Truck Camper VIN Weight vs Scale Weight

JimK-NY wrote:
Ardvark, I certainly understand your concerns. Unfortunately we are dealing with minimal data. That is why I suggest talking with someone who has been selling and repairing truck campers for decades.

Camper weights are clearly an issue. Manufacturers provide weights which are probably honest, BUT often the weights are for a base unit. Options and accessories can add many hundreds of pounds. In addition it is easy to underestimate the amount of personal stuff we carry.

Leaks are truly a concern. Any camper can leak and have serious damage due to the leaks. That does not mean they are all the same. Some campers leak because they shake themselves apart due to poor construction and/or poor design. I believe the Northstar or at least my model is well designed and well built. Even so I have had 2 leaks. I had a leak around a window that I found and fixed quickly. I had another pinhole leak that did considerable damage. A very small pinhole opening occurred for the Happijac junction box for the wiring of the electric motor. Water entered the junction box and saturated the surrounding areas. Eventually the backing of the fiberglass skin and the surrounding supports rotted. The leak probably went on for months before I found it. Even for a well built camper, you need to look carefully at every square inch of surface area.

I think they are as honest as they need to be. Manufacturers know which options they put on a camper so I do not see this as an issue other than the fact they seem unwilling do address it. If they really can't tell when they put an air conditioner on the roof, maybe they should find another line of work. :)

I would never suggest a survey take the place of a good inspection, but it can provide an edge when deciding which manufacturer to choose, I think that is why Consumer Reports is so popular and I expect something similar would benefit shoppers of truck campers.