Snowbirding – To tow, or not to tow, that is the question

December 1, 2022

RVs can be small and basic, large and luxurious, or anywhere in between. The one owned by Will Smith cost $2.5 million and has a second storey!

The resort where we parked in Palm Desert is situated beside Holland RV Centers.  We strolled over to have a look and were shocked by the sticker prices.  There was a 45’ diesel pusher for a mere US$997,000.  Others were selling for considerably less, but the lowest price we saw was in the neighbourhood of US$300,000.

Some of the motorhomes were not even as nice as ours, which Gary purchased privately and at a much lower price.  The salesman said people are no longer trading in their coaches, so there are not any previously owned units on the lot.  However, he claimed that on average two new units are being sold there each day.  Apparently, the demand is great despite the cost.

We are well acquainted with the appeal of living in a well-appointed RV, but we are also experiencing some of its limitations:

• Most RVs get notoriously low gas mileage, and the price of gas has skyrocketed recently.  (Although diesel is now about 20% more costly than gas, the fuel mileage on newer diesel pushers is 20% better than those with gas engines such as ours, so fuel type is currently not a factor.)
• Depending on where you are, gas prices can be a huge deterrent to travel in a motorhome.  In California we paid as much as $5.10 per gallon (CDN$6.85), although that is still lower than the $7.19 we were paying before we left home ($1.90 per litre).  We are in Arizona now, where gas can be purchased for as low as $3.65 at Costco in Phoenix (CDN$4.90).  We will be in San Antonio next week, where the price is currently $2.53 at Costco, half of the lowest price we could find at some locations in California. 
• Maintaining an RV while on the road can be difficult.  Before leaving home, we attempted to locate businesses where we could have the oil changed every 3000 miles, but our efforts were futile.  Gary ultimately decided to take on that task himself, with me as his helper.  Still, finding a suitable place to DIY has been difficult.
• Washing bugs and grime off the exterior of the motorhome has also been problematic, as it is difficult to locate and access a facility large enough to accommodate the height, width, and length of our coach.
• Even a rig that is only 36’ in length can be difficult to drive, and especially to park.  Many places are inaccessible to us.  This kept us from stopping in San Jose to watch Montana Onyebuchi play hockey with the Barracudas. ☹ We couldn’t even find a place to park that was close enough to take a taxi to and from the game! Nor were we able to attend Grace Community Church in Los Angeles.  We can shop only at big box stores and the occasional Safeway.  Finding places to get a pedicure, my nails done, or a haircut takes a lot of searching and planning.
• We prefer a motorhome over a 5th wheel or trailer because we don’t have to drive a truck to pull it, or get in and out of the vehicle to access any of the amenities. On the other hand, living in a motorhome necessitates packing everything up and moving if we want to go anywhere outside the park, unless we are able to walk or have a taxi pick us up (which we learned today can also be a time-consuming ordeal.)
• Keeping us safe and our motorhome operating properly must be very stressful.  Other than driving on the highway, when necessary, I certainly would not want to take on those responsibilities.  Nor would I be capable of doing so.

Towing a vehicle behind the motorhome would alleviate some of those problems, while exacerbating others.

• When we want to visit a salon, do some shopping or sightseeing, even if it necessitates travelling a fair distance from the RV park, we would need only disconnect the car and be on our way.  This would not only allow us easy access, but at a far lower cost than getting there in our motorhome, were it even possible to do so.
• Whereas we are unlikely to venture out in our motorhome after dark or in weather conditions that are less than ideal, we would have no problem doing so in a car.
• While we would not leave our motorhome unattended for any length of time other than in an RV Park, leaving our car to explore on foot poses less of a risk.
• We have room in our motorhome for everything we require, but the trunk of any car we might tow would provide extra storage if needed.

On the other hand:

• Towing substantially decreases fuel economy.  The weight and any wind resistance will both contribute to decreasing gas mileage.
• The cost of towing equipment is substantial.
• We would need to pay for insurance on both the motorhome and the car.
• Adding 20 ft. to our rig would make everything much more difficult and stressful – driving, turning, parking, maintaining.  We certainly wouldn’t have been able to navigate the roads that resembled goat trails leading to Thousand Trails RV Parks in California (not that we intend to travel to them ever again anyway).  Backing up for any reason would be almost impossible. 

Fortunately, there may be ways to have your cake and eat it too. 

A toy hauler is an RV that offers garage space so you can bring along additional modes of transportation. After the toys are unloaded it can be flipped into a dining area, living room, or extra sleeping space.

In some toy haulers, there is even an option to use the ramp door for the garage as a porch, providing a personal private outdoor space. Some models come with screens so campers can enjoy the outdoors while keeping the bugs out!

Many RVers use the space as sort of a “mud room” as well because there is no carpet on the floor — just easy to clean rubber mat flooring.

A toy hauler can be a travel trailer, fifth wheel, or even a motorhome.

If money is no object, there are luxury motorhomes with their own little garage underneath to hold a car so you can easily get around once you reach your destination… assuming you don’t choose to simply have a limousine waiting for you!

Those possibilities are currently beyond our reach, so we will continue to weigh our options.  Before leaving home again next year we will answer the Shakespearean question that is so often debated by RVers everywhere.