Good Words From Competition While Shopping

GatorEgg

So we sold our 320 Boondock beginning of summer to go back to sailing Caribbean.  Since most of the countries are still closed due to corona we’re looking rv’s again.  But a little larger this time.  Maybe a 400.  So I spend the day yesterday at the Florida RV Show.  Wow, 4 hours of continuous rvs and I didn’t see it all.  I check out the NuCamps.  I then stop at the Little Guy setup.  As I’m checking out the LG Max I laid it out for the salesman. “ I prefer the 400 Boondock but not the price.”  He rightfully steers me through the LG.  But sums up the whole sales pitch - “ we make a great unit, quality has definitely come up recently, but, we still don’t come near the NuCamps”.

NovaTab

I was there also, the Little guy is not the same build by far, the roof AC protrudes into the ceiling for starters and if you are going shop for a good discount cost almost the same

Tabaz

Going on SIX years of owning my 320 Outback. The people at NuCamp have been extraordinarily helpful and supportive.  The build quality is exceptional. Can’t imagine ever buying another brand. “Dance with the one that brung ya” is appropriate here.

GatorEgg

NovaTab said:

I was there also, the Little guy is not the same build by far, the roof AC protrudes into the ceiling for starters and if you are going shop for a good discount cost almost the same

I agree with quality view but not prices.  Especially new.  The show prices were about $10k apart between T@b 400 and comparable LG Max.  On 320 vs LG Mini, about $5k.  Used prices around here are farther apart.
But, here you get what you pay for.

ChanW

Interesting that you got that honesty. 

We did the Florida RV show (Tampa?) two years ago and received the opposite 'info' from the Little Guy salesman, in regards to Nucamp's product.

Surprised me, because I'd told him that we love our Tab. But then again, our Tab is a product of both companies...

NovaTab

GatorEgg said:

NovaTab said:

I was there also, the Little guy is not the same build by far, the roof AC protrudes into the ceiling for starters and if you are going shop for a good discount cost almost the same

I agree with quality view but not prices.  Especially new.  The show prices were about $10k apart between T@b 400 and comparable LG Max.  On 320 vs LG Mini, about $5k.  Used prices around here are farther apart.
But, here you get what you pay for.

the show prices were inflated as usual on Nucamp way over a negotiated price

GatorEgg

NovaTab said:

GatorEgg said:

NovaTab said:

I was there also, the Little guy is not the same build by far, the roof AC protrudes into the ceiling for starters and if you are going shop for a good discount cost almost the same

I agree with quality view but not prices.  Especially new.  The show prices were about $10k apart between T@b 400 and comparable LG Max.  On 320 vs LG Mini, about $5k.  Used prices around here are farther apart.
But, here you get what you pay for.

the show prices were inflated as usual on Nucamp way over a negotiated price

A quick comparison look at RvTrader, new listings show about the same price spread.  Negotiations happen on all makes also.
Again, you get what you pay for.

Mellow_Yellow

ChanW said:

Interesting that you got that honesty. 

We did the Florida RV show (Tampa?) two years ago and received the opposite 'info' from the Little Guy salesman, in regards to Nucamp's product.

Surprised me, because I'd told him that we love our Tab. But then again, our Tab is a product of both companies...

I was going to ask the question, @ChanW: I also have a 2014 "Little Guy" manufactured T@B 320 S, located on the Pacific coast. I'm the 2nd owner and the 7-year old trailer is in near-new condition. It seems to be holding up extremely well. No leaks, but some of the exterior caulking is getting a little gray and could use replacing. How do the "Little Guy" T@Bs compare to "Nucamp" T@Bs? 

Verna

The “Little Guy” T@Bs were manufactured by Pleasant Valley Teardrops (see the VIN tag on the left side of the tongue). Pleasant Valley is the “mother” company of nüCamp RV. Little Guy only marketed the pleasant Valley Teardrops through their “divorce” in early 2017. Little Guy never manufactured these teardrops, T@G’s, or T@B’s. 

The quality is still the same. 

NovaTab

Verna said:

The quality is still the same. 

Based on my walk though IMO the design or components used in the LG were substandard to NuCamp

bergger

I looked at both extensively and feel both are good trailers and have similar pricing.   It just depends on what you want. We ended up with a NuCamp 400 due to the size of it.  Fit our bill just right.  Also the Alde system kinda hooked me but now I'm not so sure about it. 

However if you want something with more storage, for 3 feet more length it has way more storage, I think the Max is a good option.  Things I do like about the Little Guy Max, way more storage if you want it, time tested furnace without having to worry about the glycol and other possible issues, rear bike hitch, very large a/c unit (although it is roof mounted), fiberglass roof vs aluminum (wish the 400 had a fiberglass roof).  I  also found the quality of the cabinets to be on par with what I found in my 400. 

Sometimes it's ok or better to have common components in a trailer, like the furnace, hot water heater and a/c.  I've had these "substandard" components in my past trailer and I used the heck out of it with no problems ever.  But if something did happen I was more confident in my dealer taking care of it than I am with my dealer working on my 400.   Let alone a dealer when you are traveling.  Also had I been in our 400 a few years ago, instead of our Starcraft A-Frame, I can tell you our roof would have been dimpled like crazy from the hail we encountered in Bryce NP.  Starcraft was unscathed.  Anyway like I said we ended up with the 400 due to the overall length and we loved the bathroom in it.  And I'm learning the systems but definitely more complicated and prone to issues than the standard rv appliances.  However like I said, if you're looking for something sized like a potential  t@b 500 with  more common appliances I think it is totally worth looking at.  

Denny16

Verna said:

The “Little Guy” T@Bs were manufactured by Pleasant Valley Teardrops (see the VIN tag on the left side of the tongue). Pleasant Valley is the “mother” company of nüCamp RV. Little Guy only marketed the pleasant Valley Teardrops through their “divorce” in early 2017. Little Guy never manufactured these teardrops, T@G’s, or T@B’s. 

The quality is still the same. 

I think Verna meant the quality between a nüCamp TaB and the Little Guy marketed TaBs made by PV are the same quality.  The newer nüCamp TaBs have an Azdel floor, instead of the previous model’s use of plywood subfloor.  I think this raises the quality bar a bit higher in the newer units.

As for the Alde, it is fairly maintenance free, just maintain the glycol fluid level, which depends on how much use it gets.  The only real maintenance is the glycol replacement once every two to three years.  If you only use the Alde occasionally, you may get by with a longer change out cycle.  

I prefer the quality of Alde convention heat over a forced air furnace any day.  The former warms the trailer from the floor up, the later only warm the top half of the trailer.  When I got my first trailer, it had a corded air, semi vented wall type furnace, which did heat quickly.  You were warm standing up, but got cold when you sat down.    I quickly replaced this with a fully vented, cast iron boat focsle’  stove, which heated from the floor up.  

The Alde was one of the main selling points for me one of the TaB.

Anything with mechanical systems in it, will have some degree of maintenance required. 

Cheers

Verna

@NovaTab, you missed the dates. Pleasant Valley Teardrops and little Guy “divorced” in 2017. Anything manufactured since then are totally separate. Actually “Little Guy” is actually “Liberty Outdoors”, even after going through a form of bankruptcy/receivership (sorry, I  don’t know the difference). 

So. little Guy has a different standard, a different factory than nüCamp. They are no longer associated with each other and they should not be compared to each other. 

GatorEgg

I didn’t mean to start a war of the “used to be’s”.  I was speaking of the new companies and trailers.  We all should know or I’ll say it, LG and NuCamp are different companies.  I was comparing a commonly compared niche of trailers.  Of what I saw at the show and what is listed on line. 

 Denny16, good points/view, pretty close of my own.  Though I’m still on the fence with the Alde, having had both traditional and Alde systems in trailers.  Thanks

Denny16

We have had no issues with our Alde in the 2018 TaB 400, it has worked as designed.  We did have a factory type glycol change done this fall.  

The only fiddly use thing, is burping the hat water tank after filling, and occasionally (every 4 to 6 days or so) during use, by pressing and releasing the yellow pressure overflow valves under the bunk.  On 2021 TaB400s this got harder, as the cover over the Alde is screwed down.  Ours just lifts up, but still requires messing with the bunk. 

I did discover, I could reach through the outside Alde access door (where the Nautilus is on new models) and press the relief valve handle.  But the new TaB 400s need better access to these two valves (one on the Alde boiler and one on the Flo tank).  One could cut two removable access ports on the Alde cover ply, frame under so the cut out (with its Foli springs) could be set back in.  Then you only need to lift the mattress, lift out the cut out panel and press the yellow lever to burp the water tanks.
cheers

runaway30

Denny16 can you elaborate more on this. 

"The only fiddly use thing, is burping the hat water tank after filling, and occasionally (every 3 to 4 days or so) during use, by pressing and releasing the yellow pressure overflow valves under the bunk."

 I have drained my hot water tank using the 2 yellow valves after camping and before storage.  Are you doing this to get air out of the lines after filling the tank?  I have just been cracking a tap to do this.

Sharon_is_SAM

@runaway30 - Here is the Alde air cushion info.

• AIR CUSHION

The hydronic heating system is designed to have an air space, called an air cushion, at the top of the tank. This air cushion is essential for absorbing pressure surges in the hydronic heating system. Always renew the air cushion in the hydronic heating system after 10 days of use.

This can be done by opening the safety/drain valve on the hydronic heating system for a few seconds.

The air cushion allows expansion to take place and helps protect the hydronic heating system against pressure surges from the water pump.

 NOTICE

To maintain the air cushion, the hot water tank should be emptied approximately once a week to help ensure that a new air cushion is formed in the hydronic heating system.

  

Denny16

Thanks Sharon...
cheers

Marceline

Verna said:

Actually “Little Guy” is actually “Liberty Outdoors”, even after going through a form of bankruptcy/receivership (sorry, I  don’t know the difference). 

Bankruptcy is essentially when a company runs out of money and can't pay its bills.
Receivership is when a judge puts a bankrupt company under the control of outside "receivers" who are responsible for cleaning up the mess (completely liquidating all the assets and closing down the company or "reorganizing" it with a new balance sheet and most probably new management).

I haven't followed the company too closely, but it looks like Liberty Outdoors LLC got a little bit ahead of its skis but maybe sold itself to a new entity, Xtreme Outdoors, instead of being forced into bankruptcy.

Xtreme Outdoors Acquires Liberty Outdoors - RV PRO (rv-pro.com)

ScottG

Around the time of the divorce with Pleasant Valley (now nuCamp), Little Guy also had plans to revive the Serro Scotty line of retro campers. I don't think that ever got off the ground.

In general, it seems they had an ambitious but unmanageable business plan. nuCamp's approach--however it may have differed--seems to have been more successful. It probably didn't hurt that PV/nuCamp was always the manufacturer and was able to bring that experience to bear after the split.

GatorEgg

ScottG, somebody brought the Serro Scotty back a few years ago.  I don’t remember the parent company.  I physically looked a a remake of the Serro Scotty.  Many reviews had them stating problems with leaks.  And the one I looked had them exactly there.