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Old 09-21-2013, 05:12 PM   #1
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Name: allen
Trailer: 2005 Casita SD 17'
Arkansas
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Casita

What is an approximate list price of a new fully loaded 17' Casita?
Also, does the published length include the tongue of the trailer and the rear bumper?
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Old 09-21-2013, 05:56 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by allen jackson View Post
Also, does the published length include the tongue of the trailer and the rear bumper?
Yes, all of the current moulded fiberglass travel trailer manufacturers follow the convention of measuring the complete overall length, including tongue and bumper.
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Old 09-21-2013, 06:42 PM   #3
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Base price is $14,000. Most new owners add several thousand dollars in options.

Casita Travel Trailers - Frequently Asked Questions | Two Shell Construction, Fiberglass Finish, Channel Steel Frame, Warranties
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Old 09-21-2013, 07:12 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Tom Trostel View Post
Base price is $14,000. Most new owners add several thousand dollars in options.
$14,000 would be for a base 13' For the more popular 17' deluxe you would be looking at $18,000-$20,000. The deluxe versions are very well equipped with full bathroom and shower, air conditioning, etc. as standard features Most add options like an awning, furnace, high lift axle and upgraded tires.
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Old 09-21-2013, 07:24 PM   #5
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Hi Allen, to FiberglassRV, we're glad you're here

There's lots of kind and helpful people here on the forums and as you can see, they've already started replying.
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Old 09-22-2013, 05:58 AM   #6
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Name: allen
Trailer: 2005 Casita SD 17'
Arkansas
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I am 4 1/2 hours from Rice, TX. We may visit Casita this week. I have considered buying used, but really want no more problems or issues to have to deal with than necessary. Parking space at home is limited and we have an older tow vehicle that is only rated for 5,000 pounds. It's a great truck and I don't want to part with it. I also am not wild about the vinyl roofing and wood framing on conventional trailers. I like Casita construction and also the fact that sales are done in house and we would not have to deal with typical RV dealers. I just wanted a ballpark dollar figure. Thanks guys.
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Old 09-22-2013, 06:08 AM   #7
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Welcome to FGRV Allen,
Your tow vehicle will do fine with the Casita, please keep us posted with your decision and take pictures when you visit the factory to get your new little home.
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Old 09-22-2013, 04:22 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
Your tow vehicle will do fine with the Casita...
Likely yes, but some of members - with newer full-size pickup trucks - have found the tongue weight of a Casita 17' excessive, especially in combination with their passenger in-truck cargo load. This model runs unusually high in tongue weight for its size.
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Old 09-22-2013, 04:32 PM   #9
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Trailer: 2005 Casita SD 17'
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I used to tow a 4,000 pound boat and trailer with a 300 pound tongue weight, so that doesn't bother me too much. 10% of towed weight for tongue weight used to be the rule of thumb, so I guess 300 pounds is a little more than 10% of a Casita. If necessary, it's pretty easy to have leaf springs arched or add a leaf on a pickup truck with leaf spring rear suspension.
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Old 09-22-2013, 06:43 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by allen jackson View Post
I used to tow a 4,000 pound boat and trailer with a 300 pound tongue weight, so that doesn't bother me too much. 10% of towed weight for tongue weight used to be the rule of thumb, so I guess 300 pounds is a little more than 10% of a Casita.
Yes, but although a Casita 17' can weigh as little as 2210 pounds (dry and empty), that same weight goes with a 295 pound tongue weight (13%) - see Casita's specs. Any real Casita 17' - with options, water, propane, and your stuff - will have far more than 300 pounds of tongue weight. That might not be a problem, but it's the factor that keeps the answer to "is it okay for my truck to tow" from being an automatic "yes".

Other similarly sized trailers - the 16' from Casita and various models from other manufacturers - tend not to be so tongue-heavy.
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Information is good. Lack of information is not so good, but misinformation is much worse. Check facts, and apply common sense liberally.
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Old 09-22-2013, 07:01 PM   #11
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Don't let the slightly higher tongue weight of the Casita scare you Allen.
Many owners simply install a weight distribution hitch which works very well.
My Tow vehicle is a 2008 V6 4Runner, I use the Reese SC (sway control) weight distribution system and I am very impressed with the hitch, it rides level with no suspension modifications and has no problem pulling the mountain passes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Reese SC Weight Distribution with Sway Control Review - etrailer.com - YouTube
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Old 09-22-2013, 07:54 PM   #12
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Ditto here on a 17LD with the weight distribution hitch. 2013 Tacoma V6 4x4 doesn't seem to care it's behind us, except on 6-8% grades.

Just returned from Oregon to Southern Utah trip and averaged 15.5 mpg.

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Old 09-22-2013, 08:04 PM   #13
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Name: kootenai girl
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When we weighed our Casita 17 in the summer it was total weight 3220 packed for a short trip. Tongue weight of 380 with empty tanks I believe. If the water tank had water in it, it should reduce this but haven't tried weighing it like that yet. My hubby hates going to the scales so it is a battle every time
We tow with a honda ridgeline towing capacity 5000 lbs no WDH.
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Old 09-22-2013, 11:26 PM   #14
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Texas
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You might want to look into the Scamp trailer also. It's very similar to the Casita but it's lighter and the hitch weight is also a lot less. Scamp doesn't make a 17' but they do make a 16'. I'm not too sure what the base price is, maybe some can fill you in on that.
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Old 09-23-2013, 02:55 AM   #15
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Trailer: 2005 Casita SD 17'
Arkansas
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My 1995 Toyota T100 with 3.4 V6 has a tow rating of 5,200 pounds. It has a 3.91 rear axle ratio and 4 speed auto. trans. w/ overdrive lockout feature. It has a DrawTite Class III receiver. I don't forsee any problems towing a 17' Casita as long as I don't have to do much physical labor. We will do most of our towing at low elevation (less than 1,000' MSL) and no big mountains. It performed flawlessly in the past, just turned 100,000 miles, and does not show its age. I actually prefer tongue weight on the heavy side over too light, as with past experience towing stuff such as dbl. axle UHaul, I experienced fishtailing when it was unloaded. I think I saw where an electric tongue jack is available for a Casita. Do any of you guys have one?
I like the looks of the Scamp, but I also like the fact that I am fairly close to the Casita factory in Texas. However, the Scamp 5th wheel model should be a breeze to tow; but we have a canoe/kayak rack on our truck and that wouldn't work with a 5th wheel.
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Old 09-23-2013, 07:55 AM   #16
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Trailer: 2002 Casita Bunk Delux
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Quote:
Originally Posted by allen jackson View Post
I used to tow a 4,000 pound boat and trailer with a 300 pound tongue weight, so that doesn't bother me too much. 10% of towed weight for tongue weight used to be the rule of thumb, so I guess 300 pounds is a little more than 10% of a Casita. If necessary, it's pretty easy to have leaf springs arched or add a leaf on a pickup truck with leaf spring rear suspension.

Even cheaper and easier to add air bags that can be inflated when needed. They also don't affect the ride when unloaded. I have air bags on my van and truck, wouldn't trade them anything.
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Old 09-23-2013, 08:05 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by allen jackson View Post
... I think I saw where an electric tongue jack is available for a Casita. Do any of you guys have one?
I installed an electric tongue jack and love it, no more cranking. It actually has the capacity to lift (unweight) the back of the truck when the trailer is connected, this allows me to attach the WDH bars by hand without needing the bar and also confirms the ball and latch are holding securly.
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Old 09-23-2013, 08:12 AM   #18
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Name: kootenai girl
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We have an electric jack as well. It is very convenient.
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Old 09-23-2013, 10:14 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by allen jackson View Post
, so I guess 300 pounds is a little more than 10% of a Casita. .
Allen, 300lbs may be a little light depending on which Casita model you choose.

If you haven't seen it already there is a thread on the forum called Trailer Weights in the Real World which is a great resource that will give you a better idea of what you can expect the trailer to weigh once loaded up for camping.
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Old 09-23-2013, 05:10 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by allen jackson View Post
I actually prefer tongue weight on the heavy side over too light, as with past experience towing stuff such as dbl. axle UHaul, I experienced fishtailing when it was unloaded.
The U-Haul problem may have been a symptom of the tandem axle design: if the tongue is a bit too low, the load shifts significantly from the trailing axle up to the leading axle, leaving the trailer on "tiptoes" and relatively unstable, as if it had a single axle mounted too far forward. Been there, done that.

Single-axle trailers are much less sensitive to tongue height, and every moulded fiberglass travel trailer model in current or recent production under 19' overall length is a single-axle design.
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