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Topic: Advise on trading up & a thank you to Bill (Read 10 times) previous topic - next topic
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Advise on trading up & a thank you to Bill
Yahoo Message Number: 114694
First, thank you Bill for the heads up on the LD for sale. We got your call this morning.
 We are in need of some advise.  We have a 1988 22' LD we love and hesitate even to sell him. However, it does not have a generator and this we find we really would like. After reading all the posts with questions about installing one ect..we really would rather start casually looking for one that is a little newer.
 We decided that it would be a good idea to look for one in the 90's with a 460 engine. We did find a nice rig with everything we want but the engine size..which is a Chevy 350 like ours.  For those that have been through this and trading up thing what would be your advise?
 Right now all we do is tow a small fishing boat..but many want to tow a small car later possibly on long trip?? Or does anyone with a 23.5 even need a tow car.

Very confused.

Sherry
Re: Advise on trading up & a thank you to Bill
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114704
Quote
Right now all we do is tow a small fishing boat..but many want to tow a small car later possibly on long trip?? Or does anyone with a 23.5 even need a tow car.
We own a 23.5 and just finished a 7000 mile cross-country trip without a tow car.  Only a couple times did we wish for one.  It would have been nice when in areas with lots to see to set up camp, get the AC on to cool the rig down for sleeping, then take off in a car to see the sights.  We missed a few things rather than break camp to drive to an area close by.  But I don't think it would have been worth it to us to go to the trouble and expense for a toad for those few times.  You have to decide for you which is more important.

Dick
Re: Advise on trading up & a thank you to Bill
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114711
On 7/24/2010 3:29 PM, ss.twilight wrote:

Quote
Or does anyone with a 23.5 even need a tow car.

That depends on what your definition of "need" is.
 When we had our 23.5' TK, we did tow a car.  We often took off once we were set up in a camping spot to drive roads that we would never think of taking any kind of RV on regardless of how small.  We also were most often away from civilization, so calling to rent a car would have been impossible, even assuming we had a cell phone signal.
 We also weren't thrilled with the idea of having to pack up everything inside the rig each time we wanted to run down to the grocery store to pick up a loaf of break...and if we were in an RV park (rarely), that would also have meant unhooking and storing the electrical cord, water hose, and sewer hose.
 Sure, I suppose we could have gotten away without towing a car, but we were in the Lazy Daze for 6 months each year, so towing a car "for us" was pretty much a necessity.  If we'd been just weekend campers, I doubt that we would have gone to the trouble and expense.

Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com/
Linda Hylton
Re: Advise on trading up & a thank you to Bill
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114717
Linda:  Did you have a 460 in your TK? And I would assume at least a 460 is required to pull a toad.
 Joanne: Thanks so so much for the input. We have read many postings regarding adding a generator because we like our rig but after reading all the postings it sounds very expensive and complicated.
 Dick: Yep, I think you are right about only sometimes wishing for a toad.
 I would say my husband is one to just get to the lake and fish and stay there. I however, am an explorer and a very good tourist. I like to go and see things and sometimes when at camp would like to go up to the local museum or town.
 After really thinking about it more. It is the lack of a generator when we are at the lake for a few days than it is the pack up and take the LD into town thing. So I think it only makes sense that if we are looking anyway to just find one with a larger engine.
 One thing I have to comment on is we have not been disappointed in the one we have now. I thought this 350 would be sluggish and it really has been great. Runs smooth and starts every time.  On some mountain roads of course it slows down but it keeps up a steady pace up hill and can also pass other very slow moving vehicles. We have been extremely satisfied with its performance. When we first purchased this LD I posted a couple times with worries regarding mountain driving with this engine. But, those concerns were unfounded.
 Who knows with the fact that it is so hard to find a 23.5 with the options a person wants we could be driving Snooky a very long time. :)

Sherry 1988 MP Snooky
Re: Advise on trading up & a thank you to Bill
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114718
On 7/25/2010 10:11 AM, ss.twilight wrote:
 
Quote
Linda:  Did you have a 460 in your TK? And I would assume at least a 460 is required to pull a toad.

No, our TK was a 2004 with the V-10.

Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com/
Linda Hylton
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114733
I traveled for eight years without towing a car: six in my 22' twin/king and two in my 26.5' midbath. The first five years were vacation trips of three weeks at most, but the next three years were full-time RVing. It certainly can be done, especially in a smaller rig. You just have to plan ahead.
 When moving from one campground to another, I'd stop in town and stock up on propane, gasoline, and groceries; do laundry; visit the post office; and so on. Then I'd plunk down and stay in one spot for a couple of weeks before moving to the next location. I tended to run out of fresh produce after a week or so, but otherwise I did OK, and rarely had to pull up stakes and drive the rig into town between moves.
 As Linda pointed out, traveling without a car (or scooter, motorcycle, etc.) definitely has limitations. For me the biggest one was the places I didn't get to go--unless of course I was with friends who had a car and were willing to give me a lift. I missed seeing a lot of local attractions, because it was simply too much trouble to break camp for a day trip.
 A year and a half ago I finally bought a car (see "Having a Fit," http://www.andybaird.com/travels/skylarking/2009/fit.htm>), and it certainly has broadened my horizons... as well as making it easy to drive into town for laundry, mail, or fresh salad greens :-)
 As I said, you can go either way, and I've done both. It's all a question of which tradeoffs you're willing to make.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114748
Andy is right on on this one.  How and why you travel in your LD makes a big difference in the need for a toad.  We have a 2000 26.5 MB and have never toad.  The first several years we made trip after trip across country mainly to visit parents and kids.  When traveling each day, solar was not a requirement, an ocassional overnight at a super-wal-mart made restocking easy and transportation was almost always available at the destination.  We only missed having a toad when staying a few days at neat locations, and rented a car a few times for local siteseeing.  The gas savings, even if only 1 mile/gallon is rather substantial when traveling this way.
 These days we use our LD mainly to attend music festivals, usually staying for a week or so at each location.  Again, as long as you plan ahead a little, no real need for a toad, but now solar becomes very desireable, so we recently added 200 W of solar.
 While our last vechicle purchase was a Chevy HHR (towable 4 down with automatic), so far we haven't set it up to tow.  Maybe some day, but so far, an occasional car rental has worked for us.

Rich Gort - 2000 MB - Birch Bay, WA
Former 2000 MB- Now Bullet Crossfire 1800RB trailer pulled by a Chevy 2500HD
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114749
Quote
While our last vechicle purchase was a Chevy HHR (towable 4 down with automatic), so far we haven't set it up to tow.  Maybe some day, but so far, an occasional car rental has worked for us.
Rich Gort - 2000 MB - Birch Bay, WA
I tow my HHR with my 30 IB, no problem, hardly know it's back there.

Jerry in Simi Valley 2000 30 IB
Jerry Galang
Meridian, ID 83646
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114754
We tend to move from place to place quite frequently
Paul
2010 MB (2011-present)                                                                                        
1994 Multiplan (1997-2010)
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114774
Andy:
 Am I correct that you can not tow a toad with a Chevy 350? But have to go to a larger engine. And the posting regarding the F350 & F450 are Ford engines..right?

Also, I made two other postings yesturday. One was
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114783
"Am I correct that you can not tow a toad with a Chevy 350?"
 It can be done, but most people here who have experience with the Chevy 350 agree that it lacks the power to safely pull anything over about 1,000 pounds. If you have a King Midget or a Crosley in the garage, you *might* get away with it. Otherwise, I'd say no.

"Do you know if they were reviewed and not posted for a reason..."

See my recent message about Yahoo's clogged pipes.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114785
On 7/26/2010 7:44 AM, ss.twilight wrote:
 
Quote
And the posting regarding the F350&  F450 are Ford engines..right?

No, they are not engines.
 The designations "F-350" and "F-450" (as well as "F-150" and "F-250") are ones Ford uses for their pickup trucks...basically the chassis...and has nothing whatsoever to do with what type of engine is in the vehicle.
 For example, the F-350 pickup can have a gas engine or a diesel engine (as can the F-250).  The F-450, however, comes with just a diesel engine and the F-150 comes with just a gas engine.

Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com/
Linda Hylton
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114806
I have a "modern" 350 - one of the TBI (Throttle Body Injection) versions, but the motor is weak sauce.  Any time I'm climbing Snoqualmie pass on I90 or over the Siskyous on I5 it's 45-50 mph
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114812
On Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:09, Rich Gort  wrote:

Quote
How and why you travel in your LD makes a big difference in the need for a toad. we made trip after trip across country mainly to visit parents and kids.
When traveling each day, solar was not a requirement These days we use our LD mainly to attend music festivals
You are so correct Rich. I sometimes lose focus of the fact that we are quite unusual in how we use our rig. We travel for months at a time. Never to visit family or friends, only to see mountains, rivers and holes in the ground.

We did a survey a year or so ago on how people used their rigs. I think only 15% of us used their rig more than five months a year.
 So you are in the mainstream, a user who takes week long trips a few times a year.

The need for a toad or solar or a lot of other things which are critical to us you don't need or can get by without.

I will try to keep in mind when someone asks if they need a toad or solar to ask what lifestyle they are trying to achieve before responding, as the interests and needs of the typical user and the heavy user are quite different.  But we are on the same Yahoo group.

Cheers, Don
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy
 
Re: Traveling with a toad
Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114816
"I will try to keep in mind when someone asks if they need a toad or solar to ask what lifestyle they are trying to achieve before responding, as the interests and needs of the typical user and the heavy user are quite different."
 Don, you make an excellent point. Because I'm a fulltimer, I sometimes unconsciously fall into the trap of making recommendations that are more appropriate for long-term travelers such as you and me than for the more common two or three week vacationer. I'll try to keep your sage advice in mind in the future. :-)

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"