What made you choose your camper?

[ependydad]

Like the others - floorplan with specific features (bedroom slide, u-shaped dinette, bath w/ exterior door, bunkhouses with slide, outdoor kitchen).

For me, it had to be a 5th wheel with the lengths we were looking at (> 30').

And then quality and usability came at the same priority level. Many of the awnings on these were seemingly unusable (so far forward and no place to put a table w/o blocking an access door of some kind). For us, the fold-down bunk in the Sierra/Sandpiper 365SAQ bunks just felt like it wouldn't support our weight. Comfortable bathroom. No step mid-floor in the master bedroom but still having head-room to walk around the bed.

There are things we compromised on-
1) I wish the kitchen was laid out differently. I can't get to the fridge when the slide is in without stepping on the slide floor (which is bad, because it's raised and unsupported).
2) I wish the TV was in-line with the sofa. Looking left to watch TV just isn't comfortable.
3) I wish our bedroom door opened fully.
4) I wish the quality overall was a little better - silly stuff that shows how quickly it was built.

[SaskCampers]

Oh I forgot, full access to the pantry, fridge, stove and bathroom with the slides in.

[trudinator]

We researched for well over a year. We made a list of "must haves" and this is what was on it:

Outside kitchen
Free standing dining room table and chairs
Big bathroom
Ability to sleep 2 (and no more than 2, if you get my drift)
Electric everything
Adequate storage inside and out

Since we'd never owned an RV before, we researched umpteen models and looked at what seemed like hundreds of floor plans, from all sorts of different manufacturers. When we ran across the floorplan of our eventual purchase it was like BAM! Everything we wanted, in our price range.

[sself1219]

My wife found ours by mistake, we had been talking about buying a camper and looked at a couple, one of her friends decided to sell their camper because they had only used it once. I got it for half what it was worth according to nada.com.

[Auto4]

We needed more room so first on our list was a slid out bunk house.

Outside kitchen was second on the list followed by a separate entrance to the bathroom, which turns out we never use, solid doors verses cloth, and a entertainment center that did not have a swivel television set up. The dw didn't like the fact that the kids could see into the bedroom through the seams in that type of setup.

And finally I needed all that in the 7000lbs range.

We found that the flagstaff 831bhs satisfied everything on our wish list. I feel that we got what we paid for and the unit makes our camping experience that much better. Having said that, the next time around I will not be shopping in the light weight category.

[whj77372]

First, price, you must be able to pay for it. After 17 months looking and attending
Excapee's Boot Camp, were they teach you how to buy your third RV first, we had a good idea what we wanted and could pay for. RV shows are a very good way to see many different units at the same time and then the internet and forums like this one and Excapee's fourm were the most useful. After the 17 months looking, we got a 2012, V-Cross 275, fiver. Much to our delight, it was purchased at the closed RV dealer to our small ranch, less then 10 miles away. We had found it at another location owned by the same dealer which was 75 miles away and the transported it to the closer dealer were we picked it up. Good Luck

[caper]

The V nose with the large closet was one of the main reasons we purchased our TT. The weight of the TT was also a major reason. We also liked the rear living room with the large picture window and the two chairs. It is great while parked in BC and the trailer overlooks the water with the mountains on the main land in the distance. We sit in the chairs and watch the scenery several hours a day.

[GlacierGus]

For me it was first weight and length. I wanted to be able to tow with my Durango. I have been a backpacker most of my life so anything larger than a 2 person tent is roomy enough for me. It is just DW and myself so a smaller TT works for us. Next was the floorplan. I looked at a lot of different models on the internet and the Mini Lite just fits my camping plans. I plan to do a lot of boondocking.

[Linnemj]

We wanted a toy hauler where you lived in the entire trailer once the motorcycles were out. Forest River made several changes to the floorplan which made it more comfortable. We love the large living area in the front and the kitchen in the V nose. The large slide provides quite a bit of living space.

[Berkshireba]

Beds! My DW wanted the kids to have beds bigger than bunks. Weight! I wanted the weight to be well within my TV capacity(5500with options) Length 31' isnlonger than I wanted but I'll deal with.

My order is complete and I pick up my2013 sv291 Friday

[rockwood06]

The floor plan, the 8314ss 2006 was just right......Forest River has some nice floor plans and we almost bought a 2012 Windjammer just a month or two ago and it would have been our 3rd Forest River product but since the dealer would not come down to where I wanted to be with the price we walked away from it, after all this same camper was in the Hershey Rv Show last year so it has been on there lot for one year.

[AmyBarkerPhoto]

We have a Grey Wolf too. We just picked it up from Cheyenne Camping Center this past Tuesday (less than a week now). The reason we picked this model *27BHKS* is because we wanted an outdoor entrance to the bathroom for dirty kids, and I had to have a booth dinette. We also liked how the entertainment center was infront of the queen bed, and how we can close it off from the 'living area'.

[AmyBarkerPhoto]

Originally Posted by TheSasks

Oh I forgot, full access to the pantry, fridge, stove and bathroom with the slides in.

Oh I forgot this too!! This was a major selling point for us! We wanted to access it while stopped in rest areas as some states you can't slide it out or it's considered camping and you'll get a ticket.

[AmyBarkerPhoto]

Oh, and also, we had to have bunks for the kids. They are 10 and 14 and had been sharing a bed in the pop up we had.

[PopBeavers]

We wanted to replace the Trailmanor with an MH because we were driving 2 full sized trucks. One towed the TT and the other towed the ATV trailer. We will be towing the ATV trailer with the Solera.

Having decided on an MH the next issue was length. My driveway is 26 feet. The Solera is 24.5 feet. I will not go past 26 feet, even by one inch.

We looked at most, if not all, Sprinter based MHs. DW did not like the European style two burner stove. She preferred the three burner Suburban that we have in the TT.

DW also did not like the combination oven/microwave.

Permanent queen bed was a must. We were not fond of the corner beds because DW has had double knee replacements in the past year and crawling on the bed seemed like a bad idea. There are only a few double slide MHs with the slide out queen bed to choose from. We bought the show special at the Pomona show. Should have it in another two weeks.

[geodavis]

Ours is a Salem 27rls something for the wife and I. Our first trailer was a bunk house for grand kids. Took a long trip and had wasted space. Second was price wanted to pay cash. Third was weight found it all in the Salem.
Days camped in 2012 44

[BOBFIDY]

When we bought our trailer 2 years ago the DW had a list of things she "had" to have.
A microwave low enough that she could reach.
A table and chairs to eat off of.
A king sized bed.
Big enough clothes closets to do long trips.
And a nice chair in the living room.
We looked and looked and when she told a salesman that she was not interested unless her list was complete, he said he thought that they had something that would fill the bill.....AND THEY DID.
We made the deal on the spot.
Two years later we could not be any happier with our choice.

[Whisky]

.
the Wife

she bought and paid for it - personally I would be just as happy without it - it sorta forced me to buy the F150 - nice truck but I could do without it too.....Bill

[Vinster30]

We purchased our Sierra 366FL mainly for the floor plan. Although this is our 3rd RV, we searched for six months before running across this front living 5th wheel. We had gone to about 30 dealerships and 3 RV shows, before the better half found the one with the WOW factor. Found it at our favorite dealership that we purchased previous TT from, they had just received the trailer that day. These are some of the things that we required:

1. Side bath, no walking through the bathroom to get to the bedroom. No toilet in a closet.
2. Free standing dinette.
3. Big pantry storage.
4. Able to install Dish DVR with TV's in living room, bedroom and outside connection.
5. Price we could afford.
6. Able to see TV from kitchen when cooking.
7. Towable with a F250

[TheFordes]

To start off She (yes I have named her) Spoke to me when I walked in the door.

Had been camping for 7 years in a 31 TT with Quad bunks and one slide.

Time for a ToyHauler when DH bought a golf cart.

Floor Plan.
Didn't want a Dinette at all. Wanted and needed the large 90" couch.
Wanted my bathroom all in one room and not in the bedroom
Wanted my 4 door fridge
Love the countertops and large since
Bar for the kids to eat at and plenty of counter space.

Loved the fact that all my windows face my campsite so I don't feel the need to keep my shades shut and that I get to what my family as I am in cooking.

LOVE the colors and the fact once the golf cart is out and the garage in turned back into a bedroom you don't realize or feel that you are in a toyhauler.

XLR 386x12 2012