RV vs Trailer

[gypsyrose1126]

Hi Everyone -- You have given me some great advice in the past, so here I am again, asking for more! I have been looking for a class c for over a year now, with no luck. After your input, decided I could do without a corner bed if I had to. Still no luck for a class c or b, in my price range. I work during the storm season 68 hrs. per week 6 days a week, so not much time to look. When I am off in the fall & winter, not much available.
So now I am thinking a trailer as they are more readily available, a short one maybe 10 - 12'.
I can see the obvious plus, having your car available for travel -- cheaper price ---
But I have never towed anything ---
Is it difficult to tow, can I ever learn to back it up, is gas mileage better or worse, does this limit boon docking or camping in out of the way places??? I like out of the way places, back roads etc.

So any information you can give me will be helpful and as always, thanks ladies, you are the best!!

[Redetotry]

If you are thinking of that small of a trailer, why don't you go with a small RV like a B or small C. I have a Pleasure Way and can park it almost anywhere. I personally do not like the hitching etc. plus the shorter the TT the harder to back!

[gingerK]

Well, some ladies with more experience than me will most certainly weigh in on this question but here's my views. I've camped in everything except a 5th wheel. I've had a small(er) tt (20') but I didn't pull it myself. We did take it on vacation a couple of times but we didn't have to use our tow vehicle to get around as that's about all we did was camp, not sightsee. I have since then learned to pull and back up a 16' horse trailer and with practice it's not hard so I imagine it shouldn't be any more difficult to tow and back up a tt. Before I bought Angel, my little class c, I had a pop up truck camper and loved it. Since it was small and the top came down it was more like driving a truck with a cap on than a tc. Now, Angel, I am finding, is quite easy to drive and park and back up but she (and I!) doesn't like to go very fast or on the interstates, which is fine. I just take my time and go my own speed.

I think gas mileage depends a lot on what you tow and what you tow with. This is a better question for the ladies with a tt than me as all my tow vehicles were gas hogs (and still are!) I know my gas mileage in Angel isn't very good but I don't care.

As to boondocking, I would guess that would also depend on your tow vehicle and if you had a generator or solar panels. Again, those with tt's can answer questions about that better than me, although I did some boondocking with my tc and a portable gennie

[Pooker]

If financial concern is your top priority then I see why you can't find a B or C in your price range, because they are more expensive than trailers; but there are so many C's out there that it's hard to think you can't find an older one you can afford. Having said that, It is harder to deal with a trailer; there's more to hook up and it's physical work, but backing up and parking are skills you can practice and get pretty good at. You won't save all that much on fuel. Turns out to be almost the same within a few mpg. But you save on repairs (only one engine to service), insurance, registration, taxes, etc. depending on where you live. You want to consider the type of travel you want to do: Go to an area, stay put awhile while sightseeing or move around a lot just stopping to eat/sleep. Do you want to travel the highways and camp in designated areas, RV parks, campgrounds or venture down bumpy dirt roads and squeeze into a partially undeveloped site? My Dad had a truck camper - the kind that had a camper slide onto a pickup truck and I had a trailer pulled by a car. Many times we left my trailer parked while I joined him to venture where a towed trailer would never be able to go. He used to get on my case for wanting electricity at least every 3 days or so. He preferred to stay off the grid all the time! And there were a few times where we had to camp in separate areas because my trailer & vehicle wouldn't fit. The Class C I owned later might have done it, tho. But there were also times when we toured around using my car while both RVs were safely parked in camping sites.

Whatever you decide, please be sure to get ALL the proper equipment and make it GOOD equipment. Proper weight for hitch, good sway bars, etc. Ask questions from every salesperson, RV tech, or camper you run into. See if answers match. Don't hesitate to go up to folks in a campground and ask them what they like best or what they hate about their particular type of camper. In other words: Do your homework! We cannot tell you what you should do because there are as many different ways to RV as there are women on this forum. You need to do what pleases you the most.

Pooker

[IrishIroamed]

My 2 cents for what it's worth...

My hope is to get a C or small A when I could go fulltime. After looking for 2-3 years for what I may like (lots of RV shows, etc), I decided for my learning curve to get a TT (19'). The TT will help me determine if I really want to fulltime (yes so far), and to learn stuff (electric (no biggie), dumping tanks (only 1 so far - also no biggie).

My biggest learning curve is the backing up. Kathy gave me a lesson (last year I think) and when I bought the TT this year, I've been practicing as much as possible with friends (semi-drivers) and am slowly getting better, but not a pro yet, but I did manage to back it into my driveway all by myself (once).

It's a matter of practice and I think anyone, even with no past experience, can pull & back a TT.

ON EDIT: Based on talks with various dealers at shows, etc, I think gas is a 1:1 ratio (for gas not diesel). All told me about 12 MPG with a C, and with my F-150 pull the TT, that's what I get.

[Acadianmom]

If I could only have one vehicle I would consider having a B and driving it all the time. That's what I did with my first motorhome. I don't put many miles on a vehicle every year. Over the years I have had 2 full size vans so I am use to driving a van.

The fall and winter would be the time to look for something. You would have to expand your search to other states and the South. Karen West bought her B sight unseen from a dealer in New Mexico(I think) and they delivered. She didn't have to take it if it wasn't what they said and she was pleased. I know another lady from Baton Rouge that did the same thing. I think her dealer was up North somewhere.

I read about so many problems people are having with new trailers. It seems that so many are just thrown together and then the companies don't want to fix something when it breaks.

Martha

[Colliemom]

Well, here's some input from a two time trailer owner. I too had thought about getting a Class C or B, but like others have said, B's are not cheap. The got to thinking that meant two big vehicles to buy insurance for as motor vehicles are more expensive to insure. Two to have to get oil changes, keep gas in, batteries, replacement of as many as 6 tires, etc. etc. More expense for something I was only going to use part of the year. So opted for a trailer and a pickup truck. Trailer is cheaper, has comforts of home, doesn't require a lot of maintenance, maybe a new battery when the current one goes, and maybe a new set of tires, but otherwise that's all. There are many makes and models to pick from and I see way more trailers than motorhomes in the campgrounds here in Michigan.

They do take some learning curve as to backing in, yes. I still have to pull in and out a few times to get mine where I want it. Nobody is perfect with few exceptions. Most people do a bit of wiggling around to park then. But once your are where you want it on your site, then just a matter of getting it set up and you are all set. After a few times, you get a routine going. And like you said, you have your vehicle for running around or sightseeing etc. Some of the smaller trailers on the market today can be towed with smaller vehicles and not necessarily a pickup. I like th pickup cause I can haul extra stuff if I need it.

As to gas mileage, it depends on the vehicle you are using to tow it and also the weight of the fully loaded trailer. My Sportsman Classic weighs less than 3,000 pounds and around 3500 fully loaded. Depending on the terrain I am driving through, I can get anywhere from 10 to 14 miles a gallon, with around 13.5 on average. Most of your MH's wont do better than that ether. I nad never pulled a travel trailer before either, but found that it wasn't that hard. Just needed to get used to the bigger thing hitched to my bumper. But a well balanced trailer, properly equipped with weight distribution hitch and sway control, will follow along like a puppy dog with no problem. Sometimes you can forget they are back there, but don't. But just don't get carried away in the speed department. I drive 60 tops and it's a bit windy, less than that, depending on what kind of road I am on, two lane or interstate.

As to boondocking, you can do it with a trailer There are solar panels our now that can be folded up like suitcases and you can buy portable generators. Louise (HavingFunNow) is slowly equipping herself to boon dock in the SW with her little trailer, so I will have to have her chime in here on that.

If you are working a lot of hours as you say, you probably won't be getting away that much, so a trailer would be cheaper to keep around until you have more time to use an RV. I can get mine winterized in fall, cover it with a trailer cover for winter and just store it next to my garage and basically forget abut it till spring.

So, this is just my two cents worth. I know a lot of ladies won't pull trailers for various reasons, one being messing with the weight distribution bars. Now some small trailers don't need them. Every system is different. Best thing to do is just keep asking questions.

[MelissaD]

I'd start with looking at how you want to use it. The smaller the trailer the less "house like" I guess is how I would say it. A wet bathroom or a couch/dinette that has to be converted into the bed was not for us. We looked at many styles of trailers but due to my experience with semi's once you get to a certain size, I believe the 5th wheel is the way to go. We had a list of features that we wanted and to find them we ended up with a larger trailer. Melony calls it our 2nd house as it's basically a 2 bedroom, bath and a half house on wheels. We take 1 or 2 trips a year and the rest of the time it's parked at our home campground. The larger the trailer the larger the tow vehicle and large pickups are expensive. For the price of the 5er and the 1 ton dually I could have bought a decent used class C or A. A class A may be in our future due to some medical issues but for now the 5th wheel suits us just fine.

As for mileage, diesel gets better mileage than gas but you have a higher initial investment. Several things effect mpg. Since most trailers are boxes they have a very high drag coefficient so that tends to override effects of weight or length. I get around 10-11 mpg with my diesel pickup pulling a 12,000#, 36', 5th wheel trailer. A Sprinter based Class B diesel will probably do a little better but others can give you better numbers. A gas class c I believe is around 8 mpg

When towing a "bumper pull" trailer the weight is carried behind the rear axle and can lead to sway issues and steering issues due to "unloading" weight from the steer axle. A good WDH (weight distribution hitch) with sway control can correct this. Since the 5th wheel carries the weight over the rear axle these issues are negated. It's why they build semi's as 5th wheels. The 5th wheels on my semi's have been movable to load distribution and clearance issues with drop frame trailers. I can feel it in how the truck drives when the 5th wheel is slide to the rear (more like a bumper pull).

Travel trailers tend to not have generators where the Class A,B, and C's tend to have them as standard features. Many people uses small Honda (pure sine wave) generator as they are "quiet" and portable. Solar and extra batteries is also an option but I have yet to research solar. Others use solar and can tell you more. Since I need AC due to medical issues, solar does not really work for me.

Go to some shows and look at features available. Make a list of features you want and those you do not want. Make sure you are comfortable moving about. Pretend you are using the toilet and the shower and see if you can "take care of business". Personally, I dislike small bathrooms/showers and the toilet in the closet. I did not want to have to run to the shower house in the middle of the night. Also look at tank sizes if you wish to boondock. A small fresh water (FW) tank is not a big deal if you are always in the CG, but boon docking tank size limits you stay.

The 1st tank to fill for us is the kitchen sink (gray #1) from washing dishes, followed shortly after by the shower (gray #2, I like my showers ) around day 3 and the black (toilet) tanks (black #1 and #2) last around day 7. We have 3 people so a single person would last longer. But something to think about. Also can you reach the dump handles or are the tucked under the trailer. Drain lines are often under.

[WickedLady]

Check out RV Sue (google her). She is a fulltime boondocker in a small trailer pulled by a van equipped with a solar panel.

[JudyJB]

Much more basement storage in motorhome than a small trailer which is important if you are going to live in it a lot.

[gypsyrose1126]

Wow, some great information, thanks!! I have tried to find a 22- 24' class C or B. The problem is that the size is hard to find, unless you want to get an older unit or one with high mileage or costs more than I want to spend. I am hoping to spend about 3 months traveling the first year to see how I like it. The most I have done in the past is 1 month in a pop up. I could have kept going but my then DH had had enough
I am planning on cutting back on work, starting this year! I will be done with work on Sept. 11 so feel I still have some good weather for travel.
I am going to check out the blogs mentioned, also think I will hit a couple RV dealers on my day off to look around. I have concentrated so much on Class C & B for the last year, I know very little about TT, so will have to read up on them. But I will still be keeping my eyes open for a Class C or B.

[gingerK]

Much more basement storage in motorhome than a small trailer which is important if you are going to live in it a lot.

Sometimes true, Judy but not always. Cheryl has much more basement storage in her small TT than I do in Angel.

[Bethers]

I say you have to figure out what is best for you - I do not WANT a tt or 5er for traveling - although wouldn't mind one for stationery. That's me. I like that when I boondock I can just get behind the wheel and drive away if something makes me uncomfortable, for example. And that doesn't have to be human uncomfortable. There's always my one bear experience in Alaska, where the only way I could stop his curiosity of my rig was to start the engine and drive up a few yards. And, if necessary, I would have kept driving! I like that I can stop and take a potty break without going outside and entering a hot (or cold) tt. My first years I loved NOT having a toad, and if I didn't workamp, might not have one yet. It was way, way less expensive to occasionally rent a car (like JudyJB does) than it it so bring one along, maintain, etc. So I had no necessity of two engines, and even lower insurance with just one item to be insured.

You say you have a small budget, but without knowing what it is, I've never had trouble finding smaller C's in lower price ranges - just takes extending the range of looking - heck, I'd look nationwide ... since purchasing my latest (new) I've had a couple wonderful deals pass my way that I would have snapped up in a heartbeat. But, yes, a tt will be less expensive. The question is - do you have a vehicle that really should tow one? That's very important, even with the smaller, lower weight ones. And then, don't make it so small that you'll be unhappy because you are too enclosed. I'm good in small, but many aren't. And I HAVE to be able to stand up - need a bathroom, kitchen, down bed, etc.

Good luck - but figure out why for YOU - as what you want/ need is totally different than what many of the rest of us might want or need.

[havingfunnow]

I have a van and a 13-foot (including tongue) vintage molded fiberglass trailer. After tent camping for decades, I moved to van camping when I didn't want to pitch/strike tents in bad weather any more. I added the trailer so I could have a stand-up kitchen and office when I travel. I expect a Class B that would function as a daily driver would have suited me fine, but too pricey for me. I like the flexibility -- a bit more space and a kitchen I don't have to unpack every day, but I can easily leave the trailer behind as necessary.

RV Sue is a real inspiration for boondocking with a trailer; I second the suggestion to look at her blog. It's especially interesting to go back to the beginning, where she records learning to handle and live in the trailer.

Because my trailer is so old, I'm feeling free to rip out things I don't want/need and add things I do. It's pretty idiosyncratic. Like Beth says, it depends on what you want to do and what your priorities are. I'd add, it also depends on what annoys you!

[Birdie]

A 10-12' trailer won't have much in it. So you can probably afford to buy that s ize. And you won't find very many for sale. Why? Usually if one is buying a TT they are planning on going somewhere and staying out at least one night. Fixing a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast might be on the list. In the night a potty byreak might be required. But in that size TT you might not have a fresh water tank, so you would need a water hookup to make your coffee/tea. And the potty break in the night probably means a trip to the campground loo, cuz you probably won't have roonm for a bed and a bathroom, plus your coffee pot. I have seen a Casita 13' Patriot. Go look at their website at http://www.casita.com. That is a good line of TT as is the scamp. Both are fiberglass made.

One of the best small RV's for the price is listed down in the For Sale here. Just be careful as we have seen ladies get a really good deal and then not have funds to make the repairs. Don't expect to get a RV for the price of a car or van. Unlikely that will happen.

Keep looking and save your money. The lifestyle does not have to be expensive, but it ain't free. If you full time, it is a house payment cuz it is your home! Good luck!