If you tow a car why don't you tow a caravan?

[Ray-Vic]

As you may know, we are pretty new to motorhoming and I am trying to understand as much as I can about it.

We've been to plenty of local sites and sometimes Lady V has driven her little car as well and we've used it to get out and about. However, on the longer journeys we haven't done that, so either stay put or pack up and go in the MH, which is fairly restrictive for obvious reasons. We have electric bikes and well and do use them quite a lot, but in the winter.......Brrrrrrrr.

When discussing the possibility of a tow car, trailer or similar with Lady V, she came out with a question which I really don't have the answer to which is, if we're going to tow a car, why don't we use the car we have and tow a caravan? That would save on servicing costs of the motorhome and we would not have to insure and service another vehicle.

I'm sure there are various reasons that most choose to have a motorhome, and for me it's the almost twist and go nature of them, but the more I think about it the more I'm thinking that she has a valid point.

What would you all suggest is the primary reasons that you would choose to tow a car rather than use your every day car and tow a caravan?

Many thanks.

 

[faz55]

Thanks guys, mostly really valid and useful answers there.

I think for us at the moment I love the motorhome for many of the reasons mentioned, but it's interesting to see reasoning behind each option, which will help me with our ongoing discussions.

We were caravaners for over 35yrs but our last 25ft x 8ft one was getting too much on our UK roads we didn’t feel we were ready to give up yet and eventually decided on a MOHO. Hubby has a bad back so needed to fulfil quite limited criteria island bed, automatic etc unfortunately due to age hubby was down from a C1 licence… he could have gone for a medical but paying out for a MOHO over 3500kg with a risk of losing it in the future seemed stupid. Hence, we decided to tow my little Fiat 500 … it’s better for getting about into villages etc as proven by our tour of the south this summer and we can throw stuff in it without worrying about the weight in the MOHO. Yes it’s expensive initially although we already had the car but as everyone says it’s each to their own and it works for us. Cost of pulling us a diff of 1-2 pence a gallon so

 

[Clive Mott]

Caravans are for Caaravanner.
Motorhomes are for motorhomers.

But The ability to stop for a cuppa and a pee on a rainy day without going outside is ace.
As is the view over field hedges compared to just the hedge from the car.
The driving seats and position are designed for someone who is going to spend all and every day in them. Who gets flats on their bum in a car?

 

[Excaliber]

We have done the big car and bigger caravan thing which I was always afraid would cuase problems on tight roads due to size, however we now do the TOAD thing with large (ish) MoHo and small car VW Polo, this is so much more manageable I'm in control of the larger vehicle sitting within it with bigger better mirrors, the car is behind visible below my rear view camera and tucked out of the way of other wide vehicles etc passing, also having the car acts as extra storage / carrying capacity for wifes wheelchair etc

 

[Speve]

What would you all suggest is the primary reasons that you would choose to tow a car rather than use your every day car and tow a caravan

Our everyday car is to small to tow a caravan so we take it with us on a trailer and still use it when away

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[Clive Mott]

And more.
We carry 2 lecy bikes in the moho garage, tow a box trailer with a motorbike and sidecar inside. Can you imagine pulling a caravan with a motorbike and sidecar?.
We have had caravans, Land Rovers and motorhomes. We broke the tow coupling on one caravan in the mountains in france while towing with a Discovery. Nursed it to the camp site and got it welded together locally. Motorhomes are based on commercial vehicles, workhorses. That after years of experiences is what suits us best, even so we stay on some sites for several weeks at a time. Its your money. Fritter it away in the manner that pleases you the most.

 

[Conniedriving]

What percentage of Motorhomers tow a car? Not many I would say.

You may be very surprised to know it’s probably 1000s you may have a six month wait to get the aframe fitted

 

[Conniedriving]

Another financial consideration perhaps is that many sites now charge for an extra car, and consider a toad to be extra. But a car with a caravan is not charged.

There again many now charge for a dog.

I’ve used a toad for a few years now and never been charged for the car

 

[Pausim]

I’ve used a toad for a few years now and never been charged for the car

Neither have I. A toad isn’t an extra car it is the first and only car.

 

[Phill D]

Neither have I. A toad isn’t an extra car it is the first and only car.

I don’t own a toad, but I was only quoting some private sites I was researching for a spring uk trip. And like a good man was reading the small print.
Several of them had specific additions in costs and stated a pitch was;
A caravan plus car.
A motorhome. ( an additional car with a motorhome to be considered an extra vehicle.)

Clearly unfair, but these sites also listed additional costs for ehu, awning, gazebo. dog, and campers above 2 adults.

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[Pausim]

I don’t own a toad, but I was only quoting some private sites I was researching for a spring uk trip. And like a good man was reading the small print.
Several of them had specific additions in costs and stated a pitch was;
A caravan plus car.
A motorhome. ( an additional car with a motorhome to be considered an extra vehicle.)

Clearly unfair, but these sites also listed additional costs for ehu, awning, gazebo. dog, and campers above 2 adults.

I guess I need to read the small print and go elsewhere with fairer terms.

 

[Phill D]

I guess I need to read the small print and go elsewhere with fairer terms.

i only noticed it as a couple of the sites i looked at listed extras!! I was surprised by it also. I totally agree its a completely unfair term. did not take a note of the sites for future use of any with that i felt had excessive additional charges.

 

[Reallyretired]

My toad is road tax free and does 80+ to the gallon. At home it is the town runabout, dog walking transport etc. A car able to tow a caravan would be a lot more expensive to run.
As for a caravan rather than a motorhome , caravans are not allowed anywhere except campsites so expenses would be much higher.
Also towing a caravan is a pain, I did it when the kids were young. With a toad you hardly know it's there.

 

[Verteuil Man]

Because we can when we want to. With a caravan you have to tow it to a site. We do not always need a car so we do not tow one. When we need a car we do. It's about choice. With a caravan you do not have that choice.

 

[Larrynwin]

I've been tugging for two years now, turn up on site and reverse onto pitch, use motor movers if not happy with position which is rare, jockey wheel down, unhitch car, press a button and the caravan levels itself, put a bucket under the drain and I'm set up, 5 minutes tops, not all caravans need an awning.

I then sit back and get entertained by the Mohos trying to reverse onto ramps after they have had a noisy journey with all the squeaks and rattles in their Moho.

No squeaks and rattles in mine , water and waste holding tank on board and half the price on ferries as towcar not needed over the water

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[bobnick]

Just shows how different we all are (thankfully).
I bought our car and trailer to tow cause we found we DO/DID need one over the water.

 

[Philip Hutchinson]

I believe Ray-Vic would like to hear from actual Toaders, so here goes. This is from our NZ experience. We know the UK & EU, we have motorhomed all over many times, how we wished we could have had our Jimny with us !

Basic premise is that Caravans are for 1 or 2 stop holidays, MH’s are for touring. (Aussie is the exception, that’s another story)

But what about the middle ground ? MH’s have limitations, a PVC can go almost anywhere, a MH less than 7m has limitations and anything over 7m is restrictive. So, if you like your home comforts you will, like us, progress over the years to a 7.4m MH !

Our Toad is a light-weight go anywhere 4x4 Suzuki Jimny on an A frame (forget the trailer) Takes 5-10 minutes to put on/off. We stay 1-3 nights in one place and explore, normally the “back roads” or occasionally off-road but means that if we get stuck, we can get out of trouble and even tow the MH off wet grass, mud etc. Not many tow cars can do this. And, of course, we use it to do the shopping and all sorts of other things. Towing the Jimny is hassle free.

So, this is our compromise, our “middle ground”. We aren’t able to cycle or walk much anymore so this gives us the freedom to explore and see parts of our world that we’ve never seen. Basically, our set-up will do everything a car+caravan will do (and more) but a lot easier and, Oh, just so much more fun ! And you don’t have to take the Toad every time.

 

[bobnick]

I believe Ray-Vic would like to hear from actual Toaders, so here goes. This is from our NZ experience. We know the UK & EU, we have motorhomed all over many times, how we wished we could have had our Jimny with us !

Basic premise is that Caravans are for 1 or 2 stop holidays, MH’s are for touring. (Aussie is the exception, that’s another story)

But what about the middle ground ? MH’s have limitations, a PVC can go almost anywhere, a MH less than 7m has limitations and anything over 7m is restrictive. So, if you like your home comforts you will, like us, progress over the years to a 7.4m MH !

Our Toad is a light-weight go anywhere 4x4 Suzuki Jimny on an A frame (forget the trailer) Takes 5-10 minutes to put on/off. We stay 1-3 nights in one place and explore, normally the “back roads” or occasionally off-road but means that if we get stuck, we can get out of trouble and even tow the MH off wet grass, mud etc. Not many tow cars can do this. And, of course, we use it to do the shopping and all sorts of other things. Towing the Jimny is hassle free.

So, this is our compromise, our “middle ground”. We aren’t able to cycle or walk much anymore so this gives us the freedom to explore and see parts of our world that we’ve never seen. Basically, our set-up will do everything a car+caravan will do (and more) but a lot easier and, Oh, just so much more fun ! And you don’t have to take the Toad every time.

Big issue for us over here is a TOAD is not an option for Europe so if one wants a car it has to go on a trailer.

 

[Philip Hutchinson]

Totally understand the European Toad problem. If European touring is your thing then you just do it like the Europeans do - in a motorhome. Whilst we have had a couple of sort trips in a 7.4 MH in Europe, a PVC or something less than 7m is OK. If you just want to go somewhere and camp, then take the caravan. If exploring GB is it, MH & Toad wins every time
My conclusion is that for UK residents who wish to tour, MH & Toad only way to go, if its camping stick with Towing !

 

[nexxo698]

I recently bought a car and had an a-frame fitted. Simple fact that I often go places in the moho towing something else, like a boat, so a caravan would be no use. Plans for longer travels into europe too where I wouldn't bother taking the car and a lot of aires don't allow caravans.
Over the years I've come to the opinion that most people with caravans park up somewhere for more than a few days yet motorhomers tend to dot around places for only a couple of nights. Always good to arrive at a site, plug the electric in and get a G&T out to sit and watch the caravanners having a set-up argument.
If you have a specific purpose for either configuration, that's your choice.

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[cyberyacht]

Hmm. If one has a TOAD but gets ratty, perhaps messing about in boats is the answer.

 

[Verteuil Man]

Hmm. If one has a TOAD but gets ratty, perhaps messing about in boats is the answer.

Beep, beep.

 

[Larrynwin]

I use sites and have never been charged extra for toad.