Something snowmobile owners can relate to...

[Crnr2Crnr]

https://jalopnik.com/rv-dealerships-think-new-campers-are-pieces-of-junk-to-1847755639

We haven't owned a camper for over twenty years and I cringe everytime my wife shows the notion of wanting one, renting for a weekend once a year, maybe.  Owning one again... Not a chance in hell. 

 

[Crnr2Crnr]

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1950-westcraft-capistrano/

For the glamping enthusiast, check out this masterpiece that sold on BAT

[Bontz]

Guilty!!!  We own a camper - but thankfully not one that was purchased (or built) while COVID is going on.  There's definitely a level of maintenance & preventive maintenance that owners need to grasp, because just like the article mentioned .... things aren't gonna get fixed very quickly at the dealership.  One of my buddies, who camps with us, took his travel trailer in for some work and he had 5 or 6 items that weren't necessarily show stoppers - but asked the dealership to look into them while addressing a bigger problem he wanted fixed.  Of those 5 or 6 smaller issues, they "fixed" one ... which wasn't even a fix (it was a cheap attempt at one).  Hell, the dealerships are getting to the point of really taking advantage of people too.  This same buddy, one of the smaller items was the LED lighting that lights up the awning / "porch" area was only half working.  The dealership tried to tell him he would need to replace the entire awning unit.  It's just ridiculous.

 

Our group is getting closer and closer to saying the hell with it, and getting out of it altogether.  The problem is, the next activity we're talking about is UTV's ... and it's not like those things are readily available either.

[Crnr2Crnr]

3 minutes ago, Bontz said:

Guilty!!!  We own a camper - but thankfully not one that was purchased (or built) while COVID is going on.  There's definitely a level of maintenance & preventive maintenance that owners need to grasp, because just like the article mentioned .... things aren't gonna get fixed very quickly at the dealership.  One of my buddies, who camps with us, took his travel trailer in for some work and he had 5 or 6 items that weren't necessarily show stoppers - but asked the dealership to look into them while addressing a bigger problem he wanted fixed.  Of those 5 or 6 smaller issues, they "fixed" one ... which wasn't even a fix (it was a cheap attempt at one).  Hell, the dealerships are getting to the point of really taking advantage of people too.  This same buddy, one of the smaller items was the LED lighting that lights up the awning / "porch" area was only half working.  The dealership tried to tell him he would need to replace the entire awning unit.  It's just ridiculous.

 

Our group is getting closer and closer to saying the hell with it, and getting out of it altogether.  The problem is, the next activity we're talking about is UTV's ... and it's not like those things are readily available either.

I take care of a cottage originally built in the 1930s which has been added on to and upgraded over the years, and that is more than enough.

Unlike a camper, lakefront property doesn't typically go down in value.  Also unfortunately for anyone looking to buy lakefront property, people are way overpaying for that as well. 

Sell the camper and VRBO or Airbnb, it's cheaper, you can try different places, no property taxes and best of all, no repairs or responsibility.

[Legend]

Ive owned a few travel trailers/RV's. None that were built during C19. But they have all been built crappy. All "mainstream" campers are built like shit. 

[Mag6240]

43 minutes ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

Sell the camper and VRBO or Airbnb, it's cheaper, you can try different places, no property taxes and best of all, no repairs or responsibility.

THIS.  I got rid of a second home about 10-11 years ago.  Best decision I ever made.

[SShooterZ]

58 minutes ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1950-westcraft-capistrano/

For the glamping enthusiast, check out this masterpiece that sold on BAT

Um, SOLD FOR $630,000 ON 8/11/21 

Holy. SHIT. 

[Crnr2Crnr]

3 minutes ago, SShooterZ said:

Um, SOLD FOR $630,000 ON 8/11/21 

Holy. SHIT. 

That's a piece of artwork.  The team that built it has thousands of hours in it.  But yes, $630 for a camper is getting up there.  Then again, boats. 

 

[SShooterZ]

27 minutes ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

That's a piece of artwork.  The team that built it has thousands of hours in it.  But yes, $630 for a camper is getting up there.  Then again, boats. 

It really is quite a piece, no doubt about it. But a camper? That's a limited clientele that's for sure.

I sold my boat to start this season for what I paid for it 6 years ago. Knew we weren't going to use it and the market was hot. Crazy how expensive these toys are going for.

[Jerry 976]

 

Captain Storm's campers - - R.I.P. Cappy - - 

 

[Crnr2Crnr]

50 minutes ago, SShooterZ said:

It really is quite a piece, no doubt about it. But a camper? That's a limited clientele that's for sure.

I sold my boat to start this season for what I paid for it 6 years ago. Knew we weren't going to use it and the market was hot. Crazy how expensive these toys are going for.

Flip through the restoration pics and video, it's incredible.  People who drop 600 large on something like that don't worry about money, obviously. 

Considered selling my in town mint 96 bass boat this summer for a profit, but what would I replace it with?  Same with a classic car and Harley that rarely get used.  Thankfully my toys are all older, paid for, fun, special to me, and don't take up too much space ... my wife might disagree though. 

[mnstang]

6 hours ago, Legend said:

Ive owned a few travel trailers/RV's. None that were built during C19. But they have all been built crappy. All "mainstream" campers are built like shit. 

I am around them every day and I agree.

[Bontz]

They are a huge money maker, that's for sure.  Don't the majority of them come out of one factory in Indiana, or something like that?    I know my nephew worked at a RV place in North Dakota, and he would say how stupid people are to pay what they pay if they had any idea how shitty campers were.  There was some sort of stat they had (I don't know how legit it was) and it was something like 40 "uses" of a camper before you start seeing problems.  When I mentioned that to the crew we camp with, we all started laughing because that sure seemed to ring true with us.  I know on our camper, the electric setting on the water heater doesn't work ... but propane does.  It was going to be my project to work on this Fall, but I think I'm just gonna say screw it & keep running it on propane.  I'll take that problem 100x over a roof/seam leaking (knock on wood).

[Kivalo]

On 9/28/2021 at 1:11 PM, Crnr2Crnr said:

That's a piece of artwork.  The team that built it has thousands of hours in it.  But yes, $630 for a camper is getting up there.  Then again, boats. 

 

Sa

Eshit with yachts. If its affordable to the masses its built like shit.

[Ez ryder]

You guys ever see the MTV cribs with Andy Dick's house . Lol he has like 7 mint  airstream campers around his pool aria and his leach buddy's live in them 

[Zambroski]

I don’t get the appeal of these camper folks that load up and spend all week/end packed into these little parks 10 feet away from the next one.  But, I know several that just love it.  To each their own.

Now, to use it to find a nice piece of solitude and relax with the creature comforts they offer.  Ok, I can see that.

Still, I won’t say “never” but, the chance of me ever owning one is slim.

[Bontz]

5 minutes ago, Zambroski said:

I don’t get the appeal of these camper folks that load up and spend all week/end packed into these little parks 10 feet away from the next one.  But, I know several that just love it.  To each their own.

Now, to use it to find a nice piece of solitude and relax with the creature comforts they offer.  Ok, I can see that.

Still, I won’t say “never” but, the chance of me ever owning one is slim.

There are definitely campgrounds that pile people in on top of each other, but for us ... the places we generally go have larger sites and lack that "sardine effect" that you're referring to.  That doesn't mean it doesn't get chaotic when it comes time to go to a pool, or swimming area, but we generally find a spot for us adults to set up our chairs / or grab a table and enjoy the drinking and BS that goes with it (our kids are all old enough we don't need to hover over them and keep close tabs on what they're doing).  When us guys feel the need to get away, we just play the "gotta go check on the smoker to make sure everything's OK" card, and go back to the camper to enjoy some quiet time without the wives and kids 

[Zambroski]

18 minutes ago, Bontz said:

There are definitely campgrounds that pile people in on top of each other, but for us ... the places we generally go have larger sites and lack that "sardine effect" that you're referring to.  That doesn't mean it doesn't get chaotic when it comes time to go to a pool, or swimming area, but we generally find a spot for us adults to set up our chairs / or grab a table and enjoy the drinking and BS that goes with it (our kids are all old enough we don't need to hover over them and keep close tabs on what they're doing).  When us guys feel the need to get away, we just play the "gotta go check on the smoker to make sure everything's OK" card, and go back to the camper to enjoy some quiet time without the wives and kids 

I know several that go to the same campgrounds and have “camper buddies” they hook up with every year.  I get that. Some grounds up here you just lease the spot year round so, it’s like a second little home.  Maybe that’s normal though.  

It’s starting to slow a bit now usually from may to Sept, it’s a convoy of campers heading up the north shore.  I’ll be glad to start seeing the convoys with sleds….soon I hope.

[SayatodaU.P.eh?]

We are on our third travel trailer in 8 years time. Second new one. Our first new one was a COMPLETE pile of shit. This current one has been pretty good. I’m not going to complain about service because one of my good riding buddies is an RV service tech at the dealer we bought ours from so if they are too busy to get it in, he will come to the house after hours and do it. He’s flat rate so he still gets paid for it. 
 

As far as quality, anything towable is garbage. Motorhomes are you get what you pay for.  Camping is the wife’s only hobby so I oblige. The second that I can sell it all and buy a permanent place up north, I will. 

Edited October 2, 2021 by SayatodaU.P.eh?

[Ez ryder]

On 10/2/2021 at 9:48 AM, SayatodaU.P.eh? said:

We are on our third travel trailer in 8 years time. Second new one. Our first new one was a COMPLETE pile of shit. This current one has been pretty good. I’m not going to complain about service because one of my good riding buddies is an RV service tech at the dealer we bought ours from so if they are too busy to get it in, he will come to the house after hours and do it. He’s flat rate so he still gets paid for it. 
 

As far as quality, anything towable is garbage. Motorhomes are you get what you pay for.  Camping is the wife’s only hobby so I oblige. The second that I can sell it all and buy a permanent place up north, I will. 

I had the same place up northern MN for decades . Sold it last yr . And I do miss a lot of parts of it . But that said I have really enjoyed exploring new arias that I just never would have if I still had the cabin . I had said after I get the new house built and dump the old one I would build a new cabin around where the old one was. But now not so sure I really like Cass County but finding other places  I really like and find my self looking in to lots 

[Ez ryder]

On 10/2/2021 at 8:24 AM, Zambroski said:

I don’t get the appeal of these camper folks that load up and spend all week/end packed into these little parks 10 feet away from the next one.  But, I know several that just love it.  To each their own.

Now, to use it to find a nice piece of solitude and relax with the creature comforts they offer.  Ok, I can see that.

Still, I won’t say “never” but, the chance of me ever owning one is slim.

I deff do not get the trailer park type places people line up 10 feet apart .just gross .

I really only do state rustic camp grounds . But that is only if I can't find a spot on Google maps in a state or fed  forest off a forest road or clear cut type of place .

You could not pay me to spend any time in one of those privet stacked like cord wood places .