Choosing my first trailer

[fpmtngal]

I'm completely new to the RV world and am trying to choose my first trailer. There's only me and my tow vehicle is a V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4. So far I have decided that I want something that is no longer than 21 feet, anything longer won't fit in my yard and I think longer would mean greater maneuverability problems than I want to put up with.

My choices at the moment are the 2 smaller Lance trailers (1685 and 1575) and the R Pods. I'm definitely open for other ideas, my "must-haves" are a bathroom, room to stand up in, and perhaps a full time bed (this is negotiable somewhat). I'm not going to be full-timing it, but do want to take some long road trips after I retire next year and will have no boss to control my time. I would consider the smallest Airstream, though it's really out of my price range. I want a well built trailer that will provide the most years of jtravel without the headaches of correcting poor construction.

Should the distance from my home to the manufacturer's factory be something to consider, if all other things are equal? Im in SoCal so the Lance factory isn't all that far from me, I would think that it would be easier to get parts and warranty work done than if I were to buy an R Pod or some other trailer. Or would that matter at all?

What other trailers should I consider?

[fpmtngal]

Thanks for the recommendations, they've made for some interesting reading.

One of my first thoughts was the 17 foot Escape just because the Canadian dollar is so low. When I called them they said that they were sold out for 2016, and I don't want to wait until 2017, I'm not getting any younger.

The Minnie Winnie or Micro Winnie trailers are very nice. They had some of the 21(something) trailers there but they seemed to be heavier than what I wanted. They also had a Winnie that looked just like an R Pod, and was identified as a 178, same model number as the Pod I had looked at before. No one had any R Pods at the show, though.

I did see a Meercat (too basic for what I want) and a Tab that has both a wet bath and a kitchen area, and I could even stand up in it. The construction looked pretty good, and I figured that I'm small enough that I could sleep on the back part of the dinette and wouldn't have to keep moving the table down to go to sleep.

I looked (again) at the Aliner, this one with 2 hard sided dormers. I may go back and look at them again, but I wasn't as impressed with them as I had been last year, not sure why. The hard sided dormers make them feel quite roomy, but I don't remember the counters being as low as the one I looked at today..

I looked at the Lances, they had the 1575 as well as the 1685. I actually liked the smaller 1575 better than the bigger and wider trailer, liked the big window in the back. So the 1685 is out of the running.

Looked at the Camp Light trailers. The ones I saw were well built but I didn't like them. Floor plans would work, lots of room, light weight for their size but I still didn't like them.

I also saw the 16 foot Airstream. Very nice, very comfortable and not something I would buy even if I could afford it.

I'm not going to change my TV. I sat in a full sized half ton truck when I test drove the Colorado and I couldn't believe that once I thought they were no big deal. Guess I've lived in SoCal too long. I wasn't particularly comfortable with the size/maneuverability of the Colorado, while I felt completely at home with the JGC.

The show was fun, they didn't have all that many small trailers, and I'm still thinking about it all. At least I now know that the 1685 isn't for me.

[bobndot]

I think the R-Pod in a non slide model would work if you like them.
No slide offers less weight and less to go wrong.
If its only one person, the non slide might be the ticket .

[gmw_photos]

To the OP, since your tow vehicle is more "car based, and kind of midsized", then Jon's recco of an Escape ( as well as other recco's of the other fiberglass egg types ) is certainly a good option.
You may want to do a little homework on tow capacity, payload capacity, etc, before deciding on a trailer.
And bear in mind that the "advertised weight" ( as well as the advertised tongue weight ) of many trailers is actually quite a bit less than what the trailer will really weight when you are ready to pull out of the driveway.

[vermilye]

GrandpaKip wrote:
Look at any of the fiberglas egg type campers, also. Casita, Scamp, Oliver, Bigfoot.

I'd also add Escape Trailer Industries to the fiberglass trailer list. They make a 17', 19', 21' & a 21' 5th wheel. I've towed an Escape 17B almost 70,000 miles with a V6 RAV4 over the last 4 1/2 years with no structural problems. Only problem is unless you buy used, there is a over 1 year waiting list to purchase from the factory in Chilliwack, BC. The exchange rate on the Canadian dollar makes them a great deal.

[Bigbird65]

We pull an exact fit to your needs with a RAM V6 and 8 speed. So far we have pulled it 4157 trouble free miles. It is a Winnebago Minnie Winnie 2101DS. The current 2016 model is the 2106. There are just 2 of us and it fits our TV and needs perfectly. Winnebago does make smaller ones. Google Winnebago towables.

The construction is all aluminum framing, floor, sides and top with a 5/8" ply floor and good insulation. The outside covering is gel coated fiberglass. Several colors of fiberglass are available. You can walk anywhere on the roof. We ordered ours to get a white one and got the factory installed rear ladder, a must have. It has all the amenities most people want. I recently added the GlowStep Revolution as an upgrade.

[gmw_photos]

I too travel solo, with just my small dog along with me. I chose a Funfinder 189FDS. Tow with a Nissan Frontier, 4.0L V6, six speed manual transmission. BlueOx swaypro hitch.
I've towed it now approximately 25K miles, and have enjoyed every mile of towing, and every night spent in the camper.
The camper has only had a few small faults that have needed correction, which I did myself rather than go to the trouble of towing it to the dealer.

To the OP, do not expect "any" brand of trailer to be totally perfect when you get it, no matter what the price of it. Many times, new trailers have a few issues to be sorted. Usually you can do these repairs easily enough at home with basic hand tools and few hours of easy labor.

[rexlion]

GrandpaKip wrote:
Look at any of the fiberglas egg type campers, also. Casita, Scamp, Oliver, Bigfoot.

I agree with this. Any trailer will take a beating as you travel the bumpy highways, roads and trails. This loosens things up, inside and out. A molded fiberglass TT has a body that won't loosen up, because it doesn't have seams between all the sides and the roof. This just leaves the interior to loosen up! 😉

Seriously, I had purchased a new a KZ Escape 14RB and it developed a roof leak when it was 3.5 years old. I also had a 2010 Aliner Ranger 12 for one year, purchased in '14 and sold this year, and it seemed to have a lot of very minor but annoying maintenance problems crop up while I had it. I liked both of these units, but I'm glad I don't have them any more. I am saving my pennies and looking for a molded fiberglass TT.

Another thing you want to consider is the cost of travel fuel. I could get 14 mpg towing a Burro but only 11 mpg towing the KZ. Figure how many miles you'll travel annually at a 3 mpg savings. (The egg is easier on the drive train, too.) I thought I'd get 17 or 18 with the Aliner, but instead it was more like 14! Between a folder and an egg, I greatly prefer the convenience of being able to open the door and just walk in to use the bathroom, eat lunch, take a break, lie down, etc.

[_tiredTeacher]

donn0128 wrote:
Personally I would be either looking to upgrade TVs or downgrade my dream trailer to more Aliner, teardrop, or tent trailer sizes.

X2 on this.

[donn0128]

Warrenty work is done by the selling dealer. Same for parts. Distance from factory has very little to do with anything. My trailer was built back east 10 years ago, and I can still call them and have parts in less than a week. Thats what I call service. You need to decide what YOU like best about each brand. Remember though, size is only part of the equasion when towing. Weight, TV motor and drive train also play a big part. Your V6 may seem like a lot, but when you start pulling you will quickly realize size really matters. Personally I would be either looking to upgrade TVs or downgrade my dream trailer to more Aliner, teardrop, or tent trailer sizes.

[GrandpaKip]

Look at any of the fiberglas egg type campers, also. Casita, Scamp, Oliver, Bigfoot.