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02-19-2020, 07:09 PM
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#1
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Kanadian Kamper
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 8,129
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TO TOAD or NOT TO TOAD
Just throwing out the age old question as to what length of motorhome decides when you TRULY don’t need a toad to enjoy your travelling and sightseeing?
Now, no fighting boys and girls.
Cuz there’s no right or wrong here.
__________________
Ken and Terry
2018 Sunseeker 2430S-CD, nicely modified and carried by a 2017 Ford E450 Sport
Former Georgetown 330TS owner for 10 years with more mods than I can count, pushed by our 2017 GMC Terrain
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02-19-2020, 07:29 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Zephyrhills FL
Posts: 1,106
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It would depend on where you are going and what sightseeing you will be doing.
Cruising the northeast coast, no fun in a motor home.
Touring around in the mountains of the west, no fun in a motor home.
Driving in almost any national park, no fun in a motor home.
Sightseeing in any city, no fun in a motor home.
Going to the beach, no fun in a motor home, unless you get a site very near the water. But even then, going to get dinner or groceries, no fun in a motor home.
So, IMO, a toad is a very good thing in almost every situation.
__________________
(Previous) Coachmen Mirada Select 37RB
(Previous) Coachmen Freedom Express 246RKS
(Current)2022 Grand Design Reflection150 226RK
2022 F150 Powerboost Hybrid.
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02-19-2020, 10:18 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 4,330
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I don’t consider the length of the motorhome to be the only factor in toad vs no toad.
To me, it’s also a question of whether I want to stow all the camping gear back in the cabinets and storage compartments, stow everything off the countertops and table. put the slides in, put in the awning, unhook the utilities, etc. to go sightsee for the day
OR
Leave everything set up at camp and simply drive off in the toad, and come back to a fully set up camp.
__________________
2020 Sunseeker 2440DS on 2019 Ford E-450, Trekker cap, Topaz paint
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02-20-2020, 12:02 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: St. Helena, CA
Posts: 186
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We have a Sunseeker 2400R which is 25 feet. No problem parking it anywhere. We carry 2 bikes on the back. Since it’s just the two of us it just doesn’t take long pack up and drive somewhere. In the National Parks in the west a car won’t help. Bikes work best or the shuttles.
Four days in Jasper we rented a car for about $100.00 to travel around. Ezee Pezze. That was a lot easier than towing a car behind us for 3,000 miles!
Also we would have to buy a car that we could tow so there’s that as well.
As you stated. No right or wrong. It depends on how you travel and camp.
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02-20-2020, 12:43 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 9,132
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Couldn't tow with our 25' REV even if we wanted to.
We can get most places with the rig. What we like is our ability to break camp and while on the drive to the next campsite, stop and do some sightseeing.
That wasn't as easy driving a 40' truck and tt. We'd usually end up camping, driving to the site and then driving back to the rig. I think if we could tow, we'd probably end up doing that again and probably do more driving than camping.
We do sometimes have to rent a car. Long Beach, CA wasn't very friendly to our rig or our 21' Tundra.
__________________
2015 Dynamax REV 24TB class C
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02-20-2020, 01:49 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 880
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Our motorhome is 25 feet. We've taken it in to some national parks and had no problems finding parking places (it was in the off season I must say) That being said, our toad is a Jeep and is in itself a fun rig to take off road and some of our camping trips have been geared around that. Having the toad opens up the options.
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2017 Isata 3 24FW
2004 Jeep Wrangler
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02-20-2020, 02:48 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,485
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We have a 3170 at 31’ long. We toad. We do not take it with us on every trip. Just depends. If we were moving every day or two, I would not want a toad but, we usually setup camp for 4 to 14 days. Plenty of time to exercise the toad.
Our Subaru Outback will take us any place we want to go. Yes, we have had it in the back country on moderately severe roads. No rock climbing.
And besides, if anything happens to the RV, we still have a ride.
__________________
2014 Sunseeker 3170 DSF
Dorothy, Garrette and Miss Bella.
Retired and having fun.
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02-20-2020, 04:09 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 47
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We have a 25 ft motor rv. We haven’t felt the need to have a toad . What we use our motor home is travel with another couple who has a toad but doesn’t pull it when we go together. If we stay longer at one spot we rent a car and of course split the cost . Which we feel is cheaper than a toad. And with a twenty five ft. RV can be easily driven around the area that we r camping. We r never at anyone spot over three days.
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02-20-2020, 04:22 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Cheektowaga, NY
Posts: 7
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Depends on Size of Your Rig!
We have a Leprechaun 220 QB......24 foot long....Its just me and the wife and small chihuahua....we can get into ANY parking lot, restaurant, campground etc etc. Never felt a need to toad. If we go somewhere sightseeing, it takes me 10 minutes to disconnect from shore and head out. If I ever really wanted an auto to drive around, I would rent one. Ive been from Maine to Montana and never an issue. No toad for us!
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02-20-2020, 04:59 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: WASHINGTON, ILLINOIS
Posts: 288
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We are like Johnnyoeppers, we have a 28ft Leprechaun and have slept in all but 3 states and never towed. We can hook and unhook in 10 minutes and drive most places. If we stay for several days we will rent or use public transportation like in DC, El Paso, Taos, etc. In 4 years I would say we missed a road a couple times. Safe travels to all.
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02-20-2020, 05:01 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: WASHINGTON, ILLINOIS
Posts: 288
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That's missed a road a couple times fortunately haven't missed a road yet.
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02-20-2020, 05:01 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: WASHINGTON, ILLINOIS
Posts: 288
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TOAD. Wow getting old.
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02-20-2020, 06:19 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 55
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Decided on Toad
Bought GT in 2015, went on first close trip and wife followed in car. We then went to Myrtle beach and decided to rent car. After returning car, long story shirt, did not get back to campsite for four hours after return.
Went home and bought Chevy Sonic, small and easy all four down. To me, running to get a gallon of milk in the car is worth it. To me, if you plan on doing anything out side of campground, or the safety to know if someone got hurt and had to be run to urgent care, you can hop in car. Some places in the middle of nowhere it is hard to get Uber.
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02-20-2020, 06:28 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Southern Delaware
Posts: 201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kenandterry
Just throwing out the age old question as to what length of motorhome decides when you TRULY don’t need a toad to enjoy your travelling and sightseeing?
Now, no fighting boys and girls.
Cuz there’s no right or wrong here.
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That, really was a rhetorical question, eh? We have 'toaded' all along, across this great country. This a "To each his own" decision.. The vehicles we bought were with the intent of towing.
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02-20-2020, 06:41 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: State College, PA
Posts: 33
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We are now into year 2 with the motor home. The first year we tried the non-toad route with rental cars and Uber. We found Enterprise to be untimely and Uber hit or miss, particularly with military campgrounds. For short range trips we did "formation TOAD". The One Who Must Be Obeyed followed me in her Grand Cherokee and we conversed using hunting walkie talkies. This works well in areas of spotty cell phone coverage.
We threw in our experiences with talks with fellow campers and decided the TOAD was the way to go. Our Lime Green 5 speed Fiesta is fun and gives us a lot of flexibility.
We can go anywhere and not worry about turn radius and parking places. The TOAD sips gas at 37 mpg.
We toured Big Bend and Saguaro National Forest during this trip. It would have been low fun with our 31' and change Sunseeker. I imagine even lower fun for our Class A brethren.
I can't master a 10 minute hook up and de-hook and don't want to.
For us, a $7K used car with $3k fixin's was the way to go.
An aside, TOWMBO did not want her Grand Cherokee to be a TOAD.
Safe Travels!
__________________
Sandy & Bob
Both Retired Navy
2014 Sunseeker 3050s
2011 Ford Fiesta
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02-20-2020, 06:54 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Southern Delaware
Posts: 201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RBotr01
We are now into year 2 with the motor home. The first year we tried the non-toad route with rental cars and Uber. We found Enterprise to be untimely and Uber hit or miss, particularly with military campgrounds. For short range trips we did "formation TOAD". The One Who Must Be Obeyed followed me in her Grand Cherokee and we conversed using hunting walkie talkies. This works well in areas of spotty cell phone coverage.
We threw in our experiences with talks with fellow campers and decided the TOAD was the way to go. Our Lime Green 5 speed Fiesta is fun and gives us a lot of flexibility.
We can go anywhere and not worry about turn radius and parking places. The TOAD sips gas at 37 mpg.
We toured Big Bend and Saguaro National Forest during this trip. It would have been low fun with our 31' and change Sunseeker. I imagine even lower fun for our Class A brethren.
I can't master a 10 minute hook up and de-hook and don't want to.
For us, a $7K used car with $3k fixin's was the way to go.
An aside, TOWMBO did not want her Grand Cherokee to be a TOAD.
Safe Travels!
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We 'toad' a 5 speed Focus for awhile, then decided to tow the Grand Cherokee, it was a bunch more comfortable than 'Roller skate with seat covers'. Do what you gotta do now, so you can do what you wanna do later.
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02-20-2020, 07:23 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Mid Michigan
Posts: 1,098
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I built and installed a rack on the back for a scooter. We have used it at Yellowstone, Teton, Bryce, Zion, Arches, etc..
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02-20-2020, 07:53 PM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 94
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Another thought
My old boss got tired of replacing transmissions even towing a small car so he rented a car when he needed one from Enterprise and they would deliver it to his campground. He said gas mileage was better, lower tolls and less to deal with. Just a thought.
__________________
2014 Sabre 33CKTS
2012 F250
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02-20-2020, 10:24 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 113
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Garrett, what year Outback? What transmission? I was told they could not be towed 4 down.
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02-20-2020, 10:34 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,223
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwa1000
My old boss got tired of replacing transmissions even towing a small car so he rented a car when he needed one from Enterprise and they would deliver it to his campground. He said gas mileage was better, lower tolls and less to deal with. Just a thought.
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That’s a new one. I’ve never heard of a MH having transmission problems due to towing. Unless one is towing a 10,000 pound toad with a MH rated to tow 7,000.
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