BUT until you get a true scale weight do use the GVWR for planning. That 300 pound difference can quickly be eaten up with "optional equipment". You really can't tell what the trailer at the dealer actually weights in hooked up condition much less what it weights when you load your equipment into it.
We actually make having the dealer give us a certified weight slip as part of the deal before we sign anything.
Several manufacturers did not keep up with what's called weight creep over the years and produced trailers that were over their GVWR right off the show room floor despite showing cargo carrying capacity of well over 500 pounds.
The weight of the trailer is up to you get one that fits your car.
The floor plan is open to discussion things I would change if I bought new:
Dinette Table to one side so it doesn't have to be moved to get into and out of the rear bed. one of those new shower/toilet cassette, high walls so things like refrigerator and other cabinets can be larger.
I really like the aliner type trailers but for room it's hard to beat a pop-up with canvas sides.
Thanks for the advice - its just me, my husband and our dog (and 2 kayaks !). Our Endeavour has a GCWR of about 8500 lbs - and a GVWR is 5351 lbs
– our car weighs about 3,900 lbs (I think !). Im guessing you have to take the weight of the car from the GVWR to get your carrying capacity including hitch weight ???
vcorkett wrote: Thanks for the advice - its just me, my husband and our dog (and 2 kayaks !). Our Endeavour has a GCWR of about 8500 lbs - and a GVWR is 5351 lbs
– our car weighs about 3,900 lbs (I think !). Im guessing you have to take the weight of the car from the GVWR to get your carrying capacity including hitch weight ???
Looks like your vehicle is the exception to most crossover's limited payload. Remember these weights are for stripped models. Remember to take weight off for options. Mine has about 100 lbs in options so my payload is now ~1200 lbs.
After you have your true payload (AWD SE's 4,090lbs + 100 lbs in options subtracted from 5351 lbs = 1161 lbs) , you have to subtract the hitch's ball mount weight, your camper's tongue weight, your vehicle's loaded gear weight, and then your people weight. If you go into the (-) area, you're overloaded.
This is an interesting floorplan...whats nice is you don't have to step on something else to reach the beds, which is kind of a problem with ours.
We pull our pup with a Honda Odyssey. With just the two of you and the doggies, the other bed can be their sleep spot and can hold your suitcases and stuff. Try the Rockwood line, nice stuff and they are lightweight.
As far as models, Starcraft is the best built in the industry IMO by researching their design, built integrity, and engineering.
There are 2 companies that make campers that I would run from. Do a search on my posts to find which. One company that I owned, made the camper so poorly that it wouldn't hold together. They didn't counter sink and predrill assembly holes so when they pushed the screws in, it cracked the structure supports and the screws just fell out everywhere. Because of that cabinets and shelves just shifted. The frame was a very weak point with not enough crossmembers causing the floor to flex and damage cabinetry. One of the few crossmembers had bent because it was so small at 1" x 1" angle iron. A floor screw hit and bent it out. It was also painted very poorly and paint was bubbling off and peeling at 'delivery'. Everything was common for this make as the showroom lot had the same on it's models. VERY poor build quality, poor materials (frame)makes this company a bad choice from my experiences.
Another manufacturer has been using it's customers as beta testers in trying out new failing designs. Leaking trunks, sagging and cracking roofs, cracking body panels and then not granting full warranty pickup and delivery coverage for these misengineered designs. There has been more years with design flaws than without from my findings and these are gamble. So if you like gambling, these campers are for you.
The others makes, besides the 2 above, I have no problem with as they all seem to be good campers.
Out of these I found the Starcraft to be the best built, best designed and engineered. Therefore, I bought what I have and am very happy with my decision. Their customer suppor is great and backs up their product and there is always someone to answer their phone and answer your question immediately unlike other companies that are so mismanaged, they can't even provide enough employees to take care of customer needs.
I'm not mentioning the names of the 2 companies above as not to offend those owners.
We own a Hyundai Santa Fe with a tow rating of 3500 pounds. It is very much like your vehicle. We purchased a Coachmen Clipper 1070ST and the Santa Fe pulls it with no difficulty. The dry weight is approximately 2100 lbs, but by the time the Santa Fe and trailer are fully loaded, it is approx. 2900 lbs. The 1070ST has a 10 foot box - you could easily pull a tent trailer with a 12 foot box.
Some popop owners are real advocates for the companies which manufactured their tent trailer. My wife and I are not quite so "enthusiastic" because there were a number of makes and models which we would have purchased - we found the quality of various companies comparable.
We chose the Clipper 1070ST because it had the ALL the features we were looking for.
TV: 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe
Pup: 2007 Coachmen Clipper 1070ST
Favourite Campgrounds: Lake Superior Provincial Park; Chutes PP; Sharbot Lake PP; Rainbow Falls PP; Neys PP
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