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Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,744 posts, read 58,102,528 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kavm
Thank you both. We will look at all the options in the tow vehicle. I must admit that I am a bit skeptical of Chrysler/Fiat, but one needs to look at the whole marketplace particularly given AlaskaErik’s recommendation. Ford F150-Diesel is perhaps my top choice right now (I know we will never make sufficient use of it to justify the price premium, but that goes for a lot of things we buy). Do lean towards Diesel for the reasons StealthRabbit outlined. We have steep grade and the gas vehicles do suffer a bit.
The local driving vehicle is still open. We are definitely thinking electric. 100% of our trips outside of a 75 miles radius in the last 6 years are to outdoor places - where we’d take whatever tow vehicle we get (and often tow the trailer, if we have one). So, the local driving is mostly within 100 miles per day - and that’s a stretch. My wife’s commute is 10 miles per day (and I only commute by airplane). So, the local car range doesn’t need to be a lot - and an electric might fit the bill. Who knows what happens to the gas/diesel prices - so, that hedges our bets better as well long term, even though we can afford it either way.
That’s what I am thinking.
IIRC, SLC has a CNG infrastructure, (for your 'commuter'). Full electric might be a great option. (no engine to maintain!)
As a Rocky Mtn dweller / trucker since 1950's... I favor Turbo Diesels (and no spark plugs!) If you commute by airplane, have your A&P guys set a few drums of Jet-A aside for you every month. My A&P friends have not bought Diesel fuel for their personal cars for all the yrs they have been employed in the Jet hangars. (40+). Add a lubricant to keep your Diesel injection pump happy! 1qt of 2-cycle oil per drum.
Since you aren't sure you will use a travel trailer, buy an older used one. If you shop carefully, you can get an old trailer that was well kept for not much money. See if you use that one enough to justify a big investment.
If you want high end, I suggest Arctic Fox when you get around to buying your permanent purchase.
You are going to national parks and doing wild area camping. Get the smallest trailer you can be comfortable in and get one with off road suspension. You'll be able to get in and out of a lot more places with a small rig.
Tow vehicle needs the power to pull, but it also has to be big enough and heavy enough to stop your trailer if the trailer brakes go out on a long downhill stretch. Get a tow vehicle beefy enough to make towing safe. Your tow vehicle is not the place to skimp.
for unique items, I typically do a US wide Craigslist Rss feed (adhuntr or similar) You can filter by One Owner for Sale BY Owner. U-ship.com gets a lot of my transportation needs, but I find hotshotters who will deliver loads during a deadhead (empty run).
I usually get someone from the users group, near the rig to examine for me. (I give them and hourly rate and have them examine it while I am on the phone asking questions and looking at a similar rig (for reference) . (There are some excellent RV buyer checklists online) . If I REALLY like one... I jump on SWA and fly and go see it <$200! (but I have had excellent luck having 3rd parties help me look it over). For RV's I insist... no smoking, no pets, no shoes, always kept in indoor storage, (no mice / no mold). Before tugging home... I expect to buy new TRAILER tires (not passenger tires). Tread wear is irrelevant, read and heed the DOT date code on sidewall. 7 yrs MAX life.
Your BEST bet is networking with users groups, but your best find will be happening upon an estate auction / one sitting by the road FS. I look primarily near retirement havens, and I insist on NO SALT... so usually avoid coastal purchases or Mid America. AZ, CA, OR, WA are pretty good. TX & AZ if always stored inside.
Won't hurt to start looking now, but best RV deals are in late fall / winter (near times people need money... Property and income tax)
Tho a 40+ yr CDL semi driver / and farmer who tows trailers nearly everyday... I am not a fan of travel trailers. I enjoy my FREEDOM!! too much (until I get older). Ideally my favorite camping is 'Then-Came-Bronson'... MC and bedroll is adequate. My 'other / better' half LOVES camping. so... I sometimes camp! If trailering... I prefer tandem - triple axle. Less bounce, great tracking.
My cousin has had a Casita / Escape for 20+ yrs and absolutely love it (they go and STAY places... I just GO places... everyday a different place) +/-, all to your taste.
I LUV our camper van... get up early or late, swing out of bed and DRIVE (while other sleeps). or.. beautiful stream / roadside overlook... pull over and Nap, read, cook a meal, look out the PICTURE WINDOW during coastal storms or 90F days. Cold? turn on the furnace, hot? turn on the genset and AC,
Shower? drive 5 minutes to warm up the Motoraide HW heater, Soup / meal / cocoa / Coffee... fire up the Microwave. Need a toilet (while riding... use the toilet)
Life beyond tenting is really wonderful.
If you see a Hot Springs... you will find me! (often in WY, ID, CO, OR, BC, MT)
Breaker, breaker one nine this here's the rubber duck you got a copy on me Stealth Rabbit?..... Just wanted to compliment you on this here absolutely amazin' post! Thanks for sharing!
IIRC, SLC has a CNG infrastructure, (for your 'commuter'). Full electric might be a great option. (no engine to maintain!)
As a Rocky Mtn dweller / trucker since 1950's... I favor Turbo Diesels (and no spark plugs!) If you commute by airplane, have your A&P guys set a few drums of Jet-A aside for you every month. My A&P friends have not bought Diesel fuel for their personal cars for all the yrs they have been employed in the Jet hangars. (40+). Add a lubricant to keep your Diesel injection pump happy! 1qt of 2-cycle oil per drum.
Good luck on this quest.
Stealth,
I was driving on the interstate today going to a larger town about 18 miles east of where I currently am living to run some errands. I passed several really nice RVs and really "noticed" them thanks to the threads currently active on C-D about RVs. I said to myself, I bet Stealth could give a wealth of information on these RVs were he to see them. It's amazing the things that I've learned from posters on various travel boards.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,744 posts, read 58,102,528 times
Reputation: 46232
You can get much more info from the great resources at Escapees / similar RV.net (Conventional thought / solutions i.e. these are MUCH easier! and faster to get on the road and keep on the road)
NZ is the home of thousands of GREAT creative RV conversions (not inhibited by conformance)
Absolutely no credit to me... but my FIL and G-FIL built travel trailers for Hollywood (in the 1930- 1940's - 50's ) including Lucille Ball's Long, Long Trailer. My trailering experiences are not so keen, but plenty funny! DS LOVES trailering.. (too bad...)
Then, there are references to Casita / Escape (StealthRabbit). Is it referring to Escape referred in the link above? Something else?
oregonwoodsmoke - Thank you for the suggestions. We will definitely be looking at the used ones as well. More than that, the suggestion to get off-road suspension is really something we need to follow - as that's most critical in our usage.
Thank you for highlighting the need for an adequate tow vehicle (as earlier posters have done as well). Not being particularly knowledgeable about the ins and outs of towing at this point, I have simply been planning on the rule that the GWTR of the vehicle must be at least 1500 lbs more than the the trailer we consider. But, your post (and some of the earlier ones) suggest that this simple rule of thumb might not be adequate. So, how does one tell what's sufficient and what's not (outside of GWTR)?
For the most part, we are coming around to getting something like the F-150 rather than a SUV (which was the earlier plan), so we should be OK with the smallish trailer we expect to buy. But I like to research and inform myself.
I am afraid Arctic Fox is not for us. 20-ft is the max trailer we are interested in, with 16-17 ft closer to what we'd like.
I really like the newer double and triple slide mid sized trailers. You literally have as much room in a 21 foot er as you do in an older 30+ foot trailer.
more tailored to FT RV, but plenty of applicable and very helpful staff.
They used to offer a Bootcamp in Moscow, ID. Great venue! Lots to do nearby.
Thousands of (experienced) people to bounce ideas off of.
A friend in NE WA has a 18' 5th wheel (rare) that was towed behind a F150 for last 25 yrs. He can get into a lot of back-country places. (Such as the Clearwater in ID). 5r has handling features that are a benefit (tight corners / handling), but... you lose cargo space. (He built fiberglass (water proof) pickup bed level storage boxes with changeable compartments for each type of trip.)
I went small. Bought my Taylor Coach Bobbie (12') in 2011. Fully loaded - queen bed/table combo, microwave, 2-burner stove, sink, fridge/freezer, AC, Fantastic Fan, Toilet/Shower combo, TV, stereo, small closet, black & grey & fresh water tanks, bunk which we use for storage. I had the trailer custom widened to 7' to accommodate a real queen sized bed. I've rarely reached out with an issue, but when I do, the person whose hands built my trailer is whom I speak to (or Facebook).
If having to make the bed into a table and visa versa is a big deal for you, this trailer own't work.
Less than 2,000lbs loaded - much smaller vehicles can tow this.
First tow vehicle:
Second tow vehicle:
Same trailer
Go for it!!! I'm 58 now and loving it.
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). So, the local car range doesn’t need to be a lot - and an electric might fit the bill. Who knows what happens to the gas/diesel prices - so, that hedges our bets better as well long term, even though we can afford it either way.
If trailering... I prefer tandem - triple axle. Less bounce, great tracking. 
Stealth the Travel Guy
