MFinCA
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
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Joined: 06/09/2004
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pupsnus wrote:I will have to consider carefully, wheather downsizing my TV could actually pencil out in the long LONG run.
I think you are on the right track here. IMO, I would hang onto the Ram.
When you calculate the acquisition cost of a new vehicle and the potential gas savings, I think you'll find that the paid-for Ram you have will cost a lot less per mile to operate. Here are some items to consider:
You have already taken the depreciation hit on the truck. Buying a new vehicle starts the steep depreciation curve all over again.
Being an older vehicle it is less to insure and register.
In my county, sales tax is 8.75%. The purchase of a $20K vehicle would set me back $1,750 in sales tax.
$1,750 would buy me 432 gallons of gas at $4.05 per gallon (which is what I paid yesterday).
MFinCA
2004 Homestead Settler 255RS
1999 Chevrolet Suburban 2500
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Road Ruler
Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 09/11/2003
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65CrewCabPW wrote:I havent' towed a travel trailer in a few years...
I made one run up the Gorge from Astoria to Pendleton at an averaged 79MPH, and only got 13.
This is ironic. Not to long ago I showed a pick of a sedan that was using a pro installed hitch and Reese dual cam (as shown above). The moderator Mike 4749 thought it was some how inappropriate for this forum and deleted it
No we have some guy who confesses to towing at 79MPH and the post stands????
What gives????/
Airstreams.... the best towing trailers on the planet!
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tibbitts
Norman, OK
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Joined: 12/15/2002
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I think the best financial decision is to keep the existing truck. The main problem, at least that I have, is mentally getting past the idea of blowing $4 out the tailpipe every 10-11 miles. We are going to try to sell our RV (way below low retail, given the market), and probably the truck too, because of this. There's just something that feels uncomfortable about spending that much per mile for gas that goes beyond the purely financial issues. RVs can still be practical for people who like "local" camping, but we were more into "touring", and I think traditional RVs, even "lite" TTs like ours, are now very difficult to justify for that use.
I'd say you're wasting your time worrying about 10 vs. 15mpg. 10 vs. 20+ is what you need to look at. Hopefully there will be more solutions available in the next few years.
Paul
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dnbloch
Pennsylvania
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Joined: 03/13/2008
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I was in Germany this year and was amassed at how small the trailers were and what was pulling them and a $10 a gal. it is even more important over there. I first took notice along the Rhine. We took a boat trip which is like a bus it stops at every town to get off and on except you can have a meal and of course beer. While looking around I noticed campgrounds with the cutest little trailers with wrap around awning and tent screen houses attached that I have never seen here in the States. I was hooked, next tripe over for I have half my family that lives there, I will rent a camper that sit lower and a 16ft is large there, towed by BMW's VW's gas a diesel, Mercedes those french cars but I forget there names and Audi's. Hey they make due and are free now to travel the whole E.U. . I started noticing more and more the different RV's and towing vehicles. The have learned to make due and of course deal with narrow small town streets and a need for lower heights. Even though there $10 is our $16 My 36ft Dutchman would be a monster but you know I started out in a tent so I could deal with just a place to sleep eat shower and bathroom the rest is up to me like fishing biking etc, etc. Many hike through the small towns and up the mountains. What a beautiful country and great time.
David
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ArnieJ-NH
N. Swanzey, NH
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Joined: 05/25/2005
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Just returned from a trip to WV from NH and averaged just a hair less than 10 mpg. It would have been a bit better, but DW "pushed" me into coming home at 65mph rather than the 55mph going down. The worst part were the hills/mountains in WV. To hold 55 on some of them (I-64), the Durango Hemi dropped into 2nd gear at 4K rpm (cruise control). That burns the gas real fast!
Arnie & Mary
2004 4WD Dodge Durango w/5.7L Hemi/3.55/Tow Package
Reese WDH w/Dual Cam, Prodigy Brake Controller
2008 Jayco JayFeather 25F LGT 
USAF (Ret) 1962-84 B-52D/G & FB-111A
Ham - N1BAC
My Traveling Web Page
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sunny_0ne
Georgia
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Joined: 05/23/2008
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dnbloch, I was very interested in your description of the German campers. Small trailers fascinate me. Wish you had a photo!
Our Silverado 1500 (6 cyl) gets 16 mpg towing our Aliner Expedition on flat land at 60 mph. Normal rating is 18mpg hwy, 16 mpg in town.
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dnbloch
Pennsylvania
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Joined: 03/13/2008
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I will have to look I think I may have a few of the campgrounds along the Rhine I think one was mostly our service man for there was a big American flag but the same size RV's being pulled by VW station wagons, BMW and a few Volvo's mostly wagons. Rent a car and trailer and see Europe maybe next year. I will look for pictures but like I said they were low to the ground.
David
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