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Old 04-26-2021, 02:58 PM   #21
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Name: Mark
Trailer: 1979 Boler
California
Posts: 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by thrifty bill View Post
Not a Scamp owner, but with Scamp you can buy a bare bones trailer at a lower price point if you so desire. Or you can add options so it is not bare bones. And they have the best deposit policy in the business. Small $$, 100% refundable. There are many sad stories out there of people either being held hostage to their non-refundable sizable deposits (delivery dates being continually pushed back, months or even into following years), or in the worst case, losing the entire deposit. This with very sizable deposits.

Look at any of the used Scamp listings, and you will see Scamps hold their value quite well.

One advantage of riveted interiors is if you need to remove a cabinet to do repairs or modifications, it's easy. Try removing an interior cabinet on my Trillium.....

Now I love my vintage Trillium. I love the large jalousie windows, I like the door design better, and I like the squarish shape.

One final advantage of Scamp is availability. All molded FG trailers are hard to find used. But Scamps and Casitas tend to be the most common in the US (still hard to find, just not as hard). It took me a year to find my Trillium, it needed work, and it was 625 miles away (one way). It was either keep looking, or accept I was taking on a project. I chose the latter.

I would consider all of the molded FG trailers to have excellent longevity. Just look at the number of 45 year old molded FG trailers you still see out there. Quality is somewhat subjective. Realize the appliances tend to come from the same suppliers for all trailers. Do not expect the appliances to last as long as the trailer.

Me, there are lots of factors to choosing a trailer. Being within my budget is #1. Floor plan is #2. Being able to fit on my lot is #3. These are all requirements. Everything else is optional. #3 has eliminated many trailers from my list!

I find the L'air intriguing. There is a lot to like about it. But I am not going to be a first year customer of anything. I would not buy a home from a builder that was his first house, I would not buy a brand new car first year model, and I am not going to buy a trailer from a company that just now has delivered their very first product (has anyone actually gotten one). Good savings to those willing to take the additional risk.

In business, I am a believer in "start small, win big, start big, lose big!" The L'air start up is in the start big category. But perhaps they have the financial resources to pull it off! Myself, year 1 I would make only one model, in one floor plan. Year 2 I would add a bath. Year 3 I would add the 4500 model, and so on. And I would have fewer to no options initially. As an old production manager, every option and model choice makes production that much harder. Molded FG interiors means a lot more molds to build (not cheap).

One big negative for me on the Armadillo is the lack of windows. No window on the front, small porthole style window on the rear. My choice these two windows would be the largest in the trailer. Now the backpack model has a large window on the rear. That helps. In these small trailers, I find generous windows really help make them feel more spacious.

Hi Thrifty Bill! Really appreciate your thoughtful reply. We really want a molded FG trailer, exactly for the longevity you mentioned (not applicable to appliances.) Would love to find a Trillium 4500 in the western half of the US. I think that would be great for our family of 4.

Our main criteria: #1 Fit in our driveway (which is not super long) must be under 16 ft.; #2 Towable by our vehicle so must not exceed 3,500lbs fully loaded; and #3 accommodate sleeping 4 humans and a dog (on the floor)

L'air -- yes, wondering if the savings is worth the risk...

Armadillo -- would be interested in the backpack model, for the windows, like you mentioned. It is still a newish company (about 5 years), and I haven't heard back from any actual owners of their trailers for real feedback. Plus, the deposit is so big. We'd be able to get over the large deposit if we can chat with people who have purchased to make sure the value is there.

Perris Pacer -- does it have rivets? Do they hold value? are they built well?

With appreciation,
Jenny
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Old 04-26-2021, 03:06 PM   #22
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Name: Mark
Trailer: 1979 Boler
California
Posts: 28
@ MIKMAY ~

Thank you for your thoughts and encouragement. Happier Camper is conveniently close to us in CA, and it was one of our top choices for awhile. But after some discussion btw my husband and I, we realized that while the modular design is ingenious and desirable for some people, it might not be how we'd like to use our camper. Mostly, we need a better equipped kitchen than their movable kitchen cube, and a better fridge than their cooler cube. We were so close to buying a used HC1 at one point. We love the hatch that open in the back and the window that can open to a "bar" table. Happier Camper really is beautiful.
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Old 04-26-2021, 03:12 PM   #23
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Name: Mark
Trailer: 1979 Boler
California
Posts: 28
@ Jon Vermilye ~

Thank you for your response. I think the longest trailer that we can carefully squeeze into our drive way is 16 ft, and still back out our other car. The Escape sounds like a great trailer though!
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Old 04-26-2021, 03:13 PM   #24
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Name: Mark
Trailer: 1979 Boler
California
Posts: 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ervin in Portland View Post
Went up to Armstrong and met the owners/builders of Armadillo in Oct of 2019 just a few months before the border closed. They are very nice trailers, well built, the owners are very creative and can craft any sort of special order stuff within limits. Both their models are sweet, the Backpack seems much bigger even though it is less than a foot longer.
Oh, this is great feedback about Armadillo trailers! Thanks for that. Did you buy one?
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Old 04-26-2021, 03:19 PM   #25
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Name: Mark
Trailer: 1979 Boler
California
Posts: 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
Guessing it’s the windows. Amazing how much difference large, all-around windows make in a small trailer! Even better if they open for ventilation.

If you camp much without power, you can cool using your battery with windows open and a power roof vent to keep the air moving In many conditions (hot, humid Southeast summers excepted), you can manage without A/C. That’s a big plus for me.
@Ervin in Portland and @Jon in AZ ~

Thanks! Would really love an Armadillo Backpack. They will only keep the front large window with the front dinette floor plan. Really want that front window (for cross ventilation and to feel more open in a small space,) but also we need to sleep 4 so need the bunk...
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Old 04-26-2021, 03:28 PM   #26
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Name: Mark
Trailer: 1979 Boler
California
Posts: 28
@ Thrifty Bill ~
Your post on 4-22-21 was so helpful! Thanks!

I don't plan on outliving a molded FG trailer. LOL! I figure if my husband and I can actively use one for 20+ years fairly trouble free (other than some maintenance,) then it's worth it. I hope it will last longer and we can pass it on for our children to enjoy with their families.

We will steer away from stick built trailers and FG with wood inside. Want as little work as possible...

Many thanks!
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Old 04-26-2021, 04:53 PM   #27
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Name: Jon
Trailer: Escape 21C
New York
Posts: 2,387
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenny and Mark View Post
@ Jon Vermilye ~

Thank you for your response. I think the longest trailer that we can carefully squeeze into our drive way is 16 ft, and still back out our other car. The Escape sounds like a great trailer though!
Be sure to consider that the length of the Escape (like most fiberglass trailers) is from the hitch ball to the rear bumper. Stick built measurements usually are the body length and do not include the hitch.
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Old 04-26-2021, 07:31 PM   #28
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Boler13/trillium4500/buro13
Ontario
Posts: 1,138
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenny and Mark View Post
@ MIKMAY ~

Thank you for your thoughts and encouragement. Happier Camper is conveniently close to us in CA, and it was one of our top choices for awhile. But after some discussion btw my husband and I, we realized that while the modular design is ingenious and desirable for some people, it might not be how we'd like to use our camper. Mostly, we need a better equipped kitchen than their movable kitchen cube, and a better fridge than their cooler cube. We were so close to buying a used HC1 at one point. We love the hatch that open in the back and the window that can open to a "bar" table. Happier Camper really is beautiful.
Thanks Jenny and Mark for considering the HC1 and Yes the HC1 modular system may not fit everyone’s needs ,I myself having owned many brands of fg trailers with standard setups found it a little difficult at first to grasp the modular system but now would not want it any other way, but of course I would say that. Just want to give you a heads up knowing you may be close to the LA showroom that HC will be introducing a new product that may fit your needs in the coming weeks and may be in the showroom already . I can’t say to much about it until it’s official release but that it is a hybrid of the HC1 with a permanent full kitchen and wet bath . Good luck with your search and as I said whichever trailer you choose it will be the right choice.
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Old 05-07-2021, 02:07 AM   #29
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Name: Mary
Trailer: Trillium
Virginia
Posts: 14
Check out the owners' groups on FB

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenny and Mark View Post
Thanks, Bill, for your input. We are leaning towards Armadillo. Anyone with knowledge of Armadillo's build quality and longevity?

L'air is new, and right now doing a promotion to get it's business going. Might be a good deal, but there's no history to know if it's built well.

Nest is no longer being built, but if we can find one used, I wonder if it's a good choice.

Thank you.
Join the FB owners' groups if you can for those you are interested in. I, too, thought I wanted a Nest until I lurked on their page for a while. The owners seem to love them, but they certainly seem to report far more problems to one another than I have seen on, for example, Snoozy2 and Escape groups. Plus, it seems that the Airstream replacement parts, etc. are pretty pricey (not a huge surprise there, I suppose).
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Old 05-07-2021, 05:19 AM   #30
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Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
Which Fiberglass trailer?

Once you accept the limitations of a Fiberglass trailer to me the model doesn't matter too much. We've traveled in a Casjta 16, 1 year and a Scamp 16, 11 years. (The Casita was too short.)

We towed both with a Honda CRV (manual transmission) without a single problem and covered the USA and Canada multiple times. Our friends with larger rigs joke about our small size but it's never been a problem. We've modified the inside significantly to fit our travel style and after all these years we are still making changes.

We head out in about a week initially heading west now towing with a Honda Odyssey. This is our 21st year traveling the last 11 in our Scamp. Our 1991 Scamp is 30 years old. We used to think this was really old but our son had a 1977 Scamp, everything is relative.

To me the bottom line is being on the road. Fiberglass trailers are a good choice. If you are happy together and enjoy exploring and growing together the size of the rig won't matter.

Wishing you well.
__________________
Norm and Ginny

2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
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Old 05-07-2021, 09:18 AM   #31
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Name: Ervin
Trailer: Moby 1 Teardrop
Oregon
Posts: 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenny and Mark View Post
Oh, this is great feedback about Armadillo trailers! Thanks for that. Did you buy one?
I vacillated back and forth between the Armadillo Backpack and the Escape 17b. Love the Armadillo interiors more than the Escape, yet I like that I can get a composting toilet in the Escape. I put a deposit down on the Escape a couple of months ago. Yet I am still reconsidering because of the weight of the Escape, 4000lbs vs 1800 for the Backpack. Can I do without the bathroom and shower? Have so far, in my 50 years of camping. And I could pull the Armadillo with a hybrid. I only think gas is going to go up and up.
Another trailer to consider (I don’t know how big your kids are) is the Camp Inn 560 Ultra Teardrop. Is 14 ft overall, 10 foot body with a sofa feature in the front that converts to two bunk beds. I just like teardrops, and I am hoping to look at one in a few days (they will connect prospective buyers to current owners in your area). It could be towed with a RAV4 hybrid, which gets 41 mpg. Only weighs 1400 lbs. Builds on them are beautiful.
I may go this route overall.
As far as contacting an owner of an Armadillo, there is a YouTube family that has posted a few videos and you can contact them through their YouTube channel. They call themselves Jeepadillo. They have answered a few questions that I had. Hope this helps.
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Old 05-07-2021, 09:39 AM   #32
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Name: Ervin
Trailer: Moby 1 Teardrop
Oregon
Posts: 45
And one other consideration of Camp Inn. Can store it in a regular garage vs outdoors. And they have a roof top tent option if your kids are older and cannot fit in the bunk beds. Choices choices!
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