How long do you expect a unit to last before it's more trouble than it's worth?Is it better to get a newer/cheaper model or an older higher quality brand?What do you expect to pay for yearly maintenance on your pickup camper?

If you keep the moisture out then their life span is indefinite.

keep it covered at home, do the maintance and they'll last almost forever. Just fix the little things as they break. I'm telling friends when they mention getting a campers/trailers/rvs. You can't afford an RV until you can afford the carport/shop/or covered storage for it. Just to many toy haulers, campers, RVs made worthless by one little leak that was not caught....

I understand that good used campers command a pretty high price in Idaho. I have owned 2 TCs that were older when I bought them and both were Lances. The first one was an 86 model 300 that was not visually appealing as it had seen a few low hanging branches and house eaves, but it did not leak. The newer one and my present camper is a 20 yr old Lance 480 which is similar to the recent 915 model. Slightly used, one minor leak ( roof has since been sealed by my self ) and complete functionality from the appliances for 4900 dollars bought in Colorado after Labor Day. The reason I say that is that it would be worth your while to expand your area of search and get the off season bargain that is waiting for you. Camped recently in 20 deg. F weather. Heater had to run but kept the camper warm. I can see some window covers in my future.To sum it up: buying older and a quality brand might be the best for you. An older Bigfoot, Lance or maybe an Alpenlite could be the ticket. Those are the brands I looked for and am really pleased with my purchase.Good Luck. DT

2BLAZERS wrote:keep it covered at home, do the maintance and they'll last almost forever. Just fix the little things as they break. I'm telling friends when they mention getting a campers/trailers/rvs. You can't afford an RV until you can afford the carport/shop/or covered storage for it. Just to many toy haulers, campers, RVs made worthless by one little leak that was not caught....X2!!!!!! But I would still have one even if I wasn't lucky enough to keep them covered. My 98 Lance in my signature was almost like new when I bought it two years ago because it spent almost all of its life in a shed.

No RV made is designed to be left in the weather, unoccupied, unheated, 24-7-365; period.My old 12 year old RV looked new, because both owners kept it undercover.My current rig has been garaged since it arrived.Buy the best camper you can, and treat it with care and it can last decades.

Life expectancy of pickup campers... | Good Sam Community

34 Replies

69_Avion
Explorer
Nov 25, 2014
joeshmoe wrote:
69 Avion wrote:
My Avion is over 45 years old and has been outside it's entire life. I have rebuilt the interior 2-1/2 years ago, and I think the exterior has another 50+ years left in it.

I'd love to see a company reintroduce the Avion with a modern look and goodies of today's campers.

I wish that Airstream would take the bottom of a Livin Lite and the top of an Airstream (Avion with the foam insulation) and build a nice Truck Camper. They could even do it with a slide out. There is a market for it, but someone has to be willing to give it a try. With the Airstream parent company owning both companies listed above, it wouldn't be that hard for them to do it. They could use a modern basement which wasn't being done in the 1960s.
billyg
Explorer
Nov 24, 2014
Hi our HOA won't allow us to keep our Tc on our streets for an extended time. We store in an uncovered storage place. We use a cover that would go on a tow behind popup. The cover was cheep and came with a white top. This cover keeps the hot blazing sun, pollen and leaves off of it. This helps keep down the clean up. We want many years with our Tc. Bill
dave17352
Explorer
Nov 23, 2014
billtex wrote:
scottz wrote:
I have left my camper out in the Minnesota weather, unoccupied, unheated, 24-7-365

Too bad...you should use it some time!

Now that's funny!!
scottz
Explorer
Nov 23, 2014
billtex wrote:
scottz wrote:
I have left my camper out in the Minnesota weather, unoccupied, unheated, 24-7-365

Too bad...you should use it some time!

Hah! I use it 20-40 days a year. I was using someone else's wording of what you should not do =)
Bigfootchevy
Explorer
Nov 23, 2014
My Bigfoot looked new after I had used it for 5 years. It really surprised me how good it looked and worked. It was well used,one year we lived in it for 51 days on a trip to Alaska. We would use it and then clean it. Fix any minor problems or do all maintenance. I believe it would have lasted a very long time if the roof of the garage had not caved in on it last winter.

I believe most Truck campers will last a long time is properly cared for.

Paul
joeshmoe
Explorer
Nov 23, 2014
69 Avion wrote:
My Avion is over 45 years old and has been outside it's entire life. I have rebuilt the interior 2-1/2 years ago, and I think the exterior has another 50+ years left in it.

I'd love to see a company reintroduce the Avion with a modern look and goodies of today's campers.
ruthiebaby88
Explorer
Nov 23, 2014
Great so I should be ok leaving it on the truck parked in the HOA parking lot between uses as long as no one complains. That should save me enough to get some solar panels.
billtex
Explorer II
Nov 23, 2014
scottz wrote:
I have left my camper out in the Minnesota weather, unoccupied, unheated, 24-7-365

Too bad...you should use it some time!
shum02
Explorer
Nov 23, 2014
4aSong wrote:
You can't afford an RV until you can afford the carport/shop/or covered storage for it.

If that was the case your RV would cost as much as your garage and RV combined before storage because most of us can't afford to do an out building to house the RV, don't have the room for an out building, don't have a storage yard near us with enclosed storage or can't afford enclosed storage rental on top of the RV. As a result most of us would not have one and your unit cost would be through the roof due to low volumes.

Absolutely silly comment.
69_Avion
Explorer
Nov 23, 2014
Very few people put their campers through the extreme that garryk6 does. He has the brutal Alaska cold and I have the extreme Arizona sun. The Avions have held up well being outside for close to 50 years in both extremes. Very few products will hold up like that. In Arizona, when you look at a fiberglass boat that has been outdoors for a couple of decades, it isn't unusual to see spider webbing all over the fiberglass. The direct, intense sunlight is hard on plastics, fiberglass, cloth, etc. The interior of my 1969 Avion was absolutely disgusting. But is was a relatively easy fix.
The Avion company is no longer in existence, not because it's products weren't good, but because it was expensive to build and repair. Most folks won't pay that much for a Truck Camper. They were $4,500 in 1969. That was a lot of money back then. Since my family is the original owner, and I bought it in 1983, I know what they cost and how well they hold up. If there is another, modern brand, that will hold up as well, I suggest buying it.