Advice for a newbie

Find an RV show near you, it's worth a few hour drive if you have to... There are hundreds of options for you out there.

Choices are overwhelming.... Sometimes just finding a friendly local dealer, that has a brand you like, can be a blessing. It helps you focus your search.

Things that are a must for me: (but may be different for you)
1. Slide. Really opens up space. Worth every penny.
2. Outdoor kitchen. When I'm camping, I'm outdoors. An outside kitchen is a great way to be outdoors, with the convenience of indoor appliances.
3. High ceilings. I'm taller, and low ceilings make a small TT feel even smaller.

Just a few things to think about. Really you'll never know what you want or need until you're out there camping.

For a brand suggestion, look at the Outback Terrain line. I have a 260trs, they're unique units with some nice features. They're worth a look.

wow thanks for all the great feedback. Thanks HANDY for the detailed description on the numbers for capacity. I would like to stay even lighter than the 5900lbs.

I think buying used is the smart way to go. I really like some older molder design but its hard to find them in good shape. Saw an old jayco 24' today but plenty of water damage and their attempts to fix things had left numerous hack jobs. I found a nice $7500 unit online today I will check out this week.

I like the rockwood mini lites also, very similar to the eco camp. I will keep learning. thanks again.

I was pretty lucky. Didn't know it at the time but found out later.

We went from tent to trailer because... we got one of those raining periods that happened to be our vacation time. And I could only sign up for vacations in Jan at work. How do I know what the weather will be like in June?

As we were laying in the tent listening to rain fall wife said we could afford a trailer. Measured out how long campsite was (in the mud)and measured our truck and said we can get a 25 footer and still fit into the campground.
Next day took wife to RV place and told her pick out anything 25 feet and under. Of course she was pleased with "HER" RV. She picked it out!
And we used that trailer for 12 years and have many fond memories of it. Still miss it.

Like I said I was lucky. Very lucky.

Here is why. That is not the way to buy an RV and could of cost us a lot of money. Read some on this forum and you'll learn a lot.

Wish I'd known about this forum before we bought. We were lucky!!!
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/264829.cfm

You listed the Rockwood Ultra Lites as one brand you are looking at. I might suggest checking out the Mini-Lites (same brand). Flagstaff may have a twin brand as well - they do for the larger ones. We just traded "down" from a large Flagstaff to a Rockwood Mini-Lite and this brand may have what you are looking for. (Our TT is right around 26' total length, but they do make Mini-Lites in shorter lengths.)

Some good advice you've been getting so far. To keep the cost down, look into used trailers or even last-year's model - some dealers are giving some good discounts on them, to make room for the newer models, due out soon.

stimpy774 wrote:
I will be pulling it with a 2007 Jeep grand cherokee with the 5.7l hemi and factory tow package. seems high but specs say it can tow up to 7400lbs. i would like to be well below that. I also would not like to exceed 24' in length. being my first i want to be able to manage it .

I can figure out specifics and floor plans. just the two of us.
so any advice on brands?
Do's and donts for a novice
dealer tricks to avoid
advice on equipment (like must have least 8k btu heater)
whats typical on financing, rate, length of time?
what do you wish you had known your first time out?

You need to look at more than just tow capacity number. You will run out of payload, before you get close to that 7400 lbs.

Tow capacity number is what the vehicle is rated to pull behind it. Keywords here are "pull behind".

Payload (also called Cargo Carrying Capacity) is what the vehicle is rated to carry. This includes everything and everybody in or on the vehicle. This number should be on the sticker on your drivers door post.

With a travel trailer, the vehicle has to carry ten to fifteen percent of the trailer weight. A 7400 lb trailer would have tongue weight between 740 lbs and 1110 lbs. On the high end, your payload would be gone before you get any people in the vehicle.

Average weight of a Weight Distribution hitch, plus sway control, is about 100 lbs. That comes out of your payload.

Average camping load (bedding, dishes, pots and pans, water, groceries, BBQ, tools, camp chairs, etc) is 800 to 1000 lbs.

When showing their trailers, dealers will talk unloaded weights. They may sell you something that is within your capacity, until you load it for camping. Then you are over weight on payload, tow capacity, or both. No body tow an empty trailer.

General rule of thumb: Calculate 80% of your tow capacity (yours would be 5920 lbs), then look at trailers with gross weights that are under your 80% figure. This helps to not exceed payload.

Financing rates and terms vary from one bank to another.

What I wish I had known, first time out: The 80% rule and payload info. I had 9500 lb tow capacity and got talked into an 8000 lb trailer. That 8000 lb trailer had more tongue weight than what my tow vehicle was rated for. Towing on windy days was very unpleasant.

The good news is there are many, many floorplans and brands to choose from.
The bad news is.....there are many floorplans and brands to choose from ! It can be overwhelming. Honest truth is, when I was shopping, I literally used to carry a notepad with me and made notes on different brands and layouts, because more than once, I found myself back in and looking at one that I had already seen and ruled out for whatever reason.

That said, I have been over the top happy with my funfinder 189FDS. Going into my third season with it, have towed it around 25,000 to 30,000 miles, spend 4 to 6 months each year in it, and still having a blast with the whole experience.

Best piece of advice I can give is when shopping, take the time to sit for five minutes or more in a trailer, and imagine being cooped up in there for multiple days because of inclement weather. Will the layout work for you under those circumstances ? You will probably sit in some and say to yourself....oh my....I'm feeling closed in already. That would not be good ! Other layouts will seem roomy and give a good feeling.

I recommend that you buy used for your first one. Things that you thought you really liked or could things that you could do without can change when you actually start using them. Buying used you won't have a big wad of cash in it and they are easy to sell off or trade when you are ready to upgrade. A major thing I learned is the more gray water capacity the better. It doesn't take long to fill a 30 gal tank. I think you are right about the slide, even a small one will add a lot of useable interior room. One thing I hear from lots of husbands is I have to get a different model because there is not enough counter space for the cook. Happy wife, happy stomach, at least at my house!

I think Dutchmen makes some nice little ones and the RV place near us in MI also has the Passport ultralight line. I personally have an 18' Forest River Cherokee Light that my wife, dog and I share and it is nice but we are looking at going bigger within the next year. I know if you can find a length you like on the Passport brand the weight will fit what you are looking for really well from what I have seen < 4000 Lbs.

I'd look at a Lance 1575 or 1685 or an Evergreen iGo Lite/Ascend models are both popular and very well made/constructed.

WoodGlue