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Belbein · 07-25-2019, 09:35 AM

We're still chasing our tails on the 25' or 27' decision. I'd pretty much decided that the AirForum community's general advice--bigger is better--was right on. Then someone whose opinion I trust said: "Do you really want to buy something you can't bring home?" That completely stopped me in my tracks. My previous TTs were both the size that we could bring home to clean, wash, stock, service ... but it's unlikely that I can get a 27 in my driveway. That seems like a non-starter.

On the other hand, all of y'all with 30s and 34s and such surely can't get them in a residential driveway.

So, is this a big deal?

LilPeanut · 07-25-2019, 09:53 AM

I have a 30 and live in a neighborhood that does not allow capers in the driveway, even if I could get it in there. I do park it in front of the house and wash it but I don't leave it there more than a couple of days before I take it to storage 30 miles away (covered storage is hard to find). Yes, it is inconvenient. It limits what I feel I can do 'project-wise' because I don't have the dedicated time with it.

Our eventual solution will be to move. My 250 doesn't fit in our garage either. Settle on the trailer first, buy a truck to fit your trailer. Then move into a house that can handle both. I guess that is our plan. It may not be the best plan or even a good plan but at least we have a plan. Get the trailer you will love and you will not regret it.

weirdstuff · 07-25-2019, 10:00 AM

I've had both situations....ability to keep in my driveway, and situation where it had to be kept in storage. Without a doubt, ability to keep at your home is way better. However, if storage is not too far away, and not too expensive, it is workable...just inconvenient. Only YOU can figure out if it is an acceptable situation.

**moosetags** · 07-25-2019, 10:05 AM

It would be a big deal to us. We live in a house that has an alley at the back where we park and have access to our attached garage. We park our 25FB there where it is plugged in all the time. We are in and out of the Airstream every day and use it as a guest house and overflow refrigerator.

We spend weeks getting ready for one of our big trips a little at a time. We also do repairs and maintenance right where she sits. We would be lost if Lucy were not right out the back door. We have been doing it this way for fourteen years now.

Brian

InsideOut · 07-25-2019, 10:29 AM

When we had one trailer, we parked off our property part time. Shortly after we bought our second trailer - within 6 months or so, we actually moved to a new home that would accommodate both of them, off a back alley in our yard. We didn't like not having full access to our trailer 24/7 - both to work on it & "use" it. At the "new" house, we could (& did) have two trailers wedged in next to the garage.

Since then, we have had several other trailers come & go and we moved again and are now fortunate enough to have enough room to not only keep them at home, but offer courtesy parking. We have met some great CP folks passing through town - that we wouldn't have met otherwise. Another benefit of having the trailer at home is we use it more - as a quiet getaway hideout, guest house, party backdrop and second kitchen, all because it is at home.

At this point, it would be tough to have it any other way...basically public, off-site storage sucks.

Shari

perryg114 · 07-25-2019, 10:32 AM

If you can't fit it in your yard because of room or HOA then I would not do it but that is just me.

Perry

xrvr · 07-25-2019, 10:36 AM

Your home is more important than an rv.

A W Warn · 07-25-2019, 10:44 AM

I can back either my 34' or my 25' down my 100'+ drive, then around the corner behind the house. But, there is only space for one to stay. So the 34 gets stored, only comes home when I need to work on it or load it.

Lumatic · 07-25-2019, 10:53 AM

Don't call me Surely!

Yes I can get my 34 in my driveway.

InsideOut · 07-25-2019, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrvr

Your home is more important than an rv.

True, but if you have options - why not take advantage of them!

Shari

Mollysdad · 07-25-2019, 11:02 AM

I could get the Airstream in the driveway but I don't.
1. Oak trees. Lots of birds, leaves, pollen, etc.
2. Hurricanes. Florida, 'nuff said. The storage yard roof is rated for 120 mph winds, and is 25 miles inland. At home, tree limbs might be flying in a bad storm.
3. Security. My storage yard is very secure, has a dump station, wash areas, and a very solid gate and wall, cement floors paved drive areas.
4. The storage yard has me under cover. The Sun never shines on it. I also have 30 amp power. The down side, is the roof gets dirty because it never gets rained on either.

mikeinca · 07-25-2019, 11:30 AM

We have our 30' Classic parked at home. I have to maneuver my car a bit to get it out of the garage but my wife can get hers out pretty easily. I would be quite unhappy if I couldn't keep the AS at the house as it allows me to wash, polish and tinker with it as I please while making it much more convenient to prepare for trips. Plus I know that it's here and safe and I don't incur monthly storage fees. I also have a 20A outlet outside and 50A outlet within reach in the garage. I know not everyone is so fortunate.

To the OP, not having the trailer at home would be a pretty big deal to me but I don't know that it would be enough to keep me from having an RV at all. You mention that you don't think a 27' would fit at your home, but what about the 25'? For me, if it was a choice between having a 27 footer that I had to keep in storage or a 25 footer that I could keep at home, the 25 footer would be a no-brainer. Good luck with your decision.

John&Vicki · 07-25-2019, 11:42 AM

I would love, love, love to have our trailer parked at our house. I would be tinkering with it *constantly* (it is 29 years old after old). But alas, it’s not to be. Ironic given that I live in a town of 2,500 in the open country of the Central Oregon Cascades. Oh well....

JonDNC · 07-25-2019, 11:44 AM

I can’t get anything larger than a 23 maybe? into the driveway if my life depended on it, we live in the mountains up a 1 lane road? With a hard left into the driveway. I would have to back up the mountain (2-300 yards) to the drive. I just accepted that fact and have it in storage at an RV park a couple of miles away.

SteveSueMac · 07-25-2019, 12:04 PM

My 27 is in storage. We bought the house before the trailer - and since we never had a trailer before, we never bothered to check the rules - no trailer parking in the neighborhood. So - it’s in storage about 5 minutes from the house. Not ideal, not the end of the world. Knowing what I know now, I would prefer to have it home with me at all times, but having it in storage is basically a pretty great first world problem to have.

CWSWine · 07-25-2019, 12:55 PM

We moved into an area that has an HOA that cuts the grass, shovels the snow, replaces dead shrubs which leaves us with no outside duties. Before buying I got a copy of the HOA rules and it stated that you can park an RV/Boat in your driveway for loading and unload only. My Class A fit in the driveway and didn't block the sidewalk and I would bring in the later afternoon and all the safety checks and the next day would load it up and leave the next morning (36 to 48 hours). We store offsite and RV storage area. Everything was fine till the new president of the HOA decided he didn't what RV 's in the area (period). Make a long story short we ended up in court and the fact that we purchased the home with the plans of using loading and unloading the RV we were grandfathered into being able to do it. The HOA pressed the judge to set up a max time limit and the judge smiled and said: " as long as it takes the load and unloads the RV". They did change rules but doesn't affect us. It's shame that a bunch of old retired folks doesn't have anything else to do but seat around making up rules.

We do have offsite storage that's inclosed with 50 amp service about 10 minutes from the house.

Hittenstiehl · 07-25-2019, 01:02 PM

John & Vicki

WOW, that is gorgeous.

Out of curiosity only, not trying to pry (feel free not to answer) but are there covenants or guidelines in your area that prohibit the parking of the trailer.

uncle_bob · 07-25-2019, 01:22 PM

Hi

We went around a bit about fitting into the drive. It's a *short* drive and the F-250 barely fits. We can park in the street. The neighbors are ok with it and it does not *appear* to violate any laws.

Most of the time, we are out camping in the trailer so the parking thing sort of solves it's self. If we are home more than a few days, the trailer goes into indoor storage at a lot up the road.

We only park out front when loading or unloading. Maybe when cleaning up. Might be when putting in the new electrical stuff. Sometimes when doing other things ...

No two cases are identical. In our case there is no traffic on the street so no significant risk of damage. We can run a power cord from the house to the trailer very easily. If I was on a major road, I probably would not want it sitting there overnight.

The neighbors have a smaller AS and a longer drive. They can get theirs in and off the street. Their normal "at home" pattern is almost identical to ours. A couple days at start or end of journey and then off to storage (or off to a campsite).

Others in the neighborhood have played games to be able to park trailers next to their homes. The shape / slope of our lot just won't allow that.

Would I own something that there was no way to bring home? I guess it would depend a lot on where it is stored. We *could* store about four minutes from the house in outdoor storage. I don't think that would keep me from owning a trailer.

Bob

CRH · 07-25-2019, 01:56 PM

If I couldn't bring it home l, I wouldn't have it.

Belbein · 07-25-2019, 02:01 PM

I'm not shutting this down--it's not like when you say to your guests, "thank you all for coming"--because I find all of the comments enlightening. But I did want to say that I appreciate all of the thoughts. It's really helpful.

We already own a 22, which fits in our driveway fine. So we do own and will continue to own and AS or some kind. We're definitely moving up--the question is how far we can go with our physical or geographical parameters.

We'd love to have the 27, but the cost appears to be not ever being able to bring it home. Like others, we like to use it for an occassional guest room, private space when one of us needs to be by him/herself, and to prepare for trips, clean and do maintenance.) So if not being able to bring it home is the limiting factor, that means it's the 25, and you all have saved me $15,000!