Second car at Camp?

[ErickfromMI]

This is my first post to the forum and I appreciate all of your help! My wife and I are considering a class B but our concern is once we are at camp and set up, do you all use your RV to make small trips to the store, etc? Or do you pull a small second vehicle? Thanks in advance!

[booster]

We use our 07 Roadtrek 190 Chevy for everything while traveling. No car towing for us.


On edit after reading rowiebowie's post. We do stay in one place longer periods. We like 3-14 days in the places we like. All we normally would have to connect and disconnect is the power plug, and often not that if we are not in an electric campsite. Two minutes tops to go and two more when we get back. No hassle at all for us.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by ErickfromMI

This is my first post to the forum and I appreciate all of your help! My wife and I are considering a class B but our concern is once we are at camp and set up, do you all use your RV to make small trips to the store, etc? Or do you pull a small second vehicle? Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the forum Erick!

This question has been asked before on this and other forums. The consensus answer is that while you can tow a small vehicle or small trailer behind a class b (but not a Promaster so far as I know), you shouldn't. Or maybe a more specific answer is that you can, but if you do you defeat the purpose of camping in a class b.

We do driving vacations and have never stayed more than one night in any given place, so I admit we've never had to break camp and then return. But I'd have no qualms doing so, other than the usual concerns about worrying about any items you'd leave outside while gone. But I imagine that'd be case with a tow vehicle as well, only you wouldn't have to disconnect water, electric, and sewer. But then, that would probably take less time than disconnecting and reconnecting a tow vehicle.

[Jon in AZ]

We've broken camp and returned. It's more trouble than just jumping into your car. In addition to disconnecting all the utilities, you also have to stow everything that's sitting loose inside, and in our case, we have to stow the bed so our kids can use the rear sofa as seating. Sometimes you have to re-level when you return.

I wouldn't want to do it every day, but it's still less trouble than a dinghy. Pulling a vehicle greatly limits your parking and maneuverability, since you cannot back up. It's not cheap to set up.

If your preferred travel style includes longer stays in one spot with frequent excursions away from camp, a towed RV might make more sense. Then you really can just jump into your tow vehicle on a whim.

[avanti]

Even when we are spending multiple days in the same place (which isn't all that often), it is a rare day in which we don't leave camp in our van--dinner at a restaurant, sightseeing, grocery shopping, going to a trail head... You name it.

Bringing a toad has never even entered our head. We see no reason to connect to any utility except sometimes power. We mostly put things back after using them. Breaking camp is literally a 3 minute process for us -- it would take longer to unhitch the car.

If we weren't B-vanners, it would be a different story. But that is exactly why we are.

[MsNomer]

"(but not a Promaster so far as I know)"

Towing capacity of Promaster is approximately 5,000 pounds.

I agree that towing would negate much of the advantage of any Class B.

[Snowy]

There is another recent thread on this very issue that contains a poll on how many do or would tow something behind their B. I was amazed to find that the majority of respondents do or would tow something behind their B. Doesn't make sense to me but to each their own.


https://www.classbforum.com/forums/f...b-rv-1958.html

[k1hog]

We tow a very small trailer to haul the spyder.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Snowy

There is another recent thread on this very issue that contains a poll on how many do or would tow something behind their B. I was amazed to find that the majority of respondents do or would tow something behind their B. Doesn't make sense to me but to each their own.

Very few tow a second vehicle. Among those that tow, some kind of utility trailer to carry recreational equipment (boats, bikes, ATVs...) seemed to be the most common. Some people buy a B-van for long distance touring, others as a base for various outdoor pursuits closer to home.

[Doneworking]

We have had several Bs over the years and three Cs (two of the three were the so called B+ rigs). Towing does allow you to have great mobility when you get where you are going, just don't think about much spontaneity on the way. By the time you add 16 or so feet in a tow vehicle, plus 3 or 4 feet for the tow gear, you are over forty feet long even if you have most Bs. Of course, you can shrink this a few feet if you pull a very small car.

Now, just try pulling into the gas station. You have to plan every detail of the procedure. With a trailer, you can back up but you can't back up with towing gear pulling a vehicle. Some truck stops have RV lanes selling gas and diesel, some do not. In larger places, space in gas stations is usually pretty limited.

You don't just whip into a pull off or a McDonalds. You have to plan every move and find someplace to park your forty feet of rigging. The greatest advantage of a B for us is mobility. Wanna stop, STOP! Need gas, just get it at the next station. No planning, wet palms or frustration.

Maybe it is not a hassle for some but it is for me and I suspect a lot of others and that is the reason we own a B. The compromise is a small C without a toad, but remember they are generally 96 inches wide and drive and ride like a commercial truck because that is exactly what they are.

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by MsNomer

"(but not a Promaster so far as I know)"

Towing capacity of Promaster is approximately 5,000 pounds.

Actually this year the towing capacity of the new Promasters was raised to over 6000. BUT that is not for a converted van. Roadtrek has raised its towing capacity after all the additional conversion weight from 2000 to 3500. I know these numbers have been debated here, but three things would suggest sticking with the lower numbers... hitch attachment, transmission, and coolant issues.

If I wanted to tow more, I would go with a Sprinter. Not that I would ever tow, avoiding it is why I have a B.

[k1hog]

DW and I have a RT 200P, as stated our aluma 8 foot trailer is less than 400lbs empty, spyder weight is 900lbs, we have no problems in and out of place we stop. Even fast food drive through.

[Davydd]

I think you get the gist from all these answers. Mobility vs internal comfort imitating your home is more prized. If you have an RV and you think you need to tow a car then throw in the towel and go to a bigger motor home RV. Better yet, get a trailer. They are much more economical.

I’ve had Class Bs for 16 years now with each one getting longer but also getting more capable of off grid living aka dry camping or boon docking. I got tired of trying achieve a longer more comfortable Class B as that hampered where we can go. So, we downsized 5 feet to under 20 feet to park where a car can park. Our goal is not to plug into electrical unless we stay more than 3 days in one spot. But as Avanti said, even then, we want to be able to go someplace just about every day and that recharges our batteries. We now usually don’t take advantage as a habit of shore power when it available. Kind of feel cheated paying for a campground spot. So we are gravitating to more off grid spots. We are Harvest Host junkies. The last two wineries we stopped at had restaurants with outdoor patios and live local entertainment.

[Bud]

Some will carry a motorcycle, gas or electric, on a hitch. I've only traveled with an ebike on a hitch, only 30-35 mph.

I've also carried inside the B a flying machine and wing. I've not launched from a Harvest Host location as they did not exist at the time, many other wonderful places though. Those days ended, just not the ebike.

[ChicagoTom]

I bought a B so I wouldn't have to tow anything. Very simple, fill the tank with water, and all you need is the electric hookup. I hookup, and unhook in less than 5 minutes. To each his own. Many setup chairs, tables etc. but IMO the B has it's own type of use, and it's very simple.

[ClssBLife]

Good question! I think if you want the convenience of a regular vehicle (SUV, pickup) you should consider trailering something. But if you're committed to a B, think about bringing an ebike. Makes going to the store fun.

[MarkS]

It seems to me the people that can break camp in 3 minutes haven't actually set up camp. I prefer, when possible, to settle in, deploy the awning, hook up electric and water if available...
Just closing up the awning takes longer than 3 minutes and is a pain to do repeatedly.

[Ddenney]

Originally Posted by ErickfromMI

This is my first post to the forum and I appreciate all of your help! My wife and I are considering a class B but our concern is once we are at camp and set up, do you all use your RV to make small trips to the store, etc? Or do you pull a small second vehicle? Thanks in advance!

WE have a Rialta and do not tow. If we are going from place to place with just a few nites each, we stay put ...If we are going somewhere and park for two weeks, we have found it easier in some cases to rent a car locally, than to break camp etc. It just depends on the situation.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by MarkS

It seems to me the people that can break camp in 3 minutes haven't actually set up camp. I prefer, when possible, to settle in, deploy the awning, hook up electric and water if available...
Just closing up the awning takes longer than 3 minutes and is a pain to do repeatedly.

I'm with @ChicagoTom on this one.

If pulling in and plugging in isn't "setting up camp", then so be it. In our experience, there is nothing more liberating than being able to unplug, hop into the van, and head out to wherever. We often do it several times a day. If we wanted to sit around, we would have bought a big old Class A.

As for awnings, we only have one because the upfitter accidentally installed one when we ordered our semi-custom rig. They didn't charge us. I have to remember to open it up once a year to check for mildew. We find them next to useless. Our next rig will most certainly not have one.

[W9TR]

I hate towing. Anything. Hitching, un-hitching, leveling, backing up. Finding places to park, especially in cities. That’s why we got a B van instead of the more capacious offerings in the A and C classes. E-Bikes might be a viable alternative. For us, less is definitely more.