vehicle can safely pull, and if you get a regular TT, it's a good idea to weigh it fully loaded before you tow any distance. Never test your truck's stamina by towing the full approved weight.

We had a 21' Coachman TT we towed with our former '87 F-150 and never had any problems. I wouldn't want to tow anything larger than that with an F-150, however. If I were going to do that, I'd go for a larger gas truck or a diesel truck.

 

[PanFanAL]

Rog - I haven't read the other responses other than FtWGuy's and I definitely agree with him. A V-6 in a truck does NOT get better gas mileage than a V-8. The V-6 has to labor a little more to handle the size/weight of the truck/SUV.

Case in point....we had a '96 Explorer with a V-6 (bought it new) and it got 17mpg on the hwy & 13-14 in town. This was the Explorer Ltd. with all the bells and whistles. We were so disappointed that the following summer we traded it on a new '97 Eddie Bauer Explorer w/a V-8, and still have it. Even at 150k miles, I get 17-18 in town & about 20-21 on the road. It's a great little truck & when I pull the GEM Car on a trailer, the truck doesn't even know it's there.

Be careful that you know the total weight your vehicle can safely pull, and if you get a regular TT, it's a good idea to weigh it fully loaded before you tow any distance. Never test your truck's stamina by towing the full approved weight.

We had a 21' Coachman TT we towed with our former '87 F-150 and never had any problems. I wouldn't want to tow anything larger than that with an F-150, however. If I were going to do that, I'd go for a larger gas truck or a diesel truck.

I sort of agree. We ended up with an 18' TT. At least that is what it is classes as. Anyway, I also looked at a 31 ' TT that only weighed 5000lbs. So you can find larger a TT that an F150 can tow. Mine has an 8500lb tow limit I believe. It really depends on what the trailer weighs. My 18' weighs almost 4000 lbs. So does your Coachman I would bet.