can you check out a trailer for me? (Toronto area)

[BCDave]

There is a 21 foot Bigfoot in Penetanguishene that I am considering, BUT that is 5 days drive (or an Expen$ive flight) away from where I live in the Vancouver BC area.

I am wondering if I can beg a favour from someone in the Toronto area who is familiar with Fiberglass RVs and what to look for etc. I will very gladly pay for your gas and time if you can check it out for me and take a bunch of pictures (and e-mail them to me) so that I can decide if I should then fly down there to make a final decision. (And then drive down there to tow it across the continent to bring it home)

I will NOT hold you responsible for any decisions I may subsequently make, but the idea of buying one sight unseen (or $pending a lot of $$$$ to go see it) makes me ask if there are any "volunteers"

There is the VERY helpful "what to look for when buying" list on this board to help shoppers

[theresa p]

hi dave...great idea! i am sure you will find someone to help...if i still lived in ontario, i would gladly beeline it myself to penetang to help you out. let me know if you don't find someone, as i have a friend who lives there---not "up" on fiberglass trailers, per se, but whose husband has an automotive repair background.
good luck!
theresa

[Bill Reilly]

Dave

I sent you a PM with the e-mail address of one of our members who lives in Penetang and is presently doing a reno. He may be able to do the inspection.

Penetang is about 320 kilometres from PIcton. I'd be glad to go up there and do it but I couldn't get up there until next Tuesday. I don't know what urgency there is on this.

Keep me posted.

Bill Reilly
Picton, Ontario

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Bill Reilly

Dave

I sent you a PM with the e-mail address of one of our members who lives in Penetang and is presently doing a reno. He may be able to do the inspection.

Penetang is about 320 kilometres from PIcton. I'd be glad to go up there and do it but I couldn't get up there until next Tuesday. I don't know what urgency there is on this.

Keep me posted.

Bill Reilly
Picton, Ontario

I can send the current owner a deposit to hold it for me I guess. (If Canada Post wasn't busy being on strike!)

I would ensure that the deposit is refundable if it turns out to be a hard-used, worn out garbage pile.

As to timing - I can't get there very soon either - I just retired 2 weeks ago and now I am dealing with the mountains of paperwork involved, plus they have now (after I left!) decided to make me the national employee of the year and I have to attend an awards ceremony on the 14th.

I will e-mail the contact you gave me and I'll advise you how things stand in case I may have to ask you to go instead.

Thank you, thank you!

[Roy in TO]

Dave,

Penatanguishine is about 1 hr. 45 min from Toronto. Hopefully the email Bill sent you is for the FGRV member up there. Is this trailer by chance the one you posted in the referalls?
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post253659
If so the map on the listing shows it a lot closer to me.

If any of the appliances are an issue, I recommend Panda Propane near Bradford.

Options other than Canada post are the couriers, PayPal and email money transfers.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

Dave,

Penatanguishine is about 1 hr. 45 min from Toronto. Hopefully the email Bill sent you is for the FGRV member up there. Is this trailer by chance the one you posted in the referalls?
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post253659
If so the map on the listing shows it a lot closer to me.

If any of the appliances are an issue, I recommend Panda Propane near Bradford.

Options other than Canada post are the couriers, PayPal and email money transfers.

No, this is a different one,. The one I put in the referrals is a rear bedroom one - this one is a front BR. If it is possible for your or someone else to check it out for me, I would greatly appreciate it and yes - I will courier a cheque or a money order to whoever does that - I'll use a Western Union money order just in case a postal one can't be cashed due to any strike action! I'll reimburse time and costs.

Now who'd have thought that there would be TWO Bigfoot 21's in the TO area at the same time - but it seems that is the case!

Not 100% sure how to do e-mail money t'fer, but I do use paypal, so if that is preferred, I can do that!

[BCDave]

It may turn out to be a simple "drive by" inspection! I talked at length yesterday with the owner (Ken) and he is adamant that it is a Front bedroom 21 foot Bigfoot that also has a dinette and a rear Gaucho

Today when I called for some more details, Ken was not available, but his wife (Joan) and I spoke at some length. She says it does NOT have a bedroom at all - it has a front dinette and a rear gaucho, both of which convert to beds.

They both agree that it has tandem axles - so I'm thinking it may actually be a B/F19, not a 21, although they both swear it is a 21 footer. So far as I know all the B/F 21's were bedroom models. (?)

If, in fact is actually is a 19, I will have lost ALL interest as:
a) there are quite a few B/F 19's around here, (no need to get one from "the other side of the world") and;
b) a B/F 19 has no advantages at all over my Boler 17 in terms of what I want in a larger trailer.

From "his" description - a front bedroom PLUS a convertible dinette PLUS a gaucho - equals "sleeps 6" - and that is exactly what I want!

If there is (from "her" description) no bedroom, just a convertible dinette plus a gaucho = sleeps 4 - I can do that in my Boler 17, and the extra length of trailer is just unneeded extra weight to haul around.

[Donna D.]

Here's a 21' front bedroom BigFoot.... I don't see a rear goucho...: 2008 21' Bigfoot Travel Trailer | Vanderhoof, BC, Canada | Fiberglass RV's For Sale

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Here's a 21' front bedroom BigFoot.... I don't see a rear goucho...: 2008 21' Bigfoot Travel Trailer | Vanderhoof, BC, Canada | Fiberglass RV's For Sale

That's what I thought he had for sale - a 21 foot front bedroom unit. It is what he told me it was. It is what he had advertised.

I, too did not see any rear gaucho in the BF floorplans, but since the unit is a "vintage '92" who knows what changes may have been made?

In my view - which I shared with BF Industries as a suggestion - a front bedroom one with the bed removed and two gauchos instead would be the "perfect trailer".

It would have some usable "daytime living space" and yet could accommodate 4 sleeping adults in the space now taken by 2.

The "bedroom" models have no "daytime living space" at all! There is the bedroom and a kitchen and a dinette, plus a bathroom. Period.

My current Boler 17 is more user friendly as the rear "gaucho" and front dinette allow for people to have a place to sit during the day. A "bedroom model" does not allow for that at all, unless you just want to sit at a dinette.

By the way - if you look at their floorplans on the B/F site - have you ever seen a plan that just wastes SO much space as the B/F "rear queen" version of a 21? From the plan, it looks like most of the interior is just "open space"!

[Roger C H]

We have a 13' Trillium and our "Daytime Living Space" is "The Great Outdoors"!!

In the case of rain or at night, we sit at the front dinette and play Uno or Pinochle or watch a video from the rear bed. We have even danced in the little floor space there is!!

Utility, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

We have a 13' Trillium and our "Daytime Living Space" is "The Great Outdoors"!!

In the case of rain or at night, we sit at the front dinette and play Uno or Pinochle or watch a video from the rear bed. We have even danced in the little floor space there is!!

Utility, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

For what I use my trailer for - "the outdoors" is more of an inconvenience than an asset. In the 15 or so years I have had my Boler 17, it has never once been to a campground or to a mountain park. It has never "traveled for recreation" in the usual sense of the word.

It's job is to follow my '57 Chev to hotrod runs (where we usually wind up hosting friends who "drop in" for a beer or lunch).

It is the "event office" for events hosted by one of the car clubs I belong to.

It goes to various fairgrounds (for example Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, Wa. or the huge Portland Swap meet) when I attend the major weekend-long swap meets (I pull it with my pickup for those so I can carry home a fender or whatever treasures I got at the swapmeet).

We go to these as a family, plus some friends on occasion.

I greatly value the fiberglass construction - I used to own a "tin can" that didn't survive long as the flexing opened up some seams, the stix rotted, and.....

So - my search continues. I need sleeping for 6, plus room to host indoor get-togethers of up to 10.

I had hoped that this Bigfoot 21 was "as described" - It seemed to be my "dream trailer" - but it MAY (no confirmation yet) actually be a B/F 19, in which case there is no real advantage over my current Boler 17.

If it actually IS a front bedroom 21, I can look at getting the bed yanked out and two Gauchos installed facing each other along the trailer axis, and we'll have a "rec room" on wheels that can sleep 6 - The perfect trailer!

Light enough for my '57 to pull, big enough for what we want.

So, in sum, I would really appreciate it if someone from the Toronto/Penetang area can have a look at it for me and give me an overview of what's what. There is no way I'll travel all the way to TO for a B/F 19, but for a front-bed 21 at a good price...... hmmmmmm

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by BCDave

She says it does NOT have a bedroom at all - it has a front dinette and a rear gaucho, both of which convert to beds.

They both agree that it has tandem axles - so I'm thinking it may actually be a B/F19, not a 21, although they both swear it is a 21 footer. So far as I know all the B/F 21's were bedroom models. (?)

A lot depends on how the factory configured it, and Bigfoot could do anything you wanted for a fee. I looked at a used BigFoot 21' at a dealer's lot up in Orange County, California that I originally THOUGHT was a Rear Bedroom from the outside. Upon entering both the standard dinette in front, and the double bed in back had been replaced with "jack-knife" style Hide-a-bed couches, one backed up to the front wall and one backed up to the curb side wall. The salesman said that it was used as an office, and had never been slept in. It had 2 small tables in front of each couch that could be coffee table height or raised to dining table height, or put away in storage.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson

A lot depends on how the factory configured it, and Bigfoot could do anything you wanted for a fee. I looked at a used BigFoot 21' at a dealer's lot up in Orange County, California that I originally THOUGHT was a Rear Bedroom from the outside. Upon entering both the standard dinette in front, and the double bed in back had been replaced with "jack-knife" style Hide-a-bed couches, one backed up to the front wall and one backed up to the curb side wall. The salesman said that it was used as an office, and had never been slept in. It had 2 small tables in front of each couch that could be coffee table height or raised to dining table height, or put away in storage.

That's what I am still hoping for - that this one is a "one-off" and actually IS a B/F 21 or something similar to what I really want. And that "his" description was more accurate than "hers".

Philosophically - it just bugs me that NONE of major F/G trailer manufacturers seem to want to compete with what stickie builders offer.

Just as an intellectual exercise, I went onto the "Dutchman" site. Both their 18 foot and their 19 foot are WAY more "family friendly" than anything I have seen from ANY F/G maker. Their 185DB and the 196RD are "ideal" for my needs - if only they weren't stickies! Now if Bigfoot could pack that much USABLE amenities into their 19...... (or Escape, whose factory is less than hour's drive from here). Alas - even if they started to do that today, I have not won any lotteries lately

"Enquiring minds want to know" why Bigfoot, Escape, Casita, etc can't seem to offer floorplans like that!

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by BCDave

That's what I am still hoping for - that this one is a "one-off" and actually IS a B/F 21 or something similar to what I really want. And that "his" description was more accurate than "hers".

Philosophically - it just bugs me that NONE of major F/G trailer manufacturers seem to want to compete with what stickie builders offer.

Just as an intellectual exercise, I went onto the "Dutchman" site. Both their 18 foot and their 19 foot are WAY more "family friendly" than anything I have seen from ANY F/G maker. Their 185DB and the 196RD are "ideal" for my needs - if only they weren't stickies! Now if Bigfoot could pack that much USABLE amenities into their 19...... (or Escape, whose factory is less than hour's drive from here). Alas - even if they started to do that today, I have not won any lotteries lately

"Enquiring minds want to know" why Bigfoot, Escape, Casita, etc can't seem to offer floorplans like that!

Note... Bigfoot is no longer. Somebody has purchased the Bigfoot name and producing camper inserts. But no trailers.
Can't probably has to do with economics as you have noted about Escape. You can't get something for nothing.
As an engineer I can tell you everything is a compromise.
"Need" = "wants" Think about what you really want a trailer for.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Note... Bigfoot is no longer. Somebody has purchased the Bigfoot name and producing camper inserts. But no trailers.
Can't probably has to do with economics as you have noted about Escape. You can't get something for nothing.
As an engineer I can tell you everything is a compromise.
"Need" = "wants" Think about what you really want a trailer for.

According to their website (updated recently) they are in production of 7 trailer models. All have permanent "bedrooms"

[Martin in Fonthill]

Dave, too bad I did not check this forum last week, I just came back from up there. I will go up again in about 3 weeks ,probably not much of a help.
( I picked up a BF 5th wheel in Calgary and drove it home, the owner took lots of pictures, I bought it sight unseen, very happy with it)
Martin

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Martin in Fonthill

Dave, too bad I did not check this forum last week, I just came back from up there. I will go up again in about 3 weeks ,probably not much of a help.
( I picked up a BF 5th wheel in Calgary and drove it home, the owner took lots of pictures, I bought it sight unseen, very happy with it)
Martin

Well - the unit in Penetanguishene turned out to be something other than what was advertised. It was owned by an elderly couple who do not even have a computer, but he was adamant that it was a Bigfoot 21 foot Front bed model. (She said it was definitely a 21 footer, but that it didn't have a bedroom!) Sans a computer they had no way to take pics for me, so I had to ask for help to look at it.

Board member Michael Pupeza volunteered to check it out for me. Turns out "she" was a bit closer - it was actually a sadly neglected 19 footer with a front dinette that they used as the bed, and which would need a LOT of work to make it into a good one.

THANK YOU Michael!

Now I am considering one that I had initially rejected and posted as a referral on the board - it is a REAR bed 21 footer. Trouble is - the owner has now moved it to his summer place up in Fenelon Falls, which is not real convenient for Toronto-based members to go see.

My concern is at this point is:

Is it the same unit that the pictures (shown in the referrals section) are actually of?

Is it a scam? (It has some of the marks - an owner who is hard to find and a unit that seems to be "elsewhere" when a member offers to go check it out for me.) (I tend to be suspicious and cautious with my $$$$)

However, another board member, Joe Olajos, from the Kingston area says he is not all that far from Fenelon Falls, so he will try to track down the unit and give me an overview with lots of pics. If he says its not a scam, I'll fly down that-a-way, rent a car and make my own, on-site decision.

Meanwhile I also a huge debt of gratitude to fellow member Roy from TO who has worked diligently to find local folks to check out the (now two) units that are (from the standpoint of someone 3 timezones away) "in the same place"

This board is GREAT!

[theresa p]

dave---i have friends in lindsay, which is also close to fenelon falls. if you need someone to check that trailer out, PM me.

[Roy in TO]

Thank you Joe and theresa,

If that works out, it will allow me to get both my trailers out of storage. It has been such a lousy spring to be even thinking of that so far. We are normally camping by now. As a matter of fact, we only got the vegatable garden planted over the weekend. The flowers have to wait.

Good luck Dave.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by BCDave

According to their website (updated recently) they are in production of 7 trailer models. All have permanent "bedrooms"

According to this page What's new at Bigfoot they're building five sizes of truck campers and one model of trailer. We heard they were starting with the truck campers and going from there. The pages with all the trailers are the same pages that were up before the bankruptcy. Before getting too excited, I'd call Bigfoot and get the scoop.