Why aren't Truck Campers popular in W. Pa.?

[time2retire]

I don't get it. With all the hunters, fisherman and unlimited destinations, why aren't TC's very popular in Western Pa.?

Heck you can't even find a dealer with a decent inventory within 5 hours.

I am going to buy one soon but it has been the hardest $25,000 cash I've ever tried to spend.

Done a ton of research and have zoned in on the Cirrus 820. They're made 2 hours from me but the closest dealer is 5 hours away and are idiots.

Who pulls into a TC dealer with a nice shiny F-250 with no tailgate, $25,000 in cash, and leaves empty handed? ME!

New member here and the info on this site is unmatched that I can find. Keep up the good work TC'rs.

Rant over.

[jaycocreek]

Congratulations on the Adventurer truck camper,there the most underrated truck camper on the internet...I would by one in a heart beat..Very few complaints....

[time2retire]

Well my plot thickens. I just pulled the trigger on a barely used 2018 Adventurer 80RB. Yeas I'll have to drive 8 hours to pick it up. Never spent $18,000 on anything without seeing it first hand. So goes the TC business in my area. There are none unless home made or junk. NuCamp wore me out and I accepted I would not see the camper before I bought it. Unfortunately for them it is not a Cirrus. I'm putting my trust in Timberlake RV in Lynchburg, Va. They are not currently a TC dealer, it was taken in trade (see previous post about my theory). They are however becoming a Lance dealer in the near future.

While researching the tie downs I got under my truck to see how this is going to work. Based on what I've read here and other places I went with the Torklifts with the spring loaded turnbuckles.

Well guess what? My 2008 F250 has extensive rust on some of the bed cross members. All those years launching boats in saltwater and driving on the beach took its toll. The body and frame are in great condition with only 44,000 miles. It is currently being repaired (replaced and thoroughly undercoated at a rust repair specialist shop).

Here's some things I plan on doing next:

Install Torklift tie downs.

Install Torklift Suspension upgrade for upper overload springs. I'm not sure
I need these but can always send them back. Feedback appreciated.

Purchase a hitch extender for my lil boat. I'll do this when I see the camper on my truck to determine the length.

Purchase 2 new batteries that I'll gang together. The 80RB has room in the battery compartment to do this. I'll use the "old" battery as a back up for my trolling motor.

Not sure if I'll need a splitter for the rear connector. We'll see.

Buy a remote back up camera. This the only option I can think of not on the unit. Feedback appreciated.

Am I missing anything? 4 months dragged through the TC market, I can't wait to finally get one.

[DWeikert]

ardvark wrote:

mkirsch wrote:
When you get into the large RV manufacturers, it most certainly *IS* an assembly line, in the traditional Ford Model T sense even.

Not arguing that point. Simply noting not all RVs are built on assembly lines. In the thread linked above, those truck campers are not being built on an assembly line, nor are some from other manufacturers. Quality control is more variable when workers move between units rather than units moving through a series of work stations where assembly is routinized. That is my only point.

Steve

Assuming you're referring to my post, look again. They start with the most complete camper and travel down the "line" to campers in earlier stages of production. I.e. the campers are "moving through a series of work stations where assembly is routinized."

If you weren't referring to my post, nevermind.

[ardvark]

mkirsch wrote:
When you get into the large RV manufacturers, it most certainly *IS* an assembly line, in the traditional Ford Model T sense even.

Not arguing that point. Simply noting not all RVs are built on assembly lines. In the thread linked above, those truck campers are not being built on an assembly line, nor are some from other manufacturers. Quality control is more variable when workers move between units rather than units moving through a series of work stations where assembly is routinized. That is my only point.

Steve

[mkirsch]

When you get into the large RV manufacturers, it most certainly *IS* an assembly line, in the traditional Ford Model T sense even.

[ardvark]

My point being some manufacturers do have assembly lines in whihc a unit moves through a series of stations in which workers perform a given task. Others have units setting on the floor and a worker may move around them in a less organized manner.

Def from the Internet: an arrangement of machines, tools, and workers in which a product is assembled by having each perform a specific, successive operation on an incomplete unit as it passes by in a series of stages organized in a direct line.

[Bedlam]

Northwood builds 4-5 truck campers a day on its line while Host builds less than that in week on their line. Both are still assembly lines, but the length of the line and the number of people on it really determines the throughput.

[ardvark]

That tour doesn't looks like an assembly line to me.

[DWeikert]

jimh425 wrote:

mkirsch wrote:
Manufacturers of ANYTHING typically have similar build quality across the board...

I don’t think RVs count. There are still made one at a time and vary a lot from build to build except in the very best ones since RVs are handmade and not much different than a house in that regard.

Not so sure about that "one at a time" thing. TC's are built on an assembly line just like anything else these days. (Youtube Northstar factory tour) That doesn't mean there aren't still variations in build quality, but for the most part if the manufacturer allowed shoddy work in the camper you're looking at don't be surprised to see it in their other models as well.

[jimh406]

mkirsch wrote:
Manufacturers of ANYTHING typically have similar build quality across the board...

I don’t think RVs count. There are still made one at a time and vary a lot from build to build except in the very best ones since RVs are handmade and not much different than a house in that regard.

[mkirsch]

Manufacturers of ANYTHING typically have similar build quality across the board...

So, if you weren't impressed with the 720, what makes you think you're going to be any more impressed with an 820???

Food for thought as you consider bailing on the Cirrus.

The communication thing is not limited to TC dealers. There are still a LOT of "old school" dealers out there, just hole in the wall mom & pop shops with an employee or two. Either one of their kids/grandkids or a young employee said they *HAD* to have a website and email address, so they got one. Then it was like a house cat catching a chipmunk; they had no idea what to do with it! You get short on help, short on time, and the inbox is flooded with spam and stupid questions from "tire kickers" that will never result in a sale... and you absolutely *CAN* tell when you've got a time waster/tire kicker. You just get frustrated, throw up your hands, abandon it, and go back to dealing face to face with walk-in customers.

[jimh406]

time2retire wrote:
Being new here I'm not sure we're allowed to compare brands?

Brands are compared here all of the time. Host for instance has no issues with people going to their factory and has even sold direct. I’m not sure if they do now, but the TCs that they are making now are much larger/heavier than a Cirrus.

I think other manufacturers have no issues with factory delivery either.

[DWeikert]

time2retire wrote:

DWeikert wrote:
If you think they're rare in western PA, come to eastern PA. I ended up driving to the Northstar factory in Iowa to pick mine up. Of course, I continued on from there to Yellowstone so it was on my way. 🙂

Along these lines, when I was shopping for my truck I told one salesman I was planning to use it for a TC. He said "People don't use those anymore. Everybody uses a travel trailer of 5th wheel." I didn't bother going back to him.

So Northstar let you pick up a camper at there factory? This is the bone I have to pick with Cirrus. They will not let you pick up. Has to go through a dealer.

Almost made a deal (still thinking about it) with a dealer who is 8-9 hours away. That TC will pass right by me in 2 hours from the factory to this dealer. Ridiculous! They claim they have to prep it. Basically installing 2 batteries.

Really thinking about bailing on the Cirrus. Wife says screw em.

What I'm coming to find out is that most East/mid Atlantic RV dealers that have a used camper took it in trade. They don't stock any but Cirrus says ther're a authorized dealer. Some commitment huh? I've seen this in my business when a second tier manufacturer can't find quality committed dealers they just name one in case a sale comes up. That one dealer I visited, 5 hours away that actually had a couple TC's, I wouldn't let load my flashlight.

Anybody have any input on Adventurer?

Being new here I'm not sure we're allowed to compare brands?

Technically, the purchase was done through Truck Camper Warehouse in NH. That's who I made the check out to. But it was a custom/build to order camper and from the beginning I communicated with Rex at Northstar.

Not only did they let me pick it up at the factory, Rex installed the Torklifts and they even let me spend the first night in the factory parking lot to check for problems.

[time2retire]

DWeikert wrote:
If you think they're rare in western PA, come to eastern PA. I ended up driving to the Northstar factory in Iowa to pick mine up. Of course, I continued on from there to Yellowstone so it was on my way. 🙂

Along these lines, when I was shopping for my truck I told one salesman I was planning to use it for a TC. He said "People don't use those anymore. Everybody uses a travel trailer of 5th wheel." I didn't bother going back to him.

So Northstar let you pick up a camper at there factory? This is the bone I have to pick with Cirrus. They will not let you pick up. Has to go through a dealer.

Almost made a deal (still thinking about it) with a dealer who is 8-9 hours away. That TC will pass right by me in 2 hours from the factory to this dealer. Ridiculous! They claim they have to prep it. Basically installing 2 batteries.

Really thinking about bailing on the Cirrus. Wife says screw em.

What I'm coming to find out is that most East/mid Atlantic RV dealers that have a used camper took it in trade. They don't stock any but Cirrus says ther're a authorized dealer. Some commitment huh? I've seen this in my business when a second tier manufacturer can't find quality committed dealers they just name one in case a sale comes up. That one dealer I visited, 5 hours away that actually had a couple TC's, I wouldn't let load my flashlight.

Anybody have any input on Adventurer?

Being new here I'm not sure we're allowed to compare brands?

[Travels_with_Yo]

As others have mentioned and recommended D&H RV, you can add our name to that list. We were so happy with our experience I made a video to remember it by. We actually purchased 2 TCs from them in later times because we had such confidence in them. At the time they had a good selection with at least 4 different brands that I can remember.

D&H RV