500grhollowpoint

So I am From paradise, aka Kelowna British Columbia, and we are going to be driving to Kansas City ,through Vancouver BC, this summer. I have just over 3 weeks to do it in. The debate is now, do we take our truck (2009 f-150, 5.4 heavy haul package) 26 foot travel trailer (7500 lbs or so) and camp along the way, taking our time, or take our ford flex and just hotel it. I know the flex will be cheaper, but will it be cheap enough to offset eating out and hotel for 6? With the camper we can cook meals. I figure my truck will get around 30 litres/100km with the trailer and the flex will probably hit 12 or 13 /100k. So 360 litres to take the flex and 900 for the truck. With the average price for fuel according to google being $3.41, so $0.85 a liter that's a difference of $459 (each way, assuming we don't detour) to go in the truck for fuel.


Looking for input, do you think I will see 30 l/ 100k on the highway with that truck? Has anyone taken their 5.4 across the country with a big trailer? A better route than others to maximise fuel economy?

brulaz

Can't help you with the costs, but you will be travelling through some beautiful country and personally I'd rather spend 3 weeks camping in the mountains.

haha

I dont know the cost either but if you're on a time crunch doing the Flex (or truck)/hotel thing would be my vote. Less wear and tear on the truck and trailer. It's easier to stop in a hotel for the night then hand the keys in and get on the way instead of finding a place to set up camp then getting everything ready to travel in the morning.

ccc150

I can recall many of the different campsites I have used over the years. I can not remember what the last hotel or last motel room l stayed at even looked like.


If you want to build memories for you and your kids, I would vote for the RV.

Dirttracker18

Depends on what you want and what your plans are.

Towing and camping are not cheap and more often then not it is cheaper to get a hotel and use a small car to travel in.

However, if you have the time to stop and smell the roses, nothing beats bringing your camper with you.

Camping is usual not the cheaper option unless you are travelling slow (days of rest in between), a shorter distance and/or bringing a large family along (lower costs for food when you prep it in the camper and less space needed re: hotel)

For example, we like to go to the dirtrack races 3 to 6 hours from our home. It would be much cheaper for us to stay at a hotel and drive the car.

However we prefer to camp at the track and spend our days there taking in the events, catching all the races and utilizing the off track events set up by the track. We camp trackside and BBQ during the races and have access to our trailer right there. You can't beat all that and staying at a hotel is boring.

Norotso

These are the tools I use to help me:

http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx

http://www.statemaster.com/graph/ene...verage-regular

http://www.calculator.net/fuel-cost-calculator.html

Rock Woody

Let me see... spend nights on end in rooms and in beds that 100's of people have slept in before me that have been cleaned with speed as a priority, or sleep in my own bed, use my own bathroom, and eat my own food in my own kitchen, watch my own TV, and create memories for a lifetime with my kids ...while on the road.

What was the question?

smurfs_of_war

I would LOVE to be in your situation. For us it's always go, go, GO! with three weeks to burn for the trip- I would be taking the camper. I think the costs would be quite close actually- extra fuel, site fees, groceries vs. hotel rooms, fuel savings and eating out. To me, with that much time to burn- the camper would be the hands down winner. Do some pre-trip maintenance, hook up and have an adventure

But I guess it all depends on whether you are in it for the trip or the destination...

willieboy

If you tow like me, you need to factor in the extra time of hauling the trailer, plus setup and take down. I can travel 150-200 miles farther in a day not towing due to the slower speed I drive when towing, and the easier driving when not towing; I will drive for a longer period of time at a higher speed with no trailer.

That said, I would rather miss something and camp and eat real food, than see one extra thing and do the hotel thing and eat restaurant food for three weeks. Of course I travel a lot for work, so I am burned out on restaurant food before the trip is even started...

joe mcmillan

The driving time will be more tedious with the travel trailer. However, the evenings and time not traveling will be so much more enjoyable with your own home and toys. Take the trailer and enjoy the campgrounds. In the campgrounds you will always meet people to visit with and enhance your time. At the hotels, it will be more like everyone is a stranger.
PS - Kelowna really is PARADISE. Been there a few times and loved it.