Thinking about buying a Gulfstream Cavalier travel trailer? Here’s everything you need to know about the 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier travel trailer specs, including dimensions, floor plan, interior and exterior features, as well as the pros and cons. You’ll also learn the history of these FEMA trailers and find out what you might expect to pay.
Summary of 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier Travel Trailer
The 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier is a boxy, traditional-style travel trailer made by Gulf Stream Coach RV. It’s 32 feet long, with three small windows on the curbside (door side), a screen door, and only one window on the other side — aka the street side. There are no windows at the front or back.
The exterior aluminum shell is predominantly white, and the interior has a neutral wood theme. These trailers were made in 2006 and are no longer in production. However, there are hundreds of them in the market — some as good as new.
2006 Gulfstream Cavalier Travel Trailer Specs
The 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier has a bunkhouse layout with separate living spaces. The master bedroom is at the front, and it has a queen bed, large closet, and a nightstand. A solid wall separates the master bedroom from the mid-living area. The living room has a sofa, a face-me dinette, and a complete kitchen. At the rear is a bathroom with a vanity and dual bunk beds.
2006 Gulfstream Cavalier Specs
This Gulfstream travel trailer is 32 feet long, 7 feet 8 inches wide, and 9 feet high. The tongue is 4 feet long, so the total length is 32 feet. It sleeps up to 6, has 4 tires, and a gross vehicle weight rating of 6,200 pounds. At the front are two 25-pound propane tanks. Just like a park model, they have no holding tanks (no fresh, waste, or sewer water tank). However, there’s a 10-gallon hot water heater. For towing, it has a 2-5/16″ trailer ball hitch.
2006 Gulfstream Cavalier Travel Trailer Interior Review
Inside, this travel trailer, you’ll find all the basics you need to be comfortable while camping in a developed campground. Here’s what to expect:
Sleeping Arrangement
This camper has 2 dedicated sleeping spaces that offer excellent privacy. The front queen-sized bed sleeps two, and the rear 28″ double bunks another two. The fifth person can occupy the couch in the living room, while the 6th can claim the convertible dinette with a collapsing table bed.
Living Area and Kitchen
Step in through the screen door and you’ll find a sleeper sofa to relax in. You will find seating space for another 4 in the dinette benches. The galley is on the street side of the camper. To fix family meals, the camper features has a 3-burner stove top, microwave oven, and a full-size refrigerator on the opposite side. Washing the dishes is easy, thanks to the double sink. You’ll also have a kitchen table for preparation.
Bathroom
The rear bathroom has a curtain separating the bathtub/shower combo and lavatory. Outside the bath is a sink with a medicine cabinet.
Storage
The main storage area is the cabinets below and above the kitchen sink. You’ll also find built-in storage below the lower bunk bed. Unfortunately, this camper has no exterior storage compartments or roof racks. Luckily, the rear and front of this unit can fit a rack to haul a generator, bikes, or other outdoor gear.
Extra Features
Here are some extra features of the 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier:
- 10,000 BTU rooftop air conditioning
- Gas water heater
- 30-amp plug
- TV cable
- City water connection
- Phone connection
2006 Gulfstream Cavalier Travel Trailer Pros and Cons
Here are the main advantages and downsides of the 2006 Gulf Stream Cavalier travel trailer.
2006 Gulfstream Cavalier Advantages
- They are super affordable. The price of a 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier ranges between $1,500 and $5,000 depending on condition.
- They have all the main RV amenities, from a queen bed, living room, dining area, and bunk room to a kitchen with a full-sized refrigerator.
- While they may have been quickly and cheaply built, they still have pretty good quality — maybe even better than some modern models.
- The limited features and amenities give you a clean slate to transform it into anything. You can remodel and turn it into a luxury camping toy, lake house, farm office, or design studio. Some even use it for food service retail.
2006 Gulfstream Cavalier Problems
- To-be buyers are concerned about the formaldehyde issue. However, 18 years have passed since manufacturer’s built them, and the assembly glues have dried, eliminating the toxic fumes. Today, people consider these trailers harmless. Notably, most RV brands still use building materials that contain formaldehyde.
- Lack of an onboard holding tank. Owners can still partner with pros to install tanks. Otherwise, you have to stay hooked into a septic system.
- Cheap build. Manufactureres slapped these campers together quickly, which means the quality control isn’t great. But this does not mean they will fall apart. Many of these trailers have a solid frame and walls.
- These are one-of a kind units, so it’s tough to find replacement parts.
- Lack of exterior and basement storage.
- Hot water heater problems like not heating water.
- They are over 18 years old, so you may find it difficult (or impossible) to access an RV park that has RV age restrictions.
2006 Gulfstream Cavalier FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about these trailers from Gulf Stream Industries.
Are 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier RVs Safe?
When they were new, the 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier campers produced odors and chemical compounds that made people sick. These odors gradually reduced after a few years. It’s been 18 years since manufacturers rolled these trailers out of their factories, so they are considered safe. If in doubt, you can always test for formaldehyde before a purchase.
Can I Find a Brand New 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier?
Various manufacturer’s built these trailers in 2006 and discontinued thereafter. However, many of these trailers are lightly used, so they are still in excellent condition. People may still have some of these units that are considered to be in “like-brand-new” condition, but you’ll likely need to update some of the old equipment, such as the AC, microwave, and water heater.
What’s the History of the 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier?
Gulfstream designed the 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier trailers to be mobile homes. They were provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to individuals and families displaced by natural disasters or emergencies, specifically Hurricane Katrina.
The government gave contracts to 60 companies to build a a total of 140,000 trailers, including Gulfstream, Forest River Inc., Coachman Industries, and Vanguard LLC. The government paid manufacturers a whopping $75,000 per unit.
These trailers served as temporary housing solutions for those who had lost their homes and belongings. Gulfstream designed them to offer a basic level of comfort and essential amenities, such as sleeping quarters, a bathroom, kitchen facilities, and a climate control system.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, FEMA trailers gained notoriety because of reports of formaldehyde exposure. High levels of formaldehyde were present in the glues and wood used to construct the trailers, which led to respiratory problems for some occupants. The rush to produce large numbers of these emergency trailers might have caused manufacturers to cut corners. For example, manufacturers didn’t heat-treat some of the plywood properly.
Amid the concerns, FEMA started testing the trailers in 2006, and many of them tested positive for high formaldehyde levels. Trailer residents were told to open their windows to help lower the toxin levels. Airing the trailers worked as tests later showed that the formaldehyde levels had gradually decreased.
How Did the FEMA Trailers End Up in The RV Market?
Once people affected by Hurricane Katrina started rebuilding their lives, they returned the trailers to FEMA. The agency started exploring ways to get rid of the trailers since storing them was costing the government nearly $130 million a year.
In 2010, the General Services Administration began holding mass public auctions of returned FEMA trailers (over 130,000 trailers). Each unit was sold for less than $10k despite being bought at $75k. Due to concerns about formaldehyde health hazards, every FEMA emergency housing unit was marked with a sticker saying they were not suitable for permanent housing. So, they were sold for recreation or storage purposes. Since then, the trailers have been widely resold, and many people use them as recreational vehicles.
The good news is that air-quality readings in FEMA trailers showed the levels of formaldehyde had dropped to near-safe levels just 5 years after they were built. Nearly 20 years have passed since the FEMA trailers were built, so these campers are considered safe today.
Wrapping Up: Is the 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier Worth it?
If you love DIY RV upgrades, the 2006 Gulfstream Cavalier is a good investment. This 32-foot bumper tow RV is not only affordable, but also a perfect unit to remodel into a cozy home away from home.
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Cynthia Measom is the founder and main content creator of RV Top Tips. Not just a writer, she’s a dedicated RV owner and enthusiast, alongside her husband, Joe, who is an experienced RV tech. With their joint knowledge, the two are up on the latest trends and technologies in the RV industry, as well as practical camping and lifestyle tips.
The couple own a 2020 Coachmen Chaparral fifth-wheel that they absolutely love. Their secret to being so satisfied? They purchased the model after a solid year of researching different fifth-wheel campers in person and online to find the perfect fit for their family of three.
- Cynthia Measomhttps://rvtoptips.com/author/admin_rvtoptips/
- Cynthia Measomhttps://rvtoptips.com/author/admin_rvtoptips/
- Cynthia Measomhttps://rvtoptips.com/author/admin_rvtoptips/
- Cynthia Measomhttps://rvtoptips.com/author/admin_rvtoptips/
