Greetings Everyone! Newbie here!

[Batman32]

Hello all, My wife and I are new to this. She wants to start camping (kids are finally out of the house)and I think a FGRV would a perfect way start. All my wife requires is a bed, and private shower/bath. I used to camp as a boy in a tent trailer so its not completely foreign to me. We are out in California and I have looked at Casitas and Scamps. So where do we start looking? We are eager to learn and go on some new adventures!.

Thank you all!

Mark & Susan

[Jon in AZ]

Welcome, Mark and Susan!

You can start by looking in the classifieds here, as well as www.fiberglass-rv-4sale.com. That will give you a better idea of what's out there and what they go for.

To get a look at some in person, a fiberglass egg rally is one way to see a number of different makes, models, and sizes in one place and talk to the owners. See the rally calendar and rally map to locate one near you. Contact the event coordinator about scheduling a visit. Most would welcome a tent camper or day visitor, and some even have scheduled "open house" times.

If you're thinking new, most are sold factory direct and built to order. Wait times vary from a few months to over a year. Contact the manufacturer to get the process started.

Best wishes!

[Batman32]

Thank you for the info!

[alan H]

Welcome
Not sure where you are in California ( we lived in Thousand Oaks for 35 yrs... recently moved to Denver area)..... we attended the lake casita rally for many years... it is located near Ojai.... usually over Halloween weekend .... a great rally and a great group of people all willing to show off there trailers.... a good way as others have said to see what works for you

[Batman32]

Thank you Alan,

We are in the Valencia area and we are also looking to move to the Rockies near Denver (We used to own a place in Divide west of CoS). We will probably go to the rally in October as a day guest (my wife wont camp in a tent). Besides Scamp and Casitas are there other current manufactures? Also, where can I find articles about the pros and cons to a FGRV? I want to learn about maintenance issues or things to look out for before I buy.

We have a Honda Ridgeline that has a 5000 lbs towing capacity and that is another reason why the FGRV caught my eye, I wont have to upgrade my vehicle to tow one.

Thank you

[Jon in AZ]

Mark, since you already have a tow-ready vehicle, you could also consider renting a small molded trailer to take to the rally. I am aware of two locations in CA that rent molded trailers:

Happier Camper in Los Angeles

Dan's Trailer's near Sacramento

Happier Camper is not far from you. Just a thought.

[Batman32]

Thank you Jon for that information that would be a good way for my wife to see if she likes it.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Batman32

...Besides Scamp and Casitas are there other current manufactures?...

Beyond Scamp and Casita, current manufacturers building models with a bed and bath/shower include Escape, Oliver, Bigfoot, Lil Snoozy, Parkliner and the Airstream Nest. BC-made Escape is popular and not far from you. The favorable exchange rate makes them a good deal for US buyers. Bigfoot and Oliver are nice but expensive and probably too heavy for your Ridgeline. Lil Snoozy is an all-electric model with a roomy layout. Parkliner is compact and cleverly packaged but pricey. Ditto for the Nest.

There are a number of other current specialty makers of small molded trailers without a bath/shower: Happier Camper, Relic, Armadillo, and Weiscraft.

[Mike Magee]

Food for thought: I have found that in addition to a bath with shower and a bed, I value having that bed area able to be left as a bed full time, and a separate place to still sit around in the trailer (weather is not always perfect). YMMV of course. Some folks prefer to sit outside (under an awning or in a screen room, perhaps) in just about any weather or bug condition.

[sUNSHINE33]

Hello
My husband and I have a 13ft Scamp and pull it with a Subaru Outback. We love it. It has a 2 burner stove, frig(no freezer), sink, shower and toilet in bathroom. If we're at a campground we usually use their showers, butvhave used ours as well. The table and benches convert to a bed. It's nice when we can keep it as a bed.

[Martha Effinger]

In your searching be aware of the differences in the different size trailer. For instance our first trailer was a 16ft Casita, Great trailer but eventually the smaller bed and frig. led us to a 17 ft 2009 SD. It is amazing what that foot gives you. The bed is a full double and the frig. has a freezer across the top as much more space. We tow with our 2013 Honda Ridgeline and it does fine.
If you are ever in the Fort Bragg, CA area you are welcome to look at our gem.
Good luck on you search.
Martha

[thrifty bill]

Only thing better than going to a rally is going to TWO rallies.

There is no better way to see the variety of floorplans, brands, talk to owners, etc.

We bought our Casita first, then went to a rally. There we saw what we really wanted, an Escape 19. Would have been a lot better to do the process in reverse!!!

Sadly, you can't see a variety of molded trailers by going to an RV dealer. Most are sold direct from the factory.

Depending on the brand and model, it can take six to twelve months to get a new one. Used ones are relatively uncommon, and sell lightning fast! Have the money in hand, and be ready to pounce if you see the right trailer. We bought both of our trailers within a few hours of them going for sale, and we sold our Casita in four hours. Also be prepared to drive a significant distance.

And if one of you is tall, spend some time checking on interior height. Many of the trailers out there have low head clearance.

[Batman32]

Thank you all for so much great information. Interior height is certainly a concern as I am 6'1". We live in So Cal so I would certainly want an a/c and my friend in Boston has a scamp with roof a/c and said I would not be able to stand up in the trailer.

We will take a year to do research as I do not want to be unhappy with this purchase. Are there any maintenance issues that are inherent to FGRVs?

Thank you all again.