RV - Learn me about pop up truck campers

Here's a 10' with a 4x4 truck in Washington state. This is basically identical to the one I had. 

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-2001-f350-truck-with-camper/7660738792.html

Here's another 10' in Oregon.

https://bend.craigslist.org/rvs/d/bend-1993-alakan-popup-camper-10ft-cab/7653627271.html

What is a cassette toilet?

In reply to Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) :

Basically, instead of the toilet being plumbed into a sewage tank, you remove the tank by hand to dump waste.   PITA and... YUK.

https://www.mortonsonthemove.com/cassette-toilets-explained/

Toyman! said:

Here's a 10' with a 4x4 truck in Washington state. This is basically identical to the one I had. 

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-2001-f350-truck-with-camper/7660738792.html

$19k for a 22 year old, ex-fire service 7.3 Ford seems pretty optimistic.  Especially when it needs a transmission...

Looks like a decent back country rig, if the guy isn't firm on that price. 

If not for the trans issue that is a sexy truck. I love truck campers on utility beds.

Rodan said:

Toyman! said:

Here's a 10' with a 4x4 truck in Washington state. This is basically identical to the one I had. 

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-2001-f350-truck-with-camper/7660738792.html

$19k for a 22 year old, ex-fire service 7.3 Ford seems pretty optimistic.  Especially when it needs a transmission...

Looks like a decent back country rig, if the guy isn't firm on that price. 

7.3 bros hold them near and dear.  And about half the time the darn things are older than their fanbois 

FWIW, I sold my old camper (with leaky roof that I disclosed) for $6,000, and had two people literally racing to be the first to buy it. The buyer drove to FL from NC to pick it up.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/2001-ford-f-250/project-f-250-buying-and-restoring-slide-camper-ou/

In reply to Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) :

It's funny, because the pro-tanks camp will rant about how gross dumping a cassette is, while the pro-cassettes camp will rant about how gross dumping tanks is. The truth is, when done correctly, neither is inherently more gross than the other. And when things go wrong neither is inherently less gross than the other. I think they're just differently gross enough to play into individuals sensitivities.

The major drawback of a cassette is the limited volume, but the major benefit is that when need be, you can 'dump' anywhere that has a toilet.

In reply to Driven5 :

In the last few years before my my mother went into a nursing home I was the one who changed her adult diapers and changed the sheets when she crapped the bed which happened more times than I want to remember. At the same time I was also taking care of an average of 5 rescue dogs at the house, and new doggies almost always needed to be housebroken. Lets just say that I have already dealt with a whole lot worse.

Then you won't have a problem with the sh!t briefcase (that's what I lovingly call cassette toilets)

Tom Suddard said:

FWIW, I sold my old camper (with leaky roof that I disclosed) for $6,000, and had two people literally racing to be the first to buy it. The buyer drove to FL from NC to pick it up.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/2001-ford-f-250/project-f-250-buying-and-restoring-slide-camper-ou/

 

Thanks for this series of articles. There is a lot of good information here.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Then you won't have a problem with the sh!t briefcase (that's what I lovingly call cassette toilets)

I remember when cassette toilets replaced 8-track toilets :) 

Wildcard - but have you looked into full size vans like Econolines and Expresses?  Depending your needs they are nice and will tow as good as their truck bretheren.

In reply to Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) :

Thanks!

L5wolvesf said:

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Then you won't have a problem with the sh!t briefcase (that's what I lovingly call cassette toilets)

I remember when cassette toilets replaced 8-track toilets :) 

There is a joke about streaming here somewhere but I'm not sure I want to go there. 

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Then you won't have a problem with the sh!t briefcase (that's what I lovingly call cassette toilets)

I've never owned a cassette toilet, but would have loved to have one in my camper. Many tracks don't have dump stations, but every track has a porta potty. I rolled into every event knowing that once my tank was full, there was no way to fix it until I left the track on Sunday evening.

I'm not sure how this affects the price on the low end of the market, but the demand for new rigs is slowing and there are a bunch out there that are upside down with some very long loans. 

https://www.rvtravel.com/industry-insiders-rv-prices-drop-1094b/

https://fortune.com/2023/07/26/rv-sales-fall-49-percent-2023-pandemic-bubble-travel/

https://rvlifestyle.com/used-rvs-for-sale/

Sorry to weigh in so late on this, spent a week helping the kids on their house renovation.  Every RV is a compromise, and any used RV is only as good as the previous owner(s) maintenance.  I am not fond of the truck campers, my issue is a half dozen steps in and out of them.  My recommendation is to look at old dodge xplorer campervans.  They are built on one ton chassis, with an extended body and raised roof.  But built great, standing headrom inside and all the comforts of bigger campers.  Find an old one that isn't rusty and fix the rest.  No it isn't a pickup but it will tow and has a toilet with no cassette, a shower and a bed that isn't also the kitchen table.  And I bet you will find one for about the same price as a slide in.

In reply to porschenut :

Strangely enough, I already have one of those. Towing capacity is about half what the truck is though. Even with the custom made trailer hitch that actually attaches to the frame rails. 

Yeah, I'm now pretty sure I need an Alaskan to put on top of Elmore. 

Driven5 said:

In reply to Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) :

It's funny, because the pro-tanks camp will rant about how gross dumping a cassette is, while the pro-cassettes camp will rant about how gross dumping tanks is. The truth is, when done correctly, neither is inherently more gross than the other. And when things go wrong neither is inherently less gross than the other. I think they're just differently gross enough to play into individuals sensitivities.

The major drawback of a cassette is the limited volume, but the major benefit is that when need be, you can 'dump' anywhere that has a toilet.

We were camped at a campground near Jackson Hole a few years ago. Passing the dump station on the way out, we saw a rental RV. One of the guys was in a pink shirt with bright yellow dish gloves on, gesticulating strongly at his friend while holding a hose and speaking French (Euro, not Canuck). It was a very entertaining scene, things were not going as planned and I don't think their Western US vacation plans had included pumping gallons of excrement.

Our pop-top Vanagon does not have an indoor toilet :)

Yeah, cassette toilets are awesome.  The Thetford system in my Cirrus is money.  If it's properly designed you can dump it in any toilet without spilling a single drop, and the right tank additives will kill the smell.  Not nearly as unpleasant as I would have guessed and a whole lot better than driving around to find an open dump station, since no racetracks have them and I almost never stay at real campgrounds.  Most of the places I stay have a real bathroom anyway so all I usually need it for is numero uno in the middle of the night.

Regarding the cost of truck campers- they have a lot of advantages that justify it.  You don't have to tag, title, insure, maintain etc. a separate vehicle.  They're cheap and easy to store.  They're way easier to navigate around cities, crowded race paddocks, etc.  They require almost no setup when you arrive at your destination.  You can overnight pretty much anywhere there's a parking spot if you don't make noise or cause a commotion.  Their small size makes them easy to keep clean and maintain.  If you're shopping for $/sq. ft. like you would a house, they will never make sense compared to a travel trailer or motor home.

All this talk about cassette toilets reminds me of an old Steve Martin joke.

Always carry a litter bag in your car. It won't take up much room, and when it gets full, just throw it out the window.

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

Yeah, cassette toilets are awesome.  The Thetford system in my Cirrus is money.  If it's properly designed you can dump it in any toilet without spilling a single drop, and the right tank additives will kill the smell.  Not nearly as unpleasant as I would have guessed and a whole lot better than driving around to find an open dump station, since no racetracks have them and I almost never stay at real campgrounds.

Regarding the cost of truck campers- they have a lot of advantages that justify it.  You don't have to tag, title, insure, maintain etc. a separate vehicle.  They're cheap and easy to store.  They're way easier to navigate around cities, crowded race paddocks, etc.  They require almost no setup when you arrive at your destination.  You can overnight pretty much anywhere there's a parking spot if you don't make noise or cause a commotion.  Their small size makes them easy to keep clean and maintain.  If you're shopping for $/sq. ft. like you would a house, they will never make sense compared to a travel trailer or motor home.

Looks like you can buy one on Amazon and put it in any camper.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CHVQ3RM?SubscriptionId=AKIAIBX4MGJBG42TO3NQ&tag=productsbestrv80111-20&asc_source=bing&asc_campaign=99930&asc_refurl=https%3A%2F%2Fbestreviews.com%2F%2F&cid=99&th=1