If you trust other countries you can get a complete composite build for $7500 plus $3500 ocean freight (add taxes and duties). And the labor for the box build is not necessary. (empty box 4200mm L X 2200mm W X 2100mm H) The wall thickness is 55mm. Add $1200 for subframe.
Total Composites Slide In Camper Kits
- Thread starter Victorian
- Start date
Out of respect for Victorian's thread, it would be cool to move this discussion to a new thread.
Victorian
Approved Vendor : Total Composites
Your numbers are WAY off from reality! Show me proof of your freight numbers, your subframe pricing (and construction). What materials are used?
Aside from all of this: Who is giving you warranty, parts (if needed), customer service? I have been doing business with Asian suppliers for almost 9 years. It is VERY rare to find one that actually honours their promises and help you after the purchase. We have a huge pile of “test purchases” in our warehouse that where a waste of money.
Here is another example that comes up on a regular basis:
Cost of acrylic windows. There are countless manufacturers in China. It looks very very tempting to only spend $250 instead of $900. What most are forgetting is that windows break and may need replacement. We deal with this all the time as a Tern Overland distributor for Canada. Not because of quality issues but because of operator errors, flying rocks etc. 99% of the time, customers call us with an urgent request as they are travelling and are stuck in place till the replacement arrives. Because we have the inventory on hand, that person usually gets the new window within days from us. Now imagine you purchased your windows direct several years ago and need replacement. Who knows if your orginal supplier still operates or if they changed the sizing/components and can’t guaranty the proper fit? With Tern Overland, you can bet that parts are on hand and still fitting/compatible for years to come.
Ad all of this together and it should become clear, that you can’t complain about the cost of a product that has a solid team and warranty behind it.
Victorian
Approved Vendor : Total Composites
You are 100% correct. Manufacturing a custom order involves many hours in the office generating production drawings, consultations with the purchaser and suppliers. This ads up extremely fast . We learned this the hard way and a couple of years ago started offering “pre designed” camper Shells. This allowed us to be more sustainable and also build a “dealer network” that can easily be trained - be up and running.
As for MSRP: For the longest time we had suggested retail pricing for our shells published on our website. Due to the hugely different operating costs between our dealers/partners we were asked to remove them. It was just too confusing for the end users. For example; Labour and shop space is cheaper in central USA vs the pacific north west….
Most of the partners have their prices listed on their websites. If not, send them an email.
Bottom line is that even though we are talking about high value products, it’s not about “what the market will bear” . It’s the opposite: figure out pricing that allows us to pay fair wages, do product development, attend trade shows (very expensive and time consuming btw) and most importantly use the best components/products for our shells.
By no means do we pretend to be perfect or affordable, but I can assure you that everyone working with and for us is doing their absolute best every day.
Cheers!
Look I understand everything you say, and it is not my intent to offend anyone. Like many we want to afford this type of purchase and continue to search for a more reasonable path. I found that purchase point. For me it is reality and no there is no warranty when you buy from so far away. Yet that is my choice and comfort zone.
calameda
Member
calameda
Member
Really? Because you inserted this comment out of the blue into a long thread dedicated to discussion of TC campers:
If what you meant to say was “gee, this is more than I can afford” that’s fine. I feel the same when I gawk at certain state of the art build threads. But your statement implies the company and its owner are obviously (and perhaps unscrupulously?) overcharging. That’s offensive. Pretty obviously.
To digress a little, I just have a very hard time with the contradictory narratives that “globalization has ruined communities across North America” and “jeez, that thing built in NA, with R&D, by skilled persons paid a decent wage, with responsive customer support and a warranty is just too damn expensive”. If you want to buy from wherever at the lowest possible price with unknown quality and support and questionable working conditions go ahead. But then don’t ever complain about the loss of skilled mfg in NA and attendant loss of good paying manual labor jobs.
And yes, I’m aware that TC sources their panels in bulk from China. I'm also aware that TC tried to source panels from NA suppliers and couldn’t find one that delivered consistent quality and to their specs. Perhaps that will change soon? The sad fact is that we in NA are in a position now where some materials simply must be sourced elsewhere.
Put another way, you’re either willing to invest in NA and local businesses and communities or all you care about is cost. This isn’t xenophobia, it applies to certain NA businesses as well. I try to remind myself of this every time I consider buying from a certain online “marketplace" vs the local hardware or book store (I'm lucky enough to still have those, but many don't) because the online option is 15% cheaper.
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
People pay $70K plus for slide in campers that are essentially junk. Substandard materials, poorly insulated, leak prone, rubber roof over cheap plywood and not up to the task. I would rather pay $15-20K for a rock solid shell with top of the line windows, doors and fittings and spend another $10-20K to outfit it. I would be in for $35-40K for an amazing camper that could last for decades when a base Four Wheel Camper here in BC is $40K.
None of these prices noted above are cheap or inexpensive by any means. I get it, way out of reach for many and that is totally fair. That is why offshore options exist, to fill the gap for those who cannot afford a more premium product. Not knocking products made offshore or in China specifically, some of the products coming from these regions are truly top notch. The Total Composites panels for instance. Seeing them up close and in person, they are flawless... very well made.
I truly hope that this is an industry that finds a place here in NA, it would be great for the home builder to have more local options. Until that time, when those are readily available...here we are. Even then, Total Composites and other premium builders will still have a place in the market because of the customer service, great products and options (and innovation).
I built my own camper, but started before these were an option. If I had only known I would have waited a couple of years and would be rocking a TC today.
None of these prices noted above are cheap or inexpensive by any means. I get it, way out of reach for many and that is totally fair. That is why offshore options exist, to fill the gap for those who cannot afford a more premium product. Not knocking products made offshore or in China specifically, some of the products coming from these regions are truly top notch. The Total Composites panels for instance. Seeing them up close and in person, they are flawless... very well made.
I truly hope that this is an industry that finds a place here in NA, it would be great for the home builder to have more local options. Until that time, when those are readily available...here we are. Even then, Total Composites and other premium builders will still have a place in the market because of the customer service, great products and options (and innovation).
I built my own camper, but started before these were an option. If I had only known I would have waited a couple of years and would be rocking a TC today.
That is not what you said. Affordability and Price point are two very different things. I may not be able afford a 1M dollar home but does that mean it's overpriced? Not really.
If you're going to say that the TC campers are overpriced then at least compare it something that is apples to apples. Saying you can get an Alibaba camper for cheaper is not the same at all. The TC panels and extrusions may be made in China but the assembly of the shell, adhesives are German, installation of doors/windows are are done by builders here in NA. I at least know these are being done by skilled craftsman rather than just some assembly line in China done by who knows.
There aren't a ton of companies in NA doing composite shell builds. Other than the Total Composite builders, off the top of my head I can think of Bison Overland Campers, Globetrekker, Lemker, and there are a couple of companies doing CPT campers but they don't seem to advertise or market much and finding any info on them is difficult. If you compare TC to Bison or Lemker, the prices are very comparable. To me whether or not the panels are made in the US or China doesn't matter as much. They're flatpack composite panels after all. I'd rather prefer to know my camper was at least assembled in the US. Globetrekker panels are nice as well but their cost does not include actual assembly and labor so costs can add up.
I get it, in this economy toys are expensive. That being said if you're gonna threadcrap at least provide some receipts otherwise you're just talking out of your rear.
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calameda
Member
I’d still like to see those receipts for the built camper, subframe, container shipping, duties, etc. It matters whether those figures you claimed are real. Others on a tight budget might waste a lot of time trying to match them (been there!), when there’s no possibility of doing so.
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Really? It seems like very little was said about something that you have suggested is a higher value alternative to established options. Your posts suggest that you have sourced an legitimate option - why not share with the rest of us what that option is and how to go about learning more?