Chalet TS116

[stickyeye]

Was just on a TC dealer sight looking at the Chalet TS116 and it has a msrp of almost 63k :o!! I love truck campers and all but at what point is it too much money to make sense. Between the truck (40-60k) and camper price you can get a fully equipped class c and have a 4wd kit done on it for about 12-15k and still be at or below the TC setup cost. I know TC have certain advantages over class c units but the same is true in the reverse. Plus for some if you where to finance, the class c may be eligible to interest tax deductions. Granted the Chalet model I listed is one of the most expensive out there but no greater equipped than most class c's. Just talking out loud :C

Sticky

[trailgranny50]

AMEN

[cigar_100]

i think a lot of people loose sight of the fact that its not what your rig is or is not, its the time spent enjoying the outdoors and the great company of all other campers tc's or not. i am hoping to enjoy the time we spend in our camper every trip. happy camping.

[jimh406]

For the most part, you need to be somewhere other than forums to escape attitudes. As far as costs go, everything is increasing in price including the house you spoke of. In less than twenty years, houses in this area have gone up 300%. It just means it's better to buy whatever you think you need before you stop getting raises. Sad, but true. Of course, as others have noted you can save money by buying used whether you are talking truck or camper.

[trailgranny50]

Troll? Troll? Sorry but I don't live under a bridge. Not blasting anyone, just my personal view of the costs of things today. As for rig, as I've stated before here: 2004 Chevy Duramax 4x4 Crew Cab, LWB, DRW Stock everything factory camper package, 1990 Shadow Cruiser hard side 950. Anything else you need to know? Moles on my back, facial hair, dentures? Boy are some of you guys testy and defensive over nothing. Must be a full moon or something. As for original OP we're good, as you could tell if you had taken the time to really read. Anyway, you have a GREAT day you've absolutely MADE mine with your cheery attitude. Like I've said before, people sure are entertaining.

[trailgranny50]

Bedlam, thanks a bunch. It's also in the 60-80° range at my brother's place in Florida! Next winter. Course if it doesn't get warm enough to lay bricks pretty quick we might as well go back down there. It's even warmer at our kids' places in Colorado than here. We're a cold sink I guess.

[Fastbrit]

stickyeye wrote:
Was just on a TC dealer sight looking at the Chalet TS116 and it has a msrp of almost 63k :o!! I love truck campers and all but at what point is it too much money to make sense. Between the truck (40-60k) and camper price you can get a fully equipped class c and have a 4wd kit done on it for about 12-15k and still be at or below the TC setup cost. I know TC have certain advantages over class c units but the same is true in the reverse. Plus for some if you where to finance, the class c may be eligible to interest tax deductions. Granted the Chalet model I listed is one of the most expensive out there but no greater equipped than most class c's. Just talking out loud :C

Sticky

63k is retail price! Substract close to 30% and that is what we paid when we ordered our fully loaded 2014 Chalet TS116. Same price range as Top of the line Big Foot, Host, Lance, Eagle cap and Artic fox with same equipment.

[nomadictxn]

I read a lot of the other forums and notice this one is fairly benign when it comes to rants and blasts, compared. On my trips I have noticed almost any other truck camper ophile can get into just about any other truck campers rig and show a like enthusiasm ( although there was that guy with an Eagle Cap on Wilkerson Pass). I think we are the best community out there. My wife likes the truck and camper concept although she would prefer the multi slide and I like the more utilitarian and simple set ups. But the fact we all get excited when its time to go camp, brings us all back together. Another thing I notice about the truck camper crowd is the general level of expertise that has been displayed and shared with all and I am grateful for that!

[Bedlam]

Trailgranny50 - I'm going to rub a little "weather salt" into your frozen wound. Today is sunny and approaching 50 degrees which nice enough for me to be out on my motorcycle (motorcycling gets you outside more than camping).

We're packed up for the weekend rain or shine and have our LPG heaters ready so we can "rough it" outdoors.

[sky_free]

New prices are getting up there, but they depreciate fast so if you set your sights on something about 2-3 years old for both the truck and camper and be patient you should be able to get both for about half of that $120K. Buying new is great if you can afford it, but if you just want to get going within a budget it's very possible.

[trailgranny50]

It's all good. Apology accepted and issue put aside. I have nothing against anyone based on their wealth or lack thereof. My personal rant was to be directed more to the astronomical prices placed on things nowadays, not toward the people who can continue to pay then. After all, we can't take anything with us when we die anyway. Best enjoy what we have, at any level while we're here! Have a great day! Not in camping frame is mind today as wind chill in Okie land I'd 9° right now, 20-30 mph wind. Brrrr. Camped out next to fireplace! Florida sounds REAL good right now.

[Boatycall]

trailgranny50 wrote:
Maybe it's just me but after spending our entire lifetime paying out the nose for trucks that even yet continue to rise to unbelievable heights in price that actually had a job and went to work and helped us earn a living, blowing such a chunk of change that would buy a house isn't very palatable....to us. We're just regular working folks who have always been sole proprietors, raised a big family and just can't imagine having the amount of disposable income it takes to buy some if the set ups we see on this forum! I'm sure there are more folks on here that have the money to spend than those of us who don't but that doesn't mean we enjoy our old, used, cheapies any less. It all comes down to what one can afford, wants to afford, need to feel good, and you are comfortable with. For us it's real comforting having cash to travel with more places and a unit that didn't cost three lifetimes to buy. We all have our level of comfort. Personally I think it's obscene the prices placed on both trucks and campers, especially truck campers by the manufacturers and retailers. Guess as long as people will pay those prices they'll just keep getting more ridiculous.

Well, since you spoke your mind, I'll speak mine. Why aren't you over blasting the Diesel Pusher guys? Their rigs can run into the millions. Their CHEAPEST ones cost MORE than a top-of-the-line TC and truck put together. I don't have the money for one of those, but I'm not going to go over and blast them because they do.

The OP didn't ask for this type of a response, this comes off as trolling to me. You don't have a signature telling us what rig you have--or don't. I don't see the purpose of blasting someone, or for that matter all of us here, for buying what is one of the least expensive forms of RV's there is on this forum.

Sure, like any class of RVs there are high end models that cost a lot, but a Travel Trailer needs a truck, a Tent Trailer needs a truck, so does a 5th Wheel, or a Toyhauler.

Blasting the OP, or for that matter, the rest of us as to why you won't buy one is both irrelevant to this conversation, and condescending.

I didn't see Butch's post, he pulled it before I saw it, but I have a funny feeling it was pretty similar to this. And unless Wayne or Admin removes it, it stays.

[Butch50]

trailgranny50

I apologize for yesterdays rant but just to let you know I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth and grew up with very little. We were a family of very little means. I was born and raised on a small ranch in NW MT and worked all the time I was not in school. After I finished school I worked in the timber in NW MT pulling lumber on a green chain then on to skidding logs. I got paid by how much I skidded and not by the hour.

So I also know what it is to do hard work and have cracked skin on my hands and no matter how much lotion I put on them they would be in the same condition or worse after another days work. Working in the cold winters in MT where as soon as I started work I was wet and stayed that way all day long. So yes I do know that life also.

I also have a shoulder that is gone and it is going to have to be replaced and the other one is on its way to being replaced also. I have had fingers broke on the jobs that have had to have pins put in them to set them. So I have been beat up in my life also.

Your post just seemed to me that you were saying people were stupid for paying as much as they do for their toys that is the way it came across to me.

Again I apologize for the post. No hard feelings.

Back the intent of the OP post.

[trailgranny50]

OK, "Butch" in my post I never singled you out for any criticism, no one in fact, just stated the facts as I see them. Nowhere did I say EVERYONE should think as I do, nor do I believe that way. I'm with you if you've got it and want to spend it on whatever and you're not hurting anyone else and it makes you happy then by all means go for it! I could personally care less about your finances, none of anyone's business, but it would appear you might just have a tiny problem inside yourself somewhere that's a little over sensitive to even the slightest hint, even if unintended as my comment was, of criticism. But that's your personal problem not mine. Oh,paaaleeezzze just grow up and move on. As for funding, well congrats on you good job and all the perks and your hard time. Don't look down your nose on me or mine as I've been right in there with my DH of 46 years as he's worked till his hands literally cracked open and bled, lost 4 disintegrated vertebrae in his back, calloused his knees and been thru fristbite and heat stroke right up to his present age of 72, working in our own business, paying all the taxes that company owners, small like us especially, pay for employees to earn what we have. If a person works at anything and does it well they have earned whatever they have been able to save. Not everyone has the same challenges in life and business so power to you and enjoy what you've obviously earned and get off my case and that of others like me. Thanks for the defense from other forum members public and private and as you can see, I'm well equipped thru life's experiences here on the "po" side of working stiffs to defend myself as if what's said here is going to be of any concern to me in what remains of my life. LOL people are so darned entertaining. Good morning all!

[AKSuperDually]

I already owned the truck......and many use their trucks for more than just RV'ing/Camping. That's where the benefit of the TC comes in for some of us.

My truck is one of my biggest tools in Alaska. It takes garbage to the dump, tows boats, brings gravel/goods to the property, gets and transports firewood and hauls heavy equipment saving me a big chunk in the rental costs. Adding a truck camper to the mix just extends the usefulness of a vehicle I've already got tons of money into. 15 years and 130K miles of use so far. I won't mention how much I've got into it.....but it's been paid off for years, and despite the numerous upgrades....still costs considerably less than these newer models. In many ways, mine performs better also. If you are buying a truck....just to RV in a TC, then yeah...I'd consider a specialty build class C or something.