hillys
pa
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Hi All We have a 23 foot Coachman and this summer I'm taking a cross country trip from PA to CA with my two teenage kids.
We have two small gas scooters, and bikes but don't know if I should tow our small car instead. I guess the question is ...is it a hassle to tow a car? We plan to visit parks and tour and hike.
Please any advice would be wonderful!
Thanks!
Lisa
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hotbyte
Barnesville GA
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Unless you plan on staying in one location an extended time or visiting several big cities where parking could be an issue, I'd say "not to tow."
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4gone
Mass
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With a 23' coach, you should not have too much trouble parking in most places. If it was a bigger coach I would say differently.
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snowdance
Yreka, Ca
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We have a 23 foot and do not tow. If you get some place and you find a real need for a car you can always rent. We have a few times. Also the more west you come the more farm country so your rig is not bigger than many big pickups ect. You may have to park a ways from where you want to be but the walk after travel is always nice..
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rehoppe
Denver & Nathrop Colo or somewhere else
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We don't Tow with our 29'er, although I've considered the option. Since we tend to Not stay in one place for long, it's doubtful if it would be worth it. Going to add a bicycle maybe for CG use and exercise.
At 23' (I wish), I don't think I'd bother with a toad, especially if doing a Long trip. Maybe something like a bike or scooter for CG use. 23' is not that much longer than my PU, although the extra width is a PITA in "normal" sized parking lots.
We found the parking lots a pain on the trip we took to Canada, Too many crowded 'tourist oriented' stops. Ended up parking on the edge of the towns na walking quite a distance. Fortunately one of our group had a Toy Hauler, so we used their PU to see a couple of places.
Your needs will dictate your eventual decision. It's just not that cut and dried, I'm afraid.
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Hoppe
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tenbear
Northern Vermont, USA
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I tow because I like the convenience of having a car to do my sightseeing in. I don't have to break camp when I go out for the day, The car gets close to 30 mpg, the MH gets less than 10. Its more comfortable driving the car, especially on back roads.
Yes, the expense of setting up to tow is substantial, $2000 to $4000 depending on how much work you do and the dealer's hourly rate.
Try it without and see how it goes.
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mph_medic
Southaven, MS (Outside Memphis, TN)
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We went to the Race last week and towed the camaro behind the RV and It was ok but a pain at the pump.. new year we will be buying some scooters for around camp and God forbid my pride n joy breaks down.. LOL... I do envy you and your trip.. I wish I was able to go back in time and take a trip like that with my kids.. (and know what I know now)... Good luck on your trip and Gods speed...
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crasster
Dallas
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If you have the option of doing an easy tow, I would personally do it. The reason being is that I am one that really likes the security of always being sure that my family will not be stranded. Though roadside assistance does help, there is nothing like having a toad if you break down somewhere. At least then you could drive it to a nearby town while repairs are done on the coach.
The scooters/bikes can sometimes be put on "creatively".
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joeprinter
Fayetteville, NC
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We did a 7500 mile road trip last year, an our car was a blessing. We were able to get out an see things along the way. Are you planning on seeing anything along your route or just going straight through. That would help in making your decision.
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Jim Shoe
Amelia, OH
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If you intend to do sightseeing, I'd say take the toad. If you plan to tour the Black Hills, you won't be able to drive many parts of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Highway. One lap around Yellowstone is 140 miles. The difference in gas cost will pay for a campground for a night. In the Tetons, driving to the top of Signal Mountain wouldn't be much fun. You won't be allowed to drive the Going to the Sun hwy. in Glacier. If you intend to see some cities and towns, parking on the street at meters won't work and neither will parking garages.
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