Added features

[kocha78]

I am looking at buying a 2720sl.
I have 2 questions. I really wanted an oven and not a microwave in my trailmanor, but this dealer only has the micro.
They said that this micro has a convention oven feature is that the same as having an oven?
Do you think that is better?
The other thing is the added features like a receiver hitch in back for bikes and the solar panel. Is it hard to add those features later?
Also, it doesn't have a stove cover. Can that be added as well?
Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Debby K.

 

[Bill]

The oven runs on propane, so if you are in a place without hookups, you can still cook. The microwave/convection oven requires a shore power hookup, or at least a good hefty generator all the time you are cooking. So it depends on your expected style of camping. By the way, the microwave-in-lieu-of-oven is a relatively new option, and a few people have experienced the microwave jumping out of its cubbyhole and smashing the shelf. TM probably still has some work to do in that area. You can see one of the discussions here
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7032
or find recent threads by using the Search tool.

As for the solar panel, it can be added later, but it is a lot easier to do it now, provided that you think you will always park your TM in the sun. If you park your TM in the shade (to escape the sun!), then the panel won't charge very much. Some people have portable panels that can be set up in the sun, and run a cord back to the TM - but then there is the risk of theft. So again, it depends on your camping style. People who camp in the high altitudes of the west, where there are few trees, or in some of the midwest (ditto), tend to love their roof-mounted solar panels. People in the tree-covered east and south sometimes aren't as successful.

Bill

 

[ng2951]

The convection side functions pretty much like an oven and maybe better in some ways. The downside is that they take a lot of electric power to operate. Like Bill says if you are going to use shore power a lot, this may not be an issue to you.

I don't know about the stove cover, but I don't think I would miss mine much. The best thing about them is that they act like a splatter screen when you are cooking.

A solar panel is nice if you have one.

One the bike receiver hitch, be aware that they are only good for about 100 lbs. So don't plan on hanging anything heavy back there.

 

[LittleRhodey]

I like the oven

We have the oven and enjoy using it to bake. I bought a microwave for $54 at WalMart that meets that need when we want to microwave. You have to think about how you like to cook and pick what fits you best. I have to admit that the talk on this forum about the microwave moving, falling, shifting during travel also heavily influenced my choice.

We haven't even finished our first month of ownership and really love it already. We have been on two weekend trips and endured the New England rally last weekend in Mystic CT with mostly rain and cold temperatures - and we still love it. The roof in rain and the furnace may be noisy but they work like a charm and kept us dry, warm and snug all weekend.
Sara

 

[ng2951]

...The roof in rain and the furnace may be noisy but they work like a charm and kept us dry, warm and snug all weekend.
Sara...

I live in the south and the a/c is not one lick quieter either...

 

[coulter]

We do a lot of dry camping, so the combo oven wouldn't work for us, we enjoy using the gas oven too much to give it up. I do have a small microwave oven that I carry along also.

 

[kocha78]

You guys have been a really big help!
We were going to make an offer on the trailmanor as is with the micro combo,
but since we are civil war reenactors and do a lot of dry camping, I don't think that would be smart! We would be in the same situation we are in now with our aliner! Guess we will look some more.
Thanks again,
Debby K.

 

[13dano]

Hello,
If you really like the TM, don't give up! What you may want to do is make your best deal with the dealer. Then before closing the deal, make it contingent on switching the microwave with something like this instead:
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-stoves/rv-ranges-wedgewood.htm

My guess is that they would change it out for you with little to no charge as opposed to losing your business. Their profit margins are so high and I suspect the RV industry is slowing down now.

To each his own, but I personally haven't used my oven at home in months, but use the microwave everyday so my 2720sl is equipped with the microwave. It hasn't moved or shifted an inch and I've put thousands of miles on the TM so far. If I am dry camping and need the microwave I just use my generator. Since it's a microwave, I rarely need to have the generator on for more than five minutes at any one time.

Please take into consideration that counter space is at a premium and even a small microwave would take up valuable space - along with having to stow it when closing up the TM. Since I camp primarily in the south, my mindset was that I probably didn't need to heat up the inside of the TM with an oven, especially if I am dry camping. Additionally my outdoor grill can be used as an oven if needed.

I love civil war reenactments! I just recently found out that there are WWII reenactments also which surprised me.

Dan

 

[Bluegrass]

I think 13Dano is right. Make replacement of the microwave with the regular oven part of the deal.

My new 3124kb came configured wrong - it had the microwave when we in fact ordered it with the oven. The dealer pulled out the microwave and replaced it with the oven today. Took about 90 minutes.

 

[countrygirl32082]

We dry camp at archery tournaments quite a bit. I have the microwave and really wish it was the gas oven. We got a good deal on the camper and the microwave was already in it and I did not think to ask them to swap it out. I considered buy a 3124 kb just for the oven but figured I could always use my dutch oven to bake if necessary.