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Old 01-29-2013, 06:07 PM   #1
gregsimard
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HELP! please, truck and trailer vs a van

I don`t know if anyone can help me but I have a dilemma. My wife and I bought a truck and 24 foot trailer as we plan an extended trip throughout Canada and the U.S,. We agreed on the truck-trailer, but now my wife is having second thoughts. She thinks we should just get a van for occasional sleeping (when we get stuck in the middle of nowhere). and stay in hotels the rest of the time. I figure there are an awful lot of you people who travel with a trailer,so could someone please tell me why and the advantages. I mentioned we would have to purchase some accessories for the trailer, as they are not just hookup and go. My wife feels we are going to nickle and dime ourselves with a trailer. I know this is not a dear Abbey forum, but there must be some good reasons why you all have trucks and trailers. Thanks in advance for any help in this matter.
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Old 01-29-2013, 06:35 PM   #2
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Probably the biggest argument for the truck/trailer I can think of is space and comfort. You can drop it at a camp site and use that as a home base until you decide to move on to a new location. While on the way to a new location, you can stop at some Walmarts and "turtle" (just use the bed to sleep, without fully setting things up) in the parking lot. You'll have a refrigerator to keep your food cold, stove to cook with, and a furnace to keep you warm, and depending on the model a bathroom so you don't have to head to the bath house in the middle of the night.

As far as equipment goes, you probably already own 90%+ of the items you'd need to take on a trip. The only specialty items that come to mind that you'll need are something to level the trailer, wheel chocks, a power adapter (for when you don't have a 30A circuit at your site), a fresh water hose and regulator, and a sewer hose with elbow. You can probably get all of that for around $100, although there are definitely ways to spend more if you're not careful. You can raid your house for flashlights, sheets/blankets, pots and pans, plates, utensils, games, books, emergency toolkit, a level and whatnot. A lot of people wind up buying dedicated equipment for their trailer, but you don't *have* to if you don't want or can't afford to.

You'll likely be camping in more scenic locations than most hotel/motels can provide.

Unless the van is set up as a Class-B motorhome or something like the old VW Vanagons, a van is really designed for transportation and not (intentional) overnighting. There's going to be no furnace, fridge or stove. There's going to be no storage for your gear. You'll likely be spending more on hotel/motel rooms than you would on campsites. You'll likely be eating out more, which is both more expensive and generally less healthy than fixing it yourself.

If the van *is* set up for camping, you'll have to disconnect power, pull in the awning and pack everything up inside to go anywhere. My father-in-law has a Class-B motorhome that we borrowed a few times before getting our first trailer a few years back, and that was my biggest complaint with it.

I'm sure there are others, but those are the only ones I can come up with at the moment.

EDIT
-----

You can spend a lot of money on leveling systems for your trailer, but you don't have to. You can make your own leveling blocks, especially if you have some scrap wood. I like the second one on this page: http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f6...lers-8448.html (sorry for linking to another forum, couldn't find another example). If you don't have the necessary skills or tools, Lynx Levelers in the list below are probably the next best option.

Here's a list of what I think are the absolute minimum essentials: http://www.amazon.com/lm/R2UVTY8JMJAACY

These DIY leveling airbags look interesting, but I'm not sure how stable the trailer would be when sitting on top nor how puncture resistant they'd be: .
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Old 01-29-2013, 06:45 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twstdpear View Post
Probably the biggest argument for the truck/trailer I can think of is space and comfort. You can drop it at a camp site and use that as a home base until you decide to move on to a new location. While on the way to a new location, you can stop at some Walmarts and "turtle" (just use the bed to sleep, without fully setting things up) in the parking lot. You'll have a refrigerator to keep your food cold, stove to cook with, and a furnace to keep you warm, and probably a bathroom so you don't have to head to the bath house in the middle of the night.

As far as equipment goes, you probably already own 90%+ of the items you'd need to take on a trip. The only specialty items that come to mind that you'll need are something to level the trailer with (some use 2x6's), wheel chocks, a power adapter (for when you don't have a 30A circuit at your site), a fresh water hose and regulator, and a sewer hose with elbow. You can probably get all of that for less than $100, although there are definitely ways to spend more if you're not careful. You can raid your house for sheets/blankets, pots and pans, plates, games, books, emergency toolkit, a level and whatnot. A lot of people wind up buying dedicated equipment for their trailer, but you don't *have* to if you don't want or can't afford to.

You'll likely be camping in more scenic locations than most hotel/motels can provide.

Unless the van is set up as a Class-B motorhome or something like the old VW Vanagons, a van is really designed for transportation and not (intentional) overnighting. There's going to be no furnace, fridge or stove. There's going to be no storage for your gear. You'll be spending more on hotel/motel rooms than you would on campsites. You'll likely be eating out more, which is both more expensive and generally less healthy than fixing it yourself.

If the van *is* set up for camping, you'll have to disconnect power and pack everything up to go anywhere. My father-in-law has a Class-B motorhome that we borrowed a few times before getting our first trailer a few years back, and that was my biggest complaint with it.

I'm sure there are others, but those are the only ones I can come up with at the moment.
X2 plus, and this is big! You know who slept in that bed last night!!! In todays world that is huge for me. The videos available on bio material on hotel linens and the mere suggestion of bed bugs gnawing on me keeps me away from hotels.
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Old 01-29-2013, 07:23 PM   #4
Ken / Claudia
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Not much else to say in favor of the truck/trailer. This is my big list, you buy,cook, eat food you want when you want and use your bathroom when you need to. Sleeping in a bed you own is also big for me. I even used my RV for the last 10 years of work when traveling, I was given a state CC to pay for food and lodging. But, used my stuff instead and they paid me back for fuel. The only motel/hotels I would want to stay in cost to much.
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Old 01-29-2013, 07:47 PM   #5
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Totally agree with everything the other members have shared.
We decided to purchase our truck and trailer because we love to spend time in the mountains. We got tired of driving back and forth to trailheads - makes for some really long days. Now we take our accommodations along with us instead. Have loved every minute of it and then some. The night skies when you are out in the middle of nowhere can be spectacular. You just can't experience the same things near city/town lights. With truck and trailer, we can stay most anywhere we like.
Food issues are another big reason we prefer this style of travel. We have gluten and dairy issues and prefer to eat healthier and to know what has been put in our meals. I do a lot of pre-cooking and freeze meals so we just heat and eat.
You guys are going to enjoy your new digs! Second thoughts are pretty natural. Can't wait to hear about your trip!
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Old 01-29-2013, 07:58 PM   #6
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A major concern that we would have with sleeping, upon occasion, "in the middle of nowhere" is lack of security and safety. I can't see us pulling off the road in some desolate area, finding a secluded spot, bedding down for the night and getting a peaceful, relaxing sleep. But that's just us and it probably reflects our age and diminishing lack of adventure in this day and age.

I would venture to say that almost everybody on here enjoys travelling, sleeping, cooking and all of the other perks of calling an RV a "home away from home". It is a lifestyle that we like and prefer. Other folks would rather stay at a motel and eat out. That is how they like to vacation and have no desire to spend a single night in an RV and cook their own meals. That lifestyle works for them.

I don't think you will find much support on here for staying in motels and/or sleeping in the back of a van somewhere. I'm through with tents, the backs of PU trucks or under the stars on an air mattress - or no mattress. Too old for that. I still have my hair but I lost my sense of that kind of "adventure" a while back .You must be "young" and I sense that you (or your wife) haven't lost yours.

The thought of sleeping in the back of a van in the middle of nowhere just doesn't do much for this old couple.
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Old 01-29-2013, 08:48 PM   #7
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I've slept in my share of pickups and vans and I don't care for motels anymore either. Give me my own warm comfortable bed and all the conveniences of my trailer any time. I may still have my sense of adventure (but not my hair unlike Festus2) but the security of even a remote campground helps me sleep like a baby in our second home. At least give it a try for awhile ... it's worth it I promise. JM2˘, Hank
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Old 01-30-2013, 02:24 AM   #8
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I agree with all of the cases above. Unfortunately, my job still requires an occasional overnight in the backseat of my truck. I assure you my trailer sleeps better.


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Old 01-30-2013, 04:14 AM   #9
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There are some who would say that they don't want to bother with the 'hassle' of cooking and cleaning while on vacation. They would rather stay in hotels and eat out and "be waited on". Nice if you can afford it. Tips inflate the cost of everything and tend to add up. When I was working, my job required that I stay in hotels about 1 week out of every month (sometimes two). One soon learns that most hotels charge too much for rooms that are poorly cleaned and maintained and the food is nowhere near as good as my DW's cooking. As posted above, we stay in our clean trailer, eat food that we prepare and we don't have to put up with an indifferent hotel staff. We look at the cooking and cleaning as part of the adventure - akin to how we felt as newly weds in our first little place! Stick with the RV and enjoy yourselves! JMHO - FWIW
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Old 01-30-2013, 06:01 AM   #10
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In my opinion, justifying the cost of a truck and trailer vs the cost of "hotel/resort" vacations is a difficult sell. (very similiar to the gas vs diesel justification) I was in the "hotel/resort" camp myself. If you add up the cost of purchasing a tow vehicle and the cost of the trailer, you can probably affort several very nice vacations per year over a period of several years. However, you can have more away from home time with the RV.

Most working families with RVs use them at least once a month for an extended weekend and for one or two weeks at a time during their vacations. Our retired members, either snowbird in them during the winter or use them at least one week per month.

So the choice is which lifestyle do you enjoy? Roughing it in comfort or sitting in a hotel room? After we purchased our first used trailer, I came to realize I enjoyed and needed the camping "down time". It has helped me manage my stress levels better and I look forward to our next trip, plus we are sharing our camping adventures with our grand-children...hard to put a price on that!

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Old 01-30-2013, 06:14 AM   #11
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For me and DW, sleeping in our own bed is highest on the list.

One other thought involves staying at RV campsites, whether free state parks or not. The people you meet, who travel with RV's, are some of the nicest and fun people you could ever imagine. They generally enjoy nature and other people. That is part of the whole experience.

Good luck in your travels.
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Old 01-30-2013, 06:36 AM   #12
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Hi my wife and I are older(cronologicaly) we have done both. I must say that having my own house with usmakes us happy. also for the most part we have always made friends with others at a camp site. Not so in the hotel. cooking is easy if you keep it simple. and the views are spectacular.unless you like over looking a city. we travel with our dogs. they are biggirls so most hotels don't want us. to me and most of us on this forum would agree That a weekend camping beats a week in a hotel! we would not trade our camper for anything. and yes a truck and trailer has it's advantages. camper stays put while the truck goes shopping. we are not into class a or c units as they to needa towed car to get arround town. and our trucks get better milage than most class a's. good luck with which ever you pick. enjoy the adventures and be safe!
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Old 01-30-2013, 07:17 AM   #13
gregsimard
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Thank you everyone who took the time to respond to my qyestion. I will present your valid points to my wife and hope for the best. I personally think the truck and trailer is the best option, as we will be traveling for up to one year. However, I am only half of the happy decission.
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Old 01-30-2013, 09:33 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by gregsimard View Post
Thank you everyone who took the time to respond to my qyestion. I will present your valid points to my wife and hope for the best. I personally think the truck and trailer is the best option, as we will be traveling for up to one year. However, I am only half of the happy decission.
WOW!!! You count as half???? She's a keeper.
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Old 01-30-2013, 10:51 AM   #15
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x2 on the keeper
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