Motor home or diesel pickup?

[DougD]

So my rplan for years has been to save up enough extra in my 401K that, upon retirement, I can buy a brand, spankin' new diesel pickup and a custom-built trailer to haul my cars around the country. I have a goal to visit every major (and some minor) race track in the US at least once for an open track event.

Lately, though, I've been considering a motor home instead of the diesel pickup. A motor home would allow for additional uses such as saturday college football games, dirt bike weekends, as well as race weekends. It's air conditioned, so the trailer won't have to be. It has a canopy, so the trailer won't need one. And I can eliminate hotel bills.

I'd have to store either one, so storage really isn't an issue. I don't have a lot of motor home experience, and I wonder if there is anyone who makes one with enough oomph to pull an enclosed car trailer. Your thoughts?

[Double Venom]

Talkin' Class C, or A motorhome? A good quality Class A- Pusher/Diesel will tow anything you want to put behind it legally.

A good friend (And a Class A Dealer) in Columbus used to grab one of his homes for our Yearly fishing trips. 10 guys and kids, gear and towed my 26' Marathon-Flybridge Boat with twin Volvos, Our total length was 72'. Just a wee bit past legal! Weight of the boat with 6 electric downriggers, fuel, water, gear was right at 13.5K.

HE'd be passing semi's going up the mountains in PA! Mileage, I think was around 14 to 17 towing my boat!

He even had a washer/dryer combo in it! That was amazing on a week long trip with the kids! But, I know the cost was upwards of 175K for the motorhome!

If I had the funds----no question!

[dave from mesa]

Doug
First see here
Dick & jo's most excellent cobra adventure
Yes you can tow a Cobra in a trailer with a Motor Home. Light trailer = the car and just about any class A's will pull it. Diesel would be the best.
We went out with our MH towing the Cobra in a Serpent Express trailer for 2 months. OUrs is a diesel but it only has a 5000# hitch. Newer can haul up to 10,000.
Good luck
It was fun for us.

I type to dang slow.

[SP01715]

I have been thinking about this issue myself. I was going to by a motorhome and pull my 20' enclosed trailer with it, but I think I am leaning towards a 5th wheel trailer with a garage.

You can get a toy hauler 5th wheel in the 40' range with slide outs and a garage in the rear that will hold a cobra (or whatever other toys you might have). You can buy alot of trailer for 50k, that will be nicer than most motorhomes out there. I already have the truck, but even if you were to buy a truck and trailer you could have a very nice setup for about 100k or so.

Here is what I am talking about...

http://www.campingworld.com/rvsales/...rottle/149241/

[Z-linkCobra]

Originally Posted by Double Venom

Mileage, I think was around 14 to 17 towing my boat!

I find that hard to believe. I dont know of motorhome one that will get 14-17 mpg empty..let alone another 13.5k lbs. I have a hard time getting 15 out of my Dodge Cummins pulling a 24' enclosed trailer.

The problem with motorhomes and it can be a biggy...is finding someone to work on them. Warranty work must be done at an authorized dealer. If your in BFE somewhere and the closest dealer is 300 miles away...guess what.

Our family has owned a motorhome or 2 over the years....they always get sold for way less then you have in them.

I like the trailer with the garage idea...thats the way Im going when mine is done.

Just my thoughts

[bobcowan]

Traveling by MH is clearly the most expensive way to go. You'll save money by staying in hotels. Cost wise, Truck + trailer + Quality Inn is the cheapest way to go.

You also have another vehicle to drive when you want to go to the grocery stroe, out to dinner, etc.

We like having some one clean our room while we're at the track. We use the pool and exercise rooms. And we like the morning breakfast - usually. We avoided the MH for the above reasons.

But, a MH is pretty nice. Your hotel room goes with you everywhere you go. That's a cool thing. If you're on the road for a month or more, it's nice to have all your stuff where you like it, a private dwelling, laundry, etc.

[Silverback51]

Motorhome for me.

Don't have to worry about reservations somewhere or having to be there. Don't have to pack up every morning. I also prefer my own cooking most of the time. Tired? Just find a place to park and you are set. If you have pets you don't have to worry about finding a place that accepts them.

[lamaluv]

We went the Motor Home route with a diesel pusher and a 20' stacker trailer. We can take the Cobra and our Saturn View and sleep in our own bed every night whether its at a race track, Walmart parking lot or a RV park. Most tracks have spots for RV's to park and many have spots in the pit area were you don't even have to unhook your trailer. Race in the morning, step into your airconditioned RV for lunch, then back onto the track with the Cobra. Our outfit wasn't cheap but we are retired and want to travel this way. So far it has worked out great for us.

[Excaliber]

SPO1715 has the best idea, in my opinion. 5th wheel with room for the Cobra and a small living area up front. Personally I use a big Box Van to tow my trailor and stay in hotels. The big Van allows for plenty room for tools and spare parts you see. Spares could be a problem with a combo trailer for the car/living area. You got any storage left in that setup (tools, tires, spare parts)?

I like the idea mostly because you unhook the trailer and you have the truck to get around town with.

[dave from mesa]

When we were looking at MH's we considered a 5th wheel but to my knowledge none are capable of hauling a 2100# car in the rear. The are toy haulers, 4 trackers, motorcycles, etc. Our neighbor sells non motorized trailers and he couldn't find one that would haul a car in the rear. Maybe you can find something different.
With the MH you have your own bed and you don't have to get out of your vehicle to go pee

btw: Nice rig lamaluv.

[Snowsnake]

I tossed the same idea around also. And came up with for 125000.00 I can stay in a hell of a lot of Hamptons. And not worry about maintenance and depreciation. My vote, Buy a Pick up.

[rustyBob]

i think you dont have to buy the biggest MH on the planet to be comfortable.....
there are some real nice class C motor homes that will pull a trailer with your Cobra in it..
and it would be easier to manuver around.......

[Excaliber]

Dave from Messa, thanks for tip on the toy hauler conundrum, it won't carry the weight of a Cobra. That's one idea I've been kicking around, guess I'll scrap it now!

[razerwire]

Pictures from saac 35, first trip with stacker trailer, pulled just fine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandyla...7625194008940/

[SPF1061]

The Forest River Work and Play Toy Hauler is the only 5th wheeler I am aware of that will accommodate a "Cobra". They are built on a cargo trailer platform. I own a 38FK. It has an 18' garage and 20' of living quarters. I tow it with a 2000 Ford F350 7.3L diesel dually. Fuel mileage is 10.5 to 12.5 mpg, depending on whether the cruise control is set on 60mph or 72mph. This rig is very spacious for bachelor travel - would be pretty cozy for a couple. I have done some pretty long hauls with this rig and I absolutely love it. You might check out the SL series - larger garage and larger living quarters with a slide.

http://www.forestriverinc.com/nd/def...hoice=brochure

[razerwire]

Weekend Warrior is out of business now, but if you look you can find a used one. I have friends that haul 4 place sand cars that weight 2900 to 3200 lbs in them. The floor of toy haulers are higher than trailers would suggest you check out first and see slope of door. Also toy haulers list weight of stripped trailer, you must subtract weight of generator, extras beds, tv and so on from gross weight. Kind of misleading if you ask me. The real weight of trailer as equipped is listed on trailer tag inside. My friends leave water out of tank until close to camp spot so they are not over gross limit. Cobra does not weight as much as big sand car. Weekend warrior made a wide body that was real popular, did not have to remove rear tires from sand car.( Buckshot racing ) web site, has pictures of trailers. I will use Featherlight stacker next trip to glamis sand dunes, it will hold sand car and rest of toys, 3 quads, golf cart. I will weight at scales before I fill 100 gal gas tank and 100 gal water tank, I might be overloaded. Gross weight limit is on trailer tag so you can check.

[Hammer65]

We own a 36' Jayco Class C motor home and really enjoy it. It has a Duramax diesel and easily pulls a Jeep Grand Cherokee with 4 wheels down. Mileage is about 10 mpg. We are in the process of purchasing a Polaris RZR4 and a 18' trailer that will haul either the RZR and a Honda 400 cc quad or a Cobra.

Each motor home should have "Weight Information" document supplied by the manufacturer. Ours is attached. The GCWR is 26,000 lbs. We weighed our "Fully Loaded" motor home at 21,400 lbs and calculated the maximum towing weight at 4,600 lbs. From there, you can subtract the Cobra weight of approximately 2,600# and calculate the maximum trailer weight of 2,000 lbs.

Hope this helps.

[Roger Cormier]

One other choice would be a Slide in Camper on the Pickup. That way you could use the truck for other uses, like towing the Cobra to closer venues, or just carring stuff from your local hardware store.

[DougD]

So if motor homes depriciate like I think they do, I should be able to pick up a used one for a substantial savings, shouldn't I? I think a Class C with enough engine to pull a 24' enclosed trailer would be the hot ticket for me. If I go with the smaller Class C motor home, I know I'll have to be really light with the car and trailer.

What brand(s) of Class C should I consider. Any to avoid?

[SP01715]

I have hauled my jeep in my 26' Weekend Warrior which weighs more than my Cobra, and have also hauled two Rhinos which are 1200 pounds each. Like was said above, the gates are higher than a car hauler with a beaver tail. With some ramps loading a cobra should not be a problem. I use ramps on the car hauler I have now.