Category Archives: News

The Murphy Bed – Now you see it, now you don’t!

Have you ever seen a Murphy Bed?  Ever slept in one?

The Murphy Bed is a time-honored solution for smaller living spaces that turns unused wall space into sleeping accommodations.  Basically, a Murphy Bed has a platform and mattress that can be stored vertically against a wall, or folded down to a horizontal position to be used as a bed.  The Murphy Bed has been around for generations – You’ve probably seen it as a gag in silent movies, where someone disappears into the wall when the bed accidentally folds up.

248BH – Murphy bed stored

248BH – Murphy bed open

Gulf Stream Coach designers have appropriated the space-saving advantages of the Murphy Bed to add living space and functionality in many popular smaller travel trailers.  During waking hours, the bed is folded and stored in the otherwise unused front space in a travel trailer.  That leaves room for highly valued seating space, in the form of a sofa, or in some plans, a dinette.

You get the best of both worlds:  A sofa (or dinette) you can use and enjoy whenever you’re awake, and a full-size bed when you’re asleep.  All day long, your “bedroom” is out of sight and out of mind.  Without a permanent bed in place, you get more living space and you eliminate the unsightly clutter of an unmade bed.   It all just folds up and disappears into the wall.

Visitors will ask, “Umm… Where do you SLEEP!?”

It may take them a few moments to notice, but visitors and guests who step inside a Murphy Bed-equipped travel trailer will eventually realize there’s no BED in the space!  Once you show them that your bed folds easily out of the wall, they’ll say, “What a great idea!”

That’s what we think too!

Here are current models and floor plans that offer the Murphy Bed option.

“Get A Price” – A Great Starting Point!

Our “Get a Price” tool gives you a big advantage

There are lots of factors that go into choosing a new travel trailer or motor home, but typically, the final price is one of the most important ones.   After all, your new RV has to fit into a family budget in order to be sound, enjoyable part of your lifestyle.  That’s where the “Get A Price” tool on the Gulf Stream Coach Web Site makes such a impact.  When you use it, you get a free, no-obligation, real-world price on the RV that interests you the most.  You have a chance to mention some of the options that interest you, and suggest how you’d like to be contacted with the information you’ve requested.

Get the price that fits your family!

Gulf Stream Coach makes getting a price easy so you can concentrate on other key purchase decisions.  With price information in hand, you can consider different floor plans, styles, features, and options.  You can even think about your tow vehicle, the gear you want to buy, and the trips you want to take with your new RV.

Real-world-pricing, from a real dealer near you!

RV Dealers – The experts you need

Where does that price information come from?  From a Gulf Stream Coach dealer near you.  We (the factory) don’t sell any RV’s directly to the public – All sales are handled by our dealers.  It’s an unbeatable system that gives you a point of contact in your area for buying, servicing, maintaining, fixing, improving, and upgrading your RV over the course of years and years.

The local dealer that contacts you to answer your questions about price often has questions for you!  It’s not unusual for the dealer to need more information before he or she can quote an accurate price.  The dealer often has useful suggestions that you may not have considered, too.   They are often willing to consider a trade-in, if you have one.  They know that they need to earn your business with pricing and service that provide you with a better solution than their competitors.  And dealers know in today’s inter-connected marketplace, they need to give you a true, market-based price.

Go ahead!  Click the button!  You’ll be glad you did.

Go ahead – Click right here!

All the advantages of the Gulf Stream Coach “Get A Price” system are just a few clicks away!  Why not arm yourself with the decision-making power only Gulf Stream Coach and Gulf Stream Coach dealers can give you!

 

Ameri-Lite 16BHC – The Little Giant

The Ameri-Lite 16BHC, the smallest, lightest, and most economical travel trailer we build is a ‘Little Giant.’

Ameri-Lite 16BHC, looking front to back

The Ameri-Lite 16BHC has been a mainstay of the Ameri-Lite line for years and years, bringing  the excitement, relaxation, exploration, and fun to countless thousands of people across the US and Canada.  The popularity of the Little Giant is based on its ability to provide up to four people with a rugged, reliable shelter against the extremes of the outdoors.  Plus, the 16BHC provides hot meals, cold beverages, a shower, toilet, big storage spaces, and a roomy dinette for meals, games, entertaining guests, and enjoying the great outdoors.

It’s a complete ‘Ameri-Lite 16BHC Galley Kitchenhome away from home,’ ideal for casual campers, campers on a budget, beginning campers, low-impact campers, and anyone who wants an outpost in the great outdoors.

Big features, rugged construction

Just 18’10” long, and 2,590 lbs., the Ameri-Lite 16BHC carries 30 gallons of fresh water, two 36-Ameri-Lite Entertainment Center and Bunksgallon waste tanks, and 20 lbs. of  LP.  There’s a 16,000 BTU furnace, an optional roof-mounted 13,500 BTU air conditioner, and a 6-gallon gas water heater.  The entry door has a large frosted-glass window for natural light, and there’s a large awning just outside the door.

The roof has a crown to shed water, and a seamless synthetic rubber membrane.  Walls and ceiling are tied together with steel straps.  Wall studs are 16″ on center; floor joists are 13″ on center; and the floor deck is one piece of structured 5/8″ plywood.

Dinette in Ameri-Lite 16BHCEvery inch a Gulf Stream Coach

When you add it all up, the Ameri-Lite 16BHC “Little Giant” is every inch a Gulf Stream Coach travel trailer.  It’s the the perfect starting point if you’re looking have all the fun of trailer camping, without breaking the bank.  And it’s a great example of the watchwords behind every Gulf Stream Coach product:  Quality, Value, and Innovation.

Like what you see?  Want to see more?  Click on over to the Ameri-Lite page on our Web site for more pictures, and specifications for this floor plan and others.

Conquest Class C in Rain Booth

Another Stormy Day Predicted for The Rain Booth at Gulf Stream Coach

Gulf Stream Coach Rain Booth

Sun shining outside, but inside the Rain Booth, a storm is raging.

One of the last stops before Gulf Stream Coach RV’s are cleared for the ship line is an extended session in our Rain Booth.  It’s one important – and WET – part of our overall inspection process.

The ‘technology’ of the Rain Booth is simple enough.  The Booth is a large stall, approximately 50 feet deep, 28 feet wide, and 28 feet high.  A system of valves delivers high-pressure water to a series of pipes and nozzles suspended from the Rain Booth ceiling.  The valves are all controlled by a single switch.

Travel trailers and motor homes are delivered to the Rain Booth as they leave the production facility.  They are connected to power so lights and other electrical circuits are live during the test.  A large door on the Booth is closed, and the valves are open, starting the artificial deluge.

It rains every day at Gulf Stream Coach

Water Pump in Gulf Stream Coach Rain Booth

Here’s the high-powered pump that’s needed to cause a storm in the Rain Booth

The Rain Booth delivers a high volume of “rain” from multiple directions and positions to simulate the effect of a severe downpour or long drive through a storm.  If the travel trailer or motor home has a slide-out, the whole test is done twice – once with the slide in, and again with the slide out.  Any unit that doesn’t pass the test comes back after adjustments have been made.  Our products have to pass the Rain Booth test before they can ‘graduate.’

Our Rain Booth – Just one part of our “PDI!”

Our Rain Booth test is just one aspect of the industry’s FIRST independent, in-house PDI Department.  “PDI” stands for “Pre-Delivery Inspection,” and it’s typically the first thing that happens to a travel trailer or motor home when it arrives at an RV Dealership.  Dealer service personnel inspect and check every aspect of the new RV to make sure it’s ready for sale.  But with Gulf Stream Coach products, PDI also happens right at the factory.  A highly skilled and strongly independent team of inspectors performs that pre-delivery inspection AFTER plan inspectors have certified a unit for shipping and BEFORE it arrives at your local dealership.
It’s the best way to ensure that your new Gulf Stream Coach travel trailer or motor home leaves our facilities in peak condition.

BT Cruiser Reveals Option for Full Paint Graphics

Revealed:  Full Paint Graphics Option for BT Cruiser

5255 with full-body paint graphics

NEW BT Cruiser 5255 with new full-body paint graphics

Gulf Stream Coach has released BT Cruisers with two striking full-body paint schemes that bring a heightened sense of glamour and style to “the sports car of motor homes.”  The paint graphics come in response to RVers who know the BT Cruiser is one of the most glamorous motor homes on the road today.  These prospects aren’t afraid to make other RV’ers jealous; they want to make heads turn wherever they go.

The BT Cruiser starts out with gleaming laminated fiberglass walls in a subtle mocha color, with white, tan, and chocolate graphic accents.  But for owners who want to stand out from the crowd, and cause a little drama wherever they go, the new full-body paint graphics are ideal.

A sense of motion and visual interest

The color-coordinated swirls capture a sense of motion even when the BT Cruiser is standing still.  The pattern of offset arcs and ellipses provides plenty of visual interest.

The front and rear feature aerodynamic fiberglass caps that make the overall profile more graceful and fuel-efficient.  Steel-reinforced molded fiberglass running boards also add a sleek note of style.

Overhead, the BT Cruiser features a seamless laminated fiberglass roof with a crown that helps shed water, melting snow, and other debris.  Every BT Cruiser also has a power awning just outside the entry door.  And every BT Cruiser has the extraordinary “Cradle of Strength,” the ultimate network of steel reinforcements that adds stability, durability, and safety to the chassis.

“The Sports Car of Motor Homes” deserves a stylish paint scheme

With the new paint graphics, or without, the one-of-a-kind BT Cruiser continues to live up to its nickname, “the sports car of motor homes.”

If you’re the kind of person who would look good in a full-paint BT Cruiser, jump to this page and spec one out, or click here to talk live with a BT Cruiser factory representative.

 

2019 Gulf Stream Coach Travel Trailer Owner's Manual

Upgraded Travel Trailer Owner’s Manual Now On Web Site

The Gulf Stream Coach Travel Trailer Owner’s Manual for 2019 is online now

2019 Gulf Stream Coach Travel Trailer Owner's Manual

The Travel Trailer Owner’s Manual for 2019 has been upgraded and is online now

The Gulf Stream Coach Travel Trailer Owner’s Manual has been expanded and updated with several useful new sections and features for 2019.  It has grown from 44 pages to 96 pages, but still downloads easily so you can store one on your laptop, iPad or phone.  (Use this shortcut to get a copy!)  There’s an option to print a copy, too, so you’ll have the info you need when you don’t have an Internet connection.

Safety First!

The new owner’s manual has several types of information.  First, and perhaps most important, are the Safety, Warning, and Danger messages.  We suggest you page through the manual and note these topics.  All are highlighted with a graphic in the margin, so they’re easy to find.  As the travel trailer owner, you’ll want to be familiar with these items so you can keep family, friends, and visitors safe.

Expanded Information

You’ll also find expanded descriptions of the utilities, services, and features of your travel trailer in the Manual.  Your travel trailer is your ‘home on the road,’ providing shelter, heat, warmth, lights, food, hot & cold running water, and entertainment.  That’s a lot of specialized systems and technology in a relatively small space; and while your travel trailer may offer all the comforts of home, it does things a little differently.

The Manual also provides great how-to checklists that are particularly helpful for owners who don’t have a lot of personal experience loading, hitching, towing, maneuvering, and setting up camp.  Some seasoned veteran campers may find the checklists helpful too.

We’ve included a schedule of required and recommended maintenance, too.  By their nature, travel trailers require active, ongoing maintenance.  Traveling at highway speeds, bumping down country roads, and facing extraordinary temperature extremes is hard work for your travel trailer.  Your part in maintaining seals, winterizing plumbing, etc. are part of your responsibilities under the Gulf Stream Coach warranty.  Your simple routine maintenance will help keep your travel trailer ready to travel anywhere your heart desires.

Supplier Information Added Too!

Our suppliers are “here to help,” too!  The companies that provide key appliances, electronics, and other components have provided us with full-length versions of operating manuals, and we’ve posted them online with the Owner’s Manual.  You’ll find answers to most of your questions on how to operate these components just a few clicks away.  Need even more info? We’ve listed names, web addresses, and phone numbers for all our key suppliers online (here’s a link).

Considering a Conquest Class C Motor Home? Take the Conquest Product Knowledge Quiz!

Knowledge is power, especially when you’re considering a major purchase like a Class C motor home.  With so many competing brands and models, it’s essential to have the facts you need to make a smart decision.  We’ve used the Conquest Product Knowledge Quiz to help train the salespeople at Gulf Stream Coach Dealerships across the U.S. and Canada – Now YOU can see the questions and answers that separate the Conquest Class C from every other motor home on the market.

If you’ve done your research you already know that the Conquest Class C has a host of features you won’t find in any other motor home on the market today.  And you probably know that Gulf Stream Coach has assembled over 35 years of experience, technological advancement, and customer input to create the ideal Class C.

But what specifically makes the Conquest Class C different, better, and unique?  What do we build into the Conquest to set the industry standard for construction, comfort, and convenience?  What features will you miss if you buy ANY OTHER Class C?  Take the Conquest Product Knowledge Quiz and find out!

What’s that?  You need to study a bit more before you face the test?  Here are links that can help you score 100%.

A link to the Conquest Class C area on the Web site

Our Shoppers Checklist – Download a copy here

Our Conquest Class C color brochure – Full of features and options no competitor can match.

Think you’re ready?  Don’t worry – No one ever fails the Conquest Product Knowledge Quiz!  It’s just a fun, challenging way to learn that the Conquest Class C is the ultimate expression of Gulf Stream Coach ‘Quality, Value, and Innovation.’  It’s also a great way to have confidence that you’re making the right choice.

 Just click here to take the Quiz!

Are You New RVers? Gulf Stream Coach Is the Best Place to Start!

Are you new to RVing?  Are you considering your first travel trailer or motor home?

Ameri-Lite 199DD

The Ameri-Lite 199DD – A great choice for new RVers starting a life-long love affair with camping and the great outdoors

Welcome to our world!  RVing is one of the most satisfying and compelling adventures of life, and it’s been our honor to be a part of that adventure with countless thousands of families for over 35 years.  We think we’re a great resource for new RVers, both in terms of the products we offer and the company we’ve built.   This week we’re introducing you to our famous, industry-leading ‘entry-level’ brands:  Ameri-Lite, Conquest Lite, Kingsport Lite, and Innsbruck Lite.

This week:  Why our ‘entry-level’ brands are ideal for many new RVers

New RVers are often ‘testing the water’ with the first travel trailer or motor home they buy.  They’ve heard what it’s like to have an RV from others; they may have memories of camping as youngsters, and they may be curious about the RVs they see on highways, campgrounds, and RV dealerships.  But they want to be careful with their first step.  They don’t want to spend a fortune only to find that RV camping isn’t for them.

Well, at Gulf Stream Coach, we’ve created a whole class of travel trailers designed specifically for that first step, with sizes, prices, and features that won’t overwhelm first-timers.  That means that new RVers can enjoy the excitement, relaxation, and adventure of RVing without breaking the bank!

Here are the Gulf Stream Coach brand names you need to know

Look for our Ameri-Lite, Conquest Lite, Kingsport Lite, and Innsbruck Lite lines, and you’ll find trailers that are ideal for 2 to 4 people, (and can accommodate as many as 8).  All can be towed easily by most mid- to-full size family cars, mini vans, trucks, and SUVs.  All include everything you need for campsite comfort, and offer a handy list of options that can add a surprising level of luxury.

The Ameri-Lite 199RK

The Ameri-Lite 199RK shows how we’ve mastered the art and science of building small, full-featured high-value travel trailers

 

Our entry-level ‘Lite’ brands are truly light, with base weights between 2900 lbs. and 5900 lbs.   That low weight saves wear and tear on your tow vehicle, and minimizes fuel costs.  Widths range from 7 to 8 feet, to make maneuvering easy.  Slide-outs and bunks are available, and all feature accommodations for cooking, sleeping, and relaxing.  All have a gas furnace, plenty of windows, hot & cold running water, full dry baths, and a surprising amount of storage space for clothes, gear, food, and other ‘necessities.’

New RVers benefit from our 35 years of experience

We’ve been building the Ameri-Lite brand for a generation now, and it reflects the refinements in materials and advancements in technology we’ve made over the years.  And while it may not be the “cheapest” travel trailer on the market, we think you will find that it offers the perfect balance of quality, value, and innovation for a family of new RVers.

In an Ameri-Lite Travel Trailer (or sister brands Conquest Lite, Kingsport Lite and Innsbruck Lite), you’ll escape the everyday routine.  The car, SUV, van, or truck you drive to work every day will become the ‘booster rocket’ that lets you explore the great outdoors, experience breathtaking sights, find peaceful refuges, and strengthen bonds among family and friends.

We learned a generation ago that all RV shoppers, including new RVers, are looking for quality, value, and innovation.  That’s just what we offer – and we’re so passionate about quality, value, and innovation that it became our company motto:

“Gulf Stream Coach:  Quality, Value, and Innovation.”

 

PDI at Gulf Stream Coach

Your New Gulf Stream – Before You See It, Gulf Stream Coach PDI Sees It

PDI means “Pre-Delivery Inspection”

You’re excited about checking out your new Gulf Stream Coach travel trailer or motor home as soon as you find it at your local RV dealership.  Before you sign the final papers and head off with your new treasure, you want to open all the doors, look in all the cabinets, turn on all the lights, and try all the appliances!  You’re not just excited – you’re smart, because RVs include a lot of systems, features, equipment, and furnishings.  You’re doing a “pre-delivery inspection,” or what the industry calls “PDI.”

Yours is not the first pre-delivery-inspection for your new Gulf Stream, though.  In fact your new Gulf Stream travel trailer or motor home went through a thorough PDI before it ever left our facility.

All systems are part of the Gulf Stream Coach PDI process

Gulf Stream Coach PDI brings an independent set of eyes to the inspection process

At Gulf Stream Coach, PDI is a separate and unique step conducted after all of the inspections and quality-control processes used in manufacturing.  As a separate department, PDI brings a fresh set of eyes, independence, and objectivity to the inspection.  The PDI team uses a comprehensive checklist that covers every aspect of a Gulf Stream Coach product, from all the things you see to all the systems that work behind the scenes.  They’re looking at things you might never think to check.

Furnace?  Check!  Air Conditioning?  Check!  Water Pressure?  Check!  Slide-Outs?  Check!  Fit and Finish?  Check!  It’s a long list, and it’s in the hands of a talented and detail-oriented crew that, in a very real sense, is working for you.  And if they find something that needs adjustment, it’s done by highly skilled technicians right on the spot.

Our PDI Department does what other manufacturers don’t

While assembly lines at other RV manufacturers may have quality checklists, Gulf Stream Coach has taken the extra step of creating a entirely independent department to conduct a thorough pre-delivery inspection.  Our PDI department is our way of giving you the highest quality product we can.  And it’s another thing to keep in mind when you’re choosing your new travel trailer or motor home.

 

‘The Vintage Cruisers’ on Facebook – The Place for Vintage Cruiser Owners and Fans

 Featured Image:  Scott M’s Vintage Cruiser campsite; just one stop on 26,000 miles of adventure.

Vintage Cruiser Owners and Fans are on Facebook

If you’ve seen the Vintage Cruisers on the road, in a campground, or at a recent RV Show, it just may have been love at first sight.  No travel trailer in recent years has captured anything close to the excitement and devotion of this compact, ultra-lightweight gem from Gulf Stream Coach.

With its fun-loving vibe of the 1950’s and state-of-the-art features of the 21st Century, the Vintage Cruiser simply makes camping FUN!  Its smaller size, light weight, and lower overall profile make it easy to tow and maneuver with virtually any mid-size car, light truck, or SUV.

While small on the outside, the Vintage Cruiser is amazingly BIG on the inside, with 83″ ceilings, large beds, spacious dinettes, full-feature kitchens, and full, dry baths.  Get the specifications, pictures, videos, and features of the Vintage Cruiser here.

Vintage Cruiser travel trailers – And their owners – are traveling and camping in beautiful, exciting, peaceful, unforgettable places across the United States and Canada.   And, Vintage Cruiser owners are posting stunning pictures on “The Vintage Cruisers” page on Facebook.

See what The Vintage Cruisers LOVE about the Vintage Cruiser lifestyle

As seen on ‘The Vintage Cruiser’ Facebook page: Vintage Cruiser “Woodie” interior with personal touches added by Sharon T.

Gorgeous outdoor settings, captivating locations, and beautiful campsites are just half the story, though.  The Vintage Cruisers on Facebook will take you inside their units, to show the amazing  decor Gulf Stream Coach has created.  They’re also eager to show you how they’ve enhanced their units with accessories and upgrades that add touches of color, style, and personality.

if you’re curious about the lifestyle of Vintage Cruiser owners, you owe it to yourself to check out ‘The Vintage Cruisers’ on Facebook.  If you join the group (it’s free, of course), you’ll meet hundreds of Vintage Cruiser owners, and see how they are re-discovering the sheer fun of camping.

Who knows – You may even discover that a Gulf Stream Coach Vintage Cruiser is the perfect choice for you.