Howdy from NW Indiana

[speeed001]

Hello, Scott here from South Bend, IN (formerly Dallas 20+ years, then Houston for 7).

Come end of October, when I wrap up both my busy season at work and a night-school graduate degree, I've decided that my two-week vacation will be 1) traveling off to either the NC Outer Banks or back home to TX to obtain certifications in hang gliding and paragliding, and 2) staying in a yet-to-be-obtained fiberglass RV while I do.

I just learned about this whole animal known as a fiberglass RV a couple of weeks ago while researching RV options (and wondering why the heck anyone would spend so much on something that seems to just dissolve in water), and I'd like to say thanks to everyone on this forum for making so much information available to put on that decisionmaking scale. I've settled on (hopefully) finding a deal on a 13' or 16'/17' with bathroom -- it's just me, or maybe one partnerette in crime -- sometime before November, and I'm finding it hard not to check these for-sale listings every three hours! If anyone's curious, my TV will be an Isuzu Rodeo.

Anyway, there ya go. Looking forward to more. Thanks!

-Scott

[Borrego Dave]

Welcome to the group Scott. Have you looked at your Rodeos manual to find the towing specs for what your car? May make a difference to a 13 or 16.

[speeed001]

Good thought, thanks - and yes. The 3.2 V6's rated capacity is 4500 lbs. I installed a brake controller before I moved to Indiana towing a 6x10 plywood-enclosed utility trailer that probably weighs more empty than a 17' fiberglass RV does packed. It was my first tow experience, but my little Rodeo hit a home run. Well, I got about 12 mpg, so more like a ground rule double

[Borrego Dave]

Just a little more FYI. You may want to do a search here for "real world trailer weights" to see what these eggs really weigh loaded for camping, think it's in post #257 of that thread. Fredrick the Scaleman weighed a lot of trailers coming in to different rallies. You can't go by the builders specs. Also, 17' Casitas are a LOT heavier on the tongue than the 16's.

[rbryan]

Welcome Scott. FGRVs are a whole other world. Most RVers are helpful as all get out, but we've found the fiberglass community even more so. With your tow, you've got a lot of options. Its also good that you check the for sale listings frequently. When a decent egg goes up for sale, it can be gone in minutes or hours.

[WaltP]

Hi Scott. Nice to see someone doing their homework instead of just diving into trouble. I don't know where all you are looking, but in addition to this great forum I recommend including the classifieds on casitaforum.com. While it's mostly Casitas, it does include other fiberglass brands occasionally as well. People have also had success on Craigslist.
Good luck on your hunt and let us know how you make out.

Walt

[speeed001]

Nice tip on the casitaforum.com. Thanks!