Camper trailer purchase advise.

[Kman]

Rent.

People rent their campers out like air B&B. You can rent a nice unit for about 100 bucks per day.

When we sold ours in January I totally wanted to go the rent route but my wife insisted we have our own camper. Our new toy hauler was 26k after tax. We bought it in January. So far we have slept in in 4 nights total.


Total waste of money.

Oh how familiar and TRUE this is. Rent, stay in a hotel or cabin etc. All you guys that are germ freaks, thinking about who has been sleeping in that room before you. Well, I guess your woman or wife hasn’t been with anyone before you? Who was with her before you met? I guess now you’ll be single the rest of your life? The older I get the more opportunities I’ve had to buy whatever I want. I’ve learned the less stuff you own, including houses, boats, etc, the happier and less stressed you’ll be. Rent and walk away!!!! Well worth every penny to not have to maintain, store or transport it.

 

[JSoko]

have your transmission fluid and filter changed
get a transmission cooler
don't just inspect, change out the wheel bearings and grease them up good
check the date codes on the tires, if over 5 years replace
have a good spare tire
and a jack that will work with the trailer you get

on that 1500, anything over 5000# will disappoint your truck

good luck with your choice

 

[JSoko]

Rent and walk away!!!! Well worth every penny to not have to maintain, store or transport it.

how true
but some folks, well... never mind

 

[moosensquirrel]

Get an Airstream

amen. Most other small (used) trailers will eventually depreciate to scrap value. Not airstreams...

 

[aragorn1]

Some people have already mentioned this, but the biggest concern with a used camper is make sure you are not buying a leaker. Water damage can be something that can be hidden and show up after you have purchased the camper.

 

[InTune]

Ran across one of these few months ago. Negs, elec. only fridge, no black tank and maybe no fresh water tank. Pros, roomy, cheap to replace AC.

This is my thinking and I own a camper.

It's in good shape at the deer camp, but for a short vacation, I think I'm money ahead doing Air BnB or Vemo or whatever the hell it is.

You don't camp free, and camp site fees are pushing what a mid priced motel costs.

Your gas mileage will go to hell, if you don't burn out your transmission.

I travel a fair amount, mostly long weekend stuff, and I don't even think about taking the camper.

I have an F150 same class as your 1500. It's rated 6000 lbs - in the doped up mind of some advertising exec. I've pulled right at 5500 lbs of tractor and trailer locally, and no way would I take that on the road that had any serious hills I had to get up in a timely manner. What I'm saying is that it will pull it up a hill just fine, in 1st or 2nd gear.

Rent.

People rent their campers out like air B&B. You can rent a nice unit for about 100 bucks per day.

When we sold ours in January I totally wanted to go the rent route but my wife insisted we have our own camper. Our new toy hauler was 26k after tax. We bought it in January. So far we have slept in in 4 nights total.


Total waste of money.

The wife factor. I have a lot of interest in my camper. Had people knock on the door many times. It is small. He wants to down size and she is used to a big motor home. Had a guy next to me once in the biggest toy hauler i ever seen. Like have never backed it in. I asked, why so big? He said, cause if it wasn't, she wouldn't go.

 

[InTune]

Insurance is cheap. It is covered by your auto ins when in tow. And honestly, if i had to pay storage and could not handle repairs and maintenance myself. I prolly wouldnt own it. I could get my camping fix with a nice tent. Seen folks with a small AC, dorm room size fridge, screen room over table on a site with elec. That were fine

 

[benjamin]

Most any trucks will pull one, but when you need to stop one that is where the problem is. I realise they will have hydrolic or electric brakes and sway bar, but I would only trust a 2500.

 

[keith089]

Oh how familiar and TRUE this is. Rent, stay in a hotel or cabin etc. All you guys that are germ freaks, thinking about who has been sleeping in that room before you. Well, I guess your woman or wife hasn’t been with anyone before you? Who was with her before you met? I guess now you’ll be single the rest of your life? The older I get the more opportunities I’ve had to buy whatever I want. I’ve learned the less stuff you own, including houses, boats, etc, the happier and less stressed you’ll be. Rent and walk away!!!! Well worth every penny to not have to maintain, store or transport it.

Boom

 

[thorn]

I've owned a camper for about four years now. When I bought, I wanted a fully capable guest house plus a mobile studio apartment. With that in mind, I have exactly what I was looking for.

My first piece of advice: don't buy used. Get a new one with warranty. You'll be glad you did.

My second piece of advice: stick to under 5000 pounds fully loaded weight; that puts your camper in the 3500 pound dry weight range. Your Ram will do more, but if you pull less, it'll be better on your vehicle overall.

Third, do NOT buy a hybrid or a pop up. They leak. If they don't yet leak, they will leak soon.

Forest River has a number of lighter weight pull behinds that will do the trick.

Starcraft has a $10k brand new (roughly, maybe cheaper) camper that might do you fine.

I bought from Peco, but I believe they're Campers Inn now. Not sure on that.