casita trailers..the good and bad please..

we are now considering a small trailer to be pulled by our ford explorer,,2009  v-8

Financially it will make better sense to keep since we own it out right(low mileage too!) rather than buy a new truck and a 5th wheel!!

So we would like to see about the casita brand,,or if there is others please let us know.

We know it is SMALL,,,want something no more than 16-17feet, and must have a shower!!(for me, hubby says can do without!)

Looks like they hold their value, We also want to know it it is practical to store in our severe cold weather in vermont!!

So please can anyone help? thank you,,,linda

Here's my first ever reply to one of these questions...

I've had a 17' Casita Spirit Deluxe for 5 years. It's a great trailer, especially for newbies and those w/ less robust tow vehicles (TVs). I actually lived in it for a year in the high desert (6400ft) of New Mexico.

But here are some thoughts.

Yes, it's small. With 2 people, it feels rather crowded and you have to be an organizer to make it work well.
It is lined w/ carpet which insulates sound much better than cold.  We use a nice electric ceramic heater when it's cold or chilly out. The furnace heats well, but the temp fluctuates way too much for comfort.
It tows very well. We use a sway bar which improves safety and the "feel" of towing.
For us, the shower is not even functional. The water heater only holds 2gal which, for us, isn't nearly enough to shower; much less for 2 people to stay showered.
It's been a pleasure to own, and the company is just great w/ advice and help.

But... if you look at my other post, we're finally trying to move up to something bigger.

I'm not sure what info you're seeking, but feel free to ask me anything you'd like.

Bruce

Casita is one of the many molded fiberglass trailers (different from flat walled trailers).  Generally, they have a high resale value.  To learn more specifically about molded fiberglass trailers you may want to visit other sites geared specificlly to the molded fiberglass trailers:


http://www.casitaclub.com/forums/

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/

http://www.fiberglass-rv-4sale.com/node   

By the way, if you're looking for a cold weather molded fiberglass, you might want to look at the Escape and Big Foot trailers.  They're both built for cold weather....I believe some even use them below freezing temps.

I really don't much about the Casita, but a friend of mine purchased one and I was impressed with the quality. If I were looking for a small trailer, it would definitely be on top of my list. It was very nice inside and good use was made of the limited space. It had an enclosed shower with a toilet. I suppose you could sit on the toilet and shower. Anyway, I really liked our friends Casita!

FWIW - There's enough room to stand in front of the toilet and spray yourself w/ the detachable shower head. You don't have to sit on the toilet to shower.

hi bruce..
thanks so much for your input,,yes I/we would really like to pick your brain about the casita and your experience with it.

Do you think since these trailers hold their value so well it may be better to buy brand new?  It is slim pickings I see for a good deal when I search online,,,and we live in new england  upper vermont near canada border.

I worry about any shipping costs adding up if a good deal is miles away kwim?

I am needing to know king vs double bed where do you loose the space?

And the cost of the fridge!! wow more than I even have right now in my kitchen that was renovated!!

I take it there is no "basement" for extra storage. how do you handle your extras like a diining tent grill etc?

My hubby and I are getting excited by the hour and really needs to see/feel/walk in on of these trailers..about the 17 foot is our minimum/max too.

thanks to all for the links and other opinions...Linda

Hi Linda -

I'll try to comment in the order of the questions you've posed...

- Yes they hold their value well, but like with autos, you have the biggest drop in value when you buy new.  I bought mine used, a 2004 - 17' Spirit Deluxe, in April '07 when the trailer was 3 yrs old. It was in excellent condition and I pd $12,500 for it.  Now it's 6 years older and on the Casita Club site (http://www.casitaclub.com/forums/classifieds) similar trailers are selling from $11K to 14K. That's what I call holding your value.  So I guess my answer is that if you can buy a used one in great condition (most seem to be - Casita owners are proud of their rigs), you'll have less depreciation overall.  But I can understand the urge to buy new - there's nothing like it. And it will still hold its value like nothing else.

- Shipping costs... I first had to buy a tow vehicle (a used 2003 Toyota 4Runner w/ 90K miles), then I drove it 12 hours to Rice Texas to get my trailer. The guy I bought it from actually lived about 10 mi from the Casita factory. Driving back w/ the trailer took even longer, but to me it was my first adventure w/ a trailer.  I guess you can pay someone to deliver it to you, but I'd rather take a few days off and do it myself. If you can make it a sort of "vacation", I think it's worth the time and is lots of fun. Especially if you buy a new one - the Casita folks are GREAT and they'll give you a tour of the factory. They did that for me, and I didn't even buy it from them. They also checked out my hitch and tow setup and gave me advice and the "ok" to haul it.

- King vs double bed??? That's a new one to me. Mine is a queen and there was no other option.  You'll have to ask Casita about that one.  They'll be glad to tell you what's what.

- Fridge was in mine already so I never knew what it cost. If you're new to trailers, you may not know that the fridge runs on AC or DC or propane. They're very impressive and I'm not surprised they cost a pretty penny. My trailer was loaded w/ everything, including the larger 25gal freshwater tank. It's nice to hold that much water, but it will cost you almost all of your under vehicle storage.  If you're going to be camping in established commercial campground sites where water's available, you won't need the extra large tank.  But I think it's nice to have the tank.

- Items that I can't put in the Casita go into my tow vehicle. You can load up lots of things in living space of your trailer too - just make sure they're secure when you tow. Things can end up in the oddest places (and break) if you don't.

- I remember vividly the excitement of getting my first RV, the Casita.  I lost sleep in anticipation.  Now, w/ a little regret, we're about to sell ours (while it's still valuable!) and get a larger rig.  I'm going to miss the Casita, but I look forward to having more space for more people, more junk, more breathing room.  I'm actually tempted to try to keep the Casita too for shorter jaunts.  But I need the sales $ for the new trailer.

Please write w/ any other questions. If you want to call sometime, let me know and I'll get you a ph#. 

Bruce