scpopupcamper wrote: Had my HW for 4 years now..sure I've had some small issues, but overall I am very happy with my hemlock, It may be a collectors item one day.
Hello everyone,
I recently found a used 2004 Coleman Utah CP for sale local to me on craigslist. I just went to look at it this afternoon,but it started to rain pretty hard,so I couldn't get a good look at the whole thing. The interior looked to be pretty clean aside from a little bit of rust showing on one of the roof ribs which the seller seemed to think it may have been from the air conditioner,but it didn't look like it to me. It was raining hard,and I didn't see any leaks around the A/C unit while this was happening. The canvas looked to be clean,and unripped. The interior didn't appear to have a lot of storage,but I think we could probably make it work. It has a cassette toilet,but there didn't appear to be a privacy curtain around it,should there be,and if not how hard would it be to install one? Does anyone sell a folding cloth storage wardrobe like I see on some newer folding campers?
What are the thoughts on this camper in general? Are they well built? Any thing I should look out for in particular? Is the water heater mounted in the storage locker in the front a bad idea?How are the roofs on these units? Should I worry about the flooring material or are these pretty sturdy? What are the thoughts on covering during the winter? I covered my HTT last year with a tarp,but it still seemed to leak.
The seller told me that he wouldn't take less than $4k for it,and was asking $6k for it in the ad. Any input on this is appreciated.
Remember we sold a 23' HTT about a month ago,and this is a step down,but I think it will work with our lifestyle of only camping a couple times a year. We have 2 young kids(2-6 year old boys). A shower would be nice,but not necessary in my mind. The toilet will help my wife for the midnight calls of nature( I never get up).
Sounds like a good deal. The Utah is one of the best campers for large families with easy access to beds without climbing over someone.
Heres some help on the questions:
"It has a cassette toilet, but there didn't appear to be a privacy curtain around it." There should be a curtain that snaps to the roof.
"Does anyone sell a folding cloth storage wardrobe like I see on some newer folding campers?" I assume you're talking about the Camper Caddy from Fleetwood. They're pretty pricy new, sometimes found on ebay. There's alternatives out there. I'm trying to get used to mine - its a little better than digging through a duffle bag.
"Is the water heater mounted in the storage locker in the front a bad idea?" The all plastic front storage was new for '04 and is a great feature. If for some reason your water tank were to leak (rare) than the rest of the camper would not be affected.
"How are the roofs on these units?" The roofs were a new design for 04 as well and they were prone to leaks through the cargo rails. The rust on the interior roof rib is not a good sign. I've seen water dripping from the hanging door strap on a new Utah. The rails and mounting screws can be re-sealed though and there's nothing in the roof to rot. Fleetwood also used 1 x 3" aluminum tubes down the length of the roof. These can be condensation magnets in damper climates with good daily temperature swings.
"Should I worry about the flooring material or are these pretty sturdy?" Structurewood is the best outdoor wood material available but can still rot over time. If the roof or plumbing dosen't leak, you should never have a problem. (The Utah floor is all one piece by the way, no seams to come apart. Same for the beds)
"What are the thoughts on covering during the winter?" I cover mine, but leave the ends open for air flow - you don't want to create a moisture barrier.
"A shower would be nice, but not necessary in my mind. The toilet will help my wife for the midnight calls of nature( I never get up)." I agree 100% except the last part. We only camp where there's a shower available. I don't want to fool with all the plumbing and toting for shower water. (Only 3 gallons of water per shower - are you kidding me!) Our porta-pottie only gets used at night so its good for several days and is easy to dump. And for the last statement...as long as you have a prostate, never say never.
The smaller fridge may be the biggest drawback compared to the HW units. Followed by the lack of microwave and oven. I would prefer an 04 Fleetwood HW over the Utah, but they're in the $8000 price range. $4000 for a Utah with AC and CP is a helluva deal.
* This post was
edited 08/17/08 07:31am by PopUpTom *
2001 V6 Highlander, 2002 Coleman Sun Valley, Single Bar WD, Tranny Temp Gage, Prodigy Brake Control
MPO is try wait for a good deal on a High wall..especially since you're downsizing. You'll appreciate the not folding the sink down and the extra head room. It is a reasonable deal, I would keep looking for now. Buy your last popup first.
I have the 04 Hemlock....love it. Love the cassette toilet, the shower and love the king beds. Lots of room and great storage. I normally get a sight with full hookups and run a black hose to dispose of grey water. The cassette is so easy to empty and no nasty hose to rinse and store. Open up the windows and you have a view all the way around. This past week was gorgeous up in the 1000 Islands and we had a beautiful breeze almost constantly.
I own an 06 Fleetwood Niagara. I have all of the amenities of a TT but its easier to tow and store. I have a hard walled bathroom/shower. I have a nine gallon black tank. I pull the lever and there it goes down the drain. I do not have a built in gray tank. The newer 07 and 08 have the built in gray tank. I use a blue tote when needed. Most time I hook up the the sewer connection and just leave the gray valve open. Hope that this helps.
CHEWY51099 wrote: I own an 06 Fleetwood Niagara. I have all of the amenities of a TT but its easier to tow and store. I have a hard walled bathroom/shower. I have a nine gallon black tank. I pull the lever and there it goes down the drain. I do not have a built in gray tank. The newer 07 and 08 have the built in gray tank. I use a blue tote when needed. Most time I hook up the the sewer connection and just leave the gray valve open. Hope that this helps.
I will give trhis a go again. I have been having no luck posting from home,so I will try from work. First off what does the CP in the Utah neme mean,as I have seen some that don't have the CP designation? When would be a good time to buy a pop-up,now,winter,or in the spring? We don't have a lot of money saved up right now,as we took the money from our HTT sale to pay off some credit card debt. My wife is pretty hot on getting a replacement,but I am in no hurry because our usually Labor day weekend trip is cancelled this year due to a wedding I am a part of,and Colubus Day weekend was not a planned trip this year,so a new camper right now isn't a priority in my books,but if this is the best time to deal then I will do it. What could I expect to pay for a say 2004 High-wall pop-up right now,or in the near future?
I like the idea of the high-wall units,but they seem to be fairly newish on the market,and still fetch a premium it seems in my searches. I did however find a Fleetwood Niagara for sale local(next state) for sale on craigslist,and it seems to be laid out different,and bigger than the 2007 Fleetwood Saratoga we looked at used a local dealer a few weeks ago. They are asking $12999 for the Niagara,and I have yet to look at it,but the pics look nice. Does thi sound like too high of a price to you guys. My wife keeps pointing out used 25' travel trailers to me on craigslist,but I really don't want that,and mayeb I am a bit crazy,but I hated towing our 23' HTT with a passion,so the idea of a 25'er does nothing for me. Thanks guys.
I think it all depends how you like to camp. If you like nature and like to get to the remote spots and don't need electricity and all the amenities you would get at a KOA I would recommend a popup camper. If you like to drive to a RV park, plug in the electricity, water, and sewer, then I would go with a TT.
My PUP can sleep 8, but I wouldn't want to be stuck in the PUP with 8 people all day long in a rain storm. We have weather many thunderstorms with two adults and our two kids and not had any problems.
You may have to spend the winter cruising ebay and rvtrader to find the right camper. You'll be very well educated after a couple weeks on ebay watching which campers sell for what (a lot don't sell at auction, but do sell afterwards) Just have the cash ready and move quickly once you find what you're looking for.
We found an 07 Fleetwood Niagara HW on consignment at a local dealer that has been theer quite some time(well over 200 days). The dealer told us the seller may be interested in taking lower offers. The camper looks very clean,and well cared for. It does not have A/C,but I was told it could be added. If we could get it below $12k would it be worth getting? Is theer anyway of getting a warrenty from Fleetwood that comes close to matching the factory new warranty?
Offline
