Buying a Travel Tailer (Camper)- possibly from the US

[Shazam]

It's $50 at Sunnyside's warehouse in Cochrane. There's a place near Glenmore Trail that my co-worker used that was $40/month.

[greyshep]

Just a quick comment on the "not CSA approved" thing mentioned by a dealer I believe?..... What a bunch of Bull.

The large majority of trailers that are sold at dealerships in Canada are built in the US and then shipped here for our middlemen to rake in margins.

The ones sold here are no different than what you would find in the US. Maybe aside from a sticker pasted on the side due to govt. regulations. Everything is the same.

Any trailer that is purchased in the US and brought across is required to be inspected before it gets its own special sticker. I know this cause I saved 20% by purchasing our trailer in the US a couple years ago. This inspection is paid for as part of the import process and is typically done at Canadian Tire. (they have a contract for this with the govt.)

I would have no qualms about buying another trailer in the US and bringing it across. Especially with the strength of our dollar presently.

[ken0042]

One more question for those of you who have trailers; how much does the towing affect fuel economy?

What I'm looking at is driving down to pick one up vs. having them deliver it. I just need to factor in how much extra gas hauling a trailer takes up.

[Ace]

Bump...I'm currently looking at getting a travel trailer for much the same reasons as the OP, problem is I really know nothing about them.

Who makes the best trailers?
Any recomendations on specific trailers?
Who should I buy it from?

I believe I can tow upwards of 8000lbs, basically I would just want to find the best type of trailer that I can pull, and would prefer a lot of breathing room (lighter)

[Hevishot]

Originally Posted by Ace

Bump...I'm currently looking at getting a travel trailer for much the same reasons as the OP, problem is I really know nothing about them.

Who makes the best trailers?
Any recomendations on specific trailers?
Who should I buy it from?

I believe I can tow upwards of 8000lbs, basically I would just want to find the best type of trailer that I can pull, and would prefer a lot of breathing room (lighter)

Depending on what type of camping you do check out an Arctic Fox (if you can stand the greasy salesman) or a Timber Ridge Trailer. We just got a new Timber Ridge from Bucars Rv and they treated us pretty well. Its 6500LBS UNLOADED and its a true 4 season trailer.

[Madman]

We bought our latest Cedar Creek 5th wheel from High River Autoplex, (and had service work completed on our last trailer there as well), and have been very happy with them.

Our salesman was John McLaughlin who actually runs the Nanton Autoplex and he was extremely helpful with our purchase. I have also had to deal with the Owner and General Manager of the dealership directly and they were both great.

In terms of what to look for I think your best bet is to start by going somewhere and getting a feel of what trailers are out there in your size, weight, budget and go from there - everyone's needs are different and there are a ton of trailer styles out there.

I personally like trailers manufactured in Indiana and have steered clear of anything made on the west coast of the US - I feel there are better quality workers, higher standards and subsequently better trailers made in Indiana.

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by Madman

We bought our latest Cedar Creek 5th wheel from High River Autoplex, (and had service work completed on our last trailer there as well), and have been very happy with them.

Our salesman was John McLaughlin who actually runs the Nanton Autoplex and he was extremely helpful with our purchase. I have also had to deal with the Owner and General Manager of the dealership directly and they were both great.

UGG on the High River Autoplex. Bad experience with those people.

Just purchased an '09 Rockwood Roo from Guarantee RV and found they had some pretty damn decent prices and were a pleasure to deal with.

Initially we were looking at tent trailers because my fiancee is a "trailers aren't camping" kind of person but she also loves the storage so we compromised and settled with a Hybrid. We didn't make our purchase however, until after we took in the RV show a couple weekends ago. It was perfect for seeing everything that was out there and then gauging what kind of ammenities we wanted in our trailer.

[zuluking]

Traver Tailer??? Is that a brandname?

[ken0042]

Just a comment on the Arctic Fox- 4 seasons sounds good in theory; but how often are you planning on using it in the winter? Unless you are a hunter; it doesn't make sense.

As for good makes, there are a LOT of them. The first thing you should be doing is looking at what you want in a trailer, and then looking at brands. Right now it is like you are saying "I need a vehicle- what do you recommend?" You could get a bunch of BMW lovers respond- but if you need a truck that doesn't help.

A few suggestions:
- Make sure you can haul it easily with a full load of water. So if you have 8000 lbs available, go with a max of 7000.
- Never count the "dinette turns into a bed" as sleeping space. Looks easy in the showroom, but when the trailer is full of stuff it is a PITA.
- Determine if you are going for "dry" camping, or full hookups. I prefer without the hookups as I like to be closer to nature. Hookup camping just seems to be like camping in a parking lot.
- Look at holding tank capacities. I looked at some good trailers with small tanks, and I am glad I went with big tanks. And you will produce grey water a LOT faster than black.
- Get a decent battery, and then look into LED lights.

I'm sure I'll think of more.....

[Madman]

Storage.

Don't overlook how much exterior storage a trailer has - You can never have enough storage and it fills up quick.

[Hevishot]

I agree that a 4 season trailer is not for everyone we use ours all year. But you should also take into consideration that we do live in a place where it can dump snow in May so it never hurts to be a little more comfortable while camping in the snow.Storage is definately something that you can never have enough of but try not to pack everything from your house into your trailer most things can be left at home for the 3 days most people camp for. Unlike Madman when we trailer shop we looked for a trailer built either in canada (now defunct Okonogans) or built on the west coast because they know the west coast market and what kind of weather we get here. Also the higher build standards thing is bull. It all depends on the workers in the plant thats why even the expensive trailers have problems. Also if you plan on doing alot of dry camping either invest in a QUIET generator. If you get AC you might want atleast a 2400 or 3000. If a generator isnt your style I would Suggest getting 2 6V Batteries. They hold their charge longer and take more of a beating than the average 12V setup.

[Top Shelf]

Originally Posted by Ace

Bump...I'm currently looking at getting a travel trailer for much the same reasons as the OP, problem is I really know nothing about them.

Who makes the best trailers?
Any recomendations on specific trailers?
Who should I buy it from?

I believe I can tow upwards of 8000lbs, basically I would just want to find the best type of trailer that I can pull, and would prefer a lot of breathing room (lighter)

What a fantastic and timely bump!

We too are in the research phase of buying a travel trailer, and have been to several of the local dealers as well as the RV show a few weekends ago.

It's been somewhat frustrating so far, as I know the exact same trailer is selling in the states for thousands of dollars cheaper.

This is the model I have been keeping an eye on, it basically has everything on our checklist.

http://www.cruiserrv.com/shadow-crui...fications.html

Bunks for the kids, separate room for the parents, U shaped dinette, nice sized slide. Also has some really nice to haves, like outdoor kitchen, hardwall siding, convertible mini-dinette in the back for the kids, etc. All that and the weight is the best part, the Dry Weight is 5405 and the GVWR is 7555, well within our limits for our half ton. There is another model they have that is lighter, the 260BHS.

The best price I can find for this trailer is 23000 +GST at Woodys RV. Without even negotiating, I can get the trailer for 18000 in the States. I would have to pay between 1500-2000 shipped, and then GST, import fee, etc. But I would still be saving money in the long run. And then I don't have to deal with arrogant, manipulative dealers.

It appears to me that the RV Industry in Alberta is setup in such a way that there are only a few dealers in the whole province for a specific make and model. Yes there are lots of different manufacturers and floor plans, but it has been frustrating to say the least. Not like buying a truck where there are like 9 dealerships all selling the same thing and you can pit them against each other.

Maybe we do a CP Group Buy? Just kidding, sort of....

Ken, did you end up buying in the States or locally?

[Ace]

I guess for me I just want Value, and since I know nothing about trailers it's quite difficult to look at a trailer, like it's features, then buy it. How do I know that brand is built well, for this kind of climate. I suppose hail resistance is very important to me since we insist on camping in central alberta

Also, I don't want to have to do a bunch of work and maintenance with the trailer, that's why I'm getting the trailer in the first place, to simplify camping. So when the winter rolls around, do I have to winterize it, and if so how difficult is it?

It's not really an issue of price as much as an issue of will I get what I pay for?

[Top Shelf]

You might want to look at used trailers if you want decent value. I think they are like vehicles where they depreciate 25% once you drive it off the lot.

If you're buying used from a non-dealer, just make sure to pay to get an inspection done on it. You can find some pretty nice trailers at good prices all over Kijiji.

As far as build quality, I think I have read about people having issues with everything from the "higher end" models to the lower end models. Unless you're buying an Airstream of course...

[Table 5]

Not really on topic, but I went to the RV show last week, and I always walk away from those things shaking my head about how ugly the interiors are. Why does every interior look like it was teleported in from 1985? I know they are mostly bought by old people so it has to be more conservative, but good god, did everything look terribly dated. Is there nobody out there that makes a nice contemporary RV....you know, using modern colors like white/black/gray and wood finishing that doesn't remind you of grandmas house?

[ken0042]

A few responses here:

- With a 4 season trailer; that means for people who plan on going camping when it is -10 to -20. A regular trailer will handle a May dump of snow just fine; I camped in mine into October and had -7 both nights without any issues with heat.

- I bought mine locally. By the time all as said and done I was looking at about $1000 to get a trailer into Canada. That- and most dealers have an offer where they give preference to working on trailers bought through them. So while you can get work done still, you may be waiting a little longer.

- For winterizing; it's pretty easy. The hardest part was getting the one time winterizing kit installed. Now I just a valve to have the water pump draw from a 12" hose. To winterize you drain the hot water tank, and turn on the hot water bypass valve. Then you stick the tube into the plumbing antifreeze jug and start running water until the antifreeze comes through. There are better instructions on Youtube; but it's about as easy as changing your car's oil; and a lot less messy.

[Ace]

What can I tow?

I've been to two dealers, and to be honest there seems to be some conflicting opinions on how much leeway I need. If I can tow 8,000 lbs as per my owners manual, what is my reasonable max size trailer I can buy?

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Ace

What can I tow?

I've been to two dealers, and to be honest there seems to be some conflicting opinions on how much leeway I need. If I can tow 8,000 lbs as per my owners manual, what is my reasonable max size trailer I can buy?

What kind of vehicle?

You always would want to stay 10% under your max, so 7200lbs would be the absolute most I'd ever want to tow with that limit.

But as stated earlier, the biggest thing you need to account for is 1000lbs of water. Then there is all the gear you be carrying in the trailer, plus people in your tow vehicle, plus fuel - so don't go out and buy a 7200lb trailer thinking you'll be ok.

You'll also want to take things like rim diameter, tire rating, gear ratio and cooling setup of your tow vehicle into account.

[Ace]

Originally Posted by Madman

What kind of vehicle?

You always would want to stay 10% under your max, so 7200lbs would be the absolute most I'd ever want to tow with that limit.

But as stated earlier, the biggest thing you need to account for is 1000lbs of water. Then there is all the gear you be carrying in the trailer, plus people in your tow vehicle, plus fuel - so don't go out and buy a 7200lb trailer thinking you'll be ok.

You'll also want to take things like rim diameter, tire rating, gear ratio and cooling setup of your tow vehicle into account.

2008 Yukon. I'm trying to figure out what good estimates are for gear/people, etc. I've been looking at trailers between 4 & 5,500 lbs...does this seem like reasonable room (2400 lbs)?

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Madman

You always would want to stay 10% under your max, so 7200lbs would be the absolute most I'd ever want to tow with that limit.

But as stated earlier, the biggest thing you need to account for is 1000lbs of water. Then there is all the gear you be carrying in the trailer, plus people in your tow vehicle, plus fuel - so don't go out and buy a 7200lb trailer thinking you'll be ok.

You'll also want to take things like rim diameter, tire rating, gear ratio and cooling setup of your tow vehicle into account.

Originally Posted by Ace

2008 Yukon. I'm trying to figure out what good estimates are for gear/people, etc. I've been looking at trailers between 4 & 5,500 lbs...does this seem like reasonable room (2400 lbs)?

Don't forget that those published towing ratings are usually based on a vehicle with a (typically) 175 pound driver, no passengers and half a tank of fuel. Toss in the family and a week's worth of gear/firewood/bikes and what not, that all subtracts from the rating. The rating is also calculated at sea level; with our lower air density in Alberta, you need to knock 10-15% off the rating to account for that.

Ace, with a 1/2 ton Yukon, you'll probably want to stay between 4 and 5,500 lbs for a comfortable towing experience. I tow an Airstream that weighs 4,300 loaded with our Expedition (8,400 capacity) and I definitely know it's there, and have to gear down a gear for long hill climbs in places like the Drumheller valley and the mountain passes.