Hello! First post here, I guess I'll just dive right in! Currently have an old Jayco popup that is really nice but just not enough for the wife and I and three young kids. As the title suggests, we are looking to upgrade! As we get further into this we are wanting more and more to just do this once and buy something that will last us many years as they kids get older ( currently 2, 7, and 8). So far we have looked around at four RV dealers and have found a couple we like but the one we like most so far is definitely the Sporttrek 327VIK. I don't see much of anything on this forum about this trailer, only one member saying they ordered one, but nothing else. Just curious if anyone has one now or has any opinions on it. The quad bunks, large sofa, sitting position to the entertainment center, TV outside, rear rack, built in ladder to the top, and kitchen layout are really drawing us to this one, with about the only downsides being the small bedroom area and the lack of solid surface countertops, both of which I don't think are too big of a deal.

Startrek and Sonic are both manufactured by Venture RV.Venture RV0985 North, 900 WestShipshewana, IN 46565I've seen a few Sonic's running around in Indiana, but never noticed a Startrek (and I'm always noticing RV's). Considering the camper is manufactured in Northern Indiana right in RV manufacturer's paradise, I would think the Startrek would be a reasonably good camper. I looked at their website and didn't see if the body frame is wood or aluminum. It says it has walkable roof. Not having personal experience with this model, I would give it a 50/50. It would have to have the floor plan I like first, then the price I'd consider second. Best advice I can give you is to do some comparable shopping. You know what the floor plan looks like. Now go visit the camper at the dealership and get a good feel for it. THEN go visit other campers at the dealership or another dealership with the same floor plan and see what's different between the different brands...weight of camper, construction, interior decor, appliances. Which is more appealing to the eye, which has better mattresses on the beds. Which has a more comfortable couch. By comparing with similar floor plan, but a different brand, you'll soon have your own answer.

If you enjoy the feel of a pop-up and it's closeness to natural, you may find that lacking with a TT.There is absolutely no doubt that a TT provides the conveniences of home and makes camping a lot easier but I have found it adds a lot more upkeep. The biggest changes were 10 mpg, 250 mile days, 60 mph and greater concern over camping sights.I believe I would try renting a motor coach to see how I liked living the RV style.

I think at that length you're better off in a fifth wheel. They tow better and give you a shorter overall package because they overlap the truck by a good 4'. You could go to a 39' fifth wheel and be the same total length, or with a 35' fifth wheel it would be equivalent to a 31' TT. Just something to consider. Google a Jayco 325BHQS as an example of a midsize fifth wheel with a layout that might appeal to you. Bear in mind that this setup would be a bit shorter hitched to the same truck as the trailer you mentioned. Or a lower priced fiver with a similar layout is a Hideout 308BHDS.Fifth wheels do cost more but you could mitigate that with a used unit.Edit - I agree with the comment above about mileage and a very different feel with hard sided camper versus a popup. To me they are hands down better and more versatile. I'm not sure where the 250 mile comment is coming from - I've covered 900 in a day with my fifth wheel.

DutchmenSport wrote:Startrek and Sonic are both manufactured by Venture RV.Venture RV0985 North, 900 WestShipshewana, IN 46565I've seen a few Sonic's running around in Indiana, but never noticed a Startrek (and I'm always noticing RV's). Considering the camper is manufactured in Northern Indiana right in RV manufacturer's paradise, I would think the Startrek would be a reasonably good camper. I looked at their website and didn't see if the body frame is wood or aluminum. It says it has walkable roof. Not having personal experience with this model, I would give it a 50/50. It would have to have the floor plan I like first, then the price I'd consider second. Best advice I can give you is to do some comparable shopping. You know what the floor plan looks like. Now go visit the camper at the dealership and get a good feel for it. THEN go visit other campers at the dealership or another dealership with the same floor plan and see what's different between the different brands...weight of camper, construction, interior decor, appliances. Which is more appealing to the eye, which has better mattresses on the beds. Which has a more comfortable couch. By comparing with similar floor plan, but a different brand, you'll soon have your own answer.The one we liked most before this was a Salem (can't remember the model) and a Bullet Premier 34bhps, we probably spent about two hours going through the Sporttrek multiple times, still I feel like the biggest seller to me is the large opposing slides in the living area and the big couch that can fit all five of us.rbpru wrote:If you enjoy the feel of a pop-up and it's closeness to natural, you may find that lacking with a TT.There is absolutely no doubt that a TT provides the conveniences of home and makes camping a lot easier but I have found it adds a lot more upkeep. The biggest changes were 10 mpg, 250 mile days, 60 mph and greater concern over camping sights.I believe I would try renting a motor coach to see how I liked living the RV style.The popup was just bought as a first camper for us, it was $1,400 and in really really good shape for the age. Stored inside, all original documentation including warranty info (long expired of course lol) and we didn't want to get into a loan. It is nice and we will keep it as well for some trips but the lack of a bathroom and overall tight quarters for the family just doesn't cut it. I grew up camping in travel trailers and popups and by far prefer the travel trailer.IdaD wrote:I think at that length you're better off in a fifth wheel. They tow better and give you a shorter overall package because they overlap the truck by a good 4'. You could go to a 39' fifth wheel and be the same total length, or with a 35' fifth wheel it would be equivalent to a 31' TT. Just something to consider. Google a Jayco 325BHQS as an example of a midsize fifth wheel with a layout that might appeal to you. Bear in mind that this setup would be a bit shorter hitched to the same truck as the trailer you mentioned. Or a lower priced fiver with a similar layout is a Hideout 308BHDS.Fifth wheels do cost more but you could mitigate that with a used unit.Edit - I agree with the comment above about mileage and a very different feel with hard sided camper versus a popup. To me they are hands down better and more versatile. I'm not sure where the 250 mile comment is coming from - I've covered 900 in a day with my fifth wheel.We have looked at fifth wheels as well but the added cost throws us off, we have not completely ruled it out yet though. We are wanting to stay under or very close to $30,000 and under 10,000 lbs loaded. I will be looking for a 2001 - 2006 Chevy / GMC 2500 with the 6.0. I realize the 8.1 or Duramax would be a better puller overall, but it will be my daily driver also so the 6.0 would better suit us overall. Living in Mid Michigan the terrain is basically flat and we would mostly be staying around a one or two hour drive for camping, thinking even going seasonal at a place about a half hour away. That Jayco does look nice but the price is much higher then we would like to go for new, which we want new so it will be ours from day one. Might be a silly way to look at it, but at this point it is what we want.I really appreciate the comments / advice so far, thank you!

Look at the Hideout model I mentioned on rvtrader. A 6.0 would pull it great in flat country, and there are several listings for it at or just under $30k new.

Time to upgrade, 2016 Sporttrek 327 VIK? | Good Sam Community

kep5niner
Explorer
Sep 15, 2016
That's a pretty nice looking rig - and I've only heard good things about Grand Design. Enjoy!
_1nobby
Explorer
Sep 15, 2016
RToth wrote:
Really if we could find a very lightly used one with the right floor plan we would go with it, haven't found one yet though.

It took me awhile to find what I wanted.....and it ended up being a lightly used 5 year old model....and this is after almost buying a new model.

Hard to justify $36,000 new when I found one for $10,000 cash and put 60 hours and $2,000 into it to get exactly what I wanted and needed.

I'm sorry that I didn't answer your original post. :)
RToth
Explorer
Sep 14, 2016
Well...

We went to an RV show this past weekend and we really had our hearts set on the Sporttrek... until we checked out a Imagine 2800BH! We instantly loved the style but needed something just a bit more, the double over bunks while big enough wasn't what we were looking for, we wanted quad bunks or at least three. The salesman looked at his inventory sheet and they had just gotten a 3150BH the day before and was sitting on their lot only a mile away. After spending several hours looking at that one and a little time checking out some others we knew what we wanted and made a deal on the 2017 Imagine 3150BH! We head down there Friday morning to pick it up!
RToth
Explorer
Sep 07, 2016
Really if we could find a very lightly used one with the right floor plan we would go with it, haven't found one yet though.
rbpru
Explorer II
Sep 07, 2016
For what it's worth, we bought a 3 year old Dutchmen for half the price of a new unit. It had the floor plan we liked which was the biggest reason for buying it.
fx2tom
Explorer
Sep 06, 2016
I don't personally know much about the brand. A similar floorplan is the Surveyor 321BHTS. There are others similar.
RToth
Explorer
Sep 06, 2016
DutchmenSport wrote:
I find it interesting on this thread that the OP's original question was concerning opinions a specific new travel trailer.

Instead, he got response that included persuasion to consider renting a motor home, a different tow vehicle, a 5th wheel, a hybrid, a different model of trailer completely, and used instead of new, but no responses at all about the Sporttrekc.

I guess some of that is to be expected on a forum, but yea, more info on that trailer would have been good haha! I don't think many people have them though being a newer model.

APT wrote:
I have a 6.0L. I would not own it with the 4-spd trans. I looked at 2000-2006 3/4 ton SUVs for over a year. Get an 8.1L of that generation. While the the 6.0L may be rated (with 4.10 axle only) to tow that Sportrek, I do not think you'll be very happy with performance. The safety point I was trying to make is that the GMT900 designs were done to 8 year newer standards. It has nothing to do with handling a trailer.

Clean GMT800 vehicles are becoming more rare each day. While I was extremely selective when I shopped for one 5 years ago, I still found only about 5 throughout the country I was willing to buy over the course of a year.

I toured a couple SportTrek models last winter, the 320 and 327. Venture RV was spun off from KZ. I met one of the designers who is an RVing person himself. My wife really likes the designs. They have some very clever ideas. I have a few reservations about buying one for my family's uses. GVWR/paylaod is low. Tanks are small. Master bed is short. Outside storage is low.

This is more of what I am looking for, thank you! I am still relatively new to the world of travel trailers so the more detail I can get, the better, even if it is against what I know or think I know.
APT
Explorer
Sep 06, 2016
I have a 6.0L. I would not own it with the 4-spd trans. I looked at 2000-2006 3/4 ton SUVs for over a year. Get an 8.1L of that generation. While the the 6.0L may be rated (with 4.10 axle only) to tow that Sportrek, I do not think you'll be very happy with performance. The safety point I was trying to make is that the GMT900 designs were done to 8 year newer standards. It has nothing to do with handling a trailer.

Clean GMT800 vehicles are becoming more rare each day. While I was extremely selective when I shopped for one 5 years ago, I still found only about 5 throughout the country I was willing to buy over the course of a year.

I toured a couple SportTrek models last winter, the 320 and 327. Venture RV was spun off from KZ. I met one of the designers who is an RVing person himself. My wife really likes the designs. They have some very clever ideas. I have a few reservations about buying one for my family's uses. GVWR/paylaod is low. Tanks are small. Master bed is short. Outside storage is low.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Sep 06, 2016
I find it interesting on this thread that the OP's original question was concerning opinions a specific new travel trailer.

Instead, he got response that included persuasion to consider renting a motor home, a different tow vehicle, a 5th wheel, a hybrid, a different model of trailer completely, and used instead of new, but no responses at all about the Sporttrekc.
RToth
Explorer
Sep 06, 2016
I definitely realize the depreciation, but so far no older ones we have found fit what we want, however not completely ruling out a used one. As for the truck though, what I am looking for I don't see how it would be unsafe at all. I am a freak for maintenance and making sure things are right, issues like rusted brake lines and worn suspension components would be fixed before it ever was used. They are factory rated to tow the weight range I am looking for so I feel perfectly safe with it. MPG is a slight concern but even then just minimal, I only live 6 miles from work and the rest of our driving would be done with our 2010 GMC Acadia.

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