First travel trailer, what should I buy?

Veik, the difference in new and slightly used is that the original owner has taken the big hit on depreciation. Same as a new car, the minute you drive it off the lot, the value goes down.

Also, a slightly used, nicely kept model has had most of the problems solved and fixed.

This is always our preference, 2-3 year old unit.

so...i should be looking into used, considering the depreciation hit new RVs take?

manualman wrote:
Outdoor stored RVs eat your life up. Garage stored pups wait patiently for you with almost no needs.

I disagree with that. There are advantages for each, popup and high walled. Popups offer limited access when closed. That means my TT is ready to go and quick to load at home or leaving campsite. It also allows for access on the road, food and bathroom. My sister in law had a popup. It always seems like a pain when she needed something buried somewhere inside.

Look at finding a used Lance 2185 - 3 bunks, plus a nice full sized queen bed, plus a fold down dinette. Comes with a 2 year warranty as well. You should have plenty of room and they're built very very well!!!

DutchmenSport wrote:

manualman wrote:
.... Outdoor stored RVs eat your life up. Garage stored pups wait patiently for you with almost no needs.

Oh my, having owned both, that is SO true! Very well said there manualman!

And to be fair, a lot of folks LIKE that! Especially empty nesters looking for a hobby. Parents like me with small kids and dozens of commitments sometimes prefer the way the pup waits in between trips, not demanding constant affirmations of your love. That's what KIDS are for... :)

We are a family of 4. We just purchased our second trailer, and against popular suggestion, we are glad we started off with the first trailer first. At the time, we didn't know if we would stick to camping, and wanted to prove it to ourselves before spending "real" money. The small hit that we took on the first trailer was more than worth the peace of mind. Not to mention the long list of must haves that we used to shop with.

If you make compromises, I could live without space, slides, and other niceties. But I would make sure you have a bed for everyone and still a place to sit. Of course, you might not be making that many compromises.

We had a Wildwood 26BHSS. Had bunk beds and slideout. Was a great camper. But we felt like we really needed more storage space for the toys and clothes that two kids bring along. So we went with our Lacrosse in my signature. If you aren't wanting something that long I would really recommend something with bunks, a slideout, and bathroom. Having all three are worth their weight in gold at some point or another.

manualman wrote:
.... Outdoor stored RVs eat your life up. Garage stored pups wait patiently for you with almost no needs.

Oh my, having owned both, that is SO true! Very well said there manualman!

Northwood Mfg, arctic fox, nash, snow river, etc

People always have good things to say about the brands made by Northwood Mfg. They are reported to be a step up in quality.

I have two young kids as well. I also purchased a tow vehicle after selecting the trailer. We opted for a bunkhouse 5th wheel last year (first rv). The challenge with bunkhouses is that they tend to put you into longer RVs in some cases.

If I were doing it again, I would look hard at the Northwood brands. We didn't have a dealer in the area, so I didn't consider them an option. But, it turns out they frequently will do warranty work with repair shops that don't sell their trailers.

When I was looking around and reading forums, a lot of people said once you get to 30' then you might as well go to a 5th wheel. But, the trouble is that while you can get bunkhouses in a TT at about 30', you don't have many options for bunkhouses in a 5th wheel until about 35'+ (I did see one at 33' but the bunks were tiny). So, the move to a 5th wheel also bumped the length up. In 2014, there were more bunkhouse choices in TTs. That was frustrating to me -- a few manufacturers don't even offer bunkhouses in 5th wheels.

I think for me the hardest questions to answer were the ones that would be personal preferences and since I had no experience I wasn't sure what my preference would be.

Things to wonder about:

1. Does it bother you to turn your dinner area into a bed every night and put it back in the morning?

2. Do you/your wife want a bed area that closes off?

3. Do you think you want an outside kitchen?

4. As another poster mentioned, which camp grounds are you going to camp in? Your state parks or national parks will have smaller sites. I'm at 35' just for my trailer and some of the parks I've looked at only have a few spots for me to fit in.

5. How long will your typical trip be? Do you need more room for longer trips?

Like the others have said you are pretty much on your own. You do need to consider your tow vehicle at the same time as your trailer.
Usage makes a big difference. Is the truck also going to be a daily driver? If so and you feel you need a larger trailer, are you going to satisfied driving a 3/4 ton or larger every day, if you are in an HOA community can you keep a truck there? Is the expense and inconvenience of a 3/4 ton worth it if you only need it three weeks a year worth it?
Just keep reading see what other folks are doing what they are happy with,what they don't like.
We are Hybrid folks, just two of us and the odd grandchild now and again. We opted for a quadcab half ton and a 25 for hybrid.
All things only you and your family can decide on.