mosseater wrote:
Even for an entry level trailer, we have been pretty happy with our Sunnybrook (Sunset Creek). I don't know how they've been since Winnebago took them over, but they had the lowest employee turnover rate in the Midwest at one time. I toured their facility right after Winnie took over and the new units looked pretty nice. When you consider lightness and cost as the primary factors, It's hard to build quality without making it heavy. My biggest gripe is even the small tasks involved in building trailers get fubar-ed. I mean, how much longer does it take to properly drive a screw to do it's job than to slop it in sideways and miss the intended component? Goes to pride in workmanship I think. As far as I can tell, they're all varying degrees of junk. If they made them too well, you wouldn't need to buy another one. Or the cost would be prohibitive. The markup on trailers is obscene. As stated, if we continue to buy junk, they'll continue to make it.
YES. This is exactly the problem. People continue to buy junk. Much of the TT industry is living on the reputation of far yesteryear. I've been all around RV's now for decades. (Yes I'm the talker at camp grounds.... I stand guilty! :) ) I can't believe how many terrible issues some people are having with their newer built RV's.
Much of it is coming out of Indiana. They guys are paid by piece and run like crazy to make as much $ as possible. This is very common in Mennonite / Amish businesses so I suppose those companies started applying the same process. The problem is - Amish do speed with Amish craftsmanship. Jayco (etc.) uses the Amish speed for Jayco craftsmanship. "Let's save money buy pushing a few staples instead of screws". etc. KZ, and so many others.... Same exact thing. In fact, I'd argue there really isn't a difference.
Then there are some companies I really appreciate. One I know of well is Casita here in Texas. They custom build just about everything and really produce a VERY nice unit. Nothing cheap. Only problem... and it's not their fault... SIZE. They are small. When we get to family campers options get limited... Too bad because I'd buy a Casita no questions asked.
I love how mosseater described the "sideways screw". It's exactly what I think.
JUST yesterday I looked at a Class A Winnebago gasser that was 100k. I kid you not, a tile off the backsplash was "leaning off" the backsplash in the kitchen! It was in an INDOOR SHOWROOM!!!
I think the real answers here are going to be in small RV manufacturers that CARE about their products. It's a challenge to find them. They will be a bit more money... But it's worth it.
Keep the suggestions coming folks!
