Opinions on Travel Trailer Manufacturers

[Love4Villains]

Hi All, I'm a new DISer. Delighted to find a great community and eager to start camping at Fort Wilderness. My family is ready to move from our pop-up to a travel trailer. We've seen many models and floor plans that we like. However, i am overwhelmed with how many manufacturers there are and how to tell which are of good quality. I was hoping you all could give me some opinions - which do you own, which do you wish you owned, and/or which to avoid. I've seen on past threads that many really like their Jayco. Does anyone own a model by Forest River? Thanks for your time and i look forward to getting to know everyone on the boards!

 

[Napria]

We've owned a Fleetwood pop up (not made anymore), an AmeriCamp 5th wheel (manufacturer out of business) and now have a Keystone Montana 5th wheel. We started our RVing adventures 13 years ago and each was bought new from a dealer. I've done a lot of research on each, and have been active on the owners club forums for each.

What I've found is, even with the very best, top quality brands there are problem units and there are completely problem-free units. The biggest difference between units is how much your dealer and the manufacturer will help you when there is a problem.

We did not buy locally with our Montana. I drove 7 hours to get close to $15,000 off the local dealer's price. That means that we have been dropped to lowest priority on a recent recall on replacing our entry steps. This should take an hour at most (with the part in stock, which it is.). They have had our unit for 6 days now.

Get the floorplan that suits your family best, with an eye on obvious defects in craftsmanship. Buy locally. Unless you don't mind waiting for a repair. For us, the savings was worth it. Yes, Jayco is great to their owners. So is Open Range. But our Montana suits our family to a T. We don't regret our decision at all.

 

[IngmarP]

I own a Forest River pop-up and a Forest River utility trailer. We have been to the factory in Indiana twice where they make the Flagstaff and Rockwood pop-ups and the Rockwood Roo hybrid. I have considered buying their Georgetown motorhome to replace our Pace Arrow. The conclusion I have come to about Forest River is that they give you a lot of features for the money but their workmanship is shoddy and they cut corners on things you can't see, like wiring and plumbing.

 

[PaHunter]

Ultimately, buying a TT is like buying a car or a house, they are overpriced for what goes into it. That being said, I have owned a Layton, not impressed and now own a Bullet and we have had good luck with it so far. The biggest thing is floorplans, look and find what you like, for us it is a rear bathroom accessible from the outside. This means we can access it while on the road and at the campsite we don't have company tromping all thru the trailer to use it. It is only the DW and I, our nephews do join us occasionally but we went with a 26ft unit and have plenty of room. Good Luck in your search.

 

[Napria]

. The biggest thing is floorplans, look and find what you like, for us it is a rear bathroom accessible from the outside. This means we can access it while on the road and at the campsite we don't have company tromping all thru the trailer to use it.

One thing that was a selling point on both our 5th wheels was the ability to access the bathroom and fridge with the slide outs in. While we're on the road it's critical for us to be able to access both. Actually, we could access our popup fridge while on the road too, by opening the bottom half of the door and crawling directly across from it.

I've heard others say they want the ability to access the bed with the slide outs in as well, for overnight stays at truck stops or in a Walmart parking lot.

 

[Love4Villains]

Thank you all for this good advice. I appreciate your insights! We'll be heading out this weekend to a few dealers and i feel more prepared. Hopefully we'll have a new unit by fall and ready to see you at Fort Wilderness in 2016!

 

[Love4Villains]

Ultimately, buying a TT is like buying a car or a house, they are overpriced for what goes into it. That being said, I have owned a Layton, not impressed and now own a Bullet by Forest River and we have had good luck with it so far. The biggest thing is floorplans, look and find what you like, for us it is a rear bathroom accessible from the outside. This means we can access it while on the road and at the campsite we don't have company tromping all thru the trailer to use it. It is only the DW and I, our nephews do join us occasionally but we went with a 26ft unit and have plenty of room. Good Luck in your search.

Great point!! I have 2 daughters (10 and 6) and they are constantly in and out of the pop up. I would love to minimize that traffic by having a bathroom accessible from the outside. Thank you!

 

[Love4Villains]

I own a Forest River pop-up and a Forest River utility trailer. We have been to the factory in Indiana twice where they make the Flagstaff and Rockwood pop-ups and the Rockwood Roo hybrid. I have considered buying their Georgetown motorhome to replace our Pace Arrow. The conclusion I have come to about Forest River is that they give you a lot of features for the money but their workmanship is shoddy and they cut corners on things you can't see, like wiring and plumbing.

I live in Ohio and see many, many Forest River units at the local dealers at very attractive price points. This is good feedback, thank you!

 

[Love4Villains]

We've owned a Fleetwood pop up (not made anymore), an AmeriCamp 5th wheel (manufacturer out of business) and now have a Keystone Montana 5th wheel. We started our RVing adventures 13 years ago and each was bought new from a dealer. I've done a lot of research on each, and have been active on the owners club forums for each.

What I've found is, even with the very best, top quality brands there are problem units and there are completely problem-free units. The biggest difference between units is how much your dealer and the manufacturer will help you when there is a problem.

We did not buy locally with our Montana. I drove 7 hours to get close to $15,000 off the local dealer's price. That means that we have been dropped to lowest priority on a recent recall on replacing our entry steps. This should take an hour at most (with the part in stock, which it is.). They have had our unit for 6 days now.

Get the floorplan that suits your family best, with an eye on obvious defects in craftsmanship. Buy locally. Unless you don't mind waiting for a repair. For us, the savings was worth it. Yes, Jayco is great to their owners. So is Open Range. But our Montana suits our family to a T. We don't regret our decision at all.

That is an excellent consideration that i did not think about.... who will be there to help me if this thing needs a repair! Sounds like you got a great deal. I will ask more questions about warranty and service at the dealers when we go out this weekend. Thanks a bunch!

 

[cruising spud]

I suggest that you go over to rv.net and look at posts on travel trailers. You will get pros and cons on a lot of brands, and you can ask questions.

 

[Love4Villains]

I suggest that you go over to rv.net and look at posts on travel trailers. You will get pros and cons on a lot of brands, and you can ask questions.

Wow, very informative site. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Teamubr]

Opinions on a manufacturer is kind of the same as what's the best car brand?

I have owned 4 different trailers from 3 manufacturers. I was the first rally master for Crossroads RV (maker of my current 5th wheel) and have toured a number of factories in Indiana (CrossRoads obviously, Forest River next door to the Crossroads plant in Topeka, IN, Keystone outside of Shipshewana) My personal opinion (take it for what it's worth) are that nearly all name brand (the ones you've heard of) manufacturers produce a decent product. The price range determines the overall quality of the product, including the overall workmanship regardless of the manufacturer. If an RV seems to have a lot more upgraded or "standard" features than a competitor in the same price range, there are probably unseen things where money is saved. Wood wall construction instead of aluminum for example. All of the larger manufacturers sell RVs in a variety of price ranges and each line in that price range could be much better than another from the same manufacturer. Crossroads when I was associated with them didn't sell an entry level line. They started selling higher end 5th wheels (Crossroads)and added in a mid-level (Cruiser). I bought a Cruiser because it had many of the higher end things, but closer to a Forest River Wildcat price range. (enclosed and heated holding tanks, huge holding tanks, upgraded insulation as standard, all aluminum construction. The Wildcat at the time (2003) didn't have any of these things, but had an identical MSRP for the same bunk house floor plan) By the time I dropped away from Crossroads, they had added an entry level "stick and tin" (their words) line (Zinger). Overall, it was a decent entry level line and was priced competitively with other manufacturers entry level lines, but the Zingers didn't seem to benefit from the upper lines the way the original Cruisers did.

The best advice I got from RV.net was to climb in, under and around any trailer you are considering. Pull the drawers out and look at the tracks, get under and look at how the frame is welded or the suspension attached. What do the bathroom fixtures feel like. After doing this to many trailers, you start to see some of the subtle ways they shift money to things they think are important (or they think the customer will notice).

Pick a price range you are comfortable in (remember, on a straight deal- no trade in- expect 20% off of MSRP as a starting point and shoot for as close to 30% off as you can) After that, decide what features you have to have (large holding tanks, gel coat, insulated windows, "Winter package", dual A/C, light weight). Then find a floor plan that fits your need. By then, you'll probably be down to 2 or 3 manufacturers. Do the climb around and decide which one seems the "best".

j

 

[Love4Villains]

Opinions on a manufacturer is kind of the same as what's the best car brand?

I have owned 4 different trailers from 3 manufacturers. I was the first rally master for Crossroads RV (maker of my current 5th wheel) and have toured a number of factories in Indiana (CrossRoads obviously, Forest River next door to the Crossroads plant in Topeka, IN, Keystone outside of Shipshewana) My personal opinion (take it for what it's worth) are that nearly all name brand (the ones you've heard of) manufacturers produce a decent product. The price range determines the overall quality of the product, including the overall workmanship regardless of the manufacturer. If an RV seems to have a lot more upgraded or "standard" features than a competitor in the same price range, there are probably unseen things where money is saved. Wood wall construction instead of aluminum for example. All of the larger manufacturers sell RVs in a variety of price ranges and each line in that price range could be much better than another from the same manufacturer. Crossroads when I was associated with them didn't sell an entry level line. They started selling higher end 5th wheels (Crossroads)and added in a mid-level (Cruiser). I bought a Cruiser because it had many of the higher end things, but closer to a Forest River Wildcat price range. (enclosed and heated holding tanks, huge holding tanks, upgraded insulation as standard, all aluminum construction. The Wildcat at the time (2003) didn't have any of these things, but had an identical MSRP for the same bunk house floor plan) By the time I dropped away from Crossroads, they had added an entry level "stick and tin" (their words) line (Zinger). Overall, it was a decent entry level line and was priced competitively with other manufacturers entry level lines, but the Zingers didn't seem to benefit from the upper lines the way the original Cruisers did.

The best advice I got from RV.net was to climb in, under and around any trailer you are considering. Pull the drawers out and look at the tracks, get under and look at how the frame is welded or the suspension attached. What do the bathroom fixtures feel like. After doing this to many trailers, you start to see some of the subtle ways they shift money to things they think are important (or they think the customer will notice).

Pick a price range you are comfortable in (remember, on a straight deal- no trade in- expect 20% off of MSRP as a starting point and shoot for as close to 30% off as you can) After that, decide what features you have to have (large holding tanks, gel coat, insulated windows, "Winter package", dual A/C, light weight). Then find a floor plan that fits your need. By then, you'll probably be down to 2 or 3 manufacturers. Do the climb around and decide which one seems the "best".

j

This is fantastic advice, thank you. I am learning so much about how to make an informed purchase. I appreciate you sharing your experience/knowledge with me!

 

[bjschil]

We have a Prime Time Sanibel 5th wheel manufactured by Forest River. It is a 2013, and we love it. Our unit, along with many 2013 models, has not been without problems, especially the frame and the flexing. However, this past winter, it spent four months In Elkhart Indiana, being fixed, repaired, etc. We were very pleased with the workmanship with which this was solved. As a matter of fact, our Sanibel is making its third trip to the Fort in late December, plowing through snow from Wisconsin, to enjoy much warmer weather!! Very pleased with our Forest River product. Good luck to you.

 

[rajak73]

Opinions on a manufacturer is kind of the same as what's the best car brand?

I have owned 4 different trailers from 3 manufacturers. I was the first rally master for Crossroads RV (maker of my current 5th wheel) and have toured a number of factories in Indiana (CrossRoads obviously, Forest River next door to the Crossroads plant in Topeka, IN, Keystone outside of Shipshewana) My personal opinion (take it for what it's worth) are that nearly all name brand (the ones you've heard of) manufacturers produce a decent product. The price range determines the overall quality of the product, including the overall workmanship regardless of the manufacturer. If an RV seems to have a lot more upgraded or "standard" features than a competitor in the same price range, there are probably unseen things where money is saved. Wood wall construction instead of aluminum for example. All of the larger manufacturers sell RVs in a variety of price ranges and each line in that price range could be much better than another from the same manufacturer. Crossroads when I was associated with them didn't sell an entry level line. They started selling higher end 5th wheels (Crossroads)and added in a mid-level (Cruiser). I bought a Cruiser because it had many of the higher end things, but closer to a Forest River Wildcat price range. (enclosed and heated holding tanks, huge holding tanks, upgraded insulation as standard, all aluminum construction. The Wildcat at the time (2003) didn't have any of these things, but had an identical MSRP for the same bunk house floor plan) By the time I dropped away from Crossroads, they had added an entry level "stick and tin" (their words) line (Zinger). Overall, it was a decent entry level line and was priced competitively with other manufacturers entry level lines, but the Zingers didn't seem to benefit from the upper lines the way the original Cruisers did.

The best advice I got from RV.net was to climb in, under and around any trailer you are considering. Pull the drawers out and look at the tracks, get under and look at how the frame is welded or the suspension attached. What do the bathroom fixtures feel like. After doing this to many trailers, you start to see some of the subtle ways they shift money to things they think are important (or they think the customer will notice).

Pick a price range you are comfortable in (remember, on a straight deal- no trade in- expect 20% off of MSRP as a starting point and shoot for as close to 30% off as you can) After that, decide what features you have to have (large holding tanks, gel coat, insulated windows, "Winter package", dual A/C, light weight). Then find a floor plan that fits your need. By then, you'll probably be down to 2 or 3 manufacturers. Do the climb around and decide which one seems the "best".

j

This is great advice! There really are not that many manufacturers, just a lot of different models. Keystone makes a lot of models, from entry level to high end. We bought a '14 cougar, (see my avatar picture) had a cougar before, it's kind of mid-range keystone, loved the couch setup and entertainment setup. You will find things you love and things you won't. If it says "lite" that means it's minus a slide compared to on that doesn't say "lite" They get the lite from not adding the extra hardware for another slide. We've been through enough campers, we knew what to look for when we were buying new, getting to fridge with slides in, bathroom, etc. A lot of the fun is looking through a lot a campers to see the different arrangements and options. Have fun looking and be sure to ask salesperson any questions you have.

 

[Napria]

It's funny, must seasoned RVers I know want a unit that you can get to the bathroom and fridge with the slides in. But the manufacturers build so many that do not have this feature.

 

[DisneyMoM84]

We just purchased our first TT. Previously owned a pop up. I would def recommend getting at least one slide. We got a Wildwood aluminum sided TT with bunk house with a pocket door which was a great feature. Especially since having two kids and two dogs. **My advice is to make sure they do a full walk through with you before signing on the dotted lines! Just in case something is broken because things can get damaged in transport. Also, sometimes they TRY to tack on an additional destination charge and can run around $900. This amount should be included in the MSRP, not an additional charge! Sometimes they add in an additional prep fee as well. I would also argue that. I'm certainly not an expert but that was my experience with one dealer. Nedeless to say, I went with another dealer without all the extra charges Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Love4Villains]

HI All! Thank you again for all your advice and experience. We went to 3 dealers over the weekend and so far we like the Forest River Grey Wolf 26DBH. It has the bunk beds for the girls, long slide out for the dinette and couch, outside door to bathroom, and just a really nice floor plan for our camping style. I think we are going to take a second look tomorrow night. Just wanted to let you all know that because of you and your tips, i felt more confident going to the dealers, asking good questions, and looking with a more critical eye. Thanks again!!

 

[peg110]

As I read through this thread I found a lot of sage advice. I will say it doesn't take much of a "Seasoned" RVer to know the value of access to the Bathroom (first) and Fridge (Second). We travel in a camper for a couple of reason. First DW is not big on flying, and second, DW (as well as I) like the convenience of having access to clean and usable "Facilities" when the need arises. Not when an exit shows up. That being said, in an emergency, it's quick pullover to get to the "John". Also it's nice to be able to make food on the go as well instead of the constant Fast Food stops. It's also cheaper too.

While I have been camping for (literally) All my life, most of it has been in either a Tent, a Pop-up, under the stars, back of a Pickup, etc... Only in the last (about) 8 years have we had a TT. We have a Coachman Capri (27') which we bought used. It's nice although I can point out some flaws that we have found. Most notable (found out the first time out camping) is the bed frame (Queen) wasn't really thought out too well (IMHO). Granted, my DW and I are not Petite, however the frame did NOT support us on our first nite sleeping and collapsed in the middle. The exterior frame was ok but there was only 2 supports across the middle (So 1 top, 1 bottom, 1 on each side to box it and then 2 more breaking it up into thirds in the middle). These middle supports were only 1x1 with Luan (Sp?) covering it. Thankfully I had some basic tools and a roll of Duct tape with me. I managed to take the bed apart to reveal the frame, Tape the broken piece together, fashion some additional downward support (since the only downward support was the exterior frame of the bed) to get through the trip. Also I slept on the couch and only DW slept on the bed to minimize the weight on it.

When we got home, it was fixed (by me) right away.

Also I noticed that if the TT was not perfectly level (Front to back AND side to side) the door would not always open/close properly. Small things, but things to consider none-the-less.

 

[tiggerdad]

I have a Jayco and it has outside kitchen and access to restroom from outside the camper. Both are major selling points. My camper doesn't smell like what I cooked for dinner and people can go to the restroom without having to walk through the camper.

Jayco has been good about their warranty coverage as well.