What trailer to buy?

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Don't feel bad about not knowing. Heck, all this time I thought Civilguy's avatar was his self-portrait! I always wondered why he chose such a sad-faced picture of himself.



About layouts... my ideal trailer layout would have a rear dinette with a large picture window on the back wall. Why? Because the best view in the CG is often behind the trailer; second best would be a side dinette with window, while front dinettes present a lousy view of the back of the tow vehicle. I'd want a very comfy chair or sofa for sitting. I'd like a true queen size mattress, 80" long. A large, gas/electric (auto-switching) refrigerator with separate freezer door above it. A gas/electric DSI (direct spark ignition) water heater. Solid wood cabinets. 4-season insulation with double-pane jalousie windows. At least a 30 gallon fresh water tank. All this in a low-profile, molded-FG package under 19' long, for less than $20k. I might be looking for a loooooong time for this 'perfect trailer', though. At some point I'll have to decide what I am willing to settle for.

I think I see pretty much where your cabin must be. I've camped a dozen miles north of there on the banks of the AuSable.

Hey Mike, Here's the real explanation; I figured if I was going to be a virtual person on the web, then I could go ahead and pick an avatar much handsomer than me!

Also, I'll second the rear dinette. Having been fixated on rear baths for some time of late, we looked at several trailers with rear dinette arrangements and three rear windows last night. But oh, those swivel chairs. With the exception of an Airstream, we haven't found dinettes to be very comfortable. Maybe they just need a good dose of "replace the factory foam with better." That's how we dealt with our mattress in the Casita.

[Jon in AZ]

For me the problem with most dinettes is not so much the foam as the bolt upright angle of the backrest. The front sofa of our Scamp has an angled backrest, and oh, the difference it makes.

I lived in a Holiday Rambler many years ago, and it had the layout shared by many older Airstreams: a couch across the front with a fold-out table for dining. I kept a small folding chair to set up in the aisle when I really needed an upright seat. I prefer that to a dinette.

At the beach last week the rear view was a chain link fence and the front view was the ocean (tug parked off to the side). I love the front AND back windows in our Scamp, since every place we camp is different.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

The problem with most dinettes is not as much the foam as the bolt upright angle of the backrest. The front sofa of our Scamp has an angled backrest, and oh, the difference it makes.

Very true! I have looked closely at many trailers and found the uncompromising 90-degree seatback to be the rule as it saves space and flat cushions facilitate that second and third and fourth bed which many people need.

On the other hand, we used to feel the piping from the Casita cushions when we slept, even though we used an old rectangular cloth Coleman sleeping bag as a topper.

Sometimes I think I'm not getting older, I'm getting more irritable!

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

..Sometimes I think I'm not getting older, I'm getting more irritable!

I'm not old, I'm experienced, and it doesn't make me grouchy, just particular...

"I see," she says, "and what exactly is the difference?"

[roguebooks]

I like Lil Snoozy but my wife does not. Happy wife, happy life.

[roguebooks]

Originally Posted by LyleB

My experience is with Scamp and the "rat fur". I find the fabric very warm and comforting, especially on cold, zero degree F nights. Never felt cold radiating into my bed. I like the looks of the rat fur, and would probably get accustomed and fond of the carpet interior as well. Mine is a 1999 and the interior looks clean and appealing still, no stains or smell.

Do you have a "close-up" pic of the rat fur you could share?

[Mike Magee]

The Hauley was my camping trailer last summer and will be this summer, too.



It serves the purpose, marginally, until I settle on something. Right now I'm in transition, though; I switched from sales to teaching 7th grade math last fall, and now I'm switching back to sales. Until the income picture becomes clearer I'm biding my time.

I will also 'fess up that I am attracted to a stickie, the Outdoors RV Black Rock 18DB. http://outdoorsrvmfg.com/black-rock/ Nice floor plan IMO, heavy frame, and one of the better built stick trailers out there. I'd rather have something 3'-4' shorter, 1000 lbs lighter, and molded... but for $20K it does meet nearly all of my other desires. There's a used 2013 in CA for $14K, and if things weren't uncertain for me right now I'd go get it. My Lexus GX (rated for 6500 lbs towing, 975 lbs on hitch) would handle it.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by roguebooks

Do you have a "close-up" pic of the rat fur you could share?

Michael!

Close-ups pictures of rat fur?!?

Read up on marine headliner fabric if you must. But, you really need to get out there and smell the fiberglass!

[roguebooks]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

I would have a really hard time paying that kind of money for the smaller Oliver. It has pretty much the same layout as a Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe and shares its limitations- crawl-over bed, limited storage, and (especially) no counter space in the galley- at more than double the price. If it were my money- and it isn't- I'd at least try out a used Casita for a season, or even one longer trip, to find out if the layout really suits before springing for the smaller Oliver. If it works, you can buy the Oliver with confidence, and if it doesn't, the financial pain of trading up will be much less.

Good advice. Thanks.

[Mike Magee]

'Rat fur' is just a fuzzy fabric, more or less. Very neutral and non-obvious, unlike Casita's plush wall carpeting.

[Paul O.]

See my post #66. Nothing beats seeing those things with your very own eyes and touching with your very own fingers (before you buy).

[roguebooks]

Originally Posted by Paul O.

See my post #66. Nothing beats seeing those things with your very own eyes and touching with your very own fingers (before you buy).

I remember your post. And i went back and read again. But a picture tells a lot and would help today as I don't think I will be near any Scamps in the near future. Doesn't sound appetizing, but perhaps rat fur is not as bad as it sounds. I did a google search for "Scamp rat fur" and got more images than I can use. Not too bad. Different. Hmm.

[kootenaigirl]

Here is a rat fur picture

[roguebooks]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

Here is a rat fur picture

Thank you.

[Paul O.]

"marine headliners" come in all kinds, as I discovered for myself a few minutes ago. Here is another picture, if not the one, then very close to it:
Zoom
It is the lower of the two styles.

[Paul O.]

And here is more from those people with details:
Hulliner and Headliner 72"

[Raspy]

Michael,

You have certainly generated a lot of responses and interest in your quest!

Now, I can hardly wait to see what you decide on. No rush, so I hope you can make it to a rally. Don't shy away from a Cassita rally because lots of brands will show up and there will be lots of fun times. Visiting other trailers is part of the experience.

People were waiting in line to see our Oliver, while we were looking a other's captains chairs, outside stoves, flipped axles and tow vehicles compared to trailers. Liye ended up at the campfire that night and had a great time while I hung out with an old friend that lived nearby and came to visit. Courtesy lights on (LEDs of course), a warm evening having fun with friends and just a sense of calm acceptance with some genuine and very nice new friends. Memorable. And we just received an email about reserving a spot for the next one in September. Count us in!!

[roguebooks]

Doesn't appear in the next few months to be any rallies near where we will be. The one in Live Oak, Florida this weekend would have been a good one, but it is a pretty far from us and anyway I am busy working on getting the new Tacoma road-ready (new leather seats, a cover fold for the bed, a new SunPass, etc.) for our cabin trip to Michigan this summer. Watched some more Casita videos tonight and my wife just does not like the carpet/fur/walls. If we sold our cabin tomorrow, and our choice of a trailer was available to buy, we would probably purchase either an Oliver Elite, Airstream Sport 16, or an Airstream Base Camp. But we have time as we really do need to sell our cabin in Michigan, probably have to order a trailer which would take 12-14 weeks if we bought the Ollie, and in the meantime we might rent a little vintage Serro Scotty just to get a feel. It appears I have temporarily exhausted my options until something comes up on craigslist to go see or something appears for us to rent.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

I'm not old, I'm experienced, and it doesn't make me grouchy, just particular...

"I see," she says, "and what exactly is the difference?"

I met another Michael who had a tendency to, shall we say, fuss a bit too much. His wife was no slouch. "Now Michael," she would say, looking at him with a direct gaze, "just what kind of day was it that you were planning on having today?"

I think that it served me well to see this and it's something I've remembered many times.

(No connection to you Michael of Florida, just reflecting on Jon's post here.)

[Donna D.]

You can wait and plot and plan and delay and hope the perfect trailer is built and is for sale and you can grab it up.. BUT in the end... while you can make more money (or save what you have), you can NEVER, EVER make more time... and the clock is ticking...