New 2012 r-Pod 173
Printed From: r-pod Nation
Category: Forest River r-pod
Forum Name: r-pod Reviews and Information
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Topic: New 2012 r-Pod 173
Posted By: sammycamper
Subject: New 2012 r-Pod 173
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2012 at 1:01am
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We just took delivery of a new 2012 r-Pod 173 last Thursday and took it for a late season outing at a local State Park this weekend. Apparently Forest River is not making the 173 model for 2013; but I thought it offered a fair amount of versatility for a non-slider model. Since my wife and I are not particularly large people, my intention is to use the sofa for a more-or-less full-time bed, and leave the dinette setup. I sawed off a 1x10" board to fit below the back of the sofa, where I stuffed a couple body pillows to fill the gap between the top of the sofa and the wall when it is pulled out to a bed position. That arrangement makes a sleep area just slightly smaller than a full size bed. It worked OK, but a foam cushion custom cut and upholstered would do a better job than the body pillows. Our tow vehicle is a 2008 Trailblazer, and it towed the r-Pod almost effortlessly. I just sold a 21-foot KZ Sportsmen Frontier travel trailer that we had for 6 years. The Trailblazer was able to pull it; but it felt pretty well max'd out. I particularly like the fact that I don't need any mirror extenders to see to the rear while pulling the r-Pod. For this trip, the Trailblazer got about 14% better fuel economy that when it pulled the Frontier.
I drove to the campsite and setup alone before my wife joined me after work. Our r-Pod came with the r-Dome; so I set that up in spite of the generic and somewhat misleading instructions. It really wasn't bad to setup, and should be relatively easy from now on, unless the wind kicks up. With a wind, I probably would need some help. Also, the r-Dome requires a fairly sizable campsite. As long as there's room, I definitely like the size and versatility of the r-Dome. It's a great space for our two dogs in their crates, and makes a pleasant transition area from the pod to the ourdoors.
The appliances all worked as designed, and I think the r-Pod/r-Dome combo has an appealing look.
Overall, though, my wife and I were disappointed in the r-Pod. It has a profound lack of storage space; the toilet/shower stall is uncomfortably tight; and, for such a tiny pod, it was frustratingly hard to heat. It did a lousy job of retaining warm air, so the furnace had to kick on so often that our battery did not last for two nights. We have had 5 other campers. The 21-foot Frontier that I just sold had gobs of space, and it warmed up easily and stayed comfortable. The r-Pod was not noticeably warmer than the fold-down campers we've had. It seems to be very drafty, though I can't specifically determine where the cold air is coming from. The floor is particularly cold.
I plan to do some surgery that could help the storage issue some. There is a large empty area under the sofa; but the only access is to lift the sofa into the mid-transition position. I think I will cut out a section in the middle of the base under the front of the sofa, and make sort of a drawer that can be slid out onto the linoleum floor. It looks like the drawer can be about 20"Wx40"Dx10"H, which could serve as a readily accessible lay-down closet, plus hold towels and such. Extra blankets and things we don't need so frequently could still be stored in the two remaining areas under the sofa on either side of the new drawer. Wish me luck with this idea. If we're ever going to enjoy this camper, we really need a solution for the lack of storage.
Hopefully our r-Pod (is that redundant?) will grow on us. I already asked the dealer we bought it from about trading it back for a Gulfstream Visa 17 that I had overlooked on the lot; but I would take a $2500 hit in addition to the $3000 difference in the cost of the two campers. He explained that a used camper is a used camper. If so, we may as well wait at least until Spring and maybe get some real use out of it before we try a swap. I wish I hadn't seen the Visa, because it seems to be everything I really wanted; but it does have that wider profile that creates rearview challenges, it weighs about 500-600 pounds more, and it has a $3k higher price tag.
For now, I'm going to try to remember all the charming characteristics of the r-Pod that attracted me to it in the first place, and find ways to enjoy it.
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Replies:
Posted By: this_is_nascar
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2012 at 7:31am
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Hmmm. I've never heard of an issue of heating/retaining heat in the Pod. I've always been able to heat it very quickly and have it retain that heat. It's never been suggested to run the heater with battery power only. The fan will simply suck that battery down real quick, as you've learned. As far as storage space, with all due respect, you should have noticed that before even making the purchase. It's not like you had all this storage space, signed on the dotted-line, then all that space was magically taken away.
Anyway, good luck with whatever you decided to do, but let me say one more thing. Every day you hold on to that Pod, it's going to lose value. If you're that unhappy with it, take the $2500 hit now, while your dealer is willing to work with you. Take it as a lesson learned.
------------- "Ray & Connie" - 2017 R-Pod RP-180 - 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road |
Posted By: Ratdog
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2012 at 8:00am
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Sammycamper - You may get used to the lack of space in your rpod as time goes by. We went from a 32' travel trailer with bunk beds at one end, full bedroom at the other end, bathroom with tub, and lots of storage space down to an rpod and it's worked out for us. There will always be tradeoffs. I'm happy to give up the space in the big trailer for the ease of towing and parking the little trailer. We also found "workarounds" for some of the problems you're experiencing. For example, we have never and will never camp where we don't have an electrical hookup. With an electrical hookup, if it's cold, we use one of those a small ceramic heaters. It does a much better job than the rpod furnace. As far as a bathroom, we only use the rpod bathroom at night. We always ask for a space near the bath house and use that during the day for restroom facilities as well as showers. Of course, if you're going to use the campground's facilities, you need to be a little picky about where you stay so you stay at one where the facilities are clean and serviceable. We almost always stay at KOA's and have stayed at a lot of them. We've never been disappointed except for the Jackson Hole / Snake River KOA. If you decide to sell, you might try posting it here on this forum. Lots of folks do that and have been successful at finding buyers. Depending on the deal you were able to strike with your dealer, you may not lose as much as trading it in. But as NASCAR says, the longer you own it, the more it's value will drop. Good luck, -- Steve ------------- Steve, Anne, and Paige the Rat Terrier 2013 Lexus RX 450h Hybrid AWD 2011 RP-177 (aka: The Circus Wagon) |
Posted By: sammycamper
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2012 at 9:17am
| Hmmm, this_is_nascar, if your r-pod keeps you so snuggly, you sure have a funny way of spreading the warmth. I found nothing you said to be the least bit informative, helpful, or enlightening. |
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2012 at 10:35am
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Keeping warm. We only keep two down sleeping bags unzipped and use them as blankets. Never been cold nor needed any additional blankets. We leave the heat off at night. Camped recently at 8,500' and nighttime temps hit 28. Toasty until I got up. Since I sleep on the outside, just rolled over and hit the thermostat for a little help. Might consider a down comforter instead of sleeping bags. We have the 171 and have not had any real space/storage problems. You just have to think about what you REALLY need to camp with. We ordered our 171 without the entertainment center but with the microwave. Their is a space above the microwave that we use for all clothing storage. We purchased two flat fabric bags, one for each of us, to store all our folded shirts, socks, etc. Works great with lots of room to spare. We recently returned from a two week trip. We take 5 days worth of clothing and only had to hit the laundromat once. Safe Travels. ------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 lb.) Mini Dachshund 2013 Rpod 171HRE (Pods-of-Luck) 2005 Chev. Tahoe |
Posted By: MTB Pod
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2012 at 11:02am
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I noticed on our 177 that a tremendous amount of cold air was coming in through the vent space under the bath. I removed the vent cover, intending to spray foam in the offending area, but couldn't detect the exact spot that air was coming in from. So I got some fiberglass insulation and crammed it in there, and that seems to have helped a bunch. I also bought one of these: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mr.-Heater-Portable-Buddy-Heater/14710768 We went camping a couple of weeks ago in the mountains where the temp dropped down into the 20's at night and we'd run this for about half an hour before bed and then again when we got up and it definitely took the chill off. As for storage, there's actually a lot more storage options if you get creative. Our converter is under one side of the dinette, and the wiring was run all over the place so that side of the dinette was unusable for storage the way it was delivered. By simply moving all the wiring to one side, it allowed my husband to put a dividing wall in the middle, and gave us about a 2 ft x 2 ft space under there. Another spot of wasted space was under the sink. Forest River had the sink area closed off so there was only about about 6" x 12" of useable space under there. I removed the wood trim that hid the sink pipes, propane tubing and electrical wiring, and again tidied it up by moving wires and tubing as far to the right as I could. That opened up the space under the sink all the way to the back wall. I can now fit my frying pan, cooking pans, coffee pot, cooking oil, and a couple of cutting boards under there, and I still have a space on the left side where my husband is going to build me a spice rack. Also, I "borrowed" an idea from another member of this forum and asked my husband to build two small shelves to go above the curtain valances over the front windows. The shelves are about 3" wide and run the length of the window with the same spindle style railing that we have above the microwave. It looks like the trailer came with it. I can fit tons of stuff up there (Tylenol, Advil, sunscreen, cards, flashlight, etc). Instead of shelves over the back window, I found some 6" tall baskets at ikea that I used the small adhesive hooks to secure to the wall, with the bottom resting on the valance, so they can actually hold a fair amount of weight. We keep all of our toiletries there, and nothing falls out during travel. Ikea is an excellent place for finding space-saving organizational tools. The RPod is definitely "cozy", and I can't say that I haven't fantasized about getting a slightly larger trailer at some point, but every time we go out in the pod, I fall in love with it again, and you can't beat the ease of towing and setting up. Hope this helps give you some ideas if you decide to hang onto your pod. Good luck with whatever you choose! Marila ------------- Pete & Marila Sacramento, CA 2012 R Pod 177 2001 Ford F150 Crew Cab |
Posted By: CC
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2012 at 12:18pm
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As for the small wet bath, just sit on the toilet lid while you shower and you should have plenty of room. We typically use ours only during the night and/or if the bathroom/showers where we are camping are too far to walk or unclean. One other thing I've learned...with a 10-yr old boy who doesn't yet have the 'truest aim' shall we say, a wet bath area means that when everything gets clean at once.  It's great to have a bathroom on board if you need it. I think it is always better to have options, yes? ------------- Lighting a candle, not cursing the darkness "The Pod Couple" 2011 RP-177 TV: 2010 F150 |
Posted By: pepperpod
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2012 at 8:58pm
@Sammycamper. First off, welcome to the nation. We are actually a very nice group here. If you read some of the older posts, you will find many mods that have been made by the members concerning storage. We have a 172 and put in the hydraulic lifts on the bottom bunk. This mod was posted by a fellow podder. We store most of our things there. It takes awhile to get used to the "cozy" interior, but you will soon feel at home in your Pod. My husband and I spent 2 months in Florida during the 2012 winter season. I would be lying if I told you that things did not get close sometimes.
We heat our Pod with a Sunbeam electrical heater. It has a thermostat which can be set as low as 60 or as high as 80. At 70 degrees,during the night, the Pod gets way too hot for us. Stay with us. We have some GREAT rallies during the summer. ------------- Pepper,Coach,and Henry (a very brave little Maltese) R Pod 172 The rewards of the journey far outweigh the risk of leaving the harbor...unknown |
Posted By: sammycamper
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2012 at 10:39pm
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Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and the encouragement. I'm starting to enjoy r-pod ownership better already.
I remind myself of the first few hundred miles I drove in a Smartcar I bought last Winter. Actually, I traded a motorcycle for it; so, I was surprised that I was rather spooked by the handling of the tiny car on road surfaces with occasional ice patches. I thought I'd made a serious mistake. By the time I'd put 500 miles on the little rascal, I was hooked. I couldn't get enough of the thing.
I do find the r-pod charming, but I'll take some of your suggestions to track down the source of cold air drafts and find hidden storage options.
Thanks again.
Sam
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Posted By: Tink
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2012 at 9:19am
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You do need to be creative when it comes to storage. After 4 years with the tink'rpod, I have found myself taking stuff OUT!! Why did I need 4 glasses, 4 wine glasses and 4 plates? After all, it's usually only me. Command strips have also been my friend. You'll figure it out and won't even think about it anymore. ------------- 
Tink'rPod 174 Knoxville,TN, |
Posted By: Peggy L.
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2012 at 11:22am
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It takes time to make the pod "yours". On our first trip we were dealing with a suitcase that we moved from the bed to the dinette every night. For the first two years, every time we went out we'd discover some other storage problem. Sometimes the answer was obvious. Other times it took us awhile to come up with a solution. We are on our third season with the pod and think we've got it exactly the way we want it now. But who knows? I kind of miss the fun of solving these "problems". Browse through the mods section. There are a lot of clever ideas. You'll soon discover that just because Forest River designated something for a particular purpose, it doesn't mean that's how you have to use it. ------------- Traveling with Herb and the Boon-doggie 2010 r-pod 171 pulled by '11 Silverado |
Posted By: CC
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2012 at 12:01pm
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Peggy L. nailed it. It *is* fun making the Pod your own and figuring out different storage solutions, what are essentials for you, what you prefer with regard to bed / dinette setup & decorating (if that's your thing). The Vibe you mentioned seems great, but anything bigger feels like pulling a house behind you. I like being "one step removed" from tent camping, but having an entire 2nd home on wheels kind of takes the fun out of it for me. I love my Pod! ------------- Lighting a candle, not cursing the darkness "The Pod Couple" 2011 RP-177 TV: 2010 F150 |
Posted By: Marwayne
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2012 at 1:06pm
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I had stated in an earlier thread, that I could not decide what I enjoy more, mods or camping. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself! 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra Limited 5.7 Litre |
Posted By: sammycamper
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2012 at 7:31pm
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I spent some time with the rpod last weekend to improve on storage. I bought 3 plastic 2'x3'x8" tubs. Then I cut the two outside corners off two of them so that they would fit under the sofa against the walls. The third one, then, filled the space between them almost perfectly. I also hinged a 2'x2'x10" wood leg to the bottom inside of the upholstered panel under the seat. Now, we can lift the bottom of the panel (the 2"x2" leg drops down to hold it up) and slide the middle tub all the way out onto the floor between the cabinets and the bathroom. We can lay the soft plastic closet that was hanging on a bar in the bathroom in that tub, and still have room to lay jackets and such beside it. We can store extra blankets and things we don't need so often in the other two tubs that are only accessible by lifting the sofa seat. I also installed several of those Command Strips hangers you folks mentioned, and hung a cloth shoe organizer on the end of the sink/burner cabinet, next to the outside door.
I think those things will start to improve the storage issues.
Eventually, I want to take the suggestion about hanging storage trays above the window blinds. I did try a suction cup shelf/container in the bathroom; but it wouldn't stick.
I contacted the dealer and told them about some of your responses regarding the air gaps. I wanted to know whether that would be a warranty issue; or, if I needed to find them and seal them up myself, I wanted to know the best way to go about it. The owner said that it is absolutely a warranty issue. The pod should be easy to heat, and they would check things out and install any missing seals. He said any help I could provide about where the air is coming in would help, and I told him about the air flow beside the refrigerator, where I stuffed paper towels to temporarily improve things a little. In the mean time, I layed a 2'x6' carpet runner on the floor to make that feel a little warmer, and to protect the linoleum where we'll be sliding the tub in and out under the sofa.
So, I re-winterized the rpod and took it back to the dealer. Hope to have it back in about another week; but, this camping season will be gone. By the time we get it back it will be time to tow it to the storage barn; but I think some of these things will improve our camping experience in early Spring.
Thanks again for your encouragement and suggestions.
Sam
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Posted By: sammycamper
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2012 at 8:01pm
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One more thing:
I know my initial impression and review was not entirely positive, and I admittedly wish I had purchased a Gulfstream Visa instead; BUT I am very surprised by posts on this site and others about how dissapointed some are in how the rpod tows. One post even said that the rpod tows like a parachute. All the complaints seem to center around the aerodynamics of the pod being bad.
My brief experience is completely contrary. After 6 years of towing a more conventional 21-ft travel trailer that weight about 750-lbs more, I thought that towing the rpod was a terrific treat. No matter what shape it is, our TV is still pulling about 1-1/2 tons of additional weight. So, the fact that I feel something behind me comes as no shock. I've read posts about wind tunnel programs that demonstrate the inefficiency of the pod's design. Nevertheless, I realized about a 14% improvement in gas mileage compared to our previous travel trailer, and starting off from a dead stop was downright frisky by comparison. I put a lot more stock in my direct experience than a computer mock-up. The fact that I can use my standard mirrors for a clear rear view is a bonus.
I actually think towing the rpod and backing it into a campsite is fun.
Sam
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Posted By: ron_whitt
Date Posted: 02 Nov 2012 at 12:25pm
right you are sammy.. We camp with friends that have a 26' TT and although he is very good at putting that TT into campsites, they are restricted to large camp sites.. Where as we can put our pod into any campsite even those that are so-called tent sites.. We really like our pod so much easier setting up and taking down than a tent... And not as damp on rainy days....  ------------- Ron & Shirley W 2007 FJ Cruiser 2012 177.. "EHHH" R Pod" its a canadian thing.. |
Posted By: sammycamper
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2012 at 8:31am
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Wow!
I picked up our rpod from the dealer late Friday afternoon, and what a transformation! They injected foam sealant in all the holes through the wall in the hot water heater area, they pulled the furnace to seal that space, they pulled the converter to seal a hole for the 3" pipe under the shower, and - probably most importantly - they thoroughly sealed around those big refrigerator vents. In the process, they took pictures of all the unsealed holes to send to Forest River.
They also replaced the dvd player/tv/radio, because the orginal unit would not display anything on the screen. Plus, they installed a window blind that was missing completely. It's as if the manufacturer got in a hurry to rush our unit out the door, and just didn't finish the job.
Now, though, everything seems to work fine. I can't even describe how different it feels with the furnace running than it did on our first camping trip. Now, the whole camper has a nice even warmth. Those cold air drafts are gone, and the furnace doesn't work nearly as hard. Before, there were so many leaks that the furnace was basically trying to heat the great outdoors.
My wife and I actually sat in the camper in our driveway Friday night and watched a movie on the DVD player. It was just about as comfortable as our family room.
About the only thing we haven't put to the test is the air conditioner. We'll be sure to do that as early in the Summer as possible, while everything is still under warranty.
At this point, I'm not too impressed with Forest River; but I am absolutely delighted with our dealer.
Sam
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Posted By: Ratdog
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2012 at 8:50am
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Sounds like your dealer didn't do a very thorough pre-delivery check/prep. Part of the dealer's job is to make sure the unit is ready for delivery to the customer. The dealer can't catch everything, of course, but some of the problems you mentioned should have been easy to spot. It doesn't sound like they looked at it at all. But, at least your dealer took care of the issues once you found them so all is well. -- Steve ------------- Steve, Anne, and Paige the Rat Terrier 2013 Lexus RX 450h Hybrid AWD 2011 RP-177 (aka: The Circus Wagon) |
Posted By: pod people
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2012 at 9:32am
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Hello sammycamper, we have a 173 and love it! we have made a lot of changes that we think really helped the pod. We completely removed the front panel under the sofa-this allows us to use the plastic bins that you talked about with ease. we stretch a bungee cord across the front to hold the bins in place while traveling. I also disconnected the sofa and its frame completely. there are screws that go into the floor and the side walls that hold the frame in place. I then removed the false back wall(it only covers the tail light wiring) and was then able to move the sofa frame about 6" further toward the back of the pod-this gave us more room. when you relocate the sofa , make sure there is enough room for it to fold down and be tight to the back wall. Another major storage improvement was to subdivide the space under the dinette. I put in a divider on the front wall that gives about 1/3 of the space to the area accessible from the outside flip-up access door(it's on the right side in line with the right dinette seat). I recut the seat board to mimic the dimensions of the base. the other 2/3 of the front space(on the left) is accessible from the inside and that is where we store our sleeping bags/blankets/pillows. The right side dinette area is a space for 2 plastic bins-shoes, rain coats, etc. Another area gained for storage is under the sink. On the right side, there is a false wall in the bottom of the cabinet that just separates the plumbing drain and gas line. by removing this false wall, you can gain about 8"-10" of valuable storage area in the bottom cabinet. I added a vertical board on the left end of the cabinet over the microwave. this board goes from the front of the cabinet to the back wall and all the way to the ceiling. We added a mesh nett at the front and it made a very large storage area. We use 2 plastic bins there-a tall one on the right and shorter one on the left. Wal Mart and Lowe's have a lot of different sized plastic bins that can be used for these places. I also divided the right side space over the sink by adding a horizontal shelf in the open cabinet-that helps a lot also. We have done a lot of improvements to our 173-still more to go. We love it and hope your experiences will improve. Vann and Laura Evans Chapel Hill, NC |
Posted By: pod people
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2012 at 9:33am
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Posted By: pod people
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2012 at 9:34am
| I forgot to mention that we also use an electric "cube" heater to keep our pod cosy. It has an adjustable thermostat and does a great job. |
Posted By: sammycamper
Date Posted: 10 Nov 2012 at 7:40pm
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Holy cow, Pod People, you have really done some surgery on you 173. I appreciate the suggestions. I'm not sure I have the guts to take out the back wall, at lease until I get past the 1-year warranty period; but I like the idea of gaining 6 inches back there. Sooner or later, though, I may do most of the alterations you've done to gain storage and interior space. Sam
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Posted By: nancyn
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2014 at 12:56am
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Here it is, almost two years later, and. i am wondering if you still have your 174. I just purchased a used 2011 173, and I am still in the madly in love stage. Lil. ------------- C5= Crazy camping cat culture colonist |
Posted By: nancyn
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2014 at 1:12am
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Correstion. Still have your 173. ------------- C5= Crazy camping cat culture colonist |
Posted By: Tink
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2014 at 1:56pm
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I'm not sure who you are addressing, but yes, I still have my 174 and still love her. -------------
Tink'rPod 174 Knoxville,TN, |
Posted By: SaskaPods
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 8:38am
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The easiest and best storage solution I've come upon so far (from this site) is to buy an over-the-door canvas "shoe" organizer. We hang it from the bathroom door and use it to hold a hundred things (but not usually shoes), including medications, toiletries, flashlights, cards/cribbage board, bug repellant, and the best one - a bottle of hand sanitizer in the pocket right next to the door knob! ------------- 2013 Escape SEL 2010 R-Pod 173 Regina, SK, Canada |