Grand Design Imagine vs Winnebago Minnie plus

[Joe1181]

We are looking for our first travel trailer and think we have narrowed it down to the Imagine 2800BH or the Minnie Plus 27BHSS. We have 3 kids (all girls- 9,6,22 mos) and want to use it for beach trips (live in Atlanta so about 6 hours away), Gatlinburg (3-1/2 hours), and maybe to the mountains a little. We won’t be using it all the time just because of school and kids activities, but don’t want to be in hotel rooms with kids. We will be towing with a 2011 Yukon xl (7800 lbs towing cap). The imagine is uvw 5200 lbs and Winnebago is 6600 lbs. We have been hearing that you should have between 1000-1500 lbs bw towing cap and uvw. I have seen a lot of recommendations for the Winnebago and Grand design, both for price and quality. We are looking at the bunk house models (double bed double bunks with the slide for the pull out sofa and u shaped dinette) so that when girls want to bring a friend each they can. We will use year round just not necessarily all the time. If anyone has any thoughts or opinions on one of these or another suggestion we would welcome any insight.

[LivinIt]

The GVWR on both of these trailers is over your tow capacity.
The Minnie is almost 10k lbs GVWR.

I’d be looking at smaller/lighter options..

[tuffr2]

I am also looking at a mini plus. I like the lighter interior vs the dark interior of the Imagine. I bought a F-250 to tow the next trailer that is looking like the Winnebago Mini Plus 27 RBDS.

The mini plus is too heavy for your TV. Especially with 3.5 women who will want to bring a lot of stuff.

That is a cool idea though. Trips to the beach is something the kids would really love.

Humm, have you seen a TT with the bunk room? Often times there is a 1/2 bath in the bunk room area. To me, that would be an optimum family crib. Kids in a room on one end and the parents bed on the other. But again, probably need a 3/4 ton truck to tow something like that.

The more I think about it. There will be lots of beach stuff. Thinking a 3/4 ton truck with a tonneau cover to carry all the stuff plus tow the bunk room TT.
I do not think even a 1/2 ton truck could handle all the stuff plus people. Poo, a truck will only carry your family and no guest. Forget the truck.

Back to SUV's. Both Ford and GM and even Toyota and Nissan build large SUV's. I am not sure what the max weight they can carry plus tow a trailer. Ugh, what you want to is not going to be easy. People in the SUV and beach stuff in the trailer over the axles probably is an option. Again, not easy but admirable. Hope you can somehow make it happen.

Good luck.

[tuffr2]

I just did a little research and see Ford builds an Expedition EL with a 3.5 Eco-Boost engine and if equipped right has a tow capacity of a bogus 9,300lbs. Bogus because you will run out of occupant/cargo capacity 1st. It is what the vehicle can carry. If you look at the yellow sticker inside the driver's door you will see a Occupant/Cargo capacity number.

TT tongue weight subtracts from this number as well as anything else you put in the vehicle. Typically, everyone runs out of this capacity before they hit the towing capacity.

Oh, the engine Ford puts in the Expedition EL is an Eco-boost that produces 470 ft. lbs. of torque with 375 hp. That is a bunch for a gas engine. GM will build a large SUV with a similar powered 6.2 liter V8. I do not know what it is called.

Again, good luck

[bneukam]

You’ve received good info thus far.
Have you thought about a motor home?

[shane_the_ee]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

I just did a little research and see Ford builds an Expedition EL with a 3.5 Eco-Boost engine and if equipped right has a tow capacity of a bogus 9,300lbs. Bogus because you will run out of occupant/cargo capacity 1st. It is what the vehicle can carry. If you look at the yellow sticker inside the driver's door you will see a Occupant/Cargo capacity...

You rang?

[shane_the_ee]

You want 1000-1500lbs between loaded weight and towing capacity. Because towing capacity is a 150lb driver and no other people or any stuff in the vehicle. The 2400BH is far more in line with your tow vehicle. It has a GVWR of 7500 lbs, but you can manage that if you promise yourself that you’ll actually weigh the thing and your TV. Keep in mind, though, the rear axle weight limit is going to be your weak point, particularly with 6 kids in the back... I think you can manage it, because all the camping you described implied full hookups, so you don’t need to fill the water tank, won’t be adding a 2nd (or 3rd and 4th) battery, and because you aren’t planning any trips out west where the temperatures, speed limits and passes are high...

[Br0wnBear]

I’ll add to the recommendations for something smaller with your tow vehicle. I have a Winnebago Minnie 2455BHS and tow it with a Toyota Tundra. The trailer has a 7000 lb GVWR and its measured 950 lb tongue weight puts my truck very near max payload once my family is in the truck. We often have 5 people in 3 generations camping. The two kids are in the bunks, grandma is on the dinette bed, and wife and I are in the front bedroom. The 2455BHS works out and works for our tow vehicle.

[Joe1181]

Thanks everyone for all the info. We do have access to a 2001 Yukon XL with this info:


What determines the standard towing vs max towing?

[cdoorider]

Originally Posted by Joe1181

We are looking for our first travel trailer and think we have narrowed it down to the Imagine 2800BH or the Minnie Plus 27BHSS. We have 3 kids (all girls- 9,6,22 mos) and want to use it for beach trips (live in Atlanta so about 6 hours away), Gatlinburg (3-1/2 hours), and maybe to the mountains a little. We won’t be using it all the time just because of school and kids activities, but don’t want to be in hotel rooms with kids. We will be towing with a 2011 Yukon xl (7800 lbs towing cap). The imagine is uvw 5200 lbs and Winnebago is 6600 lbs. We have been hearing that you should have between 1000-1500 lbs bw towing cap and uvw. I have seen a lot of recommendations for the Winnebago and Grand design, both for price and quality. We are looking at the bunk house models (double bed double bunks with the slide for the pull out sofa and u shaped dinette) so that when girls want to bring a friend each they can. We will use year round just not necessarily all the time. If anyone has any thoughts or opinions on one of these or another suggestion we would welcome any insight.

I'll let others detail the weight thing. As for quality GD, they use OSB, while in the same spots you will see plywood on the Minnie. The outside gel coat on the Minnie is several grades above GD. IMHO the fit and finish on Winnie especially door jams is superior. The one advantage the GD has is that it's lighter yet longer, hmm where do they save that weight? In fairness they are both owned by Winnebago and GD has a loyal following and supposedly great customer service after the sale. GD reportedly has one of the best final inspection processes.

My personal experience with GD leaves me unimpressed with fit and finish but I'm kind of alone with this opinion it seems.

Even with my Winnie preference, I would and will consider buying a GD because of my towing capacity.

Cheers

[Joe1181]

Originally Posted by LivinIt

The GVWR on both of these trailers is over your tow capacity.
The Minnie is almost 10k lbs GVWR.

I’d be looking at smaller/lighter options..

Ok thanks

[Joe1181]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

I am also looking at a mini plus. I like the lighter interior vs the dark interior of the Imagine. I bought a F-250 to tow the next trailer that is looking like the Winnebago Mini Plus 27 RBDS.

The mini plus is too heavy for your TV. Especially with 3.5 women who will want to bring a lot of stuff.

That is a cool idea though. Trips to the beach is something the kids would really love.

Humm, have you seen a TT with the bunk room? Often times there is a 1/2 bath in the bunk room area. To me, that would be an optimum family crib. Kids in a room on one end and the parents bed on the other. But again, probably need a 3/4 ton truck to tow something like that.

The more I think about it. There will be lots of beach stuff. Thinking a 3/4 ton truck with a tonneau cover to carry all the stuff plus tow the bunk room TT.
I do not think even a 1/2 ton truck could handle all the stuff plus people. Poo, a truck will only carry your family and no guest. Forget the truck.

Back to SUV's. Both Ford and GM and even Toyota and Nissan build large SUV's. I am not sure what the max weight they can carry plus tow a trailer. Ugh, what you want to is not going to be easy. People in the SUV and beach stuff in the trailer over the axles probably is an option. Again, not easy but admirable. Hope you can somehow make it happen.

Good luck.

Thanks. We will keep trying to make something work...........hopefully. Not easy keeping all the ladies happy.

[Joe1181]

Originally Posted by bneukam

You’ve received good info thus far.
Have you thought about a motor home?

Thought about motorhome but with the ones my wife would want that’s not really going to be an option either due to lack of funds. But thanks for the suggestion.

[Joe1181]

Originally Posted by Br0wnBear

I’ll add to the recommendations for something smaller with your tow vehicle. I have a Winnebago Minnie 2455BHS and tow it with a Toyota Tundra. The trailer has a 7000 lb GVWR and its measured 950 lb tongue weight puts my truck very near max payload once my family is in the truck. We often have 5 people in 3 generations camping. The two kids are in the bunks, grandma is on the dinette bed, and wife and I are in the front bedroom. The 2455BHS works out and works for our tow vehicle.

I will see if I can get the wife on board with looking at the smaller floor plan that doesn’t have the sofa. Thanks for the input.