Need your advice help on new purchase. Best value teardrop?

[stevef22]

Hi guys/gals.

Thinking of purchasing a teardrop. Not sure if I should go used or new.

Budget is 8K or less.

Features I'm interested in

- Metal exterior
- Able to upgrade to 30" tires
- Able to upgrade to have AC

*Bonus if ceiling can get taller


Found this video here. https://youtu.be/UyrNquhT1Ek
Gives some great brands with features etc.


My question... if you were looking for a teardrop trailer... Would you look around on CList or FB Marketplace for a used model? Or would you go new?


What manufacture do you recommend?

[tony.latham]

Or would you go new?

If you are limited to $8,000 for a commercially made teardrop, anything new in that price range is more-than-likely, junk.

Sorry for the negative opinion.

Tony

[Modstock]

Look into the Runaway trailers. Or for that price you could get a nice cargo conversion trailer built.

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[mtbikernate]

Some of the features you're asking about are going to be tough.

Sure, you can get a trailer for less than $8k, but you're looking at models that will be a basic box, with small, typical trailer tires. Metal exterior is attainable in that range. But you probably won't have much for a power system or anything else for that matter. If you want to do all the customization yourself, it's a nice template to start with. But if you want ready-to-go, you may find it lacking.

30" tires is a tough ask. It's unlikely that anything will come with that off the lot. Why? That's getting into off-road trailer territory. Which usually calls for a stronger frame for driving in more rugged situations (and more $$$$$). You can theoretically upgrade your trailer with smaller wheels to one with larger ones without doing the other reinforcements. But doing so is going to require you to potentially make other modifications to the trailer. I'm looking to increase the tire size on my trailer, in order to fit a lighter duty AT pickup tire on it to raise it a touch and help it ride a little smoother on gravel (mainly from lower pressures). In order to do this, I have to replace the fenders with something that has room to fit what I want. I'm still staying smaller than a 30" tire. I'll probably wind up at around 29", and finding fenders that I know such a thing will fit has been a pain. The existing fenders also extend below the bottom trim of the camper, so I will need to address that trim when I remove the old ones. A lot of manufacturers will be hesitant to put tires that size onto a trailer out of the box without also beefing up the frame, though some might accommodate your request as a semi-custom mod at order time. You'll have to ask around and wait for your trailer to be built.

The A/C is another tricky one. What A/C do you want? The ClimateRight is no longer available, and that one was the easiest add-later option. I got my Hiker Trailer with the "A/C prep" option (was cheap at the time) which is really just a couple of holes put into the front, with Valterra RV sewer ports that can be used for the ducting from a ClimateRight. Of course, since the ClimateRight isn't available (new) anymore, I can't get one anymore. Not that that matters...I've learned after a few years of use that an A/C is VERY low on my priorities. One of those requires shore power, and with campsites tough to get the past couple years, I've been doing more boondock style dry camping lately. You need a TON of battery to even attempt to run an A/C on it. Some manufacturers will put a household window A/C into the trailer. Those are going to require a pretty big hole to accommodate, and I don't know if any of those trailer makers will do the "prep" for you without including the A/C itself. That is a big enough hole that I wouldn't want to be doing it after the trailer is already made. I'd rather get it built with the hole. A few other manufacturers will install a rooftop A/C. Hiker is doing this as their A/C option nowadays. But those things are heavy, and Hiker has to build the trailer to accommodate it from the start, because the roof has to be reinforced for it. There's no adding this later unless you intend to tear down the whole camper and build fresh on your frame.

You could do a homemade "add it later" option for an A/C with an off-the-shelf window unit. You'll need to do some fiddling to duct the cool air into your camper. Searching online will turn up some solutions for this. I'm not a particular fan of them, though, as they almost all look messy/kludgey to me, unless the person who did it has access to tools and skills that I don't have. So I know if I attempted it, my solution would look like crap, too.

[mtbikernate]

Or would you go new?

If you are limited to $8,000 for a commercially made teardrop, anything new in that price range is more-than-likely, junk.

Sorry for the negative opinion.

Tony

I disagree on principle. A good quality trailer in this price range will be spartan, but not junk. Probably a good platform to build out as you like.

Manufacturer tries cramming in too many options at $8k, then yeah, quality is going to suffer.

[gudmund]

what state are you located in? Are there any T/D builders in your area? (Mistake I made with the first one I had built was buying from a builder located over 350+ miles from me = one long $$$++ drive round-trip if having to deal with a 'future' trailer build problem - second one bought from builder located with-in 100 miles and never have had any problems ) Just something to think about................

[tony.latham]

I disagree on principle.

Do you have an example of a new –-decently built–– teardrop that's at that price level?

Sometimes I live in a bubble so perhaps I'm missing something. (And I consider a camp trailer without a rear galley, not to be a true teardrop, by the way.)

Perhaps the Braxton Creek Bushwackers fit in this price point... but after watching the reviews on Youtube, I think they fall into my junk category.



Tony

[mtbikernate]

I disagree on principle.

Do you have an example of a new –-decently built–– teardrop that's at that price level?

Sometimes I live in a bubble so perhaps I'm missing something. (And I consider a camp trailer without a rear galley, not to be a true teardrop, by the way.)

Perhaps the Braxton Creek Bushwackers fit in this price point... but after watching the reviews on Youtube, I think they fall into my junk category.



Tony

I own a Hiker Trailer Highway Deluxe 5x10.

I don't expect perfection from any manufacturer, but it's been solid and I've owned it for almost 5yrs now, with several thousand miles of towing it, too. I got a handful of extras when I ordered mine, so my total cost was 10k. But 8k was easily achievable with fewer options if I wanted to hit that price point. I forget the exact starting price before the extras, but it was below 8k.

The frame it's on is a LOT better than the harbor fraught trailers a lot of people start with.

Sure, it's easy to get north of 20k or 30k fully optioned with all the offroad goodies.

Current pricing puts the entry point for my model at $8k right now.

https://www.hikertrailers.com/hikers

OP could even get bigger tires (but not quite 30") in a 5x8 midrange model at $8k.

A/C stuff in addition? that'd be an option that will add some cost depending on exactly how you want to accomplish that (rooftop vs. DIY options and so on)

Back when I ordered, Hiker was advertising heavily on having a really low cost of entry. They'd use the same frame that I had with the most basic box on top possible and they put it at $4k for a starting point, I believe. Once they got going, they found a ton of people were optioning out their stuff and the basic model was discontinued. But they're still around on the used market. From what I've seen, there isn't much depreciation on these, either.

[tony.latham]

I don't expect perfection from any manufacturer, but it's been solid and I've owned it for almost 5yrs now...

Gotcha.

Tony

[mtbikernate]

Gotcha.

Tony

As long as they're able to do a better job on it than I can, and faster, that's mostly all I care about.

A cargo trailer build is really attractive to me because of the ability to start with a fully intact and functional trailer and taking my time to build it (especially considering the need to learn some things along the way). Unfortunately I don't have the space for that.

[friz]

I am a firm believer that the best value in anything is in something that you enjoy using. If you compromise too much to meet a budget and use it any less because of that, then it is really not a good value. My advise would be to find the trailer that meets your needs and wants and adjust the budget to meet it.

The majority my leisure time is spent with my camper and bicycles. That is the part of my life where memories are made. Those are priceless, so I budget accordingly.

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[MickinOz]

First question I had when I read the first post was - is the $8k budget before the upgrades, or including the upgrades?
If it includes upgrading to bigger tyres, AC and more headroom, you might be struggling to buy new.
(bearing in mind I'm in Australia and have never dipped my toes in the murky waters of the US RV market. )

These days, I have committed to the view that a bargain is not a bargain if it doesn't do what you want.
I think I'm closer to Friz's view. That is, decide what suits the need first.
Rather than buy the cheapest thing I can find, whether it firs my needs or not, I decide what suits the need, then get the best deal I can.
You might do better if you spend the $8K on the base model then fit the upgrades as opportunity arises.

Personally, I think you might be better off in the secondhand market.
I do know, with a US$8K budget, I could build a seriously good TD here in Oz.

[QueticoBill]

I've looked at these several times. They seem very well built. Starting a little over $5000.

https://www.tcteardrops.com/

Problem is most camping trailer companies are back ordered for a year or more. TC says 18 months.

[S. Heisley]

Since the pandemic, prices of any type of RV, even a teardrop, have either skyrocketed or been backordered or both. Costs of wood and everything else has gone up. The hope is that, once the pandemic goes from a roar to a whimper and backorders are filled, prices will go down. Sadly, it's been this old geezer's experience that prices rarely go down much.

[stevef22]

Thanks for all the info and considerations. 

The budget of 8K is before upgrades. Looks like used market is the way to go. Considering any new models have a waiting time. 
What are some good used base models to be on look out for? Im searching CL and FB marketplace.... 

The Bean ( Fiberglass teardrop ) looks like a great teardrop and really well built, but finding a used one at 8k is hard. Base model is 22k yikes. 
https://beantrailer.com/build-trailer/

Im located in San Antonio Texas, any builders out this way?

Thanks for your help.