[Newbie!] So... what's it like to actually drive a Toy?

[A.j.]

First of all, greetings & hello! First-time poster, newly obsessed lurker/forum reader here .... Don't own a Toyota RV yet, but we're in the market. I'm currently reading the RV'ers Bible, scouring the InterWeb, and looking at local models for sale.

The plan: my wife and I are in the Midwest, and we're hoping to get a 18' lower mileage (under 6x,xxx) 4 cylinder auto or manual Toy home to take the two kids (age 7 & 9) on a Southwest roadtrip this summer. Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, lots of back roads and small towns. We're used to doing lots of tent camping (and car picnics in our van) so even a nicely equipped 18 footer is going to seem like the Taj Mahal (we think!.

Truthfully, we've NEVER rv'ed before, but we've definitely got the bug and are eager to learn. The one thing we're wondering about (and have seen little comment on so far) is: what's it like to actually drive one of these things? Do you need to rely on the mirrors as much as the larger RVs? Is it hard to judge where the rear of the vehicle is? Are lane changes and turns tough to get used to? How about backing up? And is it that much different than driving a small van (our Honda Odyssey is about 17')'?

I'm going to test drive an 18' footer this weekend, and would appreciate any tips so I don't embarrass myself (too much!). Keep in mind I've never driven an RV before - although I drove plenty of 4 cylinder Toyotas back in the 80s.

Thanks! (And what a great forum... really inspires confidence for purchasing one of these older mini-homes).

A.j.

[waiter]

Welcome to the site - The planned road trip sounds neat. If your toyhouse is in good shape mechanically, you should have no problems. We've taken ours as far north as Prudhoe Bay Alaska (can't go any farther than the Arctic Ocean) and last Christmas did a west coast road trip (we live in Ohio)

Alaska Trip

I use the mirrors a lot Finally got them adjusted so I can see what I need to see (one convex and one flat on each side), but don't worry about lane changing, When you drive a toyhouse your doomed to spend the rest of your life in the right lane.

There isn't a comparison with the SUV. The Toyhouse is wider, heavier, longer, and a lot less power. Its kind of like driving a small school bus, handles like a bus, You'll get used to it fairly quickly. Doesn't do well in ice or snow, is squirrely in crosswinds, and is underpowered.

Plan on 15mpg if you keep the speed around 55-60mph.

I like the toyhouse because I can generally put it into the same parking lot as a full size car. When parking, I look for parking spots in the back of the lot that have a low curbs and nothing behind it. I can then back in without any help. Keep in mind the back end hangs out 6 or 7 ft behind the rear tires, and you don't want to hit anything. Make sure there is nothing sticking up out of the ground that will bust holding tanks, drain valves, or plumbing that hangs down behind the rear wheels. If there are any obstacles behind me (i.e. trees, sign posts, dirt mounds, etc), I usually get the wife to spot for me while I back it into a spot.

Backing into parking spots is a lot easier and safer than backing out of them.

The vehicle is wide, so be careful when turning, It will do tight turns ( its a small Toyota pickup) so be carefull you don't side swipe anything while in a turn, keep it wide.

Read through the section on what to look for in a Toyhouse, i.e. Full floating rear axle, (may not be a consideration on short Toyhouses) . Personally, I prefer the 4 banger over the 6, its bullet proof, Also would prefer the manual over the automatic, but to date, I've had no squabbles with my automatic. (Manual will give a little better gas mileage and better reliability, but shifting can get real old real fast.

When you park, try and get it reasonably level (front to back) for the frig, I have bubble levels mounted on the dash and the drivers door pillar so I can usually get it level enough for the frig to work ok. Depending on model frig, some need to be real level, the newer ones are a little more forgiving.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[90toydolphin]

restating that it's big, slow and very different than driving a van or other pickup. keep farther back from other vehicles, a lot of weight for the brakes to stop. take corners wide and as, said before, and slow, very top heavy, feels like it's about to tip over, at least did for me at first. we've only taken one trip into the sierras and used the turn outs to let the other cars by all the time ). have to also keep in mind it's tall, ours is about a 10 foot clearance, trees along narrow roads do not have signs on them to let you know if there is enough clearance. there is just a lot you taking down the road. the good news is you will get used to it fairly quickly. i use mine to go to town with just for the practice getting around parking lots etc. i will admit that i am very sensitive to the differences in driving any vehicle that i don't usually drive on a regular basis. you'll like it and you will probably feel like you are staying somewhere fancy, for at least awhile. hope all of you like spending your time outside most of the time, 18 feet isn't a lot of room )

[5Toyota]

WELCOME These guys are so nice and right on the points we went from a tent to a 18 foot 1978 with only a tolit astove and heater we thought we were on top of the world in door pluming out in the woods as we are both almost 60 we gave our tent away we just moved up to a 1987 21 foot dolphin . waiting to make our first trip. I WOULD RECOMD POWER STEARING ths dolphion stears so nice not all of them have it my 1978 did not have power stearing and when parking required heaving on the wheal at great effert. I know A LADY HAS A OLDER DOLPHIN NO POWER STERING SHE HAS A TIME PARKING IT . watch YOUR MIRRORS AND WAT CH YOUR SELF IN WIND IN SHORT WATCH EVERTHING AND enjoy.

[A.j.]

Thank you all! Nice tips for all of you, hadn't thought about the power steering issue. I've driven an old rack-and-pinion Toyota, but that was years ago. Didn't bother me much back then, but I'd probably appreciate the extra oomph now. (And John - I read your blog... what an interesting trip! I always wanted to tour Alaska. Don't know many people who've had the chance to stand on the Arctic Ocean.)

I'm assuming driving (and parking) an 18 footer would be a bit easier than the 22 foot models. My plan at this point is just do the test drive - adjust the mirrors (both kinds!), get onto some city streets, and then do a stretch on the highway at 60mph, get a feel for things.

Also was going to mention - originally, we had planned to get a VW Westy, so "upgrading" to an 18ft. RV seems like total luxury. Also, we want the 18 footer because we plan on doing some more "urban" legs on our road trips. Stopping in Denver or Boulder, for example... parking, doing some shopping, seeing the sites.

Thanks again... great forum, makes me feel more confident in making the Toy home plunge.

Aj

Edited April 11, 2012 by A.j.

[Bob C]

I agree with everything that the others told you. I will add that exit ramps and sharp corners can be a problem for new drivers. DO NOT expect to corner like a sports car, I have seen more than one RV laying on its side. they are always totaled and people get hurt.

Like Waiter said, lane changes are not a problem, the only thing that you will be passing is the Amish in their buggies (unless it is a young guy with a hopped up horse, he may pass you.)

I have quickly learned to get off the super slab and enjoy the scenery. My wife has adapted to this really well. She can find some great roads. Get a good trucker's atlas and enjoy the slow lane.

[A.j.]

I have quickly learned to get off the super slab and enjoy the scenery. My wife has adapted to this really well. She can find some great roads. Get a good trucker's atlas and enjoy the slow lane.

Agreed! Even without an RV, on roadtrips my wife and I always carry a county gazetteer atlas, so we can take the back roads whenever possible.

Interstate driving can get pretty boring (especially in the midwest), so we often will only use expressways when pressed for time. Plus, those picturesque county roads are great fun for finding parks, antique shops, out-of-the-way diners, weird attractions/Americana, and so much more. You never know what you'll find.

[guitarlover519]

welcome A.J.

i just wanted to throw in, low mileage doesnt always mean less trouble... Sometimes the 20 year old machine with too little miles on it will give you a significant amount of trouble, unless the previous owners already put some miles on it and discovered the bugs before you. Not saying don't go for the fresh 50k well maintained toy, but don't pass up the 90k rig that someone may have cared for with love rather than the lawn ornaments with 25k. if they've been well maintained, 150k is just breaking in.

but anyway, the guys here are awesome. ive learned a lot from my short time here, and saved myself some mistakes. if you dont feel comfortable without having the rear visible,( or your wife doesn't) you can always look into the backup cameras. They are cheap these days and easy to install. Or maybe go the extra mile and invest in a head unit with GPS, backup cam compatibility and usually many other goodies. used ones even go for 400 here and there on craigslist.

Good luck finding your toy! If i could go back i may have waited for a sunrader or other fiberglass manufacture. but whatever you do im sure you will love it.

[wickerman]

You can get rear back-up cameras for under $100 now and they are worth there weight in gold! When it comes to parking, you can usually find two empty spaces at the end of the lot and pull straight through so you don't have to back up at all just have to walk a little further.

[Totem]

what its like to drive:

white knuckling thrill screaming ... down hill.

People driving V8 trucks towing 5th wheels at 80 Mph flipping you the bird and throwing mountain dew bottles of pee at you... up hill.

(you get to pass them often when they are getting off for gas so much like in a corporate office environment you will see them again "on their way down")

hehe, being able to take thanksgiving in New Orleans, christmas in Vegas or Valentines Day in Key west; all for under what most pay in airfare. in short... yeah its awesome.

[MAXXFabrication]

they are hard to beat little trucks (when compared to fullsize class C) and nimble for the most part, no special parking or licenses and most of all Toyotas awsome dependability.

Maintenance, lube and go- year after year of service and peace of mind with little operating expense in parts (with proper maintenance these parts last a long long time) you wont be disappointed with one- has anyone on here with a Toy RV been yet?

[hawk]

I'm a Newbie, too, just having bought a '90 ToyBago at 20 feet. I also had never driven a motorhome of any size before. I picked mine up in Oregon- I live in the Eastern Sierra Nevada of Calif. I used the mirrors A LOT coming down I-5 and on city streets. In stress situations, I found that I had to be clear about which mirror I was glancing at, the convex one or the flat. From another forum, I learned that many people prefer the 6 cylinder for the added power, and I find that important, too. I have an automatic and that's new to me, but it seems to work well. In mountains, a 4 would be really stressed, and so would I. It's bad enough with the six. Patience is learned. I also found that I had to recalibrate my sense of where in the lane I'm in, how far to the right. I use the right mirrors to gauge my side in relationship to the right hand white line. Someone's comment about knowing the height of your vehicle was important for me, too.

Since you're in the market for one, I'll recount my purchase experience, since I found mine on Craig's List, and it seems fraught with scams and such. I found mine in Southern Or and called the guy. Easy talker, and yes, it was in excellent shape, no water leaks or stains, clean, never smoked in, no pets, etc. He seemed straight, so I agreed that I would buy it at an agreed upon price. It was late in the evening when I got there. It was stored in a storage lot, and hard to get to see well. I had a flashlight and checked the motor for leaks, rust, etc. At this point, I only knew his first name and cell phone number. He said that he lived in a nearby apartment and couldn't keep the rig there. We drove in around and it seemed solid mechanically. It had 74K. I agreed to buy it, gave him the money and he provided the pink slip and keys. Here's where it got weird. The pick slip was from Idaho, with another owner's signature, release title. And the title listed "water damage", which the current owner had not disclosed. I couldn't see any signs of it, and the current owner offered some explanations, that included that the rig had run into a ditch with the previous owner, and that it hadn't been registered in Or because of the costs.

I guess I don't think too fast on my feet and am a bit gullible, too. I drove it home, and began to worry about all the oddities of the deal. The next day,I also noticed that the back ladder was gone, and there was a crack in the windshield. In the end, I was able to re-register it in Calif. It passed the smog checks ok. But, in rethinking it, I found that several other people whose rigs I'd looked at weren't really very forth coming about the real conditions of their vehicles. You have to really look carefully, maybe even taking a mechanic friend to look them over, or take it into a shop for an evaluation.

A last comment regarding the year and engine one chooses; I later learned that my '90 v6 had head gasket problems. Someone said that the 22L is a bullet proof engine, and I've learned that it is. The v6 has more power and gets a little worse gas mileage. In the mountains and highways, I have gotten 12.5 to 15, which seems about the norm. Good luck with your venture.

[Bob C]

One very important thing about the 4 cylinders is to not lug the engines. When the rpm's start to drop, downshift and let that Toyota engine wind up. They love rpm's. I installed a tach because I know that it is hard to judge how fast the engine is turning over. With our short steep hills in my part of the country I end up downshifting often.

[dolphindriver]

My 2 cents worth.

With a 7 and a 9 year old - you will want the extra 3 feet - go for the 21 foot models. They drive basically the same. It can get pretty tight in these units with 4 people. I think you will be happier in the long run with the extra room in a 21 footer.

Cheers,

[waiter]

Dolphindriver- I agree.

JOhn Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[Bonnieknitting]

1334419257' post='27639']

I'm a Newbie, too, just having bought a '90 ToyBago at 20 feet. I also had never driven a motorhome of any size before. I picked mine up in Oregon- I live in the Eastern Sierra Nevada of Calif. I used the mirrors A LOT coming down I-5 and on city streets. In stress situations, I found that I had to be clear about which mirror I was glancing at, the convex one or the flat. From another forum, I learned that many people prefer the 6 cylinder for the added power, and I find that important, too. I have an automatic and that's new to me, but it seems to work well. In mountains, a 4 would be really stressed, and so would I. It's bad enough with the six. Patience is learned. I also found that I had to recalibrate my sense of where in the lane I'm in, how far to the right. I use the right mirrors to gauge my side in relationship to the right hand white line. Someone's comment about knowing the height of your vehicle was important for me, too.

Since you're in the market for one, I'll recount my purchase experience, since I found mine on Craig's List, and it seems fraught with scams and such. I found mine in Southern Or and called the guy. Easy talker, and yes, it was in excellent shape, no water leaks or stains, clean, never smoked in, no pets, etc. He seemed straight, so I agreed that I would buy it at an agreed upon price. It was late in the evening when I got there. It was stored in a storage lot, and hard to get to see well. I had a flashlight and checked the motor for leaks, rust, etc. At this point, I only knew his first name and cell phone number. He said that he lived in a nearby apartment and couldn't keep the rig there. We drove in around and it seemed solid mechanically. It had 74K. I agreed to buy it, gave him the money and he provided the pink slip and keys. Here's where it got weird. The pick slip was from Idaho, with another owner's signature, release title. And the title listed "water damage", which the current owner had not disclosed. I couldn't see any signs of it, and the current owner offered some explanations, that included that the rig had run into a ditch with the previous owner, and that it hadn't been registered in Or because of the costs.

I guess I don't think too fast on my feet and am a bit gullible, too. I drove it home, and began to worry about all the oddities of the deal. The next day,I also noticed that the back ladder was gone, and there was a crack in the windshield. In the end, I was able to re-register it in Calif. It passed the smog checks ok. But, in rethinking it, I found that several other people whose rigs I'd looked at weren't really very forth coming about the real conditions of their vehicles. You have to really look carefully, maybe even taking a mechanic friend to look them over, or take it into a shop for an evaluation.

A last comment regarding the year and engine one chooses; I later learned that my '90 v6 had head gasket problems. Someone said that the 22L is a bullet proof engine, and I've learned that it is. The v6 has more power and gets a little worse gas mileage. In the mountains and highways, I have gotten 12.5 to 15, which seems about the norm. Good luck with your venture.