1st Time Buyer's Mistake

Going from a pop up to a TT decision. Want something towable with a 1/2 ton truck. Started looking at TTs on the small side. Keep in mind that everything looks big next to our small pop up. After touring RV lots with shady built flimsy feeling small TT's, we finally decided on the NT21FBS. Nice TT, well built and had all the bells and whistles for a 1st timer. We got everything offered except the front cap. Really love the little guy. Pulled great, and seemed to have plenty of room for me and the wife and occasionally, the grand kids. Really enjoyed our 1st time out. On 2nd trip, we took the two of our grandkids along. On the last day, it started to rain. Since we spend most of our time site seeing, cooking outside and just enjoying the outdoors, I never gave it a thought about the seating. Dinette is a kids bed, Papa is having to sit on the bed. Started getting old quick. Don't get me wrong here. The NT21FBS is a great TT and we've had no issues with it. But, had I looked at it a little longer and opted for the NT22FBS, II would have had an extra 3 feet with a sofa. Space is a premium in the smaller TTs. Shop wisely and think about all scenarios. I'm looking at 8G's on upgrading to a 22FBS now. That's a big hit on a 4 month old TT like new. For the few dollar difference and the extra space and seat, that should have been our logical choice. Had I looked at the comparison and saw the weight difference was about only 265 pounds, I think I would have opted for it. Again, love the TT we have but it could have been better. I new we would probably upgrade when I retire, but not this soon. lol For any new people that are buying their 1st TT, shop wisely. Look at your TV and decide on what size you can handle and get all you can the 1st time. More is better. Going to the dealer today to try and not go upside down on the 8G's. Hope he'll work with me on this. Maybe he will if I let him know I want a 5er when I retire.

Hehehe, I have heard some say buy the biggest one you can find first because they will never be big enough, and that way you save all the upgrades and the money you lose in upgrading. We are on our third in four years (Edge, North Trail, and now Big Horn).

It's called "two foot disease". Mine is 44 foot long and I still need another foot in the garage and a foot in the bathroom. Whatever you think is perfect at the dealer, go up 2 feet!

We went from a 21fbs to an ElkRidge 34QSRL 5ver. A big jump for us, that included a one-ton truck, too. But, after 4 years, we still love it. Perfect floorplan for two, though we have had guests and it worked fine too.

Seating and "living space" were the main reasons to upgrade. We are less inclined to spend time outside--ours is more of a "condo on wheels" than a "camper."

We haven't really had the itch to upgrade due to space.... New features and amenities entice us occasionally, but not because our coach is not livable.

So you may reconsider going from 21 to 22.


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Maybe the wife and I are weird!! We went from a 28 ft fiver to a 26 ft TT. We love our new trailer though and wonder why we ever needed the bigger one. Please don't judge us too harshly!

Ghettomedic said:

Maybe the wife and I are weird!! We went from a 28 ft fiver to a 26 ft TT. We love our new trailer though and wonder why we ever needed the bigger one. Please don't judge us too harshly!

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Hey you know what they say. different strokes for different folks.. ..

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It will help the price "ouch" if you move up used to used and not used to new. My two cents.

We went from a used popup to a new popup. Traveled out east for two weeks and setting up and taking down made us realize that we didn't want to do that anymore. Traded the popup that was a year old in for a 23 ft TT and after traveling down to Texas with two dogs figured out it was just a little two small for us. Once back home we went to see the dealer we got the TT from and low and behold we got our first Fifth wheel that was 25 feet long. Great until we figured that we would like a slide when we were sitting in a park in Florida and it was a little crowded. OK back to dealership...and our 2nd Fifth wheel that was 29 ft long and had a super slide. We traveled for 5 years in that last one until we started talking about when hubby retires and what we would like in our next fiver. Yup you guessed it, time to trade. This time we did some shopping with different dealer and found our Sundance that we LOVE and has everything we want. This fiver is exactly what we were looking for and plan on keeping it for a long time. After all the trading we did and how far upside down we were in the other units we are finally on the upside of things with a fiver that is worth what we paid for it.
So you see, mistakes happen but the trip is half the fun.

Didn't get to the dealer till about 1:30 Saturday. My guy was with a potential 5th wheel owner and said he would be right back with me. I went to the showroom and looked at the 22FBS again. Noticeably more room. 8G's worth? Don't know. After about 45 minutes I eased to the back where they keep the big boys. Looked at a Bighorn. Now I could do that. Needless to say, I never saw my salesmen again and left at 3. Going to wait a while and think this over. Planned retirement is about a year and a half away. Don't want to make any more mistakes. As to buying used, I'm a little concerned with that. Not really qualified to completely check out the unit so I would be at the mercy of the previous owners upkeep and habits and the salesman's mercy as to true condition and prior problems. Kind of wanted to upgrade before our planed trip toward the end of July but I think we'll be making it with the NT21FBS now. Again, our TT is problem free so far and we've done a lot to it already. Those extra 3 feet? I guess I just missed out. Later and thanks for the replies. The smart thing to do would be to enjoy what we have and see just how much we need cover the next 1 1/2 years and then go for the upgrade when we really get into it and have the time. For long weekends and State Park runs, the Lil Guy is sufficient now. But for extended stays and serious traveling, I think the home away from home is the choice.. When we sell our home and retire to E Texas on our property which has a nice house, maybe then do the big upgrade and not just jump from TT to TT.

Well done
Learn to love your unit
It pays
We are in our 3 rd unit in 22 years and plan to be in this one for 10 more years.

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We learned our lessons on sailboats and had two 24 footers and two 28 footers and now a 32 footer. Should have just gone from the first 24 footer to the 32 footer. These are expensive lessons so taking your time and using your current rig will give you the opportunity to discover what you really want. Moving up 2-3 feet doesn't always work out.

We are on our second travel trailet as we bought a small Sunline first. It was a wonderful unit and using it for four years helped us in choosing our current camper. We are very happy with the NT24RBS.

Now we were not so smart with tow vehicles as we started with an Explorer, then an Expedition, then an F150, and now an F250 diesel. LOL

Diane

Been there done that.

-Tow vehicles; Ford Escape, Edge, F150.....looking at 250/350
-Towables; 8'popup, 12' pop up, 24' TT (no slide), NT28BRS.....looking at 5ers.

RVing is a habit, and all habits are addictive. I think everyone does this so you're not alone. So go out and enjoy what you have while dreaming about what's next.

Keep track of the things that will make it even more enjoyable come upgrade time. And there always is a next time.




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priorguy said:

Been there done that.

-Tow vehicles; Ford Escape, Edge, F150.....looking at 250/350
-Towables; 8'popup, 12' pop up, 24' TT (no slide), NT28BRS.....looking at 5ers.

RVing is a habit, and all habits are addictive. I think everyone does this so you're not alone. So go out and enjoy what you have while dreaming about what's next.

Keep track of the things that will make it even more enjoyable come upgrade time. And there always is a next time.




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I would recommend that you buy a 350/3500 instead of a 250/2500. Your TV is the most important part of your setup and you will not have any problem having too much truck then being overloaded becauce you don't have enough truck. In addition, what happens if after buying a your 1st small 5er and a 250/2500, you decide a few years later to get something bigger but you don't have enough truck? Now you have to trade in your truck for a bigger one in addition to trading in your 5er. Remember what you said "And there will always be a next time". If you enjoy RV'ing now, you might be just only preparing yourself for fulltiming in the future!

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I guess we lucked out as we went from no trailer to a 2011 Big Country 3250TS. We got a super deal that we couldn't turn down in Spokane. At half the price we would have paid in Canada.
We have learned a lot in the 3 years but still like the 5'r. As usual you always see new models with upgrades you would like to have but we will stick with this for awhile yet. (unless we win a Lottery) lol

The maximum you will ever want is about 35', but if you go just a little longer it will be better, say 36'. Now, we have settled on 39'6", but that's it. LOL Now into a 1 ton truck rather than the 1/2 ton, but I'm NOT getting the dually.

Be careful about size creep.

Seren said:

I would recommend that you buy a 350/3500 instead of a 250/2500. Your TV is the most important part of your setup and you will not have any problem having too much truck then being overloaded becauce you don't have enough truck. In addition, what happens if after buying a your 1st small 5er and a 250/2500, you decide a few years later to get something bigger but you don't have enough truck? Now you have to trade in your truck for a bigger one in addition to trading in your 5er. Remember what you said "And there will always be a next time". If you enjoy RV'ing now, you might be just only preparing yourself for fulltiming in the future!

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"Size Creep" and new features are every salesman's bread and butter. If we didn't want it they couldn't sell it. There's a big difference between want and need. Mostly how much you afford or are willing to spend. Maybe that's why so many salesmen send me Christmas and birthday cards lol.


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In boating we call it "foot-itis"

And it goes both ways BT-DT -GTTS

porthole said:

In boating we call it "foot-itis"

And it goes both ways BT-DT -GTTS

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I was in to boats when we still lived in Michigan . . .

I only ever owned one boat . . . a 16-foot speed boat with an 85-horse Merc!

Now, I didn't suffer from 'foot-itis' . . .

But after hauling it around to different lakes every weekend and trips to northern Michigan, I ended up buying a house on a lake!

Now THAT starts a whole new set of 'problems' . . .

Well, sold the boat the day we left Michigan for Colorado in the summer of 1995, and traded that hobby for RV'ing in the mountains!

Good thing I can't afford to buy property in the mountains (too darned over priced), so I don't have to worry about buying a house up there . . .

Ironically, that boat is still in the family . . .

My wife's ex bought it from us, and he had a heart attack and died about two years ago . . . so now it belongs to my step-daughter, who lived with us on the lake while she was still a teenager.

She asked me if I wanted it back . . . to which I replied "No!"!

Our 15' Whaler had a 85 merc on it. Fast, it could do, by GPS, 45 knots, and easily do that in a 4' sea

porthole said:

Our 15' Whaler had a 85 merc on it. Fast, it could do, by GPS, 45 knots, and easily do that in a 4' sea

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Dang Duane, that Whaler could fly! Best I ever got out of my 29foot Maxum with a 454 and the Mercruiser dual prop system was 42 knots.