Justifying the cost of a Travel Trailer

Terryallan wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:

Mike Up wrote:
I couldn't justify the cost of my 29' Jayco Jay Flight travel trailer so I traded in for a top of the line 14' box premier pop up with a large slide that has the same interior space as my previous 29' Jay Flight 26BH.

If I camped all the time at cheaper campgrounds, I'd likely kept it but it was a money pit and neither the wife or I could see paying out all that money for it to sit in the yard.

With the Pop Up, I actually can't believe how much cheaper it is just for insurance and plates. I already saved about $350 a year just there with the new 2019 compared to the 2012 Jay Flight.

Agree completely. A popup is still a quantum leap up from camping in a tent but without the considerable expense of owning a travel trailer, especially if one buys used. For insurance and winter storage alone I'm out a minimum of $1000 yr even if I never used the travel trailer at all during the season and it just sat there on my driveway. Over the long term the costs are exponentially higher once you start replacing tires, servicing bearings & brakes, regularly caulking the seams, etc - this maintenance list goes on but God forbid you should have an actual failure such as a DSI fridge that's died, only adding substantially to your costs. :E For what? - a dozen nights of camping each season? :? Believe it, it ain't cheap - whether it's worth it to you only you can answer. ;)

Disagree. Pupped for 25 years. Popups are a big hassle over a TT.
IF it is raining when you break camp. you have to put it up at home and leave it up until it dries completely. And if it is raining at home. It has to stay up that much longer. Also you can't put it up or down in the rain with out every thing in it getting wet. Loading, Got to put it up at home to load.
Showers. Yes some pups have showers, but that creates moisture inside the pup, that creates mold.

Toilet. Yes some have them. but do you really want to sit down on one beside the kitchen table with a camper full of people?, and unless they have changed. You have to pull out the back TO EMPTY ONE.


Don't get me wrong. I loved out pup days. But it got to be just way too much trouble to use. While the Tt is a little more difficult to hook up. It can stay loaded ready to camp except for some clothes. Just hook and go. I can be on the road in about an hour.

as for caulking every year. Who does that? I don't. It don't need it. But as with anything. there is some maintenance, waxing once a year, and greasing the hubs. but there was with the pup as well. sewing canvas back together, scrubbing mold, little things like that.


For a more relaxed trip. I suggest a hard sided camper.

Knowing what I know now, I don't ever think I'd go back to a travel trailer, they are just not worth the expense to me when I can have the same with a pop up. And I'll disagree, the travel trailer was a pain setting up and shoe horning into tight spots where I save a lot of time with the pop up. The pop up, open time maybe longer but a travel trailers level and backup time is longer, it's a wash.

If you wait it out, a light rain won't get everything inside wet. I found just as many if not more negatives with the travel trailers opposed to the pop ups. I can't see myself ever going back to a travel trailer.