A year with my pop up. Lessons learned

[Jeff10236]

So, I bought my 2003 StarCraft 2406 about a year ago. With how much I was looking forward to finally getting a pop up, I am not really happy with it and will be selling it after my current trip. Here are some lessons learned.

1) I will not replace it until I own a house with a garage or have cheap storage lined up. My new apt will not let me keep it there. It almost got towed and I got a $300 abandoned vehicle ticket for keeping it on my old street less tnan a week after I changed my address. Most local storage lots around here are nearly $100 a month (way too much for a 13yr old ~$3000 pop up). A lot managed by the HOA (Columbia Association) is just under $300/yr but I may be on the waiting list a long time.

2) It is a lot more work than I remember from my parents pop up from my youth. It wouldn't be bad if I had a family and could share duties, but for a single person (with a bad back) it is a lot of work. When the weather is mild (spring and fall) I prefer a tent. If I buy again while still single (or married without kids and the need for more sleeping space) I'll just get a TAB or similar lightweight trailer.

3) My next pop up will be smaller and simpler. See #2 above less to set up would be nice. I will pay close attention to what is needed to set it up, and I'll definitely get a powered lift system.

4) I will buy newer. I'm not the most mechanically inclined person and I need to have someone fix what goes wrong (it can get expensive). On my drive here, the tail lights worked but none of the other lights did. It also blew a fuse a few minutes ago causing the interior lights to die though at least I am capable of fixing that. A newer pop up (esp if bought new) should have less go wrong.

5) On some positive notes... I love the bunk end fans I got, they really do help circulate air where you need it. I still love camping, whether In a tent or pop up. As I get older I'm less tolerant of extreme heat and humidity than I used to be. Without the pop up's AC allowing me to escape the heat when needed there is no way I'd be camping and enjoying the outdoors this week.

Bottom line, I'm selling. I'm going back to just my tents when temps allow it, the rest of the time I'll rent a pop up, TAB or similar lightweight or a cabin until I'm ready to buy again.

In the meantime, I'm off to find a fuse then enjoy the rest of my Virginia Beach/Williamsburg trip.

[Serenlyretired]

While at 74 I still love my 2003 Jayco 10X I understand your frustrations.
I leave my camper at my favorite campground in California's Trinity Alps paying but $25 a month for storage. I leave it up for the summer season so only one "set up" a season, but I purchased a "tent cot" (Under $200 US) for side trips elsewhere. Easy to set up in less than 5 minutes, it is on a frame that is off the ground & incredibly comfortable. It is the extra wide/long single size allowing for storage of personal items inside & it is easy t get in & out of.
It easily fits in my Saturn View (a small SUV) along with my inflatable kayak allowing me lots of options in camping.
As a old guy with a less than perfect body it is a great option. I take 3 to 5 side trips a year with it

[ReneeG]

Thanks for the update Jeff10236!

[Jeff10236]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I'm the OP and I didn't end up selling after that trip (but I am now) and didn't want to create a new thread to rehash about half of what is on this thread.

So, I ended up keeping the pop-up. While the apartment complex doesn't officially allow storage of campers or other trailers on site, the guy at the leasing office gave me some advice on which part of the lot to park it, and said that so long as no neighbors complained it wouldn't be a problem. So, I kept it here until a little less than two months ago. There were several cargo trailers also parked there, and eventually a neighbor complained and we were given 2 days notice to find someplace else to store our trailers or they'd be towed. On such short notice the cheapest I could find was $150 a month, for my 13-14 year old pop-up. Well, in Feb it wasn't a good time to sell, but now that we're in April I am definitely selling. To top things off, it is having electrical issues again (none of the running lights, including tail lights and brake lights, are working). Even without the storage issue, electrical issues every year, no thanks.

So, later this week I'm heading to the storage lot to get better pictures than I have and do some minor repairs (the sink is separating from the counter) and cleaning. I'll list it now at $2200 or $2300 as is (and take $2K), and after my tax refund comes in I'll get it fixed up and inspected and then I'll make the price $3K (maybe ask $3200 or $3300 in order to get $3K).

Once I get to the front of the waiting list for the community RV storage ($300 a year) I'll take my spot even if I'm a year or so from buying another camper. Then, I'm not sure if I'll get a smaller pop-up (with power lift, and cable bunk supports), an A-frame pop-up, or a lightweight TT like the TAB or R-pod. My best friend was a yacht salesman and later general manager of a yacht dealership for years, he recently moved over to be the general manager of an RV dealership, so at least I should be able to get a good deal whichever way I go.

[ReneeG]

PAThwacker wrote:

ReneeG wrote:
PAThwacke - never say never! You never know if a toy loving mama will come along some day and sweep you off your ATV!

You can say that again. New girlfriend that loves pups. Got me another sort of glamper pup.

Awww! Good for you!

[PAThwacker]

ReneeG wrote:
PAThwacke - never say never! You never know if a toy loving mama will come along some day and sweep you off your ATV!

You can say that again. New girlfriend that loves pups. Got me another sort of glamper pup.

[ReneeG]

PAThwacke - never say never! You never know if a toy loving mama will come along some day and sweep you off your ATV!

[PAThwacker]

I once owned a glamper pup. 10 years later, with kids now at 4 and 8. Going through divorce, had to lose the hybrid, but have access to many campers. Weekends, a seasonal fifth wheel on the Jersey Shore, and for quick jaunts with a garbage r-vision. I'm contemplating what's next. Get a pup again for solo, non kids me time, or get a pricey truck camper. It comes down to where you are at in life for which campers to buy. I'm heavy on the "toys" side of camping. Dragging a boat, quad, hunting gear, fishing trips ect. That's truck camper territory calling my name. My exwife at age 36 is trying to remarry, me at 42 has stuck a fork in it. Two beatiful daughters. Don't need anymore in my life!


Other Popup campers out there really cater to my desires. Toy hauler dual axle pups. They never show up in my buying potential areas: wholesale dealer auctions and repo sales.

[Tent_camper_guy]

Jeff,
I've been down the pop up tent camper road also. My wife did not like it because we "popped it up" to put things in it prior to leaving for the site. Popped it up when we arrived to the campsite and back down when leaving. After getting back home, we popped the tent camper up again to clean it out. This is 3 "pop ups" for 1 trip. You have to make sure the canvas is dry before putting it down also.

Most of all, our travel trailer has a bathroom. But oh boy...those tent campers sure do pull and store nice!! I definitely won't go back.
http://www.mercershelters.com

[Cocky_Camper]

We had a pop up for about 10 years for 3 of us. We loved it. We bought it used in 97. It was a 92 Coleman model. We never really complained about setting up and taking down until we purchased our hybrid in 2007. We wasn't really planning to buy a hybrid, but we found a deal that was too good to be true. After having the hybrid, I don't think I see us going back to a pop-up. Pop ups are no fun for short trips as mentioned. We also camped in the hot and humid south. The A/C did good a night, but i t would get warmer than we liked inside during the day. We upgraded to a TT this year. Once again, we weren't really looking, but we found another deal that was too good to be true. After finally making our way up to a TT almost 20 years later, we are in heaven. The only upgrades that I see will be to a new TT or maybe a 5th Wheel if we upgrade tow vehicle in the years to come.

[manualman]

Photographer,
We solved that issue (cranking up before and after trips) by picking floor plan carefully. Our Coleman Sun Valley has a ton of interior space accessible with the top down. We leave permanent gear in the inaccessible storage spaces and just before the trip we load the fridge (accessible with top down), cooler, dry food box, linens, and duffle bags through the side door. Folks with front trunks like the Coleman Mesa and load even more.

We do still need to open to dry out if it's raining at teardown time, but that's fairly uncommon for us. Otherwise, we never have to crank up at home before or after a trip. I can even access the portipotti with the roof down so we can empty at home and skip the dump station line on Sundays.

Not all popups have such a load friendly floor plan. Our first 8 footer couldn't fit more than just a cooler and the dry food box. Nothing else.

[OutdoorPhotogra]

@jeff10236

You nailed it for me. Everytime I've looked at. Something with similar sleep space for four grown people (two of which happen to be teens) I'm at the margins or over my tow capacity and now need off-site storage.

Good reminder that the advantages and disadvantages of a PUP vary by one's needs. The only downside that has ever really bothered us is taking down in the rain. Having to crank it up to load before a trip is annoying but not a deal breaker because it is stored at my house.

[pira114]

Hey, I accidentally hit the notify moderator button for this thread when I tried to hit the next page button. Haha. Sorry. Nothing wrong with this thread

[Jeff10236]

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
I agree that I would never want a PUP if I was camping single. As a family of four with teens, we nearly always setup in less than 30 minutes. Since I bought Anderson Levelers it's 15 minutes. Yes, it made that much difference because not only does it level faster it is simply more level which makes the door easier. The door has always been a pain on my 15 yr old PUP.

I do view it as a very nice tent and I did come from tent camping. We will upgrade to a TT or RV eventually but the PUP has served our family well. Not paying for storage is a huge plus. I wouldn't by a PUP without on-site storage at my house.

I think with a family there is no other way to go. Yes, you can buy a huge trailer with comfortable sleeping for 4-6, but it will be big, heavy, and require a pretty big truck to tow it. A pop-up is very space efficient with comfortable sleeping for 4 (6 depending upon the design of the dinette).

With a house and garage a pop-up is a great way to go due to the ease of storing it in a garage compared with other campers.

For me, I got the pop-up with the disadvantages (set up and take down) compared to other camper styles without the two main advantages of a pop-up. I do believe I'll own one again (if they are still made then) once I own a house and once I have a family (still being single at my age I should probably be saying "if" I have a family, especially if I don't end up marrying someone significantly younger). Since I have to pay for storage I have removed one the biggest advantages, and the double bunks aren't really needed right now. So, until there is a family I may go with a small trailer or an A-frame. I always preferred the idea of the pop-up because I'm a tent camper and I see the pop-up as a more comfortable extension of that, but with a TAB, hybrid or similar, I could always spend most of my time outside, cook outside, enjoy the campfire, etc. but then go in to sleep in a comfortable camper, have a true usable bathroom when too far from the campground provided facilities (or when they aren't suitably clean), and a good escape from rain storms. So, I don't think I'll be too big a sell-out if I get a trailer, and I'll probably eventually go back to a pop-up (albeit a smaller and simpler one than I have) when/if I have a family. Also, at least until the cheap community storage comes through, I won't even get the A-frame or travel trailer and I'll be going back to my tent, I'll just need to get a cot for my older back.

[Jeff10236]

manualman wrote:
Is your crank at bend-over level? That's another feature I love about my Coleman: Waist level crank placement on the rear of the camper. No bending during cranking. It's not on all Colemans, just their mid trim and up. Some folks also use a hi torque cordless drill to crank her up. I've never seen the point as my camper isn't very tiring to crank. Then again, I don't have an AC unit on the roof weighing it down either.

Unfortunately, yes, the crank requires that I bend over to use it (it is on the tongue of the trailer, I put the handle into the frame itself). I have thought about the drill, but since I'm planning to sell it I won't. The AC probably is a good part of why it is a lot harder to crank up than I remember from my parents' old pop up, but another is probably my 46 year old back now v. my 16 year old back then.