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Dodge trucker · 07-09-2023, 07:11 PM

I have had a few vintage apache "hard side" campers before I got my TM. I've only had my TM about 6 weeks, been camping in it exactly once for 4 days/3 nights (about to repeat that 4 day/3 night thing next weekend) and have now set it up 2x in the driveway. The apache had no canvas either, and it wasn't bad to set up but no ac and even though there's only 2 of us (my most recent apache was rated to sleep 7-8 but 5-6 of those better have been jr hi aged or less ...) There wasn't enough space to store a long weekends worth of gear and food. And that was for 2. I got tired of having to always be the one to pack up or retrieve anything out of the thigh high-or-lower drawers it did have. There wasn't enough room in there to hardly turn around.
The lack of a toilet/shower within it didn't bother me. We go to campgrounds with shower houses anyway. And we spent very little time in the camper anyway, besides sleeping in it.
Truth be told I have a (small) bathroom in my 3023 but probably still won't use it because I don't want to deal with the black water tank.
But the difference in space is huge. We can actually spend time inside and be comfortable if we get a rainy day or anything like that.
Yeah you could cram that many people in it (the apache ) but absolutely no space if you did for clothes and such. And if the person who has to get up in the middle of the night is in the farthest back there's 3 people that would get woken up as that person climbed over them to get out for the bathroom and then again crawl back over them on way back to bed.
We aren't the type to being "everything but the kitchen sink" with us either.
Ours is a 97, we'd looked at other campers (both TM and others) up to '08-ish. The 08 we looked at was the newest and the worst for conditions of the bunch. I put 1500 miles on my truck in 2 weeks at one point chasing them down.

I wanted something decent that we could take out and use and don't mind doing a little fix up here n there but didn't want something that needed a ground up restoration. (Though I'm more capable of than many of carrying out such a job) I have plenty of projects sitting here already. House, old car, old pickup truck, a few vintage garden tractors, to begin with.
I like the setup on a TM vs the old pop ups, and that I didn't have to go out and get a 3/4 ton to drag it around.
And when you do need something there isn't a lot that matters to brand of camper when you get to the RV store. At least the more commonly needed parts.

07-09-2023, 07:11 PM	#7
Dodge trucker Member Join Date: May 2023 Location: Illinois Posts: 46	I have had a few vintage apache "hard side" campers before I got my TM. I've only had my TM about 6 weeks, been camping in it exactly once for 4 days/3 nights (about to repeat that 4 day/3 night thing next weekend) and have now set it up 2x in the driveway. The apache had no canvas either, and it wasn't bad to set up but no ac and even though there's only 2 of us (my most recent apache was rated to sleep 7-8 but 5-6 of those better have been jr hi aged or less ...) There wasn't enough space to store a long weekends worth of gear and food. And that was for 2. I got tired of having to always be the one to pack up or retrieve anything out of the thigh high-or-lower drawers it did have. There wasn't enough room in there to hardly turn around. The lack of a toilet/shower within it didn't bother me. We go to campgrounds with shower houses anyway. And we spent very little time in the camper anyway, besides sleeping in it. Truth be told I have a (small) bathroom in my 3023 but probably still won't use it because I don't want to deal with the black water tank. But the difference in space is huge. We can actually spend time inside and be comfortable if we get a rainy day or anything like that. Yeah you could cram that many people in it (the apache ) but absolutely no space if you did for clothes and such. And if the person who has to get up in the middle of the night is in the farthest back there's 3 people that would get woken up as that person climbed over them to get out for the bathroom and then again crawl back over them on way back to bed. We aren't the type to being "everything but the kitchen sink" with us either. Ours is a 97, we'd looked at other campers (both TM and others) up to '08-ish. The 08 we looked at was the newest and the worst for conditions of the bunch. I put 1500 miles on my truck in 2 weeks at one point chasing them down. I wanted something decent that we could take out and use and don't mind doing a little fix up here n there but didn't want something that needed a ground up restoration. (Though I'm more capable of than many of carrying out such a job) I have plenty of projects sitting here already. House, old car, old pickup truck, a few vintage garden tractors, to begin with. I like the setup on a TM vs the old pop ups, and that I didn't have to go out and get a 3/4 ton to drag it around. And when you do need something there isn't a lot that matters to brand of camper when you get to the RV store. At least the more commonly needed parts.