Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.
We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!
Tiffins generally have a pretty good reputation, but there were some years that had problems with delamination, leaks, and wet bay issues. I'd suggest that you check into a Tiffin owners forum and ask questions there. It is also possible that if you have the build number or VIN that the factory can tell you what has been done on a specific coach. Of course, check the records that are with the coach first.
I am also a newbie, solo traveler, thinking about a truck camper. Any feedback on this? I like the no-tow aspect, coupled with the possibility of detaching the camper when needed or if staying somewhere for a while.
Welcome, Trish. People can, and do, full-time in all sorts of recreational vehicles. A pickup camper doesn't offer a lot of room, nor are they noted for their insulation. They generally have a pretty high center of gravity, so they can be tippy. Remember that you have to pack for travel every time you want to go somewhere, no matter how close it is. That can get old in a hurry. Also, the bed is generally in the cabover space, which means some climbing every morning and night. Again, that can get old in a hurry.
I'd suggest that you spend some time looking at all of the pickup campers you can find, no matter their condition or price. Pretend to do all of the regular activities in it. Pretend to take a shower. Can you do so with privacy? Can you do so without getting half the camper wet? Where will you sit to watch television? Is there enough space for all of your clothes AND cooking stuff? What about hobbies? You get the idea.
Since a pickup camper is probably considered cargo, I'm guessing that there is no gross weight for it. In other words, you can pack every compartment full of you anvil collection and not have a problem FROM THE CAMPER. The truck, though, DOES have weight limits. You should probably only look at F350-class or higher with dual rear wheels, aka duallies.
I mentioned spending some time in the campers, pretending to do all of the regular tasks that you will do when you are living in it. Go find a place where a camper is actually attached to the truck, and get in. Now imagine going in and out a couple of times a day.
As for brands, Arctic Fox is often considered a higher quality manufacturer. I'd suggest that you buy both truck and camper USED. The reason is that there will be a huge deprecation hit on that camper the moment you take it off the lot, and very few people buy the right full-time coach the first time out of the gate. Even if a pickup camper really is right for you, you may not pick the right one the first time out, and buying two or three brand-new campers in the space of a year or two can get expensive.
Take a look at Class C coaches. They have a footprint not much more than a pickup camper, but are closer to the ground, and some of them can tow a small vehicle. Pay attention to the weights, though.
