TAB History

Calldon
Calldon Member Posts: 15
edited January 2019 in Introductions
To make a long story short, I've owned a 32-foot 1986 Argosy since 1997 and lived in it full time for many years. But I wasn't on the road. As I've gotten older I've decided, to see the USA I want something small and convenient, not a 32-foot trailer. I thought about a Casita and also a Little Snoozy.

Lately I've been looking at the tab 320. For the price I think it makes more sense for me. Of course I still have time to change my mind. I recall looking at the Tab several years ago and was not impressed, too much money and too little product.

So my question is, hasn't TAB been owned by two or three companies? And if I recall, the quality control what's not always very good. It seems the current company, nucamp seems to be doing better with it. How did the tab start? What company invented it or built it at first? Was one person behind it or a group? How many owners have there been and what happened for them to keep changing hands?

So can somebody give a little history of the Tab trailers and why now is the time to buy?  

Inquiring minds want to know before we invest over $20,000 in an RV.
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Comments

  • Mouseketab
    Mouseketab Member Posts: 1,238
    edited January 2019
    and why now is the time to buy?  

    Inquiring minds want to know before we invest over $20,000 in an RV.
    This is not a confirmed fact yet, but if you like the birch look of the 320 cabinets, now is for sure the time to buy. There have been rumors floating around that either in the 2020 (June 2019) year or 2021 (June 2020) year, the 320 T@Bs will also go to the style of wood in the Cirrus campers and the Tab 400s.
    Carol
    MOUSE-KE-T@B
    2007 Dutchmen T@B Clamshell #2741
    2022 nuCamp T@B 320 CS-S
    2021 F-150 502A Lariat SuperCrew, 3.5 EcoBoost 4x2
    Harvest, AL
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Mouseketab said:
    and why now is the time to buy?  

    Inquiring minds want to know before we invest over $20,000 in an RV.
    This is not a confirmed fact yet, but if you like the birch look of the 320 cabinets, now is for sure the time to buy. There have been rumors floating around that either in the 2020 (June 2019) year or 2021 (June 2020) year, the 320 T@Bs will also go to the style of wood in the Cirrus campers and the Tab 400s.
    I will be happy to see that. I know some absolutely love the birch look, but I prefer the Euro style, better. Some equate the birch with higher quality, but in truth, engineered materials can have every bit the quality and be lighter weight.

    Plus, I bet long-time factory workers are ready for the change!

    I really hope the new 320 has that nice looking cabinetry we see in the Aria.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    I thought there were a few years in there where T@Bs were not made. Between the time that Dutchman dropped the line and--once it was clear Dutchman would not bring it back--Little Guy/Pleasant Valley acquired the rights and began their own production.
    Can anybody confirm? Are there any model years out there that don't exist?
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    I think 2010 and 2011 are questionable.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    That would be consistent with the timeline described in this article from late 2011.
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    History buffs might find this old thread interesting as well!
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Sharon_is_SAM said:
    I think 2010 and 2011 are questionable.
    There were a few made in 2010, including a handful of bathroom prototypes. I had family look at a 2010 for sale when I was buying...and there were even fewer T@bs for sale.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Mouseketab
    Mouseketab Member Posts: 1,238
    From what I remember, Dutchmen stopped production in September 2009, which would mean the last Dutchmen's were 2010's. There were some dry bath models, some models put on T@DA frames, and some with weird cabinet configurations. They were just using up whatever parts they had. In 2011, Pleasant Valley put out a few prototype T@Bs, but I think the first "real" production year from Pleasant Valley was 2012.
    Carol
    MOUSE-KE-T@B
    2007 Dutchmen T@B Clamshell #2741
    2022 nuCamp T@B 320 CS-S
    2021 F-150 502A Lariat SuperCrew, 3.5 EcoBoost 4x2
    Harvest, AL
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  • ColleenD2
    ColleenD2 Member Posts: 583
    We were at the factory in October and I think the first step is going from solid wood to birch composite and that is happening this year. And back in May 2018 we were told if we didn’t want the eurostyle we better get a 2019. I think with their new router capabilities, they are headed that way. Personally, I HATE the look.
    2019 Custom T@B 320 U Boondock Lite-ish
    Custom Colors & Custom Interior
    We've slept in 34 states, 2 countries & counting
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  • Mouseketab
    Mouseketab Member Posts: 1,238
    Wow, just read through this again. We were all fooled. Not Euro style at all, just darker stained birch.
    Carol
    MOUSE-KE-T@B
    2007 Dutchmen T@B Clamshell #2741
    2022 nuCamp T@B 320 CS-S
    2021 F-150 502A Lariat SuperCrew, 3.5 EcoBoost 4x2
    Harvest, AL
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  • webers3
    webers3 Member Posts: 435
    One of the design features that attracted me to the T@B was the bright interior, the planned dark wood interior is not Euro Style, it's a style of just another run of the mill RV with depressing dark wood interior.
    2017 T@B 320S   2019 Jeep Cherokee - Southern Connecticut
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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    Found an article with some TaB history:https://rvbusiness.com/little-guy-worldwide-reintroduces-tb-trailer/
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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