After four years of camping in our 28 foot trailer, it’s time to sell. We have decided to downsize. The Imagine, by Grand Design, has been a great camper. I am sad to see it go. It also has taught me a lesson about buying used vs. new.
We know now that we love camping. Four years ago we knew nothing about camping in Florida! We decided to buy a new camper because well… it would be new! So what is the big difference between new and used, besides the fact that someone else was using it before us? Many buyers, like us, want an untouched, brand new item. But the cost of new is ridiculous compared to used.
New Doesn’t Mean Perfect and Ready!
If we had bought this same camper used, we could have saved about $20K. AND the problems would have been fixed for us (on a well-cared for RV).
After we purchased our Grand Design we had to take it back to the dealership and have things fixed – before we got to enjoy it! The bathroom doors would not stay on the tracks, one of the roller shades would not go back up, the shower door would not stay shut, and one of the outside doors did not close correctly… and so on. Small stuff, but stuff that was annoying and needed to be fixed.
Why sellers don’t go ahead and fix everything BEFORE they sell it is a good question????? But, we are the ones who dealt with the issues.
We also had to change out the refrigerator door latch after a couple of years, which was cheap plastic, and broke. We’ve added refrigerator door locks to keep the doors from opening while traveling. We’ve placed hooks for hanging things in convenient places. Our camper is ready to go at this point.
The wear and tear has been minimal. We only travel on average around 100 miles from home and camp for two days at a time. We camp 6-8 times a year.
Because we are not a couple, but a mother and son team, we thought that larger would be better. We need two sleeping spaces, but most campers have that. The table usually will turn into a bed. Because I am smaller, I sleep there. Almost all RVs have an extra sleeping area.
How Much Time is Spent Inside the Camper?
Unless it is very hot outside (or raining), I am always outside when we camp. Who needs a big camper when you are barely inside it?
We need a place to sleep and a place to ride out a storm. We need a place to sit and cool off if the weather is exceptionally hot. The RV doesn’t have to be large to provide these things. For this reason, we are downsizing.
What Do You Really Need?
Like huge houses, huge campers are a waste of space. Unless you live full time on the road, you don’t really need a gigantic travel trailer. Ask yourself what is the purpose of camping?
I suppose some people like to visit local attractions, and camping vs. hotel prices are way better.
We camped near Tampa one year so my son could attend a concert. We live to far away to make the trip in one day, so camping solved that problem in a cheap way. It is really nice to have that option.
Mostly we camp to relax and sit around. I love to swim in the springs and do some kayaking wherever it is allowed. (I have an inflatable kayak.)
No one needs a big expensive camper to do these things. What we have decided we’d like to do is take our boat along when we camp. Many campgrounds either offer a boat ramp, or there is one nearby. Florida is full of waterways, and exploring them would be awesome. We can’t pull our boat with the current situation.
The Plan
We envision having a truck camper. They are smaller than what we have, obviously, but then we can take the boat. Tomoka campground has a very nice boat launch area and we have not camped there yet. Hopefully soon we will get to try it out.
Because the camper is cleaned out and ready to sell, we have not been able to camp, and I miss it! If you are considering buying an RV, consider used. It will save you a bunch of money and possibly headaches too.
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