Did anyone besides myself buy a Runaway Trailer

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Canine said:
Lots of us have purchased several different kinds of vehicles before finally settling down on the best compromise of whatever balance preferences we want. Thanks for letting us know your experiences. Good info.
I share these experiences so maybe others can be alerted to some unforeseen things of the Runaway that I was not aware of before I purchased mine. When I tried to critique the Runaway when I was traveling with it and reporting some of the problems to a closed owners group on Facebook, the administrator got on me and said that I should only share positive things about the Runaway, and he was speaking for everyone that they all loved their Runaways. He said I was griping. :huh: I couldn't believe it. I wasn't griping, just telling of my particular experiences and what I thought myself about my Runaway. But I know that usually closed groups like to have a herd mentality so as not to tarnish their beliefs in whatever they are about. Unlike this site that wants to know both sides of the story so everyone can make as much of an informed educated decision about things that they can.
Thanks Canine and everyone else for an open mind. And of course Bob, always sets the stage for this fairness too.
 
If you didn't like the Runaway, a small car is going to be worse.

What didn't you like about it? Was there another thread about what went wrong?
 
skyl4rk said:
If you didn't like the Runaway, a small car is going to be worse.

You are right about that, but my Ford Escape has pretty much the same area with the seats folded down as the Runaway had. I could have just as much sleeping room as I did in the tiny Runaway. The Escape is not what I consider a small car.
After using about 6 or 7,  6" tall storage containers  (that will store most of my stuff), as a base for my bed, I would have plenty of room to stretch out. Everything would have to be modular to be able to reconfigure. I do believe that it would be much more easier than the Runaway, and probably more comfortable. I will see.
 
Almost There said:
I totally agree, I've made much worse mistakes in my life than buying a vehicle that I didn't end up liking!

Men come to mind.... :p

Then you should obviously buy better men !!
P.S......Make me an offer !!
KinA
 
skyl4rk said:
What didn't you like about it?  Was there another thread about what went wrong?
Since you asked me, skyl4rk I will give you the information that you requested. Also, keep in mind that these are the things that I personally went through with my Runaway, and may not reflect other peoples experiences or opinions. But it is the truth as I experienced it.

The main thing about the Runaway was that it was very small for me, in width and height. This alone created some problems that made life uncomfortable for me.
1. Getting in and out was tricky. The doorway is very short and narrow opening. I lost track of the number of times I scraped and hit my head arms and legs getting in and out. I still have creases on my skull from that (and I am not kidding).  I did get to the point that it happened a little less toward the end, but it still did, even being careful.
2. Once inside I could not do much. Except sleep. Moving around was a chore. The 4 foot height was too short for a chair because I would be bumping my head, and the sofa or what ever would be put in that was the right height to keep my head off the ceiling put me too close to the floor, so my knees were practically up in my chest. If I was a tall person I would have had lots more problems with this. I am only 5' 6", pretty short by most standards, and I had a difficult time moving around at all inside. I had to contort my body to do anything.
3. The ventilation was terrible. It had 2 sliding windows, one on each side. But....they were about 6 to 8 inches from the top of the roof. This left a dead air space on the ceiling that trapped lots of moisture. I did have some 12 volt fans pulling air in or pulling air out of the windows but for some reason the humidly in the Runaway stayed high. I could run my hand across the ceiling and it was usually wet. And the carpet that they used on the ceiling started to stink. The roof was not leaking, it was from breathing and body moisture given off. Keeping the bed dry was a problem with this humidly also. I had to lift it up everyday and stand it on its edges to let it dry out. The mattress had to sit right on the floor and the moisture collected on the bottom, next to the floor. I could have built a platform but that would have made it too tall and very difficult to get on and off the bed because of the low height, and in and out of the Runaway too.

They (the manufacturers in Ocala) used to put the fantastic fans in them but stopped doing that because they claimed that since the roof was slightly curved, that it could start leaking over a period of time. Although.....you still can pay them (the manufacturers of the Runaway) extra to install one in your unit at time of manufacture. I think it was to save on costs and add to the profit. But that's strictly my opinion.

4. I can't speak for others' Runaways but this is what the situation was with mine......The Runaway that they, (the manufacturers of the Runaways) manufactured for me was put together very sloppy. There were huge gaps around the door on the inside. So big that I could see outside through them, but only when the door was open. The crank handle for the stabilizer wheel in the front was broken with a big chunk missing. All the 2" square frame plugs were put in distorted, and the box frames would fill with water. I had to get more plugs and reinstall them correctly. The tires were dated 2 years earlier, in other words they were using out dated tires on my unit. I had to take them back up to Ocala to make them (Runaway Trailers) exchange them for up to date tires. I noticed that after I came back from my 2,500 mile road trip that the caulking along the edges of the roof and walls on the outside had big gaps all the way around and the full length. The box, roof, and walls were shifting, and the silicone seal was pulling away from the corners. In other words it's like taking a cardboard box and shifting it out of square. One of the latch assemblies completely came off the glass when I opened the window one day. I put it back on but it will come off again. Oh, and the 4 prong plug for the lights shorted out and started smoking. I had to replace that also.
To sum up, my brand new Runaway that I personally owned was like a cracker box shifting around as I towed it.
 I also have noticed that Runaway Trailers have recently upped the price of their trailers about $500 on average through their different models.

Well.....skyl4rk you asked me, and there it is. That's my Runaway story and I'm sticking to it. And it's all truth. I swear it to what ever witness you want.
 
none of your reasons surprise my, especially the shoddy workmanship. all to common in the RV industry. highdesertranger
 
Lack of roof ventilation is a deal breaker. I would not want a camper with no roof ventilation.
 
skyl4rk said:
Lack of roof ventilation is a deal breaker.  I would not want a camper with no roof ventilation.
I was going to put one in myself, but after the experience of the roadtrip with it, the only thing on my mind was to get it sold. I did ask one of the owners of the company about the lack of a roof vent and he gave me the remark that they stopped putting them on them because they might leak. But assured me that the side windows gave plenty of ventilation and the roof vent fan wasn't needed. Well, I found out the hard way, that was not the truth. 
I should have known better, but I had no experience with these Runaways.
You are right skyl4rk, just about everything needs a roof vent, especially the small ones. They build up humidity quicker because of their smaller size. In the case of the Runaway, for me it was like breathing into a paper bag all the time.
 
It would be hard to fulltime in something like that or a teardrop. I think those are best for short, fair weather trips when you spend most of your time outside. Even our 13 ft canned ham trailer was miserable if it was raining.
 
Thanks for the honest follow up. I can totally understand how one abode will work for a certain person, but not another. I had an idea for you to try on your next road trip, but you'd have to find a super deal on a used one to try it out. You seem to really like your Escape, so what about adding a roof top tent to it for a trip, to see if you like that? They make some lighter aerodynamic ones.

Pros - you can use your Escape and still sleep inside if the wind is too high, or you just need to be a little more stealthy for a night. It gives you more room than just the inside of your SUV, but you still don't have tow anything so parking is not an issue, except possible low parking garages. You can have a more comfortable bed and pretend you're camping in a tree house.

Cons - it will possible affect high speed handling and fuel economy, but not a lot if you go with the lighter aerodynamic hard shell models. You have to climb a short ladder to go to bed. You still have to move cloths etc... back and forth between the car and the roof top tent. They are very pricey new. You can't stand up in them, and basically have to live "out of your vehicle" rather than living "in your vehicle" if that makes sense.

Anyway, just a random idea for you to either pursue, or throw in the round circular file depending upon you're own take on it. Oh yeah, one more pro - It can be easily removed and hung in the garage between trips if that is the direction you end up going. No permanent change to the Escape.
 
masterplumber said:
Thanks for the honest follow up. I can totally understand how one abode will work for a certain person, but not another. I had an idea for you to try on your next road trip, but you'd have to find a super deal on a used one to try it out. You seem to really like your Escape, so what about adding a roof top tent to it for a trip, to see if you like that? They make some lighter aerodynamic ones.
I had thought about those but, I am wanting to stay away from as much setup as possible. If I do the Escape, I will have to really trim things back to bare necessities. I was thinking about a hitch cargo hauler and box, but that would probably cause more problems with getting in my way to open the hatch. I want simplicity but at the same time comfort and convenience. A tall order with the Escape.
 
I know I am way late adding to this, but I thought I'd comment just in case other folks were interested in talking about teardrops.  I had a tear that was new and built by a start up company in Oregon.  Loved it.  But could not keep it because it had some of the same problems with the manufacture that you mentioned.  The folks that built it, had purchased a kit, and the metal bands that kept the walls and roof together apparently had holes that they were supposed to use to sink screws in.  They chose not to use the holes and sank the screws in thru the metal.  This left a whole bunch of holes over which they put the metal skin.  When it rained and I was inside, it was like being in a rain forest.  I had to turn off any electric lamp or appliance because I was afraid I'd be electrocuted!

But I loved the size, I loved the galley, and I could have kept living in the thing longer, if it only hadn't leaked like a sieve.  It also had humidity problems and condensation when it wasn't raining.  That was explained to me as a product of a lack of insulation.  Supposedly any tiny little trailer like this would have humidity problems due to it's small size and the condensation that formed unless there was a thick layer of insulation.  

I appreciate your post about Runaway.  I'd looked at them because Ocala is just a few miles from me, and the price is right.  But if the workmanship is shoddy, then I'd be back where I started.  That seems to be a fault in the Teardrop industry, as well as the overall RV biz.  It seems that lots of folk think that they can build a tear or tiny trailer for cheap and make a fortune from idiots like me!

I may end up making my own!  I have a little 4 cyl Mazda stick shift truckie that is a gem and goes like it will never die!  So a tiny trailer is in my future, perhaps, as Josephine the van is being devoured by the rust monster.   :(

If anyone is interested, there is a great forum for teardrops and tiny trailers at www.tnttt.com and lots of folks over there make their own.  I may go that route, since I'm having to move out of my cabin and cross country within the year.
 
If you have access to a workshop, you might want to look at the 'Foamies' threads on tnttt.com (Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers). They are creating their own SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) using Polyiso foam sheets with 1x2 framing on the edges and the whole thing sheathed with fabric that's impregnated with adhesive. Their results after five years are pretty encouraging!

I'm evaluating their 'Standie' setups with an eye towards making one with a high middle and a lift portion at the hitch and tailgate ends. The panels are very lightweight yet sturdy because of the integrated foam panels and the fabric sheathing is (surprisingly) extremely tough after it cures.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=39373

Here's a Teardrop (similar to a Runaway) that was made in this fashion: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=43647
 
just a note on that tear drop forum, I am a member there too. however 99% of the folks on that forum are vacationers they go for weekend trips and week long trips, most of them don't boondock and they stay in campgrounds. I mean there is nothing wrong with that, only they have very little in common with people living long term in their vehicles. a lot of their construction techniques are suspect in my book, like using Harbor Freight trailers for their frames. those might work if you only use your tear drop 1 or 2 weeks a year and never go off pavement. but for a reliable long term boondocking trailer, no way. highdesertranger
 
I agree about the HF trailers HDR - as I said, I was looking at their use of the foam SIPs with an eye towards a lighter weight towable RV trailer that would still stand up to daily use.
 
I always suggest people wear under wear two sizes smaller. That way when they criticize my suggestion or try to burden me with the results, they will at least be doing it in a higher voice.
All suggestions need to be weighed with will that work for you.
 
He ain't been laid in a month of Sundays,I caught him once sniffing my undies.Gotta love John Prine.
 
HDRanger, I appreciate your warning.  Having been on that forum for several years, I would also say that it is more of a campers forum than a living in vehicle forum.  And since quite a few of the builders are beginners, it doesn't surprise me to think that some of the techniques are suspect.  However, I've also learned a lot there.  If you have an open mind you can learn from anyone.  

DHawkTX, I have been looking at the foamies for years as well.  What a cool idea!!!  I'm very familiar with the use of canvas as an artist and sculptor, and I can see that one could make a very sturdy light shell with foam, canvas, and sturdy marine-type varnish or polyurethane coating.   Since I don't have access to a workshop, if I want a trailer heavier than a HF trailer, I'll have to buy one already made, stripped and balanced.  

Danny, I already have a nice soprano voice and I don't wear underwear.  Amazing!   :D :D :D

Seriously tho, guys thanks for the responses.  I'd really like to talk to folks who are doing the teardrop thing as fulltimers, and hear what they think.  I may start a new thread for that, if necessary.

I still have a lot of thinkin' to do.  Got ripped off with my van, and can't afford to make many more mistakes like that.
 
enjoyed the read.
Steve sorry to hear of your Runaway woes.

My wife and I've been through a few rigs and will, most likely, always attempt to have a van in the mix.

We started out with a Tacoma (sleeping on bed platform in shell) + Truck Tent out the rear. 2 seasons of that and we just _had_ to have a trailer.

So we purchased an Aliner Expedition to tow behind the TACO. BUT we found we had to keep weather in mind as it was a PITA to open/close in wet or windy weather. Sold the Aliner the second season.

Back to the Tacoma and tent out back of shell. Started doing research on Vans.

Picked up a new Chevy AWD cargo van and began conversion (high top and workable interior). Ended up also grabbing a canopy/tent outside.

Woke up one morning to snow on ground and canopy (being used as a kitchen/dinning area) was collapsed under snow...

So we just _had_ to have a trailer.
Ordered a custom 15ft fiberglass trailer set up exactly how we wanted. Now we had two of everything. It was great for the first two seasons. Then our wanderlust hit again. We really wanted to get back to the basics of all-in-one-rig camping and (as mentioned by others) the spontaneity of going up a road without any worries of lugging a trailer behind.

So... we just sold the Parkliner tt after season 3. . . and we only took it out twice this summer.

Now we are feeling like we went on a diet cuz we're back to Van only.

We will most likely sell the van next year and get a LWB extended, High Roof Ford Transit.

Van living is in our destiny. Just gotta cut the ties from the 9 to 5 we are still enjoying. Yea I know "Job" and "Enjoy" usually aren't found in the same sentence...but we really do.


Best wishes on your search for the next rig.
Thom
 
I came across something similar to the Runaway yesterday called the Parkway Cruiser Camper. They are being built by a man that is 81 years old and used to build boats. They have a little more to them than the Runaway but not a lot. They do look solid in the videos. I couldn't find a website but the dealers have videos online if anyone wants to "google" them. There are two sizes and the prices, I am not sure how reasonable one would consider them but they seemed in line with other units. I like seeing these smaller mom and pop type builders show up as pride in workmanship is difficult to find with the major manufacturers.
 

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