2006 Niagara

[Tim5055]

Well, it would be nice to say I bought a new one today but I will have to make do with the 2005.

I went out today and olooked at the changes for 2006 and I must say I am impressed.  If Fleetwood keeps this up they may help turn the tide on declining pop up sales.

Check out my thoughts on the 2006 Niagara

[fritz_monroe]

This is the model that we are looking at for our first PUP pruchase, but haven't been able to actually step foot into one yet.  I've seen several mentions of an optional grey water tank, but is there any standard grey water tank?  If not, what do you do about the grey water?  The toilet, is there a removable cassette at all, or does the black water get handled like the hard sided RVs?  Thanks for any input, the Fleetwood dealer we visited today has one in stock, but they weren't able to get it out of it's spot to put up, too many class A RVs in the way.  The sales person wasn't very knowledgable about it either, so didn't have my real questions answered.

Thanks.

[tlhdoc]

Tim I think I would rather stay with the cassette potty, rather than the RV toilet with the 9 gallon black water tank.  I like being able to dump the cassette as needed.  On a long trip I would have to empty the black water tank into a tote and then take it to the dumpstation.  I would rather mess what that once and not twice.  Twice as many chances to have an accident with the black water and spill some.

[Tim5055]

This is the model that we are looking at for our first PUP pruchase, but haven't been able to actually step foot into one yet.  I've seen several mentions of an optional grey water tank, but is there any standard grey water tank?  If not, what do you do about the grey water?  The toilet, is there a removable cassette at all, or does the black water get handled like the hard sided RVs?  Thanks for any input, the Fleetwood dealer we visited today has one in stock, but they weren't able to get it out of it's spot to put up, too many class A RVs in the way.  The sales person wasn't very knowledgable about it either, so didn't have my real questions answered.

Thanks.

I'll try to answer your questions inorder:

No, there is no on board gray water tank.  Thye have plumbed the front and rear gray water drains together so you just need one
external Gray Water Containment Tank

No, there is no removable cassette. This is the change.  You have an on board black water tank and you dump it just like the big guys.


What dealer did you go to?  I used to live about 1/2 mile from the one on 50 in Annapolis and still drove to Manasses to puchase our Santa Fe

[fritz_monroe]

I'll try to answer your questions inorder:

No, there is no on board gray water tank.  Thye have plumbed the front and rear gray water drains together so you just need one
external Gray Water Containment Tank

No, there is no removable cassette. This is the change.  You have an on board black water tank and you dump it just like the big guys.


What dealer did you go to?  I used to live about 1/2 mile from the one on 50 in Annapolis and still drove to Manasses to puchase our Santa Fe

I'm not sure I like the idea of the black water tank.  I'll have to think on that.  I don't want to mess with black water any more than I have to.  I do like the idea of having the plumbing run to one outlet.

I went to Chesaco RV.  Seeing as this is my first trailer, I don't know an opinion on the dealer.  Anyone deal with them?

[Wapiti Hunter]

Tim,

I must agree with the fans of the cassette toilet.  As far as I'm concerned, they blew it when they changed to the black water tank and RV toilet.  We camp 99% of the time in areas with no hook-ups and we need a way to empty the black water without using a sewer hose and tote.  When it's time to puirchase a new camper, I will have to look at PU's other than Fleetwood with a cassette or find a hybrid or something with a larger holding tank.  With a family of five, we usually dump the cassette once every day or day and a half (while boondocking) so the 9 gallon holding tank would fill in two or three days.  I also do not like the fitting hanging down from the trailer frame.  We spend plenty of time on rough roads and would risk breaking the sewer connection during travel.

Mike

[Maine Camper]

You folks just answered some questions I asked on another post.  I bought a new Niagara yesterday but won't get it for a while.  I still have a couple of questions though.  We always camp where there are water hookups, how does the toilet get its flushing water?  Is there a separate water tank that you add the chemical to?  If not, do you still add the chemical somewhere?

Would appreciate any answers and thanks,

This is a great site.

[delia94]

You folks just answered some questions I asked on another post.  I bought a new Niagara yesterday but won't get it for a while.  I still have a couple of questions though.  We always camp where there are water hookups, how does the toilet get its flushing water?  Is there a separate water tank that you add the chemical to?  If not, do you still add the chemical somewhere?

Would appreciate any answers and thanks,

This is a great site.

We purchased our first RV - a Fleetwood Niagra in September 05 (2006 model).  We have always had the ability to go to places with full hook up and you simply hook up your fresh water line and it handles all your needs.  The toilet automatically puts some water in the bowl when you turn the water on but you still need to add more to the holding tank by lifting up on the pedal flusher then flush it down into the tank and add your chemical.  

My problem is that we are going to a campground in May with no sewer - I have no idea what to do with grey water since there is no holding tank for this - the idea of toting around one of those portable holding tank repulses me    I have had people tell us to just hook up the sewer hose and run the grey out away from the campsite but this seems gross as well and do campsites really allow this?

As far as the black tank goes - I think it will definitely be a pain to try to clean it out without opening the pop up.  I guess walking to the restroom is the best idea and keep only liquid in the black tank for trips like this.

Let me know if you have any other Niagra questions - we are still getting to know ours but do LOVE it!

[Maine Camper]

We purchased our first RV - a Fleetwood Niagra in September 05 (2006 model).  We have always had the ability to go to places with full hook up and you simply hook up your fresh water line and it handles all your needs.  The toilet automatically puts some water in the bowl when you turn the water on but you still need to add more to the holding tank by lifting up on the pedal flusher then flush it down into the tank and add your chemical.  

My problem is that we are going to a campground in May with no sewer - I have no idea what to do with grey water since there is no holding tank for this - the idea of toting around one of those portable holding tank repulses me    I have had people tell us to just hook up the sewer hose and run the grey out away from the campsite but this seems gross as well and do campsites really allow this?

As far as the black tank goes - I think it will definitely be a pain to try to clean it out without opening the pop up.  I guess walking to the restroom is the best idea and keep only liquid in the black tank for trips like this.

Let me know if you have any other Niagra questions - we are still getting to know ours but do LOVE it!

So you just put the chemicals in the toilet after you fill it up little more and then flush it down?
The dealer did mention to me that even if you have a site with sewer you should let the black water tank fill up as this will allow the solid waste to break down. Sounds reasonable.
Personally I would never run grey water on the ground as it will tend to smell after a while.  I

[fritz_monroe]

My problem is that we are going to a campground in May with no sewer - I have no idea what to do with grey water since there is no holding tank for this - the idea of toting around one of those portable holding tank repulses me    I have had people tell us to just hook up the sewer hose and run the grey out away from the campsite but this seems gross as well and do campsites really allow this?

As far as the black tank goes - I think it will definitely be a pain to try to clean it out without opening the pop up.  I guess walking to the restroom is the best idea and keep only liquid in the black tank for trips like this.

If you think about it, grey water is just soap in there.  Most campgrounds do not let you dump the grey water on the ground.  You have to have some way to collect it.  I use an aquatainer for this, pics are in the link in my sig.

While the black tank works for some people, I really think that Fleetwood made a bad decision about putting a black water tank in the Niagara.  It alienates a group of their customer base.  I think it should have been an up-scale option.  Either have a shower/cassette or a shower/black water tank.  If the cassette was available on the 2006 niagara, we would have bought that instead of my Bayside.