Used Campers: The Pop Up

I was looking online for used campers earlier this year and started to get overwhelmed by the options. Used campers come in all sizes and many serve different purposes. You have teardrop, travel, pop up, 5th wheel and so on and so on. For my family, a used pop up camper was our best option and here are a few reasons why.

First and foremost, a great benefit of buying a used camper is the price. Specifically, a used pop up camper will be your most cost effective option and you can get the most bang for your buck. I went down to several dealers that specialized in new and used campers and was shocked by the price difference. I was looking for a pop up with AC, refrigerator, hot water heater, water pump, toilet and shower. New, I was looking at $9,000 minimum for the baseline. Having a bit of sticker shock, I spent the next few afternoons on Craigslist.com. Within 5 days I found a 1998 Coleman in pristine condition that was garage kept that had all that I wanted but was over half the price I ran into at the dealer.

The pop up is also very light weight and can be easily towed by most vans, light trucks and SUV's. I tow my Coleman with a 2007 Chevrolet 1500 Silverado and notice no great difference in gas mileage. I average about 17 miles per gallon with the load, 19 without the load.

In addition to cost, size and features the pop up camper is ideal for a family of four. The family sleeps comfortably in the two fold outs. I personally have two small girls and they love the space they have on their side. Personally, the only recommendation that I have is to purchase some egg-crate foam for any adults sleeping in the camper. Most used campers come with the standard camper mattress. This can get uncomfortable as the evening goes on, especially if you weigh more than 180 lbs.

In addition to spacious fold outs for sleeping, most pop up campers have a small dinette, three way refrigerator, storage areas under the seating benches and a cooking area. It's a great advantage if you can find a used camper that has a full kitchen area that has a sink with hot water, four burner cook top and ample storage. Again, if you are looking at used campers to save some money it would greatly benefit you to purchase one with a cassette toilette and shower. First, both are handy to have in an emergency, if the location you are camping doesn't offer facilities or if the facilities are just nasty. Second, used campers hold their resale value better than campers that don't have they additional features.

The last great feature of the pop up is it's ease of setup. Pop up's are easy to setup and most can be taken from fully packed to ready to sleep in 15-20 minutes.

Most used campers have plenty of life in them, so if you are in the market check out the pop up camper!