Hi, we're new to the forum and FG world ..

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Salchicha

Ha ha yes! The objective was to keep the CRV forever! However, we may not be in Canada for very much longer so the next vehicle needs to do 2-3 years.

James,

I am not clear what sort of budget or longevity you might be looking for. Are you going to go expat on a remote Pacific island so only need a vehicle for a couple of years? Is a new vehicle an option, or perhaps more importantly, desired?

As noted above, we went from one trailer to another, first towing a little teardrop trailer with the Passat we already owned. Then we ended up purchasing two different tow vehicles as we bought first one and then a different fiberglass trailer.

Jon's family of four seems to do great in their 13-footer, while Momma and I settled on a 21-footer to support our planned extended travels sans kids. So much of this has to do with you.

Just as a stab in the dark here, the Hyundai Santa Fe appears to offer a good value proposition with an available 5,000 lb tow rating. However, the more information you can post about your goals, the better the chance that folks could dial in some vehicles (and trailers?) that might be good potential choices for you. Tell us more.

[Salchicha]

Extremely valid points!!

Our budget is tight. We're West Coast Canadians, i.e. earn reasonable amount of money but spend all of it affording to live here. For this reason we won't be here long term. We simply can't afford to be.

The money we spend on trailer and car is coming out of our downpayment for a home ( in the event that we ever move somewhere that we can afford one!) So we have $25,000CAD max for trailer and car. The car is a new part to the equation. We had originally hoped to get away with just $7-10K on a trailer but we are accepting this is futile. Just hoping we will recoup some of the money when we come to sell.

Trailer wise we will be staying small ( 13ftish). We would love to stick with toyota/ honda etc but I think they're out of our budget, sadly.

[Salchicha]

Summer weekend camping: two adults, one toddler, one pregnant wife
Next years goals: 3-4 month cross Canada trip with two adults, one baby and one small kid.

[Salchicha]

Can I get any input on this? I’ve asked for pics of interior and door but don’t have them yet.

Does $8000 CAD sound right? The claimed weight is 1100lb and year 1975. New appliances apparently and a custom awning. Stored inside except past year.



CRV towable?

What else should I be looking for/asking?

[Jon in AZ]

I'd sure hate to let go of that nice relocation nest egg. If it were me (and I'm very aware it isn't!) I'd look for a small, basic tent trailer- 8' box with minimal upgrades- for $3-4K. Tow it with the CR-V.

It seems like there's a lot of uncertainty right now, and that's not the best time to make a significant investment in vehicles. A lot depends on whether you end up relocating to somewhere else in North America or overseas. Once you get yourself settled somewhere, then start making your plans to upgrade to the molded trailer, new(er) vehicle...

When I was single, I wouldn't have hesitated to spend down my savings to do something I really wanted to do, but with a family, I have learned you need a lot more financial cushion.

Whatever you decide, I wish you the best!

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Salchicha

Can I get any input on this? I’ve asked for pics of interior and door but don’t have them yet.

Does $8000 CAD sound right? The claimed weight is 1100lb and year 1975. New appliances apparently and a custom awning. Stored inside except past year.



CRV towable?

What else should I be looking for/asking?

That is a Trillium 1300. I am kind of a Trillium guy.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post680419

A few observations:
The furnace has been removed, but the exhaust vent is still there. So what is inside the kitchen cupboard? Leak path?
The wood stove is interesting. It has a fan, so must require power. It also must require a large hole in the roof of the trailer. Possible leak path.
The fridge is not original. It sticks out.
The fridge vents are not original.
The stove is missing the pot supports. But the stove is original.
The kitchen back splash has some questionable,..... tile?
Cushion on the gaucho is original. The dinette does not match.
Can't tell if the there is a back / upper bunk for the gaucho.
There is provision for a fall prevention bar for the top bunk of the gaucho.
120 VAC outlet on the front of the trailer. Possible leak path. Questionable idea.
Original, if painted, hubcaps.
Green interior.
Shelves above the dinette, probably above the gaucho as well, not sure.
Carpet under the dinette, some kind of flooring elsewhere.
Still has the belly band, so that will be need to be looked at.
Propane tank is not mounted correctly. Is it safe?

Questions for seller:
When were the windows last resealed?
Is the axle original? (I would put money on it)
How old are the tires?
Does it have brakes?
Where are the support bars for the gaucho?
Ask to see the water tank. Is it black?
Does the water pump work?

I sold an awesome 4500 Deluxe for $7500.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...cdn-76798.html
So no, the price does not sound right. But prices do seem on the rise.

However, it would be fine to tow with a CRV

[Salchicha]

Cheers, David! That is amazingly helpful feedback as we would have noticed/ looked for pretty much none of those details. All we know so far is to look for bulging by the wheel arches and door sagging- we have much to learn!

[Salchicha]

Thanks Jon, the trailer money is budgeted. Its the car that wasn't really.

We'll likely be moving abroad so whatever we have will get sold. We're hoping that the trailer will hold its value. The car again is more the issue as it will not ( hold its value).

Funny you should say tent trailer as we started there. It poses two problems for us: not keen on putting it up and down daily for 3-4 months ( we're planning a longer trip); it doesn't help my wife's bear fears. She's looking for something with solid walls. I've spent ten years wrestling her fear of bears and now we have kids I'm giving up on tents. She doesn't sleep for worrying about it ( and consequently I am not allowed to either!).

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by Salchicha

She's looking for something with solid walls. I've spent ten years wrestling her fear of bears and now we have kids I'm giving up on tents. She doesn't sleep for worrying about it ( and consequently I am not allowed to either!).

Other than taking a few seconds longer than a tent, I don't think there's a trailer built that would keep a bear out if they really wanted in.

[Jon in AZ]

I get where his wife is coming from. It's not about facts; it's about perception. My wife is exactly the same and has commented many times how safe and secure she feels in the Scamp. I'll be the last one to tell her otherwise!

The facts: we don't camp in grizzly country, but we do have smallish black bears. I am careful to make sure there are no food smells in the trailer. We cook outside away from the trailer, and in bear country we store our food in the tug at night (hidden, as they can recognize the shape of an ice chest). That, more than thin fiberglass walls, keeps us reasonably safe. A large bear can open a car with little more trouble than a tent, but we're aren't in the car, and that's the point!

There are places I wouldn't take a tent trailer and some that prohibit them outright, but there are plenty of other places where they are just fine. The worst part of tent trailers is folding them down in the rain. On the other hand, they are spacious and well-ventilated. As a kid my family traveled all over the US and eastern Canada, up to 6 weeks at a time, in a tent trailer. It was the only kind of RV our station wagon could pull that would sleep all six of us.

But in the current situation... happy spouse, happy house, as they say...

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Salchicha

Thanks Jon, the trailer money is budgeted. Its the car that wasn't really.

We'll likely be moving abroad so whatever we have will get sold. We're hoping that the trailer will hold its value. The car again is more the issue as it will not ( hold its value).

Funny you should say tent trailer as we started there. It poses two problems for us: not keen on putting it up and down daily for 3-4 months ( we're planning a longer trip); it doesn't help my wife's bear fears. She's looking for something with solid walls. I've spent ten years wrestling her fear of bears and now we have kids I'm giving up on tents. She doesn't sleep for worrying about it ( and consequently I am not allowed to either!).

James,

You might look into A Frame trailers. They generally don't require as many gyrations to set up as a tent trailer does, and in fact pop up rather quickly and easily. They offer a hard shell with glass windows. They are lightweight and you would have substantially less wind resistance towing with their small cross sectional area.

Some might say that molded fiberglass trailers won't lose value, but over the longer term they clearly do. They just uphold their value better than many alternatives. Under current market conditions, they are doing particularly well at this, especially newer ones that offer a "no wait" option when some factories have long waiting lists. But, given how times change, it's not something that you can ultimately count on. RVs tend to be quickly disposed of when difficult financial times strike. Trailers are an item to own and enjoy using, not an investment per se.

Molded trailers come at a premium price for the size and offer terrific "water resistance" among their desirable attributes. While an A Frame trailer's construction may not be as water resistant as a molded trailer, they can be relatively easy to seal up (if necessary) compared to most "conventional" trailers.

Whether an A Frame is a good fit for your needs, or whether one could potentially be towed with your current vehicle, I can't say. But, they could put you back into the smaller vehicle category. I think they are an option worth looking into.

[thrifty bill]

Campers are a luxury item, molded fiberglass even more so. As you have already found out, it can mean a major outlay of $$ for the trailer and another outlay of $$ for the proper tow vehicle.

Buying a camper of any kind is best suited when you have an adequate emergency fund already, and extra cash to buy it outright. There are often surprises on used trailers which will take more $$. It goes from a blessing to a curse.

I would certainly never take home purchase funds and divert them to buy a trailer.. Its kind of like people that borrow from their 401K here in the US to pay for a vacation or a new car. Bad idea.

We have a lot of great memories from tent camping. Cheap, you bet! but we took plenty of long trips. A couple of years ago, I took a three week, 13,000 mile motorcycle trip to Alaska. I used a tent every night. Not only did I save a lot of money doing it that way, it was an awesome trip. I left the molded fiberglass trailer at home for that trip.

If you have your heart set on a molded fiberglass trailer, I'd look for additional income (overtime, second job, ebay) and pile up more cash so its not a stretch.

Popup campers are also a good choice.

+10 Although molded trailers have done a great job recently retaining their value, I would certainly NOT consider them an investment. That business is a target right now, waiting lists close to a year. I would not be surprised to see more companies enter the market.

Remember when people used to sell their spot on the Harley Davidson waiting lists? People would put $250 down on multiple motorcycles, and then sell their spot for $5000 or more. It worked for a while. Eventually it no longer worked and people that had no intention of owning a Harley or any motorcycle ended up either forfeiting deposits or stuck with motorcycles.


As far as size, molded trailers are tight, and the older 13 footers almost always have a small bed size (think twin plus). A standard twin bed is 39 inches wide, and many F/G campers have 44 inch beds. Tight, really tight. Such a small bed would work perfectly well for me, but not my wife. She definitely needs AT LEAST 44 inches for her. I would be sleeping on the floor, or in the truck. I have friends, a couple, and their camper is a 40 foot motor coach. Naturally, it has several tip outs as well. And they are weekend campers. But for them, that is the room they "need". And I met a couple on the road, full timers for over two years, in a Trillium 1300. They were very happy. Everyone is different!

Bear fears? Channel that into extra work, again the dreaded part time job, overtime, or whatever. Money gives you the option to make more desirable choices.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

As far as size, molded trailers are tight, and the older 13 footers almost always have a small bed size (think twin plus). A standard twin bed is 39 inches wide, and many F/G campers have 44 inch beds. Tight, really tight. Such a small bed would work perfectly well for me, but not my wife. She definitely needs AT LEAST 44 inches for her. I would be sleeping on the floor, or in the truck. I have friends, a couple, and their camper is a 40 foot motor coach. Naturally, it has several tip outs as well. And they are weekend campers. But for them, that is the room they "need". And I met a couple on the road, full timers for over two years, in a Trillium 1300. They were very happy. Everyone is different!

Well, since you mentioned Trilliums, the bed in 1300 is 45.5 inches wide, but in the 4500, the 15' version, the bed is 53 inches wide. Maybe you would not have to sleep on the floor. The gaucho is a better place then the floor anyway.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...0-a-64417.html

[thrifty bill]

Yeah, the 4500s are really nice. I like all the old Trilliums.

[Jon in AZ]

The 4500's are a nice upgrade from the 1300's, but for they OP's purposes, they are not CR-V towable. A 4500 will likely weigh around 2000 pounds.

[Salchicha]

Still stunned by Dave's detective work on the Trillium pictures as I still find them too dark to make anything out!

I'd love input/ observations on this boler. just turned up on CL in our hood. I imagine there will be hot competition so we'll have to move fast if its worth pursuing. I see further up this forum at least one other person searching for 13footers in Vancouver :/

https://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/...486139950.html

[David Tilston]

I know very little about Bolers, so I will leave the comments to those more qualified.

I will tell you how I see darker pictures. IrfanView is a free down load. Once installed, under the "Image" menu is "Color corrections". I just crank up the Gamma correction. Works wonders.

[Salchicha]

Just spotted this Trillium and would love your advice because I don't want to be blinded by a shiny gel coat.

https://sunshine.craigslist.ca/tro/d...547556125.html

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Salchicha

Just spotted this Trillium and would love your advice because I don't want to be blinded by a shiny gel coat.

https://sunshine.craigslist.ca/tro/d...547556125.html

While that looks like it is in good near original condition, taking a close look in person is the only way to go. The price is a bit high, but not outrageous if in really good condition. Use the checklist here to go through items on the trailer, and don't be blinded by a paint job.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Salchicha

Just spotted this Trillium and would love your advice because I don't want to be blinded by a shiny gel coat.

https://sunshine.craigslist.ca/tro/d...547556125.html

Advice, free, and worth every cent:
This is a Trillium 1300. A fairly early one. Not 1979.
The L-300 door lock makes this a 1977 or earlier.
Intact rock guard.
The bottom half, and door has been painted. Top half too, probably.
The awning rail has had rings added to it.
The furnace has been painted. I hope they used high temp paint.
The 120VAC light above the sink has no lens. Most don't.
Fridge does looks like an RM211. A newer feature.
Green interior gel coat. Another typically older Trillium feature.
At least two doors on the closet. A newer feature.
At one time this trailer had the fall restraint bar for the upper bunk.
I think I see Ensolite issues on the front, around the gaucho.
No propane tank, or battery on the tongue. Where is the battery?
There are 12 VDC lights. Battery?
The gaucho supports, and back rest/upper bunk are not original. Trillium's system is simpler.
The cupboards above the dinette are also not original. No lights.
New cupboard doors everywhere. Table too.
The stove has been replaced. Where is the propane tank?
The cushions have been recovered and match the back curtains, but not the front curtain.

No pictures show the floor.

I hope that helps.