TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

**S_&_L_Family_Camping** · 08-06-2007, 12:22 PM

"Now what?" is the question. We purchases our 1994 3023 last Tuesday and left it at the local TM dealership to have it inventoried and gone through. We're going crazy reading the archives and wanting to do things to our new TM, but it isn't here in our driveway yet.

The previous owners told us that all the appliances were in good working order when they last closed it up and that the trialer had no leaks or problems when it was in use. The four burner cooktop and oven looked brand new. The fridge needed cleaning, but no more than the one at my folks cabin when we open it up. One of the vents was broken when we opened the TM, and a little water must have dripped down and pooled where the front or top and back or bottom sections meet. There is a rotted piece of oak trim on the top of the front section that covers the seam between the ceiling and wall. I did notice a bit of black down the wall from the rotting trim piece but the wall and ceiling both felt solid. It also felt solid around the vent. We plan to replace the broken vent with a fantastic fan - should we replace the other one with a fantastic fan too? Do these have light fixtures in them or are they just fans? We should be hearing back from the TM service center sometime today or tomorrow. I am so geeked up about our new purchase I can't begin to tell you.

We have a list of over 50 questions to ask the service guy when he calls, but will wait to ask most of them until we are there to pick up the unit - LOL. I have heard tell of some folks that video their walkthrough - I think we will be taking video camera too - so they can go back and review things they aren't sure about on their walkthrough. My main concerns are that the appliances are in working condition - would rather spend money on mods (can't wait to start working on our new toy) than replacing appliances. I am handy, but know nothing about all these new fangled appliances for camping - running water, hot water that isn't boiled, a real refigerator, and a toilet to boot!!! Another concern we have is the velcro'd vinyl seals around the inside and the vinyl bubble seal underneath them (the seam or seal betwen the shells when the unit is closed). The wood trim piece (under the vinyl flap) holding these two vinyl seals is rotted in a few places as well as the vinyl bubble seal around part of the bottom of the upper and lower sections. Other than the appliances working and the seal in a few spots, the unit seems to be in good condition. It needs a good cleaning, but structually it seemed sound. I will post pics when I get the unit home. Can't wait to start fixing up and traveling in our new TM!!! Looking forward to meeting some of you down the road. Thanks for a great site.

Our family and TM history
Our, new to us, TM 3023 has sat for the last 7 years in the first and only owner's driveway - they bought it new in 94. They started tent camping in 1954 as a family, later moved up to popups, and finally up to the TM in 94 as a retired couple with grown children who occassionally camped with them. When they were no longer able to use the camper and their children lost interest, they parked the TM in their driveway. Our family has been a tent family since my wife and I first met and stopped a few years ago. We were coaxed into camping with some friends last summer for the first time since our youngest son was born. We decided to rent a pop up (its only a place to sleep right) because our family had grown and the family we were camping with had one with a slide out. We quickly remembered why we enjoyed tent camping so much - fresh air, nature, hiking, seeing and being in the great outdoors - when our stay began. We really liked the look of our friends popup compared to the one we rented. It then rained, no poured, for two straight days. We had to bring in a bunch of our gear. All of us and our gear together in that tiny 10 foot popup for two straight days was insanity - we couldn't turn around without bumping into each other! Our friends had it better, but not by a great deal. We quickly realized why tent or pop up camping in something this size would be out of the question now - Wife, 2-boys (10 & 3), myself, and a 1 y/o puppy. We started looking for a large pop up with a slide out. We saw a few and were thinking about making an offer on one when we went to view a TM. After seeing the TM, we realized we needed more space. We have been looking for a TM for about two months and found this 3023 and think it will suit our size needs well. Our family is going to try to continue the previous owner's family camping tradition with their old trailer. We are going to keep in touch so they can live vicariously through our travels with their trailer.

08-06-2007, 12:22 PM	#1
S_&_L_Family_Camping Site Sponsor Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 17	New owners of an older 3023!!! Now what? "Now what?" is the question. We purchases our 1994 3023 last Tuesday and left it at the local TM dealership to have it inventoried and gone through. We're going crazy reading the archives and wanting to do things to our new TM, but it isn't here in our driveway yet. The previous owners told us that all the appliances were in good working order when they last closed it up and that the trialer had no leaks or problems when it was in use. The four burner cooktop and oven looked brand new. The fridge needed cleaning, but no more than the one at my folks cabin when we open it up. One of the vents was broken when we opened the TM, and a little water must have dripped down and pooled where the front or top and back or bottom sections meet. There is a rotted piece of oak trim on the top of the front section that covers the seam between the ceiling and wall. I did notice a bit of black down the wall from the rotting trim piece but the wall and ceiling both felt solid. It also felt solid around the vent. We plan to replace the broken vent with a fantastic fan - should we replace the other one with a fantastic fan too? Do these have light fixtures in them or are they just fans? We should be hearing back from the TM service center sometime today or tomorrow. I am so geeked up about our new purchase I can't begin to tell you. We have a list of over 50 questions to ask the service guy when he calls, but will wait to ask most of them until we are there to pick up the unit - LOL. I have heard tell of some folks that video their walkthrough - I think we will be taking video camera too - so they can go back and review things they aren't sure about on their walkthrough. My main concerns are that the appliances are in working condition - would rather spend money on mods (can't wait to start working on our new toy) than replacing appliances. I am handy, but know nothing about all these new fangled appliances for camping - running water, hot water that isn't boiled, a real refigerator, and a toilet to boot!!! Another concern we have is the velcro'd vinyl seals around the inside and the vinyl bubble seal underneath them (the seam or seal betwen the shells when the unit is closed). The wood trim piece (under the vinyl flap) holding these two vinyl seals is rotted in a few places as well as the vinyl bubble seal around part of the bottom of the upper and lower sections. Other than the appliances working and the seal in a few spots, the unit seems to be in good condition. It needs a good cleaning, but structually it seemed sound. I will post pics when I get the unit home. Can't wait to start fixing up and traveling in our new TM!!! Looking forward to meeting some of you down the road. Thanks for a great site. Our family and TM history Our, new to us, TM 3023 has sat for the last 7 years in the first and only owner's driveway - they bought it new in 94. They started tent camping in 1954 as a family, later moved up to popups, and finally up to the TM in 94 as a retired couple with grown children who occassionally camped with them. When they were no longer able to use the camper and their children lost interest, they parked the TM in their driveway. Our family has been a tent family since my wife and I first met and stopped a few years ago. We were coaxed into camping with some friends last summer for the first time since our youngest son was born. We decided to rent a pop up (its only a place to sleep right) because our family had grown and the family we were camping with had one with a slide out. We quickly remembered why we enjoyed tent camping so much - fresh air, nature, hiking, seeing and being in the great outdoors - when our stay began. We really liked the look of our friends popup compared to the one we rented. It then rained, no poured, for two straight days. We had to bring in a bunch of our gear. All of us and our gear together in that tiny 10 foot popup for two straight days was insanity - we couldn't turn around without bumping into each other! Our friends had it better, but not by a great deal. We quickly realized why tent or pop up camping in something this size would be out of the question now - Wife, 2-boys (10 & 3), myself, and a 1 y/o puppy. We started looking for a large pop up with a slide out. We saw a few and were thinking about making an offer on one when we went to view a TM. After seeing the TM, we realized we needed more space. We have been looking for a TM for about two months and found this 3023 and think it will suit our size needs well. Our family is going to try to continue the previous owner's family camping tradition with their old trailer. We are going to keep in touch so they can live vicariously through our travels with their trailer.