Buying my first trailer

[Reeferluke]

So I'm going to be buying my first rv I'm looking at the 175rd or the 195rb. It's just for my wife and I is there anything I should know before going to the dealership? Should I be looking at a bunk house for resale value or does it matter? I'm new to the whole idea of trailers but tired if the tent game so any info would be great. Thank you

[DocBrown]

Welcome to JOF!

My first question is what are you planning to tow the trailer with? The trailers you are looking at are smaller but will still need a mid-sized SUV or truck to tow them with.

If you have never towed a full walled trailer before, beware that it is a very different experience from normal day to day driving. Your gas mileage will be terrible. That's because of the wind resistance of the trailer. Expect between 9-11 mpg on average.

Buy what floor plan will suit you. Don't worry about bunkhouses or anything else that will not fit your needs.

[Kim Gass]

Check the wardrobe.. Its possible you do not need a full length closet but we do with paddling drysuits and long raincoats and laundry basket There is ample storage otherwise in both

Does your wife want a pantry? I find the 195 just right for food and cooking equipment storage

The big reason we got the 195 is that neither of us wants to climb over a body in the middle of the night for bathroom use.

You are not really buying a trailer. You are buying a relationship with a dealer. If something seems off in that department go elsewhere.

With these inexpensive trailers you won't lose a lot of money so resale value is to me insignificant.. We have some 300 nights now in ours so even if we get nothing its less than $50 a night.

Yes be sure your vehicle has enough payload for the tongue weight and you and gas and the tools and extra tanks you might want to carry.. Our 195 is towed by a vehicle rated to 5000 lbs with a payload 0f 1620
Frankly I would not want to tow more than the 3500 lbs we have. We get 12-15 mpg. Less going west across the Great Plains.. More going east on the Great Plains.

[LuckyDuck]

We were in your position a year and a half ago and knew virtually nothing about trailers. The aforementioned advice is excellent. For us, having a walk-around queen was a must, but if you are young and spry, the “crawl-over” may work fine. But we also wanted the rear living with windows all around. So we ended up a little bigger with the SLX212. Case in point, we are in the middle of two solid days of rain on our current camping trip. Cooped up inside, it is much more bearable looking out at the forest while relaxing in the couch. Other considerations were fridge size, range size, wardrobes, pantry, and full bath with its own sink. Good luck!

[Reeferluke]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

Welcome to JOF!

My first question is what are you planning to tow the trailer with? The trailers you are looking at are smaller but will still need a mid-sized SUV or truck to tow them with.

If you have never towed a full walled trailer before, beware that it is a very different experience from normal day to day driving. Your gas mileage will be terrible. That's because of the wind resistance of the trailer. Expect between 9-11 mpg on average.

Buy what floor plan will suit you. Don't worry about bunkhouses or anything else that will not fit your needs.

Hi there. My truck can tow 5000 with ease. I have lots of experience towing my boat around and utilitity trailers. The gas mileage I would expect to be alot worse then now. Thank you

[hboy]

Originally Posted by Reeferluke

is there anything I should know before going to the dealership? Should I be looking at a bunk house for resale value or does it matter?

Congrats. I would say do as much research as you can before picking and negotiating. I agree with DocBorwn, the floor plan depends on how your going to use it. Fortunately with the floors plans, what you see is what you get. I would not recommend selecting a bunk house floor plan for resale only. If you have a use for the bunks, then that could be a factor for you. If you don't anticipate the use, or limited use of bunks then I would NOT choose bunks in hopes for better resale.

I would consider looking the used route first. There are nice used trailers like this you may be interested in if you are considered about resale/investment. Typically RV's drop in value like cars. If you buy new it's best to figure you will take a big hit on your investment in the early years. We have bought 3 RV's. each one an upgrade from the last. The longer we used them the more we changed what we thought we wanted. If this is your first, consider a nice used one. It will feel better on the savings account especially if you get into RV'ing and want to upgrade later.

Another thing to consider is where you are going to sit. If it's raining outside is there a comfortable seat inside. If you are not comfortable inside you may not like the floor plan later.

There is a good youtube video out there about buying RV's. Youtube search "don't buy an rv!". I recommend going into the purchase with a wide perspective. Things will go wrong. Things will not work sometime.


Lastly, don't over buy. If you buy the biggest trailer you think your tow vehicle can handle, I doubt you will like pulling it around very long, especially on the highway.

Happy shopping. Good luck.

[Reeferluke]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

Check the wardrobe.. Its possible you do not need a full length closet but we do with paddling drysuits and long raincoats and laundry basket There is ample storage otherwise in both

Does your wife want a pantry? I find the 195 just right for food and cooking equipment storage

The big reason we got the 195 is that neither of us wants to climb over a body in the middle of the night for bathroom use.

You are not really buying a trailer. You are buying a relationship with a dealer. If something seems off in that department go elsewhere.

With these inexpensive trailers you won't lose a lot of money so resale value is to me insignificant.. We have some 300 nights now in ours so even if we get nothing its less than $50 a night.

Yes be sure your vehicle has enough payload for the tongue weight and you and gas and the tools and extra tanks you might want to carry.. Our 195 is towed by a vehicle rated to 5000 lbs with a payload 0f 1620
Frankly I would not want to tow more than the 3500 lbs we have. We get 12-15 mpg. Less going west across the Great Plains.. More going east on the Great Plains.

Hi there ya we like the walk around bed for the same reason crawling over is not fun. My truck tows 5000 and want to stay around 3500 also

[Reeferluke]

Originally Posted by hboy

Congrats. I would say do as much research as you can before picking and negotiating. I agree with DocBorwn, the floor plan depends on how your going to use it. Fortunately with the floors plans, what you see is what you get. I would not recommend selecting a bunk house floor plan for resale only. If you have a use for the bunks, then that could be a factor for you. If you don't anticipate the use, or limited use of bunks then I would NOT choose bunks in hopes for better resale.

I would consider looking the used route first. There are nice used trailers like this you may be interested in if you are considered about resale/investment. Typically RV's drop in value like cars. If you buy new it's best to figure you will take a big hit on your investment in the early years. We have bought 3 RV's. each one an upgrade from the last. The longer we used them the more we changed what we thought we wanted. If this is your first, consider a nice used one. It will feel better on the savings account especially if you get into RV'ing and want to upgrade later.

Another thing to consider is where you are going to sit. If it's raining outside is there a comfortable seat inside. If you are not comfortable inside you may not like the floor plan later.

There is a good youtube video out there about buying RV's. Youtube search "don't buy an rv!". I recommend going into the purchase with a wide perspective. Things will go wrong. Things will not work sometime.


Lastly, don't over buy. If you buy the biggest trailer you think your tow vehicle can handle, I doubt you will like pulling it around very long, especially on the highway.

Happy shopping. Good luck.

Hi I was only thinking bunkhouse for resale. We dont need it at all it's just my wife and I. I prefer to buy new so I dont Inherit another person's problems I want my own problems haha. I agree inside comfort is a big deal for us. We live in the lower mainland of b.c. and get alot of rain so we will be inside eventually.

[wanderlust]

x2 on the used trailer route especially for your first one. You don't know what you really like or not like until you start using it.

[Reeferluke]

Originally Posted by wanderlust

x2 on the used trailer route especially for your first one. You don't know what you really like or not like until you start using it.

I've used my brother in laws a bunch of times so going new for us works. Plus we are really tired of sleeping in a tent on the ground in the wet and cold of b.c.

[gypsmjim]

We bought a 195 and for the 2 of us its perfect. Of the SLX line, its the only one I would personally buy. Selling points are:

* walkaround bed (we don't crawl.....LOL)
* full closet (we often camp in winter and have large jackets to store)
* pantry (where else to put food and dishes, etc.)
* open floor plan - bath in back (I like to watch TV in bed, but the wife likes to sit on the dinette - we can do both at the same time)
* rear door by the closet (wet shoes and stuff - don't have to track thru the whole camper)
* front window over bed (love to wake up, roll over and watch the deer)

The 175 misses some of the mandatory items. The only advantage I see is the bigger dinette, but with only 2 of us we don't need the space anyway.

We had used before. We bought our 195 new so we could customize it the way we wanted it, and didn't have to worry about what Bubba had done to it before. Our intention is to keep it for 20 years, so depreciation is of no concern. Our other trailer (now our guest house) is 55 years old and still serviceable, so I have no worries about the Jayco's longevity. We don't drive it around, and IMHO that's what makes all the problems, especially considering the cheap way they are built.

[F250dieseldad]

Just as the real estate saying is location, location, location, I'd have to say RV's are floor plan, floor plan floor plan. There is nothing worse than using an RV once or twice only to realize the floor plan doesn't meet your needs.

[Kim Gass]

We don't drive it around, and IMHO that's what makes all the problems, especially considering the cheap way they are built.

hmm. We have the same unit. It has been Maine to Florida and back three times. Maine to Alaska and back
and Maine to Arizona and back

It is still doing just fine.. Except for the slide on ice in our driveway that dinged it up. Not its fault

It actually is a pretty good rolling earthquake of a tin can.

I beg to differ. IMO lack of use leads to all sorts of problems.. Same as in cars.

[Upstater88]

Originally Posted by hboy

Congrats. I would say do as much research as you can before picking and negotiating. I agree with DocBorwn, the floor plan depends on how your going to use it. Fortunately with the floors plans, what you see is what you get. I would not recommend selecting a bunk house floor plan for resale only. If you have a use for the bunks, then that could be a factor for you. If you don't anticipate the use, or limited use of bunks then I would NOT choose bunks in hopes for better resale.

I would consider looking the used route first. There are nice used trailers like this you may be interested in if you are considered about resale/investment. Typically RV's drop in value like cars. If you buy new it's best to figure you will take a big hit on your investment in the early years. We have bought 3 RV's. each one an upgrade from the last. The longer we used them the more we changed what we thought we wanted. If this is your first, consider a nice used one. It will feel better on the savings account especially if you get into RV'ing and want to upgrade later.

Another thing to consider is where you are going to sit. If it's raining outside is there a comfortable seat inside. If you are not comfortable inside you may not like the floor plan later.

There is a good youtube video out there about buying RV's. Youtube search "don't buy an rv!". I recommend going into the purchase with a wide perspective. Things will go wrong. Things will not work sometime.


Lastly, don't over buy. If you buy the biggest trailer you think your tow vehicle can handle, I doubt you will like pulling it around very long, especially on the highway.

Happy shopping. Good luck.

I agree with this 100%. 2 years ago we were in the same position, and bought a new travel trailer for our first one. Come two seasons of camping in it, we figured out what we really wanted and ending up losing money trading it in for a bigger unit. This was mostly our fault as we were drawn in by the long term loan making lower monthly payments.

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

I beg to differ. IMO lack of use leads to all sorts of problems.. Same as in cars.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. The "lack of use" makes sense with respect to the appliances, windows, water system, etc. In our case, the trailer gets used almost every week, plus even a lot during the Winter. Of course, things like the brakes and tires are probably not even usable, after only 4 years of non-use. But then again, I'll never have to replace them either.

Our other trailer is a 1964. Its 5 feet shorter but weighs about the same. They don't build them like they used to. The frame is thicker, as are the studs in the walls. It hasn't been driven either in 31 years and its still as good as the day we bought it, except for worn paint.....LOL. Its the bumping around on the highway that causes leaks and shifted panels, etc.

I used to work for a company that built manufactured housing. Experimenting with new products required that we pull a trailer day after day to determine the service life. Boy, what a broken mess after a year on the road. But then again, they were built with much stronger components.

[Kim Gass]

Different use of a Travel Trailer. We travel. The one thing is: we never bought what we could not pay cash for nor afford not to lose.

This is tough with a salesman breathing financing temptations in your ear as you drool over a nice expensive RV.

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

Different use of a Travel Trailer. We travel. The one thing is: we never bought what we could not pay cash for nor afford not to lose.

This is tough with a salesman breathing financing temptations in your ear as you drool over a nice expensive RV.

I couldn't agree more. We never made a monthly payment on any of our toys, nor cars either. My scheme was always to make monthly payment thru payroll deductions to a credit union. When the cash was there, we were ready, but not before that.

For our Jayco, we did it a little differently. I had a CD coming due in a month, but we were ready NOW and the unit was on the lot. Our saleswoman was hot about financing, so I agreed to a 15 year note, but only after reading the fine print to ensure that prepayment was possible with no extra charge. We paid it in full when the first payment came due.

[Kim Gass]

I just hate debt. I hate owing and I hate the word mort gage. Literally means death pledge..

has the connotation of never being free.. Free is what I want to feel in an RV..

[kayakterp]

Quote "Hi I was only thinking bunkhouse for resale. We dont need it at all it's just my wife and I. I prefer to buy new so I dont Inherit another person's problems I want my own problems haha. I agree inside comfort is a big deal for us. We live in the lower mainland of b.c. and get alot of rain so we will be inside eventually."

I also bought new because I didn't want to inherit other problems.
My 27BHS has double bunkbeds - even though it's only my wife and I (2 Fur Babies - med/large dogs) we use the bunk beds often for storage. I do alot of kayaking and the bunks make a great place for our longer paddles and all my gear as well as camping chairs, etc.
The only downside to our trailer is the couch & Television setup. For that reason the floor plan is not ideal, something I didn't consider when I first made the purchase, everything else is quite nice, especially the amount of storage the TT has
Good luck and please keep us posted with whatever you go with?

[Kim Gass]

If you go with the 195, its our experience that it has actually more than enough storage . We went cross country with sea kayaks twice. The cellar carries camping gear and paddles and stinky neoprene boots and the dive bag with stuff we need for kayaking.. The drysuits and paddling jackets go in the wardrobe. Tent, sleeping bags and mats and dehydrated food are below

Usually we take a week or so paddling trip ( yes overnight) and stash the TT at a campground while on the water. I chastised my hubby when I found out we had SIX camp chairs underneath for the two of us

Moral.. there is enough storage you can overload the TT.

the 2019 195 has about 300 lbs more cargo capacity than our 2016 but at 890 dry ( no propane etc no water) cargo weight is still a concern. Same seems to go for the 174
So there is a LOT of thinking and prioritizing and finding out what balancing act will work for you.