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we are a retired couple with a small dog looking for scamper or casita 16 foot travel trailer...we have a v-6 suv lexus and I am not sure if this suv could pull the scamper or casita...we have looked at RVs but I think travel trailers might be better for us.we are just starting to research these lite weight travel trailers so any info into their construction or hauling would be appreciated. thank you
The first step I would suggest is to check the towing capacity of your tow vehicle. Don't ask the camper salesman, he will tell you that you could pull a 5th wheel if he thought he could make the sale. There are many online charts or the owners manual that should tell you.
I think I like the Casita a bit more. A Lexus SUV should have the capacity to pull either camper.
When it comes down to it, they are nearly equal. It will boil down to preference. Both are factory direct, no local dealership, warranty support may be a factor. If it's older or out of warranty this becomes moot.
I would look into reliability / quality of components (the expensive stuff to replace).
Then the extra features available on the unit you desire (used units might have 'free' upgrades such as an awning / accessories)
I have a cousin with a Casita, they love it (Of course). It goes behind their 'durango'. plenty of tow vehicle.
While in UK last yr, there were MUCH bigger 'caravans' being tugged all over the mtns with 3-4cyl diesel small cars.
It would be great if you could (rent) tow one for awhile to see if you like it, and are willing to manage the hassle of a trailer +/-. Trailer can be quite nice, especially if parked more days than days spent driving. If driving everyday... get an motorized RV (No need to pack / hook up every morning).
My parents tried a trailer ONCE. Was not their SPEED. ended up dropping the trailer in AZ to complete the trip on time. Later the RV life suited them better (actually after 4 RV's they were MUCH happier with a Class B (Camper van), as am I).
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 07-31-2017 at 06:46 PM..
Use Google to look up the tow ratings for the vehicle, but also look at things like the GVWR. A quick look at a couple Lexus SUVs shows a tow rating of 3,500, and the Casita web page shows a dry weight of 1,800-2,200 lbs. The 2,200 lb trailer, loaded with your stuff, is likely going to be at or over that 3,500 lb tow rating. Your specific Lexus may have very different ratings.
We used to tow a pop-up tent trailer (and later a 16' Forest River Wolf Pup trailer) with a Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 and the problem with it was not the tow rating, it was the transmission, which was just not tow-friendly. The Ford F-150 (V8, factory tow package) we replaced it with has a 6 spd, tow-friendly transmission. Plus the Ford gets better towing gas mileage and uses regular instead of premium gas.
What kind of travel do you want to do? Stay in one place a few days and sightsee, move every day, stay somewhere for weeks/months at a time? What works best depends on you and your needs. We chose a trailer over a motorhome because we didn't want yet another engine just sitting there plus, when we arrive at camp, the trailer stays put and the truck allows us to go out and explore. Also the trailer layouts seemed to have a much better use of space. For this trailer we bought last fall, I wanted dual axle and a walk-around bed (we have very different sleep schedules and it is great for one of us to be able to get in/out of bed without waking the other).
We have couple in our extended family who have a Casita--
Took long road trip last year with it behind a big GMC I think
They enjoyed it--had small dog I think they took with
Personally too claustrophobic for me---
Driving vacations are good but like a nicer landing zone...
We had a Casita 17' that we used for a number of years. The 17 has more headroom than the 16. We towed it with a 2010 Nissan Xterra which did an excellent job. We are a retired couple and it was big enough inside and very maneuverable when driving. We enjoyed it a lot.
There are 2 websites for Casita owners and you can learn a great deal from them. One is the Casita club and the other the Casita forum.
An alternative to look at is the Escape trailers which come in different sizes. They also have a web site.
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