New to travel trailers

[Franbak13]

My son and I are thinking about buying a 2012 Outback Keystone 312BH. They are charging $24,900 for it. It seems to be in great shape. Since we are a 66 yr. old mom and 25 yr. old son, the 312 with the bunkhouse in one end and the master bedroom in the other seems to be just what we need for both of us to have our privacy.
But neither of us has ever had a travel trailer before and know very little about camping.

What are the ins and outs of towing something like this?

Any help anyone can give me would be appreciated.

[APT]

That is 3/4 ton territory. v And you can get a custom built 2014 for less than $25k. I personally would not pay more than $20k as it has been on a lot for over a year.

[Desert_Captain]

Franbak13 wrote:
Thanks for all the advice. By the way, I have looked at a lot of units, considering the size, floorplan, condition and this is the best TT floorplan to fit my son's and my privacy needs. We have a 2004 GMC Sierra 5.3 V8 Extended cab.
I realize this is a large unit and I do have concerns about pulling it, but also know I probably won't be buying another one anytime soon. So, we checked it out again yesterday and checked for leaks, awning, fridge, a/c, etc. Everything seems in working condition. Also, the dealership is going over it now doing maintenance on it.

IMHO: Towing that trailer with your truck is not going to be much fun let alone safe. Even lightly loaded you will have well over 1,000# of TW and WDH. Check the payload of your truck, probably in the 1500# or less range which will not leave much room to load people and or gear. That trailer is 35' long and the tail will be wagging the dog in all but the flattest/best weather conditions.

If you are going to just park it somewhere and live in it it won't be a problem but if traveling is in your future it is going to be a white knuckle adventure. Good luck! :C

[I_am_still_wayn]

Franbak13 wrote:
We have a 2004 GMC Sierra 5.3 V8 Extended cab.

Your truck is not up to the task of pulling the trailer you are considering.

[mike_t]

JMHO. Your truck is not what you need to tow this trailer.Engine/transmission rear end wise. You also will be looking at anti sway controllers and an equalizer hitch. As far as privacy. Your going camping not going some where to get away from each other.

[Franbak13]

Thanks for all the advice. By the way, I have looked at a lot of units, considering the size, floorplan, condition and this is the best TT floorplan to fit my son's and my privacy needs. We have a 2004 GMC Sierra 5.3 V8 Extended cab.
I realize this is a large unit and I do have concerns about pulling it, but also know I probably won't be buying another one anytime soon. So, we checked it out again yesterday and checked for leaks, awning, fridge, a/c, etc. Everything seems in working condition. Also, the dealership is going over it now doing maintenance on it.

[newstome2]

Hello, Franbak13:

I have read your comments and those of others on this site. I am about to purchase my 2nd larger trailer and have done a LOT of research and examination of various sizes.

My opinion is the same of many here: Do NOT do it!

Your trailer choice is far too big to learn with as a 1st time trailer. Further, you face a lot of issues you are not aware of yet.

Among these is the type of vehicle you need to pull this unit; the weight factors involved and hitch systems you need to safety proceed. You also face an issue where the size exceeds what some RV Parks will allow into their sites. They will also charge you more due to its length and weight.

Dry camping in the woods will present problems of their own, in particular locations that have tight roads and no areas to turn around. Backing or turning such a rig requires a lot of training and skill. On a roadway, you often will not have 2nd chances.

Without being rude, I would comment on a 25 year old driver who has perhaps never towed before. It is an art, trust me, and must be learned over many months of focused training, being careful to learn as much as you can about towing such rigs.

I followed the best advice of this group year ago: I bought a 22 foot trailer (interior space) with an overall length of 26.5 feet. It has been perfect to both learn in and to drive as a new owner.

Now I am ready for a larger trailer, but I will not exceed 28-29 feet maximum based on my recent research for the past 8 months.

You are taking on way too much if you do this, frankly.

Take your time, evaluate everything and speak with others who have various size trailers. Make sure you fully understand what it take to tow such a rig. Understand weight ratings, vehicle types and additional equipment such as Weight Distribution hitches plus steering such vehicles.

Once you sign on the dotted line, it is too late. It may prove dangerous for you in the end trying to tow this unit without experience or the right equipment. Start smaller and buy a excellent used rig, not new. You will save thousands.

Good Luck to You!

newstome2@live.com
Saturday
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[epusher]

Welcome, good luck and have fun with your adventure. Buying an RV is a fun adventure and if you hit most of your goals/wants/needs then your camping experience will be fun as well.

Sounds like you've already given it some thought on sleeping and privacy. Other things to consider is time spent inside the unit, access to bathroom and impact on others, counter space, seating for dining, storage space, etc. The best thing to do is visit a number of dealerships and spend some time sitting in a variety of units and acting out using it. Thinking about what you'll take and where you put it.

Give some thought to what type of camping/rving experience you want. Some national park sites can get tight up around the 30 foot plus mark. Will you mainly do full hookup or at least partial hookup sites? These things are impacted by battery storage space, inverter or not, fresh water, grey water and black water holding capacity.

Give some thought to tow vehicle. The size and weight of the trailer will determine what type and size of vehicle your need for towing. Payload on the tow vehicle is the key number. Dry weight of the trailer advertised by the dealer is always a good deal lower than your actual weight.

You search the forums for threads on the above topics (plus pricing) and how others have made their decisions.

The best advice though, don't get excited and jump on the first unit that strikes your fancy. Once you purchase you will not be recouping your purchase price on sale or trade. You want to make sure the money difference between purchase and sale of the trailer buys you a tool to get the experiences you want. It may seem daunting as you get into to it. But the purchase process is fun. Just have set what are your must have's and like to have's and be ready to negotiate for your best value.

[dadmomh]

My opinion is that that's a whole lot of trailer to learn to tow with. I've got you beat by one year and have towed our 23SS Hybrid and now our 2604 TT. I noticed a difference and surely wouldn't want to even think that size.

Suggestion would be to spend some time...lots of it... online looking at floorplans in the 25-27' range. Some do have a front bedroom and a rear "bunkhouse", usually something like a double size on the bottom and a single above. Usually there is a curtain you can draw closed. For starters, you might look at RV Wholesalers. We've bought 2 units from them and they're good to deal with and no game playing....but the benefit for you right now is that they sell a ton of different lines. You can just sit back and look at a lot of floorplans without having to drive all over the place.

You didn't mention what your tow vehicle is and the specs on it. That would help a lot for getting good guidance here.

I think it's great that you and your son are getting into something like this. We have a son with a lot of challenges and health problems...he absolutely hates camping! The only time he will even think about it is our yearly trek to FL for spring training. Baseball fixes everything. One good thing is that we get a break from him. Another good thing is that he gets a break from us, so it all works out. Do wish he would join us more often, but he'd rather be home for catching all the baseball games he can and tending to the doggies. Everybody is happy.

Please let us know how this search is coming and for sure the info on your tow vehicle. BTW.....do not believe everything a salesman tells you....sometimes it's not quite the truth.

[jmtandem]

I think it is great you are looking into doing RV things with your son. For a first trailer that is a little big and you will need a tow vehicle to accommodate the trailer's gross, not dry or empty, weight. Beyond that if you are comforatable towing it then all should be good. You will likely be somewhere between 50 and 55 feet long on the highway with your tow vehicle and trailer. It takes some thinking to change lanes, back up, corners, refueling, parking at restaurants, etc. I also agree with the previous poster about maybe getting you feet into the RV waters before jumping in fully by looking for a slightly smaller and/or more pre- owned unit. Most travel trailers are sold new at around 25-30 percent off MSRP so don't let the dealer tell you what it cost new and that the mid $20's is a real good deal for a used coach. I would try for something around $20K to be more comfortable with the purchase. They will likely try to sell you a 'starter kit' that is almost pure profit for the dealer so you can be wary of that as well. You will need a hitch, get a good one as most that are thrown in for the deal by the dealer are not exactly top of the line. Stand yor ground on the hitch and be sure it is quality and sized for your tow vehicle/trailer combination.

[donn0128]

Firs of all, Welcome.
As for the trailer? Personally for a first time buyer, start a bit older. Remember these things are a depreciating asset. Meaning it will be worth less than you will owe on it for most of it's life. So start your search for a trailer in the $10,000. or less range as a first timer. Second thing to consider is what do you have to tow it with? You certainly do not want to buy more trailer than you have vehicle to tow it with. Go watch the Long Long trailer with Lucy and Desi for a good education on that. Also consider where and what type of camping you are going to do with it? Put it on a seasonal site or tow to full service camp grounds or maybe remote camping in the National Forests. All of these things will play a part on the best type of RV for you. Also sleeping arrangements are important. Just don't get sucked into the first RV you see and like the looks of. BTW 25K for a two year old trailer seems kind of high to me.