Getting a Travel Trailer..

[MBMacs]

Well, Peg and I have decided to start looking at a Travel Trailer. When you look at what we spend on the cabins over the course of the year, that could be going towards a trailer. We basically know what we want but I figured would throw it out there to get everyones 2 cents worth. Brands, features, drawbacks.....Any thoughts?

 

[fldisneymommyto2]

IMO if you have kids, you need bunks!!!

 

[chiefcop]

What type of tow vehicle will you use?

 

[4daubers]

It's really exciting to begin the adventure of buying a new RV. Chiefcop is right...the very first and most important question is what will you tow it with. There are several RV forums that are helpful (much like disboards) who will give you their honest opinions. www.irv2.com, www.rv.net/forum, www.rvamerica and www.rvusa.com just to name a few.

We bought our first 5th wheel in 1999 - a Skyline Aljo 5th wheel without a slide. Within a few months of owning it, it was damaged in a hailstorm, totaled and we upgraded to a Skyline Aljo with a small slide. That RV has been all over the US and has served us well. We are in the process of buying a Cardinal 5th wheel bunkhouse and should pick it up this week.

You'll find that RVers are passionate campers who are passionate about their rigs. With kids, we think bunks are a must and bunks that work for a 7 year old doesn't necessarily work for teens of 15 so keep size in mind. Some families are fine without bunks in their RVs but we've found that it's nice not having to tear down a dinette or couch to make a bed after a full day.

I can go on and on about RV's. It was a great investment for our family and we wouldn't trade the experiences for anything. We've met the most delightful people every time we travel and have great family experiences and wonderful camping traditions.

Research for RV's is fun but stay within your weight limits for your tow vehicle and don't get swayed by all the bells and whistles that impact weight.

We can visit more on the 4th!

 

[HeatherPage]

What layout/length are you wanting?

 

[Buzzcut]

Congrats on making the decision to RV. We love camping especially at FW. Like the others said, having the right tow vehicle is the most important decision or choice that you'll have to make. Be wary of salesman who tell you not to worry about the tow ratings. Do your homework before you make that decision. Having the wrong tow vehicle will make things very miserable for you and can be very dangerous for you and your family. Good luck and enjoy your search.
Dave

 

[MBMacs]

As far as tow vehicles goes, right now I have an 04 F150, rated to pull 7600. We are looking to be in the 28' to 31' area. Bunks are a must for us. Salesman I talked to seems nice, who can really tell? Giving us a lot of information about the do's and dont's. We are just getting started with the whole process. Doubt we will even get a trailer untill after our upcoming trip, which is good because we wont be making a quick decision. Of course if powerball hits then we will move right into a motor coach. 1 of my concerns is the trailer weight and having the golf cart in the bed, still much more to research.

 

[carolinacamper]

Ditto what the others said about tow ratings. If you have a smaller TV there are a lot of nice lightweight options out there. Also, ditto what others said about children and bunks. Making up folding beds every night is a chore. Think about how often you plan on camping, too. If you are planning on camping frequently, I would suggest go as big as you can. We have been camping a little over a year, and we have a 26 foot bunkhouse travel trailer. We got that bc DH was apprenhensive about pulling something bigger, but we camp frequently...and I about lose my religion each time I have to change the sheets on the MB bed since it is not walk around (which we could have gotten with a few more feet). We also wish our slide was bigger because it is tight if the 4 of us are shut up in there together bc of bad weather, and this will only get worse as the kids grow. We are seriously thinking about going bigger soon (hopefully before our fall FW trip). We camp at least once a month, and we love it. Keep us posted on your decision. Remember, if it has a potty you can write off the interest on your loan .

 

[Cndrsgrl]

Please Please watch towing limits. We lost our brand new camper several years ago when we we're only 30 minutes from Disney. The salesman assured us we could tow it. I was skepical but didn't listen to my instinct. Well, to make it short. We're were very lucky. The camper turned on its side and was totaled. Somehow our vehicle remained attached to the camper but jackknifed style.
Also remember towing weight includes how much will be in your camper once it is loaded.

ps. We did end up having a good time at Disney. They were very helpful to us in a bad situation.

 

[JPG]

As far as tow vehicles goes, right now I have an 04 F150, rated to pull 7600. We are looking to be in the 28' to 31' area. Bunks are a must for us. Salesman I talked to seems nice, who can really tell? Giving us a lot of information about the do's and dont's. We are just getting started with the whole process. Doubt we will even get a trailer untill after our upcoming trip, which is good because we wont be making a quick decision. Of course if powerball hits then we will move right into a motor coach. 1 of my concerns is the trailer weight and having the golf cart in the bed, still much more to research.

If you are looking to haul your golf cart with you, I would suggest you look at the "toy hauler" models. There are some very nice ones out there. Most of the manufactures are making their own versions. AND..as others have said, do not get more than you can safely tow with your vehicle.

 

[stacktester]

MBMacs, I'll show you some toy haulers online when we meet up in July. I'm on number 3 hauler now and I know of some pretty good one's on the market.

 

[cyberdeb]

Well, Peg and I have decided to start looking at a Travel Trailer. When you look at what we spend on the cabins over the course of the year, that could be going towards a trailer. We basically know what we want but I figured would throw it out there to get everyones 2 cents worth. Brands, features, drawbacks.....Any thoughts?

THis is exactly what we did. I had a cabin booked and when all was said and done with the price of the cabin and airfare, it was far cheaper to buy our pop up (that we could use again). One thing that i found very important was storage. We had our pop up for a few years and although I loved it, we upgraded to a hybrid travel trailer. We were in fact going to buy a a 19' Bantam but while we were waiting for our salesperson to get off the phone so we could sign the papers we walked around the lot and found a 22' with slide out for $200.00 more. It was a leftover from the previous year. I am very glad we did that as i would not have liked not having the storage. My husband however does not really like it so much. He still hates setting up the tent ends and wants to get a completely enclosed trailer. Someday I guess we will. If you have kids, i would recommend getting bunks. ALso like others said, make sure you have a tow vehicle that will work. Good luck.

 

[MBMacs]

Peg went today and looked at some trailers and also spoke to the salesman. She liked some of what she saw, and gave him our wish list. Should hear back in a few days. 1 thing I did notice, while the truck is rated for 7600 pounds, the hitch is only rated for 6000. Looks like upgrades already. Stacktester, I was thinking of the haulers, going to look tonight.

 

[stacktester]

Can I come.............Can I come............Can I come............

I love looking at campers lol. Everytime we camp one of my fave things to do is ride bikes around to see what others have and the set ups. We overslept Sat. before leaving FW and the only loop which I really wanted to see was 1500 and never got to. When we go back I'll be sure to look.

 

[Gatordad]

Stack,

What brand of toy hauler do you have, and which brands do you recommend?

Pete

 

[stacktester]

I have a 310 SRX Keystone Cougar. I had a 21' Tailgator but I wanted more room. The cougar holds one 4 wheeler or a golf cart. I thought I could haul my 4 wheeler and DD's 125 Grizzly but it looks like I'm going to have to put a rail on the back for hers. There are so many toy haulers now. I still go 4 wheeling a lot but not as much as before but I wasn't going to give up my garage space. I kinda like the one's with garages separate from the living space.

 

[Gatordad]

We are seriously considering a weekend warrior sl3005. It's a 5th wheel, but doesn't separate the cargo from the people, not that we need it with the big golf cart. My issue is the Titan that I have can't tow the big boys. We are trying to find a good deal on a superlite. What do you think of the Warrior?

 

[stacktester]

I'd go on RV.net and when you see one ask around what people think. I talked to a few people at Ocala Nat'l Forest who weren't very happy with them. I heard the company was trying to turn things around when they started that superlite model.

Just do research. I like the Titan. I know it's got a large tow rating but is it heavy enough and have the wheelbase length to haul anything with significant weight? Let me know what you find out there.

I also had a Hobbi by Keystone for a few months. Light weight but not much room. Got tired of that quick.

 

[carolinacamper]

I'd be interested inhearing about which haulers you like, as well.

 

[dblr]

Can you say NEW TRUCK ALSO, I always like to have to much truck then I need.