Thanks for the tip! We are getting ready for our first RV trip and dreading hooking up the toad in the morning. Did a little research and got a rental in the City I'm going to at the airport for $11.00 a day! Would of cost that much in extra gas to tow the toad. OUTSTANDING!
This only works if you stay close to larger cities. I told my wife we didn't need a tow vehicle when we first hit the road. I was wrong! One of our first trips was to Mesa Verde National Park and they limited vehicles to 24ft in the park. You could bicycle the 20 miles or so into the park, but renting a vehicle was not an option. After nearly 2 years on the road, we have not regretted bringing the car along, even if we don't use it everywhere we go. We do have bicycles as well. Safe travels!
We have done full time for 9 months without a tow car. Used bicycles and rental cars from Enterprise. This was a trek from San Diego to GA. Worked fine except on weekends when they close. Also we use our Honda Accord (35 mpg on interstates) to go back and forth 5 hours one way to our Motorcoach in Florida from GA which enables us to leave the Coach set up as a "second home" without having to drive it back and forth for the 500 miles up and back. It works and gives us a "Scout Car" when we are rolling to a long term site in another state, enabling us to go back and forth on the cheap!
I NEVER thought of that!!! Glad you suggested that. I don't want to tow as well so great alternative. I have a bike but yep... great Idea for longer trips!!! YAY!!!
I have a question, but first I'd like to say that, your videos are easily some of the most helpful I've seen on TH-cam. They're clear and concise. When shopping for an RV, especially my first, I'm inundated with all the things I need to remember and write down and check into. And some things may be critical to one person and not important to another. But yours really have been the best place to start from what I have seen so far. I recall a video wherein a sales person said that he had to keep his video short because of people's attention spans. But IMO, there's also the issue of having to plow through _so much information,_ that a shorter video is *so appreciated.* One can _then_ follow up looking into details if presented with something one is interested in. All that said, I want to get to my question now... While I'm still at the beginning stages of shopping for an RV, it's my understanding that when you reserve a campsite, _size matters._ And they measure from the front of your vehicle to the back of the vehicle being towed. Even though this is primarily for parks that want to make sure you can make the turns, etc., I also wondered if this had to do with the amount of space for your lot rental in a park. Because you could always unhitch and then park. But I don't know for sure. May seem like a silly question, but if you rent a car, does that mean you have to rent another spot to park it in? Granted, I'm not talking about parking the vehicle directly behind my RV. But right next to it. So it makes sense that I should be able to. But I just wanted to know if you may be able to clear that up for me. Thank you.
Thomas, I think almost always the reason you are asked for the size (length) of your RV is to determine how big a space it will take to accommodate it. And whether you tow a car or rent one, you will almost always be asked to park it right behind or in front of the RV, not to the side: in commercial RV parks (as opposed to public campgrounds), space is typically pretty tight and there is no room next to the RV to park it. If you are just beginning your search for an RV, take your time. Before you buy, look the RV over top to bottom and outside to inside. Don't just buy the "bling." And never finance for 15 or 20 years, which is what Camping World pushes if you buy there. Forty-eight percent of our readers who bought their RVs at Camping World said in a recent survey that they wished they had bought elsewhere.
I flat tow a Meyers Manx dune buggy. It's street legal and only 1400lbs. It tows beautifully and I hardly notice it. Of course backing up is a problem, so I just plan ahead accordingly.
I don't plan to drive around alot when I get to a campsite or walmart, I have decided that when I start my travels, I'm selling my truck, not planning to tow anything. I will rent a van, $20 a day in town in most places, UHaul. I have a class c RV and traveling alone, so, I don't want anymore things than I need to contend with.
Now that is a great idea Chuck, I never considered the idea of renting a vehicle and there are enterprise rental facilities all over America and Canada. Great tip!
Entreprise in Casa Grande stinks. I was supposed to be picked up at 8 am as per the reservation and they told me they could not get it to me until 3pm. Also, I have not seen any rental car lately for 15.oo unless your insurance is paying. Try 29.00 plus insurance if you need it
Good idea! I never thought about that. I'd like to also carry along an electric bicycle. For daily touring, where you don't stay long enough for the car rental. Thanks for the tip!
makes a ot of sense to me.We want to visit the D.C. area in the RV but want the mobility to see lots of places without the hassle of towing another vehicle. Financil aspects of renting outwiegh the purchase of another vehicle. I guess the point is whatever suits you personally is the best bet...I like to keep it simple.
Depends on your mission. If you are driving to one destination a long way from home, this may make sense. However, if you are camping at more than one campsite, this could be a costly and frustrating mistake. We RV to gain mobile freedom. Renting cars is a costly and time-consuming experience, having done it for the last 40 years. I once paid $750 to rent a van at Glacier National Park for 10 days and swore I would not let those pirates take my money again.
Not towing a car increases you mileage, too. Mine goes from 10mpg to 6 when I tow a Honda Civic. Calculate that in, along with wear-and-tear, and renting is cheaper than towing.
$139, That's figuring an average bus style motorhome pulling a 4 door sedan. (actually the best for fuel pulling behind) Also figuring if your 2k miles is I-10, which has the least turns & hills. If you're making an indirect trip, (meaning you must use more than one major expressway) it'll go up by 1/3.
Unlike many RVers who simply hang out in their RV's most of the time... mine is simply a place to eat and sleep, a home base while I travel... being without a Toad is not an option. My time is spent outdoors fishing, camping, offroading... places my 38' Caterpillar Diesel Pusher is far too big to get in and out of. P.S. the Caterpillar is unaffected by my toad so, mpg is a non issue. If you're a KOA/RV Park RVer, then the lack of a toad is okay however, if you're still active and enjoy more than just shopping or sightseeing... a toad is your 'shuttle craft" and your Coach is "Starbase"
On most motorhomes you don't really notice the difference except for going uphill.. downhill not towing a vehicle saves and brakes and other wear and tear. A small motorhome or a very large one all seem to average around 10mpg.
Also some friends we know just use the local bus, train or cab service, that extra money saved from the extra weight puts money back into your pocket for fuel.
Chuck I rent from Enterprise all the time. In general, they're a decent rental car company, however this idea that they'll pick you up and drive you to their rental office and then return you home when you've finished with the rental is wrong. Over the last few years and perhaps 50 rentals there's been no more than 10 or 12 instances where Enterprise has picked me up and returned me home when I've finished with the rental. The usual excuse is that they're short of staff in the office and there's no one available to pick me up or return me home. The only reason I still rent from Enterprise is that they are generally cheaper than the competition and are otherwise friendly and competent and every once in a while they are able to pick me up and return me home.
+Jack Brown Jack, I have rented from Enterprise probably a few dozen times and requested a pickup/dropoff about 20 times and never been turned down. I discussed this with a driver once and he said that sometimes people are too far from the Enterprise office. He said the company had no specific, firm rule about distance from the office to qualify for a pickup, it was more "is this reasonable?" kinda thing.
The one big problem with Enterprise is you can't pick up or drop off a car between noon on Saturday and Monday morning because their stores are closed.
IF they did the math they are paying for the rental in fuel rather than if they would just rent. Also you can use AAA and AARP discounts. Another way to beat it is carry scooters. They make 49cc scooters that will get you 40 mph some places it is all you need. They weigh less than 200lbs too.
I have a bit of a different issue our son is wheelchair bound in a very heavy power chair I have spent tens of thousands modifying our coach to accommodate his chair the problem now is finding a wheelchair accessible vehicle I can flat tow. any suggestions...
After watching the videos of hooking up a tow vehicle (and that ridiculous brake machine that you put on the floor of the car) , I'm thinking renting a car is a great idea. Towing a vehicle looks like a hassle. If I towed my car, I'm wondering how many sets of new tires I will need after going on long trips. I plan on living in my RV full time, so if I travel lots of miles with my vehicle behind it, that is going to take it's toll on my car. Thanks for this tip. I appreciate it.
we purchased a tow dolly and we like it. we towed our vehicle from California, through many states and back home to Michigan. the only downside is that my car was not high enough in the front due to the front spoiler on my car. we had to modify the dolly. But I will also say that having someone drive behind me with a walkie talkie is convenient too. he gets me in and out of traffic with ease! happy trails everyone!
You should do a video on those day/night shades like the ones behind you Chuck,those things can be a real pain.There's a video by RV Geeks.com about them,and by watching them I was able to fix mine,takes a helper tho.
Of course, renting a car! Why didn't I think of it. This must be for weekenders who RV camp near cities and so forth, obviously. Not, for the ones who get away from the city. come on rent?!
Hmm? Economical? Not really. In reality this rental method is the most expensive alternative to towing. An Enterprise "economy" car with coupons, discounts and free upgrades is going to cost at best $15.00/day. That's over $100 for seven days not including taxes and insurance. You can lease a new car for $99/month that will cost less then seven days of renting from Enterprise. Or you can purchase a pre-owned car and spend MUCH less.
@@dgatan To be realistic, there is no obvious landslide. It depends on your circumstances. If you are traveling far and only need a car occasionally and it happens to be near a rental place then renting is better. If you need a rental often then towing is cheaper. I've only found $15 car rental deals near airports. Not many people want to camp near an airport so you end up paying $40 plus per day for a rental.
Why RV when you can go in a plug in electric prius? These cars have climate control when plugged in pitch tent for larger space sleep in the car in hammock. It will come to pass someone is going to chop one and place a popup on top. These will be the RV of the future. When you stay in an area you would run all electric for 15 miles then gas would take over.Convert to propane you could save even more on road taxes. Use propane to heat the car in winter if boondocking.
This topic really required a youtube video? "Hmmmmm, I don't want to tow a car behind my RV, but I'm going to need one for a few days when I get to where I'm going. Should I buy a car when I get there? There MUST be some way for me to drive a car without buying it. Hmmmmm, I just can't think what it could be!
No, I don't think that's fair. A fairer analysis would be that a person might be planning to tow his car behind his RV and simply hasn't considered any other possibility. This video gives that person an alternative to consider. (And frankly, I'm not so sure that renting a car is such a great idea anyway. Yes, it's more convenient than dragging a car around wherever you go, but it substantially increases your costs.)
Captain Quirk I think it depends on the situation. I'm looking at a tour of the national parks. May take a year or a bit more. I don't want to haul a car but may need it for some park roads (Going-To-The-Sun for example). Even if I rented a car for every park, I could still do it for less than $5,000. The cost for even a used car (suitable for flat towing) or the cost of a dolly plus the headache....some might just prefer the rentals. Just an example.
Not really. At the end of the day, it all depends on how often you use the car. If you add up the costs to buy and keep a car, the mileage reduction of the RV that is towing the car, the extra money you will pay for the tolls because you are towing a car, the insurance of the towed car, the wear and tear of the towed car and the maintenance, it may very well be cheaper to rent a car.
![Top 10 FAQs Towing A Car With An A Frame Behind A Motorhome [CC]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6PKbDU8Edd4/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks. We are considering a Class C or 5th Wheel in retirement and the TOAD is one of the things you helped us with.
I have done this by renting a car instead of towing dingy vehicle. I have used Enterprise Car Rental which worked very well for me.
Thanks for the tip! We are getting ready for our first RV trip and dreading hooking up the toad in the morning. Did a little research and got a rental in the City I'm going to at the airport for $11.00 a day! Would of cost that much in extra gas to tow the toad. OUTSTANDING!
This only works if you stay close to larger cities. I told my wife we didn't need a tow vehicle when we first hit the road. I was wrong! One of our first trips was to Mesa Verde National Park and they limited vehicles to 24ft in the park. You could bicycle the 20 miles or so into the park, but renting a vehicle was not an option. After nearly 2 years on the road, we have not regretted bringing the car along, even if we don't use it everywhere we go. We do have bicycles as well. Safe travels!
GREAT Tip !! You could also call a Taxi , or use Uber if you just want to go into town to shop and restock your groceries .
We have done full time for 9 months without a tow car. Used bicycles and rental cars from Enterprise. This was a trek from San Diego to GA. Worked fine except on weekends when they close. Also we use our Honda Accord (35 mpg on interstates) to go back and forth 5 hours one way to our Motorcoach in Florida from GA which enables us to leave the Coach set up as a "second home" without having to drive it back and forth for the 500 miles up and back. It works and gives us a "Scout Car" when we are rolling to a long term site in another state, enabling us to go back and forth on the cheap!
We do a lot of short weekend trips (less than 1 hour away) and it makes more sense to tow our small car. Anything over that and we rent.
that is a great idea. I have been struggling with deciding if I want to tow or not. Car rental will be a perfect solution for me. thanks
I NEVER thought of that!!! Glad you suggested that. I don't want to tow as well so great alternative. I have a bike but yep... great Idea for longer trips!!! YAY!!!
I have a question, but first I'd like to say that, your videos are easily some of the most helpful I've seen on TH-cam. They're clear and concise. When shopping for an RV, especially my first, I'm inundated with all the things I need to remember and write down and check into. And some things may be critical to one person and not important to another. But yours really have been the best place to start from what I have seen so far. I recall a video wherein a sales person said that he had to keep his video short because of people's attention spans. But IMO, there's also the issue of having to plow through _so much information,_ that a shorter video is *so appreciated.* One can _then_ follow up looking into details if presented with something one is interested in.
All that said, I want to get to my question now...
While I'm still at the beginning stages of shopping for an RV, it's my understanding that when you reserve a campsite, _size matters._ And they measure from the front of your vehicle to the back of the vehicle being towed. Even though this is primarily for parks that want to make sure you can make the turns, etc., I also wondered if this had to do with the amount of space for your lot rental in a park. Because you could always unhitch and then park. But I don't know for sure. May seem like a silly question, but if you rent a car, does that mean you have to rent another spot to park it in? Granted, I'm not talking about parking the vehicle directly behind my RV. But right next to it. So it makes sense that I should be able to. But I just wanted to know if you may be able to clear that up for me.
Thank you.
Thomas, I think almost always the reason you are asked for the size (length) of your RV is to determine how big a space it will take to accommodate it. And whether you tow a car or rent one, you will almost always be asked to park it right behind or in front of the RV, not to the side: in commercial RV parks (as opposed to public campgrounds), space is typically pretty tight and there is no room next to the RV to park it. If you are just beginning your search for an RV, take your time. Before you buy, look the RV over top to bottom and outside to inside. Don't just buy the "bling." And never finance for 15 or 20 years, which is what Camping World pushes if you buy there. Forty-eight percent of our readers who bought their RVs at Camping World said in a recent survey that they wished they had bought elsewhere.
I flat tow a Meyers Manx dune buggy. It's street legal and only 1400lbs. It tows beautifully and I hardly notice it. Of course backing up is a problem, so I just plan ahead accordingly.
I don't plan to drive around alot when I get to a campsite or walmart, I have decided that when I start my travels, I'm selling my truck, not planning to tow anything. I will rent a van, $20 a day in town in most places, UHaul. I have a class c RV and traveling alone, so, I don't want anymore things than I need to contend with.
Now that is a great idea Chuck, I never considered the idea of renting a vehicle and there are enterprise rental facilities all over America and Canada. Great tip!
Chuck, really good advise especially with the pickup and drop off service Enterprise provides.
Entreprise in Casa Grande stinks. I was supposed to be picked up at 8 am as per the reservation and they told me they could not get it to me until 3pm. Also, I have not seen any rental car lately for 15.oo unless your insurance is paying. Try 29.00 plus insurance if you need it
Good idea! I never thought about that. I'd like to also carry along an electric bicycle. For daily touring, where you don't stay long enough for the car rental. Thanks for the tip!
makes a ot of sense to me.We want to visit the D.C. area in the RV but want the mobility to see lots of places without the hassle of towing another vehicle. Financil aspects of renting outwiegh the purchase of another vehicle. I guess the point is whatever suits you personally is the best bet...I like to keep it simple.
That really is a smart idea, Thanks Chuck
Depends on your mission. If you are driving to one destination a long way from home, this may make sense. However, if you are camping at more than one campsite, this could be a costly and frustrating mistake.
We RV to gain mobile freedom. Renting cars is a costly and time-consuming experience, having done it for the last 40 years. I once paid $750 to rent a van at Glacier National Park for 10 days and swore I would not let those pirates take my money again.
Nice tip thanks. Just starting out with our Motor home (UK).
Not towing a car increases you mileage, too. Mine goes from 10mpg to 6 when I tow a Honda Civic. Calculate that in, along with wear-and-tear, and renting is cheaper than towing.
$139, That's figuring an average bus style motorhome pulling a 4 door sedan. (actually the best for fuel pulling behind) Also figuring if your 2k miles is I-10, which has the least turns & hills. If you're making an indirect trip, (meaning you must use more than one major expressway) it'll go up by 1/3.
Unlike many RVers who simply hang out in their RV's most of the time... mine is simply a place to eat and sleep, a home base while I travel... being without a Toad is not an option. My time is spent outdoors fishing, camping, offroading... places my 38' Caterpillar Diesel Pusher is far too big to get in and out of. P.S. the Caterpillar is unaffected by my toad so, mpg is a non issue. If you're a KOA/RV Park RVer, then the lack of a toad is okay however, if you're still active and enjoy more than just shopping or sightseeing... a toad is your 'shuttle craft" and your Coach is "Starbase"
My wife and always prefer to rent at our stay over location. Enterprise has really good deals. Book you stay and car rental at the same time.
On most motorhomes you don't really notice the difference except for going uphill.. downhill not towing a vehicle saves and brakes and other wear and tear. A small motorhome or a very large one all seem to average around 10mpg.
Also some friends we know just use the local bus, train or cab service, that extra money saved from the extra weight puts money back into your pocket for fuel.
Sounds great if you are camping in a decent sized city. Many people like to camp away from the city with its buses, trains, and cabs.
Chuck I rent from Enterprise all the time. In general, they're a decent rental car company, however this idea that they'll pick you up and drive you to their rental office and then return you home when you've finished with the rental is wrong. Over the last few years and perhaps 50 rentals there's been no more than 10 or 12 instances where Enterprise has picked me up and returned me home when I've finished with the rental.
The usual excuse is that they're short of staff in the office and there's no one available to pick me up or return me home. The only reason I still rent from Enterprise is that they are generally cheaper than the competition and are otherwise friendly and competent and every once in a while they are able to pick me up and return me home.
+Jack Brown Jack, I have rented from Enterprise probably a few dozen times and requested a pickup/dropoff about 20 times and never been turned down. I discussed this with a driver once and he said that sometimes people are too far from the Enterprise office. He said the company had no specific, firm rule about distance from the office to qualify for a pickup, it was more "is this reasonable?" kinda thing.
The one big problem with Enterprise is you can't pick up or drop off a car between noon on Saturday and Monday morning because their stores are closed.
I rent from enterprise and they have a drop box to deposit the keys for when you return on a Sunday or after hours. Never had any problem.
That works out considering the decreased gas mileage of towing an extra quarter to half ton around.
Nothing against Enterprise but we find Budget Rent a Car does the same and we usually get a better price.
IF they did the math they are paying for the rental in fuel rather than if they would just rent. Also you can use AAA and AARP discounts. Another way to beat it is carry scooters. They make 49cc scooters that will get you 40 mph some places it is all you need. They weigh less than 200lbs too.
I have a bit of a different issue our son is wheelchair bound in a very heavy power chair I have spent tens of thousands modifying our coach to accommodate his chair the problem now is finding a wheelchair accessible vehicle I can flat tow. any suggestions...
Get a Smart Fortwo and stuff it inside the RV as luggage :D
After watching the videos of hooking up a tow vehicle (and that ridiculous brake machine that you put on the floor of the car) , I'm thinking renting a car is a great idea. Towing a vehicle looks like a hassle. If I towed my car, I'm wondering how many sets of new tires I will need after going on long trips. I plan on living in my RV full time, so if I travel lots of miles with my vehicle behind it, that is going to take it's toll on my car. Thanks for this tip. I appreciate it.
Hello Mari, have you considered using a TOW dolly ? It save a lot of wear & tear on the vehicle being towed.
Still causes wear on the tow dolly's tires
we purchased a tow dolly and we like it. we towed our vehicle from California, through many states and back home to Michigan. the only downside is that my car was not high enough in the front due to the front spoiler on my car. we had to modify the dolly. But I will also say that having someone drive behind me with a walkie talkie is convenient too. he gets me in and out of traffic with ease! happy trails everyone!
That really is a cool idea.
Good idea!
Hired a car in Spain for 4 days, that was enough for us, it cost a total of €80.00. Much more economical than towing.....
You should do a video on those day/night shades like the ones behind you Chuck,those things can be a real pain.There's a video by RV Geeks.com about them,and by watching them I was able to fix mine,takes a helper tho.
not saying all so the gas savings in not towing a car MPG gos up with out it so the money you save in gas in the big RV can go in to the rental car
Catchy music on intro, what happened to the sound after that?
That is a great idea! thank you
We have thought the same thing!
Of course, renting a car! Why didn't I think of it. This must be for weekenders who RV camp near cities and so forth, obviously. Not, for the ones who get away from the city. come on rent?!
Another tip for those RV owners who are well off.
We all ready thought of that
We pull a stacker trailer parking is a hassle but we have a car and atvs... lol.
Hmm? Economical? Not really. In reality this rental method is the most expensive alternative to towing. An Enterprise "economy" car with coupons, discounts and free upgrades is going to cost at best $15.00/day. That's over $100 for seven days not including taxes and insurance.
You can lease a new car for $99/month that will cost less then seven days of renting from Enterprise. Or you can purchase a pre-owned car and spend MUCH less.
maintenance, insurance, gas, storage, hassle of hooking up, etc. Renting wins by a landslide
@@dgatan To be realistic, there is no obvious landslide. It depends on your circumstances. If you are traveling far and only need a car occasionally and it happens to be near a rental place then renting is better.
If you need a rental often then towing is cheaper. I've only found $15 car rental deals near airports. Not many people want to camp near an airport so you end up paying $40 plus per day for a rental.
Good tip ... thanks ..
Sound on the first part of the video and no sound from you talking. ????
Same here...
Brilliant
I can't hear what he is saying
Using a rv generator
Electric bike.
Why RV when you can go in a plug in electric prius? These cars have climate control when plugged in pitch tent for larger space sleep in the car in hammock. It will come to pass someone is going to chop one and place a popup on top. These will be the RV of the future. When you stay in an area you would run all electric for 15 miles then gas would take over.Convert to propane you could save even more on road taxes. Use propane to heat the car in winter if boondocking.
Actually, I like my idea better...........
buy a fifth wheel and drive the truck!
Check out car share like zipcar
THIS IS A DAMNED ADVERTISEMENT!!!!
This topic really required a youtube video? "Hmmmmm, I don't want to tow a car behind my RV, but I'm going to need one for a few days when I get to where I'm going. Should I buy a car when I get there? There MUST be some way for me to drive a car without buying it. Hmmmmm, I just can't think what it could be!
I know right! ?
No, I don't think that's fair. A fairer analysis would be that a person might be planning to tow his car behind his RV and simply hasn't considered any other possibility. This video gives that person an alternative to consider.
(And frankly, I'm not so sure that renting a car is such a great idea anyway. Yes, it's more convenient than dragging a car around wherever you go, but it substantially increases your costs.)
Captain Quirk I think it depends on the situation. I'm looking at a tour of the national parks. May take a year or a bit more. I don't want to haul a car but may need it for some park roads (Going-To-The-Sun for example). Even if I rented a car for every park, I could still do it for less than $5,000. The cost for even a used car (suitable for flat towing) or the cost of a dolly plus the headache....some might just prefer the rentals. Just an example.
Not really. At the end of the day, it all depends on how often you use the car.
If you add up the costs to buy and keep a car, the mileage reduction of the RV that is towing the car, the extra money you will pay for the tolls because you are towing a car, the insurance of the towed car, the wear and tear of the towed car and the maintenance, it may very well be cheaper to rent a car.