Another Newbie Question about Brands

cycler wrote:
Well, thanks to you all for your responses, and remarks based on your experiences. They are appreciated.

Biggest issue you're going to find is a definite =lack= of FWs < 30', and most of the ones you do find will be in the light to very light weight class. Northwood used to have an Artic Fox that was around 26', but it's been discontinued. There's a real gap between 20' and 30' in FWs.

Lyle

Arctic Fox is nice, but $60k. So budget might come into play here. Most of these 28'-30' are going to be less than about $45k. If no budget, then I would agree with the Arctic Fox suggestion. Good bones on the Fox's rather than Lippert.

An Arctic Fox, Silver Fox 27.5 5th Wheel is probably the best small 5th Wheel you can buy. A perfect Tow Vehicle for this 5th Wheel would be a F250/350 with 6.2 V8 & 4:30 Gears.

There's no way you can guaranty you'll get a well built trailer from any brand regardless of price. Doesn't matter whether they use the best materials or not. The build process is 1970's technology. Same ole' stuff in all of them. One may have an Atwood furnace and the other a Suburban. Both could easily have issues. Etc.
You can have two of the exact same models of brand X sitting side by side on the dealers lot and one will be great and the other could have from a few to enough to call it a lemon.
Find you floor plan and colors you like and cross your fingers.

We are one year in to our Grand Design and have only had one issue. A board went out on the propane part of the fridge.
Contacted GD. They told my wife on the phone how to remove the old one (in about 2 minutes). Got the info needed on it and shipped us a replacement free. Wife installed the now one and works like a charm.
My wife did a lot of research before we upgraded from our TT and read many, many similar stories.
This and a Keystone Premier TT are our only experience. The TT was like 99.9% of the rest of them. It was a light weight home on wheels that would take a pounding driving on highways. Just the nature of campers.

Well, thanks to you all for your responses, and remarks based on your experiences. They are appreciated.

What exactly do you mean by "Well Built"?

I mean structurally sound, well sealed, well insulated, good components as far as fittings, valves, etc., as for cabinetry, I don't expect to find dovetail joints on a 40k 5th wheeler, but don't want tin hinges either.

Buy a good used one so you don't take the depreciation hit, and will also have the bugs worked out too.

Our 2002 Cougar served us well without any problems over the 17 years we had it. Only problem I had was the tires that came on it. Don't remember what brand they were but had 2 blowouts within the first year. Those tires were pron to that then with lots of complaints. We just bought a new Jayco and my son has the old Cougar.
Why the Jayco- looked at a lot of brands and all I can say the Jayco came out on top. Why- when I looked at them I mean I look! I just don't look at what you see just walking in.I look top to bottom-underneath on how it's sealed and how well it's done.Look close the fit and finish inside and out. Pull the drawers what there made out of and how well. Look at the rails they sit on and how there attached.Sit on look at the furniture-turn it over a look what's it's made out of and how well. Check the slide under and on top.How well do they seal in and out-single lip seal or double.Any daylight seen around them in and out.Check the roof out- what dose the sealant look like-neat or sloppy job. Any holes in the roof! Yes i look at one that had a hole about the size of a quarter and been like that what look like since it was on the lot.They had had it for almost a year and I could tell quite a bit of water had enter there.No signs of it inside at all.I can go on and on about looking but you get the idea of what I look at.Yes I take a flashlight with me and look and look everywhere! I had salesman walk off and leave me looking. LOL You wouldn't believe all the split and broken braces some have if you just take the time and look. So yes what I looked at Jayco came out on top. Did I find things on it yes but very very few. None are perfect but some are way better than the others. Now that I said that my Jayco will fall apart on our next trip! LOL

What exactly do you mean by "Well Built"? You certainly will find brands that have good customer service with good floor plans to suit your needs in that price range but if you mean solid hardwood cabinetry, excellent Fit and Finish, etc. you'll be hard pressed to find that in a 5th wheel with a price point of $40k-$42k. My $57k 34 foot 5th wheel is considered entry level. It has "ok" fit and finish but the cabinetry is all veneer particle board frames with 1/2" plywood drawer boxes and 3/16" plywood sides. The dinette table is the same veneered particle board. The chairs however are real hardwood. Not what I would call "Well Built". The solid surface counter tops are really just molded plastic. To get a real nice quality 5th wheel you'll likely have to spend more than $40k-$42k. or you'll have to sacrifice some quality.