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Old 08-20-2012, 08:32 PM   #21
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I here ya Norm. Seriously I think you have a real fine rig. Reliabilty with the Honda's a proven success story. As "green" thinkers we too want the best fuel economy available and have a 4cyl in our sights for the future. May have to down size to an egg or smaller Airstream. Will have to see what the future brings.

PS... Can Am has given us the thumbs as far as a 4 cyl TD Jetta diesel for our 23' but we are spoiled now with so much V6 power. I too question the reliability of the VW especially since we have had such good performance and reliability from the Nissan's.
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Old 08-20-2012, 09:25 PM   #22
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Dang it Raz, your right.... here we go again. shame as it takes away for the good intent/information of the original poster.
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Old 08-23-2012, 04:29 AM   #23
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Dang it Raz, your right.... here we go again. shame as it takes away for the good intent/information of the original poster.
Yeah

Who could have known?
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Old 08-23-2012, 06:38 AM   #24
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This side topik thing has gone on for far too long. We all nead to be more perfekt than we alreaddy r.
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Old 08-23-2012, 08:38 AM   #25
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CRV Topic

This thread has contained mostly experiences of Honda CRV owners. There are many people who are interested in these experiences as witnessed by the number of 'hits' on the thread.

As we've traveled the country this year we have had nearly a 100 full tours of our Scamp 16. Every rig driver, no matter the size of their rig, is interested in the fact that we tow with a CRV.

I dare say most of them would have the same questions if we were towing with a Suburau, both are small, 4 cylinder SUVs. People are surprised because most North Americans have been convinced they need large rigs and large tow vehicles.

Most non-fiberglass RVers do not realize that they could be traveling in a small comfortable trailer and getting reasonable MPG figures.

There is universal surprise that we have a 4 cylinder and get our mpg figures, and equal surprise that we don't have a diesel.

I am certain that our favorite trailer manufacturers have not grasped small tow vehicles in terms of cost of ownership or RV comfort. As to RV comfort, there is tremendous room for product comfort and usability for the typical small trailer couple.

The fact that one disagrees with the use of a CRV does not distract from the fact that it does work. If one is concerned about the liability aspects, don't buy one. For us it does the job.

It is important that the reality of towing with a Honda be discussed as well as the fact that Honda does not rate the CRV for towing a Scamp 16 though they do in other parts of the world.

It is fair that Honda owners be able to describe their experiences, both good and bad.

Safe Travels
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Old 08-23-2012, 09:20 AM   #26
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.............
It is fair that Honda owners be able to describe their experiences, both good and bad..........
Good post Norm. I think that what gets lost in the noise is that we all have individual capabilities. Towing a trailer takes special knowledge and driving skills. One can mitigate the risk of messing up by using a larger tow vehicle. Literally, one size does not fit all.
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Old 08-23-2012, 09:33 AM   #27
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.... Literally, one size does not fit all.
You got that right! Wife has never bought a pair of shoes that would fit me for beans! Some of those boots would have looked really good on me too.
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Old 08-23-2012, 09:35 AM   #28
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You got that right! Wife has never bought a pair of shoes that would fit me for beans! Some of those boots would have looked really good on me too.
And the dresses, too! They make my butt look fat.
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:41 AM   #29
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Dang it Raz, your right.... here we go again. shame as it takes away for the good intent/information of the original poster.

Did you really expect it to go different? Your right, it's a shame!
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Old 08-23-2012, 10:44 AM   #30
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Good post X2 Norm.

It is interesting that the options for TT's with 4 cyl towing capacities are out there. Even my favourite RV dealer who sells large 34' TT / 5th wheels also sells Condo Safari's, Trilliums, and R-pods. Shown here... Can-Am RV Centre | New and Used RVs

They are also clued into the value of aerodynamics and their stock of trailers support that.

I thinks the future is already here for your style of towing and TV's but the "slow boat of change" of North Americans will take some time.

Note.... We too have a Honda on our property. It is a Honda engine on one of our many lawnmowers. Over the years I have used every make of lawnmower engine made and none sip gas as efficiently as the Honda.
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Old 08-23-2012, 02:02 PM   #31
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I happen to agree with and respect the intent of the original poster that one can indeed tow with a 4 cyl. vehicle and while staying within the North American towing specs of the vehicle and get good gas mileage while doing it. I don’t question the CRV’s ability to tow well within its specs anymore than I do any other vehicles. As most know I tow with a 4 cyl. and have done so for many years over a great many miles. So I am a believer!

I also agree with other posters that one of the interesting aspects of towing with a 4 cylinder is the great amount of interest your set up will receive while on the road. But in my personal experience some of the interest you receive will very much be unwanted attention. It is one of the down sides to towing with a 4 cyl. that funny enough hasn’t been mentioned here. Yes my trailer and car get lots of attention while on the road and have also given many many tours (sorry I don’t bother to keep count) but I would be very inattentive if I didn’t also acknowledge that just as many if not more folks who stop in asking to take a peek at the trailer also loose a great deal of interest in the trailer when they ask & receive the answer as to what the trailer weighs and what the cars towing specs are. It has on **many** occasions become clear very fast that a great many of those who ask about the trailer are not really interested in downsizing to a small trailer but instead are looking for an opportunity to blasting me for not following safe towing practises. Have had some folks just assume the trailer weighs more than the vehicles tow specs and start right in on a blast over safe towing practises. Heck I have had it happen at fiberglass trailer meets – more than once! IMHO more often than not big rig folks interest in my little trailer fads real fast on hearing the trailer is within the vehicles tow capacity specs and that it can indeed pull the trailer up a steep hill without creating a long line of cars behind me. Trust me these are not the type of folks who give a hoot what the vehicle is rated for outside of North America – in fact if you told them its a good bet they would suggest you move to where ever it is in the world you quoted!

I go camping to relax. I would rather not set myself up for the added stress of having well meaning folks raise any doubts as to the safety of my tow set up. I suppose some enjoy that type of conflict/stress but I would rather avoid it as it really isn’t necessary. As the original poster pointed out it is very possible to tow with a 4 cyl. vehicles while staying within their North American set tow capacity and leave the stress behind at work.
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Old 08-23-2012, 02:22 PM   #32
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.... Have had some folks just assume the trailer weighs more than the vehicles tow specs and start right in on a blast over safe towing practises. Heck I have had it happen at fiberglass trailer meets – more than once! IMHO more often than not big rig folks interest in my little trailer fads real fast on hearing the trailer is within the vehicles tow capacity specs and that it can indeed pull the trailer up a steep hill without creating a long line of cars behind me. Trust me these are not the type of folks who give a hoot what the vehicle is rated for outside of North America – in fact if you told them its a good bet they would suggest you move to where ever it is in the world you quoted!

I go camping to relax. I would rather not set myself up for the added stress of having well meaning folks raise any doubts as to the safety of my tow set up. I suppose some enjoy that type of conflict/stress but I would rather avoid it as it really isn’t necessary.....and leave the stress behind at work
Don't forget the stress reduction provided by being able to ignore annoying people, not always an option at work. When someone without knowledge or provication starts giving you a hassle consider it an opportunity.

An opportunity to say "Interesting opinion you have, I think I just saw someone heading that way who cares, if you hurry you can catch up with them."

Dialog and discussion is one thing, it involves a polite exchange of ideas. Hassle, well that is something else entirely.
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Old 08-23-2012, 02:30 PM   #33
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Well for the most part most of the exchanges are polite and the party leaves shaking their head in disbelief of what they just heard (ie its all within tow spec) but some ...... well you just get a real good feeling if you had answered differently the way the conversation would have gone/ended would have been totally down hill and lead to the type of exchange you suggest.... which no matter how private of a giggle you might get out of it you would have to be pretty thick skinned to not have it bother you just a tab.
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Old 08-23-2012, 03:10 PM   #34
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Well for the most part most of the exchanges are polite and the party leaves shaking their head in disbelief of what they just heard (ie its all within tow spec) but some ...... well you just get a real good feeling if you had answered differently the way the conversation would have gone/ended would have been totally down hill and lead to the type of exchange you suggest.... which no matter how private of a giggle you might get out of it you would have to be pretty thick skinned to not have it bother you just a tab.
When people ask questions about how well it works or do I have a problem with x, y or z. I'm not bothered, when someone just tells me "that" won't work after I have done it enough times to know better. Or all but calls me a liar when I tell them it works fine? Or leaps to a conclusion to justify telling me what I'm doing wrong.

E.G your probably one of those slow pokes blocking traffic on the pass, you should have a bigger TV. When in fact the first statement of "fact" used to support the conclusion is not true. I'm already being bothered. Most times I'll just say "nice meeting you, now if you'll excuse me" and drop it.

The guy who insisted I could not make it over the next pass, after I told him I had done it several times before? Then persisted? He annoyed me, and I bet I pissed him off. Chuckle even now when I think about it. If god wanted me to be an angel.....
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Old 08-23-2012, 03:10 PM   #35
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Don't forget the stress reduction provided by being able to ignore annoying people, not always an option at work. When someone without knowledge or provication starts giving you a hassle consider it an opportunity.
Absolutely!

A number of year ago a couple walked by our rig in a campsite. He was shaking his head and commented that our rig "was probably a lot to handle".

I had a copy of a post that Andy Thomson had written on the RV Net towing forum. Later in the day I dropped the copy off to the guy and in a pleasant way suggested he may find the article an interesting read. The next day he wandered back to our site and offered an appology for what he had said. He confessed as he had only owned and driven large motorhomes he was very ignorant of Mini van towing abilities. We became good friends and talked quite a bit over the following days.

We were at a park on Manitoulin Island and he said we would have trouble with a climb as we left the north end of the route off the Island. It is interesting that we had no such trouble with the short hill at all. Maybe his heavy Motor home did???

Anyway we were towing our 23' Airstream with a Nissan Mini Van. We were 400lbs under the payload rating of the vehicle (1,450lbs) and our custom class IV receiver easily handled the tongue weight of the Airstream with the WDH.
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Old 08-23-2012, 05:36 PM   #36
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Norm, I enjoy your posts about your travels. Since we just started camping, I'm putting together my wish list of places to see and routes to travel. I wish you had all posts in one place so they would be easier to find. Is there a way to search this site that would bring up all posts by one author?
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Old 08-23-2012, 06:15 PM   #37
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Lucky counters...

Carol, it's hard to imagine anyone treating you unkindly. From afar you certainly seem to be a fun loving person and gentle in your ways.

I admit Ginny and I are counters. When we first started RVing we noticed we were eating a lot of PB&J sandwiches so we counted them for that first year. It's amazed us how our eating style has changed since RVing became our life. The same with Scamp visitors, all these people wanting to see our trailer has been a surprise.

Our first real trip was to PEI and we stopped one Sunday at a virtually empty hardware store in NB to get a Propane regulator and came out to find a couple waiting for us. On the return trip we stopped in Nowhere, Maine to find 2 separate couples waiting for us.

We soon realized that people hunger to see the inside of our trailers.

With so many tours we have never had a single person confront us about our tow vehicle, they simply show interest and that includes 4 fiberglass rallies we've attended. Maybe it's because of our tour guide Ginny who is so open and friendly.

Actually the most probing question deals not with the tow vehicle or even the trailer, but rather 'how can we spend so much close time in a small space.

As for me I explain our vehicle and rarely fail to state the tow rating issue. When people ask me for info on this site I send them 3 pages about how we tow and the ratings issue. My goal is singular, to share our experience; not to make converts to Honda or Scamp. Neither our tow vehicle or trailer fully or nearly fully meet the ideal. I have petitioned both Honda and Scamp with my view on these subjects. As to Scamp, given some time I might address that situation, at least on a personal level.

In our travels we avoid adding to anyone's angst. We feel we're the retired ones and should share our relaxed state. On Interstates we stay to the right and maintain a decent speed (60). On less than Interstates we drive slower but never let more than a couple of cars get behind us and always pullover for working people when we're in no passing zones.

As to hill climbing, our experience that we go as fast as most trailers larger than us on hills and as fast as most gas powered motorhomes, the diesel motorhomes are another story.

I think that as we go forward with increasing fuel prices, more people will need to tow with more efficient vehicles. Possibly manufactures can continue to increase vehicle efficiency, just possibly we'll see more 4 cylinder diesels.

I wish all safe travels,

Since we left NH in mid-Nov we've spent some $3200 on fuel, not too bad over almost 10 months, averaging about $3.64 a gallon.
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Old 08-23-2012, 06:46 PM   #38
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Norm, it's amazing how different people can see the same thing but perceive it differently. I was at Craters in 1999 and thought it barren and somewhat depressing. Yet you found it fascinating.

Perhaps there is a parallel to be drawn with tow vehicles?

Carol, I'm sorry that you had such lousy encounters with those self appointed experts. What is your tug, anyway? I don't rcall.
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Old 08-23-2012, 06:59 PM   #39
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Carol, I'm sorry that you had such lousy encounters with those self appointed experts. What is your tug, anyway? I don't rcall.

I don't think that was Carol's point.
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Old 08-23-2012, 07:33 PM   #40
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Why guy?

Mike,

I've always been a "Why guy". when I go to Craters I see so much I don't understand and so much that is basic to how our planet works. Isn't it simply amazing that the whole Continent is moving west and the Yellowstone Hotspot/caldera is 240 miles east of where it was.

One needs to stay at Craters for a while. In passing it's a lot of black stones, but when one looks closer one sees little rainbows in some stones and a blue sheen covering acres of others. In some way the place challenges this old guy to figure it out and learn what I can. Of course, I have Ginny with me who is less scientific than I, but loves to question me and learn from our experiences.

Caves to explore, eyeless bugs to find, lava incased trees, a 52 mile long crack in the earth, simply all new and amazing.

Today we are in Twin Falls, checking out the falls of course, watching two sky divers jump off the canyon's crossing bridge. Now those falls and that canyon are a story in themselves. Unbelievably, in a sense, Lake Bonneville, as large as Lake Michigan, emptied in 6 weeks through the Snake River canyon cutting most of it's depth when the natural dam at Red Rock Utah failed. It scoured the present Snake River Gorge in an unimaginable 6 weeks. Just amazing to imagine; just as the resulting canyon is amazing to see.

I think it's trying to see beyond the cover of the black rocks everywhere and learn the inner lessons of the landscape before us. Much like selecting a life partner. It's in the depth that the interest lies.

When I was younger, much younger people thought I was weird, may be so. For me life is in discovery. Trust me I left Craters hoping we can get back.

Certainly it is desolate, glad I was not a pioneer who happened upon it on my way to Oregon. For me it's just an opportunity.

Thanks for the thoughts, Mike
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