Buying a travel trailer...experiences

I don't have a Lance, but I bought my NoBo through Poulsbo RV in Kent.

For Lance I've read that Pacific Travel Center in Tacoma is supposed to be really good. Clearview RV in Snohomish also has good reviews.

 

I bought a 2019 Jayco SLX7 195RB last November. It's small, dry weight 2950lbs, and my Taco pulls it well.

I did need to mod a few things but so far it's been a lot of fun. Took it to the desert right as COVID started getting bad in March. It did well over dirt roads to get to our boondocking spot.

Of course, it's a small trailer, but I think it's just the right size for our 3-4 day getaways.


Did I mention that I bought it new for $12k and change? There are deals to be had if you haggle. For me it was Black Friday, but I'm sure due to current events they'd probably be a lot more flexible now.

 

See update in first post. Thank you @Darla

 

See my first post with update.
It's crazy at the dealerships. Both that I went to said that inventory is flying out the door. Both were busier this last month than they were year over year. I guess people are getting stir crazy and not willing to travel by plane. With the factories closed, they cannot replace inventory. So deals are not that great, but not bad either.

 

The No-Bo’s are supposed to be really good, enjoy it.

 

Nice rig!!! Congratulations!!! I like the slide out sofa, that looks really cool!

You'll probably want to tow with empty tanks to keep the weight down but I think you're going to have a great time.

 

How do you like this trailer?
And what kind of mods did you have to do?
Never towed before, but looking to purchase something like this for a cross country trip at end of summer.

 

The 195rb was one of the models I looked at before going with the No Bo. overall build quality is fair. the cabinets, like most, were cheap laminate and easily damaged.
I didn't like the refrigerator with the built in freezer vs the separate freezer in most other brands and the higher end Jayco's. Also this model does not have a sink in the bathroom. The orientation of the queen bed is a plus and the distance between the dinette and the kitchen is adequate. I think the 183rb is a better layout for a similar price range.

 

@KissmyTaco
Yesterday I went to a dealer here in SoAZ to look at a very specific model. He also claimed they were incredibly busy - record setting in May and that inventory was stopped. He practically begged me not to buy anything before the end of the month. (insert HAHAHHAHAHHA here. Come on man.)

Anyway, not really looking forward to going through the sales process if we go that route.

How would you feel about hauling what you bought down and up the Salt River Canyon? We are looking at the real bare bones Jayco - the layout actually works for us. 175 RD if I recall.

 

I looked at some of the Jayco's. One thing I can say about the configuration of the 175 RD is the bed will be a challenge for 2. Getting in and out from the far side requires you to crawl over the other person. So if you don't sleep thru the night.... Personally, in that weight range, I'd look at the 195 RB or the Jayco Hummingbird 16MRB, its very close in weight and has the bed oriented much better.
My other complaint about the Jayco is the small refrigerator size and interior freezer- it's like a counter high refrig. Most other brands in this category have a separate refrigerator and freezer. Some may not find that a big deal, but if you want ice, at least you have some space for it.
The Forest river Ozark 1660FQ is also quite nice and the build quality is a bit better. Its weight is slightly more but not significant.
I made a list of links of trailers in the weight range you are looking. If you are interested, let me know. I stuck to the major manufacturers, there are so many to choose from, I probably barely scratched the surface.

To answer your question regarding Salt River Canyon. I presume you mean near Globe? Looks like a pretty easy haul to Globe via the 60 then on to SRC.
I have never been to that area, but I think the Tacoma, especially at the weight trailer you are looking at should handle it fine.
I would have no issue taking my trailer to Cali on either the 10 or the 8 and there are some pretty steep (6%) grades heading there. Just got to go slow and easy up those hills. When I hauled horses and was loaded down with an F350 diesel dually crew cab, going up those grades was 45-55 max and the RPMs were up there even with that truck. The torque in the taco is at high RPM, so you need to let the engine do its thing.
You should be fine.

 

This is a 06 17 Ft Casita Spirit Deluxe with the side dinette that converts to a bed, we keep the rear dinette setup as main bed with a memory foam mattress. Has bath in front. 2200 lbs dry and 3100 loaded for camping. Tows great. Only use a sway bar. Good trailer if your not tall. I am 5'10" and its great. These trailers will outlast your tow vehicle, we are fiberglass trailer fans. Eventually I would like to buy an Escape 21 ft for easy in and out of bed (no crawl-over) and a bit more room inside, but that will require a new tow vehicle, maybe a new Tundra. We have been camping with this rig for over 9 yrs now.

 

I do like the trailer, it's easy to tow and it's smaller size allows me to park it at the side of my house.

I added LiPo battery and charging system, modified the holding tanks, added dual propane, inductive tank readers, much better mattress, hydraulic lifts for the bed storage, and cameras.

OP is right in that the refrigerator is SMALL. Build quality is about what you can expect in an RV, it's clear that they build to a price, not a standard. I'm happy with it and it does do well out in the desert boondocking, which is why I purchased it.

As OP says, shop to fit your needs and budget. As a first time purchaser I didn't want to break the bank in case the lifestyle didn't suit me. Since you pretty much accept the fact that these things depreciate worse than a Yugo making a good choice is important. You'll be living with your decision for a while.



I'm happy!

 

Clearwater Lake, Delta Junction, Alaska



First big outing but having a trailer is a game changer camping with kids.

 

I'm really wanting to get a Casita right now. I'm glad to hear it tows great.

 

How we got this Casita was by running a wanted ad on Craigslist, we beat the competition, it was down in Santa Rosa area, and wasn't cheap. But it beat going to Texas and back for a new one at the time, gas alone would have been a lot for that trip. 9 yrs later its still worth what we paid for it back then.