How a TT is built

dodge guy wrote:
If they slowed it down a bit and did quality work I don`t think a $2k jump in price would be objectionable as a buyer! I guarantee if they slowed it down a bit we wouldn`t be finding screws through water lines or wiring, things would be fastened properly and the sawdust would be vacuumed up instead of swept into the walls and floors. maybe they could even plug in a water heater once in a while too!

We don`t need Lexus (Toyota) quality.....rather just attention to detail and a little pride in what they build and sell!

dodge guy's post is dead on. I 110% agree.

I have been on a Jayco tour a few years ago and the video is how it was done then and I'm sure now too.

The end result of this quality situation comes down to the price point. At the time we went, Jayco only builds to orders, not to stock and they are busy all the time. They are providing the quality that sells their product. They have a full line up campers to help fit most all buyers budgets.

The first time RV buyer is normally not educated as much as the 2nd and third time buyer. Price is a big part of the purchase.

In our case, when we bought our first camper, I was the anal one looking for a better built unit and willing to pay a little more to get a better longer lasting unit. Had read and heard the horror stories before on cheap junk.

After looking through 24 brands we found Sunline. The day we walked in it at the dealer, it jumped out with the "WOW" factor, this is different. After doing more research Sunline built the assembly line process and used a lot of the same methods as the rest of the industry just Sunline was on hourly wage and not piece work/quota work. They had a better attention to detail and they put in the higher end appliances/features. This drove the price up above the average camper.

I remember well at the dealership while we where in awe at the better quality and the price was not that much higher, a younger couple came through whispering, a nice camper but no way can we afford this... my goodness no way. To them the $2 to $3,000 difference was a deal breaker to the point they would look no further. For us, we wanted nothing less.

Then we bought our 2nd camper, the one we have now. By then Sunline went under (Nov 2006) and we started branching out into the other higher end brands, this is what we found (2007 time frame)

Sunnybrook stopped making the Titan TT, their high end brand the year before. The prior year they only sold 7 of them in all the campers they made. The Sunset Creek took it's place and they were selling.

Jayco dropped the Designer TT several years before. The Eagle was then their highest quality offer. The Designer was still in a 5th wheel.

Artic Fox use to have an east coast plant, We looked at them here on the east coast and they where very nice, just the cabinets where too dark for us. They later closed up the east coast plant.

Komfort was still under the orignal owners at that time, they just they never made it this far east to be able to buy one. They now have been bought and sold 2 times. The older Komforts are not like the new ones today from the buddies I know who own them.

The Holiday Rambler, we never made it into one of them, however I have buddies who have the older higher quality ones. And now they are gone.

The FR Cardinal TT did not appeal to us.

We ended up buying a 1.5 year old used Sunline as we knew what we where getting in better quality and the prior owner barely used it. We still have it and will have for a good time to come.

So the higher quality when offered doesn't sell enough to keep the business afloat in a TT. 5th wheels are different, there you can start out on a higher end 5er, but it is in a totally different price league.

So how does the industry fix this quality issue? "We" the consumer are part of the industry.

When the industry offered the higher quality, the number of buyers where not large enough to keep it afloat.

The first time buyer or even the buyer who cannot afford the higher quality is left with what they can afford and still get a level of enjoyment from them.

If the consumer keeps buying the lower quality, well this quality build issue is not going to ever get much better.

If your looking for a TT in a higher quality with higher end appliances and build, you are going to need to do a lot of research and your options to purchase are going to be very limited. And be prepared to pay for it when you can find it.

If a 5er is an option for you, then your options open up and so does the cost increase.