Decisions - decisions - decisions
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Topic: Decisions - decisions - decisions
Posted By: BogieMeister
Subject: Decisions - decisions - decisions
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 9:57am
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Currently I am in the decision mode. I'm torn between the r-pod 179 and the T@B. This will be my first RV, and I really don't want to have to replace it because I made a bad choice. I'm an old, big, guy( 6'1" 235 lbs) My tow vehicle will be a 2016 Honda Pilot
AWD (tow capacity 5000 lbs) The transmission is a six speed, which drops to a four speed if you take it out of over-drive. Which about doubles the rpm at 55 mph. I will be traveling mostly by myself, but occasionally by sweetie will join me. We live in Texas, which is relatively flat-ish. So, here's my question. With the miniature T@B (1670 lbs) I will be able to drive in overdrive, but will be living in cramped quarters. From the articles seen on this forum I assume that with the r-pod I will not be able to use overdrive. I believe this will over-tax the drive train and ruin my gas mileage. What are your thoughts?
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Replies:
Posted By: ArenaBlanca
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 10:12am
| My experience with other campers is that the drag effects the gas mileage more than the weight. That said, you are going to experience reduced mileage with either RV. I'd go with the 179. I did! |
Posted By: BogieMeister
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 10:27am
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My real concern is the wear and tear on the TV if I have to drive in fourth gear all the time. Do you use your OD? The reason I am leaning toward the 179 as opposed to the 178 is because on the 178 I see no obvious place to store clothing and toiletries.
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Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 10:50am
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First, any Pod will lower you gas mileage more than the T@B. It's a simple function of frontal cross sectional area. Wind resistance has more effect than weight unless you climbing steep hills. Second, dropping into a non OD gear is good for the engine and transmission. The engine is able to operate in its design range and the transmission is locked in a gear. I monitor transmission temperature and have experimented with OD and non OD running on flat stretches. Engaging the OD causes an immediate and marked rise in transmission temperature without a noticeable increase in MPG. Heat is bad news for the transmission. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 11:15am
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Great point Charlie. We have towed our 177 with both an '08 and '13 Explorer and rarely put it in OD for the reasons stated above. Most anyone towing a pod get from 11-14 mpg overall when you factor in mountains, city, country driving. That being said, even though I am a small guy compared to you (5'11") I get a bit claustrophobic in the T&B, kinda tight and not very tall inside. You will experience a significant difference in room between the two. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: ParPod
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 11:21am
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BogieMeister - great points made by both CharlieM and jato - between the two units - I'd go 179 but then again like most on this forum I'm biased! Good Luck with your choice ------------- Bob&Margaret 2017 179 2016 Toyota 4Runner 2 sets of Golf Clubs |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 12:23pm
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I never drive in OD when towing. hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 12:39pm
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I get crappy mileage all the time.. But I don't fear overdrive or mountains.. LOL. I love the construction, materials, and vibe of the T@B's.. BUT.. I am a full sized human, almost always have my sweetie with me, and a couple larger dogs.. But even without them, I think a T@B would get pretty small if you have a couple rainy days.. ------------- |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 2:10pm
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We have a 179 and love it. Lots of storage and room to move. We tow with a Dodge Grand Caravan up and down the east coast. We average 13.5 per gallon in Vermont
and 15-17 once we get below Massachusetts ( depending on wind). ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 3:25pm
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Plus the T@B cost a few thousand more, that'll even out your gas expense for a few years. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 3:39pm
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On a side note.. T@B does have a new model, the T@B 400... I have not seen one in person yet, but it's a USA model of the European T@B, and is bigger then the rest of them...
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Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 5:52pm
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I never tow the Pod and use OD. Both GM and Ford have option to bypass OD. Significant difference in trans temp, while towing in OD. My difference in mileage form non-towing with OD and towing without OD is pretty high. But it is the price you pay. I like the T&B, it's priced like an Airstream product. I had a mid 60s 30' airstream, real quality, just took a 454 Chevy dually to pull it. My opinion go with the 179. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2017 at 9:23am
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I have no personal experience towing with a Honda Pilot. However, one of our friends that we camp with regularly tows his MPG with a Honda Pilot. the MPG is almost identical in size and weight to an R Pod. we have been all over the country together and he has had no issues towing with a Pilot. I don't know his exact model. engine, transmission, etc. the only thing I notice is that he has to stop for gas more frequently because of a smaller gas tank. I would watch your overall cargo weight limit , realizing that the tongue weight is part of that . good luck with your decision-we obviously love our pod and would recommend it Safe travels Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2017 at 10:20am
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I have a 177 R-Pod and my friend has a older T@B. We both had 4Runners (he still has his 4Runner). I can say that both of us returned nearly identical results towing with 4Runners, whether it was an R-Pod or T@B. The distances were 480 miles round trip from Connecticut to northern Vermont. Both 4Runners returned about 10-12 mpg over a few trips of comparison. Also, both 4Runners had some tail wagging the dog effect when windy outside at highway speed (65mph), and neither can tow in highest transmission gear. You should check out both the T@B and the R-Pod, but the R-Pod has a bathroom, toilet, nice kitchen area, and large fresh, gray, and black tanks, which no T@B does to my knowledge. I haven't checked out T@B's in a few years so that may have changed. I never thought the T@B was worth the money they were asking for them compared to the R-Pod. But my friend bought his used, and he uses the dome/tent for his T@B and it works for him. He hasn't had any issues with it.
------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2017 at 8:11pm
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When we were towing with the Escape, I would put the transmission selector in the Sport (or, as I like to call it, Sclepp) mode. That locked out the top gear and worked quite well with the Escape's 6-speed transmission. Now, with the Nissan Frontier with its 5-speed transmission, I leave it in drive most of the time. When we were in the Rockies, I did switch off the overdrive. However, on flatter terrain at a lower elevation, the transmission did not seem to be struggling and changing gear much, so I left it the OD engaged. I am using the Torque app, but the Nissan apparently does not have a sender that is available to the Torque app for transmission temperature. I wonder if one could be added in. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2017 at 7:14am
Go to the Torque forum, one of the ongoing things there is tracking down the code strings and such to unlock modules and data that may not be native to the port interface. New truck puts transmission info right on the dash.. so, don't use torque anymore for towing. Still use it in the GTi..  ------------- |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2017 at 7:50am
My thoughts on your situation. You are a large guy. You will NOT like the R-Pod bathroom/shower BUT you can use it. If you intend to stay at campgrounds with showers/bathrooms, the T@B might be the best choice for sleeping. Some of them have small kitchens as well. The T@B is smaller, and lighter, but I think you should visit a T@B forum and ask owners there what they comfortably tow with. I totally get your thoughts on making the wrong choice. My first small camper was just as you described. I made a wrong choice with a camper that had a very small fresh tank, and only a little while later I bought my R-Pod. It was a huge step up in weekend livability. Now I have a small dual sport motorcycle, and along with my mountain biking habit, I want to take the motorcycle with me much further afield (cross country). This means getting a small toy hauler that is within the capabilities of my tow vehicle. Research, research, research. ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2017 at 6:00pm
I searched and apparently, there is no code string for transmission temperature.  There may be no sender that can interface with the OBDII device. I'll have to figure out some other way of monitoring transmission temperature. I don't want to add yet another device to do the task.------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: ribet
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2017 at 6:57pm
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1. Hondas do not have a serviceable transmission filter. Recommend using synthetic ATF and changing it every 30k miles. 2. It costs to tow no matter what. So I enjoy the trip and accept the cost. Life is shorter than you think and getting shorter every day you wait. 3. My wife had a stroke last year and made me smell the roses. We are in the early 70s and I realized better enjoy now! 4 We have a 171 without a slide out. Yes bath is small but it works. Leave door open, more room. 5. I pull with a Ford Flex, MARGINAL, but we are in no hurry. 6. Scan tools are cheep and some send info to a smart phone. You can use while driving to monitor tempt. |