Why we luv our rig

Coachmen FE 276rkds. We just got it. Traded a Coachmen FE 246. Much more room. Big closet on forward end and slide out br and slide out couch. It is paid for.

Like Andy F, we use a ProPride hitch and have done so since 2009. And like Andy F, we towed for years with a first generation Toyota Sequoia - ours was a 2005. In 2008 we bought a Starcraft travel trailer and for eight years we made memories including two trips to the east coast and one epic trip to Vancouver Island and back. Here's the old rig.




Last year we sold the Sequoia with 210,000 km on the clock and bought a 2013 Ford F150 EcoBoost (FX4 Supercrew Longbox max tow)... and this year we sold our Starcraft and bought a 2012 Rockwood 2701SS travel trailer. Both Sequoia and Starcraft were private sales which netted us a much better return than trades would have done.

So... why do we love our rig?

TT first. We've only been on two trips but they were great. The floor plan is quite similar to the Starcraft (see the links above) but there are differences. We like the slide, the U-dinette and all the extra storage, and the access to the bed from both sides. We do miss that pack and play door, though. As the designated sewer guy I'm enjoying the second grey tank and the black tank tank rinser. In any case we expect to make more great memories with the new trailer.

The TV. What can I say? If you'd told me seven or eight years ago I'd be buying a pickup with the smallest gas engine available I might have nodded, smiled and patted you gently on the head. But I've paid close attention to the EcoBoost since its introduction and by last summer I was satisfied that it was the way to go for half ton towing. We spent a couple of weeks on Prince Edward Island after we bought the F150 and towing through the mountains in New Brunswick convinced me completely. The Sequoia was a good tow vehicle. The F150 is a GREAT one. The only step up in my opinion is a Super Duty diesel but we're not there. Yet.

Here's the new rig.

So many great family camping memories with our 2012 Bullet TT. Build quality has been great. Perfect size for us with enough beds and interior space along with so much exterior storage but we can still get into our favorite state forest boon docking sites and tight state park sites. The 2nd outside door from the bathroom has been a surprise plus that we weren't looking for but now we would not want to give up. We also love our laundry chute, garbage chute, curbside dinette, electric awning, black tank flush, power tongue jack, and our light towing weight.

We love our TV for its powerful 5.7 liter engine, comfortable ride and roomy interior, and the stick shifter option for easy down shifting when towing. The 2nd generation Sequoia is a great SUV TV when it's teamed up with an upgraded WD hitch like our ProPride. We bought ours used with 130,000 miles on it and it drives like it is brand new!

L'Andante, our 2004 Itasca Sunrise 32V:
The outstanding build quality, storage, overall comfort, lots of natural light, that big Chevy engine with Allison transmission and Banks system, cats love riding in her, paid for (and I'm still not ready to give her up, so I do all the driving with her now), great to full time in when we did, the memories.

Steinholz, our brand new Rockwood 2906WS 33' travel trailer:
Paid for
Huge living area, full size queen bed, padded vinyl flooring, 22" oven, big bathroom, tows real easy, electric slides

TV:
Almost paid for
Loaded with about all the options Ford offered that year
Comfortable!
Great diesel MPG
Lower trim matches Steinholz' main color (a nifty coincidence)
WLToo more than happy to let me drive (he didn't like sharing his Jeep Liberty, L'Andante's toad)
Looks great

What I love most of all about our 2007 21ft Fun Finder is all the memories we have made traveling in it since 2007. Its our first RV and we still love it. No slideout...although one would be nice. Nothing fancy except maybe full 60x80 island queen bed. And it has been with us during 4 trips to the west for 6 weeks each time. Many trips to Florida,the Eastern Seaboard and many trips around NE including so many trips to 2 of our favorite campgrounds....Wild Duck In Maine and Lake Forest in NH. But most of all it is all the beautiful places we have seen and the opportunity to see so much of this wonderful country and the memories we have created.My only wish is that we hadn't waited so long to experience all of these wonderful memories

it was cheap and it makes it so the wife enjoys camping..... that said it was a test. will be upgraded in a few years.

We are on our first TT and love it. Could it be bigger, always. Does it have everything we want and need? Yep! We opted for something a little larger but with less room for additional people to sleep. Queen size bed and a fold out couch are all the spots adults can sleep. Table folds down and is fine for a child but not adult. Either way, for the wife, me and kiddo it is a perfect fit.

We really like the luxury fifth wheel we have now. It is roomy, comfortable, has lots of storage and does everything we need. However, I loved the 25 ft. BigFoot we sold to get into the larger rig. There was something about that trailer that was unique and endearing. I feel like an idiot for selling the BigFoot but surely didn't need two RVs. Maybe when our granddaughters don't want to go we might go back to a smaller trailer.

Dennis Smith wrote:
TV: paid for
TT: paid for
Us: retired and free (paid for)
Perfect combo. ;-)

X2, its the best feeling in the world.

:) Hi, same as the above. :B

Bed. Many people don't like drop down dinettes, but our U-shaped dinette drops down to make a huge queen sized bed (almost queen size, but close enough!).

Simply adding a 2" memory foam topper makes it extremely comfortable.

We've had essentially no problems with our TT. This will be its 12th year of camping, and it is starting to show its age. We are hoping (and assuming) it will last 2 more seasons, then we will probably be looking for something new.

Our truck has just worked. Up and down the east coast twice and all over New England. I wish the seats were a bit more comfortable, but they are supportive and fine for long trips. I just had the transmission checked and fluid changed, and had the spark plugs replaced (this is the 5.4, with the legendarily horrible spark plug changing issues, so I had a trusted repair garage do it), so I am expecting to keep this truck for a bunch more years. Next spring I am planning on having some body work done on it for rust prevention - well underneath the bed, out of sight, where the bed bolts to the frame. Essentially no rust on the truck except for that one area.