Help us Decide June 02, 2018, 03:21:13 pm We are in still in research (and saving) mode for our next RV, and even though I am a Lazy Daze homer, I still am not convinced that a LD is our best option. We've only been researching the better quality brands and I don't need to tell you that the pickings are slim, at least in our price range. Trying to find quality RV's, for us, is like having champagne tastes on a beer budget. It's not a matter of what is the best class C (Lazy Daze wins hands down in our opinion); but what affordable options are available to get us back in a quality RV so we can explore all those places we have yet to experience?Our last RV was a Hi-Lo trailer, generally considered a good quality brand although they closed their doors, like many others, during the Great Recession after over 50 years in business. A gentlemen recently bought all the rights of the Hi-Lo brand and is trying to make a comeback, though. I wish him luck!We purchased a used 2007 24 ft. model. We really enjoyed our Hi-Lo trailer but it presented a couple of problems for us and, after a few uses, we knew we wanted to go in another direction. The first issue we had was more related to our tow vehicle, a Chevy Tahoe. Even though the truck had an adequate engine for most situations, we found it to be a bit under-powered climbing up steep and curvy roads. The bigger issue was going down those same roads, even with using engine braking and trailer brakes, we would occasionally overheat the brakes. The tow capacity of the Tahoe was more than adequate for the roughly 5,000 lb trailer but the trailer never felt as stable as I had hoped, given the short wheelbase of the Tahoe and the unique nature of a collapsible, hard-sided trailer.That uniqueness of collapsibility ended up being the second main issue we had with this set-up; specifically, the lack of convenience in making rest stops while traveling. Although, the trailer was generally easy to convert from the traveling mode (Lo) to use mode (Hi), since it was done electrically, we still found it a bit inconvenient to go through the process of raising the top, then extending the tip-out sofa (Hi-Lo's equivalent of a slide-out) to get to the rear of the trailer where the facilities were.So, we are at a cross-roads where we need to make a decision on our next (and probably last) RV. Frankly, we are financially two or three years out before being ready to buy again so we have plenty of time to make sure we get this right.The other options we've looked at are a variety of class B's but we have found them too expensive and too small to do any extended exploring. I do like the driveability of them though, I must admit.The other option we have found that may be acceptable to us, quality and affordability-wise, is a small fiberglass trailer; namely, a Casita. It is a brand which is highly rated by the RV Consumer Group. A brand new trailer can be purchased for around $20K. Of course, we would need to upgrade to a half ton pickup to tow with, looking for a used one which seem to be plentiful. Since the Casita's weigh around 2,500 lbs. a half-ton would be more than adequate. The downside is that the Casita is quite small, a disadvantage as well as an advantage.For the next phase of our research, we are going to attend the annual Casita rally in October held at (fittingly) Lake Casitas just north of Ventura. There we can peruse the various trailers and talk to owners to get their take on the functionality and quality of these little trailers.So, to wrap this up, we would like to hear your opinions and thoughts of things we should think about to help us make this important decision. We would especially like to hear from those that have owned a trailer set-up either now, or in the past (Andy, are you out there?) to point out considerations we may have not thought of.My apologies for the length of this post.
Re: Help us Decide Reply #1 – June 02, 2018, 03:40:28 pm As someone who faced the same decision in 2002 I would like to tell you the correct answer won't be known for sure until after you guys make a purchase and get some experience. We chose the mid bath route and have been very satisfied. There have been times when a tow vehicle to use instead of the LD would have been good. To cope with this we rent a car from Enterprise when we are staying in an area not RV friendly. Only had two occasions in all our travels (119,000 miles) and 690 nights where we couldn't go to a place we wanted to.Good luck with your choice, whatever it is. 1 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #2 – June 02, 2018, 03:52:00 pm "So, to wrap this up, we would like to hear your opinions and thoughts of things we should think about to help us make this important decision. We would especially like to hear from those that have owned a trailer set-up either now, or in the past (Andy, are you out there?) to point out considerations we may have not thought of."First off, Greg, I have never owned or traveled in a trailer. But I HAVE been reading about others' experiences with owning and traveling in a trailer (particularly small ones like the Casita/Scamp/Oliver) for 30-ish years. We DID live in a 40-foot Teton fifth wheel for about four or five years, but never took it anywhere - it was stationary in a campground. We traveled in our 1985 TK Lazy Daze at the time.Years later, when it came time for us to give up our beloved 40-foot behemoth fulltiming diesel pusher and downsize (health issues), we looked VERY seriously at purchasing a smallish trailer. We had a sufficient pulling unit for anything up to about a 28-foot Bigfoot (which was under consideration, for sure).We looked at a lot of units, and just kept comparing them to even our most rudimentary Volkswagen campers, and 22TK Lazy Daze in our past experiences - and - well, it just didn't feed the bulldog, no matter what spin we tried to put on it. No matter how open minded we tried to be, there was always the comparison to Lazy Daze quality every time we looked at even brand new trailer units. Presumably someone with no experience with Lazy Daze quality would find the average trailer suitable for occasional family outings for a few years. That may be about the timeframe it is needed anyway, as kids grow up and are no longer interested in the activity, thus Mom and Pop find other interests, too.Basically, it SEEMS like a good idea when looking at photos, etc., but when visiting actual units under consideration, the shock was just too great. I guess Lazy Daze quality just spoils one. I'm exaggerating for effect, but it felt like . . . well . . . a skateboard, an umbrella, and cardboard boxes put together to make a travel unit.Perhaps those who have made such a leap in real time can speak to the quality of other-than-Lazy Daze branded units as to suitability and quality - of both the rig itself and the RV lifestyle surrounding it.The solution was pretty clear to us, so I simply abandoned everything and concentrated on finding a suitable Lazy Daze. And, yes, I did! ;-> Virtual hugs,Judie•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~• 4 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #3 – June 02, 2018, 04:22:45 pm Kristine can get up, get food, go to the back and get some work done on her computer at the kitchen table but most importantly, can go pee whenever she wants.As you can probably tell, I do 95% of the driving. She does some just to keep her skills from going stale in case I have the big one or something.I have friends with a travel trailer and they may give up camping soon. He says he spends more time setting up and breaking down than relaxing. Of course, they, like us, are still slaving away and only weekend warriors.If you want to park in one spot for months on end a fifth wheel makes sense. We will never, ever, ever own a trailer or fifth wheel.Everyone’s needs are different. Know thyself, know thy camping habits.Dave 2 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #4 – June 02, 2018, 04:25:46 pm Gerg, One of the factors that influenced our latest decision (Went from a 2000 MB to a small trailer) was the number of vehicles I wanted to maintain, insure, etc. Since we needed two to manage with the wife and my needs for daily life, the LD required us to have 3. I always had some kind of truck for my vehicle, so by going to a trailer it gave us the 2 vehicles for daily use without a 3rd to maintain, insure, etc. Liability insurance for a trailer is normally covered by the truck policy, so the only additional insurance needed is comprehensive, which saves a ton of money. We looked at a lot of small trailers, and ended up with a Bullet Crossfire 1800RB by Keystone. The cost (brand new) was $16K delivered, single axle, 15" wheels gross weight under 5000 lbs. Its total length is 21'-6" and due to having a murphy bed, it has a couch in addition to the dinette. Overall, it has about as much useable space as our MB. It is small enough to fit in almost all national/state park sites, and since we never towed a car with our MB, having the truck to run around in (4x4) lets us do more site seeing away from the camp site. I know you hear all kinds of horror stories about SOB's, but I have had little in the way of problems, although it is easy to see that the quality just isn't up to LD standards. I wish LD made a small trailer. The only changes I made to it is changing the single 12V battery to 2 6V golf cart types and the toilet from the plastic one (dometic 300) to a ceramic (dometic 320) which was a easy direct replacement. Good luck in your quest for the perfect solution, each has its pluses and minuses.Rich- ex 2000MB now Bullet Crossfire 1800RB - Birch Bay, WA 3 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #5 – June 02, 2018, 05:07:24 pm Quote from: HiLola - June 02, 2018, 03:21:13 pmThe other option we have found that may be acceptable to us, quality and affordability-wise, is a small fiberglass trailer; namely, a Casita. It is a brand which is highly rated by the RV Consumer Group. A brand new trailer can be purchased for around $20K. Of course, we would need to upgrade to a half ton pickup to tow with, looking for a used one which seem to be plentiful. Since the Casita's weigh around 2,500 lbs. a half-ton would be more than adequate. The downside is that the Casita is quite small, a disadvantage as well as an advantage.For the next phase of our research, we are going to attend the annual Casita rally in October held at (fittingly) Lake Casitas just north of Ventura. There we can peruse the various trailers and talk to owners to get their take on the functionality and quality of these little trailers.My brother and SIL are a members of the Fiberglass Trailer Club and we have attended the Lake Casitas meet for several years with them, having a chance to see all the commonly available fiberglass trailers. He will be there again this year, look him up and I will have him give you a tour of what's available. Not sure if we will attend.Casita's are OK trailers, very small and kind of primitive. My brother owned one for a few years before selling and getting an Escape 17' Trailer. It's better built and more modern looking, still it's narrow. It's too small for us but the bigger Escapes are much nicer and user friendly, IMO.Escape Trailer Industries – Chilliwack, British ColumbiaHe tows it with a Toyota Tacoma, which does fine, but I wouldn't want to tow it with a smaller vehicle.Larry 1 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #6 – June 02, 2018, 05:43:18 pm Thanks, Larry, I appreciate it! Could you message me your brother's name and possibly his campsite info? I've heard good things about the Escape as well so would be interested in seeing one.
Re: Help us Decide Reply #7 – June 02, 2018, 05:46:28 pm Greg, Choices are what makes life so much fun. Some are easy some not so much. Once my wife said she wanted a MotorHome over a TT my choice was easy, well almost.We had already experienced the joy of a Sun Raider Mini Class C and then the spaciousness of a 27’ Prowler TT. I had gotten really good at setting up the Prowler and I quite enjoyed the fact that we had the truck (my brothers Ford F-250) to tool around town in and explore while the TT waited behind at camp. I had delusions of grandeur about a huge Bounder Class A, but always figured I’d end up with a Tioga Class C. Thank the Lord my daughter needed tires for her car and my tire guy told me about Lazy Daze.I’ll never go back to a TT, especially at this stage in my life. Nothing beats a Class C when Nature calls. I can’t even imagine pulling a trailer over on a dime (😖) and having to run around the truck, open the trailer door and make a dash to the head. I can not picture a bigger nightmare.I’ve said it before...I am grateful my DW wanted to have a MotorHome and my LD has good breaks.Good luck.Kent 3 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #8 – June 02, 2018, 06:11:16 pm Never had a TT, but looked through a lot of them at big RV shows. We kept an open mind about the kind of RV we wanted, even after visiting the Mothership a couple of times. When we were getting close to a decision, we went to the Hershey RV show (self-billed as the largest in the country) one more time to more closely discriminate between our finalists. For the way we were planning to RV, LD was our choice. My recommendation to you is to go to a large RV show, see the choices, talk to the reps cautiously, check floor plans, pick needs over eye-candy, and make a decision based on criteria that you set. Good Luck with your search. 2 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #9 – June 02, 2018, 06:45:57 pm Hello Greg. You've been a wealth of information for us during the last 3 years. Clearly, you're one of those people who have forgotten more about RVing than Margee and I will ever know. And so I'm among the last people to offer you any suggestions about such an important RV matter.On the other hand, what I do know is that Margee and I are "time-poor." And honestly, we've squandered a good amount of time over the years instead of following our dreams. Nearly everyday, I'm reminded about time and that "ticking clock." For example, yesterday I was visiting with 3 Old-Timers and they all agreed that at this point in life, they'd like a little more time.I can tell from your post that you hear that clock too. I'm looking forward to your decision regarding the right RV for you. 2 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #10 – June 02, 2018, 07:52:01 pm Quote from: HiLola - June 02, 2018, 03:21:13 pmThe bigger issue was going down those same roads, even with using engine braking and trailer brakes, we would occasionally overheat the brakes. The tow capacity of the Tahoe was more than adequate for the roughly 5,000 lb trailer but the trailer never felt as stable as I had hoped, given the short wheelbase of the Tahoe and the unique nature of a collapsible, hard-sided trailer.This is a demonstration of an inherent problem when descending grades with a trailer. Using engine braking saves brakes, but extended downhill may over-stress the transmission. With a m'home, the transmission is beefy enough to handle that, and a few thousand pounds of toad will not cause much concern. Toad or trailer brakes are designed to allow rapid deceleration when needed, and I can testify it works! Mostly I use engine braking to control downhill speed, and the e-450 transmission is up to that task, towing or not.Steve 2 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #11 – June 02, 2018, 08:57:46 pm Good point. We’re flatlanders so not much mountain driving normally. I always stress in advance about mountain driving on visits to the bumps until I’m actually doing it. Then i’m beating myself up about wasting so much energy worrying about mountain driving as downshifting Ruby up or down makes it a piece of cake.Dave 2 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #12 – June 03, 2018, 11:47:52 am Greg,Our long-time friends had an Arctic Fox trailer and had so many problems that they finally dumped it. Then they sold everything, bought a New Horizon fifth wheel and a Freightliner tractor and hit the road. However, hauling the big fiver turned out to be more of a white-knuckler than they anticipated, they discovered limited accessibility to fuel and camp sites, and pulling the thing over to use the restroom was nearly impossible while on the road. The Freightliner is gone and the New Horizon sits on a pad permanently as a winter home. They now travel with a GMC pickup and tow a 21 foot Escape. Last year they were out 200 nights. They absolutely love their Escape and recommend it all of the time.Good luck on your quest.Harold 1 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #13 – June 03, 2018, 04:05:42 pm Thanks for all your input! We'll have a better idea of whether a trailer combo will work for us after the Fiberglass Rally at Lake Casitas.
Re: Help us Decide Reply #14 – June 13, 2018, 12:42:23 am I love fiberglass trailers, Casita, Escape and others. Thats what we were researching before discovering LD. We just feel safer in a motorhome, we can get up and go fast if we suspect a problem outside when boon docking or Wally docking. We think if we camped for longer periods we would get a trailer, but we think we will move around allot, so a motorhome seems to make more sense, especially in and around LA, Long Beach, coastal areas, Natl parks, Shorter is better in congested areas. We didn't want to tow full time and end up being close to 40' plus long. 1 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #15 – June 13, 2018, 01:43:48 am Clark is your new one on schedule for a July delivery. 1 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #16 – June 13, 2018, 09:15:24 am We hope so, we are in touch with LD weekly, our 27’ mid bath is In the paint booth this week! We are trying to get the old driveway demo’ed and new one poured in the next 3 weeks, and adding the 30 Amp RV plugs etc. We have flooding in the rear of our driveway/garage when it rains, so we hope to fix that problem for good! So we are planning to pick up the new baby possibility the 2nd week in July. Maybe we can charge $ for tours lol. We need name suggestions, the plaque work say “Made for the Davis Tigers” Our last Bluebird Bus was the Geaux Tigers Bus. 2 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #17 – June 13, 2018, 12:38:25 pm Quote from: HiLola - June 03, 2018, 04:05:42 pmThanks for all your input! We'll have a better idea of whether a trailer combo will work for us after the Fiberglass Rally at Lake Casitas.One observation. In the many years that my brother has owned a Casita trailer, and now an Escape, while camping, we never hang out or have ever eaten a meal in either of them...there isn't room for four people to sit comfortably, these trailers are dinky.When camping with him and his wife, the socializing alway occurs in our LD.If you buy one, make sure to travel with an LD owner.Larry 1 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #18 – June 13, 2018, 02:35:13 pm Like Larry, We traveled in the past with friends who had a 27 foot Itasca. With their floorplan, Island bed in back, actual sitting room was very tight. Four people max. We all would end up in our 23.5 TK to socialize, much more room. One time we actually had dinner inside for 7, The mosquitos were terrible! RonB 1 Likes
Re: Help us Decide Reply #19 – June 13, 2018, 03:38:55 pm Quote from: RonB - June 13, 2018, 02:35:13 pmLike Larry, We traveled in the past with friends who had a 27 foot Itasca. With their floorplan, Island bed in back, actual sitting room was very tight. Four people max. We all would end up in our 23.5 TK to socialize, much more room. One time we actually had dinner inside for 7, The mosquitos were terrible! Ron, yeah, those full time beds on shorter RV's take up a lot of the living space. I like the utility of the two sofas in the rear that the TK and MB have.Quote from: Larry W - June 13, 2018, 12:38:25 pmOne observation. In the many years that my brother has owned a Casita trailer, and now an Escape, while camping, we never hang out or have ever eaten a meal in either of them...there isn't room for four people to sit comfortably, these trailers are dinky.When camping with him and his wife, the socializing alway occurs in our LD.If you buy one, make sure to travel with an LD owner.Larry, if I do buy one, be sure to send me your travel schedule so I have a place to hang out! Hoping you can make it to Lake Casitas so I can talk to both you and your brother.
Re: Help us Decide Reply #20 – June 27, 2018, 09:18:23 am Quote from: Blueox25 - June 03, 2018, 11:47:52 amGreg,Our long-time friends had an Arctic Fox trailer and had so many problems that they finally dumped it. Then they sold everything, bought a New Horizon fifth wheel and a Freightliner tractor and hit the road. However, hauling the big fiver turned out to be more of a white-knuckler than they anticipated, they discovered limited accessibility to fuel and camp sites, and pulling the thing over to use the restroom was nearly impossible while on the road. The Freightliner is gone and the New Horizon sits on a pad permanently as a winter home. They now travel with a GMC pickup and tow a 21 foot Escape. Last year they were out 200 nights. They absolutely love their Escape and recommend it all of the time.Good luck on your quest.HaroldThanks for your post, Harold. Our research has led us to check out the Escape brand. Specifically, their 5th wheel model seems worthy of further investigation:The Escape 5.0 TADW likes the fact that there is a full time bed in the 5th wheels so I'm hoping there will be one at the Lake Casitas rally in October. I also discovered that, at least in California, you can legally ride in the back of a 5th wheel but I'm wondering how safe that actually is? And do all states allow that?
Re: Help us Decide Reply #21 – June 27, 2018, 12:58:32 pm Quote from: HiLola - June 27, 2018, 09:18:23 am. Our research has led us to check out the Escape brand. Specifically, their 5th wheel model seems worthy of further investigation:The Escape 5.0 TADW likes the fact that there is a full time bed in the 5th wheels so I'm hoping there will be one at the Lake Casitas rally in October. I also discovered that, at least in California, you can legally ride in the back of a 5th wheel but I'm wondering how safe that actually is? And do all states allow that?Do include the cost of a full size pick up to pull Escapee 5.0, it's not small, compared to their lesser models.The 17' and 19' models can be pulled with smaller trucks, my brother pulls his Escape 17 with a Tacoma Crew-cab and it does all right. He told me he wouldn't want to pull the 21' Escape without up sizing the truck to something heavier and with more power.The Escapes do not come with generators, so if one is desired, it must ride in the bed of the truck, where it is exposed to thieves. Larry
Re: Help us Decide Reply #22 – June 28, 2018, 03:44:56 pm Greg this is pretty small but pretty cool with all the windows. https://youtu.be/YWHZqhfLTTs
Re: Help us Decide Reply #23 – June 28, 2018, 03:55:22 pm Interesting concept! Thanks for sharing, Lynn but as you said, a little on the small side. Very cool, though!
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