Rating of quality

3oaks wrote:
kohai, now you know why the market doesn't have a good definition of who the top quality manufacturers are. The replies are very much what I expected. What you ask is very suggestive and based on various opinions based on what constitutes top quality.

Me, I look at top quality as to the build and workmanship rather than the bells and whistles. Although some frills are nice, they are worthless without quality construction materials and workmanship.

I think a list of what constitutes quality construction could be derived in order to make the list less subjective. That is where it is hard.... For example, I'm not a construction person to know what type of cage is best, or what type of studs, or what type of roof.

What build characteristics do you consider quality?

kohai, now you know why the market doesn't have a good definition of who the top quality manufacturers are. The replies are very much what I expected. What you ask is very suggestive and based on various opinions based on what constitutes top quality.

Me, I look at top quality as to the build and workmanship rather than the bells and whistles. Although some frills are nice, they are worthless without quality construction materials and workmanship.

MPI_Mallard wrote:
This should be fun, I'm thrilled with my Cedar Creek Daydreamer and would not hesitate to buy another CC when it's time BASED SOLEY on Cedar Creeks quality and mostly on their after-the-sale customer service. I've known owners of all other brands and heard numerous complaints about them all but mostly are component issues that the builder has very little control HOWEVER the common let-downs are lousy graphics, things falling apart due to half-azzed workmanship and as far as Exel goes I gotta' buddy here in Florida who had a brand new one and wanted to burn it to the axles, he now owns a Cedar Creek and there were a few minor issues that were taken care of quickly. in the end they don't give these trailers away and you need to actually stop at a campground and talk to owners and keep track of their responses, that will give you the straight dope!

Red Green:
There's only two things that excite
a man, expensive toys and real
expensive toys.

And no one ever had a frame problem with Forest River and Keystone? I own both a Forest River and a Keystone and have been good bang for the buck. If you have problems no matter what you spend you will not be a happy camper

New Horizon, Excel, Continental (Forks rv), DRV all over 100k some include Redwood as well are the only high end rigs. I consider Montana, Cardinal ect to be mid level while others consider them high end.

I own the lower end of the spectrum a Cherokee and Keystone but it serves my needs just fine.

This should be fun, I'm thrilled with my Cedar Creek Daydreamer and would not hesitate to buy another CC when it's time BASED SOLEY on Cedar Creeks quality and mostly on their after-the-sale customer service. I've known owners of all other brands and heard numerous complaints about them all but mostly are component issues that the builder has very little control HOWEVER the common let-downs are lousy graphics, things falling apart due to half-azzed workmanship and as far as Exel goes I gotta' buddy here in Florida who had a brand new one and wanted to burn it to the axles, he now owns a Cedar Creek and there were a few minor issues that were taken care of quickly. in the end they don't give these trailers away and you need to actually stop at a campground and talk to owners and keep track of their responses, that will give you the straight dope!

Red Green:
There's only two things that excite
a man, expensive toys and real
expensive toys.

just because you pays for all that great stuff they put in the expensive one, that doesn't make the quality any better. If the fancy stuff doesn't last long I would rather have the cheaper one that was made with quality to last.

New Horizons and Excel are my top two manufacturers.

Good luck with that. We ended up with a Holiday Rambler (mid 90's)because "quality" was great. Turned out to be biggest junk pile we ever had.

Bob P13 wrote:
I may be in the market for a 5th wheel, switching from truck camper.
Based on quality (irrespective of price) what would be considered the top 3 or 4 manufactures? I say quality because I'm not depending on having access to the original dealer. I want to get it "right" the first time.

I'm surprised how the market doesn't have a good definition of who the top quality manufacturers are. I've been monitoring this topic each time it pops up and I'm not sure it ever gets answered adequately.

We should put together something like the image below. If we had the smart people on the forum define what constitutes "quality", I think we could do it.

So much depends on what or how you plan on using the trailer and your budget. Would you like to spend $125k or $25k.