RE: Coleman Tacoma

[Watchman]

 
I went to the RV show in Tampa Florida yesderday, and looked at a 2003 Tacoma.
  It came with Furnace, 13500 A/C, Hot water & outside shower,   show price $7995.00 MSRP $10,235.00.  They threw in an extra fan/light combo and Decor Package (Vanity mate, sink cover/ cutting board, Camper caddie) and a folding love seat, looks like a double folding lawn chair.  For $35.00 a screen room or $135.00 an add a room. The dealer said that the add a room cost over $500.00, I think that is what he said?  Dealer prep. $200.00 no destination charge or other charges.  I put a $100.00 (refundable) deposit to hold it until next week. What do you think?  Good deal or bad deal.....    Good camper or bad camper.... Add a room or screen room (or niether).
 
 I must say that for " the biggest RV show in the nation"    pop-ups were not well represeted. Coleman, Jayco (both presented by the same dealer) and Rockwood.  Starcraft had a hugh display but not one pop-up. nobody else.  Anyway, please give me some input on the Tacoma.

[tlhdoc]

 Watchman
It sounds like a good price to me.  As of last Sept.  my dealer was charging $8094 for the same setup with an awning and refrigerator.  Coleman has a special each spring and the screen room and AAR sounds like they may be this years special.  I have an AAR and I don t use it on every trip, but if we are staying for more than 2 days or the bugs are bad we use it.  If you are going to get a room, you might as well get the AAR.  It is also a screen room, but it gives you weather protection and privacy that the screen room doesn t.  Also if you do get a room, have the dealer install the velcro, velstick and hardware for attaching the AAR to the PU.  It isn t hard to do, but the directions stink.  Good luck and let us know if you get the trailer.[]

[Watchman]

 Watchman
Oops!  Forgot,  it come with the awning and refrigerator as well.

[Watchman]

 Watchman
Hello?

[bikolee]

 Watchman
We have a 2000 Tacoma with AC, heat, fridge, awning, 2 propane tanks, and the Coleman gray water tank. We paid $6750.00 new. It was a left over though. So with the " extras"  they are throwing in, I d say it s a good deal. You ll love the floorplan. We do.

[Watchman]

 Watchman
Thanks for the response.  We really liked the Tacoma s floorplan.  Any input on towing? The dealer recommended sway control. I thought about using the Reese 350 mini WDH on it. Pulling with a Toyota Highlander.
 Thanks again!

[bikolee]

 Watchman
I tow with a Dodge Dakota ext. cab V8 and we have not experienced one bit of sway in the least. I do not have any type of sway control or brakes. Another one of the great things about the Tacoma, is that most of the storage areas are in front of the axle. This puts the weight onto the tongue. Can t really comment on the Toyota Highlander as I am not familiar with it.

[birol]

 Watchman
Doesn t higlander have a tow weigth limit of 3,500 lbs ? GVWR of Tacoma is 3,000 lbs. I would think you are little bit too close to the tow limit of Highlander. (I love that Truck though, I wish I could get my hands on one !).
 
 I also love the floor plan of Tacoma, Hope it works out for you.
 
 Birol

[Watchman]

 Watchman
True...  1900 empty and GVWR 3000lbs.  Do you really add 1100lbs to that thing when you camp?   I thought that with occupants 1100 would be more than enough and we would still be under the max towing weight.  I have had this conversation a couple of times on this forum before and I usually get one of two responses "  no problem, you can pull it,"  or " wow you need to get a Taos" .  Then someone gives me a complex scienentific calculation of vehicle weight vs trailer weight. Don t get me wrong I value the input.  I encourage it.  I listen to all of it. My purpose for asking the members of this forum is to be well informed.  My objective has been to get good size pop-up for my family of 4 (or 5 depending on the oldest one) without damaging the TV or being a hazard on the highway.  It would be a much easier task if I had bought something with more towing capacity. So what do think? What do you pull with the windstar?  It would be better to find out before spending $9000.00 on pup-up that would not work out.

[tlhdoc]

 Watchman
You need to add the weight of anything you add to the vehicle and the trailer.  As long as the total isn t more than 1100 pounds you are ok.  So if you had 4 150 pound people in the vehicle you could add 500 pounds to the trailer.  As long as you don t go crazy you should be OK.[]

[Watchman]

 Watchman
I heard that I get 1 person (170lbs) with the vehicle and all others are added weight, to be considered.  Is that true?    I am  just a tad over that 170 [] My wife and two (at home) kids are only add about 200lbs more.  I think I am okay there.  I was concerned about the added weight of the A/C unit and furnace.  I know it might be close, but smaller (10ft) Pop-ups don t remove much weight.

[birol]

 Watchman
tow limit of your Highlander is 3,500 Lbs, 75% of that is 2,675 Lbs. Ideally you should not tow anything heavier than that. Take out your wife and kids (200 Lbs), you are looking at 2,476 Lbs fully loaded Tacoma PLUS anything else you have in the car which brings it above its curb weight.
 
 So you can only carry 576 Lbs of stuff in the PU and The TV (Total, that s it) in addition to your family.
 
 If you can achieve that, no body would/should say anything, but I understand weight accumulates quickly. In addition, highlander does not have a long wheelbase, which might make things little bit more difficult.
 
 Isn t there a PU model which has a GVWR of 2,500 Lbs ? That would be ideal for you. IF you can keep the weight to 2,476 Lbs , Tacoma should be just fine too. You would be right at the limits too.
 
 If I am wrong, I know the Tow Gods will correct me
 
 Birol
 
 P.S. I do not tow anything  

[Watchman]

 Watchman
Something to think about!   Maybe I will look more.  
 
 [quote If I am wrong, I know the Tow Gods will correct me
 
 [/quote]  I know the tow gods well and found them to be very unforgiving[]

[birol]

 Watchman
Hey, don t misunderstand me, keep  the weight down and you should be prefectly ok with Tacoma !
 
 
 Between you and me. I am going to tow a 19  Bantam Hybrid with my Windstar so go figure ! I need to drive it to ground for trying to kill me !.
 
 
 Birol
 
 P.S. Today is the first day I could get out of the car by using my my left leg, yehaaaaaaa.

[Watchman]

 Watchman
Thanks!
 Congrats on the rapid recovery!!!![]