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Old 09-18-2017, 07:49 PM   #1
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Car Needed Along With Your Coach??

Hi Everyone,

For those who have a coach, how many tow a car? I was looking at a Class B+ (Gemini) and figured the small size will make it easy to disconnect from the site and sight see, shop, etc.

After looking at a few models, I'm now leaning towards the smallest Hurricane. Does anyone camp without a vehicle? If so, do you wish you had one? How many did not have one at first but decided to after a few trips? Neither of my vehicles can be towed and would need to trade one in for a Wrangler....Extra money I do not want to spend right now!

I would be traveling to National Parks as well as areas near major cities. I think most cities would have cabs/Uber but unsure how far rv parks are from downtown areas. I think we may try without a vehicle for a view trips and see how badly one is needed. Bikes will be with us too!

thanks
Nic

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Old 09-18-2017, 08:09 PM   #2
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Have done it both ways, advantages and disadvantages to both. We towed for many years, behind a very large DP we had. It was convenient to always have your car where ever you were, but kind of a PITA to connect, disconnect, and know that reverse might as well not be available with the car back there. Now with the very small, compared, Gemini, we rarely tow, maybe would short distances, but not over grades of any consequence. Since we are usually not camping in remote areas, renting an econobox is fairly painless and easy. Also the Gemini is small enough, that in a real pinch we could always disconnect hookups and use it for supplies etc. Nice thing about the Gemini size, it fits in parking lots and parking spaces.
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Old 09-18-2017, 09:46 PM   #3
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Wow!
While the Missus and I were RV shopping: this was our biggest "Make or Break" issue...
We were looking at the Compass with the side slide-out for the bedroom...
(The exact model is now eluding me... ) Since we're actually motorcyclists who will be hiding their gear in an RV: we thought that it would be cool to trailer our Can Am Spyder behind us...
But the Missus got cold feet at the thought of dragging a trailer everywhere.

So we bought the Outlaw 29H, and load the Spyder in the garage!
Dollar-wise: it worked out to just about the same money.
But we're about 9 feet shorter, than if we had a trailer in tow!

So pick the right "Toad", and find the easiest way to move it!
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Old 09-18-2017, 11:15 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Potvinsux
Neither of my vehicles can be towed and would need to trade one in for a Wrangler....Extra money I do not want to spend right now!
Is either vehicle front-wheel-drive? If so then it most likely can be dolly towed. Granted setup and takedown for a dolly can be a little longer than 4 down but you also have the option of towing just about any FWD car.

We rented for the first season and picked up a dolly. Now we can take either of our cars.

Hmm seems like someone doesn't like a former New York Islander's captain??
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Old 09-18-2017, 11:25 PM   #5
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My wife & I have been wkending & vacationing for 18yrs without a toad. It's really very simple to unplug, pop the quick dis-connect on the hose and be on your way. We had a 31' class C without a slide up until this year.
It wasn't until this year (now that we are retired) that we have been pulling our ford focus. It is nice to be able to take off to sight/destination close by without driving the gas guzzler. And, trying to find parking at said spots.
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Old 09-18-2017, 11:38 PM   #6
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I've done - and still do both...
The toad comes along on long duration trips - or when I know I'll need a vehicle... Most short trips it stays behind - bringing bicycles and small scooter for getting around campground.

I've rented cars in past too - personally rather pull the toad if I know I will need a vehicle.

Nice thing is you can always try renting - and decide to tow later... or find it works fine for you...
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Old 09-18-2017, 11:55 PM   #7
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Hmm seems like someone doesn't like a former New York Islander's captain??
Lol...yeah, hockey season is starting so gotta get into the mood!!


Thanks for all the info! I think we will eventually want to tow but doesn't hurt to try without for now...
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Old 09-19-2017, 12:00 AM   #8
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We did a 5000 mile trip to the midwest this summer and had no toad. We did fine. 23' Gemini brakes down and hooks up in minutes. Parks nearly anywhere. Twenty two non travelling days, shopping, visiting friends and relatives and site seeing. If needed I could have rented a car for a day or two much cheaper than towing.
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Old 09-19-2017, 03:23 PM   #9
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Like others, above, we've done it both ways. Now, if we need a vehicle, we rent one or take a cab and on a few occasions, a local bus and, all things and expenses considered, we think its about a break-even issue. Not having all the issues of hooking up a toad, at our ages of 73 & 70, makes RV'ing much easier. And, some RV resorts and campgrounds offer shuttle services or some attractions that you want to see will also provide shuttle services that are not expensive. A lot will depend on where you go and what you want to do. IMO, I'd say try it for a few trips without a toad, then decide if you really need one.
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Old 09-19-2017, 04:28 PM   #10
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Life is all about compromise and trade offs.
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Old 09-19-2017, 07:19 PM   #11
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Life is all about compromise and trade offs.
Not if you know the right songs to sing!

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Old 09-19-2017, 07:43 PM   #12
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Like most here, we have and do both. I bought a 2 door Used Jeep Wrangler to tow when I think I am going to need it. This weekend we are going to the local mountains for a couple days and are leaving the jeep home but taking our Segways. You can also take bicycles or I have even tossed around buying a a Yamaha TW200 or Suzuki VanVan200 with a bumper rack to save fuel and allow us to travel above the 55 MPH limit the socialist state of Kalifornia place on anyone towing anything.
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Old 09-19-2017, 08:41 PM   #13
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haven't towed anything yet with the MH. Honestly only because everything we own is too heavy.... well actually I need to weigh my wife's new Enclave, but I suspect it is....

We RV mostly weekends/holidays, have done a few week or more trips. This summer 19 days and 5200 miles

all without a toad at all. We go pretty much anyplace...museums, big cities, eating out. No big deal. Sometimes I'll not even hook up at the campground, but usually I'll at least do electric for the AC.... but often not water and just use the onboard system.. fast and easy to unplug, hit a button to retract the awning, press the other buttons to retract the slides....and off we go for a jaunt into town. No big deal....

I suspect for different styles of travel....long term stops staying in one place for a month as an example, having a car would be much nicer.
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Old 09-19-2017, 09:58 PM   #14
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......cut..... Sometimes I'll not even hook up at the campground, but usually I'll at least do electric for the AC.... but often not water and just use the onboard system.. fast and easy to unplug, hit a button to retract the awning, press the other buttons to retract the slides....and off we go for a jaunt into town. No big deal.... .....cut......

I like that, and do similar occassionally.

Over the years I've observed that it takes just as much time to hook-up or un-hook a toad from a motorhome as it does to hook-up or un-hook a compact motorhome from a campsite. From my perspective, unless I was going to take multiple toad trips per campground stay, I'm not going to gain much time by dragging a toad along.

As you said, it comes down to how you travel, and also whether the motorhome is so large that it restricts access to certain places. To me that's key.

We are more travelers than campers, and rarely stay in one campground more than a day or two. Whenever we've needed to go into town for groceries, resteurants, entertainment, etc., we've unhooked and driven the RV (up to 30-foot Class C).

I've towed flat, on dolly, and trailer before (not behind RV though), and can't imagine wanting to do it as part of RVing. I may change my mind down the road as we become older, but for now I really like traveling as nimble as possible.
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Old 09-19-2017, 11:10 PM   #15
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After our first trip without a toad, we now pull one always. 4 down... Instead of planning all shopping and sightseeing around RV parking, we use the RV as home base and sightsee and run errands in the toad. Very convenient. I don't know about trailers or Dolly's...we bought a car that we knew would work well as a toad. Whatever choice you make...enjoy the journey.
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Old 09-20-2017, 10:40 PM   #16
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I would not leave home without either our toad(tan Ford Focus)or our frog(green Fiat 500L). When we go camping either for weekends or month long trips we go to do things in the area. I get to bored if I have to sit around the campground all day.
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Old 09-28-2017, 11:48 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
Not if you know the right songs to sing!

:
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Old 09-29-2017, 02:35 AM   #18
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Our floor plan makes it easy to run in the one slide and be rolling in like 5 minutes, and when we get back it another 5 minutes to settle back in to our site. We've already used a variety of methods from 1) using the MH to go site seeing since it's like driving our Silverado around. 2) we actually put our car on my car hauler and took it for a week down state 3) we rented out west in Vegas for the week as it was easier than dragging one out there and back 4) often times we overnight were we intend to sight see and save on the cost of camping and just walk 5) we carry bicycles much of the time and often can ride or ride to a shuttle stop 6) we took a taxi a few times and decided it was cheaper to rent if more than one or two days of taxi service is needed
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Old 09-29-2017, 03:21 PM   #19
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If there's a music video or movie scene posted in here: you might as well blame me for it!
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Old 09-29-2017, 11:22 PM   #20
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Just got back from the Outer Banks. Pulled a FWD CRV for 800 miles each way on a dolly
. Hardly knew it was back there. Just made sure I planned out gas stops. We've rented or DW has followed behind on shorter trips, but towing made more sense on this trip.
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