Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Thoughts on buying a used camper

The kids are grown, and now the wife and I are thinking about buying a used camper. We don't have a real big budget-probably 4K on the high end. I think we'll go with a hard sided camper. This means I'll be buying something to tow it with. I drive a Ford Explorer now and would want something bigger, and set up to tow a camper. I'm thinking either an Excursion, Suburban, or a pickup set up with a towing package.

We're thinking about either a pop-up or a hard sided. I suppose if we go with a pop up I could tow with my Exlplorer, but we're not crazy about not having bathroom facilities. I may decide I want to use the camper to deer hunt out of, in which case we'd definitely want to go hard-sided.

Questions- Any particular brands to definitely look for or avoid?
Thoughts on renting a pop-up for a "kick the tires experience?"
What are the beds like in a pop-up? We're thinking about sleeping comfort with our backs not exactly being 100%


Any thoughts or pointers would be greatly appreciated. We anticipate towing the camper frequently, as opposed to parking it at a resort for the season. 20 feet is about as big as we can go due to storage issues at the house.

Thanks guys.

We pulled our pop-up with an Explorer. No problem. Just be sure it is rated for the weight and tongue weight. You'll need trailer brakes. With a somewhat light tow vehicle, keep the speed to 55 mph. If that trailer starts to sway at 70mph it can get nasty real fast.

Renting a pop-up is a good idea. Kick the tires is smart. See if you like it.

Buying used is what it is. Be sure you are not buying somebody elses problem. Inspect the underside for rot and rust. Wiring problems? Make sure the crank system works nice and smooth. Check out the tent fabric and make sure it has no holes and is good for some years yet.

Ours was a very large pop-up with a slide out and 2 king beds, fridge (small) and a/c, water heater, and heat. The slide out made a huge difference inside. The beds are not like sleepng at home. They are just foam padding about 4" thick. No box springs. I had no problem with it, but I am blessed with good back. YMMV.

Overall we enjoyed the camping experience. So will you.

My personal opinion is that bigger is better.

it doesn't take long for a small camper to get "too small" when spending a few days in one.

We own a popup, two vintage mid 50s trailers and a 92 coachman catalina.

A popup is great for easy towing, visibility and getting it into rougher areas, especially if you lift the suspension and install larger diameter wheels and tires. They take time to setup. Going on a long trip and stopping at a camping area nightly would be a PITA. One potential issue with a used one is old canvas. While new canvas will cost around $800 nothing is worse than having the old canvas begin to rip during a strong wind. Other drawbacks: it is not insulated and if it is close to freezing outside it won't be very different inside. Winds cause the canvas to move around quite a bit. You are right on the bathroom situation, most don't have anything.


Beds in most trailers suck.

In the popup I stacked BOTH matresses and added a foam/air pad then a mattress pad and sheets. Even then it wasn't the best sleep.

I just added a 2 inch memory foam pad to the top of the mattress in the Coachman which made a huge difference. It was a highly rated serta. The trailer was purchased used and I believe the original owners added the current serta mattress. I doubt it came with it.

Hard body trailers are heavy. Depending on the size you will need a good tow vehicle. Trailer brakes should work. An equalizer type hitch will help stabilize. They are insulated and often have heaters. Easier to set up.

I am certain others will add to this.....

I pull a Forest River r-pod with my FJ Cruiser. Dry weight of 2,800 lbs. Look carefully, there are some deals out there.

A used fiberglass casita or scamp would work with the explorer, but not sure you'd find one at you price point.

The only way to get a bed like you have at home is to get a trailer big enough to have a bedroom with a bed that doesn't fold up somehow.
Older trailers tend to be heavier and you need a larger truck to pull them. I have a restored '76 23'. It weighs about 4800 lb empty with a 500lb tongue weight. We probably spent more money restoring it than a newer one would have cost but we sure like the floor plan, etc.
As you get bigger, you start to need an equalizer hitch, sway bars, etc. I could pull mine with a 1/2 ton but would need the equalizer hitch. My 3/4 ton pulls it like a dream without it.

Pop-ups have some positives, but too many negatives for my liking (I've owned 3 of them). Setting them up and taking them down gets old, if the canvas gets wet and you need to break camp, you'll have to set it up again when you get home so it can dry out and not mildew. They suck in cold weather. I mean, really suck. Since the beds stick out the ends with nothing under them they are extremely cold. The actual floor space is really limited, even with the little slide outs; trying to change clothes and move about is not fun. They are really noisy in the wind, and they move around a bunch because of the canvas walls. They are also not easy to get into when in storage. With a hard side you can go in/out at anytime for loading/cleaning/inspection. Not so with a pop up.

$4K is a challenging budget but can probably be done. Take your time looking for the right camper. Condition is everything. Inspect the roof carefully as it is one of the main sources of expensive repairs. Take a ladder and look at it from the outside. Open all the cabinets and look for leaks inside the camper at the roof line. Pull all cushions away from the walls in the corners and look for water intrusion. Pay special attention to the area around the roof A/C and other item that penetrates the roof (TV antenna, ladder, etc)

Walk on every square inch of the floor to check for soft spots, pay special attention to door thresholds. Push on all of the walls checking for week spots or major flex.

Check all of the outside seams for water penetration. Take a #2 square-head screwdriver and 'tighten' some of the exterior screws to see if many are stripped out. Older campers can leak here and rot out the old frame. Do the same underneath, especially around the wheel wells where water is kicked up off the tires. If there is any loose or damaged siding pay very, very close attention to that area. If water got into the wood frame you could have a serious issue.

Check all of the windows for operation. If they are sliders they can tell you if the frame has settled too much over the years.

Close everything up and have your spouse talk/make noise outside the camper to see how quiet it is inside. If you plan on camping near others this can be important, and can vary a great deal between campers.

Check ALL of the appliances. Make sure you check them on propane and electric. An RV fridge can cost $1,300+ to replace, a water heater can be ~$500. Check all of the plumbing and take your time. Water lines can be a pain to change. Lie under the camper while your spouse runs all of the faucets and flushes the toilets. Listen for drips, noises, etc. and look for wet spots. Let the heater and A/C run for at least 15 minutes each to check for function.

Tires on a tandem axle can easily run $400+ so check them carefully for dry rot. Try to find a manufacturer date on the tires. My 2006 camper still had the original tires when I bought it two summers ago. They looked great with no dry rot or wear but I wouldn't have wanted to start a long journey with them.

Insist on a test-tow. Seriously. Check the brakes and listen to the suspension on the trailer. Take it on some uneven terrain and a rough road if possible. Check the welds and metal condition on the tongue, frame, spring perches, etc. If possible, jack up each side and spin the tires to listen/feel the wheel bearings and hubs. If your tow vehicle is connected this is a good time to have your spouse touch the brakes so you can hear them actuate on the camper..

There is much more, but just take your time. You'll probably know it when you find it. Go to several RV dealerships and try to 'feel' the floorplans, sizes and spaces (without getting sold on a new one). Don't trust what salesmen tell you about your tow vehicle capabilities; do your own homework/research.

Be sure the tow vehicle is rated for the max load.
Get an equalizer hitch with a sway bar.
Look carefully at used units, leaks, repairs, maintenance records.
Get the biggest you can afford.

Great info guys. Thanks for your input. If we get a pop-up I definitely won't be hunting out of it. At this point, leaning towards a hard sided unit I'd say.

take your pick.......big business out here

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=231&cat=149&category=142

A major problem with older campers is the strip caulk the factories used under molding, windows, etc. It was designed to squeeze down and make a waterproof seal as the screws were tightened. Often it didn't seal and water got under the siding causing wood rot. Carefully inspect the paneling in all corners and under windows - anywhere that there's molding on the outside. Look for lamination separations in the paneling. If you find any, there's a good chance that the wood frame in that area will be rotted. The upper corners are often a problem where water gets under the drip edge along the top.

agree with the statements about a popup above

If you're used to sleeping in a tent, then a popup is heaven

but I ended up disliking ours and sold it. Setup wasn't a big deal but it just wasn't worth it to go for a weekend, arriving late Friday, spending an hour getting the campsite ready and then spending an hour on Sunday taking it down.

If I had to do it over again, I'd go with a setup like my neighbor has - hardsided with queen in the back, small galley kitchen, shower and toilet. He pulls his no problem with a 5.4L F150 and used you can pick up nice ones (if you act fast) for less than $4K.

What we found is in our area - Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana - the state parks just aren't all that great and we always end up going to the Smokey Mountains twice a year

Because of that we just rent a cabin now.

Older=heavier Newer = lighter, and built cheap. I have had nothing but problems with both newer trailers I've owned. I'm burned out on them completely. Thinking of selling my current one.

Can't add much to what already has been said except to check for any recall's on the appliances. There may be one out there that wasn't caught and corrected.

Speaking of appliances...my son works for one of the large auto insurance companies. For a few years he was in the motorcycle/RV dept. He said that something like 75% of the RV fires originate from the refrigerators. They get very hot and often aren't properly ventilated. I put a thermostatically controlled vent fan in ours. Its surprising how quickly it comes on and stays on when the fridge is running. It gets pretty warm back there.

The only trailer I've owned was a small, 16 ft. I bought from a trailer rental outfit. It gave me no problems as the owner keep it up properly. As others have said, there is alot that can cause problems if not looked after regularly. If you buy used, make sure you get one that has been cared for.
I've used a Lance Truck camper since the mid 90's. I've never had any regrets about buying it. I've lived in it in temperatures down to -20 plus and had it on the road is nasty high winds. If you go that route, make sure you have a proper truck to carry it. Mine is a Dodge Ram with the diesel and an 8500 lb. GVW rating. Air bags are a must.
You'll need an extra battery(ies) or a generator if you remote camp for long.
So do your homework. Try renting whatever you are considering. Best of luck. E

We just spent the best part of a day looking at campers/rv's....overall we decided that if we were going to spend upwards of $20k for one, with all the hassle, we can go rent a condo at the beach twice a year for 10 yrs and save $$
We are too old and cranky (well she is....) to get this involved this late in life....oh well, cross that off the bucket list.

A nice, used Airstream will increase the fun on a trip, and eliminate lots of cussin'.

We bought one this spring. It is a hard sided A-frame popup. Sets up in a little over two minutes and that includes the levelling.

The bed is permanent and does not need to be set up to use. Had plenty of room for the two of us.





We got the extra room with it. Just a tent that attaches to one side doubling the living space. Takes less that te minutes to set it up. you can leave the front open and the sides just screened in or add the front and close it all the way up for rougher weather.







Ours has a dry weight of 2,084 pounds and tows like a dream behind our Ford Flex. Show uo at the Quemado get together this year and I will show it to you.