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03-31-2016, 07:14 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Solo Rvers Club
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,834
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Chances are you will "learn" with setup #1 and setup #2 or #3 will be the "it" one. Personally I started with a SUV + 22' light weight trailer, then moved to a 29' Class C + small car, and finally settled with 30' Class A + small SUV.
For long term RVing , having to pack your "house" to move it whenever you want to leave where you are camping will be a real pain for you. I think you will want a tow vehicle + travel trailer or a RV + towed vehicle.
If full-timing, chances are you will be parked for days at a time in certain places and its really a pain to pack up the RV to move it, so things don't fly everywhere when you want to take a trip to the grocery store, visit attractions, etc. I think you will want transportation such that you can leave the camper parked.
Some options:
1. Pull a light weight travel trailer with a SUV or small truck. If you keep the length of the TT at about 22 feet or so then it's not too stressful to travel with. Backing a TT can be quite a learning curve to climb, though.
2. Large pickup truck + pickup camper trailer. The pickup camper can have jacks and be lifted off the pickup truck so that you can drive the truck and leave the camper trailer at your campsite. I had a single friend that had this setup and traveled for months at a time with this. She had a crew cab pickup and was able use the back of the pickup cab for a lont of additional storage and pet space when traveling.
3. Get a Class A or Class C RV and pull a small car or SUV such as a Honda Fit or Honda HR-V. Generally, Class As and Class Cs can tow up to a 5,000 weight vehicle.
Shopping at a large RV dealer to get ideas would be a good idea. Renting as was suggested would help you see how good a fit things are too.
Good luck.
__________________
Randy - Manhattan, Kansas
2015 Vista 27N
2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
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03-31-2016, 07:16 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Western Washington
Posts: 213
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You might check out this Forum A Women's RV Forum run by Women RVer's! • Index page
Quite a few of the women rv'ing are solo's and full time in everything from a teardrop to large class A's. They are a real supportive bunch and could give you some insights and tips.
__________________
2017 Leisure Travel Vans Unity CB
2013 Honda CR-V
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03-31-2016, 09:42 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Arizona
Posts: 335
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I'm pulling a '16 Keystone Cougar 30RLI 36' TT with a '16 Chevy 2500HD Diesel. Plenty of room not that bad pulling.
Sent from my iPad using iRV2 - RV Forum
__________________
[FONT=Calibri]2021 GMC 3500 Dually[FONT]
2021 Grand Design 320 G Toy Hauler / 2023 Winnebago Solis Class B
321 SMW/321 OMMS Grand Forks AFB, ND '78 to '87
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04-03-2016, 09:55 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: CLEARWATER, FLORIDA
Posts: 1,052
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I think someone else here has already touched on this, but you can rent a car occasionally for shopping, etc. for much less than the costs associated with the car, insurance, towing equipment and the like. That leaves you with the freedom of driving around with the "tail" wagging your dog (or cats).
Then get the coach that fits you, whatever the size or type. You seem to be pretty capable, so you can learn to drive the thing. There are driving schools and classes to help with that, too.
Go for it, and keep in mind that you can change things later once you know how things feel.
Tom
__________________
Tom & Jan ---- Westwing43 (RVM28)
2008 NEWMAR MOUNTAIN AIRE 4528
Pulling a 2014 CHEVY CAPTIVA
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04-03-2016, 10:02 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Grapevine, Tx
Posts: 5,633
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Get a Class A toy hauler and put a Smart Car in the back. And quit letting the animals run your life. They'll be fine with whatever you get.
__________________
2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS W20 - SOLD!
ReadyBrute Elite towing a 2017 Ford Edge Sport
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04-03-2016, 10:18 PM
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#20
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 949
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F4Gary
Get a Class A toy hauler and put a Smart Car in the back. And quit letting the animals run your life. They'll be fine with whatever you get.
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Phantom drivers can be harsh, but Gary has a good point (in a different age, we'd hook our "rigs" together at 340 mph and exchange fluids).
Really, your cats and dog will love you, even if you opt for a B, which none of us would recommend for full-timing.
He strikes gold with the car thing: whether you haul it in the garage (the litter boxes can be kept there), or towing it. A single woman -- you won't be for long, being this self-reliant -- won't mind the smaller amount of living space inherent to toy haulers.
The Catch 22 is, you can't full time in a rig that can be used as a car; and, you need a car if you have a rig that can't be used to run up the street for milk and toilet paper.
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04-04-2016, 06:32 AM
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#21
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Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Hotsprings, Ar
Posts: 298
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My two cents would be a A or C and ask the dealer to let you drive both to make sure you feel comfortable.
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04-04-2016, 07:59 AM
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#22
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 363
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I am not going to suggest an RV type - everyone else has already covered that. But I can't stress strongly enough that you need some kind of second vehicle for local travel.
Yes I know you can get around town in a Sprinter-sized RV. BUT every time you go somewhere you are unhooking (and then re-hooking) all of your utilities. I did that for about four trips. No thanks!
Some folks have mentioned a scooter or motorcycle. Okay for running around on a sunny day, but what happens when you need to go to the store and it is raining? Remember, you are talking about full-timing - there are some parts of your life that don't change, and running errands is one of them.
Long story short, whether you tow a small car (ours is a Chevy Captiva) with a Class C or Class A or your pull a travel trailer or fifth wheel with an SUV or a pick-up, you will want an enclosed 4 wheel vehicle for local transportation.
__________________
Don Simmons
2006 Winnebago Voyage 33V Pushed by a 2014 Chevrolet Captiva
Visit us at Travels With Linda
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04-04-2016, 08:07 AM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,797
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This is true, to a point. And, the point is what level of inconvenience you are willing to accept to use the RV as a car. We trailer an autocross car to out of town events, and sometimes stop along the way to see the sights. The car is not street driven, so we use our 29 ft. Class A motorhome and accept the slight inconvenience. I'm familiar with scouting or parking places and other access, and it's almost second nature. We have done this for 18 years and four different motorhomes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RVNeophytes2
.....The Catch 22 is, you can't full time in a rig that can be used as a car; and, you need a car if you have a rig that can't be used to run up the street for milk and toilet paper.
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__________________
George Schweikle Lexington, KY
2005 Safari (Monaco)Trek 28RB2, Workhorse W20, 8.1, Allison 1000 5 spd, UltraPower engine & tranny, Track bars & sway bars, KONI FSD, FMCA 190830, Safari Int'l. chapter. 1999 Safari Trek 2830, 1995 Safari Trek 2430, 1983 Winnebago Chieftain, 1976 Midas Mini
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04-04-2016, 02:23 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,774
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Going on trips is much different without a car than living in the RV 365 days a year for years.
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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