First post - new Zinger owner!!

[ZingZing]

Signing paperwork later today for a 2012 Zinger 26BH. We bought our first camper last year (no slide) worked great, but no room (3 kids. 11, 9, 7 y/o) We looked around and really liked the Zinger line. The dark "chestnut" furniture, no carpet, the bunks are perfect for us, the 2 year warranty, Zinger dealer just 15 miles away and the 26' size should easily park in any campgrounds we go to. Came across a deal I could not pass up so said "what the heck"! Plan on camping sometime soon out by the factory and taking the factory tour. Will report back to site on what we find as we use it. I'm hoping to learn a lot off this site about the Zinger brand. Take care everyone. Jeff

[Lloyd]

Welcome aboard, and congrats on the rig.

[anaro]

Welcome and congrats on your new zinger. Just an FYI, it is listed as 29'11", the 26 is probably a box length. I know I measured my ZT26BL out at 30' ball to bumper. It is a nice trailer for a family. I hope it brings you lots of happy camping memories.Edited by: anaro

[MrMike25BH]

Congrats on the new Zinger!!! Common out to the factory rally at the end of July!!

[Wolverine1]

Congrats on your new purchase! Welcome to the forum.

[Stan]

Congrats and welcome aboard.

[ewbldavis]

Zing Zing - you will love your Zinger I am sure! We bought ours last year.

We also wanted to do a factory tour - so we are going to the rally in July. Check it out on the forum...should be a blast for us and kids!

[Majim]

Congratulations on your new Camper!

[cwit]

Welcome to the forum, you just bought a great camper. We bought ours almost 5 years ago. Have made 5 3,200 mile trips so far and many short ones.

[Swesten193]

Good luck with the new rig Jeff I also just purchased a new Zinger a ZF 29 BH 5 th wheel I will be taking delivery on 4/4 can't wait hope to see you on the road some day

Scott

[ZingZing]

I can't wait for the family to camp in it for the first time. They agreed to leave it at the dealership until later this spring (no charge) as long as I had it insured.Said I could pick it up in May sometime. I didn't want to drag it an hour home on the Michigan/Ohiosalty roads until we get a few good heavy spring rains. The unit was hit with hail last summer and they were discounting it to move it off their lot. I never even saw the marks until the salesman pointed them out tous. There were none on the sides, but 4-5 small dents (about the size of a fingernail) on the very rear of the unit.I could not beat the price anywhere. They asked for me to give them about a 10 day notice before we come up there for the "how to" from the service manager. Probably to get itscrubbed up and ready for us to take home. Is there anything I should really look out for when they give me the walk around and show us how to use everything? We have a trailer now, so I learned a lot on that unit about electrical, water systems, etc.

[MrMike25BH]

I had a post earlier this month in general questions - PDI - Suggestions Welcome - where I asked the same question. I received some good feedback from our members here. I also did an internet search on Pre-Delivery Inspection checklist and found a 5 page one. I walked into the dealer with thatand was ready to make sure we went through EVERYTHING beforeany money changed hands. Ultimately, I was glad I was prepared and even happier that I really didn't have to worry. They had their own checklist that was just as extensive as mine, brought the camper inside for the inspection and "took care" of a couple very minor issues we identified while I was signing papers. We scheduled our pick upout 16 days, which gave them opportunity to fix a couple of things I noticed when I went out to first look at it before the inspection (it had just been delivered to the dealer's lot). I guess itcomes down to being prepared and hope that your dealer is too. We were ready to go home without it (but with the check still in our hands) if it was not ready. My dealer -hamilton's RV Outlet in Saginaw - was awesome andit made for a great transaction. Salesmen were not pushy, the guys in the shop were top notch and the closing manager was great! I hope your's goes as well as mine did (but betterweather - we picked upand it snowed for the first timein weeks).

[anaro]

bring a video camera to your PDI. If you have kids leave them home or bring entertainment for them so that you can focus on what you are learning. Not only have them show you how to operate everything, repeat the demonstration yourself, so you know you can do correctly. Make them show you the hot water heater rather than say, it is behind that panel. Make them operate everything in and on the trailer. If you are getting a new WDH, have them show you how to hook it up and unhook and then do it yourself w/ them watching. Enjoy it.

[Swesten193]

Thanks for all the info

Scott

[Ruck]

Congrats, lots o luck, enjoy!
Travel Safe ...

[ZingZing]

It was funny... when we read the ad it said we can get you into this camper for about the price of a used one and he was right. We gave $14.5 out the door. We looked and looked around and for the features we wanted in a camper this fit us perfectly. I didn't want one too big, when we camp as a family we want it to be quality time, not kids in one area and us in another. With the smaller camper and no slide, we were on top of each other once the kids folded down couches and tables for bed. Now we can let them sleep and we can go on about making breakfast without waking them up.

[MrMike25BH]

my kids always want to bring a friend to one of the campgrounds we go to. That particular week, we will still lose the tables and couch...

[Swesten193]

I noticed you are towing with a Dodge , I just purchased a ZF 29 BH 5 th wheel and plan on towing with a 2008 Dodge 1500 with a Hemi and a 392 rear any thoughts the trailer has a dry wheight og 8000 lbs

Scott

[anaro]

Originally Posted by Swesten193

I noticed you are towing with a Dodge , I just purchased a ZF 29 BH 5 th wheel and plan on towing with a 2008 Dodge 1500 with a Hemi and a 392 rear any thoughts the trailer has a dry wheight og 8000 lbs


Scott

I think you are going to be over your trucks limits. According to the website the ZF29BH has a dry weight of 7695 lbs, a GVWR of 11560 lbs, and a pin weight of 1458 lbs. Looking on-line it looks like the 2008 ram 1500 has a max towing capacity of 8750 lbs. I couldn't find payload info but you can look in your door at the sticker to find that. Remember that the door sticker only allows for 150 lb driver. Anything else in your TV needs to be subtracted from the payload. Easiest way to know your true available payload is to load it like you are going camping and w/ a full tank of gas and then weigh it. Subtract this number from the trucks GVWR to get your available payload. I'm willing to bet that your payload is not high enough for that pin weight. And that is an empty pin weight. I am not all that familiar with how pin weight goes up as compared to TT's but I'm pretty sure pin weight will increase w/ loading your 5er. I think you are going to need at least a 3/4 ton pick up to pull that 5er. Best of luck to ya.

[MrMike25BH]

My truck BARELY pulls this camper ( dry weight is supposed to be 6300 lbs) and I am, in fact, in the market for a Deisel 3/4 or 1 ton. My Dodge is rated for 8900 lbs max and I can't see it being able to pull that much.