Way too small?

[ceeksmom]

I am going to look at a 1993 Jayco 8sd tomorrow and while I know it will be tight, is it a totally unreasonable size for 4 adults? (2 double beds and the dinette twin)

We are looking for a starter set up to make camping a little easier for all, a place to come in out of the rain and sleep off the ground. The plan is to do most of our 'living' outside ~ including cooking.

I have a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan and I do not have the means to upgrade at the moment.

So.... I'm thinking it is one step up from a tent and something my van can manage?

Thoughts?

[Jmooney]

Outstanding idea. Welcome to RVing. You will find lots maintenance advice here, and one day , you will be getting opinions on a big 5er and diesel 1 ton truck

It's just a matter time.

[Jmooney]

Hopefully some of the members will give you advice on what to look for and double check when you go to buy

[NVGun40]

Great way to start. You are making a wise choice. Enjoy.

[ceeksmom]

I have been on here reading for a couple of hours and have a checklist that someone here posted! I have done all the dreaming and contacting people about campers that were just out of my price range and that my van can't pull. lol

We have promised our two teenage girls a month long summer camping trip~ It is time to get serious now :-)

Hopefully someone will say if this is an unreasonable set up for my van. I will still have to get the trailer hitch installed- my van does not have anything at the moment so I am trying to not get too far out of my depth! (my van supposedly came with a tow package- I have no clue if that helps....)

[Jmooney]

I don't think its a problem, but if you search the Internet, or check your van info, you will find a tow capacity . The pop up will also have info about its weight.

I really doubt that you will have a problem, but if you are going to get into this hobby, you should learn about the key elements

[Jmooney]

Quick internet search says A 2005 dodge caravan with a v6 engine has a tow capacity of 2000lbs

A stock 8sd weighs ~1700

Check your van and trailer for exact specs

[emjayuu]

I can't see your van having an issue pulling an 8. I have a V6 small truck... No issue pulling my 10

[emjayuu]

As per room, our 10 seems small only when it rains and the 4 of us are all inside. Lol.

[TWP723]

Just have fun and enjoy it!!!!

Cheers!

[JaycoBud]

Yes, four people can camp in an 8 footer. It can get crowded but it's no worse than a normal size tent with the advantages of a pop up.

Our first two pop ups were 8 foot boxes and we traveled all over the east coast.

Don't worry have fun

[maromeo]

Welcome and congrats. You will making great family memories. Enjoy.

[DocBrown]

I think you'll be fine. Like tenting, you'll be living outside most of the time. Even if it is tight inside when it's raining, sometimes that can be half the fun. Playing board games or cards, or just sitting around talking and having fun.

This is just the beginning. After you have it a while you'll learn what you really want in a trailer. Like Jim said above, you'll eventually want something bigger. We went from tent to pop-up, to a 17ft hybrid, and now a 21 ft hybrid with a slide out.

What to look for: obvious signs of water damage, stained canvas, holes in canvas. Look for soft spots in the flooring. Open up all cabinets. The seats are cabinets too, so open those and check the flooring, especially the corners as much as you can get at. You can also check this from underneath. If any of the corners are rotted, the lift system can get bent up and twisted. This is repairable, but its a lot of work to take our the cabinets and seating to get at the floor.

Make sure they open it and close it in front of you so you can verify that the lift system is working smoothly.

Have them turn on everything, heat, AC if it's equipped, water pump, water heater if it has one, etc.

Look the tires and make sure they aren't cracked and/or dry rotted.

Be ready to walk away. There are lots of pop-ups around. If you have a mini-van with a tow package you can tow a 10 ft pop-up, so your options may not be as not limited as you think. We towed a '93 Jayco 1208 with a mini-van and it towed beautifully.

Most of all, have fun!

[tcanthonyii]

They only thing you're going to have a problem with is what to do with your gear/clothing etc. We have that problem with our 12 and 4 people. But thats really the only problem. One thing you may want to do is get an awning if it doesn't have one and get a screened porch. On rainy weekends/trips it will be a god send as you can then cook outside and have some room to move around.

[Dagwood]

I had a 10 then traded up. It suit us fine. It's not like you spend all your time inside unless it's raining but even then we just sat under the Awning. Sleeping is all that matters and it should do that no problem. As for your clothing etc...
We just kept all that stuff in the truck, or in your case the Van.

ANYTHING is better than sleeping on the ground at some point in your life.

Enjoy and Welcome to the Forum.

[ceeksmom]

Well, the idea of being a pop up owner was short lived!! Thank you all for your kind responses and advice and thanks to a member here in the forum, I am soon going to be the happy owner of a trailer tent!

I was on my way to purchase the pop up but after talking with the kidlets, I called the owner and let him know we decided to go in a different direction ~~ so fingers crossed that it works out! (Don't want to jinx it!)

One way or another, I am going to get my people out on the road!

Happy Camping to everyone!

[AKGperson]

Here is a 1993 8SD. I don't see a problem with 4 adults if you plan on spending most of the time outside.

As for the towing, we have a 1984 Coleman that is about the same size and weight and our 3.4L 4Runner has no problem towing it.

1993 Jayco Eagle 8SD pop-up camper | no-reserve auction on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 |

Ken

[Jmooney]

Originally Posted by ceeksmom

Well, the idea of being a pop up owner was short lived!! Thank you all for your kind responses and advice and thanks to a member here in the forum, I am soon going to be the happy owner of a trailer tent!

I was on my way to purchase the pop up but after talking with the kidlets, I called the owner and let him know we decided to go in a different direction ~~ so fingers crossed that it works out! (Don't want to jinx it!)

One way or another, I am going to get my people out on the road!

Happy Camping to everyone!

^^^^^^^

Best of luck.