going to look for a travel trailer today

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Conodor

Member
Joined
May 4, 2005
Posts
6
hello all,

i'm going to look for a travel trailer after work today. really don't know about name brands, and quality and best buy from your money.

it appears alot of people here are more on the motor homes. so i hope i'm not asking in the wrong location.

i'm looking to buy about 20 - 24 foot travel trailer.  something under 6500 pounds to pull with a V8 2005 trailblazer so i think that's about my limit 24 foot.

i'm looking to keep under 14 grand for now,  nothing fancy just something to use with the girlfriend and younger children(9 and 5)

i see a bunch of diffrent brands out there but just don't know the quality of the diffrent ones.  any suggestions would be GREAT.

how does financing usually work on travel trailers?  i was under the assumpsion of 15 years on a loan, is that right?

Thanks,
John!
 
man i can't believe the lack or replies in the newbie forums.  got my question aswnered in  no time on another RV site.


thanks anyway.
 
Sorry about the lack of response. Some of our trailer folks were offline, and you were looking for an immediate response that day. Had you asked sooner, someone might have been able to respond within your deadline.

Which trailer did you end up buying?
 
yeah i know how it gets at times.  i was just looking for a general idea of what brands are out of my price range, and what brands are to be completely avoided.  and what i could actually pull.

with the truck i'm getting(not in yet!) i was pretty limited on weight for the size i wanted. i had to avoid getting a slide also.

i am pretty sure i'm picking up tomorrow at 4 a 2005 24 tb coachman spirit of america.  i hear it's not the best of qualilty, but the weight and price was right up my alley.  everything's all set, stop at the RV store and sign, go through the walk through and drve away. 

i hope i'm not making a mistake!haha not on getting an RV, but on getting a coachman, i've got alot of mixed reviews. but the GF liked it, it had bunk beds for the 2 kids, an awning, a bathroom(very important to the GF) and it is light. so i guess it should be intresting.

i've read like a madd man on tips, tricks, what to stock it with, how to save money, where to camp... i think i'm 2% ready for my first trip.haha  i have alot to learn!

Thanks for the reply.
 
Conodor,

Congratulations on the Coachman.

Sometimes (often for me) it just comes down to what feels good to the other half. If that comes at the right price, then I usually go with it unless there's some compelling reason not to. The bunk beds will definitely be great for the kids.

One suggestion - make sure you do a good walk-through. We have a pre-delivery checklist for trailers in our library which might help; Click here to view it. Use it as a guide, and add your own items to it.

There are also a few other trailer-related checklists here that might help when you're ready to get on the road. These checklists were all created by forum members based on their own experience.

Good luck with the process, and please come back and let us know how your shakedown cruise goes. If you get to take any photos, please attach one to one of your messages.

Thanks.
[edit]Link update[/edit]
 
Conodor,

Congratulations on the Coachman.  I'm sure you will enjoy it.  Tom has given you some excellent references on the walk through check lists.  Good luck and please let us know how it goes.


 
Conodor,

Congratulations on your new Coachman trailer.  Enjoy!  Come on back after you get it and take a trial run or two and let us all know how it is working out for you.
 
i am pretty sure i'm picking up tomorrow at 4 a 2005 24 tb coachman spirit of america.? i hear it's not the best of qualilty, but the weight and price was right up my alley.? everything's all set, stop at the RV store and sign, go through the walk through and drve away.?

i hope i'm not making a mistake!haha not on getting an RV, but on getting a coachman, i've got alot of mixed reviews. but the GF liked it, it had bunk beds for the 2 kids, an awning, a bathroom(very important to the GF) and it is light. so i guess it should be intresting.

Do not worry too much about QC.? A trailer is a simple rig:? no engine, no tranny, no differential etc..? ?The fridge, microwave, water heater, furnace, and such come with their own manufacturer guarantees.? The rest of the garbage a reasonably handy householder can fix himself.? ?

i've read like a madd man on tips, tricks, what to stock it with, how to save money, where to camp... i think i'm 2% ready for my first trip.haha? i have alot to learn!

OK, here are a few more handy hints:

        1.  Get a good weight distribution and sway control rig!? ? This is both a safety and a driving comfort item.? Do not skimp on this item.

          2.  The sewer hose setup the dealer gave you is a cheap one.  Get a hose set up with two connectible 10 foot sections and a hose-to-sewer right angle connector that gives you a gas seal.

          3.  Get a drinking-water-approved water supply hose -- these are usually white.  Use that only for drinking water, never for sewer cleanup, nor should it ever be stored in the same compartment with sewer supplies.  Carry a cheap green hose for sewer cleaning purposes and store that with the sewerage stuff.  A 45 psi pressure regulator for the water supply is very desirable, especially in the western US

            4.  When you set up in camp, you can open your gray water tank to the sewer but you should leave the blackwater tank closed.  It should be dumped only when 2/3 full.  That gives enough surge to clean the tank out.  If you want to dump before that use your green hose to fill the blackwater tank to the 2/3 level.  BTW use toilet tissue approved for septic tank use. Scott's is the easiest to find in grocery stores and works fine in trailer tanks.  The TP you find in RV stores is overpriced and not as good.  The warning lights on tank fill are only approximate.

            5.  Get a little plug-in voltmeter at a RV supply store and plug it permanently into an outlet easily visible when you look into the trailer.  RV park voltage is an iffy thing.  Since low voltages can 86 an airconditioner's compressor, you want something to continuously monitor your AC voltage.

            6.  Since your trailer is a new and strange item, keep your initial trips close to home to simply the problems that will arise during your shakedown.  That way you have the dealership close at hand to holler at.  ;D


Enjoy the new toy.

 
 
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