Is there a QUALITY Travel Trailer still built?

[bbaley]

I have new Keystone Cougar TT and I am sick of it.
There is nothing about it that doesn't scream "I am going to break or fall apart in a few more miles"

I previously had an R-Vision which was built 300% better than this,
and previous to that a Fleetwood Tent Trailer - also built really really well.

Sadly, even though made in my home state, this thing just stinks.
Everything is flimsy, half completed junk work done by some guy who didn't care late on Friday afternoon, and components chosen to save pennies.

Is there anything in the functional world of travel trailers (e.g. not Airstream) that isn't complete JUNK ?

I am ready to trade.

[aclay]

bbaley wrote:

rbpru wrote:
When it comes to TT construction vs. our good old home sweet homes, there are several things to consider.

Ask your self this, how long did you live in your house before you had to make the first repair? Was your house built in one day for every 120 sq./ft. or did it take months to build? Was it built by semi-skilled labor who were paid by the home? Did they purchase the cheapest appliances designed for the market or did you pick what you wanted or supply them yourself? And finally how fast have you driven you home down the road?

If you want "home construction" you are not going to find it in the RV world. About the closest I have seen are the "Tiny Homes" market. It is out there if you have the money.

Yes, yes. I keep seeing this argument.
However,
$40,0000 is $40,000.

If you bought a car, which at the time you bought it it was too new to find any bad reviews, and it "appeared" to be ok, then within the first year you had encountered the list of problems I listed,
would you still be making the same argument ?

And yes, the auto and RV industries are different.
In fact the way they are different would suggest they should be BETTER than cars.

Why ?
Because the auto industry has to spend BILLIONS of dollars on design and safety.
The RV industry is working with the same old thing with minor changes and improvements if any, and almost NONE of the billions of research, design and safety expenditure.

So that alone should offset the difference in manufacturing quantity vs. price. Lets not forget also the billions of $$$ in automation equipment used in the auto industry that is not in the RV world.

I don't know what the margin on an RV is for the mfg but obviously it is either too low to pay for good labor and design and materials, or too much is being pocketed and not enough re-invested.

I understand ALL the arguments put forward. None sufficiently account for my view that the (low) quality of these units is without parallel in other products in the same price range.

It is starting to sound like the answer is a resounding, no. sorry. The state of this industry will not support any quality because of (us) the customer not being willing to pay for it.= and willing to put up with junk.

Sad.

I agree. They should be closer to automotive standards. And you're right, not a lot of innovation over the years, they should have this stuff perfected. I have been involved with manufacturing high technology equipment for many years (mostly medical devices). It takes a little time and effort (and sometimes investment), but it's not rocket science to add quality to a design or to build to a higher standard.

[sheilag1220]

I am a Forks RV, Continental Coach owner. Built it in 2013. Ask me about Forks.

[jarata1]

buy an older camper they are made so much better

[atreis]

gypsmjim wrote:

We were the best in the industry because that's what Management wanted. Second to none. Then ISO **** beame the norm. Now we only meet the minimum standards, but we have that beautiful logo to add to the product.

If only the consumer public knew the whole story....

46 years in manufacturing...

This isn't driven by consumers. Most don't care about, or even know, what ISO certification is. If management felt the need for the certification, then likely your sales are to other manufacturers who incorporate your product into theirs, and the need was to compete with overseas companies who can claim such certification.

Also, the certification was never intended to be an indication of quality - it's meant to be an indication of good quality control (consistency).

[cruz-in]

If I were in the hunt for a new quality TT, I would seriously look at the Grand Design models...

[cruz-in]

spent 3 months camped next to a person with a DRV Suites. His opinion was they were build just as cheaply as all the others...the just used higher end components (stove/oven, refrig, etc.) and fancy stuff. He had cabinets falling down and other typical cheap TT items go wrong.

[N2AntiqueOak]

Sounds like you need one of these: http://www.drvsuites.com

We have a 2013 Bullet Premier 30 rlpr and love it. Wish we could afford a DRV Suites, not at this time...

[Downwindtracke1]

ISO had no change for us, it just a way to leave a paper trail. We were doing that anyway. It didn't really have anything to do with quality. But it was a bother memorizing the statement, couldn't they have made it simple.

[gypsmjim]

Jackfate wrote:

cruz-in wrote:
there seems to be a lot of variance trailer to trailer within each manufacturer...which is a sign of poor quality control...We have an Evergreen Toyhauler...very heavily built...we spent over 8 months in it with very few issues...However, we have chatted with others who have had all sorts of problems with Evergreen...

I suspect the same can be said for most trailer manufacturers...Until one becomes ISO 9000 certified....they will not have repeatable quality.

ISO 9000 does not equal quality. We've been ISO for many years . We made better stuff before ISO

42 yrs in manufacturing

Oh yeah.....LOL.

We were the best in the industry because that's what Management wanted. Second to none. Then ISO **** beame the norm. Now we only meet the minimum standards, but we have that beautiful logo to add to the product.

If only the consumer public knew the whole story....

46 years in manufacturing...

[Jackfate]

cruz-in wrote:
there seems to be a lot of variance trailer to trailer within each manufacturer...which is a sign of poor quality control...We have an Evergreen Toyhauler...very heavily built...we spent over 8 months in it with very few issues...However, we have chatted with others who have had all sorts of problems with Evergreen...

I suspect the same can be said for most trailer manufacturers...Until one becomes ISO 9000 certified....they will not have repeatable quality.

ISO 9000 does not equal quality. We've been ISO for many years . We made better stuff before ISO

42 yrs in manufacturing

[Downwindtracke1]

As we moan and groan about quality, how many of you have a 10' step ladder ? With a TT you need one!! One very experienced poster, an RV tech I think, said after TWO years ,you need to reseal. That is my pet peeve, not the construction which adequate.

[jaycocreek]

Yeah but I'm a consumer first and if this country can't/wont keep up so be it.

If the consumer would do a "Complete PDI" before buying,you would not see these junk threads.By complete I mean opening every drawer and looking under every cabinet/running the water/using the furnace/air and frig both on electric and propane/looking at the roof and caulking around windows/the frame/axle/tires etc etc before buying...A total inspection that is warranted for putting out a large chunk of change..

Take know ones word for anything,see it work first hand,then and only then will you know you bought what you wanted and expected and it won't be junk.

People just buy and ask questions later..Not the way to buy an RV.

[NYCgrrl]

I did a lot of construction research, read insightful reviews online (ignoring the ones that said "I love, I love it!";)); and viewed/ talked with the owners of various RVs in action on campgrounds and thus avoided the slick talk of RV show personnel despite widespread advice to the contrary. Already know the man in my life and realise his head can easily be turned by a pretty face only to be amazed there's a brain under the chassis, LMAO. Also knew that I wasn't interested enough to spend my limited vacation time getting an expensive item repaired.

Soooooooooo I finally plunked my hard earned deposit down on a TT made in Canada. Which unfortunately for me as an American doesn't seem to have as many of the horror stories that come out of Indiana. Yeah but I'm a consumer first and if this country can't/wont keep up so be it.

I can say there were some American manufacturers who perked my interest: Casita, A-line, Airstream and Prevost among others yet then I got into problems with east coast availability and maintenance, layouts, size and design ethos. That's when I looked further north.

I expect to be very happy with my ordered Safari Condo Alto when it finally arrives.

[jaycocreek]

Because the auto industry has to spend BILLIONS of dollars on design and safety.

And that gets us recall after recall and death after death do to flaws in this expensive design or better yet,the cutting of corners for a dollars sake.

Some trailers also go through extensive testing like the Jayco Eagle and it's climate control, as an example..

If these RV's were junk,there would not be so many out there that are 50 years old and still functional because there owners took care of it and fixed the little problems that happened as they happened.

Junk don't last 50 years!