Is buying an RV like buying a mattress?

[chartle]

OK we are RV shopping and we have gone to two different dealers selling what I think are different manufactures trailers.

Ok now to the mattress reference. I've heard that a manufacturer like Seely will make the same mattress but give it different names for different seller. Like one name and color for Macy's and a different name and color for Ashley's. This is done so you can't directly compare features and prices.

We are looking at 18 footish sub 3,500 lb trailers* and at dealer A we go into a Travel Trailer with the queen sized bed up front, a galley on one side, table on the other, 2 bunk beds in the rear driver side and a dry bathroom next to the beds. As I'm looking at this layout I'm thinking this is exactly like what my sister bought in a 22 footer last summer. Hm is this the same model, no.

Go to second dealer with different manufacturer first trailer exactly the same layout, down to the skylight in the roof. Go to a different upscale wider brand and exactly the same layout.

Are all the Travel trailer made by the same company?

I'm sure you going ask what brands and I'll have to ask my wife since she has all the brochures. But at dealer one I think they are Coachmen Apex Nano and second was Forrest River Wolf Pup. and Keystone Passport.

We liked a Scamp we saw at a campground but you have to go to them to look at and buy one.

* before you want to check my towing specs I'll be posting in another existing thread here.

 

[peg110]

So some are some are not... I know Coachmen and Forrest River are (essentially) the same company and they have a wider umbrella. Like any business, they try to match the competition and in some cases they buy them out so that they can take what works with one brand and use it with the other brand.

I am not surprised to see many layouts very similar. After all, over the many years, the various manufacturers will likely determine what buyers want and don't want and lean towards those things. "Sky Lights", Convection ovens, Slides, etc.... Plus constraints that standardize things (RV Appliances and fixtures).

That being said, the "Higher End" even if it's the same manufacturer in the back end, is probably the difference between particle board and real wood. Or insulation and no insulation. Better quality (and size) of storage tanks Leather versus Pleather and on and on.....

My suggestion is look (a LOT) and find what you like or don't like, then research reviews, dealers, etc...... It's a lot of money and you want to make sure you get what you want (and pay for). I am sure reviews will very quickly pan out when a manufacturer is selling Mercedes Prices but giving you Volkswagen Material.

 

[chartle]

Right now we really like the passport because its a little wider so it feels like more space without any slide outs and like the bunkhouse because it sleeps more and we really don't need more "living space" .

Its just we are going from tent camping where we had to boil water for dishes to being able to do it in a microwave oven. To quote a famous movie "There are no microwave ovens when camping"

I grew up camping with my family first in a tent, then borrowing a 8 person pop up, to then my family buying what may have been the smallest hard top tent trailer ever a Venture Chalet. but we really still tent camped. We only slept in the trailer and maybe cooked if it was really bad out.

 

[North of Mouse]

@peg110, glad you're back!! Thought you had dropped off the earth! Missed your input!!

 

[PaHunter]

As peg110 said, you will see a lot of the same layouts from all the manufacturers. We did the Hershey RV show and after awhile, you could predict the inside layout based on the windows. The Passport is a nice trailer, we had a Keystone Bullet and we liked it. We have some friends who also have the Passport and they like the trailer as well.

 

[peg110]

Right now we really like the passport because its a little wider so it feels like more space without any slide outs and like the bunkhouse because it sleeps more and we really don't need more "living space" .

In this case, wider may not always be better.... Just consider driving with it. If you are comfortable driving the larger (and wider) vehicles, it may not be an issue, but if you are like my DW, who will drive the F250 Crew Cab but won't touch it towing anything, then wider may not be the ideal choice. Just something to consider.

@peg110, glad you're back!! Thought you had dropped off the earth! Missed your input!!

Yeah, new job... driving me crazy... Finally settling in to it so that, and the fact I have a Trip planned for Dec 2018... I had to make my way back.

 

[2goofycampers]

RV companies buy out other RV companies keeping the name. Jayco is now a Thor product, etc.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

As others have mentioned - this is really a 'both/and' type of situation. Some products are really just mirror images with different tags. We own a Forest River Rockwood, and the Forest River Flagstaff is the identical unit with a different banner sold from different dealers. In those cases, you might be drawn to the more appealing deal and/or dealer.

On the other hand, as has been pointed out, there is a limited scope of what can be done in these floorplans in the space provided, and you will see a tremendous amount of crossover in completely unrelated models. We bought our current rig in 2012, and it seemed that nearly every 35' bunkhouse had the same layout - with rare exception. There are more options now, but there is still a lot of crossover.

Good luck on your search!

 

[chartle]

In this case, wider may not always be better.... Just consider driving with it. If you are comfortable driving the larger (and wider) vehicles, it may not be an issue, but if you are like my DW, who will drive the F250 Crew Cab but won't touch it towing anything, then wider may not be the ideal choice. Just something to consider.

Yes rethinking this. I'm now looking at a Apex Nano bunkhouse with a slide out. The only issue is both beds you sleep from side to side so in the narrower trailers you have to climb over the other person, I would be the climber, to get out. With the keystone you sort of had some space at the bottom of the bed to crawl out.

 

[chartle]

Ok I now realize that the Bunk House style trailer is a standard of the industry.

 

[chartle]

Ok now looking at a KZ Sportsmen Classic 181BH. Its narrower but with a slide out and what I now know is an East West bed.

Its GVWR is 3,500 lbs which is 1,000 below my total trailer weight. We would probably be much lower than that since a sales person brought up the issue that if you are going to a campground with full hook ups (we would) there is no need to fill the water tank or carry around anything in our waste tanks so.

Its 20 lbs propane, clothes, food, cooking equipment and bikes which should be way below the 660 lbs Net carrying Capacity.

We are tent campers so we travel light. The front garage in these campers is about twice what we take in our Jeep.

 

[peg110]

It's amazing, though on how easily we underestimate what we are carrying.

Pots/Pans, Dishes, griddles, grills, bottled water, juices, etc...
Don't forget extra Bedding, linens, etc.... Now that you are not "Roughing it" as much, it's much easier to bring "Extras" Just in case.

Then there are the extra maintanence things. Battery Chargers, tool kits, expanded first aid kits, chocks, blocks, hoses, power cords, lights, chairs, ez-ups, bikes, etc......
Oh yes, and now that you have the extra space, you might bring an "Extra" set of clothing to cover the possible occasions. Don't forget the souvenirs on the way home.

And while you may NOT travel with full tanks (Fresh, grey or black), I find (depending on how far you are traveling) that it's prudent to have some fresh water in the tanks in case of a "Pit Stop" along the way.

So while it may not seem like you will get that up there too quickly, it's very easy to do and not even realize it. So just be mindful.

Not trying to discourage you, just make sure you are informed.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

And while you may NOT travel with full tanks (Fresh, grey or black), I find (depending on how far you are traveling) that it's prudent to have some fresh water in the tanks in case of a "Pit Stop" along the way.

Not trying to discourage you, just make sure you are informed.

I echo this advice to simply think through all contingencies. Your limits are what they are, and you will need to compromise in some areas to work within them. Only you can choose the best places for that. That said, it was a priority, for us, that we WOULD be able to carry fluids. In addition to in-route bathroom stops, we have had many a trip in which there was a quick overnight on the road. The ability to avoid hooking up for those brief stays is a blessing. Requiring full hook-ups for every stay would come with some limitations - just make sure that compromise is the one you want to make.

 

[chartle]

Pots/Pans, Dishes, griddles, grills, bottled water, juices, etc...
Don't forget extra Bedding, linens, etc.... Now that you are not "Roughing it" as much, it's much easier to bring "Extras" Just in case.

Then there are the extra maintanence things. Battery Chargers, tool kits, expanded first aid kits, chocks, blocks, hoses, power cords, lights, chairs, ez-ups, bikes, etc......
Oh yes, and now that you have the extra space, you might bring an "Extra" set of clothing to cover the possible occasions. Don't forget the souvenirs on the way home.

Well we carry all that either in on top of my Jeep. So we will add maybe bikes, maybe a small TV and eliminate, sleeping bags, stove with propane bottles, air mattresses (heavy), 2 tents and all the stuff to put them up like that really heavy hammer .

As for carrying water for pit stops? Where are you camping the outback of Australia? I stop at a rest stop or use Iexit to find a McDonald's or nice Gas Station. I'm not pulling over on the side of the road and going into the trailer. We are all adults and can cross our legs.

I think 660 lbs will cover it plus what ever we put in the jeep which maybe nothing. I think its a wash.

You can only put so much in this.

 

[North of Mouse]

Well we carry all that either in on top of my Jeep. So we will add maybe bikes, maybe a small TV and eliminate, sleeping bags, stove with propane bottles, air mattresses (heavy), 2 tents and all the stuff to put them up like that really heavy hammer .

As for carrying water for pit stops? Where are you camping the outback of Australia? I stop at a rest stop or use Iexit to find a McDonald's or nice Gas Station. I'm not pulling over on the side of the road and going into the trailer. We are all adults and can cross our legs.

I think 660 lbs will cover it plus what ever we put in the jeep which maybe nothing. I think its a wash.

You can only put so much in this.

We 'always' take a partial tank of water - even if you think you won't need it, you never know!! As for making pit stops, we always stop at rest areas, but 'do not' use the facilities - that's one big reason we have our mh - we like our nice clean bathroom facilities!!
Not to mention having instant snacks/drinks, also fixing a quick meal if we desire. You will most likely start to use the facilities more than you think - never having the convenience!

 

[chartle]

We 'always' take a partial tank of water - even if you think you won't need it, you never know!! As for making pit stops, we always stop at rest areas, but 'do not' use the facilities - that's one big reason we have our mh - we like our nice clean bathroom facilities!!
Not to mention having instant snacks/drinks, also fixing a quick meal if we desire. You will most likely start to use the facilities more than you think - never having the convenience!

I think we have a totally different idea what camping is. We are still going to be staying at mostly state parks and even with hook ups we will still be using the facilities provided by the campground with their concrete floors and nice collection of dead bugs and spiders.

But using the facilities while on the road I think is totally out of the picture. Not even sure how easily it is to get back to the bathroom with the slide out in and if we are getting snack we use a picnic table. We don't get the luxury of using the kitchen while the rig is moving otherwise you get this. Skip to 1:40 or just watch this trailer about a trailer.

 

[North of Mouse]

I think we have a totally different idea what camping is. We are still going to be staying at mostly state parks and even with hook ups we will still be using the facilities provided by the campground with their concrete floors and nice collection of dead bugs and spiders.

But using the facilities while on the road I think is totally out of the picture. Not even sure how easily it is to get back to the bathroom with the slide out in and if we are getting snack we use a picnic table. We don't get the luxury of using the kitchen while the rig is moving otherwise you get this. Sip to 1:40 or just watch this trailer about a trailer.

Yikes, no, we've never 'done' tents - no way! We like to rough it gently!!

No, no, not preparing meals while moving either! I do get up and get snacks though, or fix quick stuff while at rest stops.

To each their own, though!! That's the camping/RV'ing way!! However you choose to do it, it's great - been our way for 50 years!

 

[peg110]

Yeah.... no... We don't prepare food while driving. We do however get tired of paying to eat at restaurants for 5 of us. When Lunch starts creeping up over $50! Yikes! We usually pull over at a rest stop or during a gas stop, go in the back make some sandwiches and some chips. While we don't do a "Full on" cooked meal, we CAN if we want to, and for MUCH CHEAPER than constantly eating out.

For us, the Trip to the Fort represents,, typically, 5 meals (each way) and at least 7 Gas stops (where a bathroom break occurs and usually fresh coffee for me the driver) and a typical overnight stop for some needed sleep.

We don't always know the quality of the rest stops, and while I can generally deal with most things, my wife and 2 daughters are a bit more "Dainty" in such things. So while in an emergency, a rest area's facilities may work, if you don't need to... then my DW and DD's don't and opt for our traveling Bathroom facilities.

As NoM points out everyone's experiences and desires are different. I am just trying to say, that if you are trying to lay the "Tent Camping" template over top of a TT, you will soon find that things are going to change and you should just be aware of this.

Lastly, keep in mind your VEHICLE's GVRW as well. That's the TOTAL weight the Vehicle can tow/carry. So keeping the bikes on the CAR as opposed to the TT doesn't change the GVWR factor. Often times the VEHICLE is more of a limiting factor than the Trailer. Just because your Tow Vehicle CAN tow 4500 pounds, you still have other factors. If the GVWR of your vehicle is 7000 pounds and the "Dry Weight" of your vehicle is 2500 pounds, then you can tow 4500 pounds. HOWEVER, subtract the weight of all passengers (let's say 3 passengers at ~ 200 pounds.) Now you can only tow 3900 pounds. Now add luggage and bikes in the car. Perhaps another 200 pounds. Now you can only tow 3700 pounds. Now Fuel. 15 Gallons at about 6.3 pounds/gallon. Now you can tow ~ 3505

As a general rule of thumb, you probably want to keep your towed weight at a minimum of 10% of your max (and I go 20%). That's the Loaded Weight. While you CAN tow at max... anyone who has towed anything for any length of time will tell you it's not a good idea to be near max.

Not trying to change your mind on how you camp, just trying to help you make informed decisions. Good luck with your camping whether it's in a Tent, TT, 5er, or a Class A. The key is that in the end, you enjoy yourself.

 

[North of Mouse]

I also wondered about @chartle saying lots of the camping things would probably be loaded in the Jeep. I leave all the logistics like that to dh, but do remember him saying when we had TT's that ALL weights (including loaded tow vehicle) count in the 'total'.

 

[peg110]

I also wondered about @chartle saying lots of the camping things would probably be loaded in the Jeep. I leave all the logistics like that to dh, but do remember him saying when we had TT's that ALL weights (including loaded tow vehicle) count in the 'total'.

Yup.

In the end, it's the "Vehicle" that defines things overall. You have to consider the "SYSTEM" weight. Vehicle, Trailer, Equipment, supplies, fuel, and yes.... even passengers..... Everything that puts weight on the tires counts.

Then you have to keep in mind the components SEPARATELY too. If any "Component" exceeds it's capacity, you could be in trouble too. Compound the fact that it's also important as to WHERE you load the stuff too. In the Trailer, the weight has to be distributed appropriately between the front and rear (defined more about where the "TIRES" are) so that it's balanced. This will have a HUGE impact on the Tounge/Pin weight.

Salesman always tell you that "Yeah, your vehicle can handle this" but all they care about are the sales.....
Same when they tell you that you don't need a special license for driving the Class A. Maybe you do, maybe you don't. Again, it's about the weight. They won't be around when you get the tickets.