# Buying 23 Rs Soon



## Joe_650 (Jul 21, 2004)

I just got back from Iraq in Feb and camping time is soon coming to us here in Alaska. After looking at Outbacks for a while and then looking at some other ultra lites like the trail-cruiser we've decided to go for the Outback 23RS. The thing that made us lean toward the Outback was the better quality and the enclosed underbelly. Up here in Alaska the roads are usually a mess and the underside would get trashed on the trail cruiser. We're going to the dealer today to work out the details and to see if they have any more at the other store so we can settle on the colors. I'm really looking forward to getting our TT.

I'll be pulliing it with a 99 F150 Supercab with the 5.4L V8. The dealer will be installing an equalizer and brake controller. Anything else I should do for the TV?

I've been reading through the board since I first found it when we first started looking at the Outback and wanted to thank everyone for all their tips, advice, and experience. I think it better prepared my wife and I when we went looking. I don't think dealers like it when I tell them I've visited forum's like this and start asking all kinds of questions.









Anyway it's time to go get ready to talk to the dealer a little. I'll let everyone know when I finally take delivery.


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

Right on, Joe. Enjoy that 23 RS. How long is the camping season in AK? Or a better question might be, "How many months is the unit winterized each year?" In Colorado, I winterize in mid-October and de-winterize in mid-May. That leaves 5 months per year of camping.

Randy


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## Allsixofus (Mar 10, 2005)

Welcome back and good luck finding that new rig...


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Joe,
First, for myself and my family, thank you for your service to our Country and to the folks of Iraq. A tough thing to go through and deserving of all our gratitude.

Second, welcome back and welcome to the 23RS group (at least, when you take delivery).

Third, my experience in Alaska is limited but leads me to believe that you have a 4x4 and will be using many less traveled ways than we are used to. If this is a true supposition, you might want to investigate the possibility of flipping the axles on the 23RS to do two things; match the height of your 4x4 and provide a little better tow, and it will give you a little more ground clearance at the front and back of the TT. Nothing will change the ground clearnace under the axles and near the wheels but I found that the more primative roads are easier to navigate this way.

A lot of assumptions on my part and you may have already had this in mind but wanted to offer it up.

Welcome again,
BBB


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Welcome and thank you for your service to your country.

Good luck making your purchase







.

Mike


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

Way to go, Joe! As a Vietnam vet, it is really nice to see the rest of the crowd appreciating your service to our country. That didn't happen 35 years ago. Welcome home! I was a commander at Eielson for 3 years so know a little bit about AK. I think your '99 F-150 will be fine, but double-check your weight ratings. I really don't think you'll have any problem, except for the occassional frost heave







. Be sure and take a run up the haul road (slowly) to the Artic circle just so you can say you did it.


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

WELCOME JOE!

Hey V....I had orders to Eielson back in the early '80's. I never went because I got out and went CIV. (would have liked to go though!)


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## Joe_650 (Jul 21, 2004)

Wow I really appreciate all the kind words on my service. It really makes everything we go through worth it when we hear the compliments. You guys are great.









BigBadBrain,

I don't have a 4x4 yet.







I plan on getting one in the future. The good thing about some of the primitive roads up here though is that I've scouted most of them on ATV's so I have a pretty good idea of where I can and can't take the Outback. I have a pretty heavy duty set of ATV ramps for my trailer and I plan on using them for a few areas to get the Outback over.

Castle Rock Outbackers,

The camping season up here usually runs from May until probably September although the last 2 Septembers I was over in the Middle East so I can't attest to September. Our first big campout will be Memorial Day weekend. Our family and another family goes out to an area north of us that's got a lot of ATV trails. This year should really big big because we're trying to get a bunch of coworkers to go. Really looking forward to doing this with the Outback.

vdub,

Went up Haul Rd last year for Caribou hunting. My buddy has a slid in camper and we took that up there. It was a real interesting trip. Not sure I'll be taking the Outback up there in August or not but if I do he'll be towing it with his Ram 3500.

We talked to the dealer again and we weren't impressed with the condition with the 23RS he had on the lot but they have a few more at their Anchorage store. My wife is set on getting now we're just sweating the dealer a little more to give us a better deal on the extended service plan. Well I'll quit yapping now. Again thanks for all the kind words. And thanks for the good advice.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Joe650 --

glad you caught the "hey I think this trailer has been sitting a while" concern . I bet up there that its torturius (sp) on things just sitting out in the cold all year.







Here with the temps in the mid 80s already its opppsite - it can actually get so hot that windows blow out and plastic things warp.

The dealer, we didn't go with, down the road from us had an 23RS that had set on his lot (mainly becuase of his poor pricing strategy) for aloooooong time. The dealer we finally went with FunTimeRV (who by the way is probably the best dealer in the world to deal with both sale-wise, technician-wise, and cost-wise) told me that if that was a concern of mine that he would order one from the factory but could not guarantee when it would be delivered. As it happened it was built and delivered within 13 days.









My unit is a direct support unit for Iraq







meaning that we keep allot of us there all the time supporting CENTCOM -- my commander says that my section should not have to do another rotation for at least a year -- I think we have built more schools in one year then the entire state of NY did in 100!! .. hopefully I can get in some good camping this year before its my turn again and again and again and again.


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## McBeth (Feb 19, 2005)

Joe650

I would also like to offer our thanks for your service to our country !

Congratulation and Welcome to the site.

I found the information offered here invaluable in our decision to buy an Outback. We are days away from taking delivery and I can hardlyt wait.

Keith


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## camptails (Jan 18, 2005)

Thank you for your sacrifice and service to our great country. Congratulations on your Outback. Because of people like you we can all do things like this.

Thank you

Ray


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## Joe_650 (Jul 21, 2004)

Well we were going to buy the 23RS but the price the dealer gave us out the door was $24,500. Even in Alaska that is kind of pricey. It did include the brake controller and EQ hitch (not Equa-lizer), extra battery and an extended service agreement. We've found larger TT's that weight the same but are much cheaper. Now we have a tough choice to make. I called some dealers in the lower 48 and most want about $2000 less but that's what I would end up paying in gas to drive down and get it. Not to include food and the vacation time I would have to take. Do you guys think the 23 RS is worth it compared to like a Jayco Jay Flight 27BH or a Trail-Cruiser 30QBSS? The Jayco dealer told us $23,400 out the door with everything we want and the Trail-Cruiser guy said he could work at around $22,000.

Thanks
Joe


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Joe,
Sorry to hear that they want so much for the 23RS. It's hard to help making this kind of decision, too many personal choices factor into the decision. With that in mind, I'll point our a couple of observations I made in looking on the internet to see the two options you mentioned and hope that it helps to some degree.

The Jayco 27BH with the full queen bedroom looks nice. The only concern I would have - and it would take a trip to see the Jayco to resolve it - is that it might seem small and possibly 'live' smaller thant the 23RS. It is probably an illusion (however, perception is important) that the 23RS would feel bigger because of the space added by the queen slide. That space is adjacent to the main living space, and, I'm pretty sure that is why the 23RS feels so much larger than other similarly sized TTs. Don't know about weight or length - didn't look up the specifications on the Jayco.

The Trail-cruiser is similar to the Jayco but with the slideout. That could make a lot of difference in the same way as I suggest for the Jayco. That extra space probably is a significant improvement over the Jayco. Again, can't talk to the towing qualities.

I can't tell quality of materials or assembly on either of the two trailers but that too should be a comparison item for the three TTs.

I'm guessing you are very aware of what the 23RS brings to the table so belaboring it won't add to what you already know.

One final comment - I had a 22ft Dutchman fifth wheel. In essence it had a layout similar to the 27BH without the rear bunks (take the rear bath and bunks, shorten them and put a bath in its place and the floorplan was nearly the same. It felt so much smaller than the 23RS that it was like moving from a cabin to a house. The improvement was hard to describe (quality is significantly higher as well).

Well, I hope that helps. Hard decision ahead. Good luck.

BBB


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## Drifter (Aug 22, 2004)

Joe, I feel for you. It took me a year and a half of heavy research before I Hooked up with my 23RS. Like Brian said so much depends on your personal preferences.

I must have looked at over 100 trailers in the size I wanted (under 25'). I'll admit the 23RS is not my "perfect" camper. No one makes my perfect camper. But, the 23RS is the closest that any manufacturer came (I kind of liked the way Artic Fox was equiped but just to see one had to travel almost 200 miles. What if I didn't like it?).

I have seen the Jayco several times an considered it. But I wanted an extended camping season (like to go in the spring and fall when all the kiddies have to be back in school). The Jayco had exposed tanks.

I was also a little concerned about the quality of the units I saw. Another thing was the rear bedroom full bed. I like to use fitted sheets. They should be a little long on the 23RS but fit suprisingly well. I thought there is no way a fitted sheet would fit decently if the corner was cut off of the bed (I also feel clostrophobic being all enclosed except for that the corner of the bec). The water tanks were not a deal breaker but I did want as large as I could get because of the boondocking thing. Oh, this isn't a deal breaker either but I wanted a full length wardrobe to store wet rain gear.

Not much I can say about the Trail-Cruiser. I looked at them but not for long. Mainly when I was considering a hybrid. But, after having to choose between freezing and water dripping on me from condensation in the PU I decided I didn't want canvas, I wanted two full size (at least) beds, and 30' was to long so that was the end of the Trail-Cruiser.

I would suggest you make a list of your preferences in all the areas you can think of the things you want and the things you want to avoid. Then, prioritize them. It might be fun to see how many you can actually get -- or not.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you get at least a large percent of everything you want.

drifter (WOW, this is the longest post I've ever posted. Sorry.)


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## Joe_650 (Jul 21, 2004)

Thanks for your responses. My wife called the dealer after we worked up what we thought was a fair price including the Equal-i-zer, Prodigy, 2nd battery and extended warranty and he pretty much said that if we got a bunch of quotes from dealers in the lower 48 they might entertain the thought of knocking their price down. They are not willing to throw in the extras they want us to pay for them all. I'm thinking of ordering the EQ and Prodigy but not sure what the shipping will be to Alaska. Anyway the price we came up with was just $1000 under their price which I thought was extremely fair and not hurting their profit. I've e-mailed some dealers asking for quotes. I got one today and added in what the shipping is to Alaska and their price matched what I was willing pay up here. Hoping the dealer will work with me a little more. I really want a camper before May.


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## Joe_650 (Jul 21, 2004)

I know this has been posted a lot of times but could you 23RS owners please list what you paid for your's and your dealership with a contact number if possible. I want to call around and get some quotes.

Thanks


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