cptqueeg
Idaho
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Joined: 04/11/2020
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In that case grab the Hallmark - chances are this time next year you can prob get back every penny you put into it. Obviously the NS is going to lose a big portion of the purchase price to depreciation. If I had only one shot to make it happen I'd choose the Hallmark hands down.
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JD5150
Anywhere
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Joined: 06/18/2009
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Something else to think about is the east/west bed or north/south bed.
29 inches of head room I would rather roll out of an east/west bed.
Seams. Not sure if Hallmark construction has no seams but even if it does have seams, water intrusion is not going to damage it as bad like a wood frame camper. Think the frame is all fiberglass over on a Hallmark
I'm not talking down North Star or his brother Bundutec. They are strong well built campers, but you will need to pay attention to seams on any camper. Especially a wood framed one.
Four Wheel that someone mentioned are good off road campers. I have read the condensation is bad since it is aluminum framed. Would need to crack a vent in any camper but you might need to open it a little more on a Four Wheel. Might have to do a little more wiping down the soft wall in the mornings
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cptqueeg
Idaho
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Joined: 04/11/2020
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The hallmark could quite possibly have a N-S bed, it's a $3800 option. Also it could have bed extension - another option. The E-W layout reduces the amount of overhang over the cab and consquently eliminates some of the necessary reinforcment in order to hold up the longer cantilever of the N-S bed. The E-W layout is a shorter, lighter, stronger, and less complex build. To my eye the shorter bed looks better.
i did read the review where the 4wc did condensate and the hallmark did not on the same trip. It was a cold weather trip near Artic circle. 2 Fantastic fans should be able to minimize that if used properly. The 4wc is an aluminum frame w aluminum walls and roof.
Sometimes wood or a composite of wood is a better choice when it comes to mimimizing the conduction of heat and eliminating cold material in contact w materials inside a warmer and perhaps more humid enviroment.
* This post was
edited 05/04/20 06:53pm by cptqueeg *
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cptqueeg
Idaho
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DP Service temporarily unavailable! ![[emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/doh.gif "doh")
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ISBRAM
Denver, Colorado
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Joined: 04/18/2011
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Hallmark campers are pricey but the resale on a well maintained one is very good. We were thinking about selling our custom built 2011 Cuchara last summer as my wife wants a Class A. I stopped in at Hallmark to let them look it over and get their opinion on what my asking price should be. I was pleasantly surprised when they told me high 20’s to low 30’s in this condition, “it really is perfect and stored inside when not camping.” I have since seen a few similar units for sale and their asking price was in line with what Hallmark said. I didn’t end up putting it on the market yet but I was happy about what I learned about the resale value.
'99 Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins. Roadmaster Anti Sway Bars, Air lift 5000, Stableloads, Bilstein's,19.5 Vision Wheels, 245/70R19.5 Sumitomo ST918
'11 Hallmark Cuchara XL 9.5
If you see me camped someplace stop and say hi, I've always got an extra ice cold beer.
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LabMan1945
North Central Maine - God's Country
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Joined: 02/23/2009
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I have owned two NorthStar 850SC campers and have found them to be great value. As of last fall I put over 225K miles on them with no problems (other than my fault screw ups!)Rex at NorthStar treated me very well when I showed up at the factory for repairs. Especially when I arrived about 4:00PM on a Friday with a caved in back end - don't ask! He looked at it, said they could fix it and could I be there at 6:00AM Saturday morning. I spent the night in the factory lot and by 1:00PM Saturday I was on my way with a fixed camper. No other outfit that I have dealt with would be that accommodating! I can't say enough good about the company or their product.
Dodge 3500 CTD.
Northstar 850SC
Constant companions - Scoter and Skye - Black Labs (better than most people)
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Geo*Boy
Unknown
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Joined: 04/27/2020
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LabMan1945 wrote:I have owned two NorthStar 850SC campers and have found them to be great value. As of last fall I put over 225K miles on them with no problems (other than my fault screw ups!)Rex at NorthStar treated me very well when I showed up at the factory for repairs. Especially when I arrived about 4:00PM on a Friday with a caved in back end - don't ask! He looked at it, said they could fix it and could I be there at 6:00AM Saturday morning. I spent the night in the factory lot and by 1:00PM Saturday I was on my way with a fixed camper. No other outfit that I have dealt with would be that accommodating! I can't say enough good about the company or their product.
This, Northstar is a fantastic company to deal with.![[emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/awink.gif "awink")
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