Full-time in Keystone Bullet Premier?

[Eric21]

First let me say that we have spent as long as 5 consecutive months in our 19' KZ Sportsman with no slides and with two of us so I agree that there are those of us who can live quite comfortably and happily in smaller RVs. There are two problems with most of the smaller, light weight RVs in that they tend to be difficult to heat if you get caught in really cold weather, and most of them have plumbing that is in unheated locations that can easily freeze in such situations. Ours does. The other problem area that you need to look at closely is having enough storage to carry all of your possessions with you. We managed that nicely for 12 years in an RV that was smaller than most couples live in, but we would not be able to carry everything in our present RV. Be very careful of both weight limits and available storage space. It can be done, but just go carefully.

In the smaller trailers, I would consider either the Escape 5.0TA or the Scamp 19' fiver to be very good choices, particularly for a single who enjoys small spaces. The main drawback to these is the price since they, like most of the highest quality RVs, are at the high end of the price structure for such small RVs. The Escape is listed as $30,300 Canadian, which converts to $21,470 US. Scamp doesn't list their prices so you would need to call them, but they are US built so there could be some savings in that. Another of the fiberglass egg constructed RVs that may be of interest to you is the Oliver Legacy Elite II which isn't a fiver but it is 23' long.

The RV Consumer Group is very much alive and active. I am no longer a paid up member, but was for quite a long time and still believe in the work that they do and I still support and recommend it. While it isn't a cheap group to join, they do provide excellent education materials and when I last checked them the ratings materials were as good, accurate, and unbiased as can be found anywhere. I was an active part of the group for several years at two different times and have used their advice in researching and purchasing several RVs. I believe that they are especially worth the cost for a new, inexperienced RV buyer. I believe that you will find very few who have joined the group and didn't feel that they got good value for the cost.

Thanks Kirk,

 

Is it a problem to dump the tanks and otherwise winterize the unit if an unexpected freeze is forecasted? I haven’t looked into that yet. I could get by for days with a few gallons of water in jugs (or access to an outside water spigot).

 

The Escape 5.0 TA is the only fiberglass shell model that I can stand in comfortably …of the ones currently being made anyway. My main issues with the unit are access to the mattress, lack of slide (feels significantly less roomy), lack of outside storage (especially the loss of pickup bed), wait time for getting a new unit, and expense of shipping it from western Canada. But the unit has a lot of really strong positives too ...which keeps them in the running.

 

And I’ll definitely look into the RV Consumer Group. Thanks for all the advice.

[theeyres]

As for heating...we have a 23' Hideout, low end, non insulated underbelly, tanks exposed, etc. We have been in 26 degree nights, warming up during the day, and our little box electric heater kept us toasty through the night at around 60...which is where we set it. We hit the furnace in the morning for 15 minutes or so to bring it up to 70 and the electric heater keeps us just fine. I should also add that when it was 100 the a/c brought it down to a comfortable 80 in a couple hours. I, for one, wouldn't consider the Escape for full time because the space is so minimal, as is storage. As for quality, you will have to keep after things because the low end units certainly don't have the quality materials. But one person, being carefully, you should be alright. 90% of the people that full time start out with one unit, then after a time figure out what will really work and trade up. If you really move only every two weeks, going only 60 miles or so your truck will be just fine. But if you do decide to head west into the Rockies you may be under powered. If you are happy going up hills at 30-45 then you will be fine. Not all of us are of the bigger is better beliefs. You just have to scale down your expectations. We towed a much bigger trailer with a 1/2 ton that shifted down when going over overpasses on the freeway and were perfectly happy..but you do have to lower your expectations. If you are willing to do that, then I say go for it.

[Eric21]

I had a pop up camper that was about 17 feet long overall. We used a small electric heater that would burn us out. I am certain you could get an inexpensive electric space heater to keep a 23 footer toasty. Also, I've looked closely at the Casita (even visited the factory) and the Escape. If I were to buy a trailer between those two, Escape would win. Quality is about the same but the Escape is bigger. The Casita is neat but the extra room of the Escape won me over. If you want to look at an over-the-top egg, take a look at Oliver but make sure you have a BIG wallet! (On edit: I did not see Kirk's mention of Oliver before mine - Oops)

 

I don't recall your budget if you mentioned it. Arctic Fox is one of the top listers but also take a look at Big Foot. Really neat four season trailers that will definitely stand up to full time living.

 

Something else to consider with the eggs: they really hold their value. I don't know if it is because they are well built or because of the cult-like following, but they seem to hold value better than most other mid-level trailers. I shudder to think how much our Montana will be worth in a few years

Thanks Kevin,

 

I can't stand comfortably in the Casita, Oliver, Big Foot or even the smaller Escape models. It's either a 5.0 TA or a used Egg Camper if I go that route. I think the appeal of the fiber glass trailers is:

 

* Less leaks

* longevity

* Lighter weight

* aerodynamics

* Smaller, more fuel efficient tow vehicle

* Less Maintenance

* stronger resale value

* Getting to feel like a giant hatching chick every morning

 

I want to keep total cost to less than $58,000. That includes tow-vehicle and trailer costs combined. ...or motorhome and toad combined, if I go that route. I prefer to keep cost as low as possible though. I could go a little higher if I felt it would significantly reduce hassle or lower TCO.

[Eric21]

As for heating...we have a 23' Hideout, low end, non insulated underbelly, tanks exposed, etc. We have been in 26 degree nights, warming up during the day, and our little box electric heater kept us toasty through the night at around 60...which is where we set it. We hit the furnace in the morning for 15 minutes or so to bring it up to 70 and the electric heater keeps us just fine. I should also add that when it was 100 the a/c brought it down to a comfortable 80 in a couple hours. I, for one, wouldn't consider the Escape for full time because the space is so minimal, as is storage. As for quality, you will have to keep after things because the low end units certainly don't have the quality materials. But one person, being carefully, you should be alright. 90% of the people that full time start out with one unit, then after a time figure out what will really work and trade up. If you really move only every two weeks, going only 60 miles or so your truck will be just fine. But if you do decide to head west into the Rockies you may be under powered. If you are happy going up hills at 30-45 then you will be fine. Not all of us are of the bigger is better beliefs. You just have to scale down your expectations. We towed a much bigger trailer with a 1/2 ton that shifted down when going over overpasses on the freeway and were perfectly happy..but you do have to lower your expectations. If you are willing to do that, then I say go for it.

Thanks for the info. I hope to keep most towing days slow and short. But I'm sure there would be days where I'd have to make some time and I'd angrily curse the V6 engine for ruining my life. It might be worth waiting till the fall to see if the F-150 gets the 10 speed transmission. If reasonably priced, that would be an exciting truck. But I'm pretty sure I could get by with the Ram V6.

[dzwiss]

If I were looking for a small trailer for fill timing I would prefer a travel trailer to a 5er because with a 5er you would lose the pickup bed for storage an any small trailer will probably have inadiquate storage by itself.

[trailertraveler]

...Is it a problem to dump the tanks and otherwise winterize the unit if an unexpected freeze is forecasted? I haven’t looked into that yet. I could get by for days with a few gallons of water in jugs (or access to an outside water spigot)...

With the enclosed underbelly and the 2" duct to the under area, if it is anything like our past two trailers, you should have no freezing problems overnight with temps down to the mid 20s. However, you do have to run the furnace so that the heat gets into the underbelly. I also open the cabinet doors under the sink and vanity. If you rely on space heaters just in the coach, you could have problems. As for water, you should be able to use your onboard water tank and pump. It is a good idea to disconnect the city water supply hose and drain it so that it does not freeze solid. If you have a water filter installed in the outside, make sure you drain it as well as possible. The outside flexible sewer line(s) should be drained. If the dump valves are outside the underbelly they may freeze and not want to open until thawed.

 

Just about every thread about travel trailers mentions a lack of storage space. If you put a tonneau cover or cap on a pickup truck or tow with a van, you have lots of storage space. Of course you have to be aware of the payload capacity of the tow vehicle. One thing I have noticed in many RVs including the ones that we have owned is that the storage spaces are not very functional. For example, our current trailer has a closet that the first shelf was 36" from the floor. I installed a new light weight wire shelf at 18" and basically doubled the storage capacity for the types of things we needed to store. The same is true of the cabinet under the sink and some of the wall cabinets. Of course you have to be aware of how much weight you put in the cabinets. I have seen them come off the walls in houses and RVs from overloading. The Bullet trailer you linked to has a carrying capacity of over 2000#, so I would think it should be adequate for a single traveler.

 

As for modifying the dinette, look at how it is setup. Our current trailer is such that the back seat and cushions are removable and the table can be turned. The side benches just have storage underneath so could also be completely removed if so desired. Our previous trailer had a storage compartment accessible from outside under the back bench and the water pump and accumulator tank were under one of the side benches, so modification of that dinette was pretty much a nonstarter.

 

Hope this information helps! Good luck with the search for the right RV for you.

[pinkcone]

Several thoughts in no particular order of importance.

 

We tow a 3500# (loaded) 96” wide by 16’ long (inside) travel trailer with a 4 cylinder vehicle (see sig line). It works OK but understand we are right at the limits of the Escape. I rely on a ScanGauge II for engine and tranny temps and on any long mountain grade horsepower outstrips cooling capacity so we either slow down or the car takes over and cuts power output to (it’s words) “prevent damage”. You can go from this extreme to the guy who tows an ALiner (folding trailer) with a 1T Diesel Dually. Oil changes are at 10,000mi and we now have a tranny fluid drain&fill out of concern for running at the limit. 11mpg towing (seven thousand mile average) and 27mpg not towing but open road.

 

Go to one of the big RV shows if possible. You will see more units there than you could see in several months of driving around to dealers.

 

Sit on the toilet and close the bathroom door. You’ll be surprised how many RVs don’t pass this test. Stand in the shower. Lay on the bed. Some are quite short.

 

Look at tank sizes. In the RV size range you are interested in 30gal (each) is about the best you can expect but some have puny tanks which can be a real pain.

 

A front island queen bed is easily found in TTs as small as ours (16ft inside, 21ft hitch-to-bumper).

 

Think about carrying capacity and decide how much you need. This is highly dependent on your lifestyle. Some find a 42’ Pusher too small for fulltime living while there are more than a few fulltimers who live in 13ft (inside) Casita TTs. Some folks here will suggest that fulltimers need 1000# for each adult for personal gear while we (2 of us) happily do extended (4month) travel with a total of about 250# for everything including kitchen stuff.

[Phil Saran]

You've been given lots of good advice, what can I add?

As stated make sure you can sit on the toilet and stand up in the shower.

 

Storage in a small trailer is most times small or non existent. You said you

will put a cap on your truck bed so that will give you room to store cloths in bins.

 

Gas mileage...previously we owned a 27 ft. then a 30 ft. travel trailer towed by a

Ford 1 ton diesel truck, gas mileage was 10-13 towing and 17 solo. In our new MH

towing a 4K small truck behind mileage is 7.

 

If you need indoor storage buy a 5th wheel not a TT. They do make 19 ft. 5th wheels.

[Kirk W]

I hope to keep most towing days slow and short. But I'm sure there would be days where I'd have to make some time and I'd angrily curse the V6 engine for ruining my life. It might be worth waiting till the fall to see if the F-150 gets the 10 speed transmission. If reasonably priced, that would be an exciting truck. But I'm pretty sure I could get by with the Ram V6.

We have been towing a travel trailer of 3500# with a gasoline powered V-6 now for two years. The vehicle is rated to tow up to 5000# so it is well under the limit. While it does do a respectable job in towing the catch is that fuel consumption when towing is cut by half, or a bit more. Running empty it will get 20 - 22 mpg and with the trailer the very best has been 12 mpg and the average is just under 11 mpg. On the other hand, we just purchased a 3/4 ton, 5.9 diesel truck which belonged to a close friend who no longer has a use for the truck but I have the records from it show very close to 22 gpm when empty and when they towed their 5800# travel trailer with it, they usually got 14 mpg. I have not yet towed our trailer with it, but based upon the records that came with the truck, I expect to be close to 16 mpg. My point isn't that I think you need to tow with a diesel but rather that a bit more engine will probably perform better and operate at a lower fuel cost than would the more minimal size engine.

[Daveh]

Congratulations on your thorough research! I went through this same process and recently and took Kirk's advice to sign up for the RV Consumer product. No surprises but I found it very reassuring. We (Wife and I) started out thinking small and, after months of pretty intense research, I was very focused on the Escape 5.0 and the Oliver. I have not been in either one but was set to tour the factory of Oliver when we decided to both go full time and go bigger. My research then led me to the Arctic Fox (40 foot and holds temperature extremely well). You will find that the RV Consumer group consistently gives high marks to the above referenced brands. They generally give average marks to the very large brands (generally) and I think you would find that with the Bullet .

 

Anyway, what I really wanted to say was that I was thinking the Escape before you even mentioned it. I don't know what specific allergies you have but that figerglass shell would be pretty wonderful for cleaning etc. I think the concerns you have mentioned for the Escape are legitimate. I think all of the fiberglasses are impressive but you will need to decide the livability issues.

 

The one comment you made that threw me a little bit was regard to storage space for the future. Remember your proposed tow vehicle will be the limiting factor. Space does little good if you don't have the weight capacity.

[Darryl&Rita]

40 foot Arctic Fox? Colour me intrigued. What floor plan is that?

[Daveh]

39 foot with hitch to be more exact. http://northwoodmfg.com/arctic-fox-2/arctic-fox-35-5z/

[Eric21]

Thanks for the all the great info everyone! I wish Northwood had a bigger dealer network. Their smaller trailers are actually within my budget and desired weight range. They weren't at the Tampa RV Show and they aren't going to the Orlando show either. The closest dealer is more than 600 miles away.

 

Lance has a dealer close by, and will be at the show tomorrow. Does anyone know how their trailers compare to Norhwood? They seem to be selling at a similar price range.

[Eric21]

Okay,

So I went to the Orlando RV show today. A few thoughts in no particular order:

* Compared to the Super Show in Tampa, it was disappointing. There are single dealerships with more models. No factory reps. Just sales people hovering around looking for angles to make a sale or to lockup their position as your rep at their dealership. I kind of feel like a paid $10 to visit a medium size dealership.

 

* The best aspect was talking to the other shoppers. Talking to people who own similar model or the models competitor was valuable.

 

* Compared to the travel trailers, the feeling of quality, luxury and space in some of the large 5th wheels and Class A coaches is amazing. I can see why so many full-timers end up in these two options.

 

* The advice to try out all daily activities was great! I thought a floor plan looked great, but when I went through the motions of cooking, I would hit my head on a curved roof or full size cabinets etc.

 

* Floorplans that looks good on paper, don’t alway work-out in real life.

 

* As a rule, the dinette table and bench backs are extremely flimsy in travel trailers.

 

* Frequently, the sales people know very little about the models.

I’ll give my thoughts on particular units in the next post.

[Eric21]

Thoughts on some models that I saw at the Orlando RV Show.

Keystone Bullet Ultra-Lite
This is a no go. Didn’t fit well. Things looked and felt flimsy.

Keystone Bullet Premier
More attractive and better quality than the entry level trailers, but not as good as I thought it would be. They didn’t have the floorplans I wanted to see. The floorplan at the show had issues. I hit my head when trying to cook. I couldn’t stand up in the shower. The design of cabinets around the bed was awkward. Still felt a bit flimsy. Some interior walls were pretty thin. The shelf and drawer bottoms felt pretty thin. The back of the dinette felt like it could be easily snapped.

Lance 1685 and 1995
Pros:

* Better quality design and interior than the Bullet Premier. …sturdier walls and cabinets. Things just felt more solid.

* Their was more attention to detail in the design. Little touches that were nice.

* Less strong/offensive “new car” smell. They claim to use less toxic glues and other construction materials. Strangely, they weren’t Green Certified like some other trailers though.

* I could stand in the shower and work at the kitchen counter etc.

* Overall, it was the highest quality and best fitting small trailer at the show.

Cons:

* The most expensive in it’s class.

* The 1995 has a window in the front with no rock guard? Hope it’s bullet proof.

* In the 1995, it felt weird laying in the bed with a glass window inches behind my head and curving above my head! I’d feel safer with a solid backing there. Wonder if they have a solution for this? I like the front window in the 2015 models better.

* I can stand in the shower, but can’t imagine using it without getting the bathroom soaked. There’s no way the shower curtain would stay tucked in. And water would probably spray over the top too. I wonder if there is a solution to the this? They do have a model (the 1985) with a different style shower but it wasn’t at the show. It looks better though.

* Although the dinette felt sturdier than the other trailers, it still felt a little wobbly.

* Less storage space than I thought once I started opening up all the drawers etc. Some spaces had wiring, electronics etc. Probably sufficient, but I’ll need to double check.

* Less carry capacity than I thought once it’s loaded down with common options like air conditioner etc. But should still be sufficient.

 

* One 2016 model (the 1685) had a moldy and leaky awning! I'm surprised they would bring a defective model to the show.

 

Models not at the show, but I still want to checkout:

Rockwood Mini, Northwood/OutdoorsRV (Arctic Fox, Nash, Creek Side), Coachman Freedom Express, Dutchman Aerolite, Evergreen I-Go, Winnebago

[Eric21]

A few questions:

Are there tricks to making travel trailer kitchen tables less wobbly and more solid?

Are there tricks and tips for dealing with small, curtained showers?

Other than bringing everything I’m taking and seeing if it fits, are there tricks to telling if a trailer has sufficient storage?

The Lance 1685 doesn’t have a walk around bed. If I went with that model, do you think it would hurt the resale value or the length of time it takes to sell?

Any idea how a new 2016 trailer would get a moldy and leaky awning? Is it indicative of poor quality at Lance or mistreatment at the dealership?

[theeyres]

If you don't plan to be making the table into a bed, just drill a couple small holes through the post holders and posts and insert sheet metal screws. It will make the table rock solid.

 

You are discovering the disadvantages of pull trailers for full-timing. Very limited storage. When we snow-birded in a 24' trailer, we just accepted that much of our stuff went in plastic totes into the back of a truck (with a canopy). Most lower end trailers are flimsy. They are built for weekenders who don't want to spend more money when they are only used a few times a year. In fact, if you read the fine print, you will find that many, if not most, of the lower end trailers will say that the warranty is invalid if you live in it full-time. Get a better one, then you will need a bigger truck to pull it.

 

Do check out Arctic Fox. They are more expensive but built to last. IMHO you will be much more impressed with them than the Lance.

[Kirk W]

Thoughts on some models that I saw at the Orlando RV Show.

 

Keystone Bullet Ultra-Lite

This is a no go. Didn’t fit well. Things looked and felt flimsy.

 

Keystone Bullet Premier

More attractive and better quality than the entry level trailers, but not as good as I thought it would be. They didn’t have the floorplans I wanted to see. The floorplan at the show had issues. I hit my head when trying to cook. I couldn’t stand up in the shower. The design of cabinets around the bed was awkward. Still felt a bit flimsy. Some interior walls were pretty thin. The shelf and drawer bottoms felt pretty thin. The back of the dinette felt like it could be easily snapped.

Remember that any ultra-lite will be designed with trailer weight as high priority and so it is very rare to find one that it also of high quality. It is very difficult and expensive to build a lite weight trailer that is of high quality.

 

Your issue with the Bullet Premier are pretty much the same as those of the friends I posted about earlier. I helped him to completely rebuild the dinette backs after about a year of use. We also had to replace parts of most of the drawers. But remember that the Bullet is no unique in these factors so check the same things in every RV you consider.

 

Are there tricks to making travel trailer kitchen tables less wobbly and more solid?

As Earl says, part of the problem is the way the table is designed to make into a bed. You would need some sort of bracing to improve it's stability and while that could be done it will not be easy and will add weight, if you keep it so that it makes into a bed.

 

Are there tricks and tips for dealing with small, curtained showers?

Some things that will help is to add some means of fastening the edges of the shower curtain in the locations where they need to be while in use. On ours, I added Scotch All Weather Hook & Loop tapes to the edges of the shower curtain and so attach each end to the appropriate wall. I don't know that there is much to be done at the top, other than to raise the position the curtain hangs from. Since neither of us are very tall, that has not been an issue for us.

 

Other than bringing everything I’m taking and seeing if it fits, are there tricks to telling if a trailer has sufficient storage?

The minimum amount of storage space is a very subjective thing. No two people take exactly the same amounts with them and equally problematic is the weight capacity that can be safely placed into the available storage space. Things like tools and books are very heavy and space is only a part of the issue, while some other things are large but of lite weight. It is very important that you look at the weight limits of any RV as well as the storage space and also you need to see where the space is located, compared to those weight limits. As an example, it is very common for there to be massive storage near the front of a trailer but if the GVWR of the trailer is near the limit with just food, water, and living needs, you won't be able to safely fill that space with heavy items. It is also possible to exceed the safe tongue weight in such storage. The reverse is also true in that loading very heavy items into storage at the back of a trailer will in effect shift weight from the tongue to the trailer axles and can easily overload the axles or tires. Weight distribution is as important as is the amount of it.

 

If I went with that model, do you think it would hurt the resale value or the length of time it takes to sell?

In my opinion, buying an RV to live in, with resale values in mind is a mistake. RVs depreciate at a pretty steady rate and like most things, a bit more rapidly the first few years. It is better to find an RV that you will enjoy living in and keep it a long time, than to buy something that can be sold easily and be miserable in it. You always loose money when you resell.

 

Any idea how a new 2016 trailer would get a moldy and leaky awning? Is it indicative of poor quality at Lance or mistreatment at the dealership?

The answer is "yes." It could be any of those but it probably also indicates that the dealer has had it on the lot for a long time and it has not sold. I would never consider such an RV as new and only with a major discount and after the dealer has all of that corrected. I am not at all familiar with Lance trailers, but do have friends who have owned Lance truck campers that they were satisfied with.

[trailertraveler]

...Other than bringing everything Im taking and seeing if it fits, are there tricks to telling if a trailer has sufficient storage?...

Keep in mind that most of the folks responding about lack of storage in a travel trailer are couples. Not trying to endorse the brand or model, but looking at the photos of the Bullet you asked about, there are two cloths closests and cabinets over the bed. Is there storage under the bed? The bathroom has a wardrob with three cabinets, a cabinet under the vanity and a medicine cabinet rather than just a mirror (this is a big plus to me). Are the benches under the dinnette storage, or are there mechanical items under them? The kitchen has cabinets under and over the sink. There are cabinets over and under the entertainment center. To me that seems to be a fair amount of storage space for a single and I would think the over 2000# of carrying capacity should be adequate. There is a pass through storage area at the front of the trailer with outside access. Is the door(s) large enough to get the biggest item(s) you would want to place there in and out.

 

As I mentioned, many RV storage cabinets are not that functional. Many canned goods are less than 6" tall. You don't need and 18" high cabinet to store them and stacking often results in a lot of things shifting around during travel. Think about how big the largest items you have are and where they might best fit. Then think about how smaller items might be organized on shelves, stack trays, and stacking bins.

 

As I mentioned before, I have seen cabinets in both houses and RVs come off the wall. I would not plan on putting heavy items in hanging cabinets.

[Kevin H]

Eric - have you considered building your own? It sounds like you pretty well know exactly what you want/need, and those needs are fairly minimal. Building your own out of a quality cargo trailer may be a good fit - figuratively and literally

 

If you are interested, there are a couple sites to take a look at: CheapRVLiving and Teardrops and Tiny Trailers. Both have forums that are as accommodating as this one but they are geared more for those interested in smaller self sufficient trailers.

[sandsys]

Other than bringing everything I’m taking and seeing if it fits, are there tricks to telling if a trailer has sufficient storage?

If you measure cupboards you can make cardboard mockups of them and test fit things into the mockups. Be sure to weigh those things as well. We used a kitchen scale and a bathroom scale to do that.

 

In my most recent van there was a 5" space between the bathroom wall and the back doors. I hooked bungie cords across that space and used it to store outdoor furniture and cleaning utensils. So be sure to look at all potential spaces including the idea of putting a shoe pocket hanging thingie just inside the front door to hold keys, sunglasses, gloves, etc. Using your space well can make things feel bigger than the first appear to be. But,you still have to watch weight--total and distribution.

 

Linda Sand

[Eric21]

If you don't plan to be making the table into a bed, just drill a couple small holes through the post holders and posts and insert sheet metal screws. It will make the table rock solid.

 

You are discovering the disadvantages of pull trailers for full-timing. Very limited storage. When we snow-birded in a 24' trailer, we just accepted that much of our stuff went in plastic totes into the back of a truck (with a canopy). Most lower end trailers are flimsy. They are built for weekenders who don't want to spend more money when they are only used a few times a year. In fact, if you read the fine print, you will find that many, if not most, of the lower end trailers will say that the warranty is invalid if you live in it full-time. Get a better one, then you will need a bigger truck to pull it.

 

Do check out Arctic Fox. They are more expensive but built to last. IMHO you will be much more impressed with them than the Lance.

Earl, thanks for tip on dealing with dinette tables. I would definitely check out the Arctic Fox if there was a dealer nearby. The closest one is more than 600 miles away. I do have to use some frequent flyer miles in the next few months. I'll consider vacationing in an area with a dealer nearby.

 

One concern I have by looking at their specs online is the Fox’s 8.5 foot width. Every other trailer on my list has a width of 8 feet or less. I wonder if this wider width could make things difficult on narrow roads or construction zones. ...or if the added wind resistance makes things much tougher on the tow vehicle.

[Eric21]

Remember that any ultra-lite will be designed with trailer weight as high priority and so it is very rare to find one that it also of high quality. It is very difficult and expensive to build a lite weight trailer that is of high quality.

 

Your issue with the Bullet Premier are pretty much the same as those of the friends I posted about earlier. I helped him to completely rebuild the dinette backs after about a year of use. We also had to replace parts of most of the drawers. But remember that the Bullet is no unique in these factors so check the same things in every RV you consider.

As Earl says, part of the problem is the way the table is designed to make into a bed. You would need some sort of bracing to improve it's stability and while that could be done it will not be easy and will add weight, if you keep it so that it makes into a bed.

Some things that will help is to add some means of fastening the edges of the shower curtain in the locations where they need to be while in use. On ours, I added Scotch All Weather Hook & Loop tapes to the edges of the shower curtain and so attach each end to the appropriate wall. I don't know that there is much to be done at the top, other than to raise the position the curtain hangs from. Since neither of us are very tall, that has not been an issue for us.

The minimum amount of storage space is a very subjective thing. No two people take exactly the same amounts with them and equally problematic is the weight capacity that can be safely placed into the available storage space. Things like tools and books are very heavy and space is only a part of the issue, while some other things are large but of lite weight. It is very important that you look at the weight limits of any RV as well as the storage space and also you need to see where the space is located, compared to those weight limits. As an example, it is very common for there to be massive storage near the front of a trailer but if the GVWR of the trailer is near the limit with just food, water, and living needs, you won't be able to safely fill that space with heavy items. It is also possible to exceed the safe tongue weight in such storage. The reverse is also true in that loading very heavy items into storage at the back of a trailer will in effect shift weight from the tongue to the trailer axles and can easily overload the axles or tires. Weight distribution is as important as is the amount of it.

In my opinion, buying an RV to live in, with resale values in mind is a mistake. RVs depreciate at a pretty steady rate and like most things, a bit more rapidly the first few years. It is better to find an RV that you will enjoy living in and keep it a long time, than to buy something that can be sold easily and be miserable in it. You always loose money when you resell.

The answer is "yes." It could be any of those but it probably also indicates that the dealer has had it on the lot for a long time and it has not sold. I would never consider such an RV as new and only with a major discount and after the dealer has all of that corrected. I am not at all familiar with Lance trailers, but do have friends who have owned Lance truck campers that they were satisfied with.

Kirk,

 

Thanks for all the great tips and for passing on some of your RV wisdom. I’ve ruled out the Premier after seeing it at the show. If they took those kind of “short cuts” in parts of the trailer that are in plan site, I’m a little scared about the short-cuts that might be lurking where the sun doesn't shine.

[Eric21]

Keep in mind that most of the folks responding about lack of storage in a travel trailer are couples. Not trying to endorse the brand or model, but looking at the photos of the Bullet you asked about, there are two cloths closests and cabinets over the bed. Is there storage under the bed? The bathroom has a wardrob with three cabinets, a cabinet under the vanity and a medicine cabinet rather than just a mirror (this is a big plus to me). Are the benches under the dinnette storage, or are there mechanical items under them? The kitchen has cabinets under and over the sink. There are cabinets over and under the entertainment center. To me that seems to be a fair amount of storage space for a single and I would think the over 2000# of carrying capacity should be adequate. There is a pass through storage area at the front of the trailer with outside access. Is the door(s) large enough to get the biggest item(s) you would want to place there in and out.

 

As I mentioned, many RV storage cabinets are not that functional. Many canned goods are less than 6" tall. You don't need and 18" high cabinet to store them and stacking often results in a lot of things shifting around during travel. Think about how big the largest items you have are and where they might best fit. Then think about how smaller items might be organized on shelves, stack trays, and stacking bins.

 

As I mentioned before, I have seen cabinets in both houses and RVs come off the wall. I would not plan on putting heavy items in hanging cabinets.

Thanks for the advice. Also, I’ve ruled out the Keystone, but your points still apply to the other trailers I’m looking at. I’m pretty confident I can fit all my stuff in even the smallest trailers in the running (Lance 1685 and Escape). I was just surprised that there was less space than I imagined once I started opening up the various drawers etc. Also, I'll have my pickup bed for storage too.

[Eric21]

Eric - have you considered building your own? It sounds like you pretty well know exactly what you want/need, and those needs are fairly minimal. Building your own out of a quality cargo trailer may be a good fit - figuratively and literally

 

If you are interested, there are a couple sites to take a look at: CheapRVLiving and Teardrops and Tiny Trailers. Both have forums that are as accommodating as this one but they are geared more for those interested in smaller self sufficient trailers.

 

Thanks. You’re right. I could be happy in a very minimalist setup. I have considered building my own “RV”, but a few things turned me off.

 

* I don’t have the tools, work-space or experience to do any major renovations. I don’t really enjoy that kind of work and it's expensive to have someone else do it.

 

* I couldn’t get into a lot private campgrounds with that kind setup. So I’d lose some flexibility.

 

* I don’t feel comfortable doing illegal stealth camping. I’m fine with the occasional legal boondocking at Walmart or public lands though.

 

* I think a 6’3” middle-aged man camping solo can be unsettling enough for some people. I wouldn’t want to add to the creep factor by living in a cargo van or trailer.

 

But I have considered buying an old classic 20’ airstream shell with insulation, good bones, electric wiring, vent fan, and A/C. I wouldn’t have to build the inside. Just find a way to strap down a decent fridge, my camping gear, a couple 5 gallon jugs of water, and some large bins with my belongings. I’d be happy as a clam. It would look like a respectable rig from the outside and would probably hold it’s value. And the outside world doesn’t need to know I’m happily living like a cave man. (Unless, I invite them in, in which case I can choose to tell them I like it this way or insinuate it’s a work in progress.)