2008 Keystone Cougar 243RKS

[PGCruisers]

We are about to retire our 1995 Sportsmen. DW has found the above mentioned unit. Would you please post your thoughts, good or bad, about the trailer and the brand.

[ezmobee]

Congrats! I just bought a 2004 293BHS and have been very pleased with it.

[PGCruisers]

Thanks for all the input. We pulled the trigger on a 2005 model instead of the 2008. The older one seemed to be much cleaner and had been very well cared for.
We are looking forward to our first trip.

[endlesssky]

Very happy with ours.
One trip back to dealer for minor repair.

[doxiluvr]

We have a Keystone Sprinter with a rear bedroom and the front kitchen. It is also a 2006 and we have had no problems with it, except for replacing one of the day/night shades just after we got it. Furniture is all in excellent shape and have not had to replace it or the carpet or the vinyl floors in kitchen and bathroom. No leaks, no build problems, all appliances still work, and no storage tank problems. Going to find good and bad in all makes and models, no matter who the manufacture is.

[ol__yeller]

We had a 2006 243RKS which we sold last June. We also had build issues which took Keystone the entire warranty to resolve. They included very noisy brakes and poor black tank design. Keystone did a good job of making things right but the first year we didn't have 1 camping trip without issues. I think the main reason why it took so long to get things fixed correctly was due to the fumble fingered techs at the dealership.

After it was sorted, it was a great TT. We loved the design. the shower is very roomy and the sofa slide really opened up the interior. Having 2 doors made for a great safety feature. My wife insisted upon a TT with the dinette on the curbside as she likes to sit there & have her morning coffee and see the view.

[brulaz]

We like this type of floorplan. For a short 27'3" trailer with a mid-bath, it makes lots of sense to open up the bath a bit to make the bedroom more open. We also like the dinette curbside (campside) with a sofa in the slide facing the dinette. There's lots of kitchen counter space.

This Cougar has 4400# axles with Paco I-beam frames and ST225/75R15-D tires. These give you lots of reserve capacity for the 7200# GVWR.

They also have good ground clearance and some 4-season capability. Not sure about this one, but you can order them with Dual Pane thermal windows.

The 24RKSWE is a Western model (made in Oregon?). Compared to the Eastern Cougars, it has a very good tank volume (fresh, black and grey).

What I don't like are the "hung" front and rear walls. They are not laminated like the side walls. Probably not a big deal, but I would prefer a fibreglass front cap (like the Eastern models) and a laminated rear wall.

As for construction quality, I haven't looked at one carefully. But the Eastern Cougars are only ok IMHO.

You are from Oregon. Have you considered Northwood Mfg. or Outdoors RV Mfg.? They make several brands of trailer, some with similar floorplans, all manufactured in Oregon. In particular, there's Outdoors RV Creekside 23RKS. But also the BackCountry 23FS and Timber Ridge 240RKS. Northwood makes the Artic Fox 25P (a very heavy duty unit though).

[wannavolunteerF]

Can't comment on the brand, but I have a similar sized Rear kitchen trailer (24RKS) and love it. Now most of the time it is just me in the trailer, but did I mention I love the floorplan. When my DS joins me, I can go to the bathroom without having to cross the whole trailer and go past him sleeping. The mid trailer bath is a must have.. In fact looking at slightly larger rear kitchen for full time trailer in a couple of years.

[TucsonJim]

My 2008 Keystone unit had a ton of build problems. But after nine weeks in the shop when I bought it new, it's been fairly reliable.