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Old 07-08-2006, 11:42 PM   #1
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Ok, I just found this site and am getting a bit overwhelmed! I'm hoping some folks will be nice enough to answer a couple of questions without voting me off the island.
I'm not even sure this is the right area to post this, but I'm sure the mods will move it if its not.

Let me frame this with what we're looking for. We don't have a truck or super tow vehicle at this time. Our next car will be able to tow but that won't be for at least 2 years. We are a young family of 3 (but my daughter is only 1) with 2 medium dogs (vizslas). We are looking at hardside trailers because there is talk of the trailer doing backyard hotel duty for the grandparents on occasion and they (ok, one of them) aren't too interested in doing that in a pop-up (which is the other obvious option). We are also trying to keep in mind that our family isn't 'finished' so we will ultimately need sleeping capacity for 4 or maybe 5 (but this also isn't necessarily the last trailer we'd ever buy). We are mostly interested in a new/newer trailer and it seems like the 13/14' ones are too small (though I saw posts happily using them in the 'family floor plan' thread so now I'm not so sure?) so we were thinking 16/17'. I have mixed feelings about using up space in such a small trailer with a bathroom. So that's our 'set up.'

Some questions:
-My husband is 6'. The Casita trailers say they are only 5'9" inside which doesn't sound like a really great plan for him. Are there any 6'ers using a Casita who can comment on this? The other two types I've looked at extensively are Scamp and Burro. Are these any taller inside?

-I don't see much talk about the Burro trailers. Are they not very popular? Is there a reason? They seem a bit more 'budget' inside trim-wise (which is fine with us, especially since they seem priced accordingly) but is there something else we don't know about? Has anyone built one of their kit ones?

-How do I get a look at some of these? Is there anyone in the SF Bay Area with a newer one we could check out? Do we have to find owners through the manufacturers?

Thanks for reading and sorry for the newbie questions!
Andrea
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Old 07-09-2006, 11:03 AM   #2
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Hi Andrea, and welcome to the forum!

- I'm 5' 10" and the Burro is plenty tall enough, and I measure it at six feet one and a half inches from carpeting to the vinyl center strip. Since it protrudes somewhat that means that 6' + is available over the majority of the trailer. Don't know about the others. On the other hand, standing up straight is not an absolute necessity either for the majority of living time in a trailer.

Burros are no longer made. A tragic combination of decent product and really poor management. They are plenty popular, but restricted to the used market. If you find a decent one be prepared to jump on it. They may seem a bit more "budget" but that is an illusion, because it is about the only one with double shells, which is why the interior looks a bit more "white" than the others. The payback is that they are easy to clean, usually have insulation between the shells, have no rivets to the outside, are great for attaching things without penetrating the outside shell, make electrical wiring easy and invisible, and tend to be easier for people with chemical sensitivities (less use of glues, foams, etc.). The later widebody styles are significantly wider than the others, which is immediately evident when you step into one, meaning bigger beds and more room in general.

Now that I have promoted the Burro I'm sure others will chime in with details of their own favorite brands which all seem to have their own advantages. All depends on what is important to you. Aside: we have found our minivan to be a viable overflow sleeping area for two, if you get one with easily removed or disappearing seats. The usual 3500 lb towing capacity (with tranny cooler) will handle all the 16' or 17' models and provide lots of storage so you don't have to cram excessive amounts of stuff into the trailer.

We have our trailer parked in the back yard, and it has everything one would need for housing occasional guests: heat, frig, sound system, TV/DVD, AC, toilet and shower, cooking facilities, etc., and privacy.

There are sections of this forum where you will find trailers for sale and referrals. The search function can be quite useful for other types of information too.

Good luck in getting what you need!
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Old 07-09-2006, 11:33 AM   #3
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Thanks for the reply! I'm sorry to hear the Burros are no longer made. I guess the website I found is just an old one that was still hanging around

Now I'm extra upset I missed the one on craigslist for $5800....

-Andrea
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Old 07-09-2006, 11:46 AM   #4
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My Burro is old, but it's fully equipped with all but air.

They seem to have everything everyone elses has.
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Old 07-09-2006, 12:02 PM   #5
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Our 17' Casita is OK for Jim - he's 6.1" and has no trouble standing in the trailer unless he is under the roof air conditioner. That is over the table so he doesn't even have a problem there - just is aware... The 17' Casita is higher than the 13' or 16'....
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Old 07-09-2006, 07:30 PM   #6
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hi andrea and welcome!

this is a great site and you will find a lot of info which will help you decide what to look for. i suggest that you look at all the photos of different trailer models just to get an idea of the way they can be laid out inside. the listings that show ones for sale usually have ebay listings with photos. there are also pictures in the album section. look at the recent
trillium listing for example, it clearly shows the bunk bed setup that the other brands use as well. that is how you will fit once you have a larger family. see the recent posts from Gina D. about her "addition", a separate tent-like room that expands her available space.

if you have that much money to spend, just take your time looking and wait for the one that is just right. the great part in all this is that even if you do end up with the "wrong" thing, you can sell it to someone else for whom it will be "just right".
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Old 07-09-2006, 08:31 PM   #7
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The folk here are the best!
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Old 07-09-2006, 11:41 PM   #8
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I just wanted to thank everyone for their replies and info. I hadn't realized that the 17' Casita was taller than the other two so that's definitely something to keep in mind.
Thanks again!
Andrea
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Old 07-10-2006, 07:06 AM   #9
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Hi, Andrea! Welcome to FiberglassRV.com!

Also keep in mind that the 17 ft. trailers are significantly heavier than the others... With the Casitas you're looking at almost 3000 lbs., when it's loaded and ready to go camping. (You can do things to keep the weight down a little bit, but it's all relative.)

Don't get me wrong, I love my 17 ft. Casita and highly recommend it; but if that's what you're interested in, you might want to upgrade your tow vehicle sooner rather than later...

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Old 07-10-2006, 12:04 PM   #10
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I'm a bit confused...are you planning on not taking the trailer camping until you get a new vehicle? What kind of vehicles do you have right now?

Personally I'd by a cheaper/older trailer and spend the leftover on a used tow vehicle so you can go camping now!
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Old 07-10-2006, 04:34 PM   #11
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Quote:
I'm a bit confused...are you planning on not taking the trailer camping until you get a new vehicle? What kind of vehicles do you have right now?

Personally I'd by a cheaper/older trailer and spend the leftover on a used tow vehicle so you can go camping now!
We were hoping to use it now but after further research I don't think we can tow anything but a 13 or 14 now. I'm not really sure those will work long term for us until I've actually been inside one. I think I am realizing that we may need to just get a cheap older popup (since they're much more plentiful) for now and get a better trailer once we can purchase a suitable tow vehicle. We are VERY picky about cars (we are 'enthusiasts') and there isn't really too much we could afford (even with a cheaper trailer) right now that we'd be happy with. I graduate from Pharmacy school in 2yrs and things will be a bit easier then. I think the in-laws are just going to have to deal with a regular hotel. I'm still hoping to check out a 13/14' 'egg' if I can find one near me though....
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Old 07-10-2006, 04:56 PM   #12
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Quote:
We were hoping to use it now but after further research I don't think we can tow anything but a 13 or 14 now. I'm not really sure those will work long term for us until I've actually been inside one. I think I am realizing that we may need to just get a cheap older popup (since they're much more plentiful) for now and get a better trailer once we can purchase a suitable tow vehicle. We are VERY picky about cars (we are 'enthusiasts') and there isn't really too much we could afford (even with a cheaper trailer) right now that we'd be happy with. I graduate from Pharmacy school in 2yrs and things will be a bit easier then. I think the in-laws are just going to have to deal with a regular hotel. I'm still hoping to check out a 13/14' 'egg' if I can find one near me though....

Since I've had my 13' I've given lots of tours. Two comments I've heard almost every time. 1. This is cute.
2. There's more room in here than I expected.

We think our 13' is just the right size.

Now call Scamp and ask if there's somebody close to you that would be willing to show you their 13' trailer.
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Old 08-02-2006, 06:38 PM   #13
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Since I've had my 13' I've given lots of tours. Two comments I've heard almost every time. 1. This is cute.
2. There's more room in here than I expected.

We think our 13' is just the right size.

Now call Scamp and ask if there's somebody close to you that would be willing to show you their 13' trailer.
Byron - I noticed that you have a 2006 Scamp 13. That's the same size Scamp we ordered last fall and then the plant burned down. When did you pick up your Scamp and is the plant in production. We are still waiting for our Scamp. Thanks - Bob and Cherie L.
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Old 08-02-2006, 07:35 PM   #14
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Byron - I noticed that you have a 2006 Scamp 13. That's the same size Scamp we ordered last fall and then the plant burned down. When did you pick up your Scamp and is the plant in production. We are still waiting for our Scamp. Thanks - Bob and Cherie L.

I ordered mine last September. I had it delivered. Delivery was scheduled for February, my request. Since they had 2 other deliveries close to me they moved it up to December. I got it December 15, 2005.

I really don't know what the situation with the plant is. I would suggest that you call the sales person that took your order. The people that I talked to were all very nice.

I'm sure you'll enjoy your Scamp once you get. We've sure enjoyed our.
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Old 08-07-2006, 02:53 AM   #15
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Andrea- If memory serves me correctly there is a new Trillium dealership/factory around the SF area. They just started up and you might be able to look at one of those but not sure if it will be tall enough for your husband. I do believe there might be some more info about this in some of the old posts on the forum. I would be glad to link you to them but I don't know how to do that. Good luck.
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Old 08-07-2006, 05:40 AM   #16
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Andrea- If memory serves me correctly there is a new Trillium dealership/factory around the SF area.[/quote]
Trillium RV - Manufactured in California
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Old 08-07-2006, 08:57 AM   #17
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Thanks Donna
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