After 2 years RV shopping, 10 years RV ownership, four factory visits covering four different kinds of RVs, and ongoing visits to RV shows sort of shopping for a new phase of my RVing life, I still cannot rank manufacturers, can't really find any to stay away from, though I have some I prefer, either because they are building something completely different (Bigfoot, Escape, Oliver, Airstream, Scamp, Casita, Columbia Northwest, LivinLite) or because they have good relationships with their dealers which results in better service for customers (Jayco, Winnebago, Newmar).
Bang for the buck sounds price conscious. That puts you in the mainstream, where there is not much that is really special. There are three basic ways to build a travel trailer: frame a box like a house; prebuild wall panels, and sometimes end panels (usually laminated with foam core) and assemble a box; or build a hull like a boat or aircraft. Materials for framing, lamination, hull building vary.
Mainstream RVs tend to be boxes, as building hulls can cost 50% to 200% more. Better materials to build the box, whether framed or assembled from panels, can raise costs 50% or more. Does "best bang for the buck" mean best construction, greatest structural integrity, choice of most modern materials or lowest price for biggest size? Or something in between? For some buyers it is slideout count, the more slides the better. Do you want special features like outdoor kitchens?
I suggest you start going to RV shows, see what travel trailers look like at different price levels, see what might meet your needs, what that might cost. When you find two or three things you like from different manufacturers, then you might think about comparing the manufacturers, if they happen to be different; often you may find two or more brands are coming from the same manufacturer, as there has been a lot of consolidation in the industry, particularly the past eight years.
SportTrek comes from Venture which is a subsidiary brand at K-Z, Venture's two model lines looking a lot like K-Z's Spree and Vision laminated wall lightweight and ultralight lines. Creating another brand lets K-Z place into more dealers where someone else has an exclusive territory for K-Z. So if you look at Spree and Vision, you would be looking at essentially the same thing. For this type of TT, lightweights assembled from laminated panel walls, I think best bang for the buck is Lance because the materials choice means superior wall panel construction, although the bucks will be at least 50% more than K-Z (or an equivalent from Forest River).
K-Z is now a Thor company, like Dutchmen, Keystone, Airstream and several others. But each Thor company is a separate entity, with its own business practices and RV manufacturing philosophy.
Tom Test
Itasca Spirit 29B
