Can't overcome the fear of buying a Truck and TC.......

[cptqueeg]

I've been wanting a TC for a number of years and finally retired so now is the time, right? Of course the pandemic hits, stock market tanks, we start a major remodel on our home, can't shop for either a truck or camper in person so I've been sitting on the sidelines watching prices go up and availability go down. I did throughly research virtually every type of RV and most TC brands and the components of TCs. Now if I order a Hallmark TC it'll probably be next year for delivery.

My estimation of the economic effect of the pandemic on my personal situation was drastically wrong (thankfully); guess I'm a bit pessimistic or conservative financially. I've found over the years, for me, it's a better strategy to get what I want rather than making do and then "trade up" later. My point being a truck and camper is going to be the most expensive thing I've ever bought (outside of my kid's education) that wasn't a house.

I think it's the right product so I can hunt, tow my boat and stay a couple nights at the lake, and bring my wife boondocking to some places she's never been. I hate hotels and eating out. She's ok w the purchase since I won't be paying w "our" money. We're in our early 60's but now too old to sleep on the ground anymore. LOL

Just throwing the topic out to get an idea of how you guys convince yourselves to get off the fence or any other comments or thoughts.

[OrganicJen]

You asked how people made the decision to get a TC..... I had a travel trailer and then a 5th wheel. Because of the heavy 5th wheel, it's a pre Thor DRV which is just really heavy for its size, I have an F450 truck that was for towing the heavy 5th wheel. Well things in our lives evolved and changed in a way that the 5th wheel is just too big and cumbersome for the kind of traveling we feel like doing lately, and the travel trailer has a bed that I can't sleep well on so that isn't an option. So I started looking into options that were easier and quicker and more flexible than the 5th wheel such as small motorhomes where I could just jump in and go and could go to more variety of places easily, but eventually I realized that with the truck and a camper on top it is basically a small motorhome and I already have the 450 so it made more sense to get a truck camper than a motorhome which would have been yet another engine to care for. I also like that it allows me to just take off the camper and still utilize the truck when I want to. I discovered additional benefits to the truck camper as well, such as far fewer critter entry points than in my trailer or 5th wheel. I'm not sure how they are all constructed buy the one I have, a Northern Lite, doesn't have that strip of fabric over the bottom like the 5th wheel did so it's more secure from critters there, plus the jacks on the 5th wheel went up inside the 5th wheel and was another access point that the truck camper doesn't have since its jacks are located on the outside.

[TCCamperNoob]

rexlion wrote:
I know what you mean. I'd like to buy my retirement trailer, but on the inside I keep hearing, "Wait a couple more years." I feel like something's going to happen that would cause me to regret buying it now.

I try to listen to that little voice inside me; it tends to be right.

It took me a total of 3 years to finally get the TC. I got the truck for it 3 years ago and I got the camper just a week ago.

Take your time find what is right for you. I even contemplated just going with a travel trailer but just when my hopes for finding a good used truck camper were about shot, I found my dream TC and I love it. Is t perfect? No. Is it fun as heck, yes. Will it become another headache like a boat etc, of course. I saw a post by someone on here dealing with a similar topic, and a guy said: "just get it with no regrets. Something is always going to go wrong but if it does you are a camper owner. You will have a camper and you can fix it, get it fixed or whatever. It's better than not having one if you really want it."

Anyway, I'm late to the thread. But hope you decide to get something soon than later. We only had it a week and took it out this weekend. It was a blast! I never thought I'd love cooking outside in bagillion degree FL humidity with open fire as much as I did this weekend. Best steaks I ever had. It got me back out on the paddle board too!

[monkey44]

Big Horn is great - we found it once accidentally. Had a great time for several days. No crowds - plenty of sites. Plenty of Big Horns.

[cptqueeg]

Well we enjoyed ourselves quite a bit. Spent 1 night in a USFS campground in Big Horn NF in WY. And then camped at Hell's Half Acre just east of Craters of the Moon the 2nd night. The truck and camper were great, we didn't want for anything and looking forward to the next trip.

[towpro]

I will admit, I had a couple truck campers on and off so I could go motorcycle racing, but they did not count since they were old and rundown.

we got a wolf creek, than an arctic fox 990. We were loving tehm because they were easy to take on trips. (At same time we had a 5th wheel that sat on site 100 miles from home all year, great for weekend trips). We used the truck campers for trips to outerbanks. sometimes we boondocked, sometimes we towed motorcycle trailer, sometimes we towed Jeep liberty.

But as we got older (real late 50's) we relized somethings about a truck camper were a PITA. Like to to climb in and out of bed. When I role over I put my arms out and they would bang against the cealing and wake us up. once or twice I sat up in my sleep and almost knocked myself out. And the truck camper was so high getting in and out of it wife almost fell out of it one day.

we were on an extended trip at OBX and watched this couple that had one of the sprinter based MH coaches. We also had just moved from one state to another and lost storage, now it cost me money to store truck and 990 Plus we could not use the 5er anymore so we traded everything (truck, slide in camper and 5th wheel) in on this Class C diesel. than covid happened, we used the MH to drive between FL and PA a couple times, it was great on highway because you did not have to go into places for restrooms, food, ect. we took a 40 day trip to OBX, it was great. But in FLA its different. all the campgrounds are overpriced accept state parks, and you need 1 year reservation to get into them. Dealer offered me what I paid and I pulled the trigger.
so yes there was some things about the truck camper world we found were tougher with age.
I used to shoot clay birds with a guy who also had a truck camper, wife had hip replaced and was never able to climb into his truck camper again. Life happens.

[rightlaneonly]

I retired sooner than I had planned. Wife and I traveled a lot, I have great memories,she has dementia but enjoys me relating them to her. I'm thankful I quit when I did. Even though she's still home, I miss her.
If you got the bucks, go while you can and don't look back.

[jimh406]

I hope it all works out for you.

The news says the US is actually the hold up of the Canada border. Canada plans to open Aug 9. I think you might need proof of vaccination and random Covic screening.

In other news, Montana is still open, too.

[cptqueeg]

Update: 7/21/22

Well of course this week I find out I'm getting old and a new, but not unexpected health issue pops up. So I'm even more glad I jumped on a TC given a 2nd chance, even though it wasn't my first choice.

I've improved the spring pack and added better shocks to prepare the Tundra, and the tires are rated for the load. It actually rides better, even empty, than it had. Tomorrow we shoot over to Bozeman to pick up the camper. We are prepared for a couple nights of camping in Bighorn NF in WY. We're trying to gain some altitude to facilitate being cool at night and stay away from YNP.

Hopefully Canada will open, kids will go back to school so adults can't work from anywhere and we get back to some sense of normalcy. I stay local for archery elk in September, but after that we'll look to take longer trips. Thanks for all the thought and effort to respond.

[Highway_Runner]

My humble opinion is you don’t know what is right until you have a little experience.
I personally purchased before I retired because that is when I had the excess monies.
I first bought a Host Rainier double slide and enjoyed it. We wanted a little more room so we got a 5er. The 5er had too much room so I got an Eagle Cap 1165 triple slide and is fits very well.
All along the way I was at even money with my purchases and sales.

[SoonDockin]

I sold my previous Class C MH in fall 2018. Just a few months of no camper had me twitching. I looked high and low for a good deal on a used one ton dually. Prices were so close to new, I just shopped for a good deal on new. Found a super deal on a 2019 F450 and then found a great deal on a AF1140. Only thing I miss about the class C was being able to use the bathroom or grab a snack without getting out of the vehicle. I don't miss the incredible noise inside while driving.

The Ford is pretty quiet zooming down the road. Stable in cross winds and plenty of power to get up any mountain. Love the TC as its so maneuverable. Its plenty tall but I just watch for low limbs.

[monkey44]

I was tired of tent camping in 2002 ... bought a TC one day while on the road, packed it up, bought the needed supplies and never looked back. Spent three years on the road cross-country several times East to West and North to South. We still spend months at a time when we go camping, still haul the TC. Everything in it we need, nothing we don't.

Got in anywhere, could park anywhere. Still have one - altho upsized in 2008 ... added A/C and power jacks ... We still spend time camping and always will own a TC. Can't imagine where we go would ever fit a large TT, and small TT is no more room than we have now, and a lot less versatile.

Just some random thoughts to share 🙂 🙂

[specta]

Avid Fox wrote:
The only thing that makes the expense worth making, is if you use the rig a lot and get good regular enjoyment from it. If it sits idle much of the time, like many do, they can feel very expensive, and depreciate just the same.

Exactly. Do your best to wear it out. 🙂

[GDS-3950BH]

Around here new 3/4 ton and up trucks have been non existent on dealers lots for months unless you want a plain Jane stripped model. Now 1/2 tons are going away. At a local Ram dealer that usually has two lots full of at least 100 1/2 tons each, he has maybe 10 total. The local GMC dealer has 0 of any flavor.

[Avid_Fox]

The only thing that makes the expense worth making, is if you use the rig a lot and get good regular enjoyment from it. If it sits idle much of the time, like many do, they can feel very expensive, and depreciate just the same.