Hi All,
My wife, 9 year old son and I have been camping on the ground for the last 7 years and we'd all like to move up to a camper. This forum was recommended to me because it's friendly and tied to a magazine about pop ups. I may have a few stupid questions that I'm sure you've heard before so please don't get angry with my ignorance.
So here's my first 2 questions -
How much do I really need to spend to get into a camper that we'll use about 8-9 times per year?
and
What options could you live without?
OK one more-
Should I buy new or used
Dan
Welcome. Glad you found us. This site is a great place to get all kinds of information and help.
You can find prices on pop-ups from $500 on up. If you look for a used one (even an old one) you can usually get a good deal. There seem to be lots of old ones still operating without any problems.
If your main interest is in just getting up off the ground when camping, you shouldn't need any extras. You can treat the PU like a tent on wheels. Everyone seems to need different things when they camp. Some want TV's and some prefer to rough it. We have an A/C but rarely use it, we have a battery and use it all the time. We have a 3-way fridge but it is so unreliable and so many campgrounds have bear precautions we find that we use it less and less. We have a holding tank for water but never use it because it is hard to operate and not worth the effort it takes to keep clean. We do carry an electric space heater because we tend to camp in the mountains and in winter, we make sure we have a campground with electricity so we can plug it in. The decision is yours and you may find you want some things you previously thought you could do without. We all seem to acquire more stuff every season.
Hope this helps and happy camping.
Susan
Welcome to PUT. :W
We were all in your place at one time, so don't worry about asking "stupid" questions. There are no stupid questions.
You can find a PU in a large range of prices. One important thing to consider is what will you use to tow the PU. Your TV (tow) vehicle will determine how much you can safely tow.
As far as what features you would want, you are the only one that can decide that. I do not like having the dinette in front of one of the bed, so that you have to climb over the dinette to get into the bed. My trailer has a front storage trunk that I love, and a swing over galley that stays upright when you swing the galley down (the stuff in the galley doesn't get flipped upside down). I also have a shower and cassette toilet in my PU. Those are 3 features that I really love. I would recommend that you go to as many PU dealers in your area as you can, just to look at what is available. If there is a RV show in your area that is a great way to look at a lot of different PUs at one location. This can help you see what features you would like.
Good luck and ask away. :)
Welcome to PUT. When my wife and I were looking, she said she wanted a furnace, hot water heater and a potty/shower combo. That's what we ended up getting and we love it. Look at all of the brands and be sure to check out their web sites to get an idea what is available. There are also some excellent buys on "experienced" popups. Enjoy!
Moose
Welcome to PUT. There's a thread about Red Carpet Rollout for New Members...so welcome again. You can start out with a used popup for any amount of money.....some have found real bargains at under $500 but others have paid more. Check out the classified on this board and you might find one you like and also check out the classifieds in you local newspapers. That's where I found mine. I could live without a water tank as it is just wasted space and I never use it. In the deep south an air conditioner might be nice. If you plan to camp with hookups you can use a space heater rather than a furnace. Have fun looking for your popup.
Quote from: OnTheGroundHi All,
My wife, 9 year old son and I have been camping on the ground for the last 7 years and we'd all like to move up to a camper. This forum was recommended to me because it's friendly and tied to a magazine about pop ups. I may have a few stupid questions that I'm sure you've heard before so please don't get angry with my ignorance.
So here's my first 2 questions -
How much do I really need to spend to get into a camper that we'll use about 8-9 times per year?
and
What options could you live without?
OK one more-
Should I buy new or used
Dan
First and Foremost... Welcome!
Be prepared... no matter what a good bargain you get on a camper, you will spend wayyyyy more than you ever planned.... on the little things that you just gotta have. You know what I mean! The new table clothes and stackable sterlite containers and the cute little salt and pepper shakers that match the plates that match the forks that match the serving bowls that are just the same shade of blue as your cushion fabric in your new camper!!! And don't forget those tacky lights! And the clips to hang them! And while you are at it, go grab a couple more extension cords. Heck! It's time to go shopping for a whole new set of tools and tool box because you don't want to have to keep lugging yours to the garage and back!!!
Ok.... you get the point! But it's great! Really! Have a ball! You are going to love sleeping off the ground and keeping druy in the worst down pour.
Since I think that there are really great deals to be had on a used popup, i'd never recommend that you run out and buy a new one. But I'm a bargain hunter at heart. If you have the $$ to spend freely, by all means. But you would be surprised how many "used campers" there are that were only camped in once or twice and even some that were bought and paid for and never saw a campsite! You can get a really great camper for No more than $2000. I bought a mint 84 Starcraft Constellation for just $500... and I mean MINT!!!
One recommendation, be aware of problems that folks have had with more than a few Coleman ABS roofs. I won't go into all the gory details. Do a search for ABS roofs here and at any other forums you may visit.
Things I can do without....
Don't need a real potty... we have portapottie for midnight needs but mostly use campground facilities.
Don't need a shower, inside or out. The place we stay generally have acceptable showers or if we are really roughing it, we take a sponge bath if we will be camping more than 2 days.
Good luck and Have fun!!!
Thanks for your quick responses.
Where do you camp? I've always been able to camp away from the crowds but from what I've read in these forums so far it looks like you all like to camp together. Sounds like a lot of friendships here.
Dan
ontheground, welcome to the "offtheground" way of camping!!! :D
My first two trailers were mid 70's Starcraft's, both still in service today, but both need constant TLC to keep them road & camping worthy. I paid $700 for the first one, used it once and sold it. I paid $200 for the second one, and used it for three years. I then bought one only a few years old from a friend for $6000, used it 1.25 season, then sold it for $5000 (yes, I took a beating there). Now I'm $12k into a new Hybrid.
The point I'm making here, is you get what you pay for. Buying a used PU can be like a crap-shoot, just don't know what you're getting into until it's done. But if you're careful, and know what to look for, a good used PU can be had for a very reasonable price. That being said, a new one (depending on the mfgr) may have a limited lifetime warranty on the key components of the trailer. So if your in it for the long haul, I'd suggest a new one. If it's just a passing thing, or just testing the waters, then I'd say try a used one first, or maybe just rent one for a trip to make sure it's what you really want.
As for options, only you can decide what you're willing to do without. Here in Virginia, I can't go camping in the summer without an A/C, so that is an absolute MUST. And if I'm using an A/C, that means I'm camping somewhere with electric hook-ups, so a few other creature comforts like microwave and TV are taken along too.
But I'm also a very avid dry camper when the weather permits, and will do without any hook-up's and utilize the battery and the Coleman lanterns.
One item you should not do without, is trailer brakes....GET THEM! The preferred system is electric brakes as you get better control out of them, but surge brakes as many Jayco's have been equipped with work well too. With an electric braking system, you'll also need a brake controller, of which 99% of the people on these boards will tell you to get the Tekonsha Prodigy. It's a bit more expensive than most the others, but worth it's weight in gold due to it's solid state porportional braking capabilities. Avoid time delay brake controllers as they are only worth their weight in firewood (wet wood at that).
Oh, and welcome to PUT!!!!
Our first camper was a very basic 1995 10' Jayco leftover on the lot. We bought it 97 for $3000. Since we were the 1st owners we had a full warranty - that we never needed. We camped alot for the 1st 3 seasons and sold it June of 2000 for $2600 when we upgraded to bigger pop up with lots of options. The options are nice but I could certainly be happy in my old 10' Jayco.
Is there a make or model to avoid?
Dan
Welcome to PUT! We hope you stick around and ask more questions. We love to share our "experiences." (Read: "goofups that we learned from.")
I grew up camping in a PU, and never really heard of a porta-potti. Now, we have one in our PU, and it is really nice for small bladders and big water drinkers! Also, for those cool nights, it is nice that you don't have to dress to run to the bathroom. So I suggest a porta-potti, or a camper equipped with a cassette toilet.
I also recommend brakes for your trailer, depending on your tow vehicle (TV). I tow a small trailer with a small truck, and the two are a great combo. BUT, I have had to get on the brakes pretty hard, and really wished I had brakes for the trailer. The next trailer will have a Tekonsha Prodigy and electric brakes for sure.
Keep asking questions, and visit our members' websites, which have lots of good pics and ideas. Just click on "profile" under the member's reply, which will take you to the profile and their webpage!
Larry
All together everybody: Hi Dan!
Welcome to PUT! Cupla questions: Do you like/need/want to take "everything and the kitchen sink" when you camp? What are you gunna use as a tow rig? Where are you located?
Answer these questions, and we can help you narrow your search. If you happen to be near any place where a Rally is occurring (a gathering of pop-up/hybrid owners/PUT members), pay it a visit and you will see more types of pop-ups than any dealer could possibly stock. If you are in California, I highly recommend a rally with the NNC or SCC crowds. Good people, big fun... which is what you'll find at any gathering of PUT members.
Can you possibly rent a pop-up for a weekend? Believe me, you'll find out real fast exactly what you want and don't want in a pop-up... everything from options you want to floorplans you hate. (do we need hot water? will a slide-out dinette be needed? is a full-size bunk big enough, or do we want a king-size bunk? porta-potty or cassette toilet/shower? refrigerator access with the top down? front trunk needed? side dinette, or crawl over a U-shaped dinette next to the bunk? swing-level galley or fold-over sink? etc., etc.)
New gets you a warranty, Slightly Used saves you a big hit on first-year depreciation, and if you are handy, Older Still means you CAN make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. But any way you choose, the modification bug will hit you until you make the trailer *yours*. Don't worry, it's a fun process, and we'll be here to help you every step of the way.
Hope this helped a bit. So pull up a folding chair, pop the top off your favorite beverage, kick another log on our virtual campfire, and fire away with all your questions. Again, Welcome Home.
When looking for the first popup, we decided to keep it simple and stay within a budget. We were delighted to find a popup with the floor plan we wanted, A/C,furnace, 3 burner in/out stove, king bed, double bed, awning, plenty of storage drawers and a potty storage compartment. It was in excellent condition, having been stored in a garage by the previous owner. We found that we didn't use the water tank in the dinette bench. I loved being able to move up from a tent to a popup. AbDiver is right, check out what kind of vehicle tow rating you have and then be sure you can pull the weight of the popup before you buy.
Welcome aboard!!
I'm a "mostly at the racetracks" camper. Started tent camping at the tracks in 1997 to save on motel bills and to avoid the traffic. I soon found out that I enjoyed the camping part almost as much as the racing!
Last year I decided I was getting a bit too old to sleep in a tent. (I won't say "on the ground", because I used a cot! LOL!) So I started looking around...went to a couple of dealers and looked around, and did some online research. I decided I liked some of the Colemans (now Fleetwood) and last fall I visited a local dealer. I had priced some units online and decided I was going to bite the bullet and spend more than I could afford! But when I got to the dealer, I found the 2002 models were marked down. Just like cars, they were selling them out to make room for the 2003s.
I really liked the Utah. Like tlhdoc, I don't like the models where you have to crawl over the dinette to get into one of the beds. This one has the glide-out dinette so you have more floor space. It also has the front storage trunk which is great. And the price was quite a bit lower than my research had indicated...with more features! (The prices I saw online for the Utah were around $13,000 to $14,000 without A/C. The dealer had the new 2002 priced just over $10,000 with A/C and some other extras!)
My Utah has a hot water heater, furnace, A/C, and 3-way fridge. No pottie, but I purchased a Thetford porta-pottie and already had a Paha Que tepee shower/potty tent. I set it up just outside the PU, and it's great for those late night/early morning visits! And if the campground doesn't have a bathhouse, we use it as a shower tent.
I'm still pretty much of a rookie when it comes to pop-up camping, and this board has been invaluable! I've gotten a lot of answers to questions and found lots of other helpful information reading the posts. I can think of several times I would have been in "deep doo-doo" if it hadn't been for some information that I got from the folks on this board!
MommaMia is right about the little "extras" you have to have. Of course, one of the little extras I ended up buying was a new TV (tow vehicle). I had a 1999 Jeep Cherokee, no towing package, but a dealer installed Mopar hitch. The Utah was almost too much for it to handle, so this past spring I traded for a 2003 Dodge Durango with full towing package! MUCH better! (Actually I think the PU was just an excuse--I've always wanted a Durango! LOL!!)
Two items I purchased based on advice from this board are a BAL leveler and an anti-sway bar (for the hitch). I highly recommend both!!
Some camper pix:
Brand new in the driveway:
http://community.webshots.com/album/64731913eBVhmV
And on a trip to the Smokies:
http://community.webshots.com/album/80890745iVumkD
(Didn't mean to be so long-winded. But I usually am! ;) )
Welcome aboard, Dan and family!!! You'll find that you don't even have to worry about what kinds of questions to ask here, we'll answer all of them, no matter how goofy you may think they sound. We love helping newcomers to the popup scene, and welcome you to our 'way of life'. My DH and I started out with a nasty old used camper, just to see what we thought about popups. It convinced us that we wanted a nicer one, but we still didn't want to spend a fortune, so we bought a newer used camper and have had it ever since. We use it for all kinds of camping, and love it. You will too. Just remember that no matter what the people on this board tell you, it's still up to you to make your final decisions. We'll help you all we can, no matter what.
T
;)
Hi Dan. You've gotten enough welcomes to the site so I won't bother :D
Quote[/color]Thanks for your quick responses.
Where do you camp? I've always been able to camp away from the crowds but from what I've read in these forums so far it looks like you all like to camp together. Sounds like a lot of friendships here.
Dan
While there is alot of group camping going on, we have done both groups and alone. We camp in out of the way places, mostly State or National forests with 12 sites or less. Being in a pop up dosen't have to change that. It just makes it more comfortable
The only time we camp in a large State Park is with a group, because most don't like not having ele or bathrooms.
Someday I'll convert them to primitive camping :eek:
Quote[/color]Is there a make or model to avoid?
Dan
I'll bite on this one, seeing as no one else has.
There are issues with some of the Coleman ABS roofs, Others can chime in more on that, as I have not personally had to deal with it. But if I were to buy used, that is one I'd avoid for sure.
Quote[/color] What options could you live without?
Sit down and figure out what is important to you, and run from there.
We have just about all the options and don't regret getting any of them.
It's easir to get what you want now, than to regret it later and add it as an after thought.
The most important options to us were hot running (ele water pump)water,
the cassette toilet (no outhouses anymore :) ) and the furnace for fall and early spring camping. It all boils down to whats important to you.
Good luck in your search
[/color]
Quote from: ForestCreature
I'll bite on this one, seeing as no one else has.
Hey there Marcy... I did take a nibble at that one..."One recommendation, be aware of problems that folks have had with more than a few Coleman ABS roofs. I won't go into all the gory details. Do a search for ABS roofs here and at any other forums you may visit. "
I guess it was so buried by all my other drivel that nobody caught it! :D
Welcome to the board!
I think I saw some mention of it but make sure that you can tow the trailer you want with the vehicle you have. Don't skimp on this one, it is your families safety on the line.
If you plan on using a vehicle you already have call the car dealer and ask what the tow rating is for it as you have it equipped. Don't trust the camper dealer on this one, he wants to sell you a camper and may be pretty liberal with quoting a tow rating.
The rule of thumb is that you should not exceed 75% of your vehicles tow rating. The weight includes you, your family and all the gear that you will carry as well as the trailer. You can do a search here and you will see much discussion on this topic.
As to brands to avoid, the advise on the ABS roofs is good, other than that buy the floorplan you like best from the dealer you like best and you will be happy. If you are buying used if the trailer appears in good shape it likely is, have the seller walk you through everything to make sure it works and you should be OK.
Quote from: OnTheGroundSo here's my first 2 questions -
How much do I really need to spend to get into a camper that we'll use about 8-9 times per year?
and
What options could you live without?
OK one more-
Should I buy new or used
Dan
Hi Dan. I'm Kelly and I'm a PUT-aholic. :D (Thanks, abdiver, for the lead!)You've gotten some really great advice here ... I'll add a couple things. I think of my PU as a tent-on-wheels. I live without many of the things that my board-mates consider essential. I have 4 children and wanted to make sure that we all had a place to eat and sleep, so my PU has 2 dinettes and sleeping space for 8. (Which means the kids do climb over a dinette to get to their beds ~ not a big deal for them!)- I do have heat and AC and have used both.
- I don't use the water holding tank.
- I don't use the indoor/outdoor stove that came with it ~ I bought the Coleman Guide Series 3-burner stove and use that instead (much more efficient).
- I don't have a porta-potty. I'd rather walk kids to the bathroom (or the nearest tree ;) ) than deal with porta-potty after toilet training 4 kids! LOL
- Don't have a shower either. (Although I would like the outside shower for cleaning up dirty kids.)
- I have the 3-way 'fridge and only use it if we're in one spot for a long time ... I prefer my Coleman Xtreme for weekend trips.
- The model I have (Palomino Yearling RL) has lots of underseat storage and access to one of those from the outside. I really like both of those things.
I bought my trailer used from a private party. I got lucky and found one that had everything that I needed and would definitely go that route again. My second-best advice is what others have already said ~ sit down and figure out how you will use the trailer and then look for something that will fit your needs. My best advice ~ if you buy from a dealer, check out their service department! If you buy used, check out the service department of the dealer! They can be your best friends or (in my case) your worst enemy!! Okay, maybe I exagerate ... but poor service can really make your life miserable. I also agree completely with all the TV advice. Make sure your vehicle can handle your load safely. And make sure you weigh everything. I have a light trailer and fully loaded I am within 10 lbs of the trailer's capacity. The previous owners weren't so careful and I've had axle problems because of that. Hope this helps.
Thank you all for sharing you advice. I've been spending time reading the posts in the forums, theres a lot of good information here.
Dan
I bought my 95 Coleman Avalon in 96 used. We have camped with it every year since at least 5 times a season or more most of the time. The only trouble I have had with it so far is the hinge on the storage trunk, (which used to be only plastic but the replacement is aluminum) and one of the latches at the top of the door broke which was fairly inexpensive to replace. Also this year I replaced the origional tires because they were starting to weather check. My Avalon has an aluminum roof so it has not given me any trouble.
QuoteIs there a make or model to avoid?
I'll echo what was briefly mentioned aboved. If you don't want to get caught up with sagging roof issues with no recourse but to replace it at your own cost ($2-3,000) then I also suggest staying away from any used Coleman/Fleetwood PU with the one piece ABS roof, they have known problems and probably best if you avoid them.
welcome :W
One thing that hasn't been said is if there is a camper show in your area GO!
that way you can check on all type of models and campare them.
We bought our camper at a show, I put $20.00 down to hold the show price which was somewhat lower than the price at the show room. If there are any dealers close to you check out the show room.