The pop-ups look very unappealing

[ZeroMyHero]

I've vacationed in tents my whole life and it's a wonderful experience, but these days I want a bathroom I don't have to hike to and a real bed to sleep in, so I am hoping to buy a hotel on wheels soon. I just wonder what would happen if I called room service or housekeeping. I bet my own cell phone would ring!

 

[thegooftroopfla]

My advice is buy your second camper first. If u plan on upgrading in a year or two save the money u will lose when trading in

 

[motherwild]

We started out with a used popup (10 years old) in 1998 then we bought a new travel trailer in 2000. We skipped the class c and moved up to a class a in 2005. A left over 2003 that had a very nice price tag and a 15 year payment plan. We had good time with all of them. You need to figure out what works best. Space , money ,upkeep, insurance licencing fees all add up. Most of our friends started with popups and moved up over the years.

 

[Gdad]

We went to an RV show this past weekend - with pop-ups in mind and all the sudden I'm looking at hybrids and then class C's, - and the pop-up started to look less and less appealing - now I can even look at them. I am hooked on getting a large toy hauler. We don't own a truck that will pull anything larger than a pop-up. Which means we have to get a new truck. We dont have room in our yard for anything larger than a pop-up. What am I going to do? Its like I need an intervention or something before I head into camper financial disaster.

This is the exact same logic that has kept me from buying a boat for the last dozen years- every time I start looking at them the whole idea just spins out of control.

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

We loved our popup until we had kids. To much work with little ones. Packing unpacking setup shutdown. After 11 years we went Hybrid. That was 6 years ago. Now were looking at a travel trailer. My sudjestion is go as big as you can for the tow vehicle you have. If you plan on getting a truck soon. You might want to make that purchase sooner as I agree with a previous poster trading in within a couple of years you will lose money. Eventually im hoping to go diesel pusher. One step at a time though. When the time is right and you come across the right trailer you will know and you will be one happy camper for sure.

 

[Terapin]

We bought a very nice 12' pop-up in 2005. We traveled a lot with it but I always found the set-up stressful with three kids. After our journey to he campground there was a good hour of work, whether rainy, hot or buggy, before we could get the kids into bed. Our last few trips I got eaten alive by Mosquitos and I was done. We took delivery of a diesel class a two weeks ago and are gobsmacked how cool it is. First trip is next weekend!

We liked the tent trailer once set up, except the awkwardness of always bending over to rummage around in the low cupboards and that kind of stuff. It was lovely to open up all the canvas and get summer breezes.

 

[2goofycampers]

gobsmacked,,, I learn something new everyday, love it.

 

[FlyingBelle]

Last summer we bought a 1976 pop-up on a whim from a friend for $500. We were used to tent camping, but my DH prefers to be off the ground.

Best $500 we've spent. We don't have a vehicle to tow it, so we have to borrow my brother's van or dad's pick-up, but hasn't been a problem. DH wants to upgrade to a pop-up with a toilet and ac/heat, but I'm ok with what we have, considering we only plan to use it 2-3 times a year for weekend trips.

I have a DD (almost 4), and expecting DS in June - hope to get some use of it this year!

 

[labdogs42]

We love our Coleman Utah Pop Up, but someday we want to upgrade. I"m thinking we'll probably just wait a little while and jump right to a "C" because that's what I really want! I just need to hang in there for a few more years! I figure a C will "save" me money since I won't have to buy a new tow vehicle, too!

 

[Cindy F]

Last summer we bought a 1976 pop-up on a whim from a friend for $500. We were used to tent camping, but my DH prefers to be off the ground.

Best $500 we've spent. We don't have a vehicle to tow it, so we have to borrow my brother's van or dad's pick-up, but hasn't been a problem. DH wants to upgrade to a pop-up with a toilet and ac/heat, but I'm ok with what we have, considering we only plan to use it 2-3 times a year for weekend trips.

I have a DD (almost 4), and expecting DS in June - hope to get some use of it this year!

I agree with you, our 1985 Starcraft was the best $750 I ever spent! Just an FYI
1) A Luggable Loo with a kitchen trash bad and kitty litter is a fantastic thing for the middle of the night and
2) A portable A/C with Reflectix on top of the bunk ends and cut to fit in the window zips kept our very large popup at about 78 degrees when it was 110 heat index in Florida ( at the hottest part of the day). We have this one- I saw it at Home Depot yesterday for $259.

We just loosen the canvas near the counter where the AC is sitting to exhaust the hose. The small part of the hose that stays in the camper we wrap in Reflectix to keep the heat from the hose from heating up the camper.

We loved that popup so much that even though we have the new hybrid now, we're redoing the popup and keeping it for friends and family to use.

 

[poohbearwithme]

We were going to purchase a pop-up but now with Coleman out of business I'm not sure if that's the way we need to go. One of the biggest pros with pups is with gas being about $4 a gallon it's much cheaper to tow. Then again not sure if we would be happy with it in the long term.

 

[Cin]

I grew up camping with my parents, first in tent, a pickup truck with camper shell on the back, and then a real pull behind pop up camper. I loved the pop up as compared to a tent. For now all DH and I have is tents and screen tents/rooms for now but we looked at new pop ups and we were perfectly content... until I saw the pull behind trailers that have everything. And now that is what I want too! Well, we'd love to have one of those luxury million dollar bus/campers but never in our budget, and DH is against fifth wheels and the big truck for mileage reasons so my best hope is the pull behind which he did agree was nice and in our budget. All we have is our SUV but no tow package on it and in a rental house so really we don't have a parking space for it other than the driveway. Hope you get your dream camper someday! Can you believe they even come with ovens and microwaves these days?!!

 

[acenorm]

We were going to purchase a pop-up but now with Coleman out of business I'm not sure if that's the way we need to go. One of the biggest pros with pups is with gas being about $4 a gallon it's much cheaper to tow. Then again not sure if we would be happy with it in the long term.

What does Coleman pop ups going out of business have to do with not buying a pop up? You do know there are more brands/companies that make pop ups.

Rockwood, Flagstaff, Palomino, Coachmen, Viking made by Forest River
Jayco, Starcraft made by Jayco
Quick silver, Aliner etc, etc.


Tons of choices at all price ranges and floor plans.

 

[poohbearwithme]

What does Coleman pop ups going out of business have to do with not buying a pop up? You do know there are more brands/companies that make pop ups.

Rockwood, Flagstaff, Palomino, Coachmen, Viking made by Forest River
Jayco, Starcraft made by Jayco
Quick silver, Aliner etc, etc.


Tons of choices at all price ranges and floor plans.

Oh I know there are other brands (really goods one too) but I really wanted the Niagara and it's the one that I had decided on...but I have been looking a Jayco and Forest River but none of their floor plans or models have stuck-out as the got to have yet.

 

[acenorm]

Check out the Flagstaff HW27SC. Basically the same floor plan, but the beds are a little smaller than the Niagra.

Flagstaff HW27SC

 

[mash]

Oh I know there are other brands (really goods one too) but I really wanted the Niagara and it's the one that I had decided on...but I have been looking a Jayco and Forest River but none of their floor plans or models have stuck-out as the got to have yet.

I completely understand wanting a Niagara. That was my "dream" camper and wanted to upgrade to it. I felt like it had the right fsize and features for our family. We sold our camper last year and at the beginning of this year we were ready to purchase a new Niagara. Then we found out that they had gone out of business. We went to a couple of RV dealers and an RV show to see what else was out there. After a lot of discussion and research we decided to find a used Niagara. Our old camper was a Coleman so we felt like we understood the design fairly well and could fix most anything that might break in the future. We found a great deal on a used one in April and purchased it. We have had to do some minor repairs on it but overall it's in great shape and we love it.

If you are really stuck on the Niagara I would suggest looking for a used one. It didn't take us long to find one that was in our price range.

Good luck!

 

[poohbearwithme]

I completely understand wanting a Niagara. That was my "dream" camper and wanted to upgrade to it. I felt like it had the right size and features for our family. We sold our camper last year and at the beginning of this year we were ready to purchase a new Niagara. Then we found out that they had gone out of business. We went to a couple of RV dealers and an RV show to see what else was out there. After a lot of discussion and research we decided to find a used Niagara. Our old camper was a Coleman so we felt like we understood the design fairly well and could fix most anything that might break in the future. We found a great deal on a used one in April and purchased it. We have had to do some minor repairs on it but overall it's in great shape and we love it.

If you are really stuck on the Niagara I would suggest looking for a used one. It didn't take us long to find one that was in our price range.

Good luck!

Buying a used Niagara just makes a lot more sense (very smart move). As the new ones currently unsold at RV dealerships don't have a warranty, so why buy new (a warranty is the main reason we would buy new). It's probably going to be a year or so before we can even consider buying. So we're keeping our eye out for one. Enjoy you NTU Niagara.

 

[minkydog]

We bought our used Niagara last year and we love it. It has so much space! and of course, there's that hardside bathroom. When we bought it we were able to get a warranty from the dealer.