Introduce Yourself: custom orders

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custom orders

Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Introduce Yourself
Forum Discription: New Members - tell us about yourself and your r-pod
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7588
Printed Date: 07 Jun 2025 at 12:37pm
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Topic: custom orders

Posted By: Frost
Subject: custom orders
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2016 at 10:11pm

Hi,

My wife and I have been exploring the R-Pod universe for the last few weeks. We just returned from an extended trip with our small camper and are tiring of porta potties, hauling water, etc. We're newly retired and expect to head out for 1-2 months yearly. We like R-Pods because they offer great comfort for reasonable prices ,depending on dealership. But some of the offerings seem over the top for us. We don't really need air conditioning as we travel in the winter and summers in the northeast just require a fan. After watching a you tube video review of an rpod , I'd venture that AC is so noisy that I'd never use it. TV is ok, but the stereo system and speakers is not what we need. A portable bluetooth speaker would really suffice for my music, radio and podcasts.

So, I've read that some of you have custom ordered RPods without features that are now standard. How does that work? Do you deal with Forest River or with your local dealer? How do you price it, does it save at all? How long does it take? We're in no rush and can take our time so thought I'd ask

Replies:

Posted By: ChinookPod
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2016 at 10:28pm

We ordered our Rpod 171 (exactly) 3 years ago without ever having seen a 171. We didn't want A/C, television or microwave as we camp mostly off-grid. The dealer took the order but, if I remember, it was a closed deal because it was special order. Nowadays the ones I've seen at shows may be missing A/C or something, presumably to keep the price sticker lower. I said that we camp off-grid, but anyways we don't have many TV channels available over the air here in Western Canada. We have a vent instead of AC but I think the wiring is hidden behind a plastic cover. Plus it still came with an antenna that rattled in the wind - we pulled than and put a flexible solar panel on the roof over that area. And it had a TV cable connector. So can always add telly and microwave later. Lack of TV and microwave also resulted in more storage shelves.

Other followers can report but what I've read in the past is that you can negotiate a LOT off the sticker price. Good luck.

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2014 RP171 HRE
2010 F150

Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2016 at 10:58pm

We did the same. Back in Oct 2010 saw a R-Pod in the northernmost part of the UP of Michigan at Fort Wilkens SP in Copper Harbor, really liked the pod. So in January 2011 after a lot of investigation and internet searching on the FR website we drove nearly 5 hours to Escanaba MI to place a special order on a 177. Special order meant NO A/C, NO television or entertainment system, NO microwave. We had to wait 6 weeks for our pod to be built this way since they all came standard (at least back then they did) with those items. We were able to save $ 2400.00 which was a big plus for us. Like Chinook above, we dry camp a lot, electricity is nice but not a necessity. We hardly ever watch TV, for us a waste of time. If we ever did want to add these later we could as the wiring is all in place, just hidden behind plastic covers. And the other big plus, we got a lot of added shelf space !

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."