House ain't that big, since the kids moved out I just seem to catch a lot of crap, hence the extra bathrooms. Did have another restroom, but it blew over in last week's high winds.

 

I just want my own rig so I can say "Hey let's go camping next weekend" vs. waiting for someone else (my parents) to invite us and renting cabins just isn't my thing. My kids and wife love it so that's makes it much easier. I know I could go smaller to "save" money but to add $5-$8k to the price makes sense for a larger trailer than saving to be "cramping".

 

We bought used 5 years ago. A lot more affordable. Now it's paid for and we were going to upgrade to a newer larger one.......but we bought a house so.......the old trailer will stay with us a few more years. It is nice to be able hook up and go with only a moments notice

 

Used things like camping trailers always make me nervous. I don't know why but they do. But I did see a few really clean looking units today.

 

You just need to do some homework and do a good inspection. Ours has been AWESOME

 

For sure....

 

I went to an RV show with my dad on Friday and there was some amazing stuff, I really like the toy haulers but we just went to look around, my dad has a 2005 prowler 5th wheel with the front living floor plan that he bought a few years ago used and its been great. all we have done is maintenance and a few upgrades.

 

When I retired I sold my 5th wheel that I lived in while traveling around
America as a Journeyman Pipefitter.
The crowded expensive campgrounds, noisy neighbors, barking dogs, hot
rods w/loud exhaust, for the relative silence and empty spaces of the high
meadow fishing lakes near my home in S.D. . especially when I arrive on
Monday with my pop up pickup camper where conventional trailers and 5th
wheels fear to tread.

 

We only had the opportunity to use our 5th wheel for 29 nights last year......and each and every night was greatly enjoyed.

 

It's funny you say that. My parents TT is around 28' and when they went on a two month trip exploring the west they said they would've like a shorter trailer. Some of the roads were tight with switchbacks and camping spaces are likely limited to a certain type so you fit. I know there were some fantastic deeply wooded sites we stayed at when I was a kid that would not work with these behemoth trailers.

I think choosing the right campground also plays into it. Members have shared photos of "campgrounds" where, as I stated above, look more like sales parking lots with rigs parked on paved sites 10' from each other.

I grew up in campgrounds where sites were separated by woods, brush, or just tons of space. Yes they had other close and open sites that no one wanted except the campers who had a monster 5th wheel or those who registered late. I know when my parents when to Yellowstone it was crowded but just because it is such a popular destination. My mother is pretty good at finding good state and national parks that resemble parks and not parking lots. But that may mean that unless you register in time you may end up with a site without electricity and most don't have individual water hookups. Only those parking lots seem to have all the amenities except being an actual campground. My opinion.

 

RV shows are nice to look. If you have a certain layout in mind. Great. I you have a really good idea of a layout but flexible, great. What kill most RV shows for me now is when you walk in, you see the "refit your bathroom/Windows/ home improvement companies.." Buy our crafted wines or crafts. That kind of stuff. Yes there are plenty of campgrounds, RV clubs and the like as well as the trailers. However I feel the same as MDsuperduty. Good lord how does one afford some of these trailer units. Then the kicker is how fast the loose value after a couple of years like vehicles.

I am pretty much in the camp of, I like my trailer. It was thought of to get another one at some point but not in the near future. If I can get the truck paid of in the next year or so and the trailer within another 2, I will be happy.

 

If you are just starting out, used is a great way to go. Up until the current 5er we could only afford 'pre-owned' for how much we would use the unit in a season. Starting with tents, popup, truck camper, TTs then on to 5ers was our way - and quite frankly, there wasn't a real lemon among the many in the progression(tho the truck camper was close). Some need a little more work then others, but never anything that kept us home. Just do the due diligence routine if that's the way you go - that is a good PDI by you or if you don't think yourself as a good judge, then someone who can. Way too many good used units available and usually at a fair price to not own an RV these day - if that's your desire (a couple dealers in my area are overstocked with used and will DEAL)

 

Maybe next year when the show is back and I have a fistful of cash I'll be ready to do something. With the crappy winter weather I'm sure RV's aren't flying off the lots like spring and summer making deals easier to come by. Or if I have a really, really good spring maybe I'll just jump into something.

 

Here is the used inventory at the dealer my parents deal with. Obviously not the only in town. Was looking at the two 2006 fifth wheels listed at the top.

http://www.mckerrowsrv.com/preowned.html

 

We walked the Hershey show only to really end in disappointment. Lots of stuff to look at, crazy stuff like 100K trailers and 650k class A's. Cool to see but certainly not my budget. What we did want to see, the Palomino Puma 351THSS wasn't there. Only had the 356QLB that we had seen already. I looked used for 10 months and wasn't finding what I wanted, then one popped up about 65 miles away in Jersey. But they wanted $28k for a 2013. I worked a deal locally for a new 351THSS with WAY more options for less that 5k more. We custom spec'd it and I just got the call today it's in.


If you're in the position I was with no trade haggling seems to go easier, and deals can be had with the new ones too.