Should I get a nice RV or an awesome camper trailer?
by admin on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011 | 5 Comments
I don’t own a truck, but my dad has a 2010 Silverado 3500 with the 6.6 L diesel and heavy duty tranny. We can trade cars and I can use it at any time.
The website says it can trailer a maximum of 21,700 lbs.
I’d to have a shower in either.
I do not want to spend more than $100,000
Evaluate small trailers. You did not discuss your budget. Consider the fuel you will be wasting as well as lifetime costs.
A 100 grand will buy whatever you want. I have had them all and enjoyed my light weight Toyota Sunrader 4×4 the most. Things were a bit tight but it had all the creature comforts for 2-4 people and went everywhere I wanted it to and did not use a lot of gas to get there.
http://www.toyotamotorhomes.com/mac4x4sunrader.htm
My next favorite is a trailer I have a 23ft road ranger again lightweight and all the creature comforts for 2-4 which I tow with my F250. Both the sunrader and my trailer fit in most campsites a big plus in tight campgrounds. This sounds like what would be best for you.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/rvs/2589214924.html
Last I had a 36 foot Dolphin motor home fully loaded with all the bells and whistles and comfort for up to 8 it sucked gas faster than ever and most places I wanted to go with it were to small for it. However for visiting relatives it was great to have my own bed and bath, just be careful backing into those skinny drive ways
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxx4ijz3aig&feature=related
There are beautiful motorized RV’s within your price range, both new and used. But the there are disadvantages with motorized RV’s: You’re paying to buy and maintain a drivetrain you’ll use only a few times a year, you have to pay for liability insurance just as you would another car or truck, unless you tow a vehicle you have to drive a huge RV around to go shopping and sightseeing.
You can get a very nice Fifth-Wheel Trailer for less than $30,000 that would be well within the weight capacity of the 3500. Or pay half that much for a used model (used is really the best way to go). Two or three slides, queen size bed, wardrobe, full bathroom and kitchen, living room with flat-screen TV, even an electric fireplace in many models. In short, all the luxury and space of a Class-A motorized RV without the purchase and maintenance cost. When you get to your destination you unhitch the trailer and can use the pickup to go out sightseeing or shopping. A fifth-wheel trailer is much easier to tow than a bumper-pull model.
You can also consider a fifth-wheel toy-hauler design, so you can bring a motorcycle, quad, ute or other gear in the trailer’s “garage” section, which converts to an additional sleeping area when the “toys” are unloaded.
Gee, for that much you can buy whatever you want. But how much do you want to spend on gas to haul it? We’ve got a 16 foot long camper trailer we can haul with a 4 liter Ranger (trailer only wieghs less than 2500 lbs fully loaded and with all water tanks full) and it has a flush toilet and shower as well as AC, heat, stove, hot and cold running water and refrigerator, microwave and flatscreen TV, with a 7′ sofa plus a dinette that folds into a double bed and two fold down bunks. It’s quite luxurious for one or two people and a truck like your Dad’s would tow it like it was nothing — probably hardly effect the gas mileage.
Go check out all kinds of campers and RV’s and buy the most compact one you feel comfortable with. Smaller is better — more versatile and you have better and cheaper cruising range. Also a better resale if you decide to sell it. Nobody wants huge motorhomes and trailers anymore because of the cost of hauling them. Look at the prices on line for used ones. Anything under 20′ commands twice the price of the 26′ and up units. The bigger ones like 32′ people can barely give away anymore due to the price of gas. Also costs more for lots to park them and they can be a hassle to tow on twisty mountain roads.
I think you’ll be amazed at how sweet some of the small to mid-sized trailers and 5th wheels are.
Generally I’d opt for the trailer IF you are extremely comfortably with backing up & maneuvering it. I’m not, so if I went the camping route I’d probably do the RV, but that’s because of my lack of trailering skills. RVs are, I believe, inherently safer on the highway in case of sudden hazards or a need for quick maneuvering.
IN general, for most people, I think trailering is a better choice because you aren’t tying up a motorized vehicle with only one purpose, and one that is likely to be sitting a good period of the time — not the best of worlds for engines, transmissions, etc. Also, I believe that the overall difference in insuring the two types of vehicles is considerable.