Hi from Mike in Minnesota - Fiberglass RV
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Old 02-22-2018, 11:54 AM   #1
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Hi from Mike in Minnesota

Hello to the community. Haven't purchased a trailer yet but have been absorbing knowledge for several months on this wonderful site. Thanks for all the expertise. I just retired. Just bought what I think is an adequate TV, a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with the Hemi. Supposedly can tow 7400 lbs. Am now looking for the right trailer. Wifey wants at least a toilet on board,shower is a plus. We like a dedicated bed rather than making one up every day. We have 2 big labs so floor space is important too. Looking forward to meeting some of you at a rally to figure out what will work best for us. Thanks.
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Old 02-22-2018, 11:57 AM   #2
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Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
welcome

welcome mike there are some real experts here that can guide you on your decision. all I have is a 13f scamper so I cant be much help on a large trailer!

bob
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Old 02-22-2018, 12:06 PM   #3
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Thanks, Bob. I thought a 13 footer would be all i would need too. But, I guess I may need to go 17 or maybe more.
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Old 02-22-2018, 12:07 PM   #4
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Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,500
Welcome from another Minnesotan. Good luck in finding your trailer .
We have a 17 ft Casita SD and one large chocolate lab.
All I can tell you is that for us , two adults and one large dog is the limit . I know people camp in a 13 ft Scamp with 2 adults , 4 kids , 3 dogs and 2 small cats but that seems more like torture than fun to me.
The first time you trip over the dog on your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night you will understand.
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Old 02-22-2018, 12:10 PM   #5
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Thanks for the tips Steve. Looks like we've got our work cut out for us. Well I plan on the search being part of the fun.
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Old 02-22-2018, 01:13 PM   #6
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Name: Dave W
Trailer: Trillium 4500 - 1976, 1978, 1979, 1300 - 1977, and a 1973
Alberta
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Mike, With the Canadian dollar so low against the US dollar, Escape trailers are looking very affordable. They come in lots of sizes:
Escape Trailer Industries – Chilliwack, British Columbia
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Old 02-22-2018, 01:15 PM   #7
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Thanks Dave. I have read about the Escape and definitely plan to check then out.
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Old 02-22-2018, 01:21 PM   #8
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Name: David
Trailer: Former 13’Scamp, now Snoozy
Arizona
Posts: 2,316
Registry
In or Lil Snoozy, the storage area under the fulltime queen bed has plenty of room for a dog bed or two.
Dave & Paula
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Old 02-22-2018, 01:27 PM   #9
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Hi Dave & Paula, I like the Lil' Snoozy too. Especially the cassette toilet and the residential A/C.
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Old 02-22-2018, 01:51 PM   #10
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Name: Dave
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
New Jersey
Posts: 52
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Originally Posted by David Tilston View Post
Mike, With the Canadian dollar so low against the US dollar, Escape trailers are looking very affordable. They come in lots of sizes:
Escape Trailer Industries – Chilliwack, British Columbia
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeSinMN View Post
Thanks Dave. I have read about the Escape and definitely plan to check then out.
Mike: Just so you know 17A is out based on your toilet requirement, and the 17B doesn't have a permanent bed...unless you ask. I'm quite sure that buyers have worked with Escape and gotten the rear dinette made into a permanent bed. Or just go with a 19 and you get a permanent queen in the rear.
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Old 02-23-2018, 12:16 PM   #11
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Thanks for that information. Maybe the 19 is the best for us. There's probably room for some compromise somewhere, though.
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Old 02-23-2018, 12:27 PM   #12
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Name: John
Trailer: 2000 16ft Scamp
Minnesota
Posts: 189
Welcome Mike from another MN camper. How about those MN lady hockey players! Those Canadian girls were tough and talented but sometimes the pucks have a mind of their own. We just purchased a new TV last week, a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a hemi as well, they will pull any Fiberglas trailer on the market. We have a 16 ft. Scamp and two little dogs, our Clam screen tent helps a lot with camping room. Our bed stays a bed as well, that is why God made picnic tables. We are big fans of MN State parks so no shower is no big deal. You will find this group as an amazing resource!
John
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Old 02-23-2018, 12:42 PM   #13
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Hi John, thanks for that. We would like to buy Scamp, being local, good for repairs,etc. MN parks are wonderful. As previously mentioned, we may need to compromise our wish list. We do want to stay as small as possible but not to the "torture " point. Using someone else's shower and toilet is a plus too, (except in the middle of the night). Thanks, Mike
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Old 02-23-2018, 12:55 PM   #14
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Name: Carl
Trailer: 2014 16 scamp side dinette/Rav4 V6 Tow pkg.
Pennsylvania
Posts: 578
We have a 16' Scamp, two of us, and one dog. We had a 105# Golden. Any more then one, for us, is a little tight. Our golden took up the whole floor, almost. Our Golden took to the Rainbow in Jan. last year, We since got a smaller Cocapoo, 1 year old now, he is pretty jumpy right now, so that is challenge. we hope he settles down when he has couple years on him. We also have the clam screen tent, that helps a lot with the dog. Well good luck on your search. Carl
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Old 02-23-2018, 12:58 PM   #15
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Thanks, Carl. Good information. Mike
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Old 02-23-2018, 02:06 PM   #16
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Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
Posts: 4,136
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You'd have to be really flexible to make a Scamp 16 work with your situation. We had a Casita 17, too small for us with one medium sized dog, everyone is different. For us, we ended up moving to an Escape 19. The three things I like the most about the Escape: a real queen sized bed, a larger dinette (44 inches deep as I recall, Scamps and others are 24 inch or less), and the optional storage box up front.

Storage in these small FG trailers is at a premium. Every additional space helps! With the 44 inch dinette, we can either hold four people and have guests over, or there is room on the table for the microwave, coffee maker, computer.

AS far as showers, ours has one, its really tight. Its like taking a shower in a tiny phone booth. And check the dimensions of the bathrooms, the smaller the trailer, the tighter the bath.

I sure can't take a shower in any of them: the Casita we had or our Escape. The bathroom is all about convenience. If you are older, access to a bathroom at night is pretty damn important. Our dog sleeps under the dinette. So the aisle way is clear.


One thing to remember about molded trailers, not only do they tend to be shorter in length, they are also narrower in width. So the inside space is squeezed. Its part of the give and take with a molded trailer. Its definitely NOT for everyone! We have friends, just a couple, that have a 40 foot motor coach with multiple slide outs. Its what works for them! No freakin way could they handle a 19 foot Escape.
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Old 02-23-2018, 03:04 PM   #17
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Thanks,Bill. All these replies are very helpful. We've also
Looked at Rpods which i am guessing are NOT considered FG trailers even though they have a 1 piece FG roof & FG covered sides. Plus i have read the initial build quality is not that great so I don't think they're for us. Mike
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Old 02-23-2018, 03:25 PM   #18
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Name: CAROL
Trailer: '79 Boler 1700
Manitoba
Posts: 42
We had a 5.9 litre Jeep Grand Cherokee and it would tow a house. At the time we were towing a 24 ft sticky trailer loaded with water and all our necessities. The Jeep towed all of it very well. We now have a 2011 6 cylinder Jeep and it still tows our sticky trailer, but not as well as the 5.9. That was a fun vehicle until if started to fall apart. I miss it. Your hemi won't have any trouble towing a trailer that meets your needs.
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Old 02-23-2018, 03:27 PM   #19
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Name: Kathleen (Kai: ai as in wait)
Trailer: Amerigo FG-16 1973 "Peanut"
Greater Seattle Metropolitan Area, Washington
Posts: 2,566
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Welcome, Mike.

In 2015 when we began looking seriously, we saw several of the 13' all-molded fibergalss trailers, and realized with our two dogs (admittedly, pugs, much smaller than labs) and with us both, that wasn't going to work. When we found the 16' amerigo with essentially twin beds (both narrower than regular twins, but that's okay) we realized nothing smaller would suit us. Being cautious about pulling something much bigger, we decided that 16' was just right.

Good egg hunting to you; may you find just the right fit.
Then happy trails ever after.

PS--we looked at the RPods early in our quest--no, they are not considered fiberglass trailers, and they aren't all-molded fiberglass. Some people like them. Unless, though, you get the slide-out versions, they are incredibly tight inside. The bath is extremely small, and climbing through the "keyhole" to get to the bed was absurd--though the bed was luxuriously large. But have a look for yourself. You never know. Don't fall in love too fast with something that is made new and readily available...you can always go back and get one if nothing else suits.

BUT if you choose a used FGRV, you have to be ready to snap it up as they often go very fast indeed.

Happy egg hunting...may you find just the right one.
And happy trails ever after.

BEST,
Kai
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Old 02-23-2018, 06:43 PM   #20
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Currently shopping
Minnesota
Posts: 23
Thanks Doug. At least or TV is one less thin bbq to worry about.

And thanks Kai for your advice too.

Mike
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