Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I recently picked up a Little Guy 5 wide that I tow behind my vw bug and I've heard that no matter where you go, when you stop, you will draw a crowd. As a matter of fact the dealer I bought it from gave me a stack of brochures to hand out "for when it happens". Anyway, the weather finally broke and I'm loaded and ready to go south next weekend and wanted to give it a test tow under full load.

On the way home, my wife wanted to stop in the store to pick up some potatos and I waited in the parking lot. I was surrounded by 5 people almost immediatly asking questions and taking a peek.

Pretty cool - I guess I should take the brochures when I head to Missouri this weekend. Can't wait to get out!

Peace, Perry

Yep, get used to it. When I drive back from Big Sur CA to AZ, I usually stop midway and camp at East Shore RV Park in San Dimas. It's a very nice campground with some pretty upscale and massive RV's during Rose Bowl week. I had people stop by all day that were searching around for "the teardrop" they heard had pulled in. As they approached they would say, "we heard there was a teardrop that came in...". Funny, all that in-your-face wealth with those huge RV's, and it was this little teardrop set up that wowed em.

Scott G.

first off WELCOME

now that you have a people magnet it only gets stronger

Hi,

First congrats on your purchase!


I'm new here as well and thinking of picking up a teardrop. How's your bug like towing the Little Guy? My wife has an 03 bug turbo and we were wondering how it would do.


Cheers,

Antelope

I just pulled in from a kayaking trip down in Missouri. The speed limit down there is 75 even with a trailer, it did very well. 7 hours down and 7 hours back...with a few days of camping in between. It was so nice waking up and not having to take Advil to make my shoulder feel good enough to run the river. It was my first trip in the Little Guy. I felt like a salesman with all the people stopping by for a visit. Very cool.

Normally unloading from one of my trips takes forever, but most of my stuff can stay put in the trailer. I took three kayaks down, sold two, bought another and came home with just two. With the load it pulled great, I couldn't imagine having a problem with a turbo!

I didn't notice when you posted, but apologize for the delay - the woods were awesome, but I was so excited about sleeping in the thing, I went to bed at 9 o'clock - I'm normally up and pacing by 6 a.m. in a tent, but slept in until like 9:30!! Guess I needed it.

I'm so new on the board, feel guilting saying welcome, but it seems like a friendly place.

Peace, Perry

Hey Perry,
Thanks so much for the info! Now I have more questions. Where are you keeping your boats on the bug or on the td? We have 2 14' boats that might need to come with us from time to time.

Cheers,

Antelope

Congrats!

Welcome to the phenomenon.

I have Thule Racks on the bug. My boats are whitewater boats, so they are only like 6 feet long - I would think the 14 footers would fit up there. I thought about the racks for the TD, but decided the bug carries them just fine. On their sides - using the yak-stackers, I feel comfortable toting 4 down the highway, for the short shuttle - I've not tried it, but I bet I could get 6 up there.

One other thing, not sure how wide you were going to go, but I was concerned about maybe needing to get towing mirrors, but the 5 wide model is just as wide as the bug, so I see fine. I did put a meat-ball mirror on the passenger side mirror. If you went with the 6 wide, I'm guessing you would need those towing mirrors.

Peace, Perry

Hiker Chick; I really enjoyed your post with pictures of your 6 wide - that paint job is awesome - you seem to try to get out as much as me. I really wanted to take my old golden with me this last trip, but I knew I would be on the river and don't like to leave him alone for 6 or so hours at a time. I could just let him wander from site to site mooching as much bacon as possible from the other campers while I'm gone - but decided that wouldn't be right.

I think I saw in one of your posts that this was your move out of tents - most of my trips are like the one I had last weekend - basically car camp, and run a section of river - and return to camp; I still intend to get in a backpacking trip at least once a year, but this is sweet, and even after only one trip, I'm hooked.

Peace, Perry

Hey Antelope, thought I'd jump on here update my comments about the bug. After 4 trips now; each was about 900 miles round trip I still believe the bug is a good tow vehicle however I think I was eating brakes. I just had those baby replaced about 6 months ago, and was just told I needed to do it again.

My bug was a 2002 and decided that if I really wanted to tow this baby right I should look at something bigger which I did. I love the hunt for good used vehicles, my wife can have the new cars - I love looking for the deals.

Thought I'd pass this on since I'd bragged about the bug as a tow vehicle that the brakes would be my only concern.

Already planning my next trip, Perry

So what tow vehicle do you think you're going to buy next?

I just had my brake lines flushed. My Element has 38,000 miles on it.

Brakes seem fine but the teardrop surely is extra work.

I haven't yet done my first trip of '09. 10 days and counting and then we're off to the races. Well, campgrounds....

You haven't been out yet!! I'm planning to head back down to Missouri the weekend after Mother's Day weekend and then North into Wisconsin for Memorial Day. Can't wait to get into the Nicolet National forest - it's just beautiful.

I did some research on the Elements, but couldn't find any that looked worth the money being asked. I almost feel guilty with the truck (Dodge Dakota quad cab - 4X4) I picked up. I'm one of those guys who picks up trash on the sidewalk while walking down the street and just doesn't understand the need for a Hummer to take the kids to soccer, I enjoyed my bug, but my final consideration was that my new purchase made sense for what I do. I understand why my farmer brother in law needs trucks - it's a no brainer. I feel quilty driving it to work in a suit, but I'm only 4.5 miles from my house. I could ride a bike, but then I sweat and smell...plus it's through the rough side of town....Now, when I'm in my shorts, boots and t-shirt I'm right at home. It tows the little guy like nothing.

Man I rattle, but I'm thinking I got a good deal, so I'm happy - I drove out to the little town of Pecatonica last night, and the computer told me I was getting just over 18 mpg; I'm curious to see what it goes up to on the 3 hour drive to Champaign to see my mom on Sunday - I'm guessing I should hit around 20 mpg - but we'll see.

One last thing while I'm here and I'm not thinking I said this before - but your thread below with the pictures is what closed the deal for me. After reading that thread - I knew I had to get one of these and it was a great call; thanks. My kayaking buds - sleeping in the tents refer to it as the Man-Wagon.

Peace, Perry

"Man-wagon" - that's good.

Never feel guilty about driving something you paid for that's running on the gas you paid for.

I don't. And I've considered that my next vehicle might be a truck.

But it would have to be Gallapagos Green Metallic to match the teardrop.

By the way, your Dakota's gas mileage is not much lower than the Element's (built without aerodynamics in mind).