Arctic/Polar/Cold weather packages.

Farm Camp wrote:
Hi again. And sorry again if this is covered in 100 other threads...

Was visiting a dealer local to me about two weeks ago to look at a camper that we think is "the one" ;) when we can pull the trigger later in the year.

While I'm chatting with the sales guy I ask him if he ever ordered his campers with the Arctic option for the brand we're looking at. I think I made it obvious to him that I thought this option was a good thing to have and was basically waving extra money in his face.

So his reaction kinda made me do a double take. He scoffed at the idea and stated in so many words that he never ordered his units with the Arctic package because he thought it was a huge waste of money...

I even told him I wanted the option of not only more comfortably extending my camping season/options but that I had read that this May help with Air Conditioning in summer...

Still he dismissed the very idea. Stating he thought it was a waste.

Another dealer located an hour or so farther away from me will sometimes make a big deal about having the Arctic package and to top it off they seem to be quoting a price several thousand lower... Unless I was getting some bait and switch. I made it clear to both dealers that I was doing homework only at this point...

The dealer closest to me scoffs at the idea of a Arctic package but "seems" to still be asking a lot more $$$ for the same Trailer. The guy farther away seems to make a big deal out of the Arctic package and "seems" be have a lot better prices...

I'm just trying to figure out - what I'm missing? Are these Arctic packages a waste? This one would include an enclosed, insulated, heated underbelly and some sort of foil extra insulation in the roof as opposed to just a enclosed underbelly in the standard version of the trailer... Is it a waste? It was less than 1,000 according to the manufacturers web site. Maybe one of these dealers are playing some game I don't get... I'm just worrying and maybe confused. You thoughts or experience is welcome.

I have a Starcraft Autumn Ridge and it boasts the extra insulation. It is the 256BHS. It also has heated tanks (just forced air heated I believe). However, it only has single pane windows. I am seriously thinking of going to a different make/ model that has:
1. Thermal pane windows
2. Heated tanks (forced air is fine with me)
3. Heated underbelly (pretty much the same as above)
4. Enclosed Knife valves
5. Fully enclosed underbelly

In my opinion, if you are going to get an 'arctic pkg', make sure it covers what you want in an arctic package. It is worth 1000's of dollars to do your own research, rather than rely on a salesman who doesn't know what he is talking about.