Adventures in CAMPER SHOPPING!!

[Jennifer41 19]

According to my owners manual:

 

Towing load limit: 3,200lbs (assuming 4 passengers @ 150lb each, with 15lbs of cargo each)

 

And... after shopping online all day- I've fallen in love with this guy:

 

http://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2013-Skyline-BOBCAT-163B-100363421

 

It's about $10,000 over my budget. :laugh:

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

I was sorta kinda in the same boat, I ended up going with a Starcraft 16RB, it's slightly better (structurally) than a pop up and weighs about 3200 lbs, it's target audience is the minivan crowd, I simply LOVE it!! I can hook it up and tow it without any assistance, I can even back it up which is   HUGE accomplishment for me :)

[asquared....Ally 7]

that will probably be too much trailer for you. Between the dry weight being within 1000 lbs of your max tow capacity and the large frontal area of a hard sided trailer, you will be looking for a new tow vehicle sooner than later. That trailer will easily weigh close to 3000 lbs loaded giving you 390-490 lbs tongue weight. It also has a large frontal surface area. This will feel like you are towing a giant sail behind you. Having been in a situation of having too much trailer for the tow vehicle, I can tell you I will never be there again. let me share with you how that feels.... any vehicle passing (car, SUV, semi, etc) will push you all over the road. You will have the tail wagging the dog sensation and fight with white knuckle to keep it on the road. The engine will scream at any little hill let alone a big hill or mountain. Then there is the lack of controlling the trailer coming back down the hill. After not having enough truck to control my TT coming down a 7% grade using every trick learned in 20 yrs towing horses, I had enough. my families safety and my sanity were worth. the upgrade to the new to us tow vehicle.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

...let me share with you how that feels.... any vehicle passing (car, SUV, semi, etc) will push you all over the road. You will have the tail wagging the dog sensation and fight with white knuckle to keep it on the road. The engine will scream at any little hill let alone a big hill or mountain. Then there is the lack of controlling the trailer coming back down the hill.

 

Been there with our very first camper (when we were younger and stupider).  Good thing that was a 2 week trip to the Fort because it took me almost a week to relax after the ride down. 

[Jennifer41 19]

Ok- after days of research (and fiend advice!) I've settled on shopping for a regular ol' PUP, and I'm more than OK with that..  :)

 

So....

 

 

How can you beat these

http://www.campingworld.com/rvsales/Pop-Up/2014/Viking-CAMPING-WORLD/278801/

http://www.campingworld.com/rvsales/Pop-Up/2014/Viking-CAMPING-WORLD/252795/

 

Oh my gosh!! Those ARE great!  Thanks!  I think I'm leaning toward the slide out dinette... But I can be swayed... 

 

 Check to see if the odyssey is ok to use a weight distribution hitch. If yes, identify at what tongue weight you need a wdh. Hope I haven't totally confused you.

 

Very solid advice, thanks!  I know nothing of weight distribution hitches but will definitely ask.  As far as salesmen are concerned- I may have mentioned that by older brother used to have an RV build/repair/sell biz- so he's been filling me with info too.  Problem is, he's in FLA and we're in PA. I guess when we actually, physically GO shopping he'll be on speakerphone!

 

HUGE accomplishment for me :)

 

Congrats on your excellent towing talent! :laugh:  I'll make it my mission to be better than Mr.41 at that. haha

 

 you will be looking for a new tow vehicle sooner than later. 

 

Thanks... Actually- this is my hope. LOL!  But I've decided against the Bobcat.  MAybe that will be the "next" camper. :)

 

Been there with our very first camper (when we were younger and stupider).  Good thing that was a 2 week trip to the Fort because it took me almost a week to relax after the ride down. 

 

What was your first camper??

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

What was your first camper??

 

I honestly don't remember exactly, but it was a 28' something-or-other, fairly-heavy, hard-side TT with a gigantic slide. 

 

Long story, but we intended to use it as a camp on some land, but found land that already had a camp, so before we sold it we figured we'd haul it to the Fort once.

 

It was waaaaaay too heavy for the Navigator we had at the time, and we didn't have the right hitch setup either.

 

Talk about stressful!

 

Our next camper was a great 23' Kodiak hybrid with 2 tent ends that towed like a dream with an Explorer. When we traded that SUV for another Navigator you didn't even know it was back there!

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

They do make a weight dist hitch for the Odyssey that is what my son is using as well as a couple friends. That van will handle a pup or a Hybrid with no issues as long as you look at all the weights. As I stated earlier our son has towed his for 2 years and we have friends with a2010 Starcraft Centennial (about 3,000 lbs) and they have gone coast to coast 2 adults/3teens with no problems as well.

[Jennifer41 19]

The dealer quoted us $1450 to make the van tow-worthy.  Is that a decent price?

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

What does that include?

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

$1450 sounds like a lot.  What kind of dealer?  Car or RV?

[Jennifer41 19]

The quote is from the Honda dealer.  I think it includes the brake & coolant adjustments & hitch. (it's obvious I have no idea what I'm talking about.)

 

My next question was if RV dealers can also install that stuff for us?

[DaveInTN 3,247]

What year is your van?  Is it under factory warranty?  If so, having the work done by Honda might be the only way to avoid voiding warranty in case you have transmission or power steering issues. 

 

If your quote includes hitch, PS cooler, transmission cooler and wiring for a brake controller, that actually doesn't sound unreasonable.  But that's just my opinion.  If your van is out of warranty, I'd look online for the parts and get a quote from a local shop on the install (or look into installing yourselves if you are handy). 

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

The Honda dealer is asking way too much.  RV dealers can also do this, but I'd check around.  

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Depending on the year Odyssey you have, you can get the necessary parts online for $763.  MSRP is $973, which is probably close to what the dealer is including for parts prices.  That means they are quoting you around $475 for labor.  With dealer shop rates what they are and what needs to be done, I think that's around right.  I don't know how extensive a job on those vans it is to install the 2 coolers, but between that and the hitch install and wiring it has got to be a half days job.  Of course, I'm an accountant so what do I know.   :rofl2:  

[Jennifer41 19]

It's a 2012- so still under warranty.

 

I'm so in love with you guys right now. :laugh:

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

A transmission cooler is super easy to install. 30 minute job if you know what you're doing.

Tube and fin models are cheap. Stacked plate models are better and a bit higher.

You don't need a power steering cooler. It won't see any difference in load while towing.

Brake controller and trailer lights can be bought as a plug and play deal.

Hitch isn't hard to install either.

You could buy aftermarket parts for around $500 and do the install yourself.

You could use the saved $ to pop for the best, highest load rated tires available and a weight distributing hitch insert. That would do more for towing comfort than anything else.

[Starbuc71 162]

I always rather go with the Honda dealer. At least you know they will stand by the work they do and for the most of it they will be using genuine Honda parts. There is a lot of good info on here from many of us but remember, we all have our own opinions. I for one would not let any RV dealer touch any of my vehicles. Especially camping world. The extra money to the dealer would be my route plus the extra piece of mind

[TnBob 311]

ok, I am going to chime in, I know you really really want a camper, who wouldn't. The problem I see here is that you are "trying to make" your van capable of towing what you can tow and not what you really want to tow.

 

My personal feeling is that you are going to put a lot of money that has no redeeming value when you trade your van in. For what cash you are putting into this vehicle you still aren't sure it will do the job that you want it too. From what I gather that doesn't include the weight dis hitch either, just the reciever.

 

For a quarter the amount of $ you are spending on upgrading your van you could buy the nicest tent set up available and wait until its car buying time and get what you need then get what you really WANT to camp in.

[.....Gary 85]

WOW, you really do some good thinking on the throne, Sir Robert.

 

For what it's worth, I used to sell RVs and I think Bob is right..... (Did I really just say that?)

[Jennifer41 19]

Bob... I both LOVE, and want to ignore your advice. 

 

My thinking is this:

 

I LOVE camping. I'm a girl who would be just as OK in a tent as in a mazillion dollar, 40ft class A.  So your suggestion to go for the fancy pants tent set up is certainly a valid suggestion to me.  BUT- Mr.41 is on a "I want a camper, and I will have one" kick right now and this man NEVER makes big "toy" purchases EVER, so I'm going to roll with it & keep him moving on this!  This kick he's on is quite a shock to me because he's SO frugal and hates debt. He knows what he really wants is a nice, class C and sees this as a step in that direction. I'm not going to discourage him!  It's in his head that this is the way to go and I'm ok with that because it means Mamma gets to go camping!

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I can not argue with that logic!  :D

[Jennifer41 19]

For what it's worth, I used to sell RVs and I think Bob is right..... (Did I really just say that?)

 

I appreciate this!  And believe me, my RV dealer brother has been trying his hardest to "be nice" and humor my pop up shopping non-sense. He's in the same boat as you guys. Hit it hard, or go home!!  Well, Mr.41 is in a pansy slap stage right now- he'll be throwing a good punch in a few years though, for sure. :laugh:

[TnBob 311]

I understand completely, strike while the iron is hot!

[ftwildernessguy 778]

I really agree with Bob and Gary. I have seen too many people "fall in love" with a particular trailer, to the point where logic is clouded, and are then miserable trying to tow the thing. I'm sorry, but despite what everybody says about having a friend or relative who tows a 3000lb trailer with a TV rated for 3200lbs, it is a bad idea and at the very least will send that van to an early grave and it won't be worth crap to trade in. When you start having to try this hard just to make the TV tow worthy, it is time to trade up before it's too late.

[Jennifer41 19]

Well.. we've downgraded our search to something lighter.  If it ends up wrecking my van I guess we'll deal with that then.  I think Mr.41's ULTIMATE plan, and ulterior motif is to end up with a Hummer.

 

Keep in mind- we don't actually HAVE a camper yet... There's still a chance it will never happen.