What to buy? 177 or 178. - R-pod Owners Forum

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coopercdrkey View Drop Down

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 26 Aug 2012
Location: Cedar Key, FL
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 457

Topic: What to buy? 177 or 178.
Posted: 18 Mar 2013 at 4:43pm

We love our 177 and would not trade it in for a 178, but if we were back at square one, and the 178 was

available for a modest premium over what we paid for the 177, I would go for it.

Originally I thought it might be pushing the limit of our TV, but the specs, once published, seem well within

the capacity of our Grand Cherokee.

Our (my) biggest complaint about the 177 was the cheesy entertainment system- (see my previously published rants....),

and the 178 seems to offer some options that I would have liked to exercise- such

as "let me do it myself!"- then I would only have myself to blame. If you opt for the 178, and if you have

the option to tell FR to delete all media junk, I encourage you to do so, and then build the entertainment

center around your requirements. (Which, then, range from "nothing" to "full-blown".)

I would be interested in, if you choose to disclose, the difference in actual quoted price between the 177

and the 178.

Bob and Joyce
Jennifer and Baxter, the Campin' Cocker Spaniels
RP 177 "Key Pod"
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT / Z71

furpod

Moderator Group - pHp

Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6128

Posted: 18 Mar 2013 at 4:15pm

If I was buying today, I would choose the 178. That extra foot makes a difference. I don't care a whole lot about the u shaped dinette per-se.. There are just the two of us and the dogs, but the extra room after I removed the u dinette and built some stacking drawers on the door side and folding table and bench on the street side would be nice..

That is our next mod on the 177.. it will free up a fair amount of dog room... and we very rarely use the table/dinette area anyways.

CharlieM

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Nov 2012
Location: N. Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1797

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 10:13pm

The 177 is a very popular model. From the forum signatures I'd guess the 177 is probably the most popular model. When we bought our pod we were not interested in the 177 because we preferred the bunks and lighter weight on the 172. We wanted a dining area separate from the sleeping area and bunks so we wouldn't have to crawl over one another getting in and out of the queen bed.

That being said, and if we had been interested in the 177 layout, we definitely would have gone with the 178. The 178 was not available when we were looking, but I would have screamed bloody murder if we had bought the 177 and then had the 178 come on the market a few months later. We walked through a 178 at our new local dealer last weekend and really liked it.

The U shaped dinette in the 178 and our 172 is really great. Lots of extra room for pillows, coats, mags and books, and other such stuff. And if you can use the room, the u-dinette makes into a larger queen bed. And it looks like the 178 has an additional outside accessible storage bin. You can really use that extra space for outside type stuff. I predict that the 178 will soon take the place of the 177 in the FR lineup.

The extra 100+ pounds and 1'4" length will be no problem for your TV. You will be happy with either one, but I'd recommend the 178.

Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 9:56pm

Welcome.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

JACKPOD

Newbie

Joined: 27 Feb 2013
Location: Georgetown, TX
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 24

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 8:35pm

We can't help you with 177 vs 178 as we have a 176. However, we love our u-shaped dinette. We've removed the larger and heavy table that came with and substituted a smaller collapsible/adjustable table that we found at Costco several weeks ago. It's just big enough for 2 plates and drinks or 2 laptops and much lighter. As hubby's bed is the dinette area, he cut a board the correct shape and I covered it with cloth. Works great. Whichever R-Pod you buy, sure that you'll love it.

Pam and Jack
Abby the Bichon
RP 176 towed with 2013
Nissan Pathfinder

Jdub

Groupie

Joined: 17 Mar 2013
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 94

Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 8:18pm

First time poster, first time RV buyer, in other words clueless.

After looking for quite some time at the smaller Airstreams to Casitas and have moved on to thinking an R- Pod would be just about perfect. Have a Suburban so towing weight isn't a critical issue but price, ease of use, longevity, etc. is. And we have friends who have a 177 and love it. So.....

Went and kicked tires at the local shop (SLC) with the 177, and saw the 172 that has the same U shaped kitchen table as the 178....but they do not have the 178 to directly compare. The 177 was the deal closer...everything looked great but the extra length of the 178 might be better.

We could drive 5 hrs to Boise and see a 178 in person. The sales guy was fine but really dumped on the U shape table of the 178 but I am not so sure. Hence the dilemma....

Any opinions on either the bench table of the 177 or U shape of the 178? Anybody got a 178? If so, why did you buy that instead of the 177 since it is a bit more $$. Worth it?

Thanks for any input.....we will figure out what to do in the next week or two.

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coopercdrkey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 26 Aug 2012 Location: Cedar Key, FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 457	Topic: What to buy? 177 or 178. Posted: 18 Mar 2013 at 4:43pm
	We love our 177 and would not trade it in for a 178, but if we were back at square one, and the 178 was available for a modest premium over what we paid for the 177, I would go for it. Originally I thought it might be pushing the limit of our TV, but the specs, once published, seem well within the capacity of our Grand Cherokee. Our (my) biggest complaint about the 177 was the cheesy entertainment system- (see my previously published rants....), and the 178 seems to offer some options that I would have liked to exercise- such as "let me do it myself!"- then I would only have myself to blame. If you opt for the 178, and if you have the option to tell FR to delete all media junk, I encourage you to do so, and then build the entertainment center around your requirements. (Which, then, range from "nothing" to "full-blown".) I would be interested in, if you choose to disclose, the difference in actual quoted price between the 177 and the 178.
	Bob and Joyce Jennifer and Baxter, the Campin' Cocker Spaniels RP 177 "Key Pod" Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT / Z71

furpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128	Posted: 18 Mar 2013 at 4:15pm
	If I was buying today, I would choose the 178. That extra foot makes a difference. I don't care a whole lot about the u shaped dinette per-se.. There are just the two of us and the dogs, but the extra room after I removed the u dinette and built some stacking drawers on the door side and folding table and bench on the street side would be nice.. That is our next mod on the 177.. it will free up a fair amount of dog room... and we very rarely use the table/dinette area anyways.

CharlieM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797	Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 10:13pm
	The 177 is a very popular model. From the forum signatures I'd guess the 177 is probably the most popular model. When we bought our pod we were not interested in the 177 because we preferred the bunks and lighter weight on the 172. We wanted a dining area separate from the sleeping area and bunks so we wouldn't have to crawl over one another getting in and out of the queen bed. That being said, and if we had been interested in the 177 layout, we definitely would have gone with the 178. The 178 was not available when we were looking, but I would have screamed bloody murder if we had bought the 177 and then had the 178 come on the market a few months later. We walked through a 178 at our new local dealer last weekend and really liked it. The U shaped dinette in the 178 and our 172 is really great. Lots of extra room for pillows, coats, mags and books, and other such stuff. And if you can use the room, the u-dinette makes into a larger queen bed. And it looks like the 178 has an additional outside accessible storage bin. You can really use that extra space for outside type stuff. I predict that the 178 will soon take the place of the 177 in the FR lineup. The extra 100+ pounds and 1'4" length will be no problem for your TV. You will be happy with either one, but I'd recommend the 178.
	Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 9:56pm
	Welcome.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

JACKPOD Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Location: Georgetown, TX Online Status: Offline Posts: 24	Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 8:35pm
	We can't help you with 177 vs 178 as we have a 176. However, we love our u-shaped dinette. We've removed the larger and heavy table that came with and substituted a smaller collapsible/adjustable table that we found at Costco several weeks ago. It's just big enough for 2 plates and drinks or 2 laptops and much lighter. As hubby's bed is the dinette area, he cut a board the correct shape and I covered it with cloth. Works great. Whichever R-Pod you buy, sure that you'll love it.
	Pam and Jack Abby the Bichon RP 176 towed with 2013 Nissan Pathfinder

Jdub Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 17 Mar 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 94	Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 8:18pm
	First time poster, first time RV buyer, in other words clueless. After looking for quite some time at the smaller Airstreams to Casitas and have moved on to thinking an R- Pod would be just about perfect. Have a Suburban so towing weight isn't a critical issue but price, ease of use, longevity, etc. is. And we have friends who have a 177 and love it. So..... Went and kicked tires at the local shop (SLC) with the 177, and saw the 172 that has the same U shaped kitchen table as the 178....but they do not have the 178 to directly compare. The 177 was the deal closer...everything looked great but the extra length of the 178 might be better. We could drive 5 hrs to Boise and see a 178 in person. The sales guy was fine but really dumped on the U shape table of the 178 but I am not so sure. Hence the dilemma.... Any opinions on either the bench table of the 177 or U shape of the 178? Anybody got a 178? If so, why did you buy that instead of the 177 since it is a bit more $$. Worth it? Thanks for any input.....we will figure out what to do in the next week or two.