I don't get it. With all the hunters, fisherman and unlimited destinations, why aren't TC's very popular in Western Pa.? Heck you can't even find a dealer with a decent inventory within 5 hours. I am going to buy one soon but it has been the hardest $25,000 cash I've ever tried to spend. Done a ton of research and have zoned in on the Cirrus 820. They're made 2 hours from me but the closest dealer is 5 hours away and are idiots. Who pulls into a TC dealer with a nice shiny F-250 with no tailgate, $25,000 in cash, and leaves empty handed? ME!New member here and the info on this site is unmatched that I can find. Keep up the good work TC'rs.Rant over.

I don't think truck campers are popular any place until you get into Colorado, at least that is our experience. Until popularity rises, I don't think dealers are going to make the investment and in our experience, even shopping the dealers that do exist is dreadful. Phone calls don't get answered, no response to emails. That's not all dealers of course, but the bottom of the barrel in business sense seems to fall to truck campers. Then there is the lag between order and delivery. Many TC manufacturers are so small that six month waits are commonplace. I think a good many folks would come into the marketplace if availability was greater, which is what you are saying. Sort of a chicken and egg issue there. People aren't going to buy what they seldom see and until they buy, dealers are not going to carry more models. In the end, buying new, we drove 300 miles after negotiating online and the only other dealer we considered was over 600 miles away! That came about following a frustrating series of phone calls that were not returned and emails that weren't answered.That about sums it up. Manufacturers with very limited output and "dealers" that should be dressed in clown suits. If you want a truck camper, you are really going to have to work at it unless you are in the West. :(

I will be driving 7 hours to pick up a new camper! I lived in NJ in the early 80s and they were popular there as beach buggies. I had a Sunlite pop up on a Toyota with the cooler/rod holder on the front. It was a great set up and we did Island Beach, NJ, Assateague/Chincoteague, NE ski resorts and State Parks.Moved back to Pgh. and it sold in 3 days at asking price. Went into the boat black hole for the last 20 years and am tired of the work it takes. The TC makes sense with a little 14' Starcraft to fill the need to fish.

We just back from six weeks in Yellowstone and Moab, Utah. Those places were overrun with truck campers. It was amazing.

Dealers carry what experience has told them they can sell. But if its any help again about 7 hours from you there is a TC dealer near Raleigh NC that you may want to scope out. D&HGood luck in your hunt

All of the above is true!!You will have to travel in the East to acquire a TC.Truck Camper Warehouse (truckcamperwarehouse.com) is in southwestern NH and has a large inventory (MANY indoors) - very few TTs - and they are VERY busy. They KNOW TCs.2016 GMC 3500HD Dually Diesel2017 Host Mammoth

Why aren't Truck Campers popular in W. Pa.? | Good Sam Community

kohldad
Explorer III
Oct 18, 2019
But if its any help again about 7 hours from you there is a TC dealer near Raleigh NC that you may want to scope out. D&H
Good luck in your hunt

Agree withe D&H and the do carry the Cirrus. I've heard nothing but good things, owner is actually a truck camper user and has even put on a couple of rallies which were well received by the participants.

Stopped at the dealer over in OH that I think you are talking about and they weren't that sharp despite the quantity of TCs they had on hand.
BradW
Explorer II
Oct 18, 2019
Ditto. TCW has been in the truck camper business for a long time.
tlowe43q
Explorer
Oct 18, 2019
All of the above is true!!

You will have to travel in the East to acquire a TC.

Truck Camper Warehouse (truckcamperwarehouse.com) is in southwestern NH and has a large inventory (MANY indoors) - very few TTs - and they are VERY busy. They KNOW TCs.

2016 GMC 3500HD Dually Diesel
2017 Host Mammoth
wanderingaimles
Explorer
Oct 18, 2019
Dealers carry what experience has told them they can sell.
But if its any help again about 7 hours from you there is a TC dealer near Raleigh NC that you may want to scope out. D&H
Good luck in your hunt
BradW
Explorer II
Oct 18, 2019
We just back from six weeks in Yellowstone and Moab, Utah. Those places were overrun with truck campers. It was amazing.
time2retire
Explorer
Oct 18, 2019
I will be driving 7 hours to pick up a new camper!

I lived in NJ in the early 80s and they were popular there as beach buggies. I had a Sunlite pop up on a Toyota with the cooler/rod holder on the front. It was a great set up and we did Island Beach, NJ, Assateague/Chincoteague, NE ski resorts and State Parks.

Moved back to Pgh. and it sold in 3 days at asking price.

Went into the boat black hole for the last 20 years and am tired of the work it takes.

The TC makes sense with a little 14' Starcraft to fill the need to fish.
ardvark
Explorer
Oct 18, 2019
I don't think truck campers are popular any place until you get into Colorado, at least that is our experience. Until popularity rises, I don't think dealers are going to make the investment and in our experience, even shopping the dealers that do exist is dreadful. Phone calls don't get answered, no response to emails. That's not all dealers of course, but the bottom of the barrel in business sense seems to fall to truck campers.

Then there is the lag between order and delivery. Many TC manufacturers are so small that six month waits are commonplace. I think a good many folks would come into the marketplace if availability was greater, which is what you are saying. Sort of a chicken and egg issue there. People aren't going to buy what they seldom see and until they buy, dealers are not going to carry more models.

In the end, buying new, we drove 300 miles after negotiating online and the only other dealer we considered was over 600 miles away! That came about following a frustrating series of phone calls that were not returned and emails that weren't answered.

That about sums it up. Manufacturers with very limited output and "dealers" that should be dressed in clown suits. If you want a truck camper, you are really going to have to work at it unless you are in the West. :(