Bottom line: try to find a fiberglass rally. In addition, call Casita, Scamp,
and EggCamper and ask to be referred to owners participating in each company's referral program.
If you get a deluxe Scamp with the side dinette and bath/shower, you get a lot of the features found in the Casita 17.
Now -- in California you get a permanent
registration for all trailers 16 feet and under. The difference in annual
registration fees between a 16 foot and 17 foot trailer is quite significant. So check that out in your home state.
Now the issues for you to consider are:
- Will you be full timing alone in this trailer?
Where will you be traveling during the winter months?
How adventurous do you want to be with your trailer?
How tall are you?
Can you tolerate cramped quarters?
I also was trying to decide between a Scamp 16 & Casita 17.
I called both Casita and Scamp and they referred me to owners near my home. It was really helpful to actually sit in a cabin, talk with the owners, and see the "mods" they had completed!
One thing about the Casitas and Scamps: when the beds are out full time - the cabin becomes closed in. I believe that the combination of the narrow cabin width and length. Some Casita/Scamp owners don't mind, they say that their trailers are
snugly. I personally didn't like the effect, but thought I could live with it, given its aerodynamic design and excellant features. My husband and friends who came with me to see Casitas on sale didn't like the cramped cabins at all.
If the bed is not made up, you can sit at the dinette and the trailer fees very comfortable. But most people don't like ending their active day with a final chore of making up a bed. Because you're planning to stay in your rig full time, I doubt you'll want to take down your bed each morning.
One of the couple/owners told me that they
only make up their bed in the
evening. They preferred the airy feel of the cabin with the rear dinette table. They had a self-inflatable air mattress and demonstrated making up the bed for me. But they use their Casita for camping trips and are away for maybe 2 weeks at a time.
I also had a good friend who traveled extensively to AKC Retriever events in his Casita Spirit Deluxe. I visited his Casita on 2 occasions. Both times, the back dinette was made into the bed. The cabin felt uncomfortably cramped. I also wondered about how safe it was for the rear "bed" to be located so close to the
propane furnace.
Now an EggCamper 17 is just a couple of feet wider and taller than the Casita 17, and apparently that makes a huge difference in comfort. Plus, it is aerodynamically designed to give the owner maximum gas milage. If you look at the "For Sale" section of this forum, there is an ad for a used EggCamper that may be close to you.
Despite all this, I pretty much decided that I would get a Casita. The question was: which model. I finally had the time to go to a Casita rally relatively close to my home. That really opened my eyes!
I spoke with an ex-Casita turned Bigfoot 21 owner. She suggested that I think about the weather conditions and camping areas where I would be taking my trailer. Then she introduced me to the Bigfoot owners at the rally who were kind enough to show me their rigs. I realized that a Bigfoot 17 was lots more comfortable, with much more storage options than a Casita or Scamp. Plus, its cabin was better insulated. If you can find a Bigfoot with a "winter package" - you will see that the pipes are encased in fiberglass, making it possible to travel to colder areas. In addition, the Bigfoots are higher off the ground which, in combination with their "4 seasons" capabilities, are ideal for RV "Trekking". I came to believe that I could find a older Bigfoot (mid '90's) for less money than a used Casita or Scamp.
As winter approached, I did in fact see threads regarding the impracticality of using a Casita, Scamp or EggCamper in colder regions.
Again, you need to consider
what you are going to do with your trailer,
who you will be traveling with, and
where you'll be going during the winter and summer months. The trailer that will best fit your needs will come into focus.
Good luck!