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Re: Do you "wash" your camper at campgrounds?
I only wash my 320 at self service car wash. The soap soak and high pressure rinse does a great job of cleaning it, especially the under carriage. I have not been to one campground that allows washing a camper
Re: Do you "wash" your camper at campgrounds?
@Maple_Geek I’m ridiculously timid about towing. There are plenty of gas stations I wouldn’t feel comfortable trying to maneuver through with the trailer. But I have yet to see a self service wash bay that I couldn’t manage. Maybe the ones I’ve been by are different than in your area? Every one I’ve seen in recent years is pull through, with plenty of turning radius on both ends for getting in and out.
Regardless a bucket wash might be OK. Just be prepared to be confronted if a ranger or camp host catches you at it, because again, it’s generally not allowed at campsites, and with good reason.
Regardless a bucket wash might be OK. Just be prepared to be confronted if a ranger or camp host catches you at it, because again, it’s generally not allowed at campsites, and with good reason.
Re: Frankly its unbelievable that NuCamp builds a quality camper but just doesn't make it work better...
Yeah, I think a big shock to new RV owners is just how DIY the community has to be. Unless you’ve got deep pockets to have a dealer fix everything you’re going to be learning a whole lot of things you never cared to know about prior to owning one. But learning all of this stuff is beneficial in the long run…the more you learn the better off you’ll be.
As for dealer’s not knowing the product, I agree. I’ve ranted in previous threads about how useless dealerships are. They’re just another unnecessary layer and just add cost and complexity to the entire experience. I wish dealers would refocus on service and ditch sales. Do what Tesla is doing.
Re: Frankly its unbelievable that NuCamp builds a quality camper but just doesn't make it work better...
Sorry to hear your dealer experience was so negative. Ours was quite the contrary. Our local nüCamp dealer, who didn’t even originally sell the TaB, has taken excellent care of out TaB, and getting the required factory warranty service done. While we had to wait our turn, the service was excellent and well executed. Dealers run the gamut from great to mediocre, be it an RV or a car.
I looked at a lot of RVs before buying the TaB400, and the build quality of a lot of RVs I looked at were cheap, poorly executed and lacking in any details of craftsmanship. My standard to compare again was my 1959 Kenskill, which was the first RV I owned and lived in full time whilst in school, finishing my degree. It was well built, quality materials and well executed cabinet work.
The TaB and other nüCamp products stood out in the mass of poorly built units I had looked out. The only other manufacturer coming close was Airstream, which was more money yet. We went for a previously owned TaB400, which was in grand condition and at a good price at the time. Local dealer support has also been grand.
While there have been minor issues, they were quickly resolved by nüCamp and our local TaB dealer who provided excellent service. The TaB is well made, bit as all things mechanical, tunings can and do go wrong. It’s advanced systems, like the Alde have a bit of a learning curve, but knot that complicated or difficult to work out.
The TaB and other nüCamp products stood out in the mass of poorly built units I had looked out. The only other manufacturer coming close was Airstream, which was more money yet. We went for a previously owned TaB400, which was in grand condition and at a good price at the time. Local dealer support has also been grand.
While there have been minor issues, they were quickly resolved by nüCamp and our local TaB dealer who provided excellent service. The TaB is well made, bit as all things mechanical, tunings can and do go wrong. It’s advanced systems, like the Alde have a bit of a learning curve, but knot that complicated or difficult to work out.
Another manufacturer of a more spartan line of RVs we considered was TAXA Outdoors, and their Cricket and Mantis, while these are well made units, they are a more spartan approach to camping, which would have worked if we were 20 years younger, but having a full head (shower and toilet) with easy access makes big difference at our age, as does the Alde system for hot water and heating. We do not do well with forced air heaters, and prefer convection heating due to our allergies.
Whilst Airstream has the Alde on their larger, most expensive trailers (we liked the BaseCamp, but it didn’t have the Alde unit either, and it was more expensive than our TaB400. So the TaB is a real quality built bargain in today’s RV market.
I think part of the issue is new RVers expect the tailer to be built like a residential home, which it is not. A better comparison would be a boat, which also run the gamut from cheap fiberglass junk to high end, well executed craft. You get what you pay for. But, I think the nüCamp TaB trailers are a bargain these days, getting a lot more RV for your money, than with most brands out there,
Cheers
Re: Do you "wash" your camper at campgrounds?
I guess the short answer for me is no. I only wash our 400 with soap a couple of times a summer and rinse it off a few times more. I've never seen anyone wash a camper at a campground here in Colorado or the west. With the water shortage in Colorado and the Southwest in general washing a camper at the campground may be frowned upon. I suppose if the front is dirty from travel maybe take a bucket of plain water and wipe down that area to clean it up to your liking.
Re: Do you "wash" your camper at campgrounds?
I would say it’s more like “generally NOT accepted”, and in many places I’ve seen, outright banned. If you think about it, your 320 is probably one of the smallest trailers there, and sure, *you* won’t use much water to clean off a little dirt, but that fifth wheel the next site over could take hundreds of gallons to fully wash. Easier for the campground to say no across the board.
If it bothers you that much, you’re best off hunting for a DIY car wash bay somewhere between those dirt roads and your campground. For smaller clean up needs, I usually carry a spray waterless cleaner (I use WashWaxAll, but there are several out there) and a few microfiber cloths, plus a plastic bag to toss them in for the ride home.
Re: Do you "wash" your camper at campgrounds?
A lot of campgrounds I've stayed out have rules specifically forbidding washing your rig at your campsite. A very few offered a dedicated wash area...
Re: Zamp vs Battery Tender
This is the plug end that can be purchased from Little Guy if anyone is interested. I'm not certain of a price, but could find out if anyone is interested.
Re: Frankly its unbelievable that NuCamp builds a quality camper but just doesn't make it work better...