Is it really worth it? - Page 10 - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-21-2014, 09:29 AM   #181
Senior Member
 
Rob Outlaw's Avatar
 
Name: Rob
Trailer: Oliver Legacy Elite II, #70
Montana
Posts: 198
Thumbs up

T&K

Thanks for your note and description of your camper and situation. Just for the record while recently out shopping for campers locally, (note I'm leaving no stone unturned) we came across the Lance line of TT which I was unfamiliar with before. While they look like sticky build's they are anything but and quite frankly I was astonished at the fit and finish on the inside, something I have yet to see in any other TT except maybe the Airstreams. And most importantly they had such intelligent and sensible floor plans, also something we have never seen before. By comparison it makes the AS TT and any other brand we have seen look idiotic IMHO. There are some aesthetic decisions that we could question but this is so subjective its not worth delving into.

As it turns out I knew the salesman to a degree, a straight shooter. We got to talking about this very issue in this thread and effectively he said my averages were quite low based upon his experience at sales for umpteen years. When I look at whats out on the road and in the campgrounds, on average, likewise as previously stated I also feel my numbers were low, yet realize there are those who have done it for far less.

At the risk of repeating myself I certainly applaud people who can delve into this activity as cheap as what you have been able to accomplish. Restoring a trailer for me just isn't in the cards, for one I have been restoring a house in a historical area of our town for well over 25 years and I still am not done, taking on a TT even if I had the space to do is of no interest to me. I honestly think I would build a brand new one from ground up before restoring something, seriously. Being self employed time is my most precious commodity and which I can find little of at far too often. However yours is way cool, just love it.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

rob

Quote:
Originally Posted by rova View Post
Rob, average of $30k is stunningly high; and $60k is unimaginable to me.....

(But if I were looking at $60k, I would not do it and I am not at all sure I would do it for $30k either.)
Rob Outlaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 09:44 AM   #182
Member
 
Name: T&K
Trailer: Boler
Manitoba
Posts: 77
You might say we have a Bamp - original Boler trailer with Scamp kitchen cabinets, Scamp over-stove window, Scamp fridge, stove, sink and numerous other parts bought in Backus from the good folks at Scamp - which got its start by servicing Bolers.

My understanding about the "Honey" branding is that there were manufactured in Peace River, Alberta by a Boler franchisee.

Boler - putting the egg in Winnipeg since 1968.

Rust never sleeps. - Neil Young (and former Winnipegger)
Fiberglass never rusts. - Boler
Attached Thumbnails
P1020606.jpg  
rova is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 09:48 AM   #183
Senior Member
 
honda03842's Avatar
 
Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
T&K,

One of the most interesting parts of the Maritime Vintage Trailer rally was the Bolers. They were like easter eggs, coming in every color under the Sun. If you went into a Baby Blue egg, it was most likely decorated with the same color scheme. The creativity of small trailer owners is amazing.

Rob,

If you're interested in the Lance you may want to contact CPAHarley. I believe he owned a Lance for a year or so before buying an Escape. Harley's owned a ton of trailers and could write a book on his progression. There's nothing like the experience of a user.
__________________
Norm and Ginny

2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
honda03842 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 09:53 AM   #184
Member
 
Name: T&K
Trailer: Boler
Manitoba
Posts: 77
Rob wrote: "Restoring a trailer for me just isn't in the cards"

I hear you - I am not capable or interested in doing any reno work. If it were not for my father-in-law, we simply would not have made the choices we made. Instead, I am almost certain, we would have looked for a used trailer between $5 and $15k - there are plenty available in that price range. When you pay that much for a used Boler or other fiberglass trailer, you are going to get a very good, beautiful, functional, renovated trailer. The dollars still work.

The main financial question, for us, is this: how much is a shower and toilet worth to us? Adding those will increase the trailer weight and size and likely push us into a 6 cylinder tow vehicle. Does that turn us from a one to a two vehicle couple? If it turns us into a two vehicle couple, we have just added a huge expense to the purchase and I start questioning whether the dollars work out. If staying as a one-vehicle couple with a heavier trailer means our daily driver will be a 6 cylinder, again, I just added daily gas, purchase, repair and insurance costs (and I'm not driving what I want to drive on a daily basis).
rova is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 10:05 AM   #185
Senior Member
 
Rob Outlaw's Avatar
 
Name: Rob
Trailer: Oliver Legacy Elite II, #70
Montana
Posts: 198
Norm

I did read through the entire thread (I think) a few days ago where CPAHarley had gone to the "dark side" and back again. His trailer was the 1575 which while being a nice TT is not the one we had in mind. Though we really do like those Dometic windows like we have on our T@b. Why all manufacturers don't use these is a mystery to us. Its my understanding he now has an Escape 19. Great TT, we have been a couple of those too, just don't like the crawl over QB.

As for the Lance, we always swore up and down we would never do a conventional looking TT, albeit the Lance is not exactly conventional, just looks it from the outside. It is the ONLY conventional looking TT we have strongly considered.

rob
Rob Outlaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 10:08 AM   #186
Senior Member
 
Rob Outlaw's Avatar
 
Name: Rob
Trailer: Oliver Legacy Elite II, #70
Montana
Posts: 198
I hear you on that. For us due to our very active lifestyle it is worth quite a bit if we continue on with this camping activity. How much remains to be seen or determined.

rob

Quote:
Originally Posted by rova View Post
Rob wrote: "Restoring a trailer for me just isn't in the cards"

The main financial question, for us, is this: how much is a shower and toilet worth to us? .
Rob Outlaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 10:35 AM   #187
Senior Member
 
emers382's Avatar
 
Name: Adrian
Trailer: 2016 Escape 5.0TA
Manitoba
Posts: 428
Quote:
Originally Posted by rova View Post
Rob wrote: "Restoring a trailer for me just isn't in the cards"

The main financial question, for us, is this: how much is a shower and toilet worth to us? Adding those will increase the trailer weight and size and likely push us into a 6 cylinder tow vehicle. Does that turn us from a one to a two vehicle couple? If it turns us into a two vehicle couple, we have just added a huge expense to the purchase and I start questioning whether the dollars work out. If staying as a one-vehicle couple with a heavier trailer means our daily driver will be a 6 cylinder, again, I just added daily gas, purchase, repair and insurance costs (and I'm not driving what I want to drive on a daily basis).
Hi T&K

Our story re "is it really worth it" in regards to one or two vehicles. We originally thought of getting an Escape 17 and a Ford Escape Ecoboost (like Rick's), but then having seen our new to us (in May) Escape 5.0 last year we knew that would be the one for us since we plan on being snowbirds and we'll have the extra room.

We managed for years while I still worked to share one car, but now have two vehicles. Not being able to find the right Frontier or Tacoma in MB, we ended up with an F150 with smaller V-8 2WD to tow the 5.0 and kept our 2009 Mazda 6 4cyl 6 speed for our regular driving and with family now in KS and Tbay we put a lot of km on the car (173,000). The truck is very handy to have, for example l left the trailer and fifth wheel in the Whiteshell and went to Wpg on Aug. 1 (watching for you to perhaps pass on the way to Kenora), stopped at Costco and bought new washer and dryer.

Having lived in ON with expensive insurance we find having two vehicles on the road not costing very much and when we go south Jan-Mar will put the car in garage and take off most of the insurance.

Adrian
emers382 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 11:34 AM   #188
Moderator
 
Name: RogerDat
Trailer: 2010 Scamp 16
Michigan
Posts: 3,744
If nothing else this thread has pointed out a broad range of considerations worth looking at when deciding what size, condition, and type of camper is "worth it" for the individual given their unique circumstances.

Totally worth a bookmark to share with others trying to decide what FGRV might work for them.
RogerDat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 12:03 PM   #189
Member
 
Name: T&K
Trailer: Boler
Manitoba
Posts: 77
The eternal problem with pronouns: is "it" worth "it"? Define "it".

Every one of us makes our choices about what makes us happy: canoe or bike camping with a sleeping bag on the ground; tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, coleman stove; tent trailer; fiberglass trailer with fridge, stove, limited electricity and water; larger trailer with toilet, shower, generator, hot water, queen size bed, full size table; etc.

What is your "it"? The bigger your "it", the more "it" costs.

Then we can begin asking whether your "it" is "worth" "it"?

What is the cost?

What happiness does it add to your life? How do you put a price on that?

We all have a limit to our incomes and so we all have to put a priority and a price on what any particular level of happiness and creature comforts is worth to us compared to what other things we could do with that money.

My father-in-law, who did such a great job on the reno in our Boler, will probably never camp in the Boler. He and his wife are completely happy and dedicated to their full-size and full-feature and fully-paid huge RV. I am scared to death of camping in that thing because it has all kinds of stuff that are going to break and I will not be doing the repairs, plus the overall cost of the thing. The huge RV is good for the goose, but I prefer the goose's egg.
rova is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 01:25 PM   #190
Senior Member
 
Timber Wolf's Avatar
 
Name: Tim
Trailer: '88 Scamp 16, layout 4
North Florida
Posts: 1,547
I was just thinking that an argument could be made that my camping and trailer were at no cost or more precisely were net-zero affairs. By that I mean that the whole cost is coming out of my discretionary, or “hobby” budget. Budget is a kind of a loose term here in that it is all the money left over after everything else is paid for. No children or animals are hurt or disadvantaged because I choose to mess with an old FGRV. My daughter still gets to go to the high-dollar private school, the cats and dog still eat the same, I just don’t spend money on my other hobbies and instead concentrate on just this one. Trouble is, this one spawns other costs, like getting into solar, or new tires on the tug that I would not have needed/wanted right now if not traveling, etc.
Timber Wolf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2014, 02:50 PM   #191
Moderator
 
Name: RogerDat
Trailer: 2010 Scamp 16
Michigan
Posts: 3,744
Well Tim you have to do something to occupy your time and unless your going to go with meditation (and avoid "retreats" where you learn how) then you are 100% correct. Going to spend money on something. Sure not going to be able to take it with you so might as well spend it on something useful.
RogerDat is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Fridge not working... Is it worth trying to fix it? Rob Carmody Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 6 09-06-2008 03:08 PM
How much is your MFRV really worth????? DanPatWork Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 25 03-25-2008 09:38 PM
Watts (not Charles) are Watts. Really, really long Legacy Posts Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 27 02-11-2003 02:17 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:32 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.