BlakeA
Well-known member
This^^^^^^
Buying New Camper Advice
- Thread starter 406LIFE
- Start date
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brnsvllyjohn
Active member
I have owned a variety of camper types in the last 35+ years. I don't think there is a "perfect" set up. The things I like or don't like others will think I am crazy but here we go.
I hate any kind of awning. I have had to get up way to many times in a storm and put them away. I haven't deployed my awning in 10 years. I do get stuck with helping others in the middle of a storm putting theirs away since some always have to use their awning.
I almost never camp where there is electricity or in the hottest times of the year so an air conditioner is just another item to maintain that never gets used except to cycle it in my driveway numerous times per year.
I have had leaks in the roof off most of the models I have owned so I will only purchase units that are framed with aluminum. Even if you get a leak the dry rot will be limited to the minor areas and it won't hurt the structure.
My requirements are one GOOD bed. Others who occasionally stay in my coach have options but my bed is the best by far.
I have only purchased one unit brand new and I wouldn't do it again. My current unit I bought new and have no reason to sell it but if I did I would shop for one from 2-3 years old.
Now my use is a lot different than others and mine is used mostly for hunting or fishing trips and a 2000 watt generator is all I am willing to carry but it handles the micro wave just fine but of course not the AC unit.
My current unit is a 21' tag along trailer with one slide out. If my wife did not go with me occasionally I would get something smaller but for the foreseeable future I will keep what I have.
You did didn't say what unit you were looking at.
I hate any kind of awning. I have had to get up way to many times in a storm and put them away. I haven't deployed my awning in 10 years. I do get stuck with helping others in the middle of a storm putting theirs away since some always have to use their awning.
I almost never camp where there is electricity or in the hottest times of the year so an air conditioner is just another item to maintain that never gets used except to cycle it in my driveway numerous times per year.
I have had leaks in the roof off most of the models I have owned so I will only purchase units that are framed with aluminum. Even if you get a leak the dry rot will be limited to the minor areas and it won't hurt the structure.
My requirements are one GOOD bed. Others who occasionally stay in my coach have options but my bed is the best by far.
I have only purchased one unit brand new and I wouldn't do it again. My current unit I bought new and have no reason to sell it but if I did I would shop for one from 2-3 years old.
Now my use is a lot different than others and mine is used mostly for hunting or fishing trips and a 2000 watt generator is all I am willing to carry but it handles the micro wave just fine but of course not the AC unit.
My current unit is a 21' tag along trailer with one slide out. If my wife did not go with me occasionally I would get something smaller but for the foreseeable future I will keep what I have.
You did didn't say what unit you were looking at.
So I was in this boat last year... We bought our first travel trailer 3/11/2017.
We bought new and don't regret it at all. No one had done XXX in my bed or my childrens bed. No one had done XXX to the water system, axles, tires, frame, roof ect.
If something breaks, its under warranty.
I looked for months used and in our area, to get the floor plan we wanted, I would have been spending a couple thousand less than new and dealing with the bumps and bruises, worn tires, Lord knows what in the bed I'll be sleeping in.
I never found anything that was in nice shape for 1/2 price of new... and I wanted camping to be relaxing, not dealing with what someone else hacked up, therefore we went new. Fins a wholesaler of NEW campers and price shop.
Also, camping to us is for relaxing and spending quality family time together.
Buy what you want/like... You're running this rat race of life once. Enjoy it
We bought new and don't regret it at all. No one had done XXX in my bed or my childrens bed. No one had done XXX to the water system, axles, tires, frame, roof ect.
If something breaks, its under warranty.
I looked for months used and in our area, to get the floor plan we wanted, I would have been spending a couple thousand less than new and dealing with the bumps and bruises, worn tires, Lord knows what in the bed I'll be sleeping in.
I never found anything that was in nice shape for 1/2 price of new... and I wanted camping to be relaxing, not dealing with what someone else hacked up, therefore we went new. Fins a wholesaler of NEW campers and price shop.
Also, camping to us is for relaxing and spending quality family time together.
Buy what you want/like... You're running this rat race of life once. Enjoy it
BRI
Well-known member
Sounds like my experience looking at used was different than many others so I bought a new camper last year. I spent many months looking at used campers within 500 miles of me and I thought the prices for used was ridiculously high. I wish I could have found a 5 year old camper (that had what I wanted) at 1/2 price but I never did. I found most 5+ year old campers were still at 85% of new. I kept saying, for just a few thousand more, I could buy new. I'm happy I bought new.
Get what you want and you'll be happy.
Get what you want and you'll be happy.
npaden
Well-known member
I'm on my 3rd travel trailer. I had 2 other trailers that were pretty much permanently parked on my hunting property but both of those are now gone. One sold and one burned up.
I currently have a 26' bumper pull toy hauler. It is a wide body. 8'6" wide instead of 8'. I didn't even know such a thing existed, but it makes a big difference to me. I can park a 50" Rzr and a 43" ATV side by side in the back of it.
I was specifically looking for something that I could fit those 2 machines in and for my family of 3 to be able to stop along the side of the road and sleep in the trailer without unloading anything whenever we needed to. This has a queen bed up front in a separate bedroom that is a really nice feature. 2 beds in the back that raise and lower. My son (or an adult could as well) can climb up over the machines and sleep on the top bed while the machines are in it. We keep the vents open whenever the machines are inside and I've never really noticed any smell.
I purchased it used for right at 50% of what it cost new when it was 5 years old. (Actual new cost not retail, you should be able to get about 20 to 25% off the retail price when you buy new). I think I got a really good deal, I watched craigslist for more than a year looking before I found it and then 2 of the same make and model were on craigslist at the same time and I got to choose between them.
A few thoughts on extras. The used trailer I bought has all the bells and whistles. I would have never purchased some of these but having them has been really nice.
Power awnings are really nice. I was like brnsvllyjohn on the whole awning thing. Just didn't find them worth the hassle. But when you can click a button and extend and retract the awning I found myself using it a lot more than I thought I would.
Power tongue jacks are really nice. This was a feature I really wanted. Using a weight distributing hitch you end up raising and lowering the tongue several times in the process of hooking it up. It is really nice to just push a button and have it do all the work, especially on a hot summer day. The trailer that I purchased didn't have one so I bought one off etrailer.com for like $125 and that is maybe the best $125 I've spent in a while.
Generator. I would never buy a onboard generator with a new trailer. They are like a $4k option and you can buy 2 nice honda 1000 generators for half that and they are quieter. With that said, having one that you just push a button inside the trailer and it fires right up is really nice. Having one that is strong enough to run the air conditioner is really nice. Having had one it would be a tough call in the future if I ever bought another trailer if it was worth the $.
On board fueling station. Again, I would never buy a fueling station as an option on a new trailer. When I was looking they were in the $2,500 range. I can haul some fuel cans in the back of my pickup for that! Having had one, it is really nice. The fueling station on my trailer is 20 gallons and you can run the toys pretty hard for a week and not use that much fuel. Being able to just pull up beside the trailer and fuel up is very convenient. Chance of spilling gas are about zero. With that said I'm still not sure I could make myself pay $2,500 for a fueling station if I was buying new, but it sure is nice.
My previous 2 travel trailers were not toy haulers. If you have toys you will find yourself wanting a toy hauler eventually instead of a travel trailer.
My 2 cents. Nathan
I currently have a 26' bumper pull toy hauler. It is a wide body. 8'6" wide instead of 8'. I didn't even know such a thing existed, but it makes a big difference to me. I can park a 50" Rzr and a 43" ATV side by side in the back of it.
I was specifically looking for something that I could fit those 2 machines in and for my family of 3 to be able to stop along the side of the road and sleep in the trailer without unloading anything whenever we needed to. This has a queen bed up front in a separate bedroom that is a really nice feature. 2 beds in the back that raise and lower. My son (or an adult could as well) can climb up over the machines and sleep on the top bed while the machines are in it. We keep the vents open whenever the machines are inside and I've never really noticed any smell.
I purchased it used for right at 50% of what it cost new when it was 5 years old. (Actual new cost not retail, you should be able to get about 20 to 25% off the retail price when you buy new). I think I got a really good deal, I watched craigslist for more than a year looking before I found it and then 2 of the same make and model were on craigslist at the same time and I got to choose between them.
A few thoughts on extras. The used trailer I bought has all the bells and whistles. I would have never purchased some of these but having them has been really nice.
Power awnings are really nice. I was like brnsvllyjohn on the whole awning thing. Just didn't find them worth the hassle. But when you can click a button and extend and retract the awning I found myself using it a lot more than I thought I would.
Power tongue jacks are really nice. This was a feature I really wanted. Using a weight distributing hitch you end up raising and lowering the tongue several times in the process of hooking it up. It is really nice to just push a button and have it do all the work, especially on a hot summer day. The trailer that I purchased didn't have one so I bought one off etrailer.com for like $125 and that is maybe the best $125 I've spent in a while.
Generator. I would never buy a onboard generator with a new trailer. They are like a $4k option and you can buy 2 nice honda 1000 generators for half that and they are quieter. With that said, having one that you just push a button inside the trailer and it fires right up is really nice. Having one that is strong enough to run the air conditioner is really nice. Having had one it would be a tough call in the future if I ever bought another trailer if it was worth the $.
On board fueling station. Again, I would never buy a fueling station as an option on a new trailer. When I was looking they were in the $2,500 range. I can haul some fuel cans in the back of my pickup for that! Having had one, it is really nice. The fueling station on my trailer is 20 gallons and you can run the toys pretty hard for a week and not use that much fuel. Being able to just pull up beside the trailer and fuel up is very convenient. Chance of spilling gas are about zero. With that said I'm still not sure I could make myself pay $2,500 for a fueling station if I was buying new, but it sure is nice.
My previous 2 travel trailers were not toy haulers. If you have toys you will find yourself wanting a toy hauler eventually instead of a travel trailer.
My 2 cents. Nathan
Dan O
Well-known member
In 1992 My Dad and I went together and bought a new fifth wheel 28 1/2 foot. It worked well for us hunting and camping. My Dad passed in 2007 and my wife and I wanted to upgrade so I started shopping and shopping. Finally decided to buy a new model Jayco fifth wheel. Again shopped dealers and options. Decided on a dealer in Great Falls and ordered the unit we wanted and not options we didn't want. Saved about 6k over other dealers we talked to. It has a 2 year warranty and we plan on keeping it for many years to come. The other one lasted 25 years and was in good working order when we traded it in. My idea if you plan on keeping it for a long time buy THE unit you want and not settle for one that doesn't meet your wants and needs.
bobbydean
Well-known member
If your parents are not complaining, do not change. If not broken, do no change. A camper is used 3 to 4 times a year. Pay your parents rent for the week. Much the better scenario. Your parents probably love you!
Lv2hnt
Well-known member
If you buy a unit that's never been titled, DON'T go through with the deal without getting BRAND NEW tires included! And I mean brand new ...
Also make sure you get the heaviest duty tires that will fit. The manufacturers install the ABSOLUTE minimum weight rating tire they can get away with. I'm talking sometimes less than 100lbs under the max trailer weight. Not good enough.
