Need a site that reviews small fiberglass trailers?

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Sounds like you have never been in one that was very recently finished at the factory.
When I picked up my new Scamp the VOCs were so bad that I never would have been able to live in it except that the weather was perfect and I was able to keep the windows open and have good ventilation. I expect the spray adhesive holding the rat fur to the body is especially bad when fresh.

That being said, after a few weeks or months, I can detect absolutely no noxious odors (as long as I have a daily shower that is )

gordon2, That doesn't sound so good!! I think a Scamp would need to be bought used.

Margaret

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by WaltP

The Parkliner has always had propane.
Why did I sell? Partly because I had the opportunity to buy my Bigfoot at a very attractive price and there were too many things I didn't like about the Parkliners at that time.
I've already mentioned I don't like the choice of toilet and the waste water configuration.
The optional bathroom sink is pretty useless and takes up too much of the closet space.
The AC and batteries were inside and left no floor level storage space.
I understand they currently offer a ceiling AC and the battery is on the tongue. Those represent huge improvements.
Then there's the upper cabinets.
The inside surfaces are rough, uncovered fiberglass.
The cabinets are open the whole length of the trailer with no partitions and things like dishes are free to slide all over the place.
The lips at the cabinet openings are about two inches deep. Because they are also quite high off the floor, small things get hidden behind the lips and you are left to just feel around for them. There's no need for more than 1/2" or even 1/4" lip.

The cabinet issues could and should be easily resolved.

All that said, I still think it's a great trailer that easily could be even better.

Walt

Hey Walt P,

That's very useful info. At least it sounds like the Parkl has a lot of storage space. Don't know what I would do about the dishes conundrum.

So, are you talking about the old or the new model?

Margaret

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Denece

I can second the statement "be ready to move fast".
We got cash at the bank in the morning to buy a FGRV, drove two hours to see it, that one didn't work out. Drove home. But an hour later one popped up on here that was just a few blocks away from the first one we looked at and because we were able to get there first with cash...

Vigilance pays off!


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

Denece,

Good info.

Margaret

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Myron Leski

Picked up my egg at the factory a week after it was finished. Smelled just fine in there to me. Seems a non-issue perhaps except for the truly exceptionally sensitive nose. Since every campsite likely has at the very least a pit toilet available dry campers probably need to be more concerned with their battery power and propane than with gray/black water tank capacity.

Myron Leski, I just made a note of that: battery power and propane.

I wish Egg Campers weren't so rare. I don't think it's a coincidence that the "healthier" campers are so hard to get.

Margaret

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Yup - move fast!

Posted my Scamp on Craigslist after 9:30pm on a Saturday night.... by 11PM I had received 5 requested to view it the next day. First party to see it on Sunday purchased..... with a second party scheduled to view it a half hour after the first giving a solid back up offer should the first party fail to complete the sale.

Carol H,

It's like trying to get an apartment in Europe.

Switzerland is the worst! As soon as the apartment becomes available, you have to be the first one there.

Margaret

[WaltP]

All that was about my 2012 model but as I said, I hear the AC and Battery issues have been solved.

Walt

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by WaltP

Again a "different strokes" issue. When I need a toilet in the middle of the night, a pit toilet several hundred feet away, if I can remember where it is, is not my ideal solution, especially if it's cold and rainy, or worse.
Not to mention boondocking where there's no facility at all.
Also, there have been several times when I've been very glad I upgraded from the original 20-25 gal grey tank.

Walt

I think that grass and leaves are fine for, ummm, a "woodsie," i.e. pe-ing in the woods. The other might be a bigger issue, unless you're up to digging a proper latrine!

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

It took about 3-4 months for the "new fiberglass" smell to go away with my new Escape 17. Once in the trailer it never bothered me, but on entering, particularly if it had been tightly closed, it was noticeable.

As to nearby toilets when dry camping, if you stay at La Posa West (one of the LTVA BLM campgrounds at Quartzsite, AZ), the nearest pit toilet is about 3 miles away - a bit of a hike in the middle of the night! While it is possible to set up closer to pit toilets even at the LTVAs in both California & Arizona, you have a lot more choices if you have a decent black tank capacity. I do agree that good battery capacity & solar can make long term dry camping more enjoyable.

I hope to use solar panels eventually. What is an LTVA?

Margaret

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Mr Lynn

Margaret: I spent a fair amount of time looking for reviews of molded fiberglass (MFG) and traditional 'stick-built' trailers, to no avail. There are articles in magazines like Trailer Life, and websites devoted to RVs, but they are all either positive or reduced to describing features. Rarely are they critical.

I spend $50 for a book purporting to contain reviews of lightweight travel trailers, here:

http://rvreviews.net/lightweight-tra...parison-guide/

While it provided informative capsule histories of the companies, it basically summarized user surveys about dealer and warranty service, and not much about anything else. What I wanted was information about the pluses and minuses of specific trailer models, much as WaltP has done for his ParkLiner, and others have done on this site. It wasn't there, and I thought it a waste of $50. Keep reading this forum, and the forums devoted to specific manufacturers (Casitas and Escapes, for instance), and you'll get a much better idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each camper.

We were just lucky enough to score a used, late-model Casita from the original owners; for about the same money we could have bought a new small stickie, like the AR-ONE or R-Pod. I am happy we did so, as I think MFG is a much better way to build a trailer. You do sacrifice some features that new stickies offer (like no battery disconnect in our Casita)—because the small MFG companies are not keeping up with the industry?

But, as others say, it is hard to find used MFG trailers, and the prices are high, because they aren't making enough. I have seen a few pop up in classified ads in VA, NC, and SC, so they do exist.

If you have ample funds, go to the Oliver factory and order a new one; it's the Cadillac of MFG campers, and I'm sure they'd be delighted to talk to you.

/Mr Lynn

The problem with ordering a new one from any of these companies, is that they are all way back ordered.

M

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Myron Leski

Regarding toilet usage and dry camping I guess the key to happiness is how much daily volume/pounds one or two persons will produce before a dump station search must be done. I'm 250 pounds myself, so think I'd be good for at least a week.

What about a composting toilet? I don't think I would want to use a chemical toilet.

Margaret

[Mr Lynn]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

I think that grass and leaves are fine for, ummm, a "woodsie," i.e. pe-ing in the woods. The other might be a bigger issue, unless you're up to digging a proper latrine!

Depends how deep in the woods (i.e. away from people, habitations, civilization). After all, where do the bears go?

/Mr Lynn

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Jack L

I do not think I have ever seen a magazine review that was ever even close to critical. Trailers, fishing gear, and many other hobbies all are reviewed by "professional" writers who are paid for writing articles by the manufacturer of that item. In the spirit of continued paychecks, these writers accentuate the positive, and that's all. With all the internet reviews, you get some solid information, but some of the product reviews seem to be written by someone who has a financial interest in the product. I've noticed that a glowing positive review of a product in a magazine is often accompanied by a full page, or even 2 page advertisement from the same manufacturer of that product. <_<

Jack L, I was kind of worried about that possibility. I think forums are the best option for a review, although even on the forums, I have received msgs from an owner/ manufacturer. It wasn't in the least bit offensive though.

Margaret

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Mr Lynn

Depends how deep in the woods (i.e. away from people, habitations, civilization). After all, where do the bears go?

/Mr Lynn

Margaret

[Mr Lynn]

Margaret, did you see this 2012 Casita Liberty Deluxe in Hendersonville, NC, advertised for $15,900?

Casita Travel Trailer Forum -> Classifieds -> 2012 Casita 17 Liberty Deluxe

Don't know your budget, but this is par for the course these days. See the Casita website for the different bed/seating arrangements you can make with the Liberty model.

/Mr Lynn

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Steve Dunham,

Can you explain? Are you unhappy with the Parkliner camper and company, or just with the topic? I would love to know, since I'm thinking of buying one.

Margaret

I do not own or have I ever owned a Parkliner. In the past there were many long , unproductive and heated threads dealing with Parkliner trailers and their ownership . Hopefully the new owners of Parkliner have nothing in common with the past ownership except for the Parkliner name . Having viewed several Parkliner trailers , in my opinion they are a well layer out travel trailer.

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

rbryan,

That's interesting. No fumes in a Fiberglass?

Margaret

Of course there are fumes, especially when it's brand new, but I find the smell inside a new sticky much stronger than in a molded fiberglass trailer. Thus my comment. But in fairness, I can only go by my own nose...


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by rbryan

Of course there are fumes, especially when it's brand new, but I find the smell inside a new sticky much stronger than in a molded fiberglass trailer. Thus my comment. But in fairness, I can only go by my own nose...


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

Well, I just came back from a dealership a few days ago, where I looked at a Livin Lite and a Lance,

Both were completely out of the question, due to fumes, although in the Livin Lite, the fumes came almost exclusively from the vinyl couch.

The showroom itself was almost unbearable. I felt like I was swimming in a chemical soup!!

Margaret

[Darral T.]

I sure wish yall could capture that smell and bring it to me! I love the "new" smell of RV's, houses, automobiles....I held on to my Scamp's new smell as long as possible. It sure beats BO, mold, mildew, OLD musty RV's that's been sitting.,.... that's just me.

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Well, I just came back from a dealership a few days ago, where I looked at a Livin Lite and a Lance,

Both were completely out of the question, due to fumes, although in the Livin Lite, the fumes came almost exclusively from the vinyl couch.

The showroom itself was almost unbearable. I felt like I was swimming in a chemical soup!!

Margaret

[k corbin]

Margaret, perhaps your best bet for controlling hazardous to your health interior items is to find a restorer of vintage FBRV who will work with you to only use eco friendly products to put in a brand new interior. As to those choices of materials there are professional designers specializing in interior design for chemically sensitive persons. They are going to have catalogs of suitable materials for mattresses, fabrics, cabinetry, flooring, insulation, etc.

A composting toilet system is not actually odor free. You have to provide ventilation to remove the odors from the toilet. A composting toilet such as Natures Head needs a powered vent to move sufficient air out of the toilet chamber to the exterior of the RV. You can purchase solar powered units that cap off a roof vent tube but you do need a solar vent cap that has a decent sized, good quality, storage battery to power it 24/7 or else you need to install a vent fan into the venting system that is powered from your house battery. You must also obtain the higher cfm solar vent fans. There are several sizes so get the one with the more powerful fan. You will also need to do frequent emptying of the urine container as urine quickly breaks down into a very foul smelling substance.

As to chemicals for the toilet, nowadays there are many new eco choices for holding tank additives that won't cause you any respiratory issues. They are done with enzymes and bacteria rather than the old perfume to death chemicals. There is a lot of science behind breaking down waste products and keeping odor under control. Basically you need oxygen, bacteria and enzymes to break down the waste and keep the process moving along without a lot of stinky gas forming in the waste tank. There are articles on the internet about the bio chemistry of it, rather interesting to read in some ways and it certainly will help you when it comes to evaluating those various product choices of waste tank treatments.

So here is something to ponder on that I learned a number of years ago. Nowadays the companies that empty septic tanks are instructed not to empty them completely. That is because there needs to be sufficient residual bacteria in the tank to get the waste digestion going. Our own bodies also constantly need bacteria in our intestinal systems so we can break down the food. Look at what can happen to us after taking antibiotics that kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad ones. Holding tanks also need to have "good" bacteria in them that will digest the waste properly.

What happens in RVs is the holding tank often gets completely rinsed out. A complete rinsing is needed if you only use the RV now and again or if you are winterizing it. In that situation when you want to bring your RV out of storage for a trip you then need to be using a liquid waste tank treatment that contains enzymes and also very importantly it should contain bacteria so that the bacteria can go into immediate action rather than waiting a number of days to get a powder dissolved. If you live full time in an RV or are taking a long vacation trip then resist the temptation to completely rinse your holding tank out every time you dump the waste, it is good for it to stay a little dirty in there as that means you have a sufficient amount of bacteria you need for the waste digestion process to start over again.

Portable toilets also need to have enzymes and bacteria to keep the odor under control without the need for those harsh smelling chemicals. I don't know about the rest of you but I hate that smell from the holding tank chemicals that were the standard just a few years ago. Because you have to absolutely have a vent in the toilet's holding tank for any type of contained toilet system to work it is a very good idea for the trailer compartment you store your portable toilet in to have a fresh air vent built in it that goes directly to the outside to provide an air exchange for the inside of that cabinet. Some closed cell foam for a gasket at the cabinet door and face frame, caulking all the joins to other cabinets or spaces and the installation of that fresh air vent to the outside will help keep odors out of the living space.

You have to be careful what you put into a holding tank. Do not use bleach or antibacterial soaps or strong cleaning products. Those kinds of chemicals can also leave behind a residue if you are using them to sanitize an empty tank for storage. So you will have to triple rinse before you use the tank again. Those useful bacteria and enzymes in the tank are your friends, if you kill them by being thoughtless about what goes down the drain into the tank then they will get revenge for it!

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

I hope to use solar panels eventually. What is an LTVA?

Margaret

LTVA stands for Long Term Visitor's Area. There are 8 areas (6 in California & 2 in Arizona) that are designed for winter camping. You pay either $40.00 for 2 weeks or $180.00 for 7 months, can move between the 8 areas, and, depending on the specific area, have access to fresh water, dump stations and dumpsters for trash.

I stayed at LaPosa West in Quartzsite, AZ, and Imperial Dam in California.

My journal of the stay at both (plus 2 weeks at the free BLM site at Dome Rock for the Quartzsite Fiberglass Trailer Rally) starts here.