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Originally Posted by Buzzardrump
 I have read and re-read threads in this forum and seem to have found the answers to most, if not all, of my basic questions as a prospective owner of a TM. However, one needs asking...Why does everyone seem to have an A/C?? From what I have read, it would appear that it is not of much benefit if you boondock a lot unless you have a generator. The tv antenna is not beneficial if you plan to use satellite, and the awning is supposedly susceptible to wind damage, so not sure I really need those either. I have camped near people with generators, and I swore I would never do that as it ruins the quiet that many come out into the boondocks for. So if I am not a desert heat person, and will not be staying in RV parks anymore than forced to, would it make sense to purchase a unit that does not have A/C package and cut the cost and weight? I think I would prefer puting the cost and weight into a solar system and more battery capacity. Is my thinking off base?? Looking for insight of people with experience, especially those that boondock a lot. |
As "Mr. Boondocker" here (about 85% to 90% of my camping is campgrounds that don't have any kind of hookup), I'd suggest you
do get the awning and AC.
I almost exclusively camp in cool, forested, high altitude campgrounds...and consider television highly inappropriate in the wilderness. And since I use my trailer as a base camp for long hikes (typically 10 to 15 mile or more) and even longer mountain bike rides (typically 20 to 40 miles), I'm seldomly in the campground from about 8 am to around 5 pm. So I saw no need to order my TM with either AC, awning, or TV antenna.
During the 1st year, I discovered that some "forested" campgrounds don't have much shade...even in mid to late afternoon..and even though the mid day air temperature was pretty comfy (around 65 to 70 degrees), the sun got mighty warm. So I had the dealer add the factory type Fiamma awning before the next season. I used it about 3 times the 2nd season...and maybe twice the third season...but it was so nice to have it when I really needed it that I feel it was worth the substantial cost.
In planning for my 3rd season, I realized I was possibly going to be spending several nights in lower altitude, potentially very warm campgrounds while enroute to the cool, comfy places. Asked the dealer in February about retrofitting my trailer with AC and found he had exactly one retrofit kit left for installing a side AC (my '02 still had the undercounter eletrical plug used for side AC on the older models). So, I had the AC installed. As it turned out, I didn't wind up any low altitude warm places so used the AC exactly one time last year. But, again, I have no regrets about having it installed because having it means I don't have any limitations on where I could go...or any worries about not being able to sleep well if I did wind up in some miserably hot place.
I still see no need for the TV antenna, partly because the only TV I watch is the evening news and partly because most of the campgrounds I use are so far from any TV stations and into the mountains they have zero TV reception anyway.
Sooo, as die-hard boondocker, I'd say that both the awning and the AC have enough potential usage...and would provide some critical comfort that they are worth having...even if you only use them a couple of times a year. Just one sleepless night in a hot, stuffy trailer while enroute would make you really wish you'd ordered that AC. Furthermore, I'm noticing that even the Forest Service is starting to provide electrical hookups in their busier campgrounds...and most State Parks already have them...so the ability to run an AC without having to bring a noisy generator is increasingly likely. But as for the TV antenna...unless you can't do without TV while camping, it's pretty useless for those who boondock and go camping primarily for the outdoors activities.
P.S. The resell issue several have mentioned above is important only if you foresee trading to a different trailer within a few years. If you intend to hang onto your TM for many years, then equip it exactly the way you want it.