Trailer construction quality question?

I guess what I am wondering is if there are certain manufacturers that have a reputation of building better quality trailers then others? I really like the trailer I got, but it is not quite what I really wanted, it was just what I could afford at this time. It is heavier then what I wanted and it does not have the bed configuration that I wanted for the long run. It is a 19 foot (inside living space) trail with bedding for only three people. It has a huge bathroom and lot's of storage space, but I would rather have a trailer of this size that could sleep 5 people. This trailer will work for me and my wife and our 12 year old son, but we have two older children that are married and if they ever wanted to travel with us, they would have no place to sleep.

The bottom line is that I am thinking about fixing this trailer up and selling it. I got is for under NADA bluebook. It needs some minor repairs and a good wash and wax. I live in Texas and I think I can haul it over to the Midland oil boom area and sell it for a lot more then I paid for it, which would give me enough money to buy something else that has more sleeping area and is lighter.

I have not quite decided on this yet and this is why I am asking the question about quality. I am trying to decide if these super lightweight trailers are just pieces of junk waiting to fall apart and I would be better off sticking with a heavier trailer and upgrading my towing vehicle.

In the end, what is important to me is getting a good trailer that will last for a long time. I can't seem to find a travel trailer review site that offers any reliable reviews. Every manufacturer touts their trailers as the best and most owners love the trailer they have and don't really have enough knowledge to evaluate a trailer properly because they have only had experience with maybe one or two trailers. There seems to be a lack of any good unbiased knowledgeable reviews when it come to trailers.

Anyway, thanks for the advice.

Hey! Welcome to the party!

I don't think weight alone will tell you very much... Others will be along with maybe a lot better ways to tell/things to look for.

IMHO one thing that will tell you something: A dealer that has to bad mouth a brand that they themselves do not carry. I'd worry some about that. Actually if they are carrying it and badmouth it. I guess I'd worry some too. :)

Steel main frame differences? It doesn't take a lot of steel to start adding into the hundreds. Choice of materials for roof deck, floors, and cabinets can also mean some weight differences. I don't think you can use weight as a qualifier for durability of construction.

According to the brochure I found the 2005 models of Kodiaks were built completely with aluminum frames. I am guessing that is good thing, but since aluminum is lighter then wood (I think) why is my Kodiak so much heavier then other ultra lites of the same size? Most other ultra lites of the same size that I have looked up are all under 3400 pounds.

I am not sure about the quality, but know that different manufacturers use different methods. I have a 99 Keystone Springdale, It is what they call stick and panel construction, I believe. It is where they build a frame of wood and add everything to that. I had some water damage, which was not hard to fix,,,just pull the panelling off, seal it up and fix the wall board.
A friend wanted me to look at his 2003 KZ Sportsman, that the floor was soft. When we dug into it, it seems that the whole trailer is built by laminating layers of plywood, Styrofoam, and rubber together. The water got in between the layers and the whole thing basically is falling apart. He sold it to a guy that is just going to part it out.
There are probably other methods of putting these things together