Luxury RV Has Slideout Garage

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Aug 29th 2006 at 8:04AM

Our siblings at Autoblog alerted us to the motorcoach from Volkner Mobil. This luxury motorcoach has a mobile garage between the axles that can hold a small car such as the BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK and the MINI Cooper. Up top it is a traditional luxury RV with a dining room, bedroom and bathroom. The new RV, which is being shown off at the International Caravan Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany has a slideout platform for the car.

[Thanks to the many people who tipped us to this one]

Tags: luxury motorcoach, RV, volkner mobil, VolknerMobil

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)

B Sager Sep 3rd 2006 5:40PM

As avid RVers for 10 years, we just retired and plan to go full time at the end of this month. We talk to RVers every day, and it is a lifestyle, not just buying a vacation home somewhere. We have witnessed some major spousal fights about the tow car and the car within the coach may be the answer, if you can afford it and it is on your priority list. With the cost of gas and the high fuel (referably diesel)usage that comes with motorhome ownership, many have opted to stay in one place longer, and this would be where the tow (or garaged) car comes in. And we saw the garage in the back, complete with the optional Mini Cooper at a show several years ago. It WAS half-a-million, easy. Many "on-the-road" businesses have to haul a trailer (containing products to be sold, racecars, equipment, etc.) and they can't tow a trailer AND a car-impossible to back up and illegal in many states.

vlynn kepley Sep 3rd 2006 10:19AM

To heck with a car. I want an RV that will put my horses in back. Now that's real horsepower. :o)

Stacy Sep 3rd 2006 6:34PM

My husband and I have a 40 foot 5th wheel with a 10 foot garage. The other 30 feet of the 5th wheel is very nice. We have 2 slide outs and the garage is separate. We take our Gold Wing trike in it. And when we go we have either our truck or our trike to take drive. It's a great idea and works well for us. It may not be for everyone, but to each his own.

Laura Sep 3rd 2006 10:36AM

It sounds neat, but I still would rather have our Holiday Rambler trailer any day.

Campy Sep 3rd 2006 12:33PM

I see a lot of comments about the additional weight. I also see a lot of large RV's pulling around small cars for use at their final destinations. Carrying weight is carrying weight no matter whether it is pulled or carried on board. The garage would also hold two golf carts, two Rhodes 4-wheel bikes, jet skies, canoes, etc. None of which would adversly effect the fuel mpg of the RV. It would keep the center of gravity low for carrying these items and provide a weather proof, secure way of taking these toys with you and keeping it simpler to back up the big coach vs. towing these items. I think it's a solid idea with the proper tweaking.

jane Sep 3rd 2006 4:19PM

A FUNMOVER by THOR INDUSTRIES allows one totake dirt bikes and 4 wheelers so I suppose a small car is not that hard to picture. Would be great for those that can not figure how to hook up to tow without a nervous breakdown!

Daryl Kerekes Sep 3rd 2006 11:15AM

Hey people, some of you are complaining for nothing! As an RV-er for more than 36 years, I think I know a bit about this topic.

Of course they are mentioning the Mercedes, BMW, and Mini-Cooper in the original story...they're all made in Germany and it's a German-made RV!

To the person who said "they should just buy a vacation home"...that's just fine for the people that want to go to the same place every vacation. Sounds boring to me. Get a life!

We have had RV's in the family since I was 6, ranging in size from a 17-foot Shasta trailer to a 36-foot Winnebago motor home, I've been from Florida to Nova Scotia, and I believe you can't beat the combination of a large tow vehicle and a medium-large to large travel trailer.

My g/f and I currently have a GMC 3500 dually pickup, with the 496 cu.in. (8.1L) gas engine and the Allison automatic 5-speed overdrive tranny, towing a 29-foot Hornet travel trailer with a 14-foot slide-out. With a tow vehicle that large, you hardly notice that there's a trailer behind you, and it's the same width as the trailer, too. There's more room inside the camper than alot of apartments I've been in, you don't have to bring along another vehicle, you already have a vehicle to drive around town when you get to your destination (by the way, let's see you 4WD out on the beach on North Carolina's Outer Banks with your Mini-Cooper!), you don't have to pay unbelievably high insurance rates to drive it (check out how high insurance is for a motor-home...you'll be SHOCKED!!), The gas mileage isn't that bad if you don't drive your tow vehicle that much between trips (mine get's 12 to 14 mpg without the trailer, and 6 to 7 mpg towing it, averaging 70 to 75 mph on the highway.

Most important, we purchased both the tow vehicle and the trailer brand-new for less than $60,000 total. You can't even begin to buy a motor home with that much living space for anywhere near that price, much less the price of your second vehicle to bring along (called a "dinghy" in RV-er jargon, just like with a yacht). And we haven't sacrificed luxury either. We have a satellite dish, DVD player, TV in two rooms, built-in CD stereo, real oak front cabinets, built-in microwave, queen size master bed, and a living room/dining room that's 12'x14'.

The whole luxury motor home thing is just a status-symbol..."hey...look how much money I spent...aren't you impressed?" You can have more flexibility, more carrying capacity, easier driving, better fuel economy, and less overall expense with a travel trailer. Which (most importantly)leaves more money for you and your family to enjoy new places and do new, interesting things.

By the way, it's still a little cheaper than vacationing in hotels, and the dirt you have around you while sleeping, eating, etc... is YOUR OWN DIRT!

:-)

Gene Grossarth Sep 3rd 2006 12:11PM

Good idea, from an old time camper!

JEANNE Sep 3rd 2006 11:59AM

''GOODINESS'' SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING OUTTA COMIC BOOK !!

Richard Pepper Sep 3rd 2006 12:53PM

The Germans still have not thought out the cnceipt of the weight on that side of the rv. The tires and the supension will not stand the weight on that side. I am an american bus owner and had a dealer installed three cylinder diesel engine on one side to run two a/c units. The engine and the a/c units worked fine, but it was too much weight for the tires on that side of the bus., Supension seemed to be okay though. The americans put their garages in the back of the rv over the rear axles and the heavy duty supensions, works fine. Seems like the Germans are not so smart after all. You see the rest of the world and the americans still think outside of the box.

Zac the Hoople Sep 3rd 2006 1:09PM

A good christian company? Are we a good right wing religious society or a free market economy that celebrates innovation and the freedom of choice to spend or waste our money as we see fit???

zarrod beck Sep 3rd 2006 1:19PM

If you could afford to by an RV like that you deserve it. For the person who stated "by a vacation home" That sucks, going to the same place every year...super boring. But if you can afford a vacation home, you deserve it. Basically, its your $$$$$ spend it how you want. I think it is a great ideal, you can really show off your stuff.... It is like having a really nice house. You want all you friends to see how well off you are, now you can let all your R/V buddies see just just how well off you are. Plus if you tow a Mercedes like that, you don't want it to be damaged during your trip, plus if you should stop here in Chicago for a few seconds, some one is going to steal your ride on a trailer. Thanks Z

Cynthia Sep 3rd 2006 1:44PM

It's neat. If I had that much money to spend I would buy one. I think the idea is great and if you can afford one to begin with being concerned with the fuel mileage is not top of the list. We just have a cheap 45' fifth wheel w/5 slide-outs. (That we pull w/our GMC Duramax dually...blah,blah,blah) It's huge but cheaply built (not the frame and axles though), but we knew that when we bought it and are still very satisfied. But, the best thing about any motor coach is not having to stop to use the bathroom(unless it's for you and you are the only one driving) and passengers being able to comfortably watch TV and (safely) move around. So, if I was in that financial "class" ---sure, why not! And, you can put what ever you want in it? Car, 4-wheeler, jet ski, mother-in-law suite--it's yours so who cares!

Bob Auston Sep 3rd 2006 3:22PM

Not new and this unit looks too expensive. Check out the Jayco Seneca- it will hold a "Smart Car" which will be available in 2008 line by Chrysler-Benz. As for high cost of travel RV is about the same as a plane+hotel--who slept in your bed last and who used your toilet last?

Marlene Sep 3rd 2006 3:15PM

I think it is a neat idea, and from an engineering point of view, is preferable to the backend garage. It might make the camper safer with all that weight in the center. Someday I hope to own something like this...remember the difference between men and boys is the size of their toys!

Bobby Sep 3rd 2006 3:20PM

Yes i agree with Daryl kerekes.. I already have tow vehicle which is 1990 Ford F-700, 429 V-8 gas engine, 9 speeds tranny, to tow any kinds of trailers.. I use tow vehicle for 2 reasons: tow my off-road vehicle to 4x4 parks or race and second reason: hauling rv/vehicle trailer. The trailer that I plans to buying and build to my own design to match the specs for the needs which many companies dont offers. Have a good day!

Paul Dobbin Sep 3rd 2006 3:33PM

For the tree hugges and complainers, you should know that RV's had been towing garages for years. Often
they tow a two car garage! It's a high enclosed car trailer (often matching the home towing it) with a lift inside. Put one car in and up, then drive the other one in underneath. I you are going to live in a 300-400 square foot house, why not have a two car garage? It's the American way!

Bobbie Sep 3rd 2006 4:09PM

I think this is a great idea. Many times we go camping and we tow a boat behind us and when we are at the campsite, many of times I wish we had a car to run to town or perhaps the local casino. On local trips, we have often taken the motorhome with the boat in tow and the other one has driven a car.

Emma Green Sep 3rd 2006 4:19PM

oh please, whoever buys this thing has more money than sense!

Bruce Richardson Sep 3rd 2006 4:36PM

Agree about the morons who just want to bad mouth something (anything) just because they don't understand. Really doesn't sound very practical though, for many of the reasons mentioned, nor do I find it personally interesting. I tow my boat behind the motorhome, with a motorcycle mounted on the trailer. Solves just about any transportation needs I might have.

Regarding the mileage of RV's in general; they are really not as inefficient as percieved, when you compare total travel costs. Plane tickets, rental cars, and meals eaten out add up to much more per day than it costs to operate an RV. With my motor home, I'm using my own bathroom and kitchen, and carrying far more clothes and other personal items than you can carry any other way. It is a great lifestyle! I love it. Life is good!

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