Should we buy an Rpod

Hi Everyone,

We are a retired couple in our mid-60’s and would really appreciate some insight and advice from the folks here.   We used to live in Montana and now live in New Mexico.   We just finished our second cross country trip in our 2004 Airstream Bambi (19 feet, 4500 lbs) towed by a 2007 Toyota Tacoma.   In between Montana and New Mexico we lived on the Bambi with our 80 pound Golden Retriever for 6 months.

We would now like to downsize our tow vehicle, lighten our tow weight, and use the trailer more on weekends and an occasional trip of a week or two.  Selling the Bambi would also eliminate a monthly payment and allow us to use the proceeds more efficiently.  So, now the question, would you recommend an R Pod and if so which one?

We have always liked the way they looked but have come across some pretty negative reviews on-line about construction quality and Forest River products in general.   So we thought we better go directly to the folks who own them and get some straight answers here.  Look forward to hearing from you all.  Thanks again.

Jo and David    

Thanks so much for you reply!  Will keep you posted on our research.

+1 - PODs are my favorite after owning multiple RVs.

We have taken a few trips now with our 180 and love it but we are concerned about taking a several month trip across country with it.  We were limited in our selection due to the tow vehicle having 4500 lb max capacity.  So if you are taking short trips it may be perfect for you but some things to remember.  Although you are used to towing an 8 foot wide the RPOD is only 6.5 feet wide making it easier to see with a small TV.  But the wheelbase is still 8 feet.  So you are getting  a narrower rig.  Thus there is no walk around bed and no closets on the sides of the bed.  Also the refrigerator is very small with no separate freezer.  We cannot stock up on food and have to shop more often.  So if we had to do it again (and we may just upgrade in a couple years) we would purchase a slightly larger and heavier Coachmen Ultra Lite 192 RBS.  Its 1000 lbs heavier at 3852 but has everything for the long haul.  Our dealer who sells the RPOD, Surveyor and Coachmen (all Forest River) says the Coachmen's are coming into  dealership with no work needed and therefore better built than the other Forest River products.  But if really small is what you want, RPOD is the best under 3000 lb RV hands down.  Then you have to decide if you want bigger kitchen and more storage (179) or dry bath (180).  Probably those are the only two RPODS to choose from coming from an Airstream.

I would rate the rpod quality as average in it's class, but no better. Airstream has a better reputation for quality, but you pay a premium for that. The rpod tows very well and is very compact. Probably only you can decide if it's right for your needs.