Floridastorm
Orlando
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wbwood wrote:floridastorm, you asked before about the costs between having an Rv and using a car/hotel...we gave it to you and you didn't like it. You went as far to say rolling a suitcase from the car to the hotel and back was a pain in the neck to you. Now you are asking us about towing a car behind a MH. 99% here have given you good solid reasons to do so. You can either take our advice or not.
Go out and buy whatever RV you are going to buy. Go on several trips. Not just weekend trips, but trips that last at least a week. Trips that will put hundreds and hundreds of miles on your camper. Then come back and let us know how the cost comparison was on the RV vs car/hotel thing as well as not having a toad went for you. But to be fair about it, you will need to leave the campground and go siteseeing (not just driving around).
I imagine when you push that shopping cart full of groceries to the RV at the end of the parking lot at Walmart, then you will start to rethink the little suticase thing.
My friend, it's not about taking advice or not taking advice. I am seeking information, that's all. I make a decision based upon both constructive advice and my own preferences. I am not arguing with anyone. Simply challenging opinions with logic and years of living on this earth. There have been some good ideas provided, both pro and con, regarding the costs and benefits of traveling with a motor home over traveling with a car. There have also been some good ideas provided, both pro and con (it seems mostly pro), regarding towing a vehicle behind a smaller motor home. The information provided by seasoned motor home travelers is beneficial and gives me insight that I might never have had otherwise. In the last analysis I will probably end up purchasing a Class C or even a smaller Class A and head out onto the open road. Initially I will not tow anything. Firstly, I don't have vehicle small enough to tow and secondly, I still think that towing something behind a small motor home defeats the purpose of having a small motor home. If, after a few trips, I feel that we would be missing a whole lot of "adventure", then I might consider, as one messenger stated, renting a basic car in order to get to that adventure. Once again, we are elderly people and are not into off roading and/or other types of explorative activities that some younger folks find they can't live without.
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wbwood
Troutman, NC
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It sounds like in this topic (as well as the other one) that you already have your mind made up. It seems that you don't like our replies. If that is the case in fact, then why ask them? I can understand that if half the people said one thing and half said the opposite, but in both topics, it has been an overwhelming reply to not your liking. It's almost like your wife is wanting one thing and you are disagreeing with her and come here to try and find validity for your stance...
Brian
RVing Illustrated
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Floridastorm
Orlando
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wbwood wrote:It sounds like in this topic (as well as the other one) that you already have your mind made up. It seems that you don't like our replies. If that is the case in fact, then why ask them? I can understand that if half the people said one thing and half said the opposite, but in both topics, it has been an overwhelming reply to not your liking. It's almost like your wife is wanting one thing and you are disagreeing with her and come here to try and find validity for your stance...
I don't know. I thought I stated my position pretty comprehensively. Advice is very much appreciated. However, whether I take anyone's advice is my decision to make. Simply requesting opinions does not lock one into following any of those opinions. Actually, my wife has little adversely to say about all of this as she pretty much goes along with my suggestions knowing that I research them to death before implementation.
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RRinNFla
Northeast Florida
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If you notice on the front page of these forums, there are forums for nine different types of RVs. If everyone used their RV the same way, we wouldn't need so many different types.
Different strokes for different folks. That is the beauty of RVing.
Personally, as my lifestyle is right now, I wouldn't want anything but a towable.
Richard
2007 Keystone Cougar 291RLS
2008 Ford F250 V10 (Gas), EC, SB, 4X4
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wannavolunteerFT
South Georgia
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my parents (in their late 70's and late 80's) have a smaller class C and tow a small car. The MH is big enough for the two of them and the cat. They don't need lots of room, but it is a comfortable way to travel. It gives them room to deal with medical issues and carry all their supplies, without having to haul into hotels and hope the room is set up to work with their routine. They do tow a car so that they don't have to disconnect/reconnect water, electric, etc, especially in the dark when they go out to eat or to visit whoever or whater they are interested in. With both of them having arthritis, screwing the water hose (and cable connection, if available) is much more difficult that connecting the tow bars and safety chains for the care. Yes, they invested a little in the tow set up, but we planned one that was easy to connect so that either could do it.
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sc3283
St Louis
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why do some people like peas where others like carrots
Their decision, their choice...none of anyone else's business
04 D-Max Crew Dually
96 Monaco Dynasty 36'
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dodge guy
Bartlett IL
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Mocoondo wrote:I don't personally pull a toad behind my rig, but I don't find fault upon those who do.
Here is my rationale for not pulling a toad --
1. I'm not a fulltimer, but we put a lot of miles on every year ... well more than the average, I'm sure.
2. We always carry our bicycles and almost always carry a pair of motor scooters.
3. I typically never go anywhere where I must have a toad to maximize enjoyment of the trip.
4. If we cannot bike into town or take the scooters, then we rent a car. We are 99% successful getting a great rate off Priceline or Kayak.
5. The $20 per day that we pay for an occasional rent car is, in my opinion, significantly cheaper than the dollar value of the added wear and tear and especially added mileage on a toad as well as the decreased fuel economy of the coach while towing a vehicle.
6. A couple of well known studies put vehicle depreciation at, on average, 8c per mile, maintenance at an average of 12c per mile and tires at an average of 3c per mile. On an exemplar 1,000 mile trip pulling a toad, that amounts to roughly $230 in depreciation, maintenance and wear and that does not include the added fuel consumption of the coach to pull the toad. I can rent a car for a lot less than $230 for the days we would ever need one.
So, by my methodology, I feel we are ahead by not pulling a toad and I don't feel that we have ever been overly inconvenienced by not having one.
But with the scooters/bikes you do have a secondary means of transportation. the same type of transportation a toad would allow, only it is towed behind the motorhome.
Why do you carry the scooters and bikes with you?
Wife Kim 
Son Brandon 10yrs
Daughter Marissa 9yrs
Dog Shadow 
07 Cherokee 32B
02 Excursion 4X4 V-10 4.30 gear Hellwig sway bar
Reese HP dualcam,Prodigy brake controller.
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better than a good day at work!
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Floridastorm
Orlando
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wannavolunteerFT wrote:my parents (in their late 70's and late 80's) have a smaller class C and tow a small car. The MH is big enough for the two of them and the cat. They don't need lots of room, but it is a comfortable way to travel. It gives them room to deal with medical issues and carry all their supplies, without having to haul into hotels and hope the room is set up to work with their routine. They do tow a car so that they don't have to disconnect/reconnect water, electric, etc, especially in the dark when they go out to eat or to visit whoever or whater they are interested in. With both of them having arthritis, screwing the water hose (and cable connection, if available) is much more difficult that connecting the tow bars and safety chains for the care. Yes, they invested a little in the tow set up, but we planned one that was easy to connect so that either could do it.
What happens if you already have a smaller motor home but do not have a vehicle that you can tow behind it? I have a cargo van and an SUV, neither of which is small enough to effectively tow behind a motor home without putting strain on the engine and transmission and burning fuel like it is water. So, I have to go out and purchase another vehicle to tow behind the motor home. How much cash is that going to cost me initially, not to mention insurance and upkeep? Possibly folks that have motor homes already had a smaller vehicle that could be easily towed. In that case no extra expense incurred. The vehicle is already paid for, and the insurance and upkeep would have been the same regardless of utilization. When I add in the cost of purchasing a reliable smaller towable car, we are talking about quite a bit of additional expense. There is also another thing to consider. I have read reports, from reliable sources, that state there is considerable strain put on the engine, transmission, and other related components of the motor home when towing a vehicle. Let's face it, I don't think the motor home manufacturers build these things to tow anything. The motor home itself is heavy enough without adding 1 to 2 additional tons that it has to pull. More wear and tear on the engine and transmission means expensive replacement parts and repairs. Just my logic kicking in.
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Mocoondo
Chicago, IL
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dodge guy wrote:
But with the scooters/bikes you do have a secondary means of transportation. the same type of transportation a toad would allow, only it is towed behind the motorhome.
Why do you carry the scooters and bikes with you?
The original posters question was not about secondary transportation. It was about pulling a toad behind a small (under 30') motorhome. My rig is 28' so I feel qualified to respond as to why I choose not to pull a toad.
Isn't your questions rather redundant? Why do you think we carry scooters and bikes with us?
For our lifestyle, we don't find a toad to be necessary and I supplied my rationale. The money we save by avoiding extra depreciation, wear, tear and maintenance on a toad is better utilized on an occasional rental car when supplemental transportation is needed.
If you choose to pull a toad, that is your business. We find one to be unnecessary and I don't believe our travels have ever been compromised due to the absence of a toad. I feel that our method ultimately saves us money and we maintain equal access to everything using either our bicycles, our scooters or an occasional rental car.
I was merely responding to the original posters question and supplied my reasoning why I leave the toad at home.
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dodge guy
Bartlett IL
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Mocoondo wrote:dodge guy wrote:
But with the scooters/bikes you do have a secondary means of transportation. the same type of transportation a toad would allow, only it is towed behind the motorhome.
Why do you carry the scooters and bikes with you?
The original posters question was not about secondary transportation. It was about pulling a toad behind a small (under 30') motorhome. My rig is 28' so I feel qualified to respond as to why I choose not to pull a toad.
Isn't your questions rather redundant? Why do you think we carry scooters and bikes with us?
For our lifestyle, we don't find a toad to be necessary and I supplied my rationale. The money we save by avoiding extra depreciation, wear, tear and maintenance on a toad is better utilized on an occasional rental car when supplemental transportation is needed.
If you choose to pull a toad, that is your business. We find one to be unnecessary and I don't believe our travels have ever been compromised due to the absence of a toad. I feel that our method ultimately saves us money and we maintain equal access to everything using either our bicycles, our scooters or an occasional rental car.
I was merely responding to the original posters question and supplied my reasoning why I leave the toad at home.
I wasn`t questioning you, rather I was showing the OP that there was a need for transportation other than just the Motorhome! your right I don`t care (not that I don`t care!), what you do. it is the way you travel and that is fine with me. just trying to show reasons why people have a toad or any form of alternate transportation.
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