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Old 02-05-2016, 10:29 AM   #1
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Name: Randy
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Question Considering Fiberglass and Looking for Input

My wife and I are considering the purchase of a fiberglass rv and have met a few couples that own them presently. Two of those couples own the 16' Scamp and the other owns the 16' Casita. Based on what we saw of both types we are leaning toward the Scamp. We are certainly open to your opinions as to what decision we should make as well as other brands.

My tow vehicle will be a 4 door Jeep Sahara that has a 3500 pd towing capacity and a hitch weight capacity of 300 pds. Is this substantial enough to comfortably pull either the 16' Scamp or Casita? I appreciate any input that you can share.

Sincerely,

Randy & Holly Roberts
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Old 02-05-2016, 10:51 AM   #2
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If that is the size that you are interested in, you may also consider the Escape 17. Your Jeep should pull that just fine also.
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Old 02-05-2016, 10:58 AM   #3
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300 lb tongue weight limit is a problem.
My 17 comes in at 320-340 lbs. tongue weight, which is what it needs to be.
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Old 02-05-2016, 11:02 AM   #4
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Welcome, Randy and Holly!

A 16' Casita or Scamp will weight somewhere between 2400 and 2800 pounds loaded for camping. So either would be a good fit for a 3500 pound rated tow vehicle, with some margin for adverse conditions (heat, grades, headwinds,…).

A good resource is the thread Trailer Weights in the Real World. Post #297 links to a downloadable spreadsheet. You can filter by size, manufacturer, etc., and it gives you averages for total weight and tongue weight. Very helpful.

Best wishes in your "egg hunt"!
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Old 02-06-2016, 09:44 AM   #5
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Name: Dan
Trailer: SOLD - Lil Snoozy 2014
East Tennessee
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An All Fiberglass Lil Snoozy

Specifications:
Overall Dimensions
Length: 18 ft. 6 in. (encompasses tongue to rear of AC unit)
Height: 7 ft. 7 in.
Width: 8 ft. (from outside tire to outside tire)

Living Area Dimensions:
Length: 14 ft. 6 in.
Interior Width: 6 ft. 6 in.
Interior head room: 6ft. 4 in.
Bed Size Area: 63” x 79” (34 sq. ft.)
Overall Living Space: 95.25 sq. ft.

Overall Weight: 2500 lbs.
Tongue Weight: 185 lbs.
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Old 02-06-2016, 09:54 AM   #6
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Trailer: Casita
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Randy, Holly....

Depending on which loyalist you encounter, you'll get differing tales regarding which (Casita or Scamp) would be a better choice. Both are good, and last well if maintained.

One additional thought. Depending on your individual heights, you might find a 17' Casita much more comfortable over time than either of the `16' jobs. More head and elbow room. That, of course, is complicated by the 3500 lb. capacity of your Wrangler. My Casita 17 SD weighs about 3300 lbs. loaded and ready to go.

Although I much prefer a 10% reserve tow capacity on my tow vehicles, your Wrangler would suffice for a Casita 17' if the trailer was loaded sparingly, if driven carefully, with a weight distribution hitch and sway control....and kept out of too many curvy mountain passes.

Hope to meet you down the road with whichever you choose.

Frank
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Old 02-06-2016, 10:40 AM   #7
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Actually, a 16' Scamp will likely feel roomier than a 17' Casita. The interior heights are the same at a little over 6', but the Casita has a 24" wide center aisle; the Scamp has a 30" aisle. The difference is the Casita has deeper cabinets. Most of the length difference is in the dinette bed (45" vs 54"). Not worth the extra weight in my opinion, unless the larger bed is non-negotiable, in which case I'd probably be looking at an Escape. But I'm in the minority, I'd say, given the popularity of the Casita 17s…

Does that make me a Scamp loyalist?…
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Old 02-06-2016, 12:14 PM   #8
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Sahara towing 3500lbs

The Jeep site claims the tow capacity is 2000 lbs for the 2016 Sahara, with 285 HP.
Have you a different model?

My thought is to never be at or near the max limit. As a example a Ford Escape I once had, factory specs said it had the right numbers but you never felt in control. Now we have a 2014 V6 Chev Silverado which pulls our 17 Casita like a dream and feels very stable.
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Old 02-06-2016, 12:17 PM   #9
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Casita

One thought in the Scamp vs Casita wars. The Casita has glass all the way around. No wood floors to rot.
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Old 02-06-2016, 12:18 PM   #10
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Randy, Holly.....

Some of Jon's points on the relative roominess of the 17' Casita have merit, as long as you compare only with the 17 SD model. But to be fair to yourself, at least look at the overall dimensions in all the different 17 layouts.

As for who's a loyalist??? different strokes.....

Frank
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Old 02-06-2016, 12:40 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldsteve View Post
One thought in the Scamp vs Casita wars. The Casita has glass all the way around. No wood floors to rot.
Casita does have a full fiberglass underbelly, but it's not structural. There is a layer of wood encased in fiberglass. Any place the fiberglass is cut (such as for plumbing) or screwed into is a place water can enter. Some argue that the fiberglass can, in some cases, hold the water and accelerate rot. Scamp treats the exposed subfloor with resin, so it's also protected.

Not to escalate the war… both floor systems have proven they can last for decades with reasonable maintenance, and both can rot if neglected.

The only two molded fiberglass trailers I know of with no wood in the floor are the Lil Snoozy and the new Happier Camper HC1. Both have a floor made of two layers of fiberglass with a structural honeycomb in between.
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Old 02-06-2016, 01:26 PM   #12
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The Jeep product you own does not qualify as a good tow vehicle.
Size, wheel base and real world tow capacity all contribute to it not being a very adequate tow choice. You might move up to a Jeep Grand Cherokee if you insist on driving a Jeep. I would suggest either of two Toyota products...4 Runner or a Highlander V6 automatic with tow packages.
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Old 02-06-2016, 06:59 PM   #13
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Highlander V6 4wd Limited 2004

[Hi... i am a new Scamp owner and have one adventure 7nder my belt. It took me lot of research to determine that my year and model would be a good tow match... invaluable advice received herenon this site was to call a dealernand have them pull up your VIN # and fond out the details...like tow weight, hitch wt, and other things like upgraded transmission and radiator. All matter. This was a tremendous help to me. And i was ecstactic when mine yr and model showed i had what i needed. All models are not equal. I would listen to the advice here.
Ps...my first trip was at Christmas ND into cold country...Utah and N.AZ. I ran dry using facilities at rv parks just to be safe...not too big a deal, slept and kept my critter family comfy with heater (electric space heater inparks) worked just right.

I was surprised how well insulated it was ... kept lots of pillows around the outside of the bed... I have a Scamp 16... with side dinette for 2...front wet bath. Really nice.layout, feels spacious enouh, bed is small for two, but works great for.me, just one.

Good luck! Everything takes lot of research....I would spend the time and do it right. Teal


QUOTE=Uplander;570273]The Jeep product you own does not qualify as a good tow vehicle.
Size, wheel base and real world tow capacity all contribute to it not being a very adequate tow choice. You might move up to a Jeep Grand Cherokee if you insist on driving a Jeep. I would suggest either of two Toyota products...4 Runner or a Highlander V6 automatic with tow packages.[/QUOTE]
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Old 02-06-2016, 07:12 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldsteve View Post
One thought in the Scamp vs Casita wars. The Casita has glass all the way around. No wood floors to rot.
That was me deciding factor why i purchased my Casita.
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Old 02-06-2016, 07:18 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldsteve View Post
One thought in the Scamp vs Casita wars. The Casita has glass all the way around. No wood floors to rot.
As has been mentioned, Casita does have a wood floor. And as been mentioned if it needs to be replaced it's a huge PITA compared to the trailers without the fiberglass tub bottom. So... watch for leaks from above. Maintenance!
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Old 02-07-2016, 09:01 AM   #16
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Name: Randy
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I would like to thank everyone for their input. I have reached out to several of the Fiberglass RV companies to receive their brochures and specifications. I also have met an owner of a Scamp 16' and I'm going to reach out to them to see if I could hook it up to my jeep for a "Test" pull which will also add clarification to my final decision. I do enjoy the enthusiasm of this group and look forward to becoming a true member once I've made a purchase.

Sincerely,

RRoberts
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Old 02-07-2016, 10:08 AM   #17
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Name: Teal
Trailer: Scamp 16
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Consider your transmission

I would do more than see if your jeep CAN pull it... check the VIN as I mentioned, have your mechanic check out the radiator and transmission for a cooler. Otherwise, going up hills, mountains... etc you could find yourself with a broken car. I've learned this year there is bit more to towing than just hoking up and pulling it.

Good luck.
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Old 02-07-2016, 12:00 PM   #18
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Name: Randy
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Dear Teal,

I appreciate your additional input. I do have a towing package on the jeep which includes the transmission cooler. It is rated at 3500 pds with a tongue weight not to exceed 350pds. Also, I have been towing trailers for many years including large animal trailers when I worked on a farm as a teenager. The purpose of my original question was to see if any owners had an experience of towing their rv with a jeep similar to mine.

thx again,

RRoberts
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Old 02-07-2016, 02:31 PM   #19
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The Wrangler Unlimited has a fairly high center of gravity, but a good 116" wheelbase. It won't handle as nimbly in a highway speed avoidance maneuver as some other vehicles, so it might be wise to keep speed below 60 mph when towing. Otherwise, I think the 16' Scamp and Casita are good choices for that tug. The 17' Casita will definitely run you into trouble with too much hitch weight; I always recommend that owners of the 17 have at least a 500 lb hitch weight rating on their tow vehicle.

A Lil Snoozy, Parkliner, Trillium, Boler, Weiscraft, Escape 17, or Happier Camper would also work. It's really a matter of your personal preference, what you can afford, and (in the preowned market) what you find available for sale.
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Old 02-07-2016, 04:52 PM   #20
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Name: Randy
Trailer: 2016 Scamp 16 Deluxe
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Thanks Mike. I appreciate your input. I am aware of the way that the jeep hauls a trailer. I just got back from a 3000 mile journey hauling a 2000lb popup and all went well. My max speed was about 64mph due to both safety and gas milage. I also use it to haul my 17' boat which I've taken on a 1500 mile journey. It also weighs in at around 2000 lbs.

I also think my jeep will be capable in handling the 16' Scamp and I'd haul it empty of water. I was just looking to see if anyone is running with this setup at the present time.

Thanks so much for your input. It is greatly appreciated.

RRoberts
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