Pre Purchase Questions

[nonproductive]

Good stuff, thanks for the diagram.  I've reached out to Camping World to see if they can facilitate a factory order - Waiting for a call back and will report back when I hear from them

[nonproductive]

Heard back from Camping World...sort of. Dealer 2hrs from me: 1st call I was told "Are you coming in? I can check with someone and get back to you..." Never heard back. Second call: "Why don't you come in and we can talk about it? There are other trailers that I'm sure you'd like..." Email to Camping World Customer Service: "You'd really have to check with your local dealer - we don't deal with sales."

Currently waiting on a reply from LivinLite to see if I can work with any other dealer closer by that is not listed on their "authorized dealer" list.

[nonproductive]

Well, after no reply from LivinLite on dealers I decided to play hooky from work today and drove out to the one dealer I know has Livinlite models. Wandered the lot for a good hour with the wife and looked at the 21BHS again, 16BHB, a 2012 Aerolite hybrid (that honestly looked like it was about to fall apart), a 26ft 5th wheel (forget brand) and several pop ups...

Had a "what kind of camping are we really going to do for the next few years" chat with my wife while sitting in the 21BHS...and left as the owner of a 2015 Quicksilver 10 PopUp that we will take possession of on Saturday.

The sales guy said "Boy...talk about 180 degrees... From mobile hotel room to tent on wheels. You didn't even go for the fully equipped pop ups!"

I'm happy, it's the kind of camping I remember from my childhood and figure I still have a few more years (maybe) before I'm going to grumble about walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The wife...well...we'll see. She pretty much said she'll try it for a year or two before she gives it a thumbs up or down. She's worried about security and not having a fridge more than the bathroom though. Who knows, I might be trading in the PUP then for a 2016 21BHS (or convince her that keeping both is a good idea)

Thanks again for all of the advice here, it's been truly helpful.

[pinstriper]

Yep. That's what it always comes down to. "What are your real requirements ?" I had to have this talk with my first wife (she hates it when I introduce her that way) - What do you want your lifestyle to be ? Describe a "normal" day.

It really helps separate the bling from the necessary. Some stuff is neat. Especially on other peoples' RV's.

[fasteddieb]

I would have been more than happy with a pop-up. After bicycle and motorcycle camping, it would have felt like staying at the Ritz.

But wifey had two requirements:

1 - More security from 2 and 4-legged varmints than a pop-up allowed, and...

2 - The ability to go camping with both the kids and grandkids, making the ability to sleep 6 a prerequisite.

So the 21BHS fit her criteria perfectly.

[nonproductive]

Yep. We figured most of our camping is going to be me, wife, 7yr old son and maybe one of my nephews. Primarily 2 or 3 night stays in places within a 4hr drive.
Decided that for now at least, we didn't need everything that the 21BHS had to offer. As much as we loved it, it was overkill.

That said, point 1 in your list, FastEddie, is going to be the sticking point I think.
- Wife wants to camp at places near attractions and go for day trips. I reminded her that there's no way to lock up a PUP and anything of value had to come with us.
- She's concerned about our son dropping food and attracting unwanted night time visitors (besides me that is  )
- My son has aleady expressed a concern about bears - which while mostly unfounded where we'd be camping - it doesn't mean he'll sleep any better (at least in the beginning)

But in the end she agreed that this was the best way to get back into camping. If we find we are going many weekends and want to take longer trips - then the 21BHS will be a lot easier to rationalize. The PUP is paid in full, so we can trade it in towards something if we go that route and offset the price some too. My only fear is that Thor will start to skimp on the alluminum in future coaches.

[pinstriper]

np, that's where we started. Too old/lazy/soft for tent camping anymore, "Let's get a popup !" Quick setup, sleeping off the ground. More rain-resistant than a groundcloth.

Then I realized if it does rain, you're folding up a wet popup and have to set it up as soon as you get home to dry it out. And if it's raining while we're camping, it's probably raining when we get home, too. And the dogs will react to more noises outside than in a hard sided trailer.

And while we're pulling a trailer, we really oughta have a toilet for middle of the night. So we may as well have the shower, too. And the TV. And air conditioning. Etc. Etc. Etc.

It's a slippery slope working up the cost curve.

[nonproductive]

Totally a slippery slope
I am sure there will be days we complain about having to fold up/down and days we will praise the "screen room" like atmosphere...
I'm already planning on picking up a cartridge potty for any late night toilet needs...and maybe a propane hot water heater...and maybe a heater...

[pinstriper]

We emphatically plan to never use the propane furnace, opting instead for a 1kw "cube" space heater (electric). Works a treat.

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/1155/thread" timestamp="1400726013" author="@pinstriper"]We emphatically plan to never use the propane furnace, opting instead for a 1kw "cube" space heater (electric). Works a treat.[/quote]We only use the propane heater when we're boondocking. If we have hookups and it's cold, this is what we use:

[a href="http://www.amazon.com/Holmes-HFH2986-U-Whisper-Quiet-Heater/dp/B00094CBWC/ref=sr_1_10?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1400727538&sr=1-10&keywords=space+heater"]http://www.amazon.com/Holmes-HFH2986-U-Whisper-Quiet-Heater/dp/B00094CBWC/ref=sr_1_10?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1400727538&sr=1-10&keywords=space+heater[/a]

[nonproductive]

Yeah, I'm not real keen on a propane heater running in a tent camper whir I slept...or rather, tried to sleep  

Posted a pic of new camper in introduction forum and day 1 (tow home and set up) impressions in QS forum.

looking forward to getting out for a weekend now