Update-Sale of House

[Wanderer2]

Hi everyone. Just thought that I would post what is happening. They want the house-BUT-and there is always a but. - have to get past termite inspection and cost of fixing a couple of outlets. Since I had to pay $1000 for a new survey, I will only negotiate so far. It is a cash sale and we have fixed so much here that I am so done! They said that I have the most beautiful yard in Mitchell County and the house really is in good shape. I just put down new flooring and painted the whole thing in anticipation of selling. I am exhausted at this point and am ready to quit working so hard. So-closing is scheduled for August 10th and I am 99% sure that this will go through. I am in RV and relaxing anticipation. They don't need the house right away, so I will be able to rent it for a month or so, which is a good thing while I find the rv. I am thinking of towing my Honda CRV as it is already payed for. But it is front wheel drive and would have to be on a dolly or trailer. I don't know how that will go but I think it is worth trying for awhile. How difficult is it to unhitch it, etc?

[BarbaraRose]

Good luck on the sale of the house!

You might get some input on towing with a dolly or trailer on here. I have heard that is it kind of a pain because you have to put the dolly or trailer somewhere once you are parked at a campsite. Some places won't let you keep it at your site or there isn't enough room for it and needs to go elsewhere. I know Linda (Bikerchic) had issues with that and finally gave up and sold her car for one she could tow 4 down.

[ypsi56]

We tow a 2013 Honda CRV behind our class A RV four down. We use a Blue Ox tow bar and braking system. I would check your Rv manual on how much weight the RV can tow.

[Wanderer2]

Thanks, I will check towing rate, etc when I get to that point. My CRV is front wheel drive and manual says cannot tow 4 down. If I get the house sold, I will have more time to concentrate on the rv and car. I am trying to squeeze in some research in between.

[chalet05]

Hope the house deal closes as scheduled!

When late hubby and I started full-timing, we had a tow dolly. Probably the worst part was not being able to back up tho he could manage a little. I don't remember ever having to park the dolly elsewhere, but I know that can happen - have had it happen with the SS trailer twice in the last 8 months. I most often see them still hooked up or unhooked and at the campsite. As long as you can life the tongue to the ball height, I think you'll do fine. Granted, 4 down would be easier.

[Pooker]

Yup! Went that route awhile back. We did discover quite a few RV parks where we had to totally remove the dolly in order to back into a site. That meant backing the car off, finding a place to put said car, manhandle the dolly off the hitch and hand roll it (also trying to find a place to put it). It was a two person job for us. There was no way I could have lifted that tongue and rolled the dolly away on my own! Quite a few times we were able to push the dolly to the back of the site and back the MH a few feet over the tongue (this definitely takes two people!), but this also gives security for the dolly. No one could just hook up to it and drive it off! The best bet is a pull-thru site long enough to leave the dolly hooked up, the best way for just a night or two. A few times we ran into places where the sites weren't long enough to keep the dolly behind the rig and that meant a whole different set of problems - where to park it!

After a few years of struggling this way, we decided my DH's front wheel drive baby could be traded in for a car that would tow 4-down. I had a really sad hubby, but a much easier and whole lot more versatile way to tow.

OR - don't plan on towing at all. Buy a rig that you could use without a tow vehicle. Perhaps Beth can pop in here because she full-timed for a long time before getting a tow vehicle, so it can be done. And she had a Class C! Can be done for sure in a B. Probably wouldn't want to travel and sightsee in a 40 footer, but I had friends who did that, too!

Pooker

[Wanderer2]

OK good to know about the plus and minus's. I am debating whether it will be worth it. I do want to boondock as much as I can too and that may present more problems with a tow. Well darn I just want everything I could try it for awhile, as the car is payed for-if it doesn't work out well for me, i could sell it and get four down or skip it. I will have to see. Your input is appreciated-Now back to the house stuff.
I still have a lot to do.

[JudyJB]

I have been full-timing for four years without a towed vehicle. When I started out, I just did not want the bother or expense--cost of tow mechanism, extra insurance, harder to pull into gas stations, etc. And I have a 32' Class C. Yes, I would like to have an extra vehicle once in a while, but having one would also be a bother.

I tend to do my shopping and errands between campgrounds, and frequent the big chains because they have bigger parking lots. Once in a great while, I get somewhere and cannot park there, but I can almost always find a place down a side street where I have to walk a bit. Nearly all attractions have some RV parking and some make it very easy for big rigs. For example, at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix I had the whole bus lot to myself--room for maybe 30 vehicles. Often if I think I might have problems because something is in a city, I will call ahead to find out where to park. And very occasionally, I will rent a car near a city or take public transportation.

You could always sell your car since it is going to be hard to tow anyway and start off without a tow. Then, if you decide you really need one, you can always add it later.

[Wanderer2]

Judy-After getting some input from this forum, and mulling it over I have kind of decided to KISS My goal is to simplify and that seems to be adding a complication. I need to get used to the RV first and decide that later and if I did it would be 4 down towing. Good advice and input - Thanks!

[Bethers]

I traveled full time over 5 years in a Class C without a toad. I occasionally rented a car, but had no problems without one. Instead of staying a month somewhere and using a car to travel lots of miles, I planned routes that took me to all those places and actually put on less miles and therefore didn't cost me more. I ended up getting a toad because of the workamping jobs I was taking.

That said, I, personally wouldn't go the tow dolly route. A friend did to use the car she had and only made it work because she put a hitch on the car to move the dolly around. She had hooking up the dolly etc down to a science, but as we were doing so in the rain one day, I was hooked up and sitting in my rig while she got soaked for an additional 10 or so minutes finishing up. We had started at the same time.

But many like them. BTW, my car is front wheel drive and towable all wheels down. It's just a matter of the manufacturers making it do. Honda was doing so for several years. My car is an older Chevy that I purchased off eBay in 2010. It's 16 years old now and an insurance claim for hail damage last year got me add much as it's worth... so when I sell it eventually, I'll make money lol.

Ok, I went way off track, but my mind does wander

[monik7]

I started out 4 years ago without a toad. My current car couldn't be towed 4 down, and women I talked to in CGs who had dollies said they couldn't handle a dolly alone. They relied on their husbands. In the beginning, I didn't want to trade in my present car. So 4 years later and 33,000 miles down the road, I finally decided I'd trade in my car for one I could tow 4 down. I missed so much in those 4 years of travel. I just didn't want to unhook in CGs to go sightseeing, and didn't want to come back to my site and find someone else parked in it.

I think your idea of getting the RV first is a good idea, but if you're anything like I am, you'll realize fairly soon that having a toad is a great advantage if you want to see attractions around areas where you camp. If you just like to go to a CG, relax, sit outside, and enjoy the view from your site, no toad necessary for that. But taking your time to decide what works for you is always a safe plan. Good luck.
Sandi

[OregonLuvr]

I would be lost without my toad. I like to find a destination park in an area I am interested in exploring and then drive my SUV to all the places I want to go. I have even spent the night away from my RV once or twice as it is so much cheaper to drive my toad than my RV. I tow 4 down and I find it easy peasy to hook up and tow.

karen

[Wanderer2]

Thanks ladies. If I could tow mine 4 down I would keep it and I could always sell it. But I don't think that I will want to handle the up front tow dolly. I do like to explore the backroads, but will probably sell the car and decide later. Right now I have an ice bag sitting on my foot-sprained my foot while cleaning out a shed. Out of commission outside for a few days until the swelling goes down. Tomorrow is the end of due diligence period. Have an electrical check and then hopefully will have a definitive answer. They said "We have a deal" but are coming up with last minute things. We shall see.