Looking at a trail mini

Hi,
I'm looking at at trail mini but would love some opinions on other units as well. Mostly looking for a weekend trailer for myself and 2 small kids (8/4), that can store in a standard garage. Thanks for any feedback!

[B_and_D]

Those kids won't stay small much longer, and IMHO you'll find yourself cramped in a TrailMini. I'd look for a 2619 or 2720 with a swing hitch. When it's raining outside and you've got 2 little ones bouncing off the walls, you'll appreciate the extra space.

It was bad enough for the 4 of us in our 2720 when our son was younger and we were all stuck inside in bad weather. My daughter would just curl up and read a book, but he was all action. I can't even imagine the 4 of us being in a TrailMini. We saw one at the rally in Petaluma and thought that the two of us might be able to fit inside there now that the kids don't come with us much any more, but any more people than that......

If you plan to bring along an extra tent to sleep in, it might work for you.

JMHO

I agree with B and D.

Last Memorial day, it rained on us for the first time camping in 5 years. We had 5 adults.

We were able to stay indoors during the downpours. We have a 2720, the model with the front bunk. Our son and daughter in law, and our daughter slept in tents, allegedly I snore. But we sure used the space during the day at times.

In my opinion, the Trail mini is good for two adults, perhaps retired, that do not take the grand kids with them, unless they sleep in their own tents and you don't have to go indoors due to weather.

If your car/truck can not tow the 2619, but can tow the mini, then I would, perhaps, consider it.

The 2700 series is 18' 3" long with the swing hitch swung! If you have that much room in your garage then there is your answer. But don't forget to check the height, and I don't know what that is. I think the new models are using a more compact air conditioner, which would make the TM lower. Our dealer (Custom RV in Anaheim, CA) actually brought one to our house to see if it would fit before we purchased. Great dealer by the way!

Originally Posted by Scott O

The 2700 series is 18' 3" long with the swing hitch swung! If you have that much room in your garage then there is your answer. But don't forget to check the height, and I don't know what that is. I think the new models are using a more compact air conditioner, which would make the TM lower. Our dealer (Custom RV in Anaheim, CA) actually brought one to our house to see if it would fit before we purchased. Great dealer by the way!

The really low profile a/c that they switched to recently has been discontinued by the vendor, Carrier I think. You may be able to find one, but you will not be able to replace the a/c if it were to fail.

Back to what the rest of us have.

We have a mini and find it is "cozy" with 2 adults and a large dog! Can't imagine it being effective with kids. The bathroom/galley hallway is pretty tight and the sofa sits 2 adults but I question seating for 3. If you get the dinette model it may be different. My main objection to the dinette is if someone is sleeping on it, you have to step on them to get out of bed and it has less storage (nothing on the outside). We have a small storage area on the outside of the sofa (lounge) model.

All that being said, it depends on how often the children are with you camping and their demeanor. The mini is perfect for us and Oz loves sleeping on the bed! He doesn't get to do that at home
Judy
2010 Trailmini
2007 Buick Rendezvous

Originally Posted by rjlwork

We have a mini and find it is "cozy" with 2 adults and a large dog! Can't imagine it being effective with kids. The bathroom/galley hallway is pretty tight and the sofa sits 2 adults but I question seating for 3. If you get the dinette model it may be different. My main objection to the dinette is if someone is sleeping on it, you have to step on them to get out of bed and it has less storage (nothing on the outside). We have a small storage area on the outside of the sofa (lounge) model.

All that being said, it depends on how often the children are with you camping and their demeanor. The mini is perfect for us and Oz loves sleeping on the bed! He doesn't get to do that at home
Judy
2010 Trailmini
2007 Buick Rendezvous

We took a look at it also, but as we have two large dogs we decided that it would be too cramped for all of us... Especially if we have anyone come to visit or we had any bad weather and were stuck inside for any length of time. (We had a coleman camper and knew from experience that would be a disaster!) I have to admit that we probably would have considered it more if the dogs weren't so young...
Nance

Hey thanks for all the feedback, I really appreciate it. Certainly sounds like the 26 or 27 would be better suited for our needs.

I just purchased a 2010 TrailMini. We have used it 5 nights. I really like the fact that it goes in the garage, and I can pull it with my Chevy Colorado. The entrance, galley and head are all in the same spot, so it is a bottleneck. I was wrestling between a new R-Pod 171 and a new TrailMini. The weight is roughly the same. The Mini was about $7,000 more, but logically and environmentally it seemed like the right thing to do. It also has a very open feel. HiLo was another contender, but the toilet just has soft vinyl walls, and you sleep on the dinette.

I can't speak for others, but my TrailManor has very poor manufacturing quality. Lots of things that should have been caught by a Quality Control department if they have one. You pay such a premium for TrailManor, you expect to get a quality product. You can get a used 2720, and may not have to deal with something manufactured during this economic downturn. My Mini was delivered to the dealer in June of 2009. Remember - There are not a lot of dealers (My closest dealer is a 5 hour drive) so it is not always easy to just drop it off for a warrentee repair.

We have 4 and 8 yr old boys and I'm glad I took some of the advice on this forum and purchased the 2720SL. I think they are also the easiest to sell when that time comes.