I have never towed but have carried our Honda trail bike on a front or rear rack, Friends who are socially-oriented RV'ers always take a toad, do a lot of driving and gabbing with friends going to restaurants and local attractions. We prefer mostly staying at campsites and relaxing. To us convenience and econcmy of not having a toad far outweighs any advantages.
Exception: When you want to take in attractions in places like Boston or San Francisco, there may be shuttle busses from RV parks with city bus or tour bus connections. Renting a small car is another option for special circumstances such as visiting relatives.
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edited 08/07/11 10:03am by Bordercollie *
After traveling 2 years without a Toad in our 24' Class C, we purchased a 2300 pound Mazda Miata to tow. We hated having to tour around in the Class C even though it was a shorter one. It was still HUGE when you are trying to drive it around touring. Finding parking for it was sometimes a problem and in some cases very expensive as we were directed to RV parking lots to the tune of $30 for parking.
Our original purchase of the small Class C was made with the understanding that we wouldn't have to have a Toad. Had we known how much we would dislike driving the Class C around as our only vehicle, we would have bought a larger RV to begin with instead of limiting ourself to the small RV.
We traded that little Class C in this year for a new Class A (still small only 30') but we tow the Miata.
Buying the small RV so we didn't have to have a toad was a learning experience.
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edited 08/07/11 10:40am by rondeb *
I tow a Nissan Pickup. I have the pickup because I need a pickup for so many things. Rigging it so I could tow it was not terribly expensive and I always have the option. The pickup can also tow my boat when I want that option. I think that I would not own a toad just for that purpose. It has to useful on its own as well, IMO.
I still work but had 4 weeks vacation and wanted to go from FL to BC in a Safari Trek and did not want to haul a dingy that far. Bought a Honda Reflex scooter used for $3k, it is a 250 cc and will do 60+ with two on board. I added a cargo box on back of scooter. I then bought a receiver hitch cycle carrier with a ramp ($500 shipped new) and the entire package weighed about 500#, the limit of my hitch. It worked fine and was a better way to tour some of the parks than by car. I could drive to town or store and get supplies and it was as quick to load as a toad, just needed help from wife to push up the ramp while I steadied the handle bars. It is an easy way to make short trips (5 to 10 miles) in uncrowed areas. It actually improved the ride of this RV as it stopped the bouncing effect.
I think your hitch might be rated for 350# and you could get a much smaller scooter and be within weight limits.
If you do a scooter, buy a cover and wrap it up good before taking off as it will get real dirty back there. I have often traveled without a dingy and if I need a car, I look for Enterprise as they will deliver it to you if you are anywhere near one of their locations. You can plan your trip based on this.
I once drove to Yellowstone from FL and rented a car for a week while there, it was far cheaper and much easier than hauling a car all that way....We made some short intermediate stops and did not need car and would buy supplies as we traveled.
I tow a Jeep Wrangler with my "C". For me, the campground isn't the destination. Just where I park while I'm visiting the sights that I came to see. I'm rarely there except at night. So, for parking and convenience in city driving, I like having the toad. If the campground was my destination and I planned to spend my time there, I probably would not tow. It isn't that hard to disconnect from the utilities, but it is an inconvenience to do it every day. Before you spring for a toad and the setup costs, try a trip without a toad and see if you miss it.
Retired and visiting as much of this beautiful country as I can.
To Toad or Not To Toad!.........THAT is the question!
Our family has been RVing since the 60's with a couple of trailers and 4 Class C's under 25'.
I bought our latest class C, a 1991 Tioga model in 2008. Yup, older, but low milage. I put some $ into fixing what it needed and went off for 3 multi month trips/ONE each year so far (2,000-16,000 miles each, without a Toad.)
Getting tired of looking at our fuel bills, so opting now to modify our trips to drive the big one less and to stay longer at each stop.
"YOUR" question of toad or not, has been mine too. I have 'opted' to try it, so we can 'stay longer at each stop/more efficiently'. I have bought the gear and am now setting it all up but 'moving 2 vehicles down the road', is a 'Costly' alternative to driving only ONE car and USING IT for everything. In truth, I do not believe the costs will end up justifying our cost of setting up and towing, but I'm already off the diving board and will write more about it on my blog when I know something. It is ONLY because I want to protect my lifestyle against the possibilities of continued higher fuel prices....so Maybe by next year I will know how this has worked out for us. No doubt, it will take a long time for us to pay for the thousands of dollars of COSTS involved to set up for towing a Toad.
Now....IF you are talking about Convenience, then I would opt ONLY for driving what you brought to the dance! NO TOAD. Learn your rig and how to relax and use it within a comfort range that will grow with you.
"We" never have had a problem without a toad and really LOVE the ability of our 23.5' Class C to be IT! nothing else needed!. We have found parking anytime we needed it and 'sure' we might have had to then walk an extra block or yards further. I can truthfully understand driving a much bigger rig with no problems either.. Much of it, is the driver/not the size of the rig. Towing adds complications and costs/we are now trying it BOTH ways.
Since we live in Florida and really love most of the North and West, part of my plan is to maybe leave our rig out west and unhooking the Toad so we can drive back and forth between Rig to Home....saving gas/travel expenses 'there'.
* This post was
edited 08/07/11 06:06pm by memoryroads *
And the winner is...
(drum roll, please)...
PERSONAL PREFERENCE, as always!
Why be concerned with what OTHER PEOPLE do? Do it YOUR way, for YOUR convenience.
We didn't take the Jeep to the Glacier/Waterton Hamfest this year, because once we are set up in the meadow, we don't go anywhere for the entire three days.
When we go to the draft horse expo at Deer Lodge next month, we WILL take the Jeep, because we will be doing a LOT of running around to the various events, and it will be best to leave the Tioga parked.
Personal preference, pure and simple! There IS no "right" or "wrong"!
CM1, USN (RET)
2002 Fleetwood Southwind 32V, Ford V10
Toad: 2006 Jeep Rubicon LJ
Other toad: '06 PT Cruiser, Kar Kaddy dolly
Toy: 1977 Dodge W100 CC SWB, 3/4 ton axles & springs
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"
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