Brand with best quality control?

If you want minimal maintenance and repairs you can look at small fiberglass trailers, Oliver, Escape, and Bigfoot to be specific.

In truck Campers I thought Northern Lite and Bigfoot were the least likely to have bigger issues, I just looked them over, didn't buy.

If you need or want a lot of room, ignore this post.

I've read plenty of horror stories from almost all RV makes. If you want the best quality in a travel trailer, find a place that makes custom horse or enclosed trailers and have them make you one. It will be expensive, about twice the price of what's on the lot at the local dealer... but it will likely have a one piece aluminum roof, aluminum frame, aluminum skin, a proper frame that is specced to the task at hand, proper axle weight capabilities, and so on.

One brand that I have heard good things about with no horror stories is Livin' Lite, which makes all aluminum rigs, with Azdel for the walls and cabinets. If it gets water inside, the rig gets wet... it doesn't rot. However, the "space station" look may not be nice for some.

Zebedee wrote:

westend wrote:


I've seen this same type of RV acquisition scenario played out on the Forum a few times. New guy wants a trailer that fits all their requirements and doesn't need to be anything special. Along the acquisition trail come the wants for full showers, queen bed, dual AC, and it goes on. The OP, like the rest of us, will have to have some compromise with buying.

And I've seen this before: old guy on the forum acts like he was never a new guy with the same questions.

Call it like you see it.
Just don't make the same mistakes as some, asking here about what best RV to get, adding all the amenities, and trying to pull it with an inadequate tow vehicle. It can be an expensive and disheartening event to realize your TV isn't up to the task.

The short answer!! NONE. The long answer. They all are rolling junk and have problems. It seems to be the nature of the beasts. and no one in the RV industry seems to be interested in mounting a true really workable program of QC. Many of them claim they have good QC programs, but that is 50% lip service and 50% BS.

Duck wrote:
Our auto manufacturers turned out cars that always had to go back to the dealer at least one time. This was back in the 50s. Japanese auto companies started importing much better made autos and they started selling. US Manufacturers were forced to step up their quality a lot. Maybe that is what the RV manufacturers need to happen to improve their quality.
Don

I've actually been looking into the Japanese RV's, being made by companies like Nissan, Toyota, and Mitzibishi, they should have some kind of edge on quality.

westend wrote:


I've seen this same type of RV acquisition scenario played out on the Forum a few times. New guy wants a trailer that fits all their requirements and doesn't need to be anything special. Along the acquisition trail come the wants for full showers, queen bed, dual AC, and it goes on. The OP, like the rest of us, will have to have some compromise with buying.

And I've seen this before: old guy on the forum acts like he was never a new guy with the same questions.

Best way to look for quality is to remove the bulk head to the basement. If the wiring and plumbing are neatly run and secured every few feet. You can assume there was a certain amount of quality built in. If you see wires and plumbing haphazardly slopped around to and fro, basically a rats nest, and not secured you could assume the quality is not the best.
The best example I have ever seen for quality was SnowRiver truck campers. They even took a small marking pen and wrote what it was for on the wires. Have pictures of that stored some where. Unfortunately Bob and SnowRiver truck campers are no longer with us.

Zebedee wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:


You might want to narrow it down a bit. Motor homes? Truck campers? Travel trailers? Pop up trailers?

All of the above.

Let me be realistic for you...
You want 20 mpg so that eliminates motor homes, 5'ers, truck campers. and a lot of travel trailers because of weight and the vehicle to pull it. You also state (for some reason?) that it needs to be parked in a garage even though you're planning a two year cross country journey. You will find that a pop up or tear drop fits those requirements. Since you also require hard sides because of a few camp site restrictions, you are now focused on a tear drop.

Since most tear drop trailers don't include a shower, range, or fridge, you will have to start compromising your choices or change your lifestyle to shower at campsites, use coolers, and cook on a portable stove.

I've seen this same type of RV acquisition scenario played out on the Forum a few times. New guy wants a trailer that fits all their requirements and doesn't need to be anything special. Along the acquisition trail come the wants for full showers, queen bed, dual AC, and it goes on. The OP, like the rest of us, will have to have some compromise with buying.

IMHO RV reviews are important. It is the only voice the consumer has. Some of the biggest names in the business succumbed to the wide dissatisfaction of consumers with their horrible quality problem. There was a quiet revolution among owners on the forums that nailed them. The old Fleetwood comes to mind. There have been others. Conversely good reviews reward those manufacturers that honestly try to put out a decent product. They survived the down turn. Reviews serve a purpose.

It's like anything else. People with complaints will post reviews and complain to others. Those that are satisfied with their units rarely post anything. Just reading reviews does not give you a complete picture.

So IMHO reviews are just that, a place for people to complain about usually 'one' thing that was not perfect or broke and want to blame the whole industry for it.

I've been VERY happy with what what brand MH I purchased. I don't post reviews about my happiness so you might not know that my brand MH is the best!!!! :B:W:B