Forum Discussion

Gsragtop's avatar
Gsragtop
Explorer
May 18, 2014

Thinking about buying my first :)

Need some advice and I hope you guys can help..

First, we are thinking of getting an TT for weekend trips (me my wife and a 7 and 3 year old).. My first question is are we better off just staying in hotels ?? I mean I love the idea of camping, but for the investment we fear we won't use it often enough.. One reason I'm thinking of getting a TT is that I have to travel two month a of the year for work. Right now I stay at a hotel and collect points we use to travel throughout the year. However with what I could save in hotel fees vs campsite fees I can pay the TT's payments for the year plus.

We have already picked out the unit we are thinking of buying a 2015 Conquest 198bh, we like it because it has bunks for the kids and a full time queen for my wife and I. It's also 2800 lbs which means it can be towed easily by or minivan which has a 3500 lb towing capacity. The dealer pice is $9999 but I think I can get it lower, the question is how much ?? It has a msrp of $15.000 (or about that)

Why new vs used ?? Because I need light weight for my van which means newer and it seems everything I look at used is in the same ball park price wise.. Also new means warranty and no previous owner issues. ALSO my wife does not like popups / hybrids. She wants a solid side unit only.

I guess my second question is how much more room for negotiating do you think I have, I was going to try to negotiate in a anti sway hitch, screen room, all the hoses I need for hooking up, power hitch jack, spare tire, electric brake controller for my van, and an rv cover. Thank that may fly ??

Also what is a typical interest rate for someone with good credit ?? They are saying 7.9% which seems high to me.

What other questions am I not asking.
  • HappyKayakers's avatar
    HappyKayakers
    Explorer
    May 18, 2014
    Is that 2800 lbs dry weight or GVWR? Never mind towing capacity, think payload of your minivan. Look at the GVWR of your minivan (on the driver's door post). Now put the whole family inside, full tank of gas and whatever you would carry in the van for a camping trip. Go to a CAT scale and find out how much you weigh. Whatever is left over is how much you have available for tongue weight.
  • Speedogomer's avatar
    Speedogomer
    Explorer
    May 18, 2014
    Find out the payload of your minivan. Many of them are actually relatively high. Some are in the 1300lbs range.

    Loaded up, you'll probably most like be well above 3500lbs, and over your tow capacity. You will probably be ok for payload if you pack light enough, as the 198bh dosen't have a very heavy hitch weight.

    That said, a minivan isn't exactly an ideal tow vehicle for anything more than a pop-up.

    For negotiations, the dealer may throw is the extras you're asking for, but will prob not go down in price much with those extras.
  • handye9's avatar
    handye9
    Explorer II
    May 18, 2014
    That 2800 lbs, is dry weight (when it left the factory). The trailer will weigh more, before it leaves the dealer lot.

    When you load the trailer for camping (pots and pans, dishes, bedding, groceries, camping chairs, BBQ, and water), things add up very fast. Average camping load is 800 to 1000 lbs. Just filling your water tank, will add close to 250 lbs.

    A weight distributing hitch (with sway control) will weight approximately 100 lbs. That also, comes out of your payload.

    Even if you pack lightly, your loaded trailer weight will be more than your tow capacity. More than likely, your loaded tongue weight will be more than your available payload.

    Check that door post sticker (on the van) for max cargo (payload) capacity. That number is weight capacity you have for everybody and everything you put in, or on the van. It includes fuel, driver, passengers, cargo, hitch, and tongue weight.

    With WD hitch and loaded for camping, that trailer will take up to 600 lbs of payload.
  • Gsragtop's avatar
    Gsragtop
    Explorer
    May 18, 2014
    Speedogomer wrote:


    That said, a minivan isn't exactly an ideal tow vehicle for anything more than a pop-up.

    For negotiations, the dealer may throw is the extras you're asking for, but will prob not go down in price much with those extras.


    Yeah I know but I'm not buying a new car for this.

    Am I better off negotiating cash off or the stuff I need/want ???

    Thanks
    Josh
  • afraid_of_bears's avatar
    afraid_of_bears
    Explorer
    May 18, 2014
    I think camping is WAY better than staying in a hotel.

    There is something about sitting around the campfire, the hotdogs and the smores.

    Good luck with your purchase and I hope you have many happy years of camping or RVing.

    Cheers,
  • HappyKayakers's avatar
    HappyKayakers
    Explorer
    May 18, 2014
    Gsragtop wrote:
    Speedogomer wrote:


    That said, a minivan isn't exactly an ideal tow vehicle for anything more than a pop-up.

    For negotiations, the dealer may throw is the extras you're asking for, but will prob not go down in price much with those extras.


    Yeah I know but I'm not buying a new car for this.

    Am I better off negotiating cash off or the stuff I need/want ???

    Thanks
    Josh


    So, you're OK with being unsafe for your family and others around you as long as you get a good price on accessories?
  • Francesca_Knowl's avatar
    Francesca_Knowl
    Explorer
    May 18, 2014


    Link to specs

    Gsragtop wrote:
    I'm not buying a new car for this.


    Then you'd better pick another trailer, because there is no way a minivan with 3500 pounds of towing "capacity" is going to pull the one you're looking at now. Wind resistance alone is likely to be a significant bar to comfortable towing. And do bear in mind that tug mfr. stated maximum capacities assume only the driver in the tow vehicle, and often rely/require the presence of specific vehicle upfits.

    Putting aside for the moment that fully loaded the trailer will likely be closer to 4,000 pounds:

    Tongue weight "dry" is given as 350 pounds, and that's before you've added a couple of propane tanks- another 80 pounds. We'll round the total up to 450, though I'd bet dollars to donuts it will be more than that. 450 pounds of tongue weight is likely far beyond your minivan's TW "limit", even if it has the payload available by the time you've loaded everything else in it.

    If you post the make/model/year of your minivan we may be able to point you in the right direction, trailer-wise...
  • Lantley's avatar
    Lantley
    Nomad
    May 18, 2014
    Slow down a bit. First you need to do more research it appears the TT you desire is too big to be towed by a mini van.
    Secondly your desire to camp needs to come from in and not be because you think there is some sort of financial advantage. Camping is generally more expensive than hotels.
    Lastly don't buy the trailer on a whim. Be sure your combo is well matched.
    While it goes on all the time buying the wrong trailer can be a long term costly mistake!
  • Gsragtop's avatar
    Gsragtop
    Explorer
    May 18, 2014
    It's a single tank and battery upfront... The tow van is a 2007 Kia Sedona with trailer package.

    If it helps there will not be much in the camper, we are not doing any off the grid camping.. Camp siites only. So I have no plans on running with full water tanks, etc.. Also we are talking weekend trips mostly, so it's not going to be loaded to the gills. Besides the battery and single LP tank some food, paper plates, etc. I mean there is no way there is going to be an extra 1000 lbs of stuff in there. I have towed with this van many times, between boats, uhauls and such.

    I appreciate your guys concern and the guy said I could take the unit on a test tow, maybe I will take him up on the offer.

    I am not buying a new truck for this as I said before, so if I can't get this rig then this ends the hopes of a camper for us as I am not going to buy one that does not suite our needs.. My wife will not use anything with a non solid side (pop ups, hybrids, etc).. And I'm not going to buy a smaller unit that does not fit my family..

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