28 replies to this topic

[glidrpilot]

I am about to order a new 17SD,

Is the Furnace package a plus for resale?

Does anyone know percentage of have and have nots on the furnace.

We live in the south, but would like to stay warm in the fall, if we travel the midwest?

[Chris Z]

I think you'll get various responses and have no idea of the percentages.
By the time I'm ready to sell mine, I don't think it'll mean much and I'm glad mine does not have it for extra storage area. I've never needed it in 5 years PLUS I intend to get a generator one of these days and that would also be a backup to an electric heater.

[midemd]

We have a 2010 SD with a furnace and live in the Midwest; we used the furnace once, but were glad we had it. We camp without electric. We'll be heading to Yellowstone and will definitely use it there. It's a matter of personal preference and when we ordered our SD we never gave a thought to resale - we got what we needed and wanted.

Marsha

Edited by Ed and Marsha, 19 August 2011 - 02:00 AM.

[breckenridge]

FWIW

Have owned 2 Casitas, a 13ft Deluxe 2008 & now a 16ft LD 2010 both with the furnance. We have never used it and have camped in Denali, Glacier, Tetons, etc. The furnance works well but the fan is way too noisy.

If hooked up to shore power we use a small electric heater & if dry camping use a small propane heater.

We only use these to heat up the Casita before we go to bed & when we first get up--never when we are sleeping.

[Chris Z]

Again, it's personal taste and others feel opposite but just thought I'd add:
These trailers are a WHOLE lot warmer than a tent if it's cool outside.
I do remember once we were cool when we got up. I made some coffee on the stove and it suddenly was warm.
So far, we haven't camped in the snow but maybe....

[Sealyon]

We purchased a used Casita so didn't have a choice. The furnace was already in. On our first camping trip we were glad we had it. We were dry camping and could not use the generator after 10:00 p.m. in the state park. Even though the daytime temperature was very warm, we about froze our butts off at night until we realized we had the furnace. It worked great!

[ArizonaEileen]

This is an ongoing debate, as you can already see, among owners who have them and those who don't.

I live in Arizona and I do have the furnace.. I also have a small electric heater (which I use when I have hookups) and a small propane heater that I haven't yet used.

Can't tell you how many times I've used the furnace. Some people find the noise objectionable. Granted, it's a bit loud, but I'll take heat over noise anyday. It's come in handy when dry camping at 8,000 feet in Utah, and in the desert at Joshua Tree and Quartzsite in February. It does drain the battery fairly quickly, but I now have a solar panel for recharging.

IMHO, it is a good feature for resale. I've known several people who passed on purchasing a used Casita because it didn't have a furnace. And I know that Muttley, a member here who lives in Arizona, added a one to his unit and is lovin' it. The space you gain isn't all that much, especially if you have a bunch of storage in your tow vehicle.

Eileen

[Bill & Karen]

IMHO the long and short of it is, if you plan on doing a lot of boondocking with no electricity get the furnace, if you camp at places with electric you can buy the small electric heaters for about $20.00. As for resale? I think its probably not a big thing

[jkoenig24]

I bought my 17' SD last August and headed right out to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Daytime temps around 100. On two nights, it dropped into the 40s! I was glad to have the furnace. Two weeks ago in the Mammoth Campground in Yellowstone (8000'+) the furnace saw use on two mornings. I'm back in the Black Rock Desert now (Burning Man Festival) and last night, the temps again dropped into the 40s. I'm sure the furnace will see more use next week in Pagosa Springs! I'd vote YES on the furnace.

I am about to order a new 17SD,

Is the Furnace package a plus for resale?

Does anyone know percentage of have and have nots on the furnace.

We live in the south, but would like to stay warm in the fall, if we travel the midwest?

[whtcuda]

Howdies:
Of course we live in the Rocky Mountain area...and do a lot of boon docking...from early spring, unti late October...but yes, a furnace is nice...even went from a 10,000 BTU to a 20,000 BTU...
Even if you plan a fall vacation, north or west. Nice piece of mind, knowing you got HEAT....

Rocky Mountain National Park, great example.....in the fall...
I would think a furnace would be a plus, to any one, looking to purchase.
But again if you plan on staying in the south?
A furnace helps on removing ...humidity as well...takes off the chill in the mornings.

[cdsmith]

We have a furnace. It is one item we use quite a bit when travelong/camping in colder climes.

An example would be March of 2010. We went from Dallas to Salt Lake City and return. I thought going the 'southern route' by way of I-10 to Phoenix and then north to SLC would save us from being in the cold to much.

Fortunately we had the furnace. Below freezing weather at night began just west of El Paso and nights didn't return to above freezing until we headed east from Deming on our return trip.

I just lit the furnace anytime we weren't connected to electricity and slept in cozy Casita every night. Its amazing how different pulling into a campground was each evening in 25 degree weather knowing when you go into the Casita its a warm 75 degrees.

I don't beleive 1 cu-ft of storage space is worth the loss of being able to keep the pipes from freezing when towing in sub-freezing temperatures.

IMHO

[Michael J]

We live near Glacier Park and like to camp there in the spring and fall, when the Park essentially belongs to us:) There are no hook-ups in the park. One of our biggest pleasures is going camping there, having a full day of hiking, sight-seeing, etc. and taking a hot shower that evening. There are few greater "little" pleasures than coming out of the shower into the warm and toasty main area. I don't know if lacking a furnace would add to resale potential, but I would think not having one could dissuade some potential buyers.

[Parkerville]

IMHO the long and short of it is, if you plan on doing a lot of boondocking with no electricity get the furnace, if you camp at places with electric you can buy the small electric heaters for about $20.00. As for resale? I think its probably not a big thing

Yes, you are dead on! Especially in the south the need for a furnace is a minor to not important issue. Our 17 SD doesn't have a furnace and we have not had a reason to want one in the 6 years of travel......including snow situations.

[B & B]

We got our 2011 LD in May. We live in VA and have used our Casita many times since May. We camped in mid 30s night time temperatures recently and were very glad for the furnace. The noise didn't bother us and we were very comfortable using the furnace.

[pemsit]

I used my furnace one night recently when the temp dipped into the 30's, the noise wasn't bad at all.