RE: 3,500 max tow capacity.
Remember the eight magic words of why we RV. "The hair in the shower drain...is mine".
I've RVd for many years - more than half of those with a towable that would meet the OP's requirement for being towable by a 3500-lb-rated tow vehicle. The only bath facility was a porta-potti. Does it really matter if the hair in the shower belongs to a previous campground guest, or a previous Marriott or Hilton guest?
Paul
It was an attempt at humour. And now you know why I have a day job. Be nice now. :)
I eventually upgraded to a RV (first 20ft then 23ft) with a dry bath, and it's a huge luxury - I don't mean to dismiss that. I've spent thousands of nights in motels so I know the feeling of unwanted remnants of past guest in motel rooms, but that does happen somewhat less in medium or higher-priced motels vs. the very low-priced ones.
When I started RVing, gas was in the $.60 range, and when I bought that last RV, many years later, it was in the $1.20 range. Not long after, it shot up to well over $2, and now not too many years later it's $4 in many/most places. I do think that changes the desirability of an RV as strictly a transportation substitute for a drive down I95. Absolutely, you can do things with an RV, for example in terms of staying economically in/near national and state parks, especially out west where distances are generally greater. And the experience is undeniably more pleasant in some ways. But the relative economics of an RV where the primary purpose is simply travel from one point to another (as in this case) have taken a huge, huge hit in the last decade or so.
Paul
RE: 3,500 max tow capacity.
Remember the eight magic words of why we RV. "The hair in the shower drain...is mine".
I've RVd for many years - more than half of those with a towable that would meet the OP's requirement for being towable by a 3500-lb-rated tow vehicle. The only bath facility was a porta-potti. Does it really matter if the hair in the shower belongs to a previous campground guest, or a previous Marriott or Hilton guest?
Paul
RE: 3,500 max tow capacity.
When you say "working my way down south and back", where are you traveling to/from? Honestly for a 2 week trip, 4 weeks a year - just use motels. Are you doing some specific activities on these trips that makes an RV appealing?Paul
OP Quote: "In our pursuit of fine tuning our snowbird lifestyle"
Average length of stay of a Snowbird is around 4 months.
Average per month CG rate = $400 x 4 = $1,600.00
120 days in one of the 'now rundown', 'bed bug infested', chain motels at $100 a night = $12,000.00
That's why! :B
Not to mention that IS why we bought an RV.
Apparently you missed this part of the OP:
All we need is a TT for 2-4 (max) weeks down south and then back. We have a place once we get there for long term.
My point is that for 2 2-week trips annually, you can stop at very nice motels for far less than the price of an RV. And when you limit yourself to towing to a 2000lb-ish towable, you aren't exactly talking about luxury accommodations - maybe not even with your own bath facilities.
Paul
RE: 3,500 max tow capacity.
When you say "working my way down south and back", where are you traveling to/from? Honestly for a 2 week trip, 4 weeks a year - just use motels. Are you doing some specific activities on these trips that makes an RV appealing?
Paul
RE: What speed does one drive a "B"?
nice to know they will go that fast. what I would like to know is do they stop all the well in a hurry?
I think you'd get more helpful responses if you explained what your point of reference is. Stopping "well and in a hurry" is relative.
Paul
RE: Gas Mileage (newbie)
We had a 23.5x7.5ft. "lite" TT, and with a 5.3L xcab silverado, could usually get close to 11mpg at 60mph or less. With the 3.42 it would only run in 4th under optimal conditions; I expect the new 6speeds are better in that regard.
I can't see towing a trailer like you have without WD hitch on the trailblazer, and I'm not convinced the problems with the setup can't be fixed.
The success you had with your previous trailer was due to aerodynamics.
Paul
