Gulfstream Vista Cruiser 19 BFD
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Topic: Gulfstream Vista Cruiser 19 BFD
Posted By: David and Danette
Subject: Gulfstream Vista Cruiser 19 BFD
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2018 at 4:38am
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After over a year of searching we bought another camper. We found a used Vista Cruiser 19 BFD in Iowa on RV trader. Am now on way back home towing camper with a friend driving. It was only owned by previous owner for 5 months so it is in like new condition. It has more room inside and more storage space. Wanted to stay with a camper with a fiberglass roof and torsion axle but only got one out of the two, a fiberglass roof. The Vista cruiser has a spring axle hopefully I will be happy with it. The previous owner replaced the tires with new Goodyear Endurance tires so happy with that. Hopefully the camper works out well for us. Sorry to part with our V-Cross Vibe got kind of attached to it, have some good memories with it. My wife hasn't seen camper yet so hope she likes it when we get home, she did like the pictures of it.The trip up to Iowa from Tennessee through all the snow and ice was a challenge, thankfully we have made it safely so far, we are halfway home.
------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2018 at 7:22am
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Drive safe.. It's been a bad storm for the midwest, and it's here in Kentucky this morning.. I think we will only have a bit of snow.. Grat's on the new digs, VC has a couple great floor plans, my wife really digs the vintage vibe of many of them. ------------- |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2018 at 5:07pm
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We made it home safe, yes the storm was bad I think there were over a hundred vehicles that slid off the road stuck in the snow. There were two eighteen wheeled trucks off the road one turned around up against a guard rail. It was my first experience driving in that kind of weather never will I do it again. We like the Vista cruiser except I am concerned about the cargo capacity it has a 4,000 lb axle and the camper weighs about 3,247 lbs. I would rather it had a stronger frame and axle. The cargo capacity they rate it at includes weight on the axle and weight on the tongue. It doesn't make sense to me.
------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2018 at 9:39pm
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David, Not to throw cold water on you new acquisition but a note of caution: several years ago Gulf Stream VC had a severe problem with bent axles. I was looking at the 19ERD because I liked the floor plan but the axle issues scared me away. I'm surprised a trailer of that size still has a single axle. The advertised weight and tongue weight are always understated and without any factory options so I think you are right at the limit. Watch your tire wear for signs of trouble.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2018 at 5:27am
------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2018 at 8:44am
Also realize that if you use a WDH, and you probably will/should, it distributes tongue weight to the TV front axle and the trailer axle. Most camper mfgrs have gone to including tongue weight in the overall carrying capacity. Another instance where marketeers/beancounters overruled engineers    .
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2018 at 9:19am
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Well.. to be fair... IMHO... most owners don't pay attention to those numbers anyway.. "Ma truk can tote it.." "All's gud.." You get to looking, watching, and reading what other people are doing, it will scare the bejeezus out of you to know they are on the same roads as you and your family. ------------- |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2018 at 9:43am
When translated into dealer speak: "Sure your electric VW bug can tow this. No problem, sign here." ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2018 at 4:52pm
I thought about the additional weight from weight distributing hitch. The RV manufacturers do not have a conscious or a heart for their customers. If the axle fails I will see if it can be replaced with a stronger axle perhaps even a torsion axle. At least I paid a low price so If axle needs to be replaced I won't feel as bad if I had paid more. Today I removed top bunk made it shorter and reinstalled will use it for storage only. We are keeping the Vibe for now in case camper doesn't work out for us. If they didn't use stale guns so much I would have been happier same problem I had with the Vibe. All the modifications I have done with Vibe and the Vista, everything I have done has been assembled using screws.
------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2018 at 4:54pm
------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: crazycoyote
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2018 at 9:58pm
| Furpod, how true are your words, scares me too ! I'm with 'yu'. Monster axle would be a great replacement. |