Today I picked up my new 2019 nüCamp T@G Teardrop Trailer. I had found out that Beckley’s Camping Center had a few T@G campers to look at while watching a video about the 2019 T@G Max XL by “The Airforce Guy“.

Purchasing

I purchased the camper last weekend. After walking around the lot looking at various campers, I found the perfect camper for my needs. I met James “JP” Sydnor who gave me some information about it and a few others that I had questions about. I then brought Teddy inside to begin purchasing for $14,899. I put down a deposit and waited to hear back from the bank.

We had a few hiccups. They had mistaken picking it up a day early, originally had the wrong date for my birthday on the financing application, confusion over MD and VA tags, and we had a little trouble getting proof of insurance over to them. We also had a big snowstorm over the weekend that closed the dealership on Monday.

All of these were tiny issues, and we had great communication throughout the process to nip any problems as they arose.

Pickup

The big day came today and my brother met me with his friends dog, Berry, at the dealership to potentially tow it home with his van.

JP went over all of the features before signing the final paperwork. I learned quite a lot compared to many videos I watched on the Internet. He also verified my 4 pin adapter for an RV plug turned on running, left, right, and brake lights.

As for the extra pins, the trailer itself doesn’t have its own brakes or backup lights, and I was fine with the battery not being charged while I drove a hybrid vehicle charging it’s own battery. I plan on putting solar on the roof later to allow extending dry camping and charging while traveling.

Afterwards I picked up a few supplies with a $25 credit and 10% discount. I got a potable water hose, hose washers, a pressure regulator, filter, and a hose elbow. I also picked up an electrical adapter to plug a 30 amp plug into a 15 amp outlet to charge the battery at home, a coupler pin, and a 2″ ball with utility bar. All for $109.99. We saw a nice Surge Guard surge protector for over $300, but I found much better prices online for $100 less.

We went outside and the trailer was hooked up to the car. Lucas got a photo of JP, Teddy, and myself with the new camper.

Towing

The trip home was… interesting. I was learning how towing affected the car, and paid heavy attention to both the RPM and an eco graph on the dashboard.

Going up hills was slow. I gave myself plenty of distance behind cars and avoided using the breaks as much as possible. I quickly learned that I couldn’t accelerate as quickly, and it became difficult to reach speeds in excess of 50mph. I ended up turning ECO mode off. I relaxed as best as I could and realized I wasn’t in any hurry … until I was stuck behind a tanker truck going 25mph in a 55.

I tried to maintain no more than 3000 rpm, and gradually accelerated/decelerated to protect the transmission and brakes. I took comfort in my brother tailing me close by in case anything happened on Bilbos maiden voyage.

Journey’s End

We arrived home. I learned a thing or two about backing up with a trailer. My brother and I unhooked the trailer, verified a few measurements, and used the handles to move and park it under the deck. It’s very light, and I can move it around on my own. It fit perfectly. The concrete is much better than parking on dirt, and I already have cameras watching the area for package thief’s.

Fuel economy

The dealership is 70 miles away. I got 50 miles per gallon on the way up, and 30 on the way back. Given the distance, I’ve got a general idea of what my car is capable of, and how to plan long trips. I’ve got a range of about 300 miles with the camper in tow.

Bilbo

So… why did I name the camper “Bilbo”? In a book I read long ago, “The Hobbit“, this fictional character wrote about his adventure in a book called, “There and Back Again”. The teardrop style reminds me of a hobbit hole. Also, Im a fan of StarTrek starring Leonard Nimoy as Spock, who sang a song about Bilbo Baggins early in his career. He sang the song later in life in an Audi commercial, The Challenge.

Not all those who wander are lost 🚙⛺️

Live long and prosper 🖖