Maggie,
I bought my Retro Ride teardrop in March of this year. I have camped in it more than 20 nights so far. The longest trip was 11 nights. You can read about it here -
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=56465&p=1022923#p1022923.
For me the decision was about upgrading from tent camping. In the past I had viewed the down side to owning a camper as:
* loss of mobility, flexibility
* "hassle factor"
* site selection
* pre-trip / post-trip prep
* up keep, durability
I'm glad I was wrong about most of those. BTW - I have only camped in a campground or designated camp site maybe three times in my life. Not my cup of tea.
Loss of mobility, flexibility - More than once I have setup the trailer and then decided to move to another spot the next morning. It's about a 10 minute proposition to be ready to move. Quicker than with a tent. I've also reoriented my trailer by turning it a little because of the sun or a view, etc. As far as mobility goes, I pulled it to a spot in the Big Horns that the access was questionable even without a trailer. I've found that if I can make it in my TV, I can pull the trailer there. The large tires are a huge asset in snow, mud and rutted dirt roads. It pulls easily on the road and has only a small impact on MPG.
Hassle factor - A friend had a pop up tent trailer for a few years. I based my opinions on that I guess. Hitching and unhitching on uneven ground and getting that thing set up was a pain. Much more hassle than my tents ever were. 3 out of the 4 years that he brought it to the Big Horn Mountains it lost the battle with high winds and needed repairs. With my teardrop I literally pull into a spot I want to camp, lower the jack and unhitch, level it as best I can, set the rear jacks and open the windows and turn on the fan. I'm done. 10 minutes max. Sleeping in a bed with sheets and blankets is much nicer than a sleeping bag. I've stayed comfortable in 25 degree weather with snow. Having a galley that I can arrange the way I like is much handier than living out of boxes and crates for a week. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but having power, lights and a fan that lasts me 10+ days is great!
Site selection - Almost anywhere I can drive to for tent camping, I can pull the trailer. This has become a non-issue for me. It's actually a plus for the teardrop. I don't have to worry about rocky, muddy or uneven spots anymore.
Pre-trip / post-trip prep - This has been the greatest benefit. Because I can leave the essentials packed in the trailer, all I add is water, food and clothes and I'm ready to go. Hopefully I remember to plug it in the day before to charge up. Everything has its place when I prep to head out or return home. The last day of the trip is much easier now. I can either stay longer on site or get home early and not face the dreaded unpacking, drying out and repacking.
Upkeep, durability - This is a little hard to speak to since I've had it less than a year. I've had a couple of issues that were easy to fix and I got support from Retro Ride on them. I made a few changes to the trailer - replaced the lights with LEDs, the fender paint chipped from rocks and started to rust so I took them off and had them Rhino coated, I moved the license light and holder and added curtains. I had a problem on the road in April. We had a late spring storm. About 11" of heavy snow and ice. Ice built up on the trailer light cable. It got so heavy that it pulled the wires out of the connector and I lost my lights. I found a replacement connector about an hour away and got it replaced the next day. I now make sure the cable doesn't hang down much.
These have been my experiences with my Retro Ride teardrop. I have no hesitation recommending the trailer for features and reliability You'll have to decide if it's the right investment for you.
Bob