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Family of 4?


GrantD

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I've been browsing this forum occasionally since early Summer and have a couple questions I think some of you might be able to speak to. I have still never owned an RV and am hoping to get my family's first late Winter/early Spring if things go according to plan. I am really wanting the benefits of a small rig as far as parking, storage, mileage, etc. However we have two kids (6 and 2) and my wife thinks if we get something really small we'll be wishing we had something bigger. Do some of you have families/kids etc. and still find the Toyota's work great for you? It seems that the models with the couch and dinette table would be the one model that "might" work?

Other smaller RV's like the Lesharo I've looked at seem to have even less space for sleeping since no overhead sleeper.

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HIGH there welcome all i have heard about those Lesharo s is to run the other way as they were said to be JUNK. AS FOR THE types you mentioned .I bleve some of the DOLPHINS have a dinet that folds down into a bed as well as the couch that folds down. MINE does not have that kind of dinete. i would think that would be ok for a child. check this site NATIONAL RV ARCHIVE shows the org sales picts and features. make shure you get the heavy rear axle. the pict is my 87 dolphin model 400 21 feet . good for 2 to 3 big people. the model 8oo or 900 have that set up. other brands al so.

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http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/rvs/3295977798.html

Do any of the Toyota's have this layout? The rear couch seems to create a lot of space, kind of makes the whole RV seem like a living room, and you kind of also have the option to just leave it down as a bed and sit at the small dinette if you want...

Thanks I'll check out the national rv archive.

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Go look at some nearby and then decide if it would work out or not. And definitely bring the lady along when shopping. I would strongly recommend the layout with the bathroom taking up the entire rear portion. It usually eliminates the dinette, but will make life with 4 a bit easier. Just get a fold-able picnic table.

Many other models cram too much in and with more than 1 person can feel way too cumbersome.

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Here's the National RV floor plans and types I posted in another reply and 5Toyota mentioned. They include Dolphin and Seabreeze. Most Toyhomes have exact or very similar floor plans I know that some travel with a Family of 4 in them, I travel alone so have no experience with others, but we all make work what we want to. Welcome and good luck in your search! The nice thing about a Toyhome is that they are easy to customize, and have often thought of making the rear sofa floor plan in mine with a jackknife style couch to allow ability and room for it to pull out, and then have the room when folded back up.

http://www.mediafire.com/nationalrv

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A nice thing about the Toyhouse, unless you make a very bad purchase, odds are very good you'll get your money back out of it.

We took two of our grandsons (12 and 14, I think) on a week long trip to DC last spring. Not a lot of room inside to release energy, so make sure there are outside activities. (probably not to much problem yet with 2 and 6 year olds)

We stayed at state campgrounds while traveling, and then stayed 4 nights at Cherry Hill Park just outside of DC. ( I had business in DC so we made this a working mini vacation). I can't say enough good about the RV park, we'll defiantly stay again when I travel to DC.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

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Here is another humble opinion on the subject.

1. Agree with the rear bathroom set up with kids. This put the kids up close to the driver/adults when you are on the road (either on the couch or at the dinette) as opposed to the back of the bus where you can't see/yell at them properly. Also closer to the truck a/c if you live in a hot place.

2. The units with the couch and dinette in the front give you 4 seat belted places for the kids to sit (or non-driver adult if you let the 6 year old in the front seat - which is what we did on our trip with our 7 year old).

3. The dinette units are always going to feel tight with four people with any of the smaller RV (below about 25 feet) no matter what the brand.

4. Depending on how big you guys are adults, you should have no problems sleeping four in your family (two on the bed over the cab) and if your not to big - two on the jacknife couch (which is super easy to set up). You still have the option of the dinette as well. One member said his kids liked to sleep under the jacknife couch. If the older kid wants to bring a friend, you can bring a small tent and air mattress and have overflow sleeping outside.

5. Decide if you are the type of family that will spend most of the time outdoors or will you want to spend a lot inside the RV. If you want to spend a lot of time inside when you are parked - you may need a bigger one. Are you going to drive it twice a year and set it up for 2 weeks at a time in one place or drive from place to place and go out on a lot of weekends?

We love the small size for driving, parking, and the better mileage. I bump my head on the a/c pretty much everyday and only one person can work in the kitchen at a time - but we really enjoy the convience of this size RV. Go look at some nice toyotas and also other brands. As was stated before, if you buy smart - you won't lose much money and your family be fine in this size toyota RV for 2-3 years, then you can decide what you really need/want.

Cheers,

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I agree with what others have said. You should be able to at least get your money back if your family can't make it work. Honestly I think it would be to crowded but if you are active outside it might work. We had a 26 ft travel trailer when the kids were growing up and only pulled it a long distance for vacation. The rest were local camping trips. Lots of good memories so however you do it "Just Do It"

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What ever you buy it ain't gonna be big enough...That's why they make 45ft MH for 2 people. :sarcasm: . Can you learn to make things work That's up to you and the family and how much stuff you "need".

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I have three boys (16, 15, and 11) and the five of us (plus the dog) manage okay. I have a 1990 Odyssey

that has the bathroom in the rear. Right behind the drivers seat is a three person couch (3 seat belts) and

a two barrel chair table (with seat belts). While traveling the three boys usually all sit on the couch and have

a laptop on the table playing a movie. For sleeping, the wife and I get the bed over the cab, the two youngest

gets the couch bed, and the oldest gets a bunk bed (custom made) that is over the couch.

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Yeah Bufbooth, you have a great family to be able to manage 5 in your Toyhome without bloodshead, LOL! I'm thinking the added passenger weight is at least 700 pounds with all 5 and the dog aboard? Where do you come in at GVW when all and everything is loaded up for the trip?

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I've seen Bufbooth's set up and to me the miracle is in the custom bunk that he built and the star trek door in a wall hide away pantry. Amazing space. The bunk is Made of aluminum, strong as an ox and light as a feather; it acts as a "bridge" across from the overhead cab back to the mid rig area and easily stores when driving. (I have plans to construct one myself once i find the right piece of aluminum.) Sorry, Dennis for stealing any thunder or I.P. :-)

WME and Waiters comments are perfect also; form fit and function. (small form, fit to do almost anything a huge rv can do and many things one can't, and does it far cheaper.)

The toy home is a conduit to adventure and a roof over your head to sleep. If cathedral ceilings, enough room to break-dance, have a party of people inside or king size beds are what you want in a motorhome then keep looking, but if you like playing twister then the toy home does it without the need of Hasbro.

We rock a german shep, 4 and 2 year old girls with wife in our 21' sunrader. We are only in it when driving, sleeping, or in extreme heat at a campsite with shore-power. the rest of the time we are out seeing what it is we drove all that way to see.

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