casita- what makes it a deluxe model?

[sfoss]

I know with a scamp it means that you have a nicer wood look in the camper, is that what it is with the Casita as well?

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by sfoss

is that what it is with the Casita as well?

No.

For Casita:

• Standard = Couch/Bunks in front
• Deluxe = Bathroom/Closet in front

For Scamp:

• Standard = Fiberglass furniture
• Deluxe = Custom Wood Interior

[sfoss]

Thank you i always wondered about that. So i would want a deluxe. Thank you.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by sfoss

Thank you i always wondered about that. So i would want a deluxe. Thank you.

Deluxe also means larger bed (I think 6 inches) and option of front Dinette so you do not have to break down your bed to eat at a table.

[Ed Harris]

Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh

Deluxe also means larger bed (I think 6 inches) and option of front Dinette so you do not have to break down your bed to eat at a table.

Bill
I think you are thinking of a Scamp?

In a Casita the bath is always in the front unless it is not a deluxe in which case there can be the Bunks in front. Also in the Liberty and Freedom there is a Side Dinette so you can leave the big bed made up and in the Liberty you can configure the bed as permanent and still have a 2 person Dinette in front of the bed.

Shelly,like I said last night I am not sure anyone has ever seen a Non Deluxe Casita 17'?
I know of the 16' but don't think I have heard of a 17'?

Ed

[Mary F]

Almost.

Casita Liberty is the floor plan that makes the king bed. (It has no side dinette, but the galley is slightly longer.) The Casita Freedom is like the Casita Spirit, with side dinette, as Ed described. The difference is the Freedom has captain's chairs at the side dinette, where the Spirit seats are convertible to a small, single bed.

The difference between the standard and deluxe Casitas has already been described.

[sfoss]

Sounds good, thank you, i am learning so much from you guys. I might actually know what the heck i am doing when i finally find my egg. PS Ed, i enjoyed talking to you. I hope we can get together soon and you can introduce me to your eggs. Would like to meet the newfundlunds as well.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Ed Harris

I am not sure anyone has ever seen a Non Deluxe Casita 17'?

I have.

I forget who owns it, but they show up at the Lake Casitas rally near Ojai, California every October.

[Joy A]

Me too!

On one of my trips north a couple of years ago after the Oregon gathering I came across a couple with a 17 Casita and while speaking with them realized that it was different in the front. Wow!! It was a Standard 17 Casita. I only one that I've ever seen.

I never knew until then that Casita made Standard 17's.

I'm still puzzled why Casita continues to make the 16's. I haven't run across a new 16's for years and years.

[Sharon G]

Joy, I don't know if Casita still makes 16' trailers for the Japanese market. But every once in a while I'll see someone announcing that they have ordered a new 16' Casita. And used ones still show up in the classifieds now and then.

If I were going to order a 16' trailer, I think I'd go with Scamp for the greater headroom.

[honda03842]

I suspect part of the reason for making Casita 16s is that the Casita 17 is truly a heavy rig. For me to tow a Casita 17 would require a bigger tow vehicle.

Tow vehicle size and rising fuel costs have dramiticaly reduced the number of people on the road this year. The park we are in had it's overflow and boondocking lots full at this time last year. This year there is no one in those spaces and still have a couple of normal slots empty.

The Thousand Trails campground near us has some empty slots and is advertising $200 a month specials.

I think the Casita 16 meets the need of people who don't need the extra height of the Scamp 16. Last year we had the opportunity to buy a 2005 Casita 17 for $7500 and turned it down because of its weight and as a result we would have to get a new, larger tow vehicle. (We were towing a Casita 16 at the time.)

This year we'll be towing close to 12,000 miles and driving another 10,000 or so exploring and with rising fuel prices it becomes more of an issue. For this year's trip I am projecting 900 gallons at $4 a gallon for $3600 or about $300 a month.

A freind with a diesel truck driving back and forth to FL, some 5000 miles is projecting $2000. If he had done our trip he's be looking at $8-9000 or $7-800 a month.

Unfortunately most RVers have larger rigs making traveling less affordable. I believe there is a market for smaller, better organized RV's designed for long range travel.

[honda03842]

I received a PM on the Casita 17 concerning the 17's weight that was more thoughtful than my earlier response. Here is the essence.

It's not just the overall weight of the Casita 17 but specifically the tongue weight. The 17' is just too nose-heavy, and would often require a weight-distributing hitch; the 16' would not.

In the Spirit Deluxe version the 17' Casita is about 300 pounds heavier than their 16. While the 17' Casita is 300 lbs heavier than a 16' Casita, it's tongue weight is 110 pounds more than a 16' Casita.

The Casita 17 is a small (narrow) and relatively lightweight trailer, with a high tongue weight. It can only be towed by a vehicle which could also handle a much larger, heaver trailer.

[Herb Sutton]

Deluxe Casita includes air conditioner.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

[QUOTE=Ed Harris;282761]Bill
I think you are thinking of a Scamp?

Yes I am thinking of the Scamp.

[Sharon G]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I received a PM on the Casita 17 concerning the 17's weight that was more thoughtful than my earlier response. Here is the essence.

It's not just the overall weight of the Casita 17 but specifically the tongue weight. The 17' is just too nose-heavy, and would often require a weight-distributing hitch; the 16' would not.

In the Spirit Deluxe version the 17' Casita is about 300 pounds heavier than their 16. While the 17' Casita is 300 lbs heavier than a 16' Casita, it's tongue weight is 110 pounds more than a 16' Casita.

The Casita 17 is a small (narrow) and relatively lightweight trailer, with a high tongue weight. It can only be towed by a vehicle which could also handle a much larger, heaver trailer.

Norm, you are right about the tongue weight. We are absolutely CRAZY about our Casita. Weight of the trailer is not an issue with us, but the heavy tongue weight does bog the rear of our truck down. Eventually I think we are going to get a WDH.

[honda03842]

Susan,

We're getting ready to hit the road so I weighed our Scamp's tongue today, 192 pounds. Last year our Casita 16's tongue weighed 230 pounds. This is at the lighter end for a Casita 16 based upon Fredericks table.

Casita 17's typically range from 360 up to 500 pounds with the lower end more common. It's hard for me to understand the difference between a Casita 16 and 17; why a Casita 17 adds so much tongue weight.