How would you improve your PU?

[tlhdoc]

What one change would you make to your PU, to make it better.

I would love to have see through vinyl windows in the bunkends of my PU.  That way you could have the window flaps open when you were running AC or heat and not loose the view.

[cb]

That would also be my number one improvement.  I guess the reason for the solid "windows" is privacy, but we ordinarily camp in remote areas where that is not an issue.  So meanwhile, I cut clear, heavy-guage vinyl that I bought at Wal-Mart to the windows' dimensions, adding about 2 inches all around.  Working from outside the trailer, with DH on the inside to apply pressure as I worked, I used double-sided sticky Velcro around the perimeter of the window openings to attach the vinyl to the clean tent.  This allows me to see the stars at night when it would normally be too cold to leave the windows unzipped.  They survived wind and rain very well and I'm sure they would work for those of you who have A/C issues instead of trying to keep the heat in.  When it's time to fold down, I remove the "storm windows", fold them and put them in the under-seat storage area.  The set I had lasted about 3 years before turning PINK! and the velcro lost its stickiness.  So I have new supplies ready for our trip to the desert next week.  (I used the same method on the outside of the door, so we can leave the top window down and still see outside.)  Try it.  You will be surprised how easy and what a difference it makes.

[ForestCreature]

What one change would you make to your PU, to make it better.
 

Add about 5 more feet
 Other than that...not a thing!

[jpreiser]

a little larger shower stall, great for kids, but not to handy for adults.

[SkipP]

I'd like to have a reflective surface on the tops of the bunk ends full time. It would eliminate the need to retrofit covers to serve that purpose.

The clear windows would be another nice improvement.... it would give the camper an even more open and airy feel.

[tlhdoc]

(I used the same method on the outside of the door, so we can leave the top window down and still see outside.)  Try it.  You will be surprised how easy and what a difference it makes.

A bunch of us at COTOC have done that mod.    I like your idea with the windows, but I am not sure about putting the velcro on the tenting.  What is the material on your bunkends?

[HersheyGirl]

I too tried to do the bunk end window thing with sticky sided velcro, but I could not get the velcro to stick to my bunk ends, it kept falling off. Any pointers on how to get it to stick?

[JonesFamilyJayco]

Not having a real bathroom is my only regret with our pop-up.  Just the porta-potty that we set up outside in a collapsable tent is fine for my son and I, but not all that great for my wife and daughter.  I also believe that the shower systems now may not be all that great for all 4 of us to share.  It just looks to me that a simple shower curtin would let everything get wet.

I wonder if they made a really long pop-up that you could flip up hard walls to enclose a real bathroom (nice to have a toliet that was not part of the shower).  It would take up a lot of room, so you would need both the increase in lenght of the camper and a slide out. For camping at the race track, It would need a real toliet & grey water storage system to last at least 2-3 days.
 

Still, no other form of camping can give you the tent experience with so many convenices.  Even if we later look at a hybrid or small travel trailer for whole family beach trips, etc, I plan on keeping my pop-up for primative camping.

[chasd60]

One change huh?
 Guess I would make the sides about 4-5 feet higher than they are.
 OOoooops, I did that already:D.
 
 With my popup the only change I thought would totally make it more useful was.......
 To make the countertop lift up and have telescoping cabinets under it. I gave it some thought but never mustered up the ambition to tackle a project that big.

[cb]

Regrading the "storm windows"...I think I used regular velcro when I first put them on.  Our tent material is vinyl-coated canvas, which I cleaned thoroughly and dried before applying the velcro.  My DH pressed from the inside while I pressed from the outside.  (That lead to laughing and goofing around, but it worked.)  The person I copied the idea from used one-sided sticky velcro and "mated" it right through the window "screen."  I was afraid that it might tear the screen, so opted to stick it to the outside.  This time I'm going to try the velcro that is made to go on vinyl dashboards.  I haven't looked for it yet, but assume it won't be too hard to find.  I'll let you know.

[Starryart]

"I would love to have see through vinyl windows in the bunkends of my PU. That way you could have the window flaps open when you were running AC or heat and not loose the view." Me too, Tracy!!!!

We use vinyl on our windows also. My "storm window" solution was to cut the vinyl the right width but much taller than the window. We placed the plastic on the inside of the screen by tucking it over the frame above the window(the pressure of the shepherds pole holds the frame and plastic tight) and the other end tucked between the rolled up window flap(not quite zipped all the way down) and the screen. We tucked the sides of the plastic under the edge of the zipper flap. That way we can zip the window cover almost all the way closed except for the very top edge, if we need privacy.
I hate being in that little dark cave the bed makes when closed up.

As far as velcro, do you worry about the eventuallity of sticky stains or discoloring the canvas, or affecting the waterproofing? That would be my worry, because my vinyl canopy had velcro attached on it for the screen room to hook on and years of summer heat eventually caused the velcro to get sticky and gooey and it came off leaving a nasty mess I had to scrub off with "Goo-Gone" though evidence of it is still there in stains. Just a thought.....

[garym053]

Automatic tenting dryer so I'd never have to take down wet!

Can't really think of anything that bugs me except taking down wet and I did quiet a bit of THAT this past Summer!

[tlhdoc]

     :eyecrazy:  :yikes:

[campincrew]

UH!  How about NO PAYMENT!!! :p  :-()

[copcarguy]

I would go to the factory and build it myself with care and love.  Both our 2001 Fleetwood/Coleman Taos and our 2003 Fleetwood/Coleman Carmel have fallen apart after one year of use.  We are NOT hard on our vehicles at all and I think we are above average in care and maintenence.  My camping friends here can back me up on how well I take care of my stuff.  As we were taking delivery of the new Carmel, both dinette cushions split at the seams when we sat on them in the dealer parking lot!  They ordered replacements, and those ripped too as soon as the service manager sat on them. (I made him sit on them first so he could see it happen!)  Lots of little things have since gone wrong that taken individually are really insignificant, but add them all up and they are inexcusable in a one year old PU.  Both campers were POS.  We traded in the Taos on the Carmel because I couldn't stand all the little broken things, and now I can't wait to dump the Carmel for the same reason.  It is a shame because the Carmel is a really beautiful floorplan, and if they just put it together right in the first place I would want to keep it forever.