Advice on Pop-up campers.....

shawn474

Ok, so the wife and I have decided that instead of taking a vacation to the beach this year, we are going to try to save a little (approx. $2500) for a used pop up camper. Here's the rub, I have no freaking clue what I should be looking for. I have narrowed it down to a tow behind pop-up, mostly for ease of storage and for the fact that its just us and 2 small kids. It will be used for weekend trips initially with the potential for a week long trip down the road. I have found some used Jayco, Coleman and Starcraft (all good brands from my research) and am familiar with wiring, looking for leaks, rotting wood, damaged fiberglass, awning tears and wheel bearings. What else should I be looking at when shopping for one? It seems my budget would obviously limit me to something in the 1990-95 range from what I can gather, but it seems that a lot of these used ones have very little wear and tear. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Shawn

ROHfan

shawn474 wrote: »

Ok, so the wife and I have decided that instead of taking a vacation to the beach this year, we are going to try to save a little (approx. $2500) for a used pop up camper. Here's the rub, I have no freaking clue what I should be looking for. I have narrowed it down to a tow behind pop-up, mostly for ease of storage and for the fact that its just us and 2 small kids. It will be used for weekend trips initially with the potential for a week long trip down the road. I have found some used Jayco, Coleman and Starcraft (all good brands from my research) and am familiar with wiring, looking for leaks, rotting wood, damaged fiberglass, awning tears and wheel bearings. What else should I be looking at when shopping for one? It seems my budget would obviously limit me to something in the 1990-95 range from what I can gather, but it seems that a lot of these used ones have very little wear and tear. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Shawn

I sold my Rockwood popup last summer and built a wooden deck with the cash. We just weren't going camping that much anymore to warrant keeping it. I got $1800 for it and it was a 1999 with a/c and heat.

For $2500 you should be able to get a very good used one with lots of nice little features. Be patient and be picky. I would advise not spending a lot of money on a new one until you've got at least a season of experience under your belt. It is a decent amount of work but it's also a lot of fun.

You hit all the right things to look for but I would also suggest getting underneath the camper and looking for a lot of rust and corrosion. Make sure all the running lights are operational because they're a **** to diagnose and have to re-run all new wires. If the camper is equipped with surge brakes make sure they work. Depending on the weight of the trailer they may or may not be required by law according to what state you live in. The lighter the camper, the easier it is to tow. I towed my 18' with a '99 Plymouth Voyager van with ease, although we never traveled very far with it.

The other thing I would highly suggest is getting one with air conditioning. Popups heat up liken an oven in the summer and you'll be glad you got it if you ever camp during a heatwave like I have. Also make sure you have a good spare tire for the camper and the means to change the tire in an emergency. Having a flat on the side of the interstate is the wrong time to find out that your spare is practically welded to your chassis because the lugs are rusted solid.

If there are any steps inside the cabin leading up to the bunks check them carefully. They're the first things to start to loosen up because they get used constantly. If you plan to camp in the winter make sure it has a built-in propane heater.

Very important: Check the support rods that hold up the slide outs and make sure they aren't rusted. Make sure the slide outs slide easily. It should only take one person to slide them in and out. If the camper has a vinyl awning unzipper the compartment where it's stored as ask to see it set up. The legs that hold up the awning are aluminum and break often. Make sure the winch that raises and lowers the top works properly and without too much effort. A 12 year old should be able to crank it up. Check to see that it's been lubricated and none of the teeth on the drive gears are broken. If there's a dead spot in the gears it will be a **** to crank up.

CARRY FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.

Anything else I can think of I'll let you know. Any specific questions, ask away. I camped for about 8 years and have a decent amount of experience.

Good luck with your new hobby!

shawn474

As luck would have it, I got the pop up today. Have been scouring craigslist for some time now and a 1994 Dutchmen showed up 50 miles away. It is in great condition. The only thing wrong with it that I have to replace the lift cable. Should be easy enough to do. I can see exactly where it broke and how to fix it. Comes with AC, heat, refrigerator. 2 queen size beds. Sink, dining table and couch that folds into another bed. Its very spacious and functional. I cannot wait to get the wife and kids out.

I ordered the cable for $30 and have everything disassembled and waiting for the part. This will be a piece of cake; mostly because my father in law has done this quite a few times over the years. I crawled inside and for a 17 year old camper, it is in great condition. I will post pictures of the actual unit, but this is exactly what it looks like:

http://www.motorhomeclassifieds.com/155449.html

Oh yeah= got it for $450 and ordered the main lift cable for $30!!!!! Well under my budget and leaves room for some repairs if needed.

I can't wait to get the wife and kids out.

ben62670

Sweet. I love pop-ups. Just make sure they are completely completely dry before folding up. If you need to close it up to get it home make sure you set it back up as soon as you get home!
Enjoy.
Ben

mdaudioguy

Sounds like fun - enjoy! Why not take the camper to the beach?

joeparaski

Wow...at $450 you stole it! Congratulations.

Joe