This is a reason why Pop Ups aren't selling......

[Mike_Up]

as well as they use to. It's because of how expensive they are now especially compared to travel trailers.



2015 Jay Series 1209SC

The options for this floorplan are listed below.

Customer Value Package (Mandatory) $817.00

Bath/shower with hard walls $2,129.00

(2) Bed mat heaters $262.00

Stereo w/ outside speakers $187.00

Powered roof vent $210.00

16,000-BTU furnace w/ auto ignition $397.00

$17,608 MSRP

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2015 Jay Flight SLX 184BH

The options for this floorplan are listed below.

Customer Value Package (Mandatory) $1,199.00

Roof-mounted 13,500-BTU A/C $412.00

$14,647 MSRP
--------------------------------------------------------------



264BHW | 2015 JAY FLIGHT SLX

The options for this floorplan are listed below.

Customer Value Package (Mandatory) $1,199.00

Spare tire $180.00

$18,463 MSRP
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[Resq260Tech]

Two years ago, I purchased a brand new Jayco 1207 (2012 year model) for under $8k. The trailer is under 2000 lbs (no need for PA inspection), light tongue weight and has a remote control lift system. It only takes maybe a half hour from arrival at a campsite to finishing being all set up. (yeah, the wife and I work well together!) I think that the PUP is great, worth what I paid for it, however, if it had come down to paying a similar amount for a hard-walled trailer... I would have went with the latter.

[v10superduty]

Tlauden wrote:


Also, on a completely unrelated side note, what's up with these "mandatory" packages, if the equipment is mandatory why not just list it as standard equipment? :h

I did not read all the posts so this may have been answered for you?

Its "marketing" but it should be illegal IMO.

It lets them advertise a "lower" price but YOU HAVE TO pay more than the advertised price.
Seems like a "bait and switch" plan but must be legal...:h

The auto manufacturers do the same by charging "extra" for freight.
Try and decline the freight when you are dealing. :W
And for most brands the freight is the same whether you pick up at dealer across street from factory "OR" across the country so its a mandatory option that should be in the advertised price.

[Stovepipe]

Mike Up wrote:

Stovepipe wrote:
I'll be looking to sell my 2003 Starcraft. I gave $3550 for it in 2012 and I firmly believe I can get every bit of that back when I sell it.

I think that's very very optimistic but good luck to you none the less.

I'm basing that off what I'm seeing on Craigslist. Older pop-ups than mine are listed for more money and they disappear quickly. When I bought mine (off craigslist) I managed to catch the ad as soon as the man posted it, called him, and give him a deposit that night as I knew a good trailer when I saw it. He had 5 or 6 other people calling him interested before I got there. Demand was and is high here in east Tennessee.

Also, my trailer is in better shape than when I bought it. It has a brand new awning, brand new A/C (limb fell and cracked the old one), plus a freshly sealed roof, RV cover, packed bearings and a BAL leveler. I'll probably ask $4200 for it next spring, bet I get 4k easily. We'll see.

[Mike_Up]

Stovepipe wrote:
I'll be looking to sell my 2003 Starcraft. I gave $3550 for it in 2012 and I firmly believe I can get every bit of that back when I sell it.

I think that's very very optimistic but good luck to you none the less.

[Stovepipe]

On the plus side, the used pop-up market seems to be thriving around here. They don't seem to last long on Craigslist. This bodes well for me as I'll be looking to sell my 2003 Starcraft summer 2016 (upgrading to travel trailer). I gave $3550 for it in 2012 and I firmly believe I can get every bit of that back when I sell it. Might even make an extra $500 on it. There are a lot of folks that would love to have something under 2500 pounds that they can tow with a mini van and not have to spend over 5k for it.

[bradg]

I'm trying to sell my 2000 Jayco 14SO Popup now. It is in great shape since its been garage stored. So it will be a bargain for someone vs the cost of a new one.
We upgraded last summer to a TT and after having both, I love them both.

The Popup we have is close to 3000 lbs, so it still takes an SUV or small/medium truck. But, it is so easy to get around vs the TT. Our TT is close to 30 feet and we love the room, convience, etc...
At our age, we want the convience.
When we purchased the Pup in 2000, we wanted the convience that it gave us compared to tent camping on the ground.
Still like the feel that a pup is like you are tent camping with the convience. We enjoyed hearing, smelling and seeing the outdoors from the PUP. It was so much like the real camping we enjoyed so much.
But dispite camping in the PUP in the summer with 95 degree temps and in the winter (one time with 27 degree temps), the comfort of all weather camping in the TT is hard to beat.

Both are great and have their advantages. Wouldn't have given anything for our experience with both.

BTW... the original premise is true. As they tried to build everything in a TT into a PUP, they price has really gone up . Yes, there isn't much difference in price. You can have most of the features of a TT in a smaller/lighter PUP.

[Wine_Maker]

Great Post everyone. I am one of the crazy Large High Wall POP UP owners. My unit (rockwood HW296)is a dual axle, 16' box weighing in just under 5,000lbs fully loaded. I love it! It is sub 5,000 lbs which can be handled by many mid size SUV's. A large TV is not required.

I think what people miss in the comparison between a pop up and a TT is that a pop up is a bit more complicated to make and design then a TT. My pop up opens up to 29+'. It feels very spacious with its large windows and residential height ceilings of 7'6". The DW also finds she has much more counter space than many TT's we have seen. The point is, I get a large living space in a very compact towing space. I think pop ups are awesome inventions.

But let's put one thing in perspective here. Camping is not done to save money. It is a lifestyle. You cannot use a simple cost analysis. It is the perceived benefits that sway the equation. Those that want/enjoy a lifestyle of pop ups find it is worth the money.

As was said, there is no silver bullet for the "best RV". They make all types of RV's because each one has advantages and disadvantages.

Vin.

[rbpru]

The reason I love my PUP. It is closer to my idea of camping.

The reason I love my TT. It is so very convenient.

I do not think I will be giving up either very soon.

[twichers]

in the 60s my parents had 5 kids in a starcraft towed by a Mercedes 190D.

We traveled light...

[PAThwacker]

The only clear advantage I had witnessed previously owning a pup was the ability to take it down rutted forest road fire trails.

[5Mainecampers]

The biggest advantage if pop-ups have diminished with extra amenities, weight and higher cost.
We started with a simple 3 year old 10 ft pop up which I towed with a Ford Taurus wagon. This allowed us to get the 'camping' bug at a low cost. We then upgraded to a hybrid before upgrading to our Class C---- I don't know if we could have or would have gotten into RV's at current pricing.

[manualman]

Ryanincc wrote:
... MAybe their days are numbered to an extant, probably after all the used Colemans are beyond used, and Ill have moved over to a hybrid LOL

Mine will last until my second grader hits college. At that point, the plan is to be rich enough to buy an Aliner with fun cash as the couple's retirement RV. I still won't want to pull the big box behind me.

Then again, after putting 3 through college, I may be poor enough that LIVE in the current pup, much less be able to afford a fancier one!

[Ryanincc]

94Chalet wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

manualman wrote:
This thread overly generalizes rather badly.
In a way this thread is comparing apples to oranges.

Couldn't agree more 🙂

I would argue that the TT can be equal or more expensive when comparing living space and bed sizes to pop ups. For example, how big do you need to go on a TT to have 2 king size "full time" beds? My 17ft closed pup has them. Do they even make a TT with two? How about a just 2 queen beds that dont have to be something different during the day? A really big TT. Heck, I just saw some bed specs on a Bunk House model TT trying to compare spaces.... 28 inch wide bunks! I couldnt sleep in that without felling like I was in a coffin! I'd have to wonder if my kids could when they are teens. But this argument is unfair and comparing apples to oranges.

Price is relative. Even though my pup is 17 feet long closed up, a 17ft long TT wont have near the room as my pup when opened up. You need to compare 25-30 ft TT to an average size pup today. Apples to Oranges.

Manualman, I do agree with you a lot... about Americans wanting to bring it all with them rather than get away. I find myself, a 30 something, having some difficulty seperating from my phone. But I do and after a day its great. The kids gadgets dont make the trips 😉 I don't see the trend reversing anytime soon and It can be tricky getting wifi and sat tv in a pop up. MAybe their days are numbered to an extant, probably after all the used Colemans are beyond used, and Ill have moved over to a hybrid LOL

[manualman]

Mike Up wrote:
Most home owners already have a full size truck or SUV to load large and heavy items to keep their homes up or to upgrade their homes. I could never have a small vehicle as they are not built to haul loads of dirt, stone, stepping stone, firewood, or anything. Even my midsize SUVs were a pain where I had to rely on someone else. So I got trucks that could do what I needed around the house.

So if you're a home owner, you'll already have a truck or large SUV making the capable tow vehicle a none issue. Most home owners I know, have one. Those that pay others to do the work they can't, may only have crossover vehicles. In that case, if you have that type of disposal money, then getting the best bang for your buck may not have the same meaning that it does to me and others I know.

What a load of balooey. In my neighborhood of 140 homes I can count the number of pickup trucks or 'full size' SUVs on my fingers. In the 10 years we've owned the house the only thing I've ever hired out was the brick patio install. The rest got done by me and the wife's minivan. Have I renovated? Nope, no need when you buy new. But there sure are a LOT of finishing projects and fixes to sloppy builder practices to do. Few of which required sheet goods or other pickup truck warrants. Yeah, I get mulch delivered instead of going to get it myself. $30 expense once every two years. They dump in the driveway, I shovel and wheelbarrow. With the seats down/out and a $5 tarp, I can carry more burlapped shrubs in the minivan than a Tahoe can.
Can't even think of another project for which a pickup would have been helpful. But if I do, they rent 'em for $20/75 minutes at Menards.
I'm not ragging on pickup guys. Enjoy 'em if you like 'em. But let's not pretend that they are a need for the regular homeowner. Once gas prices get back to $4 again, the proof will again show up in buying patterns. I'm no longer sure that popups will regain popularity though. Americans no longer seem much interested in getting away from it all. Nowadays they want to cart it all along with them...

Not sure I'd be interested in a truly minimal tent trailer though. Seems like worst of all worlds: limited to where the vehicle can go, but no real additional benefits over a good tent. That's why I still have my backpacking stuff: the best campsites are places vehicles can't get to!

You're certainly right that TTs have some advantages: wall between you and drunken neighbor/party, kitchen at rest stops, instant access to all storage areas at all times, vastly more tankage... But for some of us, the costs and downsides make them downright unattractive: where to store it, pulling it, fuel costs, TV costs, campsite limitations, shorter lifespan (assuming outside TT storage vs inside pup storage). These are real downsides that kill the appeal for many of us.

[Mike_Up]

If I went back to folding campers, I might want to get the full advantages of a tent but on a trailer, and get into the woods or pull the camper on the beach. You can't do that with a Pop Up but you can with a Lil Max or Time Out Camper.