pull a toad or rent a vehicle?

[patsylou2]

Originally Posted by RedLdr1

We tried both ways when we had a Class C motor home. Looking back we've both decided it was smarter for us to rent a car from Enterprise. If we go back to a motor home it will be a small Class C, Ford Transit or Sprinter based, and we will not have a toad.

If you win I have a lightly used Blue Ox system, the tow bar, Patriot Braking system, and rock shield sitting in my garage I need to sell...

How much for the Blue Ox System? Thanks!

[CaptnJohn]

We took 2 trips in the class a before going to Ford and buying a new F150 4x4 to use as a toad. Total setup was $3500. After 2 years decided the best way to go was back to a 43’ 5th and F350.

[FORKLIFMAN]

Do not buy a toad, go on a few trips doing the rentals. You can always buy a toad later, if renting doesn't work out for you? Just my 2 cents worth. We started using a dolly set up. Toyota Prius ...Still using it, we love to jump in the car, do the local sights of the areas.

[kentdavido]

You can’t always find a car rental agency, and then sometimes you have to think about going back into town to drop it off. Just bite the bullet and get a new Toad

[PenJoe]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

I’m confused. When $5,000-$6,000 for the toad hookup does that include the cost of the toad? I’m asking because it cost me $1,700 for all the stuff needed to get my Jeep ready to tow, and I thought that was outrageous.

I would have the same questions. We bought a less than year old Blue Ox tow bar, Blue Ox Patriot brake system, and the umbilical on craigslist. We then bought a Blue Ox base plate, Blue Ox wiring kit for brake/tail lights, and a battery tender on Amazon. I had a body shop install the base plate and I installed the tail light wiring and battery tender. It was just north of a thousand dollars. This was all for a Jeep Liberty. Maybe we were just lucky.

[PenJoe]

Our first new motor home in the late 70's was a 22' Class C. Slides were found in playgrounds and toad was a word for frog. We towed a boat anyway and got along by efficiently making/breaking camp. Most of those camping years was dry camping.

Fast forward. We bought a Sunseeker 2500 TS that was 27' overall and had two slides. Anticipating a 3 month trip to FL, we first thought about taking a boat. But floating the idea around in my head, it would be cumbersome to take a boat, have to break camp to launch, and break camp every time we wanted to do something other than staying at the campgrounds. I gave a toad sales pitch to DW that was immediately discounted. But after reasoning it out, she was more convinced.

We located a 2012 Jeep Liberty with 8, 200 original miles on craigslist and suspicioned it was a scam. Well it wasn't. It was set up as a toad by shopping craigslist and Amazon for a little more than a thousand dollars. We took the 3 months to Florida with toad in tow. We were convinced we had made the right choice and DW now refers to it as "my Jeep". Had we rented an equivalent SUV for that 3 months, the fees would have been well more than $4,000.

But that's not the end of story. After a month at the camp grounds, we decided this type of camping did not suit us and decided to look for a mobile home. We had previously had a home in the same area of FL. We were using the toad daily either looking for property, shopping or the beach/fishing. Successful in our search, we found what we were looking for. The Jeep remains in Florida, we returned home and sold the motor home and now fly between places. It is strange how things work out.

As for the OP, the size of the rig, willingness to break camp often, and camping life style will bear on the decision. The one item that was not mentioned is residual value of the toad. Set up as a toad, it should have added value to people not wanting the hassle of setting up a toad. The same would apply if the MH and toad were offered together.

As we have done for our many years of marriage, we are looking at the exit strategy when in the buying process. The only thing that we are really married to is each other.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by PenJoe

I would have the same questions. We bought a less than year old Blue Ox tow bar, Blue Ox Patriot brake system, and the umbilical on craigslist. We then bought a Blue Ox base plate, Blue Ox wiring kit for brake/tail lights, and a battery tender on Amazon. I had a body shop install the base plate and I installed the tail light wiring and battery tender. It was just north of a thousand dollars. This was all for a Jeep Liberty. Maybe we were just lucky.

Yep...lucky is right. I couldn’t find any used ones so I got all new.

ReadyBrute towbar (includes the brake system)....$1,120
Blue Ox Jeep baseplate...$424
Emergency breakaway brake kit...$115
Hopkins lighting kit...$54

Started the install at about 7 am, test drive at 1pm. Six hours minus a couple of coffee breaks and lunch, so probably 4.5 hours labor. But, the Jeep is probably the easiest tow unit to work on.

[Ol Poopypants]

I bought my G-town new in 2013 and have only 20,000 mile on it but now that we're both retired, we're going to be snow birds this winter and I don't want to rely on using an aunt's vehicle--she's staying in the same resort.

I have a '08 F150 and she has a '11 Jeep Grand Cherokee. We're talking about cutting down to one vehicle, which will be another F150.



I'm convinced that doing the rental car is going to be a huge hassle, so oad it is! Now I just have to light a fire under her feet and move forward.

[EricNJ]

Good luck!

[HaroldPE]

I think this is a great point. We recently traveled through NW Wisconsin with no cell service. Great piece of mind to have that toad.

Originally Posted by AudiDudi

Now, what is the convenience worth of having the toad? Also what is it worth when you breakdown 50 miles from nowhere with no cell signal?

[Ol Poopypants]

My local dealer has a 2018 F150 with 43 miles on it. It has everything that I want. I spent 5 hours there, started out at $38,000, had my F150 and her Jeep Grand Cherokee priced and got it down to $26,175, plus they're throwing in a bed liner. I spoke with my financial guy 3 times who told me that he would take care of the monthly payments out of my 401K. (he doesn't want to pay it off as I would have to pay taxes on the lump sum.)It's sitting in my garage. She's not happy--she wants it closer to $20,000. I'm/we're sleeping it tonight and I'll take it back in the morning. I miss drinking screwdrivers.

[Mooney 78865]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

I’m confused. When $5,000-$6,000 for the toad hookup does that include the cost of the toad? I’m asking because it cost me $1,700 for all the stuff needed to get my Jeep ready to tow, and I thought that was outrageous.

For us, (post #8) $6k includes the cost of our HHR, tow bar, base plate and related brake and wiring necessary to be 50 state compliant.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by Mooney 78865

For us, (post #8) $6k includes the cost of our HHR, tow bar, base plate and related brake and wiring necessary to be 50 state compliant.

Thanks. That now sounds reasonable.

[Mr. October]

Originally Posted by Ol Poopypants

My local dealer has a 2018 F150 with 43 miles on it. It has everything that I want. I spent 5 hours there, started out at $38,000, had my F150 and her Jeep Grand Cherokee priced and got it down to $26,175, plus they're throwing in a bed liner. I spoke with my financial guy 3 times who told me that he would take care of the monthly payments out of my 401K. (he doesn't want to pay it off as I would have to pay taxes on the lump sum.)It's sitting in my garage. She's not happy--she wants it closer to $20,000. I'm/we're sleeping it tonight and I'll take it back in the morning. I miss drinking screwdrivers.

She might not be happy but the likelihood of getting a 2018 F150 for $20 grand is a lot closer to fantasy than reality.

[Ol Poopypants]

I ran it back to the dealer late yesterday afternoon because I need my truck for a couple of projects this weekend. The salesman and sales manager rushed right over and wanted to know if I had changed my mind. I hee-hawed around a bit and within 5 minutes, they came down another $700. Now it's $25,475. I'm picking it up Tuesday.

[jkoenig24]

Happy wife, happy life.


If you're going to concede this point to her, what's she going to "concede" to you?

[wnewman53]

Smart man. ��

[cfo111]

luck has nothing to do with buying used what is need it time a patience some are so eager to get they don't what to what any time and buy new...

[Ol Poopypants]

jkoenig24--she's in charge of that "department" also but I can say that I've not had any regrets as to how she runs the department!!

We're signing our life away on Tuesday morning. On Labor Day weekend, I hit 67 so there's a slight increase in S.S. and I can tap my 401 a little bit. The bank loan is a lower percentage than what I'm making on the 401, so I'm taking the payments out of the 401 and I'm still making a few pennies on it.

[BeckyMax]

why not give the rental a try a couple of times and see how it works out for you? You won't be out that much money. Better to err that direction than to buy a toad and wish you hadn't.

Becky