Hi my name is Chad. Im new here and I hope to pick a few of your brains on travel trailers. I just started to look at all the options and I feel like my head might explode. I am currently only looking at used trailers to try and keep my costs down. I own a 2008 suburban 1500 4x4 5.3l with 3.73 axle and tow pkg and will be using this vehicle to tow the trailer with. As far as size of the trailer I would like it to sleep 6 people.
Please help me with my search for my perfect trailer. My budget is about $10k.
chaddd wrote: Hi my name is Chad. Im new here and I hope to pick a few of your brains on travel trailers. I just started to look at all the options and I feel like my head might explode. I am currently only looking at used trailers to try and keep my costs down. I own a 2008 suburban 1500 4x4 5.3l with 3.73 axle and tow pkg and will be using this vehicle to tow the trailer with. As far as size of the trailer I would like it to sleep 6 people.
Please help me with my search for my perfect trailer. My budget is about $10k.
Hi Chad
A few things to know would help.
The 6 people, are they all adults or 2 adults and 4 kids?
Will they all travel with the trailer in the Surburban?
Check the manual or drivers side door post to see how much you can tow and your payload.
How and where will you use it. At campgrounds with hook ups or off in the woods with no services. ( no water/ electric/ sewer)
When will you be using it? Warm weather only or year round?
Our trailer as a example will sleep six. A queen bed up front, a pair of bunks in the back and the dinette and fold out couch make 6. It would be tight though.
It isn't a 4 season model but has been ok with temps in the 20s over night.
At 4200 lbs it is well within our Expeditions tow specs and just the two of us and the dogs are not pushing the payload limit.
These things can help refine your search.
JinD
2011 GulfStream Amerilite 25BH
2007/2003 Ford Expedition
Nights camped in 2011 21
Nights camped in 2012 16
My advice is to keep looking, find a trailer you like, then ask for opinions on here. It's a lot easier to comment on a certain trailer. Otherwise, everyone will recommend what they own as "the best".
When you are looking, I recommend laying in the bed, sitting at the table, standing in the shower and sitting on the toilet (just sitting...). Make sure they all fit everyone in your camping family.
Have whoever does the cooking make sure they kitchen is adequate for their needs.
Mkae sure you have adequate storage and sleeping quarters. Keep in mind the size youngsters will be in a few years.
Good luck and welcome to RV.Net!
05 Ford F-350 Lariat CC 4X4 PSD DRW Line X Retrax
02 Montana Big Sky 3295 RK (2) Honda EU2000is
When my grown kids were inspecting our new fifth wheel, one asked why we bought a trailer that sleeps 4. My reply was that we couldn't find one that sleeps 2!
Smaller trailers often sleep more people than larger ones. MOST of them in an appropriate size range for your tow vehicle will probably sleep six people but that's not the real key. Dinettes that make into beds and jackknife sofas are probably suitable for children to use on a short term basis but not long term and a much shorter term for adults. If you get bunks then you've just moved up a notch in trailer size (which is still OK but limits your choices). Probably the MOST bang for your buck would be a hybrid style trailer (tent ends with beds) so you get a lot of extra room without increasing the towing length of the trailer. Lots of good brands by different manufacturers in the hybrid line up.
Check out what's available on http://www.rvtrader.com EVEN if it's not in your area. You can use it as a means of researching brands and sizes, many with full photos of offerings. Make some decisions about OTHER features that you feel you need. How will the trailer be used (weekend camping a local facilities vs longer vacations with lots of travel). Be much MORE concerned about brand for a trailer that will do a lot of traveling. Most any RV can make it 20 miles down the road to the local recreation venue but takes a little more attention to running gear, weight etc. to hit the highway often. Learn about the specifications set by the factory on your tow vehicle and set a very STRICT limit to the GVWR (not empty weight) of a trailer you're interested in. Unless you are willing to upgrade the tow vehicle if necessary staying at a reasonable limit will have a large effect in how well you enjoy travel. Again, for local campgrounds you can get by with a larger more difficult to tow trailer. MOST of all, have some fun with the project and take your time. MOST who purchase their first travel trailer end up trading it within a couple of years to find the one they REALLY want.
Good luck / Skip
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR - 2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles) 2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population
Agree with Skip's advice. A trailer that "sleeps 6" doesn't necessarily "live" 6. Imagine you're cooped up inside for a long, rainy weekend....... IMHO floorplan is a critical issue so be sure to consider how you're going to use this trailer. Weekends at a local CG? A couple of 1-2 week trips per year? Long extended trips touring the country? Once you've answered those questions for yourself you're ready to find a floorplan that suits your needs.
That TV is excellent. Make sure, though, that what you buy is safely within your weight limits. One thought: if you're camping with family, take a tent along ... older kids like to be out there and it eases things inside.
Go to the largest RV dealer, or a RV show is better, in your area and "window" shop by looking at a wide array of TT to see what you like/dislike about certain TTs. You can also get an idea for the room inside based upon how large that TT is. Bring a pad of paper and make a list of likes/dislikes and ask questions. Yes, you are new to RVs but last I knew, no one was born with RV knowledge so it is OK to ask a lot of questions. You will be steps ahead when you finally get serious about buying.
chaddd wrote: Hi my name is Chad. Im new here and I hope to pick a few of your brains on travel trailers. I just started to look at all the options and I feel like my head might explode. I am currently only looking at used trailers to try and keep my costs down. I own a 2008 suburban 1500 4x4 5.3l with 3.73 axle and tow pkg and will be using this vehicle to tow the trailer with. As far as size of the trailer I would like it to sleep 6 people.
Please help me with my search for my perfect trailer. My budget is about $10k.
Hi Chad
A few things to know would help.
The 6 people, are they all adults or 2 adults and 4 kids? Its really just My wife and I and our two girls, but I would like to have room for a guest or two. My girls are 2 and 3.
Will they all travel with the trailer in the Surburban? We will all be in the suburban when traveling.
Check the manual or drivers side door post to see how much you can tow and your payload. Okay I will.
How and where will you use it. At campgrounds with hook ups or off in the woods with no services. ( no water/ electric/ sewer) Hopefully campgrounds with hook ups but this is a completely new thing to me so I'm not sure.
When will you be using it? Warm weather only or year round? Mostly warm weather, I'm in souther california and we plan on doing beach camping, lake camping and trout fishing .
Our trailer as a example will sleep six. A queen bed up front, a pair of bunks in the back and the dinette and fold out couch make 6. It would be tight though.
It isn't a 4 season model but has been ok with temps in the 20s over night.
At 4200 lbs it is well within our Expeditions tow specs and just the two of us and the dogs are not pushing the payload limit.
curt12914 wrote: My advice is to keep looking, find a trailer you like, then ask for opinions on here. It's a lot easier to comment on a certain trailer. Otherwise, everyone will recommend what they own as "the best".
When you are looking, I recommend laying in the bed, sitting at the table, standing in the shower and sitting on the toilet (just sitting...). Make sure they all fit everyone in your camping family.
Have whoever does the cooking make sure they kitchen is adequate for their needs.
Mkae sure you have adequate storage and sleeping quarters. Keep in mind the size youngsters will be in a few years.
skipnchar wrote: Smaller trailers often sleep more people than larger ones. MOST of them in an appropriate size range for your tow vehicle will probably sleep six people but that's not the real key. Dinettes that make into beds and jackknife sofas are probably suitable for children to use on a short term basis but not long term and a much shorter term for adults. If you get bunks then you've just moved up a notch in trailer size (which is still OK but limits your choices). Probably the MOST bang for your buck would be a hybrid style trailer (tent ends with beds) so you get a lot of extra room without increasing the towing length of the trailer. Lots of good brands by different manufacturers in the hybrid line up.
Check out what's available on http://www.rvtrader.com EVEN if it's not in your area. You can use it as a means of researching brands and sizes, many with full photos of offerings. Make some decisions about OTHER features that you feel you need. How will the trailer be used (weekend camping a local facilities vs longer vacations with lots of travel). Be much MORE concerned about brand for a trailer that will do a lot of traveling. Most any RV can make it 20 miles down the road to the local recreation venue but takes a little more attention to running gear, weight etc. to hit the highway often. Learn about the specifications set by the factory on your tow vehicle and set a very STRICT limit to the GVWR (not empty weight) of a trailer you're interested in. Unless you are willing to upgrade the tow vehicle if necessary staying at a reasonable limit will have a large effect in how well you enjoy travel. Again, for local campgrounds you can get by with a larger more difficult to tow trailer. MOST of all, have some fun with the project and take your time. MOST who purchase their first travel trailer end up trading it within a couple of years to find the one they REALLY want.
Good luck / Skip
I will definitely search that site. I plan on going to a dealer too. I am fired up on camping and i love how my wife is fired up too. I can't wait to see my girls faces when we actually get something. I feel like this is a good investment for their future. Thanks you for helping.
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