Info gathering for 16TBS in VA

[bakr211]

I just looked at a used 2015 16TBS at my local RV dealership and I'm really intrigued since I have never seen or heard of this brand before. I'm a wannabe girl (or Grammy) camper and have been looking at many small trailers for the last couple of months. This little cutie is looking more and more like it might be in my future for me, a friend and maybe a couple of grandkids every once in awhile. I especially like the sizes of all the holding tanks-seem to be much larger than other small trailers I've looked at. I'm single and I don't have a supportive significant other to help out with the ownership responsibilities, so feeling a little overwhelmed.

Very interested in seeing all the info, opinions and advice here. I tend to over research and then get paralyzed, but I will persevere . . .

[pinstriper]

Absolutely no reason you can't do this yourself. We recently taught a retired lady how to back up her 21', all via the internet.

We are here to help (and be amused).

[david]

I own a 2013 16TBS. You, a friend and a couple of grand kids will be tough, but not impossible to accommodate in this traler. I would look at both the dinette and the sofa pull out versions and see which will make a better bed for your grand kids. I suspect that the dinette will, although it will be a challenge to seat four for dinner as a dinette. But FWIW, we always eat on the picnic table outside.

Also, what TV do you have? You will need a Highlander, Pathfinder, Pilot or similar TV with a 5,000 lb trailer weight limit and a 500 lb tongue weight limit.

David

[hogtyd]

[quote timestamp="1469750061" source="/post/23482/thread" author="@david"]
Also, what TV do you have? You will need a Highlander, Pathfinder, Pilot or similar TV with a 5,000 lb trailer weight limit and a 500 lb tongue weight limit.

[/quote]
Looks like her profile lists a 2014 Lexus GX460 (6,500 tow rating), so should be all set in that respect. 

-Graham

[bakr211]

Thanks for the encouragement and no, not all of us at the same time. My friend is not into grandkids except her own! This trailer has the pull out sofa which I really like. If purchased, I will also have to park at a storage facility because of my HOA. And then there's maintenance . . .

[daplumbr]

We have a 2015 16TBS and find it fits our needs perfectly. It's an easy tow/park/back trailer and yet has decent room inside for 2 adults or adult and kids. If you are buying a used one with the pull out sofa, be sure to check the sofa in the bed position. Some of the sofas lacked a center support from the factory. Livin Lite has a solution (fastening a piece of plastic via hinges to the underside of the sofa) and if that one needs it you should have the dealer do that (for free) before you drive off with it. Other than that, I might suggest you find an experienced RV'er to go with you to the dealer to check things over with you. Tires, battery, tanks, electrical, plumbing, etc. should all be ok, but it's worth an independent look-see to make sure. If you any specific questions about it, ask on here, since there are several folks with the 16TBS and we'll be happy to help.  

[uscg]

What I think is the best thing about Camp Lite, because of it construction, you don't have to worry about mold or rotten wood.  Having fooled with campers off and on for many years, I can tell you the number one problem with campers is that they are made cheaply and once the interior gets wets, it ROTS.  Not on a camp lite. So what does that mean, basically, in the winter you can park this thing in the drive, drain the hoses (which is very very easy) and not worry about your camper sitting there till next spring.  And here's the best part, when you open it up after its been sitting for a few week, you WONT smell mildew...

Livin Lites cost a LOT more that other campers, but you get a quality product, and your resell value will be better.  Just keep in mind, there is nothing really on this camper that is going to ROT away.  Look under the camplite you are looking at, you should see shinny aluminum, then go look at something like a jayco, and you will see a plastic film, you may even see a hole in the film where a drain line is coming out, or wires or something, if you look there, you will probably see pink fiberglass insulation up in there.  Well, eventually that plastic liner is going to get torn, I mean it's a camper that you pull down the road.  Once that liner gets torn, water starts getting in, and rot starts.

Don't worry at all about getting a camp lite,

[bakr211]

Ooh, thank you USCG for verifying a lot of what I've been reading. Going tomorrow for a 3rd look with my general contractor son in law. I noticed a protective cover in the storage compartment. Is that necessary for VA winters?

[uscg]

I just noticed that you said the unit was "used".  Probably the previous owner bought that cover for it, just to protect it from UV rays, rain, etc..  That's nice that it's there, but in my opinion it not "Needed" (but again, it's very nice to have)  possibly the previous owner had a regular camper in the past and from experience felt they needed that cover. Most people who have traditional wood campers, will cover them because they are trying to prevent moisture from getting in there, that's not a real issue on the camp lite.  One time, I accidentally left my bathroom vent open and it poured rain into the bathroom.  No problem, mopped it up and dried the walls. There's no cheap wood to rot or mildew.

I will tell you I have had mine for over a year, and I have never covered it or even parked it under a shelter, it's just sitting in my yard, plugged into my house.  And I work on a Cruise Ship, so I am gone for months at a time.  Whenever I come home, I just walk out to the camper, open it up, and basically its ready to go.  I do have a bike/storage rack on the back of mine, and I keep my Generator strapped to it there, and that is covered. (you don't need a Generator, that's just my thing. I like to camp off grid).

I also have my camper in a "ready" condition at all times.  Living in Georgia, thunderstorms, hurricanes and such are always a real possibility.  My camper is set up so that at any time (if the power goes out) my wife can walk outside, take the plug from the house and connect it to the generator, start the generator and she has TV, Power, water, propane, basically everything she needs to survive for a few days without electricity in my house.  Again that goes back to the fact that I work on a Ship and my wife is alone about 8-9 months a year.  

My wife is also completely comfortable with hooking up the camper and pulling it anywhere, because it pulls so easy, its small and it's easy to set up.

I lived in VA for many years (Yorktown area) and I know it gets cold there, one bad thing about the Camp Lite goes back to the aluminum construction, in the winter, the floor is COLD, and I mean really cold.  I camped last winter in TN and learned real quick the importance of slipper being by the bed.  My Camper does not have that wood look flooring, mine is shinny aluminum, (2013 model)

[pinstriper]

Go to Harbor Freight. Get 2 packs of the foam floor puzzle pieces.

Set them out on the lawn and hose them off, let sit for a day to off-gas, hose them down again and let dry.

They are now ready to be put down as your new floor. Warm, soft underfoot, can remove it any time you feel the need to clean under them. Trim to custom fit with a utility knife.

You can also throw a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet over the top of them.

The bummer about covers is even though they say breathable, they hold moisture and debris next to your trailer, and you can get algae and other gunk growing. Nothing that can't be washed off, if you like climbing a ladder and scrubbing your trailer. I suppose they might help with UV damage to any of the non-aluminum bits.

[bakr211]

Well, thanks for the good info, guys, but unfortunately, as I was going to the dealer yesterday morning, the salesman called to let me know the camper had sold on Friday. ??Looked at other brands there, which I had done before and just couldn't get excited. So, I will keep looking knowing I lost out on a gem.

[livinthegoodlife]

RVT.com has some for sale both used and new.  You may also want to check for end of the year clearances on Livin Lites site by other dealers. These are great trailers.  We also have the 16TBS in a 2014 model.

[bakr211]

Ok, starting over again. Put a deposit on a new 16TBS. I'm on vacation, so won't get to see it until next week. Excited that it has the dual axles, very large fridge, separate freezer and the alpine interior.

[pinstriper]

Yay !!

[charliem]

[font size="3"]If you've found a 16TBS with dual axles it may be new, but it's not current, and that's GOOD. The current 16TBSs only have a single axle. Dual axles are much better. Maybe you'll even get the old style aluminum roof, which is also good.

Good luck.
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