Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Sunline RV Forum
Sunline User Photos

Go Back   Sunline Coach Owner's Club > Sunline Club Community Forums > Introduce Yourself
Click Here to Login

Join Sunline Club Forums Today


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 09-09-2017, 09:49 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Digmenow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 207
SUN #9763
Digmenow is an unknown quantity at this point
I got here as fast as I could!




Who am I and what am I doing here?
(Lloyd Bentsen reference, anyone?)



Well, as you can see by my avatar to the left of your screen and my signature down at the bottom of this post, I go by the screen name Dig but I'll also answer to Tom.
Long ago, my kids picked out the "Digmenow" screen name for our AOL account and it has followed me throughout the years across a number of forums. SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed, aka DW, aka MsDig) shall be of no small importance as this post continues.

A few years ago, our two daughters and their husbands began to go tent camping once a year in the summer. Two of our nieces and their husbands and family soon joined in. Then our first grandson came along. I mentioned to SWMBO, who hates being outdoors for extended periods, that he would grow up with great memories of these special outings but WE would not be part of them because we never went camping with them. To my amazement, she agreed with me and I told her that I would do everything in my power to make her comfortable and set about it.
  • Two room EZ up 7 foot tall cabin tent (WITH an actual door that opened and sealed with velcro when you didn't feel like zipping it)? Check!
  • Room air conditioner adapted to the rear tent door? Check!
  • Small fridge for keeping her Diet Dr. Peppers chilled? Check!
  • Inflatable queen (natch ) bed with self contained pump? Check!
  • Bath house always located within a 2 minute walk from the tent site? Check!
And so forth.

Then one year, one of the group showed up with a pop-up. Our daughter and S-I-L cottoned to the idea and went out and bought an R-Pod and a new Silverado to pull it and then traded the R-Pod for something roomier because, grandson. Then another part of the group decided to start looking for a TT for THEIR family. SWMBO and I had gone from the biggest tent on the block to the low rent folks in just one season!

Set up for us was always north of 3 hours and breaking camp took just as long if not longer but I was happy to do it and she found out that she enjoyed camping more than she had expected...

...until the last outing this past August. She was extra tired at the end of the trip and she knew I was, too. The next morning, she said that she wanted to know my thoughts about the previous weekend. I immediately did what any loving husband would do.




I told her that I had to go the bathroom and locked myself away!


I used that time to plan my answers to any of her potential questions or objections. I emerged, as ready as I could be and we started to discuss the trip. Suddenly...

SWMBO: "What about a pop-up camper?"


Me:


SWMBO:
"I mean, the tent is a LOT of hard work the way that we do it and we are a lot older than they are. It would just be easier if we had some kind of trailer."


Me:


SWMBO:
"What are you looking for?"


Me: (Thinking, "What can a 23 year old Silverado safely pull that meets our specific needs as 2 geezer campers?")


SWMBO: "That looks nice."


Me:

All the benefits of a popup with none of the drawbacks!


So I spent a couple of weeks learning all I could about TrailManors, lurked on their forum, watched YouTube videos and combed the Craigslist ads daily. I was all set to go up to Lancaster, PA on the Tuesday after Labor Day to take a look at one but on the Sunday morning BEFORE Labor Day, I hit up the CL ads one more time. This was the first ad, just 21 minutes old and a 15 minute drive from our house.

Quote:
2003 Sunline Solaris Lite T-1950 Travel Trailer - $4100

2003 Sunline model T-1950 Travel Trailer. Front living room, Rear Bed and Bath. Great condition. Sleeps 3 to 4. No Leaks, No water damage. 5000lb GVRW / 3455 Dry Weight. Super Clean. Ready to Camp today. Was used last weekend at Point Lookout.

A/C - ice cold
Refrigerator - electric / gas
Microwave
Furnace
Stove / Oven
Hot water heater
19" TV
Am-Fm CD Player
Awning
New Tires this Year

Trailer is in great shape and ready to camp.


I called the number and it was available but after all of my studying of the other trailer, I had to quickly find a Sunline forum ( ) and cram like a college student the night before final exams.

We beat feet over there and went over it with the finest tooth comb that we had. My S-I-L and daughter were quite surprised at how nice it was inside. The outside is showing its age a bit but more on that in another thread, perhaps. Suffice it to say that it's a 20 footer" in EVERY sense of the word!

I had planned to offer $3,500 based on the ad and told him so but based on the family input, I immediately upped it right there to $3,800. He thought a moment and agreed.

We signed the paperwork, hooked it to the S-I-L's Chevy and towed it home.

This forum is a great asset to the Sunline owners community. I'm a forum administrator for a very large forum of owners of a specific German automobile (3 pointed star) and I have to say the the moderation staff here does an awesome job keeping up with everything and sharing metric ****loads of valuable information. Count on me to be asking (after a thorough search, of course) a LOT of questions as this is our first foray into the world of TT's. I promise to post lots of pics to illustrate those questions and the subsequent work that is done.

Thanks for being here and if you read this whole thing, you have my deepest sympathies!
__________________

__________________
~Dig~

2004 Solaris 280SR
Previously: 2003 Solaris Lite T-1950
"The Land of Pleasant Living!"
Digmenow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2017, 09:52 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Thomascine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Virginia
Posts: 814
SUN #8893
Thomascine is an unknown quantity at this point
LOL...Welcome and congrats on your new Sunny. It looks great! You have joined a great site! Ask all the questions you need. Also, check out the Files area at the top.

Happy camping!

Tommie
__________________

__________________
Thomascine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2017, 06:56 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Digmenow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 207
SUN #9763
Digmenow is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomascine View Post
LOL...Welcome and congrats on your new Sunny. It looks great! You have joined a great site! Ask all the questions you need. Also, check out the Files area at the top.

Happy camping!

Tommie
Thanks, Tommie! The Files are a gold mine. I have already downloaded an owner's manual close enough to my camper that it should apply to most situations and pored over several other links as well. Good stuff!
__________________
~Dig~
How I found my first Sunline: I got here as fast as I could!

2004 Solaris 280SR
Previously: 2003 Solaris Lite T-1950
"The Land of Pleasant Living!"
Digmenow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2017, 02:50 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
jim44646's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,125
SUN #4040
jim44646 is an unknown quantity at this point
Welcome. Sunlines are an older travel trailer but they are built allot better than what's on the market today.
__________________
Jim and DW Darlene
2001 T-2553 Sunline Solaris
2006 GMC Sierra Duramax 2500HD 4X4
Firestone Transforce AT tires
Reese Dual Cam Sway Control
jim44646 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2017, 10:54 AM   #5
Moderator
 
PTHutch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 1,920
SUN #98
PTHutch is an unknown quantity at this point
Hi Dig / Tom

Welcome to the forum and congratulation on your new to you Sunline.
Hope you get many years of fun and enjoyment camping with the kids and grandkids.

You'll have to check out the 2018 Buttonwood M&G. It's a great place to meet follow current and former Sunline owners and it's always nice to put faces to forum members.

Good luck and happy camping.
__________________
Mary & Tom (aka Hutch)
2015 Jayco Eagle Premier 361REQS
2014 GMC Sierra 3500HD 4x4 CC D/A
Sunlines: 2005 Solaris T-280SR; 1999 Solaris T-2670; 1998 Saturn T-24A
PTHutch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2017, 05:58 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Digmenow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 207
SUN #9763
Digmenow is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by jim44646 View Post
Welcome. Sunlines are an older travel trailer but they are built allot better than what's on the market today.
Thanks, Jim.

As I get into it to get it ready for our maiden outing, I am coming to understand that very well. I know that it's illogical to worry about heat from the interior lights but they get so warm that I'm afraid that they will melt something and catch fire. Since the camper is 14 years old, it would make sense that something like that would have happened long ago.

Nevertheless, I picked up two 194 LEDs at WalMart today and put them in the main double fixture that is controlled by the switch next to the door. At $15 for the pair, they weren't cheap but SWMBO liked them and asked if I was going to put them in all of the lights. I pointed out that since there were SEVENTEEN interior lights, that was going to be pricey and then I told her my strategy of seeing which lights we left on the most and then replacing those lights in a piecemeal fashion. She <coff coff> saw the light.

My point is...SEVENTEEN interior lights in a 17 by 8 coach. Our daughter's brand new 27 foot Aerolite doesn't have that many lights.

Can you tell I'm stoked?

Quote:
Originally Posted by PTHutch View Post
Hi Dig / Tom

Welcome to the forum and congratulation on your new to you Sunline.
Hope you get many years of fun and enjoyment camping with the kids and grandkids.

You'll have to check out the 2018 Buttonwood M&G. It's a great place to meet follow current and former Sunline owners and it's always nice to put faces to forum members.

Good luck and happy camping.
Appreciate the tip, Hutch! That looks like a good trip. I need to see about scheduling conflicts but I will sure try to make it. Is there a cutoff date other than the campground filling up?
__________________
~Dig~
How I found my first Sunline: I got here as fast as I could!

2004 Solaris 280SR
Previously: 2003 Solaris Lite T-1950
"The Land of Pleasant Living!"
Digmenow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2017, 08:57 PM   #7
Moderator
 
JohnB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,643
SUN #89
JohnB is on a distinguished road
Hi Dig,

Welcome to Sunline Owners Club and congrats on your new Sunny!!!

I must say, you have gone through quite the evolution to get to your Sunny

The good news is you missed the pop up phase... We really had a good time in the pop up and it was a good camper, however the Sunline is a great time and a perfect camper!!!

Happy camping this year and ask away on on questions.

Thanks

John
__________________
Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

Google Custom Search For Sunline Owners Club
JohnB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2017, 11:12 PM   #8
Moderator
 
Sunline Fan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 6,155
SUN #123
Sunline Fan is an unknown quantity at this point
Welcome!
__________________
2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
Sunline Fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 12:41 AM   #9
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Georgia
Posts: 26
SUN #9332
summd02 is an unknown quantity at this point
Well that's a good intro. Welcome and enjoy
__________________
summd02 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 03:03 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Digmenow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 207
SUN #9763
Digmenow is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnB View Post
Hi Dig,

Welcome to Sunline Owners Club and congrats on your new Sunny!!!

I must say, you have gone through quite the evolution to get to your Sunny

The good news is you missed the pop up phase... We really had a good time in the pop up and it was a good camper, however the Sunline is a great time and a perfect camper!!!

Happy camping this year and ask away on on questions.

Thanks

John
Thanks, John.

I meant what I said about the forum moderation. I can tell that you guys love this place and take very good care of it and that's in addition to the incredible knowledge base that you all have. I will avail myself of that resource at every opportunity!

As to missing the pop-up phase, I think that was just good fortune on my part. We have some friends in PA just over the state line from us who had a late model, garage kept, rarely used pop-up (don't know the brand) who were looking to get rid of it and were going to let us have it for under a grand but their nephew asked for it so THEY GAVE IT TO HIM!
At the time, I felt like... Now I feel like I dodged a bullet!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunline Fan View Post
Welcome!
I appreciate it and please apply what I said to John, above, to yourself as well! Good stuff, well done.

BTW, great avatar!



Quote:
Originally Posted by summd02 View Post
Well that's a good intro. Welcome and enjoy
Thanks, LOL! I can get carried away sometimes. I'll calm down for the most part, I promise.







But every now and then...
__________________
~Dig~
How I found my first Sunline: I got here as fast as I could!

2004 Solaris 280SR
Previously: 2003 Solaris Lite T-1950
"The Land of Pleasant Living!"
Digmenow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 06:40 AM   #11
Moderator
 
PTHutch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 1,920
SUN #98
PTHutch is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by Digmenow View Post
... Is there a cutoff date other than the campground filling up?
No cutoff date, just based on availability of campground site.

There's typically SOC members spread out throughout the campground both the upper side and the river side. So where ever you get a site, there's probably a SOC member close by.
__________________
Mary & Tom (aka Hutch)
2015 Jayco Eagle Premier 361REQS
2014 GMC Sierra 3500HD 4x4 CC D/A
Sunlines: 2005 Solaris T-280SR; 1999 Solaris T-2670; 1998 Saturn T-24A
PTHutch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 06:33 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
enormiss's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 125
SUN #9247
enormiss is an unknown quantity at this point
Try these for LED's if they fit your fixtures. I just had a second batch delivered because I liked them so much, now all 20 bulbs are replaced. They are cool white not warm white so try a few 1st. Cant beat the price.
__________________
Norm 01 T267SR
enormiss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 11:06 PM   #13
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Georgia
Posts: 26
SUN #9332
summd02 is an unknown quantity at this point
You can't go wrong going with LED's, just avoid those knock offs.
__________________
summd02 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2017, 02:26 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Digmenow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 207
SUN #9763
Digmenow is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by enormiss View Post
Try these for LED's if they fit your fixtures. I just had a second batch delivered because I liked them so much, now all 20 bulbs are replaced. They are cool white not warm white so try a few 1st. Cant beat the price.
Quote:
Originally Posted by summd02 View Post
You can't go wrong going with LED's, just avoid those knock offs.
Thanks, guys. Norm, that's an AWESOME price! Do these just lie against the fixture cover?




The ones that I bought from WalMart, while odd looking, were a close replacement.

__________________
~Dig~
How I found my first Sunline: I got here as fast as I could!

2004 Solaris 280SR
Previously: 2003 Solaris Lite T-1950
"The Land of Pleasant Living!"
Digmenow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2017, 01:53 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
enormiss's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 125
SUN #9247
enormiss is an unknown quantity at this point
I just put them in and let the lens cover hold them up. You could double side foam tape them up if wanted. These stay cool unlike leds I bought for my previous camper that got as hot as the incandescent bulbs...
__________________
Norm 01 T267SR
enormiss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2017, 09:20 PM   #16
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Georgia
Posts: 26
SUN #9332
summd02 is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by enormiss View Post
I just put them in and let the lens cover hold them up. You could double side foam tape them up if wanted. These stay cool unlike leds I bought for my previous camper that got as hot as the incandescent bulbs...
I will give these a try as well right after we finished the installation of new shocks and nerf bars on the truck. Been thinking of adding some additional lights on the Sunny lately
__________________
summd02 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2017, 09:29 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Wannabes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 779
SUN #4050
Wannabes is an unknown quantity at this point
Dig/Tom,

Nice 1950 there. Happy camping to you, SWMBO, & the whole family! There are quite a few SOC members who hail from "the land of pleasant living". [A Natty Bo fan, perhaps? ]
__________________

Matthew and Lisa
TT: '02 T-2363;
TV: 2012 Ford F-150, 4x4/Off-road, 5.0L V8, "Big Gray"
Reese Straitline w/ dual cam
Wannabes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2017, 09:03 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Digmenow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 207
SUN #9763
Digmenow is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wannabes View Post
Dig/Tom,

Nice 1950 there. Happy camping to you, SWMBO, & the whole family! There are quite a few SOC members who hail from "the land of pleasant living". [A Natty Bo fan, perhaps? ]
Thanks! More a fan of the jingle than the beer itself.

__________________
~Dig~

2004 Solaris 280SR
Previously: 2003 Solaris Lite T-1950
"The Land of Pleasant Living!"
Digmenow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2017, 09:49 PM   #19
Moderator
 
JohnB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,643
SUN #89
JohnB is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Digmenow View Post
Thanks, John.

I meant what I said about the forum moderation. I can tell that you guys love this place and take very good care of it and that's in addition to the incredible knowledge base that you all have. I will avail myself of that resource at every opportunity!
Hi Dig,

Thanks for the good words. Much appreciated. And yes, we do "get into" our Sunlines! We are a proud bunch that way. We are made up of prior Sunline owners, current Sunline owners or anyone wanting to know about a Sunline... The forum has a great bunch of good folks willing to help just like your neighbor in a campground. And our Sunline rally's are great too where you can place the owner next to their camper.... and make new life long best friends. Our Admin is very supportive of us and also very helpful.

Happy camping this fall.

John
__________________
Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

Google Custom Search For Sunline Owners Club
JohnB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2017, 05:09 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Digmenow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 207
SUN #9763
Digmenow is an unknown quantity at this point
My usual modus operandi whenever I join a forum with a specific interest is to start at least one thread that becomes a repository of my initial and ongoing experiences with whatever the subject matter might be, cars, clothes (don't ask) and so forth. I've decided that on THIS forum, that may not be the most beneficial tack. The setup on SOC lends itself to individual threads that can be easily searched and impart valuable information, years after the original poster has moved on to other subjects.

I'll wrap this thread up by saying that I will create new threads (always with oddball titles but they will contain relevant words whenever someone searches by titles) in thre proper subforums as the opportunities arise. Of course, I will try to reply to anything further that is mentioned in this thread, as well.

Thanks for your welcoming interest.
__________________

__________________
~Dig~
How I found my first Sunline: I got here as fast as I could!

2004 Solaris 280SR
Previously: 2003 Solaris Lite T-1950
"The Land of Pleasant Living!"
Digmenow is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Need help FAST! Janalee Repairs and Maintenance 13 09-13-2012 08:00 PM
Sunny's home got here just in time! EMD_Driver Sunline Community 3 05-06-2012 08:58 PM
Gone! Just as fast, as it magically appeared. EMD_Driver Sunline Community 0 01-13-2010 04:15 PM
Not much activity here lately and I got bored, Soooo.... EMD_Driver Sunline Community 2 12-09-2009 07:09 PM
Fast Friends Greyhound Rescue kanyonkitty Sunline Community 7 12-28-2008 09:14 AM


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sunline RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:49 AM.


×