Questions to RV Camper Types

[SigOris]

FIRST: To Post Patroller's, yes my questions have likely been asked before so no need for you to read any further. TIA

SECOND: To those willing to offer some advice and guidance, please continue reading and provide any and input / advice / lessons learned / food for thought as I'm new to these things.

THIRD: Wasn't sure where to post so I chose TOWING

So my wife wanted to out and look at campers and a local place has a FLAGSTAFF E-PRO 19FD with PKG D in stock and they're asking $29K for it. So now my questions.

1) No issues with a MY22 Lariat towing ? Weight is 3379 empty.

2) FLAGSTAFF a decent trailer? I know everyone has their preferences on things, like me and SIG SAUERS, and I'm learning. To quote Stephen Covey I'm " seeking to understand "

3) a SWAG how much I'll spend outfitting it? Gray / Black / Drinking Water hoses and I'm sure the list goes on......

4) any good sites or forums to look at to educate myself? OK, really for my wife to educate herself.

5) reoccurring costs; insurance, registration, excise tax here in Maine, off season storage, winterize, maintenance, and I'm sure I missed a few

I'm sure I've missed a bunch bunch but this is a starting point.

Many thanks

John

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[EJH]

Try this forum:
https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/
(I use the Jayco equivalent for my trailer)

The above has a Flagstaff specific forum.

The quality of that trailer is on par with most all the similar priced Forest River and Jayco travel trailers.

 

[JasmineFurBall]

You may want to check out the site " RVInsider". I purchased parts and also just perused Camping World website when I first purchased my RV. Also check out "RVForums.com" Have fun !!

 

[SigOris]

Try this forum:
https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/
(I use the Jayco equivalent for my trailer)

The above has a Flagstaff specific forum.

The quality of that trailer is on par with most all the similar priced Forest River and Jayco travel trailers.

So is Flagstaff like the a Ford of Trailers? When I went to Progressive to get a quote for insurance, I couldn't believe the number of OEMs. Two people in our neighbor have the Airstream Base Camps I believe. A 20ft'er is almost twice the price. Do you get 2X whatever going with an Airstream?

 

[Grumpaw]

So is Flagstaff like the a Ford of Trailers? When I went to Progressive to get a quote for insurance, I couldn't believe the number of OEMs. Two people in our neighbor have the Airstream Base Camps I believe. A 20ft'er is almost twice the price. Do you get 2X whatever going with an Airstream?

Different materials and construction techniques. Higher end interior materials and appointments.
If you follow RV sites, you will find that while Airstream was once a premier trailer and their trailers top of the line, in the last 10 years or so there have been many many more complaints about their quality now.
For a newbie...not the trailer for you unless you fall into a really good deal.
Nothing wrong with a "Ford".
Flagstaff is owned by Forrest River, and they probably own over a dozen "brand names", many that are similar, if not the same as some of their other lines/construction/layouts.
My Jayco uses the same construction/materials, same or variations of the appliances that are only made by a few companies. If there were no name on the outside of todays currant trailers, you would think they were all made by a single company with a few sub lines/models.
For RV owners sites.....
Forrest River Owners Forum....general forum with Forrest River products, with sub headings for each model
IRV2 Forum.....general RV owners forum....also has sub headings for each make.
I find the IRV2 forums to be a bit more friendly.

 

[EJH]

So is Flagstaff like the a Ford of Trailers? When I went to Progressive to get a quote for insurance, I couldn't believe the number of OEMs. Two people in our neighbor have the Airstream Base Camps I believe. A 20ft'er is almost twice the price. Do you get 2X whatever going with an Airstream?

Outside of the smaller boutique brands, almost all mainstream RVs and trailers are made by either Forest River or Jayco. Flagstaff is a Forest River brand.

Airstreams are 2x the cost of a similar non-Airstream trailer.

 

[SigOris]

Different materials and construction techniques. Higher end interior materials and appointments.
If you follow RV sites, you will find that while Airstream was once a premier trailer and their trailers top of the line, in the last 10 years or so there have been many many more complaints about their quality now.
For a newbie...not the trailer for you unless you fall into a really good deal.
Nothing wrong with a "Ford".
Flagstaff is owned by Forrest River, and they probably own over a dozen "brand names", many that are similar, if not the same as some of their other lines/construction/layouts.
My Jayco uses the same construction/materials, same or variations of the appliances that are only made by a few companies. If there were no name on the outside of todays currant trailers, you would think they were all made by a single company with a few sub lines/models.
For RV owners sites.....
Forrest River Owners Forum....general forum with Forrest River products, with sub headings for each model
IRV2 Forum.....general RV owners forum....also has sub headings for each make.
I find the IRV2 forums to be a bit more friendly.

Thanks and I appreciate the education.

I like all the Fords I've owned. Like any tool, take of it and don't abuse it and you'll be fine.

 

[Big Blue]

So is Flagstaff like the a Ford of Trailers? When I went to Progressive to get a quote for insurance, I couldn't believe the number of OEMs. Two people in our neighbor have the Airstream Base Camps I believe. A 20ft'er is almost twice the price. Do you get 2X whatever going with an Airstream?

Yes, there are a multitude of brands out there. Most are built or owned by a few companies. They are probably built one one of a few chassis,Lippert being one, using components from one of a few companies. That being said, there are some premium brands out there that will be worth the build quality they bring with the price.

In general with any RV be prepared to be mister fixit, as there will always be things that need doing/ changing. As was mentions most of your questions will be better answered on a RV specific sight or talking to an experienced RVer, than here on a truck form.

As far as your first question, your Ranger will have no issues tow that size TT. Just make sure you have a trailer brake controller installed and get an appropriately sized weight distribution hitch, set up properly.

 

[Grumpaw]

FIRST: To Post Patroller's, yes my questions have likely been asked before so no need for you to read any further. TIA

SECOND: To those willing to offer some advice and guidance, please continue reading and provide any and input / advice / lessons learned / food for thought as I'm new to these things.

THIRD: Wasn't sure where to post so I chose TOWING

So my wife wanted to out and look at campers and a local place has a FLAGSTAFF E-PRO 19FD with PKG D in stock and they're asking $29K for it. So now my questions.

1) No issues with a MY22 Lariat towing ? Weight is 3379 empty.

2) FLAGSTAFF a decent trailer? I know everyone has their preferences on things, like me and SIG SAUERS, and I'm learning. To quote Stephen Covey I'm " seeking to understand "

3) a SWAG how much I'll spend outfitting it? Gray / Black / Drinking Water hoses and I'm sure the list goes on......

4) any good sites or forums to look at to educate myself? OK, really for my wife to educate herself.

5) reoccurring costs; insurance, registration, excise tax here in Maine, off season storage, winterize, maintenance, and I'm sure I missed a few

I'm sure I've missed a bunch bunch but this is a starting point.

Many thanks

John

1. No problems at all towing that rig with the Ranger
However, you must make sure it is set up right with a brake controller and a good quality hitch.
Too many opinions here as to which and what....suggest you read thru the towing section here as many of us have posted what we.re using, likes/dislikes.
2. Read previous posts from us.
3. If your starting from scratch, figure $500-$750 will get you everything you need, but not including your personal items like cookware, bedding, towels, ect....that you can scavenge from your home. You will need the essentials like a good sewer hose and attachments, at least two good hoses, leveling block sets, jack blocks (the higher polymer blocks you put under the stabilizer jacks....easier than wood blocks), tire chocks, a small outdoor gas grill like a Weber Q1000...(most new trailers have a gas hook up so you can run the grill off the trailers tanks instead of using the small green throw away cans), and a small tool box with an assortment of emergency items, fasteners, small tools (you do not need a full size mechanics set)
4. Forrest River and IRV2
5. Insurance depends on where you live, trailer value, amount of use, ect. Example....I pay $650 for full coverage via Progressive. Full replacement value of $45.000.
Maintaince...to own an RV you must either be wealthy enough for someone to do minor repairs, or better bea a DIY. Being a DIY is top of the list cause you will come across little things that need adjusting, tweaking, and repairing. Your trailer will come with a warranty, but be aware that if you have a problem, it may be weeks before your dealer can take care of it, so if its something that is under warranty, but you can fix it..than fix it.
At least once a year, preferably twice, get up on the roof and check the roof material for tares, cuts, ect, and check the caulking around all vents, ac, edges, evt....this is VERY important to preven leaks and to stop them befor they occur.

Let me add....their "asking $29" the rig.....but never never go right in and pay what their asking. Common practice is to offer at least 15-20% less and negotiate from there.....if it were me, I start with an offer of $24-$25,000. I have never paid retail or "asking price" for any rv I've bought. Now that summer is here, the dealers will be looking to unload their stock before wintes sets in.

 

[RangerTX]

Best advice:
1. You will have regular and consistent repairs and maintenance of the trailer (no matter the brand). Don't be one of those guys that spaz every time something breaks. These houses on wheels go thru a prolonged magnitude 4 earthquake every time you take it out.
2. Load it with most weight in front of trailer - not the rear. Do your research. It makes a huge difference.
3. Have fun. They are a blast.

 

[mtbikernate]

As you do research, you'll find a lot of folks who will recommend strongly not to buy a new RV off the lot because of the big depreciation hit (bigger than with cars) and because with a used one, a whole lot of the little issues will have been addressed most likely.

I'm not the biggest fan of the typical wooden frame "mass produced" brands that mostly come out of northern Indiana these days. I've looked at a bunch and my wife has pushed hard to buy one of them on occasion, but I just can't with the cheapness of them. I always wind up looking at more expensive brands. I like the fiberglass egg-type campers. Casita, Scamp, Oliver, etc. Even Airstream to an extent, but yeah, they aren't what they used to be (I have fond memories of heading out in my grandparents' Airstream growing up). They have their issues, too, but I trust them a bit more. The Sylvansport VAST caught my attention when they announced it (complete with a Ranger in the marketing materials) until I saw the $70k price tag. Yeah, it's built locally to me by a cool company, but ouch.

In the end, the thing that keeps me from buying a larger trailer is the storage situation. I'd have to dump a bunch of money into setting up a parking spot for it that would appease the HOA and the vague covenants. And since nobody else has pursued that, I'm not sure I want to be the test case with no solid answer of what will and will not be acceptable.

I don't want to pay for storage considering my use case and life schedule. I'm not really the sort to take it out for lots of little trips just a little bit down the road. I tend to do fewer larger/longer trips with the one I have now. With a larger trailer that has all the facilities in it, I'd probably use it for more trips, but mine and my wife's work schedule still puts limits on us.

 

[Frost]

Stick built trailers tend to depreciate quicker then Fiberglass ones or aluminum Airstreams. We sold our 2016 Casita (fiberglass) last fall for more than the original purchase price. We just purchased a new 19' Airstream and so far so good. Hope to keep it for 10 yrs and not take much of a hit when we sell. Was surprised to learn that the new Basecamp models are the best selling Airstreams. They have lots off issues or so I'm told.
Best of luck.

 

[Grumpaw]

Stick built trailers tend to depreciate quicker then Fiberglass ones or aluminum Airstreams. We sold our 2016 Casita (fiberglass) last fall for more than the original purchase price. We just purchased a new 19' Airstream and so far so good. Hope to keep it for 10 yrs and not take much of a hit when we sell. Was surprised to learn that the new Basecamp models are the best selling Airstreams. They have lots off issues or so I'm told.
Best of luck.

True, a standard construction trailer will depreciate fairly quickly for the first owner.....first year you will easily lose 25% of what you paid. There are pro's and con's for new vs used....depending on your knowledge and not bothered by no warranty.
Biggest thing about buying used is you MUST know what to look for as far as existing problems, what to look for, and totally knowledgeable about the systems, how to check them and how to repair if needed.
Down side to new, obviously the depreciation hit you'll take, but also if a problem arises during the warranty (usually only one year, for some brands 2 years) it may take weeks to get the dealer to look at the problem. Even under warranty, many dealers will refuse to work on a trailer if it was not purchased from them. Buying a Flagstaff from dealer "A" does not mean that if your on the road and something happens, dealer "R" will take care of you. You may have to pay out and hope to get reimbursed by the manufacturer.

 

[AzScorpion]

We went through this phase about 3 years ago. Every one I looked at was really cheap for the price they're asking but I know I'm jaded from working on high end homes. In the end I just couldn't allow myself to spend that kind of money for something so poorly built. Like others have said be prepared to fix a lot of stuff yourself because the dealers usually take forever to do the repairs. Then you're stuck (usually during prime season) without your rv and still making payments on it.

Best advise would be to rent for the summer to see if you (and your wife) really like the whole rv experience. So many "think" they will only to spend a small fortune and then they just sit for a year or two before selling at a huge loss. If you do it was money well spent and if you don't it was a good learning experience.

 

[Mustang2Ranger]

FIRST: To Post Patroller's, yes my questions have likely been asked before so no need for you to read any further. TIA

SECOND: To those willing to offer some advice and guidance, please continue reading and provide any and input / advice / lessons learned / food for thought as I'm new to these things.

THIRD: Wasn't sure where to post so I chose TOWING

So my wife wanted to out and look at campers and a local place has a FLAGSTAFF E-PRO 19FD with PKG D in stock and they're asking $29K for it. So now my questions.

1) No issues with a MY22 Lariat towing ? Weight is 3379 empty.

2) FLAGSTAFF a decent trailer? I know everyone has their preferences on things, like me and SIG SAUERS, and I'm learning. To quote Stephen Covey I'm " seeking to understand "

3) a SWAG how much I'll spend outfitting it? Gray / Black / Drinking Water hoses and I'm sure the list goes on......

4) any good sites or forums to look at to educate myself? OK, really for my wife to educate herself.

5) reoccurring costs; insurance, registration, excise tax here in Maine, off season storage, winterize, maintenance, and I'm sure I missed a few

I'm sure I've missed a bunch bunch but this is a starting point.

Many thanks

John

1. Just the dry trailer, no problem. However you should check your weight with it loaded, full of water, propane, people, gear and compare to what your sticker says your truck can tow

2. No comment, not in the new RV game right now, I have a 2004 Starcraft

3. $1-2k, depending on if you are buying a generator or not, and if you have any spare kitchen stuff or camping gear. We came from tent camping so we saved some there

4. While I am all for educating online, you will waste time IMO. Hopefully you have an experienced RV friend or relative? Would be best to just book a site, have them show you, and keep a list for next time. Few local trips and you will be ironed out ready for the big leagues

5. Insurance, registration for trailer is cheap here in CA. Not sure about taxes, storage, registration, winterization. Maintenance: Grease bearings, flush tanks well, keep tires aired up, keep the outside clean (roof too), anode rod in water heater if it has one, battery tender, check owner's manual for maintenance schedule

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