I am fairly new here,but not so to camping. We have been camping for about 14 years. First in a tent,then a pop-up,and now a Hybrid. I like some of the aspects of the hybrid,but I dislike more things I think. I was thinking maybe a toyota based RV,but maybe they are too small for a family of four(two young boys). What are the major drawbacks to RV's compared to travel trailers? What should I look for in a RV? What can I expect from a used RV on a smallish budget,after we sell our travel trailer? Any feedback on the Toyota based RV's. Is travelling with an RV,and smaller children a bad idea? I hate trailering by the way. Is it a major hassle to unhook and use the RV as a travel unit for day trips,and such? We wouldn't be doing much day trips as money is tighter now,but we would be doing some. Is a RV a bad idea for a young family with young children? Any input is appreciated.
I may be wrong, but the only Toyota-based RV's (motorhomes) I am aware of are the old "Dolphin" and similar brand ones, most of which were actually too heavy for the chassis. Not to mention that they're OLD - meaning lots of work, repair & upkeep.
In general, a Class C motorhome is a pretty good way to travel with children - especially if you don't want to trailer. You will find, however, that you may want to tow a car for sightseeing, errands, etc., as motorhomes are notorious for bad mileage, and (IMO) it's a huge hassle to unhook everything to leave camp for short trips, then get back to camp, level the rig & hook up all over again. (Been there, done that, have trailered ever since. )
There are still a few of the old Toyota Chinook motorhomes around but they wouldn't be suitable for a family, in my opinion.
The major drawbacks of a motorhome vs. a travel trailer are: Higher cost, more fuel consumption (usually), much higher insurance rates, needing to tow a car (for extended trips, especially). Advantages: With the cabover of a Class C you have more sleeping space than most small trailers and you don't have the hassle of hitching and unhitching (except for your towed vehicle, and it's a lot easier to hitch and unhitch than a trailer). If you tow a very small, economical car, you can leave your MH in the campground and explore an area more economically than in a truck or SUV.
Husband: Derek
Dog: Bucky
RV: 2000 Aerolite 19RB TT
TV: 1996 Chevrolet Blazer 6 cyl. 4WD
This car used to be our toad, now is our TV!
Chris, I had a Toyota based motor home once, but sold it for lack of power, and yes they are small, and there was only two of us.
We use our MH more often for one day outings than long trips, but every body use is different.
They are easy to get underway with the AM when traveling, or any time really, easier than a TT. If you have a full hookup it might take 10 min to drive off, but it depends on how much stuff you have set out.
If your good at fixing little things, and maintaining a truck, you will get along OK with a good used MH.
It will use fuel, so you will have to decide on if you want to spend the money on fuel, but you have trailer camped, and if you liked that, you will really like a MH.
2001 27' Four Winds Class-C E-450 V-10.
Buick Park Ave Ultra, Ford Ranger PU, JD 500 backhoe.
1941 Farm All "A"
depending on what your towing it with i would think the fuel would be your only drawback. i purchased a rv because we needed to pull the jeep. we could not go with a trailer because the jeep could not pull enough weight to get a trailer big enough for the 3 of us and the 2 dogs to be comfortable in. the other reason for the rv is the bathroom. the wife is addicted to those big fountian drinks so whenever we were driving anywhere we would drive for and hour, stop for the bathroom and get another drink, drive for another hour and repeat the process. i could never make any decent time. now with the rv i drive and the wife can get as many drinks and go to the bathroom as many time as she wants and i never have to stop except for fuel. even at 60 mph i make much better time. plus the kid loves to play his xbox on the big tv as we cruise down the road. if you had a trailer you would still have to stop all the time for the bathroom
just my .02
ohh yah i get 8mpg with the rig loaded and a 5k lb jeep on the back.
99 Fourwinds 31QSV Class C and a 04 Jeep Unlimited running E85 ethanol fuel
Well I tow my travel trailer with a full sized van,and we got 8-9 MPG last summer towing it to,and from Lake George,NY. I guess that isn't any better or worse than a RV,and I would have better peace of mind without the anxiety of towing a trailer. My thoughts are maybe a cheap 4 door sedan behind the rig,or nothing at all. I am pretty good at spinning a wrench as i have repaired,restored,and maintained my ever growing fleet of vintage Mazda's,so maintnence on a RV does not scare me. I like the Toyota RV's due to my experience with their trucks in the past,but I have never been in one so I don't know I that I really like them. I had not thought of the bathroom stops that a RV would eliminate. There is nothing I hate more when travelling than the stop for the bathroom/lunch. I am like a camel,and can go forever without stopping.Thanks for the replies,and keep them coming.
Again, the old Toyota Chinooks are TINY and would not fit your family. No bathroom on board either, that I can remember. The larger Chinooks are van-based (not Toyota) and very expensive. The company is once again out of business, so parts might be a problem.
The Toyota-based Dolphins were written up years ago as being too heavy for the chassis, even without any gear on board, and there were apparently a lot of problems with them due to this. Also tended to be quite small, and I wouldn't think too appropriate for a family.
Mazdax605, you are an RVer. You have been RVing for some time. PUPs and TTs are RVs. I think you will like having a motorhome with your kids. They are not cooped up in the back seat of your truck but have a choice of seats in a motorhome and can play games at the dinette or watch TV on the road. The bathroom is also accessable. They shouldn't walk around while driving but wear their seatbelts.
Depending on the size of the MH, you may find you want to tow a car but many people don't. I think it is more of a pain getting the MH ready to drive than disconnecting from the campsite. Parking may be a problem though.
Mazdax605 wrote: Well I tow my travel trailer with a full sized van,and we got 8-9 MPG last summer towing it to,and from Lake George,NY. I guess that isn't any better or worse than a RV,and I would have better peace of mind without the anxiety of towing a trailer. My thoughts are maybe a cheap 4 door sedan behind the rig,or nothing at all. I am pretty good at spinning a wrench as i have repaired,restored,and maintained my ever growing fleet of vintage Mazda's,so maintnence on a RV does not scare me. I like the Toyota RV's due to my experience with their trucks in the past,but I have never been in one so I don't know I that I really like them. I had not thought of the bathroom stops that a RV would eliminate. There is nothing I hate more when travelling than the stop for the bathroom/lunch. I am like a camel,and can go forever without stopping.Thanks for the replies,and keep them coming.
One thing to remember about towing a vehicle behind the MH is that not all cars can be towed with all four wheels down. A tow dolly is an option for those that can't be towed that way. Also depending on the MH, weight of the vehicle can be a concern. Some have 3,500lb hitches while others have 5,000lb (maybe 5,500lb) hitches. just another thing to consider.
Jim
We were like you when we bought an 11 year old nice looking 23 foot Delta Class C for $13K. It turned out to be a money pit and we spent way to much on it in repairs and upgrades. Now I tell newbies not to buy too old or too small. Save your bucks until you can buy a 2-3 year old 27 foot Class C in mint shape with the floor plan and features you want/need at a price you can afford. A few get up to 10mpg, but more usually around 8mpg. Owning a motorhome is a hobby like owning a cabin cruiser, they require maintenance and some handyman skills.
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