I am planning on going full time in approximately 5 years. Instead of focusing on the myriad of things I need to do to accomplish this, I am dreaming about what type of rig I should get. This is my current rig:
I love my little rig but it may be too little to full time in. I do know others who are doing so. One of the drawbacks is that it does not have a bath room. One option I though about was to tow the trailer with one of the Roadtraks:
If I decide to buy a bigger trailer, I have my eye on a small 5th wheel. Below is an example of what I am interested in. It is a fiberglass 5th wheel made by Escape Trailers in Canada:
This company is coming out with a slightly larger version next year.
The above three options are appealing because I would have a separate tow vehicle to use.
Now on to motorhomes. I would like to keep the overall length less than 30 feet with 24 to 26 as the ideal. I am considering a Class B but am slowly coming to the conclusion that it like my current trailer does not have enough room. The Class C that I am interested in is the Winnebago View:
I like this layout since it has a corner bed an its length is 24 feet. I will also investigate other manufactures who have a corner bed.
Finally, Class A. These are the two that I am looking at:
The Via:
This now has a corner bed option.
And the Bay Star by Newmar:
The drawback to the motorhomes other than the Class B is that I do not want to have a toad at least initially. Other option are a scooter or rent a car as needed.
The reason I am posting this is that now that I have my thoughts down in writing, I will move on to the things that I need to do. I am also interested in other peoples opinions or recommendations. I am not looking for anyone to make the decision for me but recognize that others have done this before me and I can learn from them.
Thanks
SnowGypsy said
01:28 AM Nov 2, 2013
Welcome! I recognized that teardrop right off! I've seen them online and if I had one, I don't know if I could give it up. Looks like you have chosen the best ideas in each category but that will make the decision even harder. I'm some what familiar with Escape and know they are coming out with another 5th, a hair bigger and you would be looking at much better gas mileage with something that light and the lighter tow vehicle. I guess gas and where you'll be traveling as in how convenient the size will be for the area or the strength of the engine to climb the mountains will be. Gosh, I could be happy with any of your options!
Krashqueen55 said
01:28 AM Nov 2, 2013
All look good! Have fun!
GENECOP said
02:41 AM Nov 2, 2013
All look like good options....do check out LTV, a Company out of Canada that hits all the smaller categories, they merged with Triple E about a year ago and are much better than Winnebago...check it out....welcome to the Forum....
Jimmy and Janis said
01:23 PM Nov 2, 2013
I would go with the small 5th wheel option since you said you didn't want a toad. We have a Toyota motorhome and it's great on gas but when you want to sight see it's a bit of a hassle.
Lucky Mike said
02:16 PM Nov 2, 2013
Welcome!!!!
I guess what you travel with will depend on your needs and lifestyle , the areas in which you plan to travel and the budget you have to work with over all.
as far as towing a Vehicle or towing a trailer , I would think there isnt much of a difference its either up front pulling your home or its in the rear of your home being pulled either way it would have to be disconnected....I find having a towed gives me an advantage when I need it.....being able to pull into a parking area and separating to go do something where the coach cant go and not making it obvious that I just dropped my trailer to go do it.
I have carried a scooter it was great........I always carry a bike
what you travel with will be a personal preference in the end .......so many choices each having there own merits!!!
kb0zke said
12:26 AM Nov 3, 2013
Many years ago I read (and re-read, several times) Wall Byam's book Trailer Travel Here and Abroad and remembered that his recommendation was for the trailer to weigh less than the tow vehicle. While brakes and suspensions have improved greatly since that book was written, I still like the idea of the towed vehicle weighing less than the tow vehicle. To my mind that combination reduces the chance of the trailer trying to drive the tow vehicle.
Early in our research we realized that, as full-timers, we were going to have something towing something else, no matter what we picked. I suspect that you will end up with the same idea, too.
I'm wondering about your reasons for wanting to buy your full-time rig five years before you will need it. You have something that you are happy with now, so why not keep using that while you research? Full-time living, by all accounts, is much different that vacationing. For one thing, you will need to take everything with you all the time, unless you have some sort of home base somewhere. Storage space needs increase greatly, as does the cargo carrying capacity for it. I've heard up to 2,000 pounds per person is necessary. You sound like more of a minimalist, so you will probably get by with much less than that, but it is still a consideration.
My suggestion would be to look at your "mission profile" first, and let that guide you to the right full-time rig. How many people and pets will be living in the rig? Are you going to stay in one place for weeks or months at a time, or will you be moving frequently? Will you "chase 70 degrees" or will you spend time in hot or cold places? All of these questions, and many more, will help you decide on the type of rig.
Another big area is quality. We have some friends who purchased a new diesel pusher motor home for a full-time coach. After less than a year they realized that the quality just wasn't there, so they traded it for a 10-year-old Foretravel. Many full-timers feel that a used higher quality coach is a better choice than a new lower quality one, even if the price is the same.
Enjoy the research phase. Ask lots of questions. Get on some brand-specific owners' forums for brands that you are considering and ask specific questions about how well that brand will work for you. Find out how much influence the factory has on that forum, and also how much attention they pay to it. While we were researching I probably should have had as my sig file "I'd rather ask a thousand questions before writing a large check than ask the same question a thousand times afterward" because I did ask lots of questions.
jfocallag said
12:48 AM Nov 3, 2013
Thank you all for your comments. GENECOP, I will add Leisure Travel Vans to my list of manufacturers. David, I will not be buying my fulltime rig until I am ready to go full time. I will be enjoying my current rig until then. My reason for posting is that it is much more fun to shop for a new rig than it is to do the really hard work that is necessary to go full time like getting rid of stuff. I thought if I put this out there, I might be more motivated to do the other stuff. A mission profile is a good idea. I am all for buying a quality preferably used rig and have a lot of time to look.
Again, thanks for all your comments.
Technomadia said
06:51 AM Nov 3, 2013
First of all.. welcome!
Your progression of possible rigs strikes right at home for us.
We started full timing in a 16' T@b teardrop trailer pulled by a Jeep. Yup, two of us - in a tiny trailer, for a year. No bathroom, no A/C, no fridge. It was fun.
Our second full timing RV was a 17' fiberglass egg by Oliver Travel Trailer. We did that for 3 years.
When we decided we were ready for something larger, the ~26' Class As came on our radar too - many of the sames ones you're considering.
We ultimately however decided to go bus conversion, and ended up in a 35' 1961 vintage model.. and we're loving it.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that anything can be made to work for full timing. And nothing wrong at all with mixing it up as you go along and adjust your RV to your travel style. We loved all of our setups, and they fit different times of our journey.
- Cherie
jfocallag said
11:25 AM Nov 3, 2013
Thanks Cherie. I follow your blog and will eventually be investigating how to stay connected to internet particularly if I decide to continue to work. You can't stand up in my little rig but it does have an air conditioner, furnace, solar panel, refrigerator and I get 22 to 25 MPG towing with the Forester. Unlike some other teardrops, the front has a little sofa which is quite comfortable for those Oregon rainy days. I actually went camping over New Years last year and was quite snug. I may end up following your path: live in the my current trailer for a year or two and then upgrade. I really prefer the state parks and federal camp grounds but would like to try my hand at boondocking which is why I want to stay with a smaller rig. What I do in 5 years will depend a lot on my finances and physical abilities.
Oh well, back to purging!
-- Edited by jfocallag on Sunday 3rd of November 2013 12:03:22 PM
I am planning on going full time in approximately 5 years. Instead of focusing on the myriad of things I need to do to accomplish this, I am dreaming about what type of rig I should get. This is my current rig:
I love my little rig but it may be too little to full time in. I do know others who are doing so. One of the drawbacks is that it does not have a bath room. One option I though about was to tow the trailer with one of the Roadtraks:
If I decide to buy a bigger trailer, I have my eye on a small 5th wheel. Below is an example of what I am interested in. It is a fiberglass 5th wheel made by Escape Trailers in Canada:
This company is coming out with a slightly larger version next year.
The above three options are appealing because I would have a separate tow vehicle to use.
Now on to motorhomes. I would like to keep the overall length less than 30 feet with 24 to 26 as the ideal. I am considering a Class B but am slowly coming to the conclusion that it like my current trailer does not have enough room. The Class C that I am interested in is the Winnebago View:
I like this layout since it has a corner bed an its length is 24 feet. I will also investigate other manufactures who have a corner bed.
Finally, Class A. These are the two that I am looking at:
The Via:
This now has a corner bed option.
And the Bay Star by Newmar:
The drawback to the motorhomes other than the Class B is that I do not want to have a toad at least initially. Other option are a scooter or rent a car as needed.
The reason I am posting this is that now that I have my thoughts down in writing, I will move on to the things that I need to do. I am also interested in other peoples opinions or recommendations. I am not looking for anyone to make the decision for me but recognize that others have done this before me and I can learn from them.
Thanks
I guess what you travel with will depend on your needs and lifestyle , the areas in which you plan to travel and the budget you have to work with over all.
as far as towing a Vehicle or towing a trailer , I would think there isnt much of a difference its either up front pulling your home or its in the rear of your home being pulled either way it would have to be disconnected....I find having a towed gives me an advantage when I need it.....being able to pull into a parking area and separating to go do something where the coach cant go and not making it obvious that I just dropped my trailer to go do it.
I have carried a scooter it was great........I always carry a bike
what you travel with will be a personal preference in the end .......so many choices each having there own merits!!!
Many years ago I read (and re-read, several times) Wall Byam's book Trailer Travel Here and Abroad and remembered that his recommendation was for the trailer to weigh less than the tow vehicle. While brakes and suspensions have improved greatly since that book was written, I still like the idea of the towed vehicle weighing less than the tow vehicle. To my mind that combination reduces the chance of the trailer trying to drive the tow vehicle.
Early in our research we realized that, as full-timers, we were going to have something towing something else, no matter what we picked. I suspect that you will end up with the same idea, too.
I'm wondering about your reasons for wanting to buy your full-time rig five years before you will need it. You have something that you are happy with now, so why not keep using that while you research? Full-time living, by all accounts, is much different that vacationing. For one thing, you will need to take everything with you all the time, unless you have some sort of home base somewhere. Storage space needs increase greatly, as does the cargo carrying capacity for it. I've heard up to 2,000 pounds per person is necessary. You sound like more of a minimalist, so you will probably get by with much less than that, but it is still a consideration.
My suggestion would be to look at your "mission profile" first, and let that guide you to the right full-time rig. How many people and pets will be living in the rig? Are you going to stay in one place for weeks or months at a time, or will you be moving frequently? Will you "chase 70 degrees" or will you spend time in hot or cold places? All of these questions, and many more, will help you decide on the type of rig.
Another big area is quality. We have some friends who purchased a new diesel pusher motor home for a full-time coach. After less than a year they realized that the quality just wasn't there, so they traded it for a 10-year-old Foretravel. Many full-timers feel that a used higher quality coach is a better choice than a new lower quality one, even if the price is the same.
Enjoy the research phase. Ask lots of questions. Get on some brand-specific owners' forums for brands that you are considering and ask specific questions about how well that brand will work for you. Find out how much influence the factory has on that forum, and also how much attention they pay to it. While we were researching I probably should have had as my sig file "I'd rather ask a thousand questions before writing a large check than ask the same question a thousand times afterward" because I did ask lots of questions.
Again, thanks for all your comments.
Your progression of possible rigs strikes right at home for us.
We started full timing in a 16' T@b teardrop trailer pulled by a Jeep. Yup, two of us - in a tiny trailer, for a year. No bathroom, no A/C, no fridge. It was fun.
Our second full timing RV was a 17' fiberglass egg by Oliver Travel Trailer. We did that for 3 years.
When we decided we were ready for something larger, the ~26' Class As came on our radar too - many of the sames ones you're considering.
We ultimately however decided to go bus conversion, and ended up in a 35' 1961 vintage model.. and we're loving it.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that anything can be made to work for full timing. And nothing wrong at all with mixing it up as you go along and adjust your RV to your travel style. We loved all of our setups, and they fit different times of our journey.
- Cherie
Thanks Cherie. I follow your blog and will eventually be investigating how to stay connected to internet particularly if I decide to continue to work. You can't stand up in my little rig but it does have an air conditioner, furnace, solar panel, refrigerator and I get 22 to 25 MPG towing with the Forester. Unlike some other teardrops, the front has a little sofa which is quite comfortable for those Oregon rainy days. I actually went camping over New Years last year and was quite snug. I may end up following your path: live in the my current trailer for a year or two and then upgrade. I really prefer the state parks and federal camp grounds but would like to try my hand at boondocking which is why I want to stay with a smaller rig. What I do in 5 years will depend a lot on my finances and physical abilities.
Oh well, back to purging!
-- Edited by jfocallag on Sunday 3rd of November 2013 12:03:22 PM