Isata 3......no toad....yes or no...big enough for 4 month trip???

sojourner1 · 05-03-2021, 08:38 PM

We are ready to buy an isarta 3 on mercedes chassis......we wonder will we need a toad??? Is this 24 footer nimble enough to park just about everywhere
and good transportation to view scenic wonders or do we need a Honda CRV or jeep for better flexibility??

We contemplate driving FL to CO and MT this summer. Maybe 7 to 10 days in RV....then VRBO for a couple days is more spacious surroundings. What do you sprinter owners do on a long trip???

I think having an inflatable boat......achilles 8 footer.....would be a big plus....my wife thinks i am nuts.......anybody do this???

WE do not have the answers........is RVing right for us........what do you do when you get there??

I know only I can decide what is right for us but I do wonder how fellow 70 year olds address these questions??>

thank you......comments appreciated

rskeans · 05-03-2021, 08:57 PM

For several years I had a large slide-in truck camper. It was about 24-25'. For groceries I went to the back of the parking lot and I had to have 4 parking spaces. Not a big problem. For incidentals I had to break camp and bring everything. That was a pain. Plan far ahead. For sightseeing you'll have to break camp again. A pain. You should consider a small Toad. It will make a big difference. Can you do what you are thinking?? Of course. But your travels will be much more enjoyable with a Toad. BTW, we're in our 80's. You young people will work it out.

Sandiegodoug · 05-04-2021, 09:42 AM

We have an isata 3. We usually bring our Jeep jk wrangler on longer trips. Just makes exploring an area easier. Also it’s really easy to tow and goes anywhere, places I would not dare to take the isata.

milkman55 · 05-04-2021, 02:48 PM

Unhooking and breaking camp everyday to tour in the RV will get old. We owned an Isata 3 for three years and we towed a Honda CR-V and still do tow the Honda behind our new Isata 5. Not having a car to run to the store or tour would get old in a hurry. Also having the toad to put your inflatable boat in would be a plus. You really need to be careful with too much weight on the Sprinter chassis.

hhl · 05-04-2021, 07:48 PM

We did several cross country trips for a couple of months and never towed.
Visiting state and national parks.
RV for us was the right size for sight seeing and camping. It is easy to find parking spaces and also able to overnight in smaller campsites.
Arriving at campsite we would use camping chairs to relax, store them before going to bed, rain showers.
Next morning ready to go sightseeing or drive to next location. Our tip.
Buy diesel when 3/8 tank , chose mileage setting on gauge cluster to show how many miles before you need fuel. Have fun and enjoy your trip.
We stayed at several campgrounds on lakes with rental fishing boats.

msusslin · 05-05-2021, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman55

Unhooking and breaking camp everyday to tour in the RV will get old. We owned an Isata 3 for three years and we towed a Honda CR-V and still do tow the Honda behind our new Isata 5. Not having a car to run to the store or tour would get old in a hurry. Also having the toad to put your inflatable boat in would be a plus. You really need to be careful with too much weight on the Sprinter chassis.

We had a 24" Sprinter RV before and quickly realized that the CCC capacity is not suitable for a longer trip. Our RV had a 950lps CCC capacity which is high compared to some other Sprinter RVs, some as low as 485 lps.
The drivability of the Sprinter Chassis is great and a tow vehicle is a must to add flexibility to any travel plan.

**bclemens** · 05-05-2021, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msusslin

We had a 24" Sprinter RV before and quickly realized that the CCC capacity is not suitable for a longer trip. Our RV had a 950lps CCC capacity which is high compared to some other Sprinter RVs, some as low as 485 lps.
The drivability of the Sprinter Chassis is great and a tow vehicle is a must to add flexibility to any travel plan.

Ours today are crossing the scale, fully loaded with jacks, back up over 900 lbs. I still think we can get more...but the fluctuation in fiberglass thickness has been bothersome. We still have some areas I need to look at to shed some weight.

msusslin · 05-05-2021, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bclemens

Ours today are crossing the scale, fully loaded with jacks, back up over 900 lbs. I still think we can get more...but the fluctuation in fiberglass thickness has been bothersome. We still have some areas I need to look at to shed some weight.

Wow, 900 lps with jacks and high quality finishes is top of the class.

**bclemens** · 05-05-2021, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msusslin

Wow, 900 lps with jacks and high quality finishes is top of the class.

The possible piece of the puzzle is the exterior fiberglass. We can save some weight, but sacrifice the glass smooth finish. We are the only ones using true gelcoat fiberglass. That adds roughly 1/4 lbs sq ft I think on exterior sidewalls.

Vegabonds · 05-05-2021, 09:04 AM

We have a 2016 Prism 24G. The CCC is around 1,500lbs. now that we have added Big Foot automatic pneumatic levelers. We go on the road for 2 months at a time no problem. We flat tow a 2018 Ford Focus. Nice to leave the camp setup and zip around in a car that gets 28-30 mpg on the road.

CaptnJohn · 05-05-2021, 01:36 PM

70 years old,,, I’m 73 and married for over 51 years. We explore areas for a month at a time and our snowbird time is 4 months. Longer trips, longer stays~~~ for comfort we sold the class A and went 40+’ 5th wheel. All the comforts of home. Your wife making breakfast your morning constitutional, which order is strongest?

wetland · 05-05-2021, 02:12 PM

If I read your post correctly, you may not need a toad. People that need a toad are setting up camp for several days in one location. They need a toad to do things during the day. You sound more like poster hhl...tour during the day in your RV, camp at night, tour the next day and camp in a new location that night, tour the next day, etc, etc, air b&b, tour.... If that is your plan, you, like hhl, will not need a toad. That is the way my wife and I toured Alaska in a truck camper in 2019. Had no need for a toad. We have ordered a 27' 5" Leprechaun to be our new "touring" vehicle. It is only 5' longer than the truck camper but a massive increase in creature comforts for our 70 year old bones. We do not plan to need a toad. We'll rent the few times we need a car for this type of RVing. We have been 5th wheelers the past 30 years for exactly the reasons people need a toad. We set up camp in one place and had the truck during the day. The Alaska trip made us realize that we now want to "tour". It sounds to me like that is what you have in mind. If you do not have your RV yet, you need to look at units already constructed (on a lot or used). We ordered ours in January so we could leave on our 49th anniversary May 19 to attend our granddaughters wedding in Idaho. With delays in completion at the factory, we have recently realized that we may miss the wedding. Don't order one now expecting to use it this summer. Good luck and happy travels.

Larry-NC · 05-05-2021, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wetland

We ordered ours in January so we could leave on our 49th anniversary May 19 to attend our granddaughters wedding in Idaho. With delays in completion at the factory, we have recently realized that we may miss the wedding. Don't order one now expecting to use it this summer. Good luck and happy travels.

Don't skip the wedding. Fly out, rent a car and motel if you have to, but don't skip the wedding.

ferrisjc · 05-05-2021, 05:44 PM

Of course there are pros and cons with any decision. Factor in where you are going, what you want to see and visit, and how long etc. The Isata 3 doesn't require a big truck or trailer type of parking spot at Interstate "rest stops" nor will you ever take up more than 2 spots at a Walmart parking spot away from the cars. Many spots commercial or otherwise are 25 ft long with diagonal parking so technically you could park in closer spots but this would not be advisable. Point is you can go just about any place you want without a Toad but you balance this with the inconvenience of unhooking and re-hooking. We have survived without a Toad for over 3 years but have a cargo bike to get around the state and federal parks we nearly always go too. As far as long trips we haven't needed anything but our Isata 3 and bike. Being retired it's just Ma and me and a 25 lbs Lhasa Alpo so we don't require a whole lot. If visiting away from the beauty of state, federal or even BLM landscapes that we love then a Toad should be considered for sightseeing trips away from these parks. The MB engine can easily handle a suitable Toad on any Western highway or out East.

mtnlvr · 05-05-2021, 06:47 PM

I have the MBZ Solera. I don’t use a toad. I have an electric Mtn bike for fun or errands. Occasionally I will rent a car for the day or call an Uber. I would say four months depends on where you are traveling and what season. If you have nice weather where you can hang outside a lot is a lot easier than if going where cold and rainy a lot or too hot that you need to hang out inside with a/c. Depending on your model also if you have the sofa or recliners for lounging. I don’t and it gets a little small on long trips if poor weather.

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