It would be interesting to come back to this thread in 10 years and see how everybody still likes their slides then.
I suspect that there will be lots of stories of burned out electrical slide motors (or generalized electrical issues), broken mechanicals, leaks, and structural problems.
We vote for "No Slide". The reasons already expressed in favor of "No Slide" goes for us as well. Camping in our opinion is to not sit in the RV all the time. We enjoy the outdoors and as such try to keep things simple and easy. IMHO slides just add to the list of things to look after, check, and clean ( leaves etc). We are no flaming "slides" just stating our preference.
Brian.
2003 Dodge Laramie SLT 3500 dually diesel 4x2 auto with 2007 ECO Skamper 718QB. Love this combo. Very fuel efficient, lots of room, easy to park and set up.
No slide, for all the reason's mentioned. We like to camp where the sites are as large as possible. A slide makes the sites smaller. We have a smaller trailer and when it is a really tight spot we find the big, honkin' slide TT, and MHs take more than their share of OUR space.
Get the trailer that fits you the best and don't worry about slide or no-slide. Everyone's needs are different. We've had several different trailers - just depended on what was happening with our family at any given time. My current one is small with no slide - exactly what I wanted - fits us perfect. Good luck making up your mind!
We chose the nonslide to avoid the extra weight, we didn't want to wipe off a slide when closing, didn't want to have to hand crank if something happened to the motor, saw too many that didn't close flush. Our Sunline floorplan has a bunch of open space, so for 2 people we just didn't feel the need for a slide. However, given the 2 choices you've picked I would pick the slide unit for 4 people. No matter how much planning you do you're going to have rainy days, and the nonslide is going to seem crowded really fast. Having said that, I'd look around for a bunk unit with no slide that has more open space. I'd rather go a little longer to get that space and avoid the slide.
Only you can make that assessment based upon your planned usage and ownership patterns. I will reiterate the 3 plusses and minuses and show you how OUR thought process went.
First and foremost is how you envision yourself using it. We use ours as a portable bedroom and base camp for outdoor activities. We always trtavel with 2 trucks, one is either pulling a 21' Baja or a trailer full of ATVs. About 1/2 the time we camp with no hookups.
We need 4 beds, a large fresh water tank, lots of storage, a large refrigerator, dual batteries, and fast responding A/C and furnace. The closest we usually come to cooking inside is a microwave bag of popcorn.
Since we often travel a good distance to visit somewhere new, size and weight are a factor. We also picked out a trailer that really appealed to my wife and plan on keeping it a long time. It's a manageable size to pull, park, clean, and wax. Also the exterior is aluminum so I won't have to worry about the delamination problem that affects so many smooth sided trailers as they age. And it has no slide to leak, stall, or otherwise ruin our trip. As you can see, our routine and ownership model is probably atypical.
The basis plusses of a slide are obvious.
1). The "feel" inside is "homier" because of the openness.
2). The increased room makes extended stays indoors more pleasant.
3). I'm not sure if the resale value is higher, percentage wise, but they seem to resell faster.
The minuses as I see them.
1). You cut a giant hole in the side of an otherwise rigid structure.
2). You plug the hole with a movable 3 sided box using mechanical & electrical bits to move it around, bits that can and do fail.
3). You attempt to seal the gap between the hole and the box. You must seal it against weather and critters, and maintain the integrity of the seal for as long as you own it. It's a simple fact that a trailer with a slide is more likely to leak than one without.
3a). It costs more, but most of this may be recovered when you sell. In that respect it's like 4wd on a pick-up.
3b). It weighs more, requiring more energy and vehicle to move it.
3c). It requires more site consideration when setting up.
3d). It requires an extra process in seal & roof maintenance.
3e). We don't have to run the slide out to use the facilities while enroute.
We have bought 3 new TT in the last decade, none with slides. They just don't fit into OUR paradigm of usage.
Whether you get slide or no slide, the most room for your $$$ will be in a full 8' wide unit, our last 2 feel much roomier than our first 7 1/2' wide "lite" trailer. You can the square footage cheaper by purchasing longer instead of wider.
We're only 49 years old and are still into playing all day. Maybe when we get older we'll want to spend more time inside. If so, we'll consider a bigger unit with a slide. Or maybe a Motorhome.
BTW, TTs are usually sold at deep discount, you can often get a new one for not much more than one 2 or 3 years old. This gives you a warranty and some leverage in case ir's a dud. I would think that NOW is a buyers market due to economic considerations, compounded by the time of year.
JMHO of course.
Dodge Ram 1500, 5.2 Magnum, 3.90 gears
Factory towing package
#12500 GCVW
Springdale 189FL, "The Baby Crib"
No worries!
For a long trouble free life....NO SLIDE. Slides are complicated and WILL eventually need some repair work which is not cheap. Also just another source foe a leak.
That's my 2 cents worth and if you add 3 more cents, you will have a nickel.
Ken
KE5DFR
Vintage 1979 Silver Streak Supreme Rocket toted by a 2002 F350, crewcab dually, 7.3L,4.10 axle,SCMT. Travel with two miniature Schnauzers and one African Gray parrot. Practicing for retirement!
MicDuran wrote: I have had TTs with and without the slide. I opted for a used one with a superslide and couldn't be happier. Even with just the two of us the extra room is great to have.
Go to a few dealers with your family and walk around in something similar to what you are looking at buying. Diagrams and photos can only tell you so much. Put your family in the TTs and see how they feel.
And when you are there, have them to run the slide in to see what you will be dealing with when it is retracted. When we looked into buying the slide unit, one we looked at you couldn't get into the bathroom when it was in. Had to open the slide just to use the bathroom when in transit. Another unit we looked at covered the refrigerator door when the slide was in. I am no fan of slides for me but many are quite happy with them...
Robin Brumfield
2004 Ford F350 PSD XC
2004 Cougar 280BH
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