Are there any mfrs with bad overall reputations?

I'll say that we HAD a Holiday Rambler, that are supposed to be good and highly rated. It was the biggest piece of junk out of all the RV's we've owned. And currently have an X-rental class C with ton of miles and no problems and many say rentals are junk. So don't know if its the luck of the draw or what.

We just bought another trailer and not wanting the same problems we had on the Holiday Rambler we went with Arctic Fox. Not because they are any better than others but many people like the service they get. And many that did get jerked around by RV dealer took it right to factory to get problems squared away.

I'm sure you'll find good and bad with any manufacture.

All I can say is-I am a tech at an RV dealer. We service "every" make and model (not just what we sell like lots of RV dealers do). We get "hands down" lots more units with the THOR name, than all others combined. More precisely "By Keystone" Thats not saying that every one is bad, just we get more of them for repairs. All repairs. No certain fix, just a variety of problems. But as mentioned above, THOR customer service is relatively good.

And me personally....I love my Dutchman and would buy another one in a heart beat. The one time I needed factory support due to my own stupidity they stepped up and went WAYYYYYY overboard to help me out.

This is exactly what I was discussing in my earlier post to this thread. It is far better to tell folks what works for you than to try to tell folks what to stay away from especially if you never owned one. Because, like you, there are people that are very happy with what they have. There is too much negativity on these forums anyway. It is so much more refreshing to hear about positive experiences.

goducks10 wrote:
but me personally I would not buy a Dutchman or Evergreen trailer. I can only say that from reading numerous bad reviews on RV forums.

And me personally....I love my Dutchman and would buy another one in a heart beat. The one time I needed factory support due to my own stupidity they stepped up and went WAYYYYYY overboard to help me out.

Not one brand is exempt form problems. Some have more. Best thing is to do your PDI homework before buying. Thing is there can be two identical trailers side by side on the dealers lot and one will have more issues than the other. JMHO but me personally I would not buy a Dutchman or Evergreen trailer. I can only say that from reading numerous bad reviews on RV forums.

Check RV Ratings

You will not get a definitive answer. I think at one time or the other there have been rants about the quality of most every brand with any significant number of rigs on the road. The problem is that there is no way to compare that to the vastly higher number of satisfied owners who do not post about their satisfaction with those same rigs.

I've seen a lot of threads asking about quality and durability of various models, but I haven't seen anything like, "Stay away from manufacturer X, for these reasons." I was talking with someone recently who is beginning a search and knows no more than we did when we began. I'm wondering if there are any that they should stay away from on general principle because of poor quality. I'm assuming that people have opinions on this, and that they can express them freely here. If not, please say so!

To a large extent it is 'buyer beware' and do your homework. And a little luck does not hurt either. The recession did not just eliminate the less quality manufacturers. It took out some of the better ones as well. And remember on these forums that the propensity is there to complain about a problem far more often than to praise a well made coach. Since you are in the travel trailer section you probably can't go wrong with an Airstream or an Arctic Fox trailer. Both have a loyal following and are known for quality. Neither are inexpensive. Quality never is. After looking for a year and doing my due diligence I bought a Pacific Coachworks Tango 30 foot coach. It is a 2009 and have had no issues since new (except tires replaced). Do your homework, it pays off. It was the blend of quality, cost, size and weight I was looking for in my first trailer after three cabover campers.


Instead of looking for coaches to stay away from why not look at those that you want to consider? Probably will narrow the search to a few based on weight, cost, and quality. My next trailer will be an Arctic Fox or Airstream. Most do not want to spend much money on the first coach thinking they all will be constructed at a minimal acceptable level of quality. Some realize after purchase 'that' level is not what they want in a coach.

Ok, a positive....we're on our second Rockwood (Forest River and same as Flagstaff and Shamrock)and have been pleased with both. No problems. First was a ROO 23SS HTT and now the one in the sig. Neither were top of the line, but not bottom of the barrel either....guess we're sort of in the middle. Any manufacturer can and does turn out a lemon from time to time...no way to know for sure.

old guy wrote:
one time I worked at a RV dealership and the one thing I can tell you is stay away from entry level TT's. they are cheaply built.

Yes, but many of the entry models are more expensive because they are using expensive materials as laminated walls and fiberglass skin but are built poorly with low grade appliances, features, and interiors.

Price definitely doesn't dictate quality or "entry level". An example would be the higher end Jay Flights compared to the lower end Jay Feathers. Jay Feathers are more expensive because of their lighter, more expensive materials. All Jay Feathers are expensive next to a heavier trailer but some Jay Feathers are not low end.