Camper advice?

[bgmny]

We are seriously looking at a trailer for next season. We would probably be leaving it at a seasonal lot until we get a lot of our own. What brand would everyone suggest? The one we saw that we liked based solely on layout was the Salem brand. The bunk beds really caught our attention because we have three kids. Are some trailers built better because the price differences are huge?

[heat checker]

Check out the lenght and load ratings on them bunks. Them kids get long and haevy in a short time period!

[IFallsRon]

Short answer: You get what you pay for. The show season will be starting and I'll bet there will be plenty of good deals. Look at as many brands as you can. The differences will be obvious. One of the biggest challenges is finding a floor plan that fits your needs.

[woodsmanmn]

Since you won't be towing it and you have three kids, a model with a slide out living room/kitchen would be a big plus.

[Big Dave2]

If you are not going to ever tow it I would seriously look at park models.

[woodsmanmn]

On caution about a park model. If you intend to ever move it, it can be fairly expensive. You have to hire a truck and get state permits similar to moving a mobile home. Make sure you know what you may be in for if you plan to move a park model.

[solbes]

We have a camper on our lake lot. It's our cabin at the lake until we can afford our cabin at the lake. It's been trailered a few times, but has stayed in the same spot for 3 years now.

I won't give any brand advice; haven't done any research in a number of years. We have a Cherokee Lite, which works out okay. We thought we'd trailer it more than we do, thus the lighter weight. Since it has mostly stayed put, I've really kicked myself for not getting the slider. Added about 500 lbs (5200 range for a 28'). Which is doable with our truck on rare occasions that it's trailered.

Since we don't have the space inside, we spend a lot of time out on a deck we built off of the side. Honestly think about how the traffic will flow when you have guests; you will probably need more room than you think. We have two bunk beds next to the bathroom. They work well for our young kids and should be fine for many years to come.

As far as quality, you do get what you pay for. Everything looks great when these are brand new. Until you start to look closely at things, like window operation, bath fixtures, cupboard quality, etc. Lighter obviously does not mean better for some of this stuff.

[Hafnutz]

Trailers depreciate very fast. Lots of good used ones available at bargain prices. You will find most trailers in the same price range have similar construction. Many are built using the same components from various vendors. One brand is about the same as the next. At best the cheaper models are all poorly constructed and it's amazing they stay in one piece going down the road. I have done extensive repairs on a couple of them and can't believe all the staples, and light weight materials. If you can afford it try to find one with an aluminum frame and fiberglass siding as opposed to wood and aluminum.

You do get what you pay for.

[IFallsRon]

Don't eliminate a 5th-wheel if you're looking at something that you don't plan to move. I looked at one this past spring at a show that had three bathrooms and was very affordable. I don't pimp but when we looked at a lot of units and Ted's in Paynesville (west of the metro on 55). A 5 has lots of room and you can work delivery into the price.

[woodsmanmn]

Another item about park model vs. trailer/5th wheel is if you are going to leave it parked at a campground, you may have to pay real estate taxes. A friend of mine has a park model at Mille Lacs and they are charged $400 per year in taxes. A trailer/5th wheel only needs to have a current license plate, about $16 per year. The difference is they consider park models permanent, like a mobile home, and trailers/5th wheels have wheels and tounges and are always ready to be moved.

[IFallsRon]

I was thinking after my previous post that if I were to buy something that wouldn't move too often that a 5er would be a great option. I've seen many clean-as-a-whistle 5ers for less than the rig I tow around now. Many sellers will tow to your spot.

[bgmny]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Just curious to the benefits of a 5th wheel vs. a regular trailer other than the towing. The current truck I have is a half ton and I had an early 80's 30 footer that I could pull short distances and was thinking of possibly pulling the new one places if I needed to. A 5th wheel would mean a 3/4 ton at a minimum correct?

[bgmny]

Ifallsron, where would be a good place to look for used trailers? Searched online, but everything is spread out here and there. Checked out a few dealerships like the one in Forest Lake and everything is priced more than what you could get from a private party. Are you from Ifalls? My dad grew up there and his name is Ron. Kinda funny I guess!

[ib_jigged]

We went with a park trailer from Jayco. The Bungalow it has 3 slides and 40' long (bumper to hitch). We have a seasonal lot just north of Bemidji and I have a friend who has a truck I can use if I need to move it. The dealer we bought it from picked our old one up and delivered this one when we bought it. They delivered from East Grand Forks, MN. right to the campground.

It has plenty of room with a slide in the rear bunk room(sleeps 4), one in the living area, and one in the front bedroom.

Since this is a park trailer and is under 400 sq. ft when traveling down the road, you still pay normal travel trailer license fees. If it is over 400 sq. ft. you will pay real estate taxes on it even if in a campground. Some campgrounds do not like the park models vs. the park trailers.

We have been seasonal now for 6 summers and love it. Way cheaper and not as much maintenence as a cabin.

[upnorth]

Depends on the size and weight especially the tongue weight. Towing any trailer around thirty feet you would be better off with 3/4 ton. Better all around towing. But you can meet the minimums with a 1/2 ton. My 28 foot dry would have been under my 1/2 tons capacity by about a 1000 lbs, but I would not want to push is that far myself.

[kdawg]

5th wheels also require a hitch in the bed of your truck. These are not cheap. When I was looking, they were in the $1500.00 range (the one's that went into a short bed box). The one's that installed into a regular box were less expensive. Just something else to think about...

[upnorth]

5th wheels also require a hitch in the bed of your truck. These are not cheap. When I was looking, they were in the $1500.00 range (the one's that went into a short bed box). The one's that installed into a regular box were less expensive. Just something else to think about...

I paid under $1000 installed for my 15k slider hitch that for my truck.

[Big Dave2]

Originally Posted By: kdawg

5th wheels also require a hitch in the bed of your truck. These are not cheap. When I was looking, they were in the $1500.00 range (the one's that went into a short bed box). The one's that installed into a regular box were less expensive. Just something else to think about...

I paid under $1000 installed for my 15k slider hitch that for my truck.

I paid about $500 for mine and installed it myself. It's not really that hard if you can operate a drill and a tape measure.

[Valv]

Originally Posted By: upnorth

Originally Posted By: kdawg

5th wheels also require a hitch in the bed of your truck. These are not cheap. When I was looking, they were in the $1500.00 range (the one's that went into a short bed box). The one's that installed into a regular box were less expensive. Just something else to think about...

I paid under $1000 installed for my 15k slider hitch that for my truck.

I paid about $500 for mine and installed it myself. It's not really that hard if you can operate a drill and a tape measure.

I paid $ 350 for mine 4 years ago, and I installed it myself.

Prices get cheaper and cheaper here....

Anyway, the bunk style 2nd bedroom is awesome. I bought a 26ft 5th wheeler (used) and really enjoy the layout due to the 2 bunks. My kids (15yo and 18yo) sleep with no problem, since bunks are 6ft long.

[upnorth]

Quote:

I paid about $500 for mine and installed it myself. It's not really that hard if you can operate a drill and a tape measure.

I would have too, but someone had installed/welded some stuff in for a gooseneck system and I didn't have to tools to deal with it. Installation was only $125 anyway.