How much does your Trailer get used?

[Frederick L. Simson]

Continued from: To Sell - or not to sell

Originally Posted by Penney H. & Mike E.

If you decide to sell you might think first about why you aren't using it - maybe it doesn't meet your travel/camping needs and a different trailer would get used more.

Two years is not long. I wonder if anyone has ever done a poll here as to how often most folks, who are not retired, use their trailer, or the longest period of time it has sat unused

Here's a poll!

[Dave Bese]

I logged over 13,000 miles on the truck this year on trips, so likely 90% of that was with the trailer attached.

[paulw]

Somewhere between average and often.
At least two weekend or longer trips per month May - October... we winterize & store it between the Fall and Spring NOGs.

[Alf S.]

Hi: All... I get one xtra long weekend per mo. and we usually stay somewhere within a 5hr. radius from home. Then there's at least 3 wks. summer vacation to travel with!!! Retirement looms and there goes the vacations and weekends off but there's the prospect of storing our trailer in some nice spot in FLORIDA for part or all of the winter!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[james kent]

It's perfect for those month long site-seeing trips to visit relatives ranging from Virginia to Grand Prairie, Alberta to Calgary and Vancouver and Victoria BC. As an extra bedroom for the 'little cabin by the lake' it can't be beat. And for road treks to a Fiberglass event it's always ready to go. How else could you get pictures like this? Besides, isn't working on and old trailer fun too?

[Terry G]

Living in Colorado and being retired now, the trailer is getting out quite a bit.

[Roy in TO]

I chose average but it gets "used" more the poll descriptors. We are not retired.

As Jim says, working on them is fun. If the trailer was not in storage during the 6 months of winter and I could be physically tinkering with it, I would. But during the winter we get to research our next project and source the parts. If I could easily access and work on the trailer over the winter, I would have chosen often.

Like Alf, we like to take extended weekends within 5-6 hours from home. We would rather take one extended weekend rather than 2 short ones. We just spent our annual 5 days at the Elora Gorge for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

Typically we take a 2-3 week "travel" vacation each summer. Try to catch 2-3 meets a year. Use the trailer as spare bedroom when visiting friends/family out of town. It also gets used to attend "dog" events of a day or more. Especially when the weather is not the best. Then we try to fit in another one or two extended weekends just to camp. Outside of that, we try to work on them on weekends along with our other chores that go along with home ownership. Barring the usual weddings, family gatherings, work conferences and obligatory social events. Even with those, we will use the trailer if possible.

Add in the forums and one recognizes these trailers are a significant part of our lives serving more than just a piece of camping equipment.

[Dick & Joanne]

Average?
We spent our time this summer on a trip to China, but normally we would have spent 5 - 6 weeks on the road with the Casita. Plus a couple of trips to Myrtle Beach and at least one other trip to see the children in Florida and/or Louisiana. And we used it last Christmas when the family gathering was at our place.

[Penney H. & Mike E.]

Because our Burro did sit a few years with no use, (though it had some good long trips) we set a goal of using the Escape at least one weekend a month during 'the season' & extending the season. First year of ownership we met out goal, one weekend a month & one 10 day trip. Year two, we had to cancel a few weekends due to family matters, but had one longer trip. It's still the 'ideal' to strive for........

The poll thus far looks like most folks use their trailers about the same, weekends & a vacation or two.

Thanks Frederick for posting this - it will be interesting to read as more add to it.

Penney

P.S. Re-reading folks comments, looks like trailer use can be broadly defined if you take into consideration tinkering, doubling as a guest house use, etc. Also, the climate where a trailer resides can greatly impact how often it is used.

[theresa p]

our trailer gets used every second week in the summer, for the whole week, up at our lot, as i work a week on and a week off (my choice) from may til late september....plus we take it down south for between 5-8 weeks each winter. it serves also as a spare guestroom because we cannot seem to get our son to sleep anywhere else when he visits!!! says "i LOVE that little trailer!"....
thought up a new name to have painted on the back of it..... "OSOKOZY"

[CindyL]

Someday, we might actually be able to retire and will use it more. Even so, it gets used perhaps not as much as Kevin would like but a lot. It has changed our lives. Before we could not take vacations. Now, we just decide which direction we want to go and find campgrounds that meet our needs.

CindyL

[Karalyn]

I probably only use mine 2 to 3 times a yr, once for the family reunion, and maybe a couple of other times. I HATE going by myself, and need someone to talk to, so I need a reason to take the camper and go. It makes a great little bedroom for me when others are in their tents. Due to my hobby of raising little puppies I need something to secure them in also.
Also now there is the fear of Bed Bugs. I ain't gonna bring any of them home if I have my own little bedroom on wheels..
I would definately be out camping more if I had friends that liked to travel and camp.

[Pam Garlow]

Considering that those of us who have purchased a used trailer probably spent $2000 to $4000 on it, the time it spends in the yard is not so critical. I'd be more concerned about 'getting my money worth' if I'd spent a lot more for a new trailer to begin with.