Trailers and handling vehicle repairs

[dhurtt]

I just wanted to check my logic with those of you that have a trailer as your nomadic home.

My goal is to 'go digital nomad' as I have finally landed a job that allows me to be anywhere, as long as I have an adequate internet connection. So while conducting internet testing I am thinking about the rig setup.

When I was speaking with my RV friends about going with just a van versus a tow vehicle and trailer, everyone was saying "remember, with a motor home when your vehicle is in the shop, your home is too." But the more I thought about it, the more it made me think that this was more about people that stay in RV parks as opposed to people that camp on BLM or National Forest land.

In an RV park it is not too hard to get an repair shop to shuttle you back to your park while you wait for your vehicle to be repaired. They will often pick you up when it it done. But it seems like if you are out farther, this is much more likely a service they will not provide. I imagine it being a tow truck taking your vehicle in, and they would not tow you and your trailer, would they?

Even if you could drive your vehicle in for repair, they are not going to allow you to park your trailer in their lot, would they? Especially if the repair lasts more than a day. So you are essentially left without a means to get to and from the repair shop and your home, and your home will be vulnerable while you are in the shop, dealing with the mechanics. It seems like it would be likely your trailer would be stolen or vandalized.

In the end, it seems like the single, contained vehicle is the 'safer' bet. While it is in for repairs you are in a local motel, or suffering the waiting area if it is a one-day repair.

Where are my assumptions wrong in comparison to your real-world experience? Am I putting to much emphasis on the potential problem side of things? Am I missing something? Thanks in advance.

Dale

P.S. This is my first post.

 

[Canine]

It's good to think about things like that. Good questions. I'm in a trailer and my truck petered out. So I bought another one. It was awkward as I was 35 miles out in the boonies, but I got it done. If I had had a van, it would have been much more awkward. I would have had to take all of my stuff out of it, leave it in a pile or store it in a storage unit while I set out to purchase another van. It would be nice if I could buy a van then transfer everything over, then get rid of the old one, but things usually don't work out that way. All I had to do was license the new truck and wire it for towing.

I wouldn't have any concerns asking if I could stay in the parking lot of the mechanic's shop. I wouldn't be surprised a particle if they welcomed you to stay there. Some mechanics won't. Depends on the person of course.

A Rollback could easily take your truck into town while towing the trailer. I happened at my campground this year. That was 45 miles one way.

I don't have the concerns about theft and vandalism like you do, but I'm not in a ghetto, either.

Slide-in campers, trailers, 5th wheels, vans, box trucks, step vans, etc., all have their advantages and disadvantages. No one choice is wrong. Most of us go through that phase in some form or another. Thinking about what was going to be my home was a big, hairy deal to me. After some mistakes, I went with a trailer and love it.

 

[bullfrog]

Our tow policy covers both the tow vehicle and the trailer when towing and the tow vehicle breaks down. We have never had to use it that way as we usually were able to park the trailer in an campground before the tow vehicle went in for repairs. With factory warenty work a loaner car was usually furnished or they shuttled us to and from. If we stayed in a motel we usually parked the camper in the motel parking area. We now carry electric bicycles as well good for at least 20 miles and in most cases that would do. Just take care of your tow vehicle and plan ahead for things like transmission or engine rebuilds if it needs them. Mechanics and garages as well as campgrounds and motels usually are helpful as they want your business.

 

[highdesertranger]

there are so many variables to your questions, there really won't be a 100% right answer.

" I imagine it being a tow truck taking your vehicle in, and they would not tow you and your trailer, would they?"

most will tow your trailer in, at an added cost.

"they are not going to allow you to park your trailer in their lot, would they?"

some will and some won't.

in rural areas most business owners are more open to working with you. others will chime in.

go to the "Newcomers corner" and give us an intro.

highdesertranger

 

[Dingfelder]

I think you have been pushing your logic to your bias, making it not really logic. It's just one way of tilting the situation in favor of a preference you already have or choice you have already made.

Remember too that if it is your trailer that is being repaired, you can sleep in your truck. And motels are uncomfortably expensive for many, and not always in good neighborhoods or safe. Take it from a guy who used to manage them.

 

[dhurtt]

Canine, good to hear that some mechanics will let you stay on their property while your vehicle is being repaired. Not having had any vehicle towed from a break down, good to know that they can tow that much all at once.

Bullfrog, thanks for the information on the insurance policy. I will have to look into having a rider stipulate that it covers towing both.

Highdesertranger, yeah a 100% answer is impossible. But your answers helped check my assumptions.

Dingfelder, asking others to check your logic reveals what your bias is. What I do with the information reveals whether I want to keep my bias. Good point about trailer repair.

Thanks all. I really appreciate the information. I am suffering from analysis paralysis and sometimes more information only adds to the confusion, but this really does help.

 

[tx2sturgis]

To the OP, I agree with HDR, too many variables and this can lead to 'analysis paralysis'.

Murphy's Law will bite you out there, or it won't.

Whatever problem you prepare for, something else will happen. Ask NASA...they are well aware of this.

Breakdowns and unforeseen repairs don't happen as often when you are just parked on BLM or boondocking somewhere....most actual 'breakdowns' usually occur when actually in motion. 

Of course, they can happen while stationary also, or a problem is discovered while parked somewhere that will prevent you from departing. Or while your trailer is parked somewhere, your tow vehicle breaks down 30 miles away, and you will need to be towed 50 miles in the opposite direction. Now you are kinda screwed.

All within the realm of possibilities.

Personally, my opinion is that if you choose to have a tow vehicle and trailer, the tow vehicle should be a late model, well cared for, well maintained, reliable, and probably more expensive vehicle, OR you have the knowledge, experience, tools, and parts on-hand to repair any foreseeable minor repairs on an older, but mostly reliable, vehicle.

If your budget is really tight, and you go with a van conversion, not pulling a trailer, I think you might have a bit more of a 'comfort zone' if a breakdown occurs, but again, lots of variables out there in the real world. 

I know it is also a pain to pull your 'home' into a service bay and grab some of your personal belongings and go sit in the waiting room or go get a motel room, but it is also a pain to be stuck, 75 miles from your trailer and no way to get it into town or go back and forth to it. 

But the trailer option has many advantages too, including flexibility, and the option to replace the 'power unit' without having to rebuild the 'housing unit''. 

No matter which option you choose, sooner or later, you will re-think it. And that's OK too.

Weigh your options, and roll the dice. That's all any of us can do.

 

[Dingfelder]

Dingfelder, asking others to check your logic reveals what your bias is. What I do with the information reveals whether I want to keep my bias. Good point about trailer repair.

Everyone should check their logic, always.  Doing so is the antithesis of bias.

No surprise if we don't, we're human.  BUT THAT'S WHY WE SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK OUR LOGIC.

Are you here to win or learn?

Because if you already know the answers, why are you here pretending to ask a question?