RV manufacturers, I am calling you out
I purchased a travel trailer 6 years ago. I am going to say something many of you out there already know: something I know will be controversial, and is seldom said. These RVs are stinking piles of ...
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I will say that through the years, construction has gotten much better. I relished the thought of aluminum framing in a towable RV. The other lesson I learned - never buy a NEW RV. Let someone else take the depreciation hit.
When I met my (soon to be) wife, she was a half owner with her brother of a 1968 Serro-Scottie. I had a 1967 Shasta Ultra Light 13'. We sold that and then bought a 25' 1974 Terry. While we owned the Terry I got a great deal on a 1967 Franklin truck camper. I also traded off some piece of equipment for an old Coleman popup. Yes, at one time we had three campers. Wait, make that four - I forgot that I traded an above ground pool for a 1975 15' Sun Lite trailer. That was hands-down the worst pulling trailer I've ever hauled! We sold all of the campers and then bought a 1982 Palomino popup. That unit was aggravating because the sides would pop out of the channel and balloon out in the middle of the night when an offshore wind would blow in while at Myrtle beach. So, one day while down there we came across a Jayco dealer having a "big sale" and bought a 1995 Jayco 12UDK. We hauled that thing around for years, and for many, many miles. I actually wore out two sets of load range C tires on that thing! We then bought a 1999 Fleetwood Mallard 25' fifth wheel and sold the popup about six months later. I have seen it at a local state park within the last five years. We then came across a good deal on a 2004 Terry Quantum 285RLS and owned that for the last six years. We sold that (and one of our trucks) just a few weeks ago. We pick up a 2006 Winnebago Sightseer Class A tomorrow. Each generation of RV we've purchased has had major improvements in some areas, but some things just never seems to change. That's why I recommend buying used. Let the first owner take the depreciation and fight to have the manufacturing issues corrected for you. That, and the money you save can buy some really good dark beer to enjoy while watching the sun set at your favorite campground or state park....
Just some lessons learned over the last 29 years of marriage and RV ownership. They're really pretty close to the same thing - takes a lot of attention and maintenance to keep everything running as designed.
When I met my (soon to be) wife, she was a half owner with her brother of a 1968 Serro-Scottie. I had a 1967 Shasta Ultra Light 13'. We sold that and then bought a 25' 1974 Terry. While we owned the Terry I got a great deal on a 1967 Franklin truck camper. I also traded off some piece of equipment for an old Coleman popup. Yes, at one time we had three campers. Wait, make that four - I forgot that I traded an above ground pool for a 1975 15' Sun Lite trailer. That was hands-down the worst pulling trailer I've ever hauled! We sold all of the campers and then bought a 1982 Palomino popup. That unit was aggravating because the sides would pop out of the channel and balloon out in the middle of the night when an offshore wind would blow in while at Myrtle beach. So, one day while down there we came across a Jayco dealer having a "big sale" and bought a 1995 Jayco 12UDK. We hauled that thing around for years, and for many, many miles. I actually wore out two sets of load range C tires on that thing! We then bought a 1999 Fleetwood Mallard 25' fifth wheel and sold the popup about six months later. I have seen it at a local state park within the last five years. We then came across a good deal on a 2004 Terry Quantum 285RLS and owned that for the last six years. We sold that (and one of our trucks) just a few weeks ago. We pick up a 2006 Winnebago Sightseer Class A tomorrow. Each generation of RV we've purchased has had major improvements in some areas, but some things just never seems to change. That's why I recommend buying used. Let the first owner take the depreciation and fight to have the manufacturing issues corrected for you. That, and the money you save can buy some really good dark beer to enjoy while watching the sun set at your favorite campground or state park....
Just some lessons learned over the last 29 years of marriage and RV ownership. They're really pretty close to the same thing - takes a lot of attention and maintenance to keep everything running as designed.
