About to buy a 13 BHB! (our first LL/CL)

Started by Snoopy, June 30, 2018, 11:20:49 PM

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Snoopy

Hi! We are in the process of buying what we think is our "perfect" camper. We've been pop-uppers since we started RVing, but no we're turning to the dark side, as they say. Like all RVers I'm sure, we've talked about what features we'd put into a trailer if we could design it ourselves. I had no idea Camplites existed when I started doing that. I thought for sure we wanted a tent bed, because that's what we love about the pop-ups. Had to have a fridge, sink, and toilet. Inside shower would be nice but necessary if there were an outside shower. And one of those dinette tables that isn't fixed in place, so you can take it outside if you need to. And it would be so nice not to have to a separate bed where you don't have to break down your dining table every night to go to sleep. Oh, and we have a 9-year-old munchkin who goes along with us, so he should probably have a nice place to sleep, too. Once in a while we'll have a couple or a parent and some kids stay with us, so an extra bed (even if it's the dinette) would be handy--but not to take up room as beds all the time. A/C is a must. And after our first pop-up, which was quite used when we got it, we learned the hard way that there really is no alternative to all-aluminum construction. We'll never go back to wood.

So in my head, I had this idea. Had no idea this concept existed! Then I saw floor plans for the Camplite BHB with the tip-out bunk option, and the additional option of the interior fold-don bunkbed over the dinette. Oh my gosh, and the colors it came in! But they don't make those anymore. And I couldn't find any for sale with those two options together. I figured people just didn't opt for the hybrid bunk along with the interior fold-down bunk for whatever reason.

And then it happened. We found one for sale. (Oh heavens, and it's baby blue.) OK, so it's an 8-hour drive from us, and it's in another country (we're in the US, it's in Canada). But we took the plunge. Put down a deposit, and we'll go to pick it up in a couple weeks.

What on earth have we gotten ourselves into?!?

I'm excited to find an online community. It seems like CL owners are a tight little group. I'd only ever seen one other CL at a campground we were at, and it was definitely the talk of the campground.

Mel, Tom, and Ben
'13 Ford Edge
'14 CL-13BHB hybrid
Southern PA
2014 Camplite 13BHB (new to us!!)
2013 Ford Edge
a mom, a dad, and a kid
recent pop-up converts

klaker

#1
Great find, that tip out bunk 13BHB is great layout for small camper   :)

Post pics when you have them, we all like to see the rarer floor plans.

Snoopy

Quote from: klaker on July 01, 2018, 09:35:52 PM
Great find, that tip out bunk 13BHB is great layout for small camper   :)

Post pics when you have them, we all like to see the rarer floor plans.

Will do! Upon learning that tip-out is only 48" wide, which is narrower than a full, I'm going to have MacGuyver some sort of supported extension that can flip-up/flip-down inside the living space, but that's a small concession to get such a remarkable layout, otherwise.

Would you say the 13 BHBs are harder to come by than the 13 RDBs? I really had trouble finding any info or images online of either one of these layouts, especially with that interior flip-down bunk along the curve of the front wall.
2014 Camplite 13BHB (new to us!!)
2013 Ford Edge
a mom, a dad, and a kid
recent pop-up converts

klaker

Totally guessing that they are equally hard to come by.

Livinlite campers are kind of expensive new so you don't see as many for sale used. I think tip out bunks on any BHB is kind of rare.

Snoopy

Quote from: klaker on July 01, 2018, 09:35:52 PM
Great find, that tip out bunk 13BHB is great layout for small camper   :)

Post pics when you have them, we all like to see the rarer floor plans.

We still have another 11 days (ahem, not counting down or anything!) until we take delivery of our new baby, but we did get a thorough walk-through video from the dealer today. The previous owner made some nice mods that we'll probably keep. This video gives a really good feel for what we've got to look forward to.

You can see the corrosion on the exterior door that I mentioned, but that will all be covered by warranty; the dealer is installing a new door. It just won't be the same light blue color. (They could match it for us, but we'd rather spend that $1k+ on something else.)

The dealer is also going to be installing a ceiling a/c, which he mentions in the video. And we've asked about having a small under-counter radio/CD-player put in, speakers wired to it, and a swivel tv bracket to the left of the upper kitchen area cabinets so my husband can put a small tv in there. Rather, *I* will be the one to do the work installing it, but my husband will be the one to watch the tv. I think I'd rather just lie on the bunk and listen to everything through the screen canvas. :)

I'm also going to be fashioning some sort of bed extension platform so that the tip-out can more comfortably hold 2 grown adults.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k__QwKFJD9g&feature=youtu.be
2014 Camplite 13BHB (new to us!!)
2013 Ford Edge
a mom, a dad, and a kid
recent pop-up converts

finnski

Congratulations!

An 8 hour drive isn't bad at all. We just drove 2000 miles each way to buy a used 2014 14db. All the way from NH to San Antonio Texas.  We got a very good deal from a great couple who were buying a larger livin lite. They are hard to find and we wanted a pre 2016 version for the all aluminum features.

3 days down and 4 days back. We too have an issue with the entry door but knew that before we went and i have some ideas of fixing it that will also add a feature to the camper.
I really like that rear entry hatch of your model. We are just the 2 of us and a dog so wanted the queen bed and dry bath version. Tow ours with a toyota tacoma 6 cyl and had no problems(dry weight about 2800 lbs) other than reduced gas mileage of 11-12 mpg.

We owned three pop ups before this and we really liked he open airy feel of those but tired of the half hour set up and doing that again when we got home to air out the canvas, didn't want to deal with canvas issues anymore. I think the small amount f tenting on yours is a great compromise.  Still get that nice evening air with only one small tent to maintain.
Enjoy!
2014 CL14DB

Snoopy

Quote from: finnski on July 15, 2018, 08:56:48 AM
Congratulations!

  [ ... ]   

Enjoy!

Thank you!! I had to chuckle when I read you reply, because my husband wants to trade in the Edge at some point for a pick-up. We've had a need for a pick-up several times doing various projects around the house and yard. I did a bunch of research and settled on a Tacoma, how funny! So once we get the new camper taken care of, we'll begin the search for that. (Although I just saw a creamy-light-blue Subaru Outback V6 in a parking lot today, and wouldn't that just look perfect with the light blue camper?!)

Just a few days left until we leave and we are getting giddy. The wire transfer from our bank to the Canadian bank will take a little longer than we expected to go through, so we may have to stay there (in the dealer's parking lot, with full hookups!) a few extra days before we can head back home. We were talking to the banker about why we're traveling so far to get the camper, and unless someone gets it, they just don't get it, you know? I really had no idea how rare Livin Lites are until i joined this forum.

I couldn't figure out if you are in NH and drove to TX to pick up, or the other way round, but if you are in NH, we will wave as we drive up that way and skirt New England. We won't this year (because of this unplanned expense that we couldn't pass up!) but we like to go to Maine at least once each year. Who knows, maybe we could meet up?
2014 Camplite 13BHB (new to us!!)
2013 Ford Edge
a mom, a dad, and a kid
recent pop-up converts