Newbie Wannabee

Really want to buy a teardrop. Love this model and website. Actually put together a wish list. Let me know what you think.

560 Model
5' Wide 16939

Options
Air Conditioning 780
Solar Hookup 152
Sunroof 473
Backup Lights 47
Fantastic Fan 225
Internal Battery Isolator 232
Electric Brakes 381 *w/Park 877
Sub total 19229 19725

Accessories
Side Entrance Tent 297
Spare Tire 84
Door Screens 183
Galley Windscreens 105
Water Heater 290
Subtotal 959

Total 20188 20684

 

Glad to have you here, Joan.

First of all you can't possibly go wrong with the 560.

AC:
We are in Olympia, WA with a similar climate. We have used the AC once, but were very glad to have it. Since you can't add it later, I think it's a good choice to do it now - when you do use it it will be a lifesaver.

Solar Hookup:
I would have done this option if it had been available when we purchased last year. However, you will still need to transport, setup and plug-in your panel every time you camp. With the 560 you may want to consider a permanent mount on the flat roof as I did. With my 85w panel electricity is almost never a factor for us anymore, and there is never any setup.
http://www.campinnforum.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=766&page=3

Sunroof: I'm glad we got it. You look up through it at the stars at night. With the 560 you can get both sunroof and fantastic fan. With a 550, where you can only get one, I would skip the sunroof and get the fantastic fan.

Backup Lights: We added them too. For the money, why not.

Fantastic Fan: Absolute necessity. Couldn't camp in the summer without it. The thermostat will kick it on and off during hot nights.

Internal Battery Isolator: Yes. You don't want to have to worry about your TV battery getting drained.

Electric Brakes: Although not required, we got them for the safety factor. We are also towing with a small Honda CR-V, so I'm sure it appreciates the extra help when stopping.
BUT, we didn't get the park break. For $900, I'd rather throw a chock under the wheel. It's not like the brake sets automatically - you have to throw a lever. Perhaps your money would be better spent on the furnace than the park brake.

Side Tent: Absolutely. Change in there while standing up, and also put a PETT toilet in there at night.

Spare Tire: Cary recommended that we just keep a can of Fix-a-Flat on hand. Much lighter (I was concerned about the total weight). We didn't get this.

Door Screens: We love these. They are so easy to open and close. There is nothing better than camping in warm weather with the sound of water coming through the screen door at night.

Galley Windscreens: Yes, get these.

Water Heater: We got it but haven't used it much yet. However, at IRG, there were at least of dozen of these, and all the wives swore by them. Sounds like a good reason to start using ours.

-----------------
Options you may want to consider:

Propane Furnace: Because we had the furnace, we were able to do a good bit of winter camping. Although we would have never considered camping in bad weather before, once we had our 560 we found that we could go away for a weekend rain or shine and have a great time. We used it all winter at least once a month. Wouldn't want to try it without the furnace, though...

Tables: I think you will want both stainless tables. One for cooking, washing dishes, etc... and the other to store the cooler or fridge on. Even if you decide not to get the tables, at least have them install the brackets for both tables. This way you can upgrade later and they will just snap into place without any drilling.

TV/DVD: While this doesn't get used hardly at all in the summer, we used it plently during the winter. It also doubles as a CD player.

Unless you are short, I would recommend the SUV package. This raises the height of the kitchen three inches. Without this I would also be hitting my head on the hatch overhead (I'm 5'11"). My wife is 5'9" and would be uncomfortable if the kitchen were any lower. However, if you are close to 5'6" or shorter perhaps you won't want this option.

Water tank level meter: This wasn't available last year, but it certainly would be convenient.

---------------------------
In Summary, I'd recommend the following:

Lose the parking brake (not the trailer brakes) and the spare tire (unless weight is not a concern for you).

Add the tables for sure, and consider adding the heater. The DVD player would be the next thing I would seriously consider after that.

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I hope this was helpful. Please let us know what you end up doing!

 

Joan, have you seen a 560 yet? If not, give Cary a call and he will hook you up with somebody close. According to the map, Ronald McCrory has a 560 in Portland - perhaps you could PM him. Or, we'd be happy to show you ours if you were up this way.

 

Joan,
We have a 550.
We have a spare tire. Bought it local after we got home. I am not comfortable without it. Tire failure would mean leaving the CI on the road.
Battery Isolator: I installed a DC relay in my tow vehicle that allows the car to charge the battery in the CI and not discharge when the tow vehicle is off. I wired it into the cigarette lighter. $10 for the relay and conductor.
I noticed you priced an Utra. We bought the classic, but upgraded the lights in the galley and cabin. I think they really are worth the cost.
I also noticed you did not include bumper. We added the bumper this past summer. It looks really cool and adds some protection.
We also added the alcan cover. It is high quality and seems to make good sense.
I have read alot of reviews about the Coleman water heater. Several are not very flattering. Some reviews on this forum have not been good either. I will likely go with the Eccotemp L5 tankless propane water heater.
Just my two cents worth,
Steve

 

What Steve said was good. We also got the bumper and the alcan cover, because once you've paid all this money, why not pay a little bit more to protect your investment.

I have also seen some unflattering reviews on the Coleman water heater. However, at IRG this was the only model of water heater that I saw - at least a dozen - and eveyone who owned them loved them. If you are seriously considering a different one I would ask Cary about it before you buy. He has tried several different models of water heater and knows what will work well with the CI.

Regarding the DC relay - this makes good sense if you will only ever tow the CI with one vehicle. If you plan on upgrading your car later or towing with multiple vehicles it would make better sense to spend the extra money to put the isolator in the CI. This way it isn't an issue.

 

I back Evan on the battery isolator. We had reached our self- imposed dollar limit. This saved a couple hundred bucks. Last month, we added the bumper, screen doors, and galley screens, all self-installed. This moved the cost to a more favorable time. The next add-on may be the receiver hitch.
Good luck,
Steve

 

Thank you all for your suggestions. I am at the beginning of the process. I am caring for an aging parent so I am not sure when I will be able to start my camping adventures but want to start looking at what it takes. I may see if I can 'drop in' on one of the gatherings in the future.

It will be only me and Bailey, a 10 lb cockapoo. I am interested in the 560 because the sofa appeals to me for those days when it is necessary to shelter from the rain or cold weather. It looks like it might be more comfortable. I am rethinking the furnace.

The first step will be to get the Forester equipped with the necessary towing gear.

I will review my wish list based on your feedback. Thanks again.

 

You won't be sorry that you got the couch - we love it.

On second thought, just get all the options... haha

 

Tempting

 

At least look very carefully at the options that have to be built in. If you are tight on money, add things like the cooler, screens, and water heater later. Heaters and AC units and things like that are hard or impossible to add later.

 

Portland is close to my old stomping grounds having grown up in the Kelso/Longview area. It is such a beautiful city. It's also a quick trip to the beach which I wish I could do every weekend.

Here's my two cents as a new owner. I didn't see a need for the bumper. After backing up into an area blind because my wife wasn't there to spot me, the bumper became a priority on my list of must haves. I had this horrible fear of hearing aluminum and wood crunching as I backed in.

I didn't have the option of a furnace because we purchased ours from Poplar Hill RV in Maine. If I were to order a CI, it would have a heater. Keep in mind, you do sacrifice storage space for a heater.

We tow with our Subaru Tribeca. To add the tow package was a $900 option from Subaru. If you have the sports shift in your Forester, you'll love it while you are towing.

Another item to consider which hasn't been mentioned is the additional hitch for the Camp-Inn. If you like to bicycle you'll appreciate this option.

The screens and side entry tent, in my opinion, are a must have.

 

Thank you George. My issue with the heater is whether an electric small heater would be sufficient based on some other comments on the board. I like it cold when I sleep. My only concern is not having the electricity to run the heater. In that case, the lp heater would come in handy.

Below is my new wish list:

Camp-Inn Teardrop

560 Model
5' Wide 16939

Options
Air Conditioning 780
Solar Hookup 152
Sunroof 473
Backup Lights 47
Fantastic Fan 225
Internal Battery Isolator 232
Stainless Steel Cooler Table 163
SUV Off Road package 125
Folding Kitchen Table 290
Stainless Steel Bumper 427
Receiver Hitch 215
15" TV 564
Larger Battery 78
Electric Brakes 381
Sub total 21091

Accessories
Side Entrance Tent 297
Spare Tire 84
Door Screens 183
Galley Windscreens 105
Alcan Cover 192
Subtotal 861

Total 21952

I have a 2009 manual transmission Forester. I have never towed anything before and want to make sure I go it right. Besides worrying about 'slipping the transmission', backing up an trailer sway (seriously thinking about taking towing lessons), the internet surfing has gotten me confused i.e. can a forester tow a 560 or should I order a 550? Based on the weight information for the forester and the information on the camp inn website, the answer should be yes. The forester is rated for 2400#. The only thing I don't know is if the weight given for the 560 is with or without all of these options. If the higher weight includes the options and assuming about another 500# for gear, I should be well within that limit.

I will speak with the guys at my subaru dealership to see what they think and price out the hitch. Since it is a manual transmission, I am not sure that I need much more than the hitch, the 7 pin electrical connection and the brake controller.

Again thanks for all the information. The description of hitting something without a bumper sealed the deal for me regarding that issue.

Sorry for such a long post.

 

Joan,

Backing up = putting your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and moving it in the direction you want to go... AND being patient. Just a little movement at a time and do not remove or change the position of your hand. Find an empty parking lot and aim at the parking lines! Can't help you with the sway or slipping transmission questions. Practice, practice, practice = backing or do as my daughter pass it off to someone else.. she chooses me! Oh and we are using a small, inexpensive heater and car blankets for when we don't have electric. We haven't run into frigid yet but have awoken to snow outside and we have been snug as bugs... we opted for more storage space over the heater or AC
take care .... keep reading and asking questions

Barb

 

Looking good, Joan. You've just about added everything... almost there.

I have a small Honda CR-V with a 1,500# tow limit, and I was also considering the 550 to keep the weight down. However, Cary said that a small SUV could tow any one of their trailers - hey, some people pull them with sedans. That being said, you shouldn't have any problem with your forester - especilly rated at 2,400#.

I'm not sure exactly what mine weighs with all the gear (I'm afraid it might be a little over #1500, but we've driven 10,000+ miles since November with it.)

Barb hit it on the head as far as backing up - it's the best method I've ever come across - works like a charm.

 

Joan,

I just had a customer visit last week with his 560 he is pulling behind a new Forrester. He traded in his Outback that he was towing with for the Forrester and says he liked the new Forrester better for a tow vehicle. It surprised me that he liked it better than the Outback since the Outback had the 6 cyl in it. Two reasons he figured it worked so well. One is the 4 cyl has great torque for towing as many other Subaru owners also tell me. The other is the customer pointed out the Forrester's frontal area shape very closely matches the 560 compared to the Outback and he is convinced it makes for a superior aero combination.

Anyhow, he had just taken it on a trip and got 22-24mpg behind his Forrester, his Forrester had an automatic. Very very pleased he is indeed.

Cary

 

Cary,
I will second that milage. We have a 2009 Forester and we average 22-24 with ours also while towing our 560. As with both the CI trailers we have had they tow like a dream come true.
Bruce

 

Thank you for all the replies. I feel more comfortable about getting a 560.

This is going to sound silly but my biggest fear about backing up is trying to back up into my garage when I get home. I can't store it outside (HOA). Lining everything up will be tricky due to narrow street and my driveway is on a slight incline.

Thanks again.

 

We don't even try to back in to the garage or a campsite. We just pull up, unhitch and push it in exactly where we want it! The advantage of a tear , is that even an out of shape 50+ female (me!) can maneuver it easily!
This has taken ALOT of stress out of our travels!
Eileen

 

Joan,
Don't feel bad. I have been towing trailers for years and I do not try to back our 560 into the shelter we keep it in either. I got a trailer dolly that the coupler hooks to and the wife and I push it in.
Bruce

 

I had thought about a winch but after googling trailer dollies, that might work as well. Since I will be doing this by myself, I would need a powered one. Just watched a video.

Ok, now I feel comfortable about getting it into the garage. 2 down.