On Friday, October 30, 2020 at 7:45:43 PM UTC-4, Chip Bearden wrote:
I agree that few pilots want to invest in a special-purpose "glider towing only" vehicle. I've towed with everything from a Jeep CJ-7 (not a lot of fun although you never had to worry about nodding off to sleep accidentally) to a mini motorhome. I fly 3-4 contests a year and keep my trailer at home, towing it up to the gliderport about an hour away.

So years ago, I bought a used full-size Chevy van on eBay and fitted it out (also using eBay) with an interior, reclining seats, lights, sound, etc. There's a full-width third-row seat that I can sleep on (obviously not while driving). I paid about $11,000 for it 18 years ago and put another few thousand into equipping it. It's still got less than 100K miles because the only thing I use it for is soaring with occasional family vacation trips.

As Charlie Spratt told me once about all the guys with full-size vans: "We buy them as trucks and drive them like cars. So they last a long time."

I stays packed with all the tools, spares, equipment, etc., I use for soaring. I've slept in it for every contest since I went crewless about 15 years ago--with exceptions for Uvalde and TSA. If it's warm/humid, (e.g., Cordele, or on the road to a contest at a rest stop), a small fan cools things down just enough. It's long ago paid for its cost to acquire and I like the fact that I never really have to unpack/pack it.

It's comfortable to drive and a dream to tow with. Reliability has been generally good (the few problems have all been on long-distance soaring trips, of course). Mileage is OK (mid teens) but I don't drive it that much. It's got a V6, which has been enough to haul a family of four out West with the trailer multiple times. More recent V8s would be a better choice for both power and economy.

The one thing I miss is AWD/4WD. Once in a great while, it would have been nice to be able to drive out into a field instead of carrying the glider out in pieces. But that pushes up the cost and complication. Despite my participation on this newsgroup, I try to stay friendly with other pilots so that if I need 4WD someday, I can borrow it.

When I was growing up and for years after, we towed with the daily driver.. Breaking that rule can be very expensive but it doesn't necessarily mean buying a brand-new high-end vehicle that sits most of the time.

Just another view.

Chip Bearden
JB

Problem is, Chip, that over the 18 years you've paid for that van over again in insurance cost. That's the hurdle in the way of keeping an extra vehicle dedicated to soaring. I think insurance should cost by the total miles you drive over all your vehicles, alas they don't do it that way. Annual "registration" (pure bureaucracy, our most regressive tax) also costs quite a bit, and in some states they also charge you a percentage of the vehicle value every year in taxes.