How to SAVE money when buying a PU

[cam]

Around these parts it is sad, but camping season is over.  The PU has been winterized and put away until next year.  This past spring we traded in our older small Starcraft PU for a bigger, brand new Flaggstaff 227...now I must reflect on all the decisions we made at purchasing time to see if we really got our money's worth on the extras.

Let's see:

1. The AAR....the salesman showed us how to set up the awning in the shop and said "the AAR is easy...just zippers around the awning".  First time out we tried it,  me and DW that is, with the 3 kids... 3,5,& 6, trying to help.  Was the first time the kids heard daddy say some of those words and the closest DW and I came to talking about a divorce.  The $575 AAR stayed in the garage the rest of the summer.

2. The furnace...  wow... electronic ignition...just flip on the thermostat and away she goes.  Can't go wrong....except, this was one of the hottest and driest summers in recent history with temperatures in the 90-100 range for weeks on end.  "what about AC I asked the salesman"..."no, no,this is Canada, you need a furnace" he says..."and the heated mattresses too" ... didn't use either.

3.  Port a potti...and chemical...and some high priced TP specially made for this convenience.  We did take it on every trip we made "cause the kids might need it in the middle of the night".  Each time it eventually ended up in the TV because, well, using it just seemed kinda yucky. We used the CG toilets just like we did in the past.

4. RV-Q....sounded good to have a portible gas grill along on every trip.,it would be just like at home on the back yard deck.  Turns out that's what we were trying to get away from when we went camping...gather some wood already and light a fire, it's time to eat!

5.  Deep cycle RV battery?? Yah we went with that. After all there is the 3 way fridge option in this baby...but then, why did we go for the "extra long power chord" to make sure we could always reach the electrical hook-up???

6.  Extra security of an "uniquly keyed door lock". Sounded good, instead of everyone with the same PU having the same key. But wait a minute,it is a PU.  Just unlatch the 4 corners and lift the roof a few inches and the door is open, or when popped up it doesn't take a seasoned B & E artist to get by that velcro holding the tenting to the door frame.

Gee whiz, looking back maybe I could have saved some money and bought something I could really use now... like some snow tires for the TV!

[kathybrj]

It truly is interesting how differently folks camp and use their equipment..

Our AAR goes up on every trip, regardless of how long the trip is. It took one or two trips of putting it up and taking it down to get the hang of it. The biggest help- a small step stool. Blaise can now put it up and take it down by himself in a matter of minutes. It does take practice, but, in the end, we just love it- added space, a nice spot to sit in the morning or a raining afternoon/evening (which we had many of this season), a place for the dog to hang out...I  really could go on! (Luckily, this was a "used" purchase from someone here at PUT and I got it for a bargain.)

The furnace got a work out in May at North-South Lake (COTOC trip- cool nights, very nice days...can't wait to go back!). Also got used in October in Vermont. We will be purchasing extra deep cycle batteries in the spring (yup- maybe 2), because now we prefer dry camping to campgrounds that have hookups. The NYS park sites are huge, but no hookups.

The very warm summer- well, we got a  lot of use out of our bunk end fans, to move the air around. We still haven't talked about AC in this camper. +July 4th was hotter than Hades, but, luckily, we had a shaded spot (always a request or demand when I make a reservation) and near a river.

Porta potti- well, it's a must for me and I think it's great. Blaise modified a cabinet and you wouldn't know it's there unless the top on the cabinet is opened. What a great thing that is!

We use our outdoor fireplace by Coleman to do a lot of cooking on- our outdoor stove too and our Coleman Grillin' Griddle. That thing gets used every trip on a daily basis. Worth the $45 I bought it for on Ebay.  

As far as what we purchaed extra with the camper- well, we really didn't (we just spent like crazy after the papers were signed). I can't think of anything we don't use on most trips- maybe just the River Rat floatation tubes, and my tacky lights, but I think that's it.

Give the AAR some practice. Once you get the hang of it, I wouldn't be surprised if you really grow to like it. Set it up at home a few times, when you have the camper open.  

[tlhdoc]

1.  The AAR-We use ours on longer trips and if it is buggy or sometimes if it is raining.  We have a Paha Que screen room so sometimes that is used instead of the AAR.

2.  The furnace/AC-That was something that I didn't want.  We had camped with snow on the old PU before.  Boy am I glad that the PU has a furnace now.  There have been several trips that the furnace saved the day.  This year we really needed it at Assateague Island for Easter.  It was cold and the wind blew 30 mph for over 24 hours.  We also used it on several other trips too.  The A/C was added to our PU last year, so we have had it for 2 seasons.  I love it.  It allows us to camp much more comfortably in the summer (if we have hookups).

3.  Potty-We have a cassette potty and love it.  You don't have to pick a site close to the bathroom (we try to get away from the bath room), no more late night walks to the bathroom and it isn't hard to dump or clean.

4.  RV-Q-We use charcoal or wood to cook on the grill.  I have a small table top grill, but we have never used it camping.

5.  Deep Cycle battery-We have 3 of them this year (I thought one battery was going, but it ended up being OK).  We dry camp most of the time and always have plenty of power.  The battery will also work the brakes if the brake away switch is activated.

6.  It wasn't an option on our trailer.

As far as other options I have found somethings we have purchased are great (BAL Leveler) and others don't really get used.

What you use or don't use all depends on how and where you like to camp, but then that is why there is such a range of campgrounds, tents, trailers and accessories.

[B-flat]

There's a forum on the board for all the camping stuff you don't need or use.  Someone's trash is someone else's treasures.   I know what you're saying and I emptied some stuff out of the camper that was taking up space and put it in a yard sale.