Thoughts on this RV travel trailer?

[DaveC]

Pop ups are a great entry point. My wife and I bought a used pop up as our first experiment into the RV world and it worked out great. Like the hard sided ones, check floors and ceilings and water entry points. Also check to make sure all aspects of the opening/closing function (rails, jacks, cranks, pulleys, slides, etc.) are in good shape, and also check the fabric carefully along the rails and potential pinch points where it could get caught up in the open/close process and torn.

As for hard sided/pop-up hybrids, check out Forest River Rockwood Roo. Haven't looked for a couple of years, but when we were on the fence with possibly buying something to replace ours, these caught my eye as well laid out and thought out.

 

[ColoJeep]

I'm wanting to get a travel trailer since the kids are old enough now to where we can enjoy traveling with them.

I don't know too much about RV'ing other than the research I've done which all seems to point towards two things:

1. RVs built during COVID have lots of issues
2. RVs build prior to COVID have lots of issues

Basically what I gather from all I've read is that they never stop having issues and you're always fixing something. It seems that pretty much all manufacturers are hit and miss.

Anyhow, this is the one I'm currently looking at:

https://blackhillsrvsales.com/used-2017-forest-river-rockwood-v6245646.html

It's within my price range (15k max), it's somewhat local (2 hours away), and it's got a lot of extras with it.

You can see where the guy did some caulking on the seems (which I hear is normal with age?).

Anyways, just interested in thoughts from those of you who do this sort of thing. My biggest fear with this is that it's going to be a money pit (like owning a boat) and that maybe I'd be better off just renting a trailer when we want to go?

Thoughts and feedback are welcome!

Honestly Chris , rent a trailer to see if it's for you guys . Think about how many things need fixing on your house , then take your house and shake the crap out of it driving down the road. Water is your biggest enemy from both inside and outside.

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

I'm wanting to get a travel trailer since the kids are old enough now to where we can enjoy traveling with them.

I don't know too much about RV'ing other than the research I've done which all seems to point towards two things:

1. RVs built during COVID have lots of issues
2. RVs build prior to COVID have lots of issues

Basically what I gather from all I've read is that they never stop having issues and you're always fixing something. It seems that pretty much all manufacturers are hit and miss.

Anyhow, this is the one I'm currently looking at:

https://blackhillsrvsales.com/used-2017-forest-river-rockwood-v6245646.html

It's within my price range (15k max), it's somewhat local (2 hours away), and it's got a lot of extras with it.

You can see where the guy did some caulking on the seems (which I hear is normal with age?).

Anyways, just interested in thoughts from those of you who do this sort of thing. My biggest fear with this is that it's going to be a money pit (like owning a boat) and that maybe I'd be better off just renting a trailer when we want to go?

Thoughts and feedback are welcome!

We’re on out 4th RV since the early 2000’s. We love it. The first two were travel trailers, and the last two were driveable. No RV makes good financial sense. My random thoughts are;

Pulling an RV is easy. Stopping and RV is the problem. My Tundra had a 10K tow rating, but the payload was only about 1500. Your tongue weight is typically 10% of trailer weight. The unit you posted would be 700# tongue weight. If your payload is 1500#, that leaves 800# for passengers, and luggage. You can easily be at or over your rating, even though you’re pulling less than 10K.

The HD hitch and sway bars are a nice option. You can easily spend $1k for something similar.

The floor plan you posted has a slide out. This is great on rainy days, so you don’t feel to crowded. We found out rainy days are what you plan for. During great weather, you’re outside most of the time.

Renting on for a weekend isn’t cheap, but could prevent you from making an expensive mistake, if you decide you don’t like RV’ing. My MIL preferred RV’ing, but they had a 39’ 5th wheel with 3 slides. She said she preferred to sleep in her own sheets vs a hotel or resort.

Where’s you nearest RV dealer? Are they willing to work on this unit if needed?

Here's are latest unit, a super C

 

[Harold&Cat]

We really enjoy our motorhome , it gives us the ability to travel , visit friends and just get away . We like taking our own bed and bathroom with us . There are pros and cons to ownership , but after 13 years of owning a motorhome we are still enjoying it . Just like home , there is always something to work on or maintain . Sometimes we take it to the grocery store , that is nice . Plenty of room and a refrigerator/freezer for the cold items . We even take our coach to church so the pups don't have to stay home alone . They stay comfortable and safe in the coach . Basically we use our coach for many things other than camping .

 

[ColoJeep]

We really enjoy our motorhome , it gives us the ability to travel , visit friends and just get away . We like taking our own bed and bathroom with us . There are pros and cons to ownership , but after 13 years of owning a motorhome we are still enjoying it . Just like home , there is always something to work on or maintain . Sometimes we take it to the grocery store , that is nice . Plenty of room and a refrigerator/freezer for the cold items . We even take our coach to church so the pups don't have to stay home alone . They stay comfortable and safe in the coach . Basically we use our coach for many things other than camping .

View attachment 625362

Nice Class A !

 

[macleanflood]

So having ripped apart and dismantled well over a hundred RVs dumped, burned or abandoned in the woods...well most are abandoned when the roof leaks and everything gets wet and rotten.

Then they usually get given away on CL or FB marketplace, unhoused or marginally housed folks snag them up...have a friend drop it off in the woods...and they'll live there until the car breaks down or it starts raining or something.

From my mother and father in law's perspective...they live in a Forest River... it's a complete pile of junk. Most RVs today are assembled by piece work. No quality. Slap it together and go.

I wouldn't bother with a pop up trailer. I'd build a small super lightweight trailer I could pull behind my TJ with a rooftop tent on top of the trailer. Most of that trailer would be a kitchen setup. Then storage, batteries and solar and a water pump, heater and tank. If you need more room bring a high quality canvas wall tent.

If you really want a camper then I'd buy something older and classic like an Airstream and fix it up. In 2009 orso I completely rebuilt a 28' 1989 Fleetwood Wilderness. Really solid platform. I ripped apart a 2003 last year in two hours or so.

The older ones take much much much more work to dismantle. Actual RVs on truck chassis are almost always better built than trailers.

-Mac

 

[OffroadTreks]

I suppose the type of camper would depend on the intended use .

Probably the number one thing to figure out is HOW you intend to travel and camp. And WHERE you intend to go. So you can buy accordingly. And not find yourself limited.

As far as reliability... I have owned my Airstream International Signature since 2014 and have had ZERO leaks or issues. Owner maintenance especially storage maintenance is the #1 thing determining how long they last. Especially winterization.

But some RV's are just better built than others.

Are the slide outs more leak prone ??

Look as if they would be.

Not just leak prone, but break prone. I have seen people stranded on the side of the highway because a slide came off track and out.

 

[Wildman]

I'll weigh in on the motorhome over trailer debate since I've had both.

I made the mistake IMO of buying a motorhome again... This is only my opinion and everyone is going to have a different opinion.
This Host MH is 35' long and quad slide so when it's opened up it's a small apartment. Has room for 4 people easily & you could put 2 more in the recliners if needed.

I'd bought a dually 1 ton truck with the plans of building another Redneck Toy Hauler and then got convinced that it wasn't going to be enough to do the job so sold it and bought the motorhome instead. I now regret it... Having a trailer that you can just drop & then use the tow rig to run around with IMO for what I want was the better option. Unfortunately right now the RV market is in a slump so I'd lose my shirt trying to sell my MH especially after having to spend $30K to have the engine rebuilt.

My RedNeck Toy Hauler

Seeing a lot more of these now.


@Chris as others have suggested I'd rent a trailer and see if you guys like it first... You can rent a popup trailer at some places. So that would give you an idea if you like them at all. Then maybe rent a travel trailer. Try out a few different types first. Money well spent if it saves you from making a mistake IMO.

 

[OkieJoe]

Probably the number one thing to figure out is HOW you intend to travel and camp. And WHERE you intend to go. So you can buy accordingly. And not find yourself limited.

As far as reliability... I have owned my Airstream International Signature since 2014 and have had ZERO leaks or issues. Owner maintenance especially storage maintenance is the #1 thing determining how long they last. Especially winterization.

But some RV's are just better built than others.
View attachment 625366



Not just leak prone, but break prone. I have seen people stranded on the side of the highway because a slide came off track and out.

Airstreams are the rare exception in regards to a quality build, but the price is reflected accordingly. I have yet to see an Airstream with any major issues (new and old). I own an 1973 Airstream Land Yacht that I I rent out for short term stays. It still has the original plywood floor, and it’s as solid today as it was in 1973. I believe that Airstream went to some sort of composite subfloor within the last couple of years, but all their RV’s prior to the change used real plywood.

 

[Chris]

Airstreams are the rare exception in regards to a quality build, but the price is reflected accordingly. I have yet to see an Airstream with any major issues (new and old). I own an 1973 Airstream Land Yacht that I I rent out for short term stays. It still has the original plywood floor, and it’s as solid today as it was in 1973. I believe that Airstream went to some sort of composite subfloor within the last couple of years, but all their RV’s prior to the change used real plywood.

I’ll bet they weigh a lot, huh?

 

[Wildman]

I’ll bet they weigh a lot, huh?

31' weighs about the same as the trailer you were looking at.

https://www.airstream.com/travel-trailers/flying-cloud/specifications/?floorplans=30fb-bunk

 

[Chris]

31' weighs about the same as the trailer you were looking at.

https://www.airstream.com/travel-trailers/flying-cloud/specifications/?floorplans=30fb-bunk

Damn, I would have figured it would weigh more with the use of real plywood and such. Impressive

 

[Wildman]

Damn, I would have figured it would weigh more with the use of real plywood and such. Impressive

Don't look at the PRICE...

 

[Chris]

Don't look at the PRICE...

Oh I've looked at Airstreams before.

You get what you pay for though.

Right now we're just interested in traveling within a few hours of our house and staying at the KOAs in and around the National Forests and National Parks. Basically we want to camp without the hassle of the tent setup and takedown every time.

As the kids get older and move out, that's when we are going to want to start traveling the country. When that time comes it may just be in the cards to buy an Airstream (and a 3/4 or 1-ton truck). Right now though we just don't need that I'm thinking.

I'll probably start by renting a popup camper. From what I'm reading, it seems like the perfect solution for what we're wanting to do at this stage of our life.

 

[Wildman]

Oh I've looked at Airstreams before.

You get what you pay for though.

Host is the premium truck camper manufacturer now too, and they can cost over $100K...... For a truck camper.

Right now we're just interested in traveling within a few hours of our house and staying at the KOAs in and around the National Forests and National Parks. Basically we want to camp without the hassle of the tent setup and takedown every time.

I've done that for year.. And that doesn't include the military tents. Having a RV IMO is a good thing even when it's a PITA.

As the kids get older and move out, that's when we are going to want to start traveling the country. When that time comes it may just be in the cards to buy an Airstream (and a 3/4 or 1-ton truck). Right now though we just don't need that I'm thinking.

5th wheel time at that point or a AirStream

I'll probably start by renting a popup camper. From what I'm reading, it seems like the perfect solution for what we're wanting to do at this stage of our life.

I think this is a GREAT way to go. Test the idea out and see how you guys like it.

 

[Chris]

Host is the premium truck camper manufacturer now too, and they can cost over $100K...... For a truck camper.

In this game it seems that you get what you pay for. If you plan on spending a lot of time in it, I suspect that price is justifiable.

I've done that for year.. And that doesn't include the military tents. Having a RV IMO is a good thing even when it's a PITA.

Agreed. Part of me thinks it would be cool to have a Class A, but then again if it breaks down, your out of a vehicle and your home!

5th wheel time at that point or a AirStream

Agreed. The time will come. My oldest is 12 and my youngest is 6.

I think this is a GREAT way to go. Test the idea out and see how you guys like it.

Yep, we'll see. We've been itching to go camping (especially my son) but it would make it a lot easier (and more fun) if we had a tent on wheels I suspect.

 

[Wildman]

In this game it seems that you get what you pay for. If you plan on spending a lot of time in it, I suspect that price is justifiable.

It was why I'd spent the money as I planned/hoped on being in mine 8 month or more out of the year... Hasn't happened yet.

Agreed. Part of me thinks it would be cool to have a Class A, but then again if it breaks down, your out of a vehicle and your home!

Ask me how I know...

Agreed. The time will come. My oldest is 12 and my youngest is 6.

It's the right time to start.

Yep, we'll see. We've been itching to go camping (especially my son) but it would make it a lot easier (and more fun) if we had a tent on wheels I suspect.

One thing to look at & think about is the off-road type popup trailers. I haven't looked at them in years but some of them are pretty nice & you could tow with your truck. And as I found out once my daughter got to be about the age of your oldest, they wanted to sleep in their own tent instead of being in the motorhome. So my point is you might only need space for you and the youngest? Gives you more options too? Just sharing my life experience.

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

I'll weigh in on the motorhome over trailer debate since I've had both.

I made the mistake IMO of buying a motorhome again... This is only my opinion and everyone is going to have a different opinion.
This Host MH is 35' long and quad slide so when it's opened up it's a small apartment. Has room for 4 people easily & you could put 2 more in the recliners if needed.

View attachment 625367

I'd bought a dually 1 ton truck with the plans of building another Redneck Toy Hauler and then got convinced that it wasn't going to be enough to do the job so sold it and bought the motorhome instead. I now regret it... Having a trailer that you can just drop & then use the tow rig to run around with IMO for what I want was the better option. Unfortunately right now the RV market is in a slump so I'd lose my shirt trying to sell my MH especially after having to spend $30K to have the engine rebuilt.

My RedNeck Toy Hauler

View attachment 625368

View attachment 625369

Seeing a lot more of these now.


@Chris as others have suggested I'd rent a trailer and see if you guys like it first... You can rent a popup trailer at some places. So that would give you an idea if you like them at all. Then maybe rent a travel trailer. Try out a few different types first. Money well spent if it saves you from making a mistake IMO.

Everybody is different that's for sure. Your Host motor home opens up nicely. That would be great when your doing a multi week trip and experience 3 straight days of rain. If you're only camping on weekends, you could get by with something smaller.

Probably the biggest reason we went to a motorhome vs travel trailer was maneuverability at state parks. I can fit my motor home into a campsite easier than travel trailers I used to own. Out last travel trailer was 34' long. We'd make a reservation at state parks for sites that would fit 45'+ units. The problem was when backing in, my 25' truck needed to use the campsite across the street to make the swing.

If you've ever driven a F350 crew cab, you know the turning radius is not very small. It seems PA state parks sized their sites when people were pulling a 20' trailers with a 4 door sedan or station wagon.

KOA is usually good about spacing, or have a lot of pull through site.

 

[srimes]

Damn, I would have figured it would weigh more with the use of real plywood and such. Impressive

Real plywood is lighter than (most) particleboard. MUCH stronger, too, so it can be thinner which saves even more weight. The only advantage particleboard has is cost.

Most RVs are constructed very poorly. I've seen rebuilds on old rvs from the 50s that were in great condition, even with wood framing, correlated metal sides and the corners that @Zorba hates, because the individual example was built right.

It seems the vast majority of the RV industry has little interest in quality work. But hey, they all look fantastic when new.

 

[ColoJeep]

If you want to step it up , there's always a Pierce Arrow with the factory trailer !