What are the pros/cons of having a second vehicle?

[One Awesome Inch]

My rough estimate of the mpg of my E150 is 12.5. Spending money on gas is a real bummer but then the alternative is to go no where and be bored silly.

I had a thought to get a second vehicle that is much cheaper on gas. However, once I spend the required $80 + on car insurance, I am really not saving much over the van. Add to that having to maintain a second vehicle with tune ups, oil changes etc and it seems not such a great idea.

Thoughts on this?

 

[corky52]

I tow and would not be without my second vehicle!!!!!!

No breaking camp, cheap on the use of gas, having a second set of wheels and extra storage are all things I find worth the extra expense and effort.  I tow a 1988 Suzuki Samurai, gets about 30 mpg, goes about anywhere I've asked it to and is a blast to drive.  I don't go to just sit and veg, I go places to see and feel the places I visit, the towed lets me do far more for far less .


I would recommend a VERY cheap vehicle with absolute minimum of insurance.


Corky
 

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

That's why I always bring my bicycle.  I thought about a small scooter that would fit in the van or on a trailer hitch carrier.  I bought an electric motorcycle for my grandson at Target, and it would be great to use to scout around.  electric bike.  I didn't get one because I figure if I do I'll stop riding my bicycle. 

 

[rvwandering]

We don't tow mostly for simplicity. Getting all set up to tow can be expensive. Towing adds a lot of extra length. It can be hard or impossible to back up. Our travel style is very slow, stopping often and going short distances. It's nice to have everything with us, such as food and warm clothing, and we never have to backtrack to get home.

It's really a personal decision and depends on your lifestyle and preferences. I can see the advantages of doing it either way.

 

[SoulRaven]

I keep a small folding electric bike under my bed, cheap and easy, I can choose to get some exercise or just ride it. No parking problems with it either.

 

[LeeRevell]

This month I will be paying insurance and registration on my two vans, my motorcycle and open utility trailer. Not being a van fulltimer, I still have my fixed home. Having two (or three, counting the bike) vehicles comes in handy when one is down for repair or maintenance. Does get a bit expensive at times.
When I do go full time, I will still tow the trailer with the bike on it.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

I keep  a small folding electric bike under my bed, cheap and easy, I can choose to get some exercise or just ride it.  No parking problems with it either.

I have thought about an electric bike and may go this way as well. Only problem is the distances I would travel are 45 min each way travelling (to get into the big city). Dont think I would want to that kind of distance on a bike.

 

[SoulRaven]

I have thought about an electric bike and may go this way as well. Only problem is the distances I would travel are 45 min each way travelling (to get into the big city). Dont think I would want to that kind of distance on a bike.

The 45 minutes is easily doable, but the road conditions are a whole different story.  I have seen many places where I would never feel safe cycling.

I usually park in towns, and city streets aren't too bad, I don't do country roads or highways though, especially if they're winding or have high speed limits.

In towns, I sometimes feel like cycling is quicker than driving, and provided the weather is nice, quite enjoyable. 

 

[Milk Hauler]

This is another way to skin the cat. 25-35mph @150mpg. No ins required. The motor and hardware add 25lbs. Still light enough for a bike rack on van. [emoji12]

 

[SoulRaven]

I like the gas models, but they're not legal in many places.

 

[mockturtle]

I've towed and not towed a second vehicle and much prefer not towing. Not sure you were considering a 'toad' or just having another car but keeping it simple is the essence of freedom, IMO. A bike is a great idea, though.

 

[corky52]

I tend to find a central location, setup camp and explore an area to see the sights.  I also hate to break camp for short trips.  The other thing is that the first time you breakdown miles from anywhere having a towed is a life saver.  I usually try to not camp near others so I can't plan on using other for transport.

With a towed, water bladder, 5 gallon propane tank and extend-a-stay the TransVan stays parked till I'm ready to move to a whole new area.

Corky 

 

[mconlonx]

I keep a folding bike in the van, and currently have a motorcycle stored at a friend's place. It's winter here in New England, so the moto doesn't see any time on the road, but once it warms up a bit, I will be using it or riding bicycles (bike-bus-bike) more for my regular commute.

Once/if I hit the road full time, certainly the folding bike will definitely come with me, and maybe a moto in the 125-400cc range on a front or rear hitch carrier. I only started van-dwelling in one area, no real movement other than a work commute. I think I'd do a trial run without a motorcycle before deciding to go that way -- for me, a non-motorized bicycle will probably do the trick as alternative transport.

Motorized bikes, either IC or electric, can be finicky and quality varies wildly. With many, owner involvement in the mechanics, maintenance, and operation will be necessary, sometimes even more so than with a scooter or smaller, quality motorcycle. Know what you are comfortable dealing with regarding any pending purchase of a motorized bike before running out to get one.

 

[TucsonAZ]

At home two is a must, I have an F-250 and a Corolla wagon, I paid $780 for the wagon and $900 for the truck, insurance is about $400 a year for both. It's well worth having two as one gets 35mpg on the highway and one can pull a 5th wheel or lug around a trailer with 150 sheets of tin (just did this last week) loaded up.

On the road, I would go with a little scooter or something to handle the 10 mile range of where you are camped out.

 

[compassrose]

I fulltime. I tow. I'm not driving a 40 ft bus to work daily. I have a used 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee. When it was bought at an auction, it was chosen because it could be towed 4 down (flat towed). I took my time and found the brackets and tow bar I needed USED within my budget (www.hitchtrader.com). My bus is probably cheaper on fuel than the Jeep. If you tow, I strongly suggest one for the tow bars that one person can hookup by themselves. It's just easier to get hooked up as you don't need to be perfectly lined up to hookup. I also have a little cheap chinese 150cc scooter I bought for David to putter around on while I was at work. He never got a chance to ride it so I will keep it and haul it like we planned (on a hitch mounted carrier on the back of the jeep). I really don't see any cons to towing if you take the time to set up for it. There is one con, you can't back up a vehicle that is being towed 4 down. The toed-in camber of the front wheels prohibit the towed vehicle from backing up in a straight line.