We have talked about trading in the 171 when we get back for a 177, Mama kind of likes that idea. Good Luck.       Goose

 

I'd say look at a different make of TT.  I can not recommend the R-Pod.  Every time you turn around, it's something different that's not right or broken, etc.  The build quality of these units are terrible in my opinion.  Just look at the amount of saw-dust, metal shavings, etc left in the unit.  Look at how the wiring is run.  Look at the fixtures and see how uneven they were installed.  A blind person could see that my blinds are all uneven.  Just now, I'm hearing a squeek in my AC fan.  By the way, this unit is a 2010 and has been used very little.  I'm having an issue right now with the AC not coming on.  Oh, did I tell you that I had to have all my windows replaced due to how they were originally installed?  Forest River has good products, however the R-Pod line is not one of them.  Stay away.

 

There are a lot of intelligent and wise responses on this site. I can only speak from my personal experience. As a newbie the entire event exceeded my expectations. Living in the POD for one night was easy, convenient, comfortable and enjoyable.

Good luck. 

 

I looked on the internet for pricing but bought mine from my local dealer who I have used before (this is the 3rd camper personally bought and many others I refered to them)  and got a very fair price within about $100 from the best price on the internet.  Things you need to think about going a distance to buy is cost of fuel driving 2 ways, meals, time it takes, lodging and other things.

 

I bought from

 

Route 272
Adamstown, PA 19501
Toll Free: 800-752-2988

 

 

I only have to drive 30 miles for warranty work and I recommend my dealer as having great service. They treated my like I had just bought a $100K diesel pusher.  Their check out of the unit and their technical walk through was excellent.  They even let you spend the night in the unit on their premises to make sure you are satisfied with everything.

The dealer is LazyDays near Tampa FL.  This is why I only read and post on this forum!

We bought a Nissan Frontier V6 4x2 as our tow vehicle and have been extremely well satisfied with it.

 

Do things go wrong all of the time?  A definate maybe.  The RV industry isn't quite like others.  The Pod that I purchased was, for the most part, good out of the box.  There were a couple of caulking issues that I fixed myself in the driveway.  Some have had more issues.  Most all RVs are not designed to be "lived in".  They have lighter weight, less durable materials materials in them.  For instance, most would agree that the matresses they use are a bad joke.  However, like your car, home, etc. there are things that require periodic maintenance, also.  RV because you WANT to RV.  It's kind of like marriage; you take the bitter with the sweet.

 

Regarding towing; this is a subject of periodic and sometimes heated debate.  My best advise is to get with a Ford dealer and let them tell you what your vehicle is capable of.  There is a big difference between weight capacity and what I call "towing resistance".  Wind resistance is HUGE with any travel trailer.  Last year, I was towing with a 3200lbs capacity vehicle - I hated it (though my Pod weighed only about 25-2600lbs.) 

 

Is Couch's for real?  Yes.  I purchased from them last year.  I drove to look at the Pods one weekend.  The following week, I bought one via the internet and phone.  The salesman was great to work with but, the one I worked with is no longer there.  They will sell you a Pod for the price + taxes, etc.  Forest River encourages you to "buy local" as only the selling dealer is OBLIGATED to provide warranty work.  However, most FR dealers seem to be receptive to doing work on units purchased elsewhere (they like the $$$).  A tactic some have used is to negotiate a price with a local dealer - using the Couch's price as leverage.  In this regard, you'll just have to decide what is best for you and who you want to do business with.

 

You are doing a good thing buy just being here, reading and asking questions.  Keep it up.