First time poster

Question

Hey there all, long time lurker, first time poster...finialy getting serious about camping..grew up camping w/ a Prowler..and my parents are full timers so I've been around campers for a while. I've also been surfing everything I can read, and using Youtube like crazy for dealer walk arounds..these are great for narrowing in. Anyway, I'm taking the family to an RV show just so I can walk through and do the touch/feel thing and take notes. I figure most the local dealers will be there, as well as other dealers who sell necessary accessories such as hitches, site set up stuff and the like.

We will be towing w/ a 2012 Suburban, 4WD, tow package, 5.3 engine, family of 4. Thanks to all who have posted for towing capibilities and what to look for, as I'll have as much as I can w/ me to help make the decision.

What are some of the questions I should be asking of the dealers and what are the pitfalls of RV shows? I'm not ready to pull the trigger yet, so I have time on my side. I have been looking for used models all over the internet, so if I find a good used one, I'd like to jump on one, but the used prices are not much off of the new prices...We are initally looking for a 26-28 bunk house w/ slide, but we are not locked into anything right now.

So, thanks again for the advise and information,

So, wish us luck and thanks for all the advice..

donn0128 · Answer

Remember, if a salesman's lips are moving he is lying.  Stay away from RV shows unless all you want is to get some information.  Terms like "dry" or "shipping" weight are meaningless.  Get your Suburban weighed when loaded with family and all the stuff you would have on board when traveling.  Then look on the drivers door post and compare the scaled weight to the GVWR.  I would be very surprised if you have enough weight capacity to pull a trailer as large as your looking.  1500 Suburbans are notorious for being right on the maximum weight and loading specs with just family on board.  As a first timer, do the homework, and then start shopping used.  Places like Craigslist offer a lot of used RV's.

hiking_hunter · Answer

Welcome to the forum!I agree with donn0128. Good advice from him.Have you looked at a pop-up for a first camper? We have a fifth wheel now, but when we were younger, and the kids went with us, we LOVED the pop up. It was more like "real" camping. A pop up is easy to tow and doesn't cost much gas mileage. An average size pop up should be fine with your Suburban. In North Carolina you will need one with an air conditioner.Look at the RV shows, but it's not necessary to buy there. You can get the same "deal" anytime. Looking for a used unit is a good idea, just do your homework and know what to watch out for - like soft floors/roofs caused by water damage.Good luck.

fla-gypsy · Answer

Educate yourself and look at lots and lots of campers before making a decision. Think about holding tank sizes (they matter) and how big the bathroom is. Stand in the shower and mimic bathing and see if you need to be a contortionist to complete that task. Sit on the toilet and make the motions you make to see if you can do it with the door closed, you'd be surprised at how many are not big enough for what they are designed for. Think about where everyone will sleep and how much effort it will take to prepare multi use sleeping areas each night. Is there a real pantry available?. is there enough seating area for everyone in bad weather? Learn about towing capacity and what it really is for your vehicle (it is not the published tow rating). You will learn about GVWR, GCWR, RAWR, Tongue weight, payload ratings (biggy) and WD/Sway Control hitches. The more you know the more likely you will make a good decision the first time.

rbpru · Answer

We were faced with the pop-up, A frame, or TT dilemma, so we went to the RV dealers and settle on a TT size we thought we would like. We own an old pop-up so we know what they were like.

Once we found the size we liked (24 to 26 ft.) with slide we rented one for 10 days.

Pulling one of these barns down the road was an education. My old 200 hp. truck was under a real strain in the hill of the Ozarks and it gives you a new appreciation for stopping the load.

We had fun but it was a learning experience. In the end we bought a new truck and TT.

aclay · Answer

Go looking at dealerships, shows, etc. Get a sense for all the different models and pros/cons. Look at how you will use the unit vs that pros/cons list.

Make sure you get something your tow vehicle can actually handle, and take into account geography (towing in hills etc).

There are tons of options from pop ups, hybrids, small hard walls, etc.

I lurked on this forum for a long time and learned tons before we bought our first unit.

Good luck!

Forum Discussion

First time poster

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Missing poster?

Timing?

Travel time?

Shock Time?

First time out