Buying first camper. Few simple questions...

[Danattherock]

Found the forum last night and read till 0300. Great info and community here. Wife and I got 9 month old son and 18 month old German Shepherd. All of a sudden, tent camping is losing its luster. Thinking a travel trailer might be the ticket. We are in south central NC. I have a 2004 Tahoe 2WD with 5.3 liter. As I recall, tow weight max is around 6500-6700 lbs. As wife and are going to look at campers in the next few days, I was hoping for some insights here. Few quick questions for anyone with the time to share.


Would a 4,500 lb camper be about right for my tow vehicle?

Do you use generators or is all power supplied by just plugging into 120 volt at most campgrounds. Life long tent camper here. Just rented a few RV's in Alaska, but was in campgrounds that were closed for the season.

What are the 'hidden cost' of running around with a travel trailer? All hobbies have them. Ha ha.

Is storing under carport good enough or is indoor storage worthwhile. Looking at adding a second garage anyway, curious if it would be worthwhile long term to store indoors or if it would be over kill. Other option is the large aluminum carport cover beside my other garage. Gravel on ground. Curious about proper storage.

Is there a certain size you might suggest. Guess weight limitations on my towing capacity will dictate much. Would like to sleep 4 adults and 2-3 kids at times. Mostly will be wife, son, dog, and I. Generally speaking, should I focus on 25', 27', 30', etc...

What kind of insurance do you guys/gals suggest. Curious what the annual cost is. Looking at a $15,000-25,000 camper. Again, wondering about the hidden cost.

Last but not least, where do you take these things. I have intentionally avoided the very campgrounds I now seek in the past. We usually tent camp in primitive settings. I have never been to a KOA. Clueless. But the main thing I need to justify this purchase is what kind of trips we could take. We are big fly fisherman, fresh and salt. We got numerous kayaks, canoes, and two whitewater rafts. We also golf and enjoy photography and day hikes. Love the mountains and the coast. Just wondering where you folks have been. I am not interested in pulling into the same campground each weekend. Want to get out 4-12 hour drives from home. We are travel nurses and work 3 days a week. Want to get ideas on 3-5 day trips. Anywhere from Florida to West Virginia.


Thanks for any ideas. I am sure your patience wears thin with all the noob questions.




Dan
Rockingham,NC

[NCWriter]

Hope you will report back as you begin your search. I think your family is going to have a great time making memories with this plan. Fishing, canoeing, kayaking all go hand in hand so well with RVing.

As far as places, you've got the outer banks, Great Smokey Mountains NP, Blue Ridge, Myrtle Beach, state parks in VA, NC and SC, so you'll never run out of fun places to check out.

Like others, we love camping in state and national parks where you often have ranger activities, great for kids. Then there are Army Corps of Engineers COE campgrounds often near dams that having fishing and boating. National Forest Service campgrounds. MANY of these have water and electric hookups and dump stations where you can empty the waste tanks. You can often reserve these ahead, a good idea for holidays and weekends.

I love the ocean... Here are just a few of my local favorites - Croatan National Forest Cedar Point Campground - Kayaking, marsh walks, near the ocean and Emerald Isle beaches. Tons of kids' activities five minutes away at MacDaddys and Golfin Dolphin like mini golf, bowling, etc.

Hunting Island SP, SC - on the ocean, beach, lighthouse, hiking, great seafood nearby and the historic town of Beaufort.

Huntington Beach State Park, near Myrtle Beach, by a pristine beach, spooky old mansion Atalaya from the rice plantation era.

You're going to love it!

[Danattherock]

I sure do appreciate all the input. Heading to the RV place now. Eager to get in a few campers and compare. Thanks to the help here, I can at least have a decent conversation with my wife and the sales rep. The search begins...


Dan

[Jerallen]

Danattherock wrote:
Going to Camping World in Fayetteville tomorrow morning. Can't wait to check out a few campers

Be wary as there are unscrupulous salesmen out there that will tell you you can "tow anything on the lot".

Clubhouse's points about weight specific to your Tahoe will be important as you make your decision.

Good luck!

[fla-gypsy]

Q1. Would a 4,500 lb camper be about right for my tow vehicle?

A1. Yes but do not rely on listed dry weights of campers. Most campers add 1k# of stuff. You will quickly learn that SUV people haulers do not make the best tow vehicles for various reasons

Q2. Do you use generators or is all power supplied by just plugging into 120 volt at most campgrounds?

A2. I only camp at CG's that offer W&E at a minimum. FHU is preferred but many people camp without any of these. Camping without utilities is a whole different and IMO, difficult proposition for families.

Q3. What are the 'hidden cost' of running around with a travel trailer?

A3. Fuel mileage, maintenance and accessories along with increased camping fees. An RV is not cheap camping in most cases

Q4. Is storing under carport good enough or is indoor storage worthwhile?

A4. Covered storage is good, inside storage better but not required. Many store completely in the elements. Using it frequently and not storing is ideal and the only cost effective use of an RV. Mine is kept outside.

Q5. Is there a certain size you might suggest. Guess weight limitations on my towing capacity will dictate much. Would like to sleep 4 adults and 2-3 kids at times?

A5. This will be a challenge. Those type of sleeping arrangements in the size TT you will be limited to by your tow vehicle will be difficult to pull off without a lot of searching IMO. Consider ultralight type TT's to get more length and sleeping berths. Do not buy a TT that is to big for your vehicle, YOU WILL REGRET IT. This is why you see so many crew cab HD pickups towing trailers.

Q6. What kind of insurance do you guys/gals suggest. Curious what the annual cost is?

A6. I would suggest an RV specific policy with your auto carrier to avoid issues if something does happen. I use State Farm for both. The RV policy is cheap, just $200+ a year.

Q7. Last but not least, where do you take these things? I have intentionally avoided the very campgrounds I now seek in the past.

A7. I am a state park camper for the most part as Florida has one of the best park systems in the country. I also like Corp of Engineer parks and National Forest sites, they are a great value and seem to fit the type of camping you do as well. If your ever down this way send me a message and I can put you on some great water based parks.

[Randu]

Hi Dan,
Know your town pretty well from spending many February and October days at the speedway from 1986 to 2004. Your in a perfect spot as 2-3 hours is the ocean and 3-4 hours to mountains.
New is nice but you will get the bug to improve/upgrade in a few years. (It's happened to all of us) I would recommend visiting as many new dealers as possible to see /touch and talk. Soak up as much information as you can but be prepared to fact check the garbage that will come out of some salespeople. Pick a few brands and models that you think will work for you. Next is get on the computer and look for same make and model on RV Trader.com but look at used rigs that are 2-4 years old. Huge $$$ savings over new and very low deprecation to you when you resell in a few years. Campers are just like cars where a huge amount of deprecation hits the original owner. Randu

[twins89]

Look at Jayco Swift Jay Feather. A Hybrid would also be in your range especially if you plan to store it covered. Welcome and enjoy the shopping experience. Just remember that salespeople will tell you anything to get a sale. Do your research and be patient. Bring the kids, when well rested and not cranky when you are narrowing your search. Get in the camper, all of you, spend 30-60 min inside it alone and see how it works. Pretend you are cooking - can someone get by in the aisle. Sit on the toilet, do your knees hit the wall - can you stand up in the shower. Is there enough for rainy days. I know going from a tent, they will all seem like a palace but you need to find one you are happy with after the honeymoon is over. Also important is the dealer; what are the reviews for product warranty, etc. Meanwhile, visit some garage sales to stock the new rig.

[PapPappy]

Danattherock wrote:
Found the forum last night and read till 0300. Great info and community here. Wife and I got 9 month old son and 18 month old German Shepherd. All of a sudden, tent camping is losing its luster. Thinking a travel trailer might be the ticket. We are in south central NC. I have a 2004 Tahoe 2WD with 5.3 liter. As I recall, tow weight max is around 6500-6700 lbs. As wife and are going to look at campers in the next few days, I was hoping for some insights here. Few quick questions for anyone with the time to share.
The Tahoe should be a good TV for you....lots of folks use them, but they are really for a mid-size trailer. You will also want to figure the human and K-9 weight in the Tahoe when you go to figure what you can tow.....say 500 for all of you...that comes off the capacity!

Would a 4,500 lb camper be about right for my tow vehicle?

Do you use generators or is all power supplied by just plugging into 120 volt at most campgrounds. Life long tent camper here. Just rented a few RV's in Alaska, but was in campgrounds that were closed for the season.
If you only go to CampGrounds with electric, you won't need the genset. But, if you want to go to some of the State Parks or do some Boondocking (without hook-ups), you'll want a generator. If you plan to use the A/C, and living in NC, you will, you'll need at least 3500 Watt genset, which will give you the 30A that you'd get from a CG hook-up.

What are the 'hidden cost' of running around with a travel trailer? All hobbies have them. Ha ha.
It would be nice if the costs were hidden.:)
Once you get the TT outfitted....hoses, chairs, pots and pans, small grill, etc....you won't really have to many other expenses, other than the annual Taxes, Registration, etc.

Is storing under carport good enough or is indoor storage worthwhile. Looking at adding a second garage anyway, curious if it would be worthwhile long term to store indoors or if it would be over kill. Other option is the large aluminum carport cover beside my other garage. Gravel on ground. Curious about proper storage.
A garage is best, carport second best. You are trying to keep the sun and weather off the RV. Keeping the tires out of the sunlight, will help a lot too, though you can buy covers for that.
As far as the ground is concerned. I like to park my tires on plywood. Blacktop is made from petroleum products, so can have an effect on the tires. Stones are OK, but some can be sharp. Dirt and grass tend to hold the moisture, which can effect the brakes. Concrete is good, but plywood is cheap!

Is there a certain size you might suggest. Guess weight limitations on my towing capacity will dictate much. Would like to sleep 4 adults and 2-3 kids at times. Mostly will be wife, son, dog, and I. Generally speaking, should I focus on 25', 27', 30', etc...
Once you know what your truck can handle, you can start looking for TTs that fit into that category.
There are some lightweights that will give you extra space, but they will cost more. Hybrid trailers will also give you more area for the money, though they are still "tents" at the ends, and you may or may not want that.
Keep in mind that you may not want to use the dinette bed, since it will have to be changed every day, so you are looking for something with two sofas and a bed (for you guys)....with the kids sleeping on the floor. The more you want to handle, the more weight and cost you will have.

What kind of insurance do you guys/gals suggest. Curious what the annual cost is. Looking at a $15,000-25,000 camper. Again, wondering about the hidden cost.
Talk with your Insurance Agent. But also call around to some of those ones you are seeing on TV...Geico, Progressive, etc. to get a price.
It's not going to be very expensive, but it's also not free. I would guess you are looking at a couple hundred bucks, based on what kind of protection you want.

Last but not least, where do you take these things. I have intentionally avoided the very campgrounds I now seek in the past. We usually tent camp in primitive settings. I have never been to a KOA. KOA is good, though they might be more expensive that some others, they typically have a standard that they have to meet for KOA. Usually, they are "Family" oriented, and many have fenced dog parks with Agility Equipment.
A place you may really like, since you are a dog person, is FourPawsKingdom here in NC. They are all about the dogs! Do a google search. Clueless. But the main thing I need to justify this purchase is what kind of trips we could take. We are big fly fisherman, fresh and salt. We got numerous kayaks, canoes, and two whitewater rafts. We also golf and enjoy photography and day hikes. Love the mountains and the coast. Just wondering where you folks have been. I am not interested in pulling into the same campground each weekend. Want to get out 4-12 hour drives from home. We are travel nurses and work 3 days a week. Want to get ideas on 3-5 day trips. Anywhere from Florida to West Virginia.
The beauty of the RV, is that you can go where you want. If you were to buy a cottage at the beach or up in the mountains, you're pretty much stuck going there all the time. With the RV, you can break out a map, and throw a dart at it:)
A great reference is RVParkReviews.com, where you can read what regular folks like yourself have found when they stayed at various campgrounds. The site usually has links to the CG's website too.
Find a place that you are interested in visiting, and then look up CGs in that area.



Thanks for any ideas. I am sure your patience wears thin with all the noob questions.
We were all noobs at one time or another....and I for one, am still learning things, so I don't mind passing it along when I can help.




Dan
Rockingham,NC

[Danattherock]

Thanks guys. Especially to clubhouse. More info is better at this point. I am green as can be. Going to Camping World in Fayetteville tomorrow morning. Can't wait to check out a few campers. Should learn a good bit about what we are interested in, can afford, tow, etc... Look forward to checking back in here tomorrow. Thanks for any and all contributions.

Dan

[Robby9]

I think you're about right on your size and weight measurements. Use the search function and learn everything you can about your vehicle and towing. 99% of the salespeople are clueless about towing specs and will mislead you about what you can comfortably pull.

Insurance is very cheap, about $250 a year. Don't spend a lot of money on your first camper. The hidden costs are that you'll want a bigger camper after your first season and you'll need a bigger truck to pull it.

Some people are all about seclusion and use generators to camp off the grid. Personally, we're resort campers. At the very least we've got to have water and electric. State parks are cheap and will have water and electric hookups.

If you liked tent camping you're going to love rv'ing.

[clubhouse]

This will be the longest reply I have made on any forum ever 😉

I too am still a relative newbie in the RV world compared to lots of the experience around here. I had lots of the same questions you did when we dove it, and surprisingly enough the same TV. Here is my thoughts...

1) To figure this out correctly you really need to get actual weights of you TV loaded and ready to camp to see how much GCVWR and Cargo Capacity you have left. The primary issue with the Tahoe for us was Cargo Carrying Capacity, by the time you load your family, dog, stuff and TT Tongue Weight there isn't much margin. At the time we were family of 4 (kids 5 and 3) + 2 dogs (boxers). As mentioned we started with a '04 Tahoe 5.3 3:73 4x4 and purchased a Jayco JayFlight 26BH. We were slightly over the GVWR (less that 100 lbs) but fine on each axle rating and GCWV. The 26BH weighed 5300 off the lot, and just under 6000 ready to camp with minimal water. So a 4500 ship weight should be close, but you will still quickly approach one of more of the Tahoe's ratings.

2) We use a generator to recharge batteries whenever we don't have an Elec H/U. You never use a Gen when you have an Elec H/U. We have a Honda EU2000i; great and quiet but, will run everything but the AC.

3) Several ... Biggest is Fuel Economy will tank. On our Tahoe we got ~16 as a daily driver, 8.5-9.5 while towing. There is always some gadget to buy. At first it will be things you consider necessary, the aforementioned generator, EMS/Surge Protection Devices, extra hoses, tools to keep in the trailer. Then it will be the luxury items you see other have in campgrounds; those awning lights, flags, coolers, BBQ, Bike Rack, etc. Lastly you will start to improve you TT; change the lights to LED, High CFM vent fans, Vent Covers, Mattress Toppers, etc.

4) Covered carport would be great. Fully enclosed is nice, but really keeping UV off the roof is the most important. Might be nice if you have 30amp power there to keep you TT plugged in and be able to run the AC when loading/unloading/cleaning.

5) Take you time and look at lots of options. If you really don't want to upgrade TV (which by the way you will even if you don't think you will) I doubt you will many options in >30' range and no bunkhouses with actual bunk rooms. If I could do it all over again I would have immediately upgrade the TV and bought the larger trailer upfront. Although the Tahoe could pull my TT, it really wasn't enjoyable in the Sierras where we take lots of summer trips. Therefore 9 mths after buying the TT I bought the 3/4 Diesel PU I should have had from the beginning. Now our family has grown to add another kid, cousins and friends are often coming along, so now we are looking at larger Bunk Room Style TT. Had I known what I know now I wouldn't have looked at the upgrade from tent to no-slide mid size TT as this huge improvement, but would have looked towards the future and planned better what I would want as my family grew.

5) I have a separate RV policy that provides vacation/storage liability, GAP coverage and roadside assistance. I think separate policies are much better than an adder on you auto. Coverage is less than $300/year

6) I have yet to stay at a KOA. We still go to a lot of the same State Park CG we always used, with a lot fewer sites to choose from, and a few non-KOA privately owned campgrounds ... but none are the parking lot type places you see and read about. We still really enjoy campfires and the natural outdoors. Neither our kids or us are looking for play structures and pools they have all that at home.

Best of luck

[2edgesword]

If the tv tow capacity is 6500 then going with a 4500lb trailer gives your wife plenty of margin to add all the stuff she thinks are necessities :). I guess ideally indoor storage is best. Out of the elements, easier to keep clean, etc. That said rv's are built for the outdoors and most people I know store them outside. I cover mine during the off season but some folks are not big on covers.

Most of the campgrounds I visit are full hook-up (water, electric and sewer) but if you're use to tent camping you may want to get a generate and consider getting a trailer with a large fresh, grey and black water capacity for camping in places without facilities.

Insurance on my $15,000 trailer is less than $200/year. The hidden expense is the big drop in gas mileage when you're towing and all the add on gadgits you and the misses will want to add:).

Enjoy the hunt.

[Danattherock]

Ha ha. Know it well. Love the state park golf course.


Dan

[Jerallen]

Welcome Dan- lots of info here. You've come to the right place. Just sift through the responses.
BTW just south of you here in the "prettiest town in Dixie"