Help!!!! Going to buy a TT and dumb as a rock!

[schrederman]

Originally Posted by Skip426

Your asking questions before you buy.
Now ignoring the answers ... that would be dumb.
My , word of caution , would be ; as far as online sales are concerned, in particular; . If it sounds too good to be true , it probably is. Pay for an inspection, if the seller won't let a professional inspect the unit , walk away.

Best answer I've seen...

[SmokeyWren]

The Weekender was still available when I looked on Friday morning. I have a similar Skyline TT and it's great for my use. The other one you linked to was gone by the time I clicked on the link.

Here is the link to the new Weekender 186. Probably no change since the one in the ad.
Product Page | Skyline Recreational Vehicles
Click on "floorplan" to see it.

If you don't need the bunk beds, don't worry. Leave the mattresses at home and use the bunks as storage space. With a small TT with only 18' interior length, you cannot have too much storage space. I bet you'll like it.

My wife would veto that floorplan only because she insists on a walk-around bed. But she has severe arthritis and cannot crawl around on the bed to make it up. Here is the Skyline we bought last year:
Product Page | Skyline Recreational Vehicles

Again, click on "floorplan" and you'll see why she likes it. Walk-around bed. Good shower seperate from the commode. Big closet. No bunks, but the big closet somewhat makes the need for extra storage space less necessary. Almost perfect for two old folks. In the last two summers, we've towed it about 10,000 miles, including from west Texas to Knoxville and Detroit on one trip, and Portland, Spokane, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, and El Paso on another trip, and several times to Austin.

Before you pay $9500 for a used TT, check out the cash price of a new one. Ours cost a few bucks over $12,000 plus TT&L, with MSRP over $17,000. Find the new trailer online at one of the big retailers in the Midwest, get their price, then tell your local dealer for that brand that you'll pay him the same price. It worked for me.

For example:
2014 North Trail 22FBS Travel Trailer by Heartland RV Stock# 271908 Inventory - The Original RVWholesalers

We almost bought that one. A friend in Canada has one and loves it. It was a hair heavier than we wanted so we settled for the smaller Skyline Nomad Joey 196S.

[hvnk9fun]

I am new to TT as well, and hoping to buy a Passport 300BH, 2009. Like Angelina, mine will initially be parked, as I will live in it while building a house. How does one find an inspector?

Beth

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by hvnk9fun

How does one find an inspector?

Ask any large RV dealer. They can either do it for you, or they will know the local folks that do that sort of work.

And it depends on your definition of "inspection". In Texas all RVs must pass a state safety inspection periodically. I think it's every two years. But that's for safety items such as brakes, tires, tail lights, turn signals, etc. If you want someone to certify that the appliances all work as designed, or that there are no problems with leaks or plumbing, any good RV mechanic should be able to do that.

[Cliffy]

SmokeyWren- that floor plan of yours is almost exactly what our 1978 Excell has at 20' in the box except we have a twin bed on each sidewall fwd. For a retired couple it fits us perfect. Just did 60+ days and 7200 miles in it with nothing to note on problems. I'll post the trip report later today. Our TT has a flat front so we get 10.2 mpg with our 2006 F150 5.4 Triton/3.73 posi rearend. We are almost exactly the same tow weight. You get any better with the slopped front end and newer F150? I will fill away the Joey info for future reference.

[jesilvas]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

Ask any large RV dealer. They can either do it for you, or they will know the local folks that do that sort of work.

And it depends on your definition of "inspection". In Texas all RVs must pass a state safety inspection periodically. I think it's every two years. But that's for safety items such as brakes, tires, tail lights, turn signals, etc. If you want someone to certify that the appliances all work as designed, or that there are no problems with leaks or plumbing, any good RV mechanic should be able to do that.

Texas trailer safety inspections are once a year on brakes, tires, lights.

[Marky]

This is what I found on the Texas Department of Transportation web site. It says any RV under 4500 pounds does not need to be inspected. The RV you're looking at is 3850 pounds. Check the speed rating on the tires. Most are rated at 65 mph.

Motor homes and RV’s with a gross weight over 4500 pounds are required to have annual safety inspections. Motor homes in EMISSIONS counties are also required to have the appropriate emissions test performed.

If the motor home is 1996 or newer and OBDII capable, then your motor home will receive an OBDII test. Not all motor homes in this age category come equipped with OBDII compliant plug-in; therefore, if your motor home or RV is not OBDII ready, it will require the appropriate tailpipe emissions test.

If the motor home is 1995 or older it requires the ASM emissions test. The ASM equipment in the Dallas and Houston areas have an 8500 pound limitation. Therefore, if your motor home exceeds this weight limitation, it will be switched to the TSI testing mode.

It is recommended that you make contact with the station prior to arrival to ensure their equipment can accommodate your vehicle. Vehicles too large for standard inspection bays need not be inspected within the inspection building if the analyzer is housed close enough to the bay opening. The analyzers come with a 20 foot lead; and this will determine whether or not a station can roll their machinery outside the bay to conduct this type of inspection.

[jesilvas]

Any motor vehicle needs an inspection.
Trailers (not farm) that are either registered or have a GVWR of 4500lbs or more need an inspection.
Motor vehicles need emissions inspections in required counties if not diesel.

I'm a motor vehicle inspector, ask me.
All kind of useless info though since the OP is asking just about buying one right now, and we don't know what state.

[Marky]

I went back to the Texas Department Of transportations and looked up Vehicles Not Subject To Inspections. Number 3 indicates that any trailer under 4500 pounds does not need to be inspected. I had called TXDOT two years ago and they told me I didn't need it for my travel trailer because its weight is 3000 pounds. Now you've got me thinking. I'm going to call again tomorrow and find out. Ive been using the trailer and would hate to get a ticket!

Sec. 548.052. VEHICLES NOT SUBJECT TO INSPECTION. This chapter does not apply to:
(1) a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile home moving under or bearing a current factory-delivery license plate or current in-transit license plate;
(2) a vehicle moving under or bearing a paper dealer in-transit tag, machinery license, disaster license, parade license, prorate tab, one-trip permit, vehicle temporary transit permit, antique license, custom vehicle license, street rod license, temporary 24-hour permit, or permit license;
(3) a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile home having an actual gross weight or registered gross weight of 4,500 pounds or less;
(4) farm machinery, road-building equipment, a farm trailer, or a vehicle required to display a slow-moving-vehicle emblem under Section 547.703;
(5) a former military vehicle, as defined by Section 504.502;
(6) a vehicle qualified for a tax exemption under Section 152.092, Tax Code; or (7) a vehicle for which a certificate of title has been issued but that is not required to be registered.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 30.121(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 963, Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1423, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 19.006, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 91, Sec. 24.012, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 729, Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2011.