Archive for the ‘Travel Trailers’ Category

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Travel Trailers: The Most Mobile of RVs

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

 

Travel trailers are one of the most popular first time RV purchases. The travel trailer is also one of the most often repeated purchases in the RV industry. And it also appears to be one of the most popular choices for a second/additional recreational vehicle purchase. To put it simply, it’s just one of the most popular choices no matter how old you are, where you are traveling, your level of RV experience, etc.

Travel trailers are fabulous Newbie RVs because they are small and extremely portable. The entire idea behind the recreational vehicle is that it is on wheels and it goes places while providing you with a place to stay. But the travel trailer is the most mobile of the bunch simply because it’s the smallest. It’s the easiest to cart around. It’s the easiest to learn to tow without incidents as well. Newbies can generally succeed at getting their travel trailer from point A to point B without causing any damage.

Travel trailers are the most repeated purchase in the RV industry. Why would that be? That would be because many feel after owning a travel trailer that it was an “intro” purchase and they are ready to upgrade. They’re looking for additional features, more space, etc. But many who upgrade miss the mobility of the travel trailer and the ease of cleaning, etc. And they purchase another one. I guess you could say the travel trailer has a high return rate.

 And that high return rate explains the tendency of the travel trailer to live right alongside another, larger vehicle as a “second” RV. Many pick and choose which RV is more appropriate depending upon the trip destination, the trip length, the number of passengers, etc. But in many cases, the travel trailer is simply perfect for the vacation at hand.

Travel trailers are not the only RVs that are hitched to the back of the vehicle. But when a RV is referred to as a travel trailer it generally refers to a smaller RV that can hitch to mid-sized vehicles. It makes towing look so easy. And nothing’s more hilarious than traveling in a group and seeing just how quickly the travel trailer can be cleaned, packed up and put away when the trip is over. And then you get to sit back and watch the rest of the RVers still working on cleaning and organizing and generally being controlled by their bigger, more demanding recreational vehicles.

 

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Travel Trailer: Perfect for a Near Stay-cation

Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

Individuals with young children will generally be aware of the term “October Break.” It refers to the fact that many schools are not in session for 1-2 weeks during mid-October. The kids are home. Many parents are at work and have to find something for the kids to do or somewhere for the kids to be while they are not in school. To avoid this struggle to entertain kids who are “vacationing” from school while parents are trying to stick to their work routine, we recommend treating October Break as a chance to get out and about in your travel trailer. Schedule vacation time and fill up the tank on your RV. You don’t have to leave the surrounding area. Schedule your vacation time and indulge in a stay-cation or a “near” stay-cation. RVing means you won't break the bank. 

The travel trailer is the perfect accessory for your October Break “near stay-cation.” You’ll find that it is just the right size for ease of travel while drastically increasing your comfort and luxury while on the road. Not sure what you want to do? Not sure if there’s anything that you can do in your area? That’s the pessimist in your attempting to take over. Don’t let it happen. Fight back. Jump online. There’s no way that there’s literally nothing worth seeing, doing, or experiencing in your local area. It might not be Disneyland, but it can be fabulous. Who wants to spend EVERY vacation at Disneyland anyway? 

Find something in your area that you have always meant to experience or visit and hitch up your travel trailer and get on the road. Phoenix area residents will find that they have many options: the Painted Rocks, the Grand Canyon, Tombstone, Carlsbad Caverns, and much more. Individuals in the Austin area can look for several options in their surrounding area as well: the Dinosaur Park, The Riverwalk in San Antonio, The Alamo, Bastrop State Park, and much more. Feel stuck at home in Seattle? You’re being silly. There are many wonderful opportunities to get out and about with the kids and your trusty travel trailer: Museum of Glass, Meeker Mansion, Marten Creek Falls, and much more. 

And if you’re not in Phoenix, Austin or Seattle…don’t fret. This is the kind of information that you can easily find online whether you live in New York or California. Just give it a shot and pick a few “spots” you find interesting or you think your kids will find interesting and you’ll find that the October Break suddenly becomes a fabulous treat that flies by instead of the never ending week of torture that you were expecting. 

Not sure if your travel trailer will be accommodated at your destination? Don’t ever be afraid to call ahead and ask questions regarding the RV accommodations at or near your travel destination. The recreational vehicle is an accepted mode of travel and you’ll find that most in the tourist/travel industry have ready information regarding where the nearby campgrounds are as well as available parking that is suitable for a vehicle pulling a travel trailer. Just give them the opportunity and they can help you be prepared and decrease your stress level which makes getting on the road (and being on the road) much more enjoyable. 

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Small Travel Trailers

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Small travel trailers are often prized for the lack of maintenance issues. And when small travel trailers are compared to Class A recreational vehicles or even a Class C or Class B RV, there are definitely fewer maintenance requirements. But that doesn’t mean that there are NO maintenance issues. There are definitely a few maintenance issues that should be addressed regularly.

Any vehicle is going to need to have the tires checked. For some reason, owners of small travel trailers often overlook this necessity until there is a problem. But no one should wait for a blowout before they find it necessary to check the tires. Small travel trailers will need to have the tires checked regularly; just like any RV. Checking your small travel trailers tires regularly will decrease the chances of a problem on the road. When you wait to address tire issues on the road you risk not only the hazards of a blowout, but you risk higher prices for parts and labor. It’s much easier to shop around and get a good price when you are not stranded in an unknown area in need of a good mechanic.

And the tires are not the only maintenance issue that needs to be on the list.

Any owners of small travel trailers should also check that all lights are functioning prior to departing on a trip. A light that doesn’t work may not seem like a big issue, but like anything else…it’s much easier to take care of and repair before you depart on your trip. And it could be something that could prove to be a danger on the road. If your brake lights are out you aren’t as visible as you need to be. If the running lights are out on your trailer, you’ll find that accidents will occur even if you’ve been using the same small travel trailer for years and should be very well aware where the step down should be.

Prior to departing on any trip you should also check the functioning of all slide outs. Make sure that all doors and cabinet doors are appropriately latched and that none of the mechanisms ensuring they will be secure while on the road are broken.

Check your water lines. Verify that your generator is functioning. Check any appliances that may be included in your trailer design. You may not even have time to fix any of the problems that you discover while you are performing your regular maintenance before it’s time to depart on your next trip, but you will be able to be aware of the problem and plan around it. For instance, if you know that the refrigerator isn’t working, but you don’t have time to get a repairman out to check it before your next trip, you won’t spend a lot of money stocking the fridge before you leave. Instead you will plan to eat foods that don’t need to be refrigerated or you’ll stop more often for meals. It’s as simple as that. You can’t avoid all problems, but you can avoid some. And you can be prepared for the rest!

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Travel Trailer

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

Travel trailer can be discussed in terms of the travel games. I’m not sure who came up with the idea, but they were brilliant. Board games of all types and sizes are now manufactured specifically for use on the road. You can get card games, board games, trivia games, DVD games, memory games and much more. You can pretty much get everything you can imagine in a travel game almost as easily as you can get it in the traditional, full size game format. And it’s the same with the travel trailer. It’s a home just like your house. But it’s designed for use on the road.

What does it mean to be designed for use on the road? Well, being designed for use on the road sometimes means the same things for the travel trailer as it means for the travel games.

-        Magnetic and snap in place pieces

-        Smaller, more compact designs

-        Multiple purposes for the same item

-        Folding/sliding and moving pieces

-        Compartments to hold the pieces in place while mobile

Loose pieces would be just as detrimental to game play as loose cupboard doors and curtains would be to travelers in a travel trailer or RV. They are often designed to “stay” where they are placed using the power of magnets and/or snapping or locking mechanisms.

It’s obvious that when traveling, you want to travel as light as possible. And both travel games and travel trailers take this into consideration. They’ve both been designed to minimize the space necessary for the activity at hand without limiting the entertainment value; it’s all about having fun!

In many cases of both travel games and travel trailer designs certain items will have multiple uses. For instance, your travel game box may hinge open and serve as the game board and the kitchen table may fold and twist and become the couch in a well-designed travel trailer.

Game play often requires that there be moving pieces, but too many detachable pieces will mean that you can only play that game a few times before you’re missing vital elements of the game. So many travel games have moving pieces that don’t detach; instead they slide or twist or swing. This is the same concept that is applied to recreational vehicles and travel trailers in particular. There are slide outs and elements that move (but don’t often actually detach) that allow RVers to maximize the space once they are camping while keeping the travel trailer compact while on the road.

And, of course, there is a great need for compartments that are available to hold all the pieces. Every travel game will have the contained space to keep all the game pieces intact and available for the next game. It’s the same thing with travel trailers. There is space set aside for the basics that will be needed on the road. Store all your necessities and make your travel plans even easier to execute.

And don’t forget to get yourself a few travel games for on the road! They’re designed to keep game play simple AND fun! And anyone interested in enjoying a trip in a travel trailer is going to find the simple and fun combo right up their alley!

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Small Travel Trailer

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

Small travel trailer recreational recommendations aren’t that different from those that are associated with larger recreational vehicles. The small travel trailer available in the modern RV inventory is so well designed that you may not feel that you have “lost” anything. Many still have the necessary bathroom and kitchen facilities as well as comfortable sleeping arrangements.

The small travel trailer will obviously sleep fewer people because there is less space. But just because there is less space doesn’t mean that the necessities and most popular amenities are cut out. It typically just means that the space is more carefully designed to maximize the opportunities for living. It also often means that the RVer will need to expend more energy in set up and clean up. The small travel trailer generally depends more heavily on slide outs and may even have additional exterior amenities (exterior mount grill, awnings, etc.)

But the most commonly cited difference between the small travel trailer and the larger recreational vehicle options is the ease of use.

The small travel trailer is much easier to store. It’s smaller. It requires less space. This generally means that it can either be stored at your residential space or that renting a storage space will be cheaper.

The small travel trailer is much easier to prepare for departure. It’s lighter and easier to maneuver. It’s easy to hitch up.

The small travel trailer is much easier to maneuver. It’s a great first time RV and it’s a great relax and enjoy the open road RV for even the most experienced veteran. It’s also lighter and will result in greater gas mileage.

The small travel trailer is also much easier to set up at the campsite. It’s smaller. It’s meant to be compact. There’s a lot packed into a little space. But it’s still a small RV and there’s only so much that needs to be done to set things up at the campground.

The small travel trailer is also much easier to clean up for storage again after the trip. It’s small. It’s much quicker to clean than larger RVs.

So don’t belittle the small travel trailer. It’s packs a big punch.

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Travel Trailers for Sale by Owner

Saturday, August 20th, 2011

Travel trailers for sale by owner can be very tempting. They seem convenient because they are nearby. Sometimes they are around the corner. Sometimes they are on the corner of the highway between your home and your work. Sometimes they’re on Craigslist for sale in your area. But accessing travel trailers for sale by owner can be extremely hazardous for your RVing health.

The travel trailers for sale by owner are not regulated in any way. They may have been damaged without record. They may have been entirely ignored when it comes to regular maintenance. Travel trailers for sale by owner may come at a cheaper price than comparable RVs, but they may not be worth the smaller price tag. They may not even be worth much at all when it comes right down to it.

It’s possible to get a great deal through travel trailers for sale by owner. But in order to do so with a surety, you need to be an expert on RV mechanics. You’ll need to be able to fully check and analyze the entire vehicle. The problem is that even the most experienced mechanic would have a hard time catching each and every little blip.

With reputable dealers you have a check and balance system in place. There’s someone you can go to for resolution or aid in identifying potential issues. You’ll have access to official documentation of service and repairs. You’ll often have access to full reports on the vehicle through a reputable dealer.

You may or may not have a warranty depending upon the dealer you purchase from and the recreational vehicle at hand, but you have a much better chance of successfully managing any mechanical issues after purchase completion with a dealer rather than travel trailers for sale by owner. Travel trailers for sale by owner have very rarely been prepared for sale as thoroughly as inventory on the lot of a reputable dealer.

Still not sure that you can pass up those travel trailers for sale by owner down the street? Not sure that you can watch your brother sell his fantastic RV to the random stranger that saw the pictures on Craigslist? Consider the fact that these people are people you know. You have relationships with them. And there’s no easier way to destroy a relationship than to buy a lemon off of them. And you’d be surprised just how often this happens…even between friends and family. Avoid this problem; go through a dealer instead.

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Bumper Pull Travel Trailer

Monday, August 1st, 2011

The bumper pull travel trailer is one of the most successful “first time” recreational vehicles. It’s simple and basic and fulfills all the necessities at the same time. It’s also fairly affordable on almost any budget. Many prefer to purchase the bumper pull travel trailer used as it gets them an even better price and because, as first time RVers, they don’t want to have to worry about treating their bumper pull travel trailer as an investment. They simply want to take it out and enjoy the heck out of it.

What you need to know about the basic bumper hitch travel trailer?

  1. It’s fairly small. Small in relation to recreational vehicles can mean a few different things. One, it’s easier to drive. This is one of the reasons it’s good for first timers. Two, there’s less room for storage so consider your carry on’s carefully. Pack light and pack smart. And be organized. You’ll be surprised how much space is wasted when you jam things in instead of taking the time to consider placing them in a way that will maximize the storage space. Small also means more maneuverability on the road and when attempting to play the tourist in local hot spots.
  2. It’s fairly lightweight. This is an important consideration because of the fact that many fear the bumper pull travel trailer because they feel they’ll have to buy an appropriate “pull” vehicle in order to tow it. In many cases, the new RV owner already has a vehicle that is capable of pulling this type of lightweight RV. Check with the dealer you are working with to ensure your vehicle is capable of pulling the basic bumper pull travel trailer prior to purchase.
  3. It’s affordable. This is extremely important in today’s budget conscious industry. Consumers looking for ways to use the RV to maximize their travel budget should start by not overestimating what they’ll need to enjoy their RV trips. Don’t overspend on a rig that will be too much for you to handle, have extra, unused space and drastically bite into your overall budget for vacations and road trips in general. Be smart; conserve your budget for travel fun by going with the more affordable bumper pull travel trailers.
  4. It’s easily unhitched. This is important because it leaves you with a home base to work from when you are off on the road. You can set up your RV at your campsite and then take off around town or on short, day trips to fabulous hiking spots, etc. without worrying about pulling your trailer everywhere with you.

He bumper pull travel trailer is not the recreational vehicle of choice for everyone. But it is a very popular option for first timers. And it’s also a very popular option for those who want to be able to “get in and get out” when they plan an RVing road trip. It’s easy to get ready to go and it’s easy to pack back in for storage. And many are surprised at exactly how much they now pack into these little RVs.

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Used Travel Trailer: Your Weekend Away

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

The used travel trailer is a great, affordable option for those who are thinking about getting into RVing. If you aren’t sure if you are going to love it then you may be wary of purchasing a larger vehicle. Considering the price you are smart to be wary. You should make sure that you are going to enjoy RVing before investing the type of money that is often required to get into a top of the line Class A or fifth wheel.

But that doesn’t mean that you don’t have options. The used travel trailer is the most affordable RV option in most cases. It is a smaller RV that is designed to be towed behind a vehicle. In many cases new owners of a used travel trailer already have a vehicle that is an appropriate tow vehicle. Unlike the fifth wheel, an enormous tow vehicle is not required. And unlike the fifth wheel the special hitch (fifth wheel coupling) is also not required. The travel trailer is the most “newbie” friendly of RVs.

While getting into a used travel trailer is pretty simple and easy…it’s also a great option because of the ease of use. Travel trailers are the easiest of recreational vehicles when it comes to learning to drive and maneuver on highways and local roads. And the travel trailer is also the easiest when it comes to camp set up. Many prefer to unhitch once they have decided upon a campsite. This allows them to make the most of the slideouts that are often a part of the modern travel trailer.

Slideouts are exactly what they sound like. They are portions of the trailer that are designed to actually “slide out” once camp is set up. They allow RVers to drastically increase the size of their interior living space. In combination with the slideout, many RVers appreciate the awnings that will increase livability of the exterior of the RV/travel trailer. Depending upon the travel trailer purchased there may or may not be bathroom facilities. Many modern used travel trailer inventories boast options that are fully equipped from bathroom to kitchen to bedrooms. While the facilities are small and compact, they are effective and highly appreciated by new RVers.

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Used Motorhomes for Sale: Avoid the Around the Corner Sale

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

Used motorhomes for sale are available on nearly every corner. The sheer accessibility of some used motorhomes for sale make them seem more advantageous to potential buyers. But potential buyers should be careful not to mistake an easy purchase with a good purchase. The recreational vehicle is a major purchase that can bring a lot of fun and happiness into the lives of RV owners. But it’s vital that the new RVer consider that the RV for sale on the corner might not be the best RV for them even if it is…just around the corner.

We are all at least a little bit susceptible to an easy deal. And when it comes to used motorhomes for sale that means something nearby that we don’t have to go searching for. At least that’s the immediate assumption of new potential RV owners. But it’s a mistake.

Used motorhomes for sale are actually available across the nation. And sometimes it is best to purchase a used RV from someone who is definitely NOT in your area. Your new RV may not even be in state. But this isn’t a top consideration. The top consideration when looking at used motorhomes for sale should be:

  1. Price
  2. Sleep Accommodations: how many people does it sleep?
  3. Type: fifth wheel, Class A, Class C, Class B, travel trailer, etc.  
  4. Accessories and features: if there are important accessories or features that are particularly important to you don’t let them pass you by. Make sure the RVs you are considering have them as an option. Don’t think that just because the motorhome for sale on the corner or down the street is nearby that it’s okay to buy it even though it doesn’t have the features you are looking for in your new or used RV.

Make a list of what you are looking for and if you happen to find used motorhomes for sale in your area (or on the corner down the street) that fulfill your requirements then by all means…check them out and consider purchasing them. But never feel limited to the options available in your local area. You have access to nearly unlimited options through reputable dealers who are used to selling RVs to out of towners…and out of staters. They’ve got the process down. Check out what they have and then discuss the details after you’ve found exactly what you want. The number of long distance used RV sales is much higher than those occurring locally. And there’s a reason for that. You’re much more likely to find what you’re looking for!

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Lightweight Travel Trailers Offer More than Ever Before

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

Lightweight travel trailers are sometimes relegated to the sidelines when new RVers are considering their options. They don’t keep it in the same category with the Class A, the Class B, the Class C or the fifth wheel. But lightweight travel trailers are often the best solution to RVing needs.

Advantages of lightweight travel trailers include:

  1. Gas mileage: lightweight travel trailers are light. That’s why they’re called lightweight. And this is an advantage when it comes to buying gas. This is a particularly important factor to consider when gas prices are as high as they have been in recent years.
  2. Ease of storage: lightweight travel trailers are small. That makes them easy to store and easy to move here and there. They don’t require a huge financial investment for renting huge garages or storage spaces as some larger RVs do.
  3. Maneuverability: many RVers don’t want to worry about how they are going to get their RV here and there. They want to have the comforts of home on the road without making it more difficult to drive. Drivability is important and lightweight travel trailers are easier to maneuver than most other RV options.
  4. Price: Smaller, lighter travel trailers are typically one of the most affordable options for those who are looking to get into a recreational vehicle. It’s like the starter home of the RV industry.

If you’re in the market for a recreational vehicle be careful to consider all the options. If you find yourself relegating one type of RV to the sidelines check again to make sure that you have set it aside for a valid reason. You don’t want to overlook something that could possibly be your best option. And when it comes to shopping for a new or used RV, lightweight travel trailers can be a terrific option for many who simply want to get out on the road and make it as easy as possible. It’s small, lightweight, easy to store, offers great gas mileage (depending on your tow vehicle), they’re pretty easy to get used to towing and they’re price is almost always affordable. So check them out in addition to the other RV options you are considering.

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