So many confusing choices for newbies

[Brian B-P]

A discussion of whether or not a composite (plastic) bed/box is a problem for a hitch can take a while... but I think the Ridgeline is effectively out for available trailers because the box sides are too high.

As for fiberglass trailer gatherings... there's a whole sub-forum here in the FiberglassRV forums...
Rallies, Get-togethers, Molded Meets

[peterh]

Hi Frank,

Reading the posts thus far it seems you really are "all over the map." I thought I'd throw my $0.02 in.

First off, I'm new with the RV/Trailer thing. My wife and I decided to get a trailer or RV last September, puttered around looking at RVs and trailers for a month or two, and one of the things we did was borrow my brother-in-law's "stickie" trailer and go to a fiberglass gathering. Two months later (December) we picked a used Scamp 5th wheel.

*** So my first advice is to look around and, if you're considering a small fiberglass trailer, show up at one of the events and ask the nice people ther if you can look inside their trailers. Most of them are happy to show them off, and after looking around we changed our minds as to what kind of RV/Trailer we wanted to buy.

We've had our trailer out twice since last March, and already I'm making changes, replacing the "gaucho" at the front of the trailer with drawers, a "hanging space" closet, dog kennel area, steps to the loft and a larger, front-to-back, queen-sized bed. We kinda planned on doing those things before we even found a trailer we wanted to buy, but never the less, it doesn't seem to take long before you start thinking "wouldn't it be nice if . . ."

*** Second advice: Buying used is a good way to go. RV market research says most first-time RV buyers trade their unit in within a year or two to get something they like better. Their first RV/trailer experiences help them figure out what things they really want in an RV/trailer. People who buy new loose a lot of cash when they go to sell or trade in that first unit; used trailers & RVs don't loose anywhere near as much value.

If you're patient you can get used fiberglass trailers in OK shape for just a few thousand dollars. Gina's older 13' trailer, for example, sold for $3000 and we bought our almost-new 2005 5th wheel for under 12K. Some used RVs with no bump-outs but in good condition can be had for $20-30K. At that price you don't get luxury, but you do get a unit that'll help you figure out what you really want and need without taking a big 30K or larger depreciation hit on a new unit.

--P