Howdy,
My intro is in the intro area, and this is post #2.
We have been using an 05 Astro with a Coleman Santa Fe popup for a couple of years...it's good and bad. Good in that it doesn't cost squat to tow. The Astro runs no worse (or better) with or without it. Then, we decided we REALLY wanted a shower, toilet, and overall nicer rig. To top that off, when we began researching our Astro's true tow capabilities, we learned that the iihs.org ratings on this vehicle were questionable anyway. My seeing it as a safe family car for the wife and kids was over, let alone a capable tow vehicle.
We really considered getting a KZ Coyote 16 hybrid... which would be "maybe" okay for that Astro. But finally, the specs won out.
Everything we read said UPGRADE YOUR TOW VEHICLE FIRST. So we have.
We purchased an '06 Titan SE crew cab with the factory "Big Tow" package. I know this is no Dodge Hemi - but I felt for our purposes, it should do fine. We were impressed by the safety ratings. Top rated safety in a 1/2 ton truck by iihs.org.
So far so good - I think this was a solid choice, and a substantial upgrade from the Astro.
Well, yesterday is where the questions begin, when we journeyed to the RV dealers. Questions like "What on earth did we do?"
We went to Earnhardt RV to look at a used Rockwood Roo, the 23SS one. Two flip down tent beds, one slider. But when there, we found out that we could probably get the Fleetwood Pioneer 180CK at the same price. The problem with all of this however is how they jumble the numbers around.
1. Issues towing this with the Titan?
I would think no, but I'll be sure. As stated below I requested the prodigy brake controller and the equalizer WD hitch. I've been reading up. This factory tow has extending mirrors, transmissions cooler and temperature guage, class IV towing hitch, towing mode, vehicle stability control, and limited slip differential TRAC package, as well as a lower gear ratio, that they say works out the same as a 4 speed 4:10 gear ratio. I have no idea what this spec stuff means. The dealer told me this was more than adequate for a smaller TT.
2. Did we get taken?
We got the 180CK, with these addons: 13,500 BTU air, scissor stab jack 2pr (what ever that is), 16" drop in range, 6 gal water heater DSI, stereo cd, LPG cover, gravel cover, double bed with bunk. List 15,360
Equalizer hitch and prodigy brake controller 900.00
Of course there's fees, taxes, etc.
Traded in our Coleman for 1500.00 (it's a 97), chumped up 2,000.00, and they let us leave the lot for a total owed of $10,490.00. That figure includes the prep, licensing, brake controler, hitch, blah blah blah. I hope we didn't bungle this. We've now got a 118.00 per month payment, plus RV storage (and no idea where that will be). We're supposed to go back and sign our final paperwork on Thursday, and drive away with it. Saturday we'll be leaving town with it on a 300 mile maiden voyage. Yes, I have never towed anything this big (though I did drive a 40' liftgate some 25 years ago as a night job in college).
3. Is this really smarter than a hybrid?
Seems you get more sleeping with the hybrid - but the pioneer just seemed nicer overall. The weight seemed about the same. Would you go for a bigger sleeping capability hybrid or the smaller solid side that "just meets your needs". The sleeping would work for us, be cramped with many more. We thought this would be more element resistant.
My wife is giving me the big eyes like "Well, did you dummy up again honey? Did you throw our money out the window?"
Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Mickey C
Phoenix, AZ
My intro is in the intro area, and this is post #2.
We have been using an 05 Astro with a Coleman Santa Fe popup for a couple of years...it's good and bad. Good in that it doesn't cost squat to tow. The Astro runs no worse (or better) with or without it. Then, we decided we REALLY wanted a shower, toilet, and overall nicer rig. To top that off, when we began researching our Astro's true tow capabilities, we learned that the iihs.org ratings on this vehicle were questionable anyway. My seeing it as a safe family car for the wife and kids was over, let alone a capable tow vehicle.
We really considered getting a KZ Coyote 16 hybrid... which would be "maybe" okay for that Astro. But finally, the specs won out.
Everything we read said UPGRADE YOUR TOW VEHICLE FIRST. So we have.
We purchased an '06 Titan SE crew cab with the factory "Big Tow" package. I know this is no Dodge Hemi - but I felt for our purposes, it should do fine. We were impressed by the safety ratings. Top rated safety in a 1/2 ton truck by iihs.org.
So far so good - I think this was a solid choice, and a substantial upgrade from the Astro.
Well, yesterday is where the questions begin, when we journeyed to the RV dealers. Questions like "What on earth did we do?"
We went to Earnhardt RV to look at a used Rockwood Roo, the 23SS one. Two flip down tent beds, one slider. But when there, we found out that we could probably get the Fleetwood Pioneer 180CK at the same price. The problem with all of this however is how they jumble the numbers around.
1. Issues towing this with the Titan?
I would think no, but I'll be sure. As stated below I requested the prodigy brake controller and the equalizer WD hitch. I've been reading up. This factory tow has extending mirrors, transmissions cooler and temperature guage, class IV towing hitch, towing mode, vehicle stability control, and limited slip differential TRAC package, as well as a lower gear ratio, that they say works out the same as a 4 speed 4:10 gear ratio. I have no idea what this spec stuff means. The dealer told me this was more than adequate for a smaller TT.
2. Did we get taken?
We got the 180CK, with these addons: 13,500 BTU air, scissor stab jack 2pr (what ever that is), 16" drop in range, 6 gal water heater DSI, stereo cd, LPG cover, gravel cover, double bed with bunk. List 15,360
Equalizer hitch and prodigy brake controller 900.00
Of course there's fees, taxes, etc.
Traded in our Coleman for 1500.00 (it's a 97), chumped up 2,000.00, and they let us leave the lot for a total owed of $10,490.00. That figure includes the prep, licensing, brake controler, hitch, blah blah blah. I hope we didn't bungle this. We've now got a 118.00 per month payment, plus RV storage (and no idea where that will be). We're supposed to go back and sign our final paperwork on Thursday, and drive away with it. Saturday we'll be leaving town with it on a 300 mile maiden voyage. Yes, I have never towed anything this big (though I did drive a 40' liftgate some 25 years ago as a night job in college).
3. Is this really smarter than a hybrid?
Seems you get more sleeping with the hybrid - but the pioneer just seemed nicer overall. The weight seemed about the same. Would you go for a bigger sleeping capability hybrid or the smaller solid side that "just meets your needs". The sleeping would work for us, be cramped with many more. We thought this would be more element resistant.
My wife is giving me the big eyes like "Well, did you dummy up again honey? Did you throw our money out the window?"
Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Mickey C
Phoenix, AZ