No surprise here, but in my continued quest to find the "perfect" TT for our small family I was walking a lot here in Seattle today. As expected, the salesman told me that smaller TT's (under 30') are much more talked about these days. I know for our family, we're now back looking at 25'-28' ultra-light's after briefly flirting with going as big as 33'.
The rising gas costs won't stop me from enjoying camping with my family, but they will modify our purchase. I'm now wanting to find something that has a GVW of 6,000lbs (UVW 4500-5000lbs). I wonder if more people; particularly those who haven't yet purchased, are also wanting to downsize so they can at least tow with a 1/2 ton or large SUV? You have to think the manufacturers are going to be aware of this possible trend.
My wife and I have a 23 footer. On the road I am seeing more small trailers 18' to 23') being pulled by 1/2 ton trucks and some vans. The information I have is that RVing is still very popular and getting bigger because of the cost of hotels as gas goes up so does cost of hotels and motels. All the state parks are full all summer, travelers are staying closer. YES, manufactures are starting to make smaller trailers.
I can tell you from experience that lighter doesn't always matter. We have a Summit 22 ft that weighs 4000 lbs and a 29 ft Holiday Rambler that weighs 6500 lbs. I get the same or BETTER mpg with the much heavier. The HR has much better aerodynamics with enclosed propane tanks (inside the trailer body), a rounded front, and an enclosed underbelly. Don't have a clue as to whether the shock absorbers help. My gut says no, but........
RRUGG
2008 Dodge 2500 QC 4x4 SB Cummins 6 speed auto 3.73
1997 Holiday Rambler 29FK travel trailer
2006 Summit 22RB travel trailer
2003 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport
Bob & Grace professional retirees
Good Sam life members
We started out with an 18' Pioneer, then a 30' TrailLite, then a fifth wheel and now a motor home. The only advantage to the 18' TT was that we could tow it with our 1/2 ton truck without any problems. Our mileage was the best with the 5er and that was the heaviest. The major advantage to a smaller TV is that you get better mileage when not towing, which is 90% of the time for most of us. If you want to save gas/fuel while towing then look at pop-ups and the HiLo trailers.
We had a 19 footer, then 27, didn't make much difference in mileage. We now have a Hi-Lo (22 ft) and there is a difference, towing it we get a slight decrease in mileage. Also, since it is low profile it is a much easier tow than our full size trailers.
In the early seventies, my family of four had a 15 footer which we towed all around the US with a 6-cylinder Ford sedan. Ice box, propane lights, no bathroom. My cousins' family of six when to Alaska with the same type of unit. Lots of fun, many memories, and great gas economy.
I think you'll find that the gas mileage differential between a 6000lb 30 footer and a 4000lb 23 footer isn't signficant, everything else being equal. As RRUGG noted, aerodynamics is much more important than weight when it comes to gas mileage.
The ideal trailer length depends on a lot of things such as layout, whether or not you need dedicated bunks, being able to fit on your favourite campsites, but gas mileage shouldn't be a factor.
That said, we downsized our trailer last fall from a 30 footer to a 25 footer. As our teenage kids are getting older and could no longer fit on the bunks and didn't want to sleep together on the extra double bed (one of them ended up sleeping on the sofa anyway or in a tent) the extra sleeping space in our 30 footer wasn't being used efficiently. So last fall we traded it in for a 25 foot Safari "six sleeper". It's really designed for two but will sleep the four of us using the sofa and dinette. In our case we downsized to get a nicer trailer that tows better and gets better gas mileage (because of better aerodynamics), and that more easily fits on medium sized provincial park campsites. When the kids do come camping with us it only takes a minute to convert the sofa and dinette into a bed (by tossing a sheet and sleeping bag on them). It works well for us because we all go to bed at the same time, but it might not be the best arrangement for families with younger kids.
Gary
2001 Airstream Safari 25SS tugged by 2001 GMC Yukon 5.3L 3.73
Hensley Arrow • Jordan Ultima • Barker 3000 • Mckesh
Guys, there's more to it than fuel economy while towing. Weight does affect fuel economy, but drag is a bigger factor. With that said, my point has to do with the lighter trailers saving money down the road. Smaller TV's get better fuel economy when not towing. A young family like ours shouldn't be looking at a 3/4 ton rig right now. It just doesn't make sense. I smaller, lightweight trailer allows us to pull it with a 1/2 ton and will still able to be towed by the hybrid trucks and SUV's that are coming down the pipe.
This wasn't meant to be an indictment on larger TT's, but rather food for thought for those of us who are in the process of purchasing their first rig. My twins are 2 years are old and the economic picture is cloudy right now. Why on earth should we purchase a 33', 8000lb GVW trailer that will suit us better when the kids are 12?
Bobbyg123, I think you're right. As the price of fuel goes up, I have to believe the size and weight of the travel trailers and their tow vehicles will go down, similar to what's happened in Europe.
I see you're near Seattle. Take a look at the Jayco JayFeathers at Watts RV center in Kent WA. I have had a 25Z JayFeather since 2006, and I think the JayFeathers are one of the best bargains on the market today. It's got a low center-of-gravity with independent torsion-bar suspension, is light-weight and tows as well as my previous Airstream, which is saying a lot. I was thinking about buying another Airstream, but at 1/3 the cost, I got a JayFeather instead and left nothing on the table relative to quality and efficiency.
And as for Watts RV center, well, it's an award-winning dealer that I have found to offer absolutely superior service second to none.
Good luck in your quest. There's a way to accommodate rising fuel prices. I think you're on the right road.
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