RE: Reason for purchasing your popup

[Cadeuses]

 SactoCampers

 

ORIGINAL:  SactoCampers
 
 1.) What were you looking for in a popup?
 
 2.) How much did you research prior to your purchase?
 
 3.) Why did your brand and model of popup meet that need and not others? Did this differ from what you *thought* you were looking for?
 
 4.) How much did cost factor into it?
 
 5.) How much did your tow vehicle/popup weight factor into it?
 
 6.) Did you pick the right one? That is, would you buy the exact same brand and model again? What did you think was important, but after owning it, really isn t?
 

 
 My reason for purchasing my popup?
 
 Well to keep my answer short and simple:
 
 For Sanity
 
 
 I mean really... have any of you guys been up here in the Great White North for longer than a week?  You can go nuts up here...commonly referred to as " Cabin Fever" .
 
 But to answer the questions:
 1.  Something that was built with quality and durability.
 2.  We shopped for two years before deciding on the one we wanted.
 3.  The warranty was better than others.  It did not differ from what we thought we were getting.
 4.  A lot.  We got a really good deal.  And so can you!
 5.  We have a solid tow vehicle, and knew it could haul popups twice as heavy as the one we were looking at, and so weight for us was not a factor.  A good rule of thumb is have a tow vehicle with a towing capacity double the weight of your trailer.  That way you *should* have enough power to haul, when you really need it!
 6.  No.  Like many humans... we are always looking for *more*.  I would have liked to have gotten a Bayside or Niagara, but hey... for now I m satisfied.  I would buy the same one again, but this time add the HWH option.  The last part of question #6... because this was not our first popup, we did not get anything that we now feel wasn t worth the purchase.
 
 Have a great day!

[greyhounds4me]

 SactoCampers
[font=" Comic Sans MS" ]Love this thread!  Not knowing anything at all about pop-ups when I decided to buy one, I had two main considerations.  It had to have air conditioning and could not cost more than $5000.00.  I started calling around to all the local dealerships and very few had any used pop-ups in stock.  I wasn t finding anything in the paper or on the internet that I could afford so when I talked to a dealer who had 3 used ones in stock, we went straight away.  The first one we saw was in bad shape with lot s of mildew.  The second one was parked so close to another camper that we couldn t get inside of it.  But just like the three little bears story, the third one we looked at was just right.  It was in excellent condition and seemed so big and luxurious to us.  We had looked at a couple of new ones at a small RV show and they seemed so steril compared to this one.  It was a little out of my price range but they excepted my offer and I got it for $1100.00 less than what they were asking.  I didn t know anything about towing or weight and had not researched the different brands.  It was really an emotional purchase although I was sure that I wanted one.  The dealer did tell me that my jeep would pull it fine so I wasn t concerned about that.  I became more concerned when I started reading pop-up times and learned all about weight ratings, sway, tongue weight, etc...  I love the 12 foot box and U shaped couch.  Even though the majority of the time it s just myself, the kid and the dog, there is plenty of room for those times that friends or family want to join us.  Now that I m so much more knowledgable...yea right...there are some things that I will look for in my next purchase.  More storage would be great and a slide out dining area would be awesome.  I didn t care about a potty or shower since we always camp where those facilities are available.  I m thinking that a hybrid will be next.  I love the Jayco brand and will probably stick with them. This year I plan on buying a new TV and it s towing capacity will be a big consideration.  Thank goodness I found Pop-Up Times.  I have learned so much and will be a very savvy consumer the next time I buy.[/font]

[ForestCreature]

 SactoCampers
1.) What were you looking for in a popup?
 We weren t really looking for a pop up. After watching people set up their pop up while we were still in a tent, we had pretty much given the idea up. We had figured if it took just as long to set up as the tent and all we were gaining was a bed off the ground why borher.So we kept on tenting.
 
 Then one day I stumbled  across an Aliner at a sportsman show, it was  love at first sight. I came home and told DH about it(he wasn t at the show). 1 yr later we returned to the show together and it was there again. This time I started playing with the 1 they had down. In less than 1 min the dealer talked me thru putting it up. Needless to say we were sold , but also broke at the time.So we walked away wanting.
 
 2.) How much did you research prior to your purchase?
 At that time we found very little info out there about Aliners. I scoured the net and I think I found 2 or 3 mentions,nothing concrete. Then a search for a used unit went into play....hahaha...like that was going to happen! No such thing as a used ALiner then, even now it is a rare find.
 
 3.) Why did your brand and model of popup meet that need and not others?It was the easiest and fastest set up,the only other like it was and still, is the Chalet.  They diddn t offer the floorplan or the lift we wanted.
  Did this differ from what you *thought* you were looking for?
 Hey we weren t looking remember[]
 
 4.) How much did cost factor into it?
 Cost was a big factor, we tried our hardest to find a used unit. After 2 yrs of looking we bought a new unit, by then we could almost afford it. The biggest factor was, did we want this or a small TT for almost the same dollars. But a TT just did not fit our style of camping.Besides that all the hesitating we did saved us a few grand, we ended up buying the last yrs demo model the dealer had. He knocked about 3500 off the price.
 
 5.) How much did your tow vehicle/popup weight factor into it?
 We had a van(and still do) and it is capable of towing quite a bit. So that never even became an issue.
 
 6.) Did you pick the right one?
 YES []
  That is, would you buy the exact same brand and model again?
 YES []
  What did you think was important, but after owning it, really isn t?
 My answer is kind of the question in reverse. I thought the fridge was a waste of space and money, but was part of the package already.
 But now I really love having the fridge,it holds more than it looked like it would have. Having Ice Cream in the middle of the woods is quite a treat after a hot day of hiking.  

[kitphantom]

 SactoCampers
We ve been tent/car campers since we got married, still are, plus backpacking; the main reason to consider a PU was to get off the ground on the still-projected trip to the PNW (i.e. rainforest).  I sleep as well on the ground as off & sometimes better, if the bed is too soft (thermarest sleeping pads are great, even visiting friends & relatives, I d rather sleep on the floor most of the time)  So for us, the PU is an addition to the equipment, not a replacement.  We have used it to extend the season, and to take friends camping.  I do like having an inside place to cook if it is really grim, but much prefer to cook outside, under our table canopy.  We did end up using the PU last summer, when we would have taken the tent, because fire regs were LP only & the PU stove is our only LP one, I refuse to buy another stove, preferring the white gas to cook on.  If we lived and routinely camped in areas with bugs (gnats, mosquitoes, etc.) we probably would have had a PU sooner and use it more, but we re pretty spoiled on that point.
 
 1)  We wanted small, for pulling, did not want to pull a large one to some of the places we camp, and for storage, in our driveway.  Ours is light and small enough we can just push it by hand to fine-tune placement. In most sites we can rotate it to almost any angle, so we can place the doorway just where we want it. We did not see a need for hook-ups of any sort, most of the places we choose to camp do not have them anyway.
 
 2) We had seen a small PU in a CG and I started to research just what was out there.  Found the ones meant mainly for motorcycle camping, which weren t enough  different than our established set up to really consider.  There was not too much else available.  I even had to inform one saleman that manufacturer did indeed make a PU with one small bunk & one std. size (not impressed with that dealer).  After visiting seveal dealers and an " Outdoor show"  (i.e. boats, PUs and TTs) we decided we d start looking for used.  (One effect of shopping was the realization most, if not all, of the new units made me sneeze & my eyes water.)
 
 3)  the teeny Palomino Shetland with a 6  box is the the smallest we d seen for sale, haven t seen one for sale before or since.
 
 4) Cost versus new was a factor, but in fact we paid more for this than some larger ones of the same vintage have been listed for.    However, even with all the renovations we are now doing, we ll have less than $2,000 invested, and have the small & simple PU we want.
 
 5) Tow vehicle is part of the equation, we had settled on the first Outback as a good compromise between camping and around-town car.  Both of our cars are rated for 1,000# without aux. brakes, 2,000# with.  The 770# the Shetland is originally rated at is well under that, and gives us enough load left for the stuff in the car.
 
 6) So far, this is the right one for us.  Haven t seen anything we d trade it for.  Originally liked the idea of the Chalet or A-liner, but too claustrophobic for me, same with small TTs.
 
 The original owner had added a home a/c, which got removed ASAP, and the hole in the wall repaired.  With our current repairs and renovations, we ll be removing the rest of the electrical wiring he d added, plus the original electrical hook-up stuff (The 1 inside & 1 door light don t work anyway, & our lanterns give better light.)  We ll remove some weight by redoing the sink/stove/drawer section.  Lighter paneling and tile, plus new canvas, should make the camper brighter on dull days; and we re adding an awning - the channel is there for it, but we never had one.

[Widewader]

 SactoCampers
I had to read all the posts before responding. I love this forum.
 We are a little different when it comes to pupup camping. We started tent camping and I ll have to admit it wasn t as much fun as when I was a kid. Wife wasn t real thrilled either - especially when a small branch fell out of a tree and hit our tent. She freeeeeeked! I bought a used (really used, really basic) Coleman. It was a revelation. Get out of bed and put your feet on the floor. Wow! After a while, I started thinking Travel Trailer, with AC (we live in West Tennessee), heat, bathroom, all the good stuff the popup didn t have. I bought a big Ford van and a 26 foot SunnyBrook trailer. Then I bought a Ford F250 Deisel so I could go anywhere, mountains included. It was great for a few years, but we really didn t have enough time to get enough use out of it to justify the monthly note and the storage lot cost. We sold the trailer and the truck and started putting the money in a money market account. I didn t realize how much money I had been spending each month. My plan was to save up and buy a motorhome when I retire in 2005. I missed camping a LOT. I had bought a Sport Track and, knowing it could tow up to 5000 lbs., I went looking for a nice used popup with at least a 10  bed and air/heat/etc. to use until retirement time. I found the 1999 Coleman Santee in the paper and bought it the day I looked at it. It has AC/furnace/fridge and an early version of the front platform across the tongue. I don t think Coleman made it more than a year or two. I love it. I put a big plastic locker up there to hold a lot of stuff. I added a battery and brakes, and BAL stabilizing jacks. Those little swingdown jacks were killing my arthritis. The only thing I didn t get that I really liked in another one I saw was the U-Shaped seating. I think that would be a definite advantage when the rain comes down. We usually camp with another couple or with grandchildren. Seating space is at a premium if you have to be inside. It tows great, sets up easily now that I bought a DeWalt drill to crank it up. We ll get a lot of use out of this camper. And, there s no monthly note. I like the out-of-doors feel of the popup. The big trailer was like being at home. Not all bad, but not like CAMPING. We were RVing.
 I m still going to get that motorhome. You ve got to follow that dream.<

[byrdr1]

 SactoCampers
1.) What were you looking for in a popup?
 I was just looking for parts to fix and older PU that the lift arms were broke on & I had paid less than $500.00 for. My wife went with me to the camper parts store and see wasn t that happy about my purcahse. I bought it to use at NASCAR races with several other guys who had camped at them. SO after she looked at the new ones she liked them. Long story short, We put a deposit down before leaving, the rest is history.
 2.) How much did you research prior to your purchase?
 I did not.. I found PUT after purchasing my new camper. But I did ask a thousand questions after the purcahse on PUT.
 
 3.) Why did your brand and model of popup meet that need and not others? Did this differ from what you *thought* you were looking for?
 I went to the Coleman retailer across the road and they would not talk to us. Asked what I was looking for and told them PU s and the salesman walked away, I never saw him again or anyone else. So back to the Viking dealer who went out of his way to show all 3 sizes of PU s and help us anyway he could. Deposit before we went home that Day. Satuday before LaborDay 2000.
 
 4.) How much did cost factor into it? Not really, Bought what the wife liked and got AC/and carefree awning added into the deal????I guess?
 
 5.) How much did your tow vehicle/popup weight factor into it? I have a F-150 truck so that wasn t a concern at the time. But after reading all that I have seen here and other places.. I should have asked more questions. But my truck pulls to mountians twice this year and over them once. Pulls fine for what I have. If I move to Hybrid I may need that F-250, 4 door, Powerstroke.....UHHHHHAHHH!!!
 
 6.) Did you pick the right one?
 Yes at this time it is the right one still but I do like the Kiwi 23B/D s
 That is, would you buy the exact same brand and model again? After knowing what I know now I would have shopped more and tried several different dealers.
 What did you think was important, but after owning it, really isn t? Battery I have only used it once at a race. Most of time we use full hook ups and at least power&water. I have used everything we got with camper and the extra we have bought also. I love my awning, AC,Heat, and hot water shower and pottie. If camp at a NASCAR race you would like to have hot water and shower..Because all the campgrounds are dust bowls if it s not raining. Unless you are staying in the $100/150 a night sites.

[Wayfarer]

 byrdr1
This will likely not be according to the suggested outline for replies, but here are some thots about our getting into camping.  DW and I are both retired and well into Social Security and Medicare and will celebrate our 51st Anniversary this month, Jan 19th, camping.  One day a little over a year ago I just got tired of sitting around and went out and bought a used F150 with the idea of getting a small trailer.  We started with a Casita (not a PU) and loved camping but found the Casita way[/b] too small.  Then, we looked at PU s, bought a Coleman Utah on the day we sold the Casita and haven t looked back since.  Love the Coleman, love camping, and are loving life and each other more every day.  Should have started camping years ago!  You can read about our Casita and Coleman camping on our website (link below in signature.)

[Starryart]

 byrdr1
This is a great thread to read. Fun to see so many people just like us!
 DH and I had tent camped  for about 9 years. DD learned alot about nature and such from it - good for kids, but as someone else mentioned, those pesky rocks do indeed hide under your pallet on the ground and snuggle under your backbone and hips. The humid Texas summer heat was also a big factor in our discomfort.
    So in  94 we start thinking camper and my cousin has a used  85 Jayco she needs to sell. It is in good condition but plain- just a sink, stove, and icebox, but there is A/C! So we buy it to try it. A/C was wonderful and we are in love with our new home away from home.
 By 2002 we had used it 72 times! Yes 72 times! (I know because I keep a camping diary) The old camper is just flat wearing out. We begin to constantly fix things so we believe it is time to move on to something newer. We figured that we had gotten our moneys worth. Bought it for 3000 and after 72 trips sold it for 1500. Not bad! Though I cried when the proud new owners drove it away. Snif[]
     Now my brother had this  95 Rockwood PU he wanted to sell so he could buy a hybrid. He had used the PU only 5 times in the seven years he owned it so it is in good shape. He cut me a great cheap deal out of brotherly love and It was ours. This PU has more extras like 3 way frig, a furnace, in/out stove, awning, and front end storage. We really like the floor plan except for one flaw: the door is very close to the back corner of the trailer and causes a lack of structural support in the short wall. This makes the wall and door frame shift slightly when the back bunk is pulled out, and binds the door. Haven t figured out how to fix it, otherwise we love it. Had the PU 11 months and used it 9 times. Guess we will get our moneys worth out of this one too, I hope.
    Our next PU will be a new- one possibly with a slide out. Whatever we get will have to be able to be pulled by our 6cyl Dakota or Jeep to work.
 We love camping. It is our passion[

[Turn Key]

 SactoCampers
OK!  I ll give it a shot.  Like to help new or " want-to-be"  PU owners.
 
 1) 10  box, at least one king bed, AC was a " must have"  and I wanted a product I could trust.
 
 2) Near a year.
 
 3) Had everything we wanted plus more.  Also, it was a Coleman and we like the way they warrant their products.  Our last 3 units were Coleman and we have always been happy.
 
 4) Not a factor.  We knew what we wanted and knew what we were willing to pay for it.  Found it, got the price were we wanted it and bought it.  Don t mind paying for a good product.
 
 5) Was a big factor on deciding on the 10  box.  Could have gone to a 12  if we d been willing to change makers.  Not a big deal as a 10  is plenty big enough for the two of us.
 
 6) You bet!  Don t think we d change a thing.  Only thing we added were electric brakes as that year didn t come with them as " standard" .  About the only thing we don t use is the outside stove and I think my DW intends to start on our next trip.  She got the idea to fry some steaks on the inside stove last fall.  We have never done that as I usually grill stuff like that.  Don t even remember why I didn t grill but I know that neither of us liked the smell that remained and we both feared it may have gotten into the material.  It didn t but we are not about to try that again!
 
 Mainly it boils down to this; We love our Coleman Sea Pine!
 
 Hope this helps some one.

[LoveOurBayside]

 SactoCampers
We had given up on tents and had camped in a cabin for a few trips.  The part DH hated about camping was hauling all the stuff from the car to the cabin and packing the car in the first place.  So, we basically just wanted something reasonably priced that we could store most of our stuff in then sleep in.
 
 We looked at a few floor plans on the internet and checked out a few manufactureres websites.  DH has always thought Coleman products were well-built so I went to check out one of the dealers and got some quotes on a Sedona and a Cheyenne.  Then we decided to go " look"  at another dealer, just to see what we both liked.  Once we got inside the Cheyenne and the baby took off for the other side and I had to sidestep DH to get to her, we decided that we needed something with more room.  We liked the Utah but the Bayside was not much more and just seemed more open.  With three children (including two boys who are already very tall for their age) we decided to go for the long term and get somethin that would last.  We never really looked at any other brand.  Mainly we didn t have the time to drive all over the state looking for other dealers.  The people on PUT were very happy with their Coleman s so we felt confident buying one.  
 
 At first we didn t see our tow vehicle as being a factor since the salesman my Sienna could pull anything on the lot.  Unfortunately, we did more research and decided can and should were not the same thing.  So, DH ended up buying a new vehicle for which I have had regrets from day one and he is now having regrets.  He loves the way it drives, but because of cost he got two wheel drive which has not been great on the recent snowy days.
 
 As far as picking the right one... when we are camping I m sure it is the right one.  However, I m feeling really bad thinking about this upcoming season when DH will have so little leave and our $12 K camper will just be sitting there with so little use.  Somethimes I think we should have just kept doing cabins so that we wouldn t feel bad taking an airplane trip somewhere.  
 
 I m not sure there is anything we got on the camper that we don t find useful.  We have some regrets about not getting air conditioning, though.  
 

[Ab Diver]

 byrdr1
Have been camping on and off since childhood. Tent camped many times at the coast while teaching dive classes, so had all the necessary gear. Then we had kids, and the camping slowed way down. Got invited to an extended-family campout, with the added bonus of an old   86 Starcraft Starlite 21SD, if we wanted it. Got it for the price of " keeping it in the family and promising to fix it up" . Had plenty of experience towing various loads, and had a 1 ton crew-cab truck, so wasn t worried about towing the pop-up. But, I knew nothing about pop-ups in particular. I dove headfirst into the internet looking for info, and found Pop-Up Times. Spent some time fixing the Starcraft with information gleaned from PUT: canvass, Velcro, water system, lift system, propane, yada, yada, and took it to the family camp-out. Fell in love with having something for the kids better than a tent. The wife and I wanted to give our girls the kind of memories we have of our parents taking us to new places while they are still young enough to think Mom and Dad are cool.  []
 
 So we took as many trips as possible that year, including our first 10-day, 2-state trip. Had a ball, but decided after two years the Starcraft was too small for our family: not enough storage, everybody had to find a seat if one person wanted to walk across the trailer, somebody had to stay on a bunk during meal prep time (if it was indoors) just for elbow room, and the bunks were so small I had to sleep diagonally across one  bunk-- forcing my wife to sleep in the dinette. Didn t like having to organize *everything* just to set up and take down the dinette each night and morning. It didn t have a furnace or hot water, only a hand pump faucet, no place to store a port-a-potty, and the fridge was needed more for storage than keeping things cold. Knew there was something better to be had, and looked at new travel trailers. Decided we didn t want to be married to payments, and looked for another used pop-up. Which brings us too...
 
 1.) What were you looking for in a popup?
 
 More room! Larger beds, wider and longer box, more storage space, and a slide-out dinette. Found it in a used  98 Coleman Bayside, which is the same floorplan as the current Utah model.
 
 2.) How much did you research prior to your purchase?
 
 After a couple years experience, you know what you want in a trailer. Had researched all the brands, but decided it would be the trailer that best fit our family s needs. Knowing what you want in a pop-up will save you lots of problems later on. Knowing what you can safely tow can save your family s lives.
 
 3.) Why did your brand and model of popup meet that need and not others? Did this differ from what you *thought* you were looking for?
 
 It was a very clean and hardly used trailer. It had almost everything we were looking for, plus an awning, front storage trunk, outside shower, plenty of space to store the port-a-potty, and a gaucho. We hadn t really considered the Bayside/Utah floorplan, thinking a pop-up with a toilet/shower was a must. But after actually spending some time inside, and " acting out"  the motions of using the trailer, we decided this floorplan would work for us at the price being asked. Plus, buying a newer, though used, pop-up gave me the opportunity to deshnitzify (for the uninitiated, that means modify) several aspects of the trailer to fit our needs. No single pop-up on the market has *everything* the way you want it. In the end, dual batteries let us dry camp longer, other mods like extra cabinet doors or a different faucet made the trailer more user friendly.  A brand new pop-up may have some of these attributes, but also costs a lot more.
 
 4.) How much did cost factor into it?
 
 That was very important. Since we didn t want to buy on credit, being able to pay cash was a key factor. Buying used allowed us to cut the price to less than half of new.
 
 5.) How much did your tow vehicle/popup weight factor into it?
 
 Not at all, really. Luckily, our truck can handle any pop-up we could throw at it. We like to take *lots* of stuff/gear/toys with us on camp trips, so the bigger the pop-up and it s storage capacity, the better.
 
 6.) Did you pick the right one? That is, would you buy the exact same brand and model again? What did you think was important, but after owning it, really isn t?
 
 I think we made the right decision for our family. Since we are a family of three females (two growing into womanhood) and one male, our next purchase will probably have more privacy in the bathroom than our current pop-up. Time will tell. My favorite pop-up still remains the Jayco 14SO... I ve wanted one of those since the first time I saw one.  But finding a used 14SO in good condition in our area is next to impossible. The one thing I thought we would use more than we have is the refrigerator. Guess that stems from so many years of using coolers, it s become an ingrained habit. And after buying a large Coleman Extreme cooler, we rarely need to put stuff in the fridge: the Extreme works so well it almost makes it s own ice.
 
 What it all boils down to is finding the right combination of weight and features for each family s needs. A single adult, or a couple, does not need as much space as a family requires. A person who spends most of his time dry camping will not need the same features as someone who only camps with full hook-ups. Not many people can luck into their first trailer at a price they can t refuse, so doing as much research as possible BEFORE buying can save a lot of money, exasperation, frustration, and heartache. If possible, rent a pop-up for a weekend before buying. To paraphrase an old saying: a single night is worth a thousand posts.

[SactoCampers]

 byrdr1
Thank you all for sharing your stories!
 
 I know there are more of you out there, so feel free to tell us your story.[]

[The Memory Maker]

 byrdr1
Originally, we decided to look into buying a PU because I was gong back to school to get my master s degree. Unfortunatlly, the school was 350 miles from our home and moving to the area was not an option. The classes are held every other weekend. Instead of going to hotels(which in Santa Barbara are very$$$) or going by myself, we figured that a pu would solve many of these problems. We originally looked at Coleman s but wanted to shop a bit more. We put a deposit down on a Forrest River but the deal was not a good one. We decided to go with the Sedona from Coleman and were happy with it until we had our 2nd DS. We quickly realized that there was just not enough space. I sold the Sedona on eBay for a couple of hundred less than we bought it for and promptly went out and got the Bayside that is in our driveway now.....

[cartooncaracter]

 SactoCampers
Well when we started looking we werent exactly sure what we wanted. It had to be cheap we werent really sure we would be campers. Had never really done it before and could see going in debt for something then finding out we hated it. So we started looking (thats how I found PUT). Well in researching I found apachepopups.com and fell absolutely in love with the concept of a hardsided popup. Problem they stopped making them in 1986. So gave up trying to find one. Actually almost bought a Coleman off of here but it was in NC and couldnt work out transportation. Well low and behold found my 78 and bought it for 300.00 dollars. When I was a teenager I was a hotrodder and rebuilt alot of cars so this restoration project was and is a great hobby. We have taken it out once already and will probably go again this weekend. Thats how I found my Elmo.

[whitestar505]

 SactoCampers

1.) What were you looking for in a popup?
 
 2.) How much did you research prior to your purchase?
 
 3.) Why did your brand and model of popup meet that need and not others? Did this differ from what you *thought* you were looking for?
 
 4.) How much did cost factor into it?
 
 5.) How much did your tow vehicle/popup weight factor into it?
 
 6.) Did you pick the right one? That is, would you buy the exact same brand and model again? What did you think was important, but after owning it, really isn t?

 The answer to the questions listed above are answered below:
 
   1. After having a smaller camper we were looking for room, comfort, and storage space. After looking at all the floor plans we decided on the Coleman Utah cp.
 
  2. We done a lot of research before we bought. In fact we were going to move up to a TT but after looking at it long and hard we decided it was a change we did not want to make. I must tell you that it was not the money that made us decide.
 
  3. We have had Coleman products before I can remember. Coleman has been a name for camping for almost 100 years. There must be a reason. The make sure that the product is sound and will last for years to come. We did look at the others but always came back to Coleman.
 
   4. I was willing to buy it anywhere the price was right. After dealing locally I went out of state until I found what I though was the right price.
 
   5. My TV factor did not figure  into my buy because I had a TV that would tow all of the any and all popups.
 
    6. Yes, would buy it again. After camping in a popup for years my thoughts remain the same as when I was researching to buy.