Welcome!

[Isharra]

Looking to get back into the RV community with a fiberglass RV. My last RV was a Jamboree. Have been missing the freedom of traveling RV style, no motels...

[Jon in AZ]

Welcome to FiberglassRV, Isharra!

Lots to be learned here, and since you already have some previous RV experience, you're a step ahead.

Molded fiberglass is a great way to go, and options range from tiny, basic 13'ers to full-featured 28'ers. What they all have in common are seamless exterior shells that all-but-eliminate seam leaks, the bane of conventional trailers. Some have a rounded egg-shaped shell for better aerodynamics (at some cost to interior space); others have a more conventional squared-off profile. Some have a fiberglass interior; others have wood cabinetry. A few have dry baths, many have wet baths, while the smallest may have no bath at all. Lots of choices, new and vintage, but they're still very rare in comparison to conventional RVs. We just got back from a trip to a nearby lake park- 150 sites all full for spring break, and we were the only molded fiberglass trailer.

If you plan to shop the used market, be prepared for sticker shock: molded fiberglass trailers have much higher resale values than most conventionally constructed trailers, and most sell quickly at or near the asking prices. If you buy new, be prepared for a wait: for the most part they are sold factory-direct to the customer's specifications, and this is the busy season. I don't know about the others, but Scamp is now taking orders for fall delivery.

A helpful resource as you mull over your choices is the thread Trailer Weights in the Real World (post #297 links to a handy spreadsheet). Manufacturers and sellers often quote unrealistic dry weights, which do not include options, fluids, or any of your stuff. Real weights can be many hundreds of pounds more.

Best wishes on your "egg-hunt"!

[LyleB]

Welcome Isharra,

Just wanted to expand on what Jon said above. If you are looking to buy used, be warned that most of the legitimate for sale offers will not last very long. Many sell within a day or two of being posted, so when you get serious about buying, have money in hand and be ready to act as soon as you can inspect the trailer. Same day in most cases. When I bought mine I called the same day they advertised, made an appointment to look at it. I bought it the same day I looked. They already had two other parties ready to look and buy immediately.

Do be wary of Craigslist scams, though. If you find a listing you are interested in, post it here and folks will give you an honest opinion about it's legitimacy. Because they are so in demand, the scammers have caught on.

Best of luck in your hunt.

[Isharra]

Thanks for the tips! I have a Ford Ranger to pull it with, and am looking for probably a 16 footer. Ready to buy the right trailer now...I live on the Central California coast, a beautiful place to go RVing...

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Isharra

...I live on the Central California coast, a beautiful place to go RVing...

Indeed!

On the PCH between San Simeon and Big Sur

After visiting the Cal Poly campus in SLO, our oldest daughter decided she really wants to study chemistry.

Whale watching at Avila Beach, elephant seals near San Simeon, cioppino at Moss Landing, day hiking at Pinnacles NP, Thanksgiving with family in Salinas… great trip!

Lesson learned: if you're going to camp in Big Sur in November, stay at Andrew Molera SP, not Pfeiffer Big Sur SP! Located in a gorge, the latter got about 2 hours of filtered sunlight a day. We were cooking dinner in twilight at 4:30pm. The lights in the bathrooms were programmed to come on at 6pm, long after it was pitch dark, so we took mid-afternoon showers by flashlight.

[Denece]

Thanks for the info. We love to camp along the coast but our closest park fills up as soon as the reservations go live six months ahead! 😱
How is availability at those parks?


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