2004 Niagara Grand Tour Elite
Written: Feb 02 '06 (Updated Feb 03 '06)
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Pros: Easy storage. All the amenities! Easy set up. Not too many out there! Low cost.
Cons: Stigmatized by some ClassA owners and RV resorts.
The Bottom Line: If you want to experience actual camping in comfort, as opposed to just RVing, this is the way to go.
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| BeachShopper's Full Review: 2004 Fleetwood Grand Tour Elite |
It's been two years now, and I still enjoy my PopUp! Two years ago I was shopping for an RV to introduce my two kids, who were 3 and 5 at the time to camping. All my friends own really nice Class A motorhomes, so that's what we looked at first. We even found a nice one, (Featured in the Movie, Meet the Fockers, with DeNiro), that I almost purchased. However, it didn't feel at all like "camping". So I searched for the best compromise - a tent, yet with all the amenities.
That's when I decided that I needed to get a Pop Up RV! I could introduce my small kids to tent camping, we would be off the ground, and I could bring all the amenities, including the kitchen sink!
The 2004 Fleetwood Grand Tour Elite Niagara features two king beds, a slide out dinette that converts into a double size bed, inside and outside showers, a built-in cassette potty, a fold up galley so that your "kitchen" is at the same level as your home counters, a water heater, a furnace, a three-way refrigerator, and a big front storage box. About the only extras available were a "decor" package which includes some conveniences like a vanity mirror, a pair of 12v fan/lights, and a piece of folding luggage that attaches to the ceiling, (suitable for small stuff, or a weekend's worth of clothes), and double auto-changeover five gallon propane tanks. We can't forget air conditioning! We opted for a Carrier AirV unit.
For 2006 the old Fleetwood GTE Niagara floor plan is now built as the Americana series Williamsburg.
In 2005 the Niagara name became part of Fleetwood's Highlander series, a bigger PopUp, which has higher side walls so it dosn't have the fold up galley, and loses the large front storage box. However, it does feature a hard-walled shower, permanently setup counters, microwave and conventional ovens, double sink, and an AM/FM/CD stereo.
The quality of the trailer has been top notch. We have needed only two warranty repairs for very minor non-trip stopping cosmetic items. The white powdercoat paint on one of the slide-out exterior rails started to exhibit slight rust, so it was replaced. And, the faucet in the inside shower had a defective anti-syphon valve, so it was also changed out.
Everything else works great and the trailer provides a very comfortable camping experience. We have camped comfortably in the high mountain snow, and in the hot summer desert. The furnace and A/C are very well matched for their application.
Regarding towing, this is one of the heavier Folding Camping Trailers available. Fully loaded, with all of our gear stowed into the available cabinets, and large front storage box, it weighs about 3600 pounds, with about a 300 pound tongue weight, so you will need an appropriate tow vehicle. For 2004 Fleetwood modified the trailer layout from earlier designs to redistribute most of it's weight forward of the axle. The result is a very stable towing trailer that does not sway when empty or when fully loaded. The trailer's frame is a beefy tubular steel that comes from the factory with friction sway control device mounting holes, and there is also room between the battery and propane tank cover to mount a single lever action weight distribution hitch. I tow with a 4x4 Dodge Durango, and I use both a friction sway device and a WD hitch. The trailer comes standard with electric brakes, and strong leaf spring suspension featuring Dexter brand axle components, that can easily be "flipped" to provide more lift if you need additional ground clearance.
The bottom line is that my family is enjoying real camping. We get to hear the calming ocean waves, the owls, coyotes and crickets at night. And we get to smell the pine, the ocean breeze, or the crackling campfire. You can't have that experience in a motorhome, or enclosed hard walled trailer.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 8,500
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: Grand Tour Elite Niagara
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Epinions.com ID:
BeachShopper
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Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 2 members
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