to buy or not to buy-----a new popup

[PopUpMomma]

We went looking at Motors homes this past weekend.  We decided that a motor home was obscenely impractical.  We love our Popup.  And, it has all what we need

[OC Campers]

Roberta, we have been thinking thw same thing about upgrading eventually.  Now we do have the inside shower in our popup and to be honest with you I have never used it except to clean up my little ones.   I am 6 ft 1 and it just is too tight a space.  

We have been thinking about maybe upgrading to a hybrid eventually.  Which basically is a self contained trailer but has the tent ends.  So it basically is the best of both worlds except you don't have to pop the top up and down.  I have cranked the popup up a few times and I have to admit my back doesn't like this chore.  One of my main reasons for not changing to a hybrid right now is the fact that I would have to pay to store it and the additional expense for gas to tow it.  We do have a spot on the side of our house but it would cost us a couple thousand dollars to get it setup to hold the hybrid.  Our city is pretty uptight about trailer storage in a tract home.  Right now our popup fits in the garage.  Even a highwall popup would fit.   If I remember right the highwalls have a waist high crank which might help.  You may also be able to get an automatic lift system installed which would help in putting up the popup or highwall.
 
Best of luck it deciding what to do.  It is a tough decision.  So many people upgrade to the "dark side" and then decide that they want to go back to the popup.  
 
Jacqui

[PopUpMomma]

Jacqui,
exactly the same as you...we have to keep ours in the garage too.  We don't want to pay for storage..etc.  And we have even talked about the inside shower.  There are only a few places we camp at that has water anyway.  And, we never .... or haven't yet.... camped where there wasn't a bath house.  Our popup is payed for and to buy an upgraded popup...which would be hard to do, we probably would finance some of it....or, take it out of savings which i don't want to do....so, who knows.

R

[Dee4j]

when I really started using the inside was last year at pismo. the showers were too far for me to feel comfortable leaving them alone that long. (I know there were several people at the rally that would've kept an eye on them, but didn't want ot impose). we had a 2000 niagara for 3 years and loved it...execpt for me the cranking and setting up. so we upgraded to the hybrid which I absolutley love. here are my pros and cons to our hybrid:

Pros:
1. easier setup, full access to inside always and has been used as guest house

2. freezer for Ice cream, a big frig.
3. Full bath with tub
4. toilet you don't have to dump, just pull a lever
5. inside is pretty much setup.
6. can stop anywhere on trip and make lunch and use potty (our little caravan will put to the test going to Yosemite in Aug).
7. Storage storage storage
8. because the beds fold out you can unzip and get the open feeling but the big thing is the beds aren't part of the "living space" and stay beds the whole time no converting tables, couches etc.

Cons:
1. definatly bigger & heavier to tow
2. My view isn't as nice out my window across my driveway
3. uses a bit more gas
4. Fridge does not have a battery setting so must be off during towing( but have been told come have towed 8 hours and fridge fine)
5. haven't found a way to utilize the electric heater (my config has too many out coves to cover)
6. condensation (but have found a way that seems to stop it)
7. miss my outside stove


I noticed you weren't on the list for Pismo maybe they'll have a big RV show in SD. look at them all.  My biggest gripes about Motorhomes are engine maintenance and you have to tow a car behind you or else pack up and unhook to go anywhere.

good luck..I'm sure you'll get some great ideas & opinions to read

[Dee4j]

Jacqui,
exactly the same as you...we have to keep ours in the garage too.  We don't want to pay for storage..etc.  And we have even talked about the inside shower.  There are only a few places we camp at that has water anyway.  And, we never .... or haven't yet.... camped where there wasn't a bath house.  Our popup is payed for and to buy an upgraded popup...which would be hard to do, we probably would finance some of it....or, take it out of savings which i don't want to do....so, who knows.

R

just an FYI, if it has a toilet/shower, stove sink and water heater it now is a second home and a Tax write off. I don't know what your situation is..but we've financed ours as the tax write off was more than the interest payed.

[PopUpMomma]

Pismo??  Perhaps I should look into that...It seems...(I just hear throught the grape view) that my posistion is being cut to 11 months......WONDERFUL!!! More time for camping.

R

[PopUpMomma]

That would be a big reason for us to finance.  We've talked about that too.

just an FYI, if it has a toilet/shower, stove sink and water heater it now is a second home and a Tax write off. I don't know what your situation is..but we've financed ours as the tax write off was more than the interest payed.

[campingcop]

We also upgraded to a hybrid and I have to agree with Dee4j it does have its pro's and con'.

One thing for sure it will not fit in your garage :mad:

Ours does have an outside stove,2 burnner, that folds right into the camper.

Tried to post a picture of the camper with the stove dropped down but I don't know how to get it off webshots.

There are a couple of pictures of my hybrid from the 2004 rallie on webshots.

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=viewall&albumID=164272876

Picture 100_5637 showes the stove closed with coffee pot sitting on top

[PopUpMomma]

Won't let me in....

An error has occurred.

You do not appear to be the owner of this album.
Make sure you are logged in.

I'll keep trying..

We also upgraded to a hybrid and I have to agree with Dee4j it does have its pro's and con'.

One thing for sure it will not fit in your garage :mad:

Ours does have an outside stove,2 burnner, that folds right into the camper.

Tried to post a picture of the camper with the stove dropped down but I don't know how to get it off webshots.

There are a couple of pictures of my hybrid from the 2004 rallie on webshots.

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=viewall&albumID=164272876

Picture 100_5637 showes the stove closed with coffee pot sitting on top

[Kelly]

Try this link.

That should be picture 100_5637 with the coffee pot sitting on top .... [/FONT]

[PopUpMomma]

I think it!!!!

Try this link.

That should be picture 100_5637 with the coffee pot sitting on top .... [/FONT]

[Coupleofriends]

Well I have a 2005 Fleeetwood Naigra. We are new to this. Looked at used but decided that we had been wanting one for along time to just go for it. Used on two trips one dry one full hook up. I will tell you what we like and don't.

1) Taller counter and double sinks
2) not getting dressed to go potty
3) shower small I am 5'9" 215lbs but was fine.
4) slide out dinette is great. table does have to be folded down when closing though.
5) trailor is heavy 3770 lbs. for a pop up
6) very roomy feels to trailor compared to others we looked out.
7) Love the fact shower is hardsided no hangng curtain.


All the other issues have more to do with camper store not really caring about our tow vehicle. So WD hitch is being put on tuesday.

[griffsmom]

Won't let me in....
 
An error has occurred.
 
You do not appear to be the owner of this album.
Make sure you are logged in.
 
I'll keep trying..

Just to explain....Camping cop accidentally gave you his admin page link.  Here is the community, or public access link to all of the albums in campingcop's webshot account:  http://community.webshots.com/user/campingcop  

[Kelly]

Just to explain....Camping cop accidentally gave you his admin page link.  Here is the community, or public access link to all of the albums in campingcop's webshot account:  http://community.webshots.com/user/campingcop  

you're a much better explainer than me, Lori ...

[griffsmom]

you're a much better explainer than me, Lori ...

You did a fine job, Kelly.  In fact, your link even got Roberta to the exact picture!  Well done!!!  I only explained because I happen to be one of those people who needs to know why something happens. :rolleyes: