New to Travel Trailers. What to look for?

Make trips to several RV dealers and look at what is available. You will get a lot of ideas by just looking, but be careful about what a sales person tells you. In many cases, they can show you options other than what the have available on their lot at that moment, but could be ordered. When you find what you are looking for, then start talking to other owners and RVers and get opinions.

optimusprime wrote:
Hey all. I am new here and am wanting to get a TT for my family sometime next year. I would like to hear opinions on what brands to look for regarding reliability, comfort and durability and which ones to stay away from if ya'll wouldn't mind. …..

Plenty of the Others will give you specs to compare.
My advice is all about the bathroom!

For 'me' the first biggest mistake I made buying my first TT?

Was not trying out the bathroom! Yup I bought my first TT and on my first trip with friends and went to use the bathroom and when you sat down you could "not" close the bathroom door.

If you were over 5 ft tall your knees hit the door so you couldn't close it. I sold my brand new TT after only 2 trips. When I went to look at MH's while the salesman was yammering about the cabinets etc I'd push him aside and head for the bathroom to sit down and see if the door closed. You'll be surprised how many rv bathrooms have problems.

AND...if you are buying any RV with slides? Make the salesman pull ALL of the slides in 'before' you sign on the dotted line.

Many slides when pulled in, you will 'not' be able to use the bathroom or sink or fridge or access the bedroom etc etc. All things you want to be able to get to while on the road, that's why we buy RV's!

And BTW the most used excuse the salesmen will us as to why they can't bring the slides in is that there is no battery in the RV.

They know these slides block stuff that is why they are all deployed on the showroom floor and many on the lots, MAKE them get a battery and pull the slides in or go somewhere else to buy your RV! :C

Sorry for being long winded, I just hope some of the bathroom info helps you! :B

Not to start a towing debate, but read some of the hundreds of threads on hereabout towing, and what you can pull. In most cases the payload is the limiting factor not the tow weight.

The RV salesman and the truck salesman will tell you it will work. Read some of the threads about it here. Nothing worse than buying a camper, and then realizing you now either need a smaller camper or a bigger truck.

Layout and local service after the sale.

Do you have a tow vehicle? If so tell us about it including payload and max tow weight. If you don’t, good! Buy or select the TT first and then match a TV to the TT.

If you're still working age, how many weeks a year is the RV going to sit in the driveway while making payments?
As stated here, sales people will tell you anything to make the sale. Beware of the "lifetime warrantee." Do your own research about the complete combination to be certain the truck will safely pull the trailer, it will fit at the campsites, and the tailer is of good construction. For example, a Ford EcoBoost will pull large numbers of weight, but are the tires and suspension up to the task? Not knocking Ford at all folks, just an example - like the set up we viewed a few weeks ago where a small GM SUV (with two adults and two children inside) was pulling a 22 ft trailer with bikes on the back. Overloaded???????
Lightweight trailers and made "economically" to keep the weight down. The probably won't last long on a washboard road or I-5.

If you can rent one and take a trip. You will learn a lot of things in one trip about what you like and don't like.You will also get a idea of how your vehicle tows before you buy.

I don't think you will find a quad bunk in the lengths mentioned...quad bunks are in the 32' plus range, at least the ones I looked at a few years ago.

I'll repeat what wowens79 said and don't let someone sell you a camper that's too heavy for your tow vehicle. Go walk thru some campers at a few dealers, get an idea of what you like then see what people are comfortably pulling with campers that weight. Don't make the mistake some of us made (including me) and buy a camper that's not a good match for your tow vehicle.

Assuming you are looking for a travel trailer, here's what I did before I even started.

1. Determine payload of my vehicle I planned to tow with. Don't just stop by looking at the sticker on the door jamb. Take that value, subtract your weight, and all passengers weight, and estimate what you might carry with you when you are pulling your new trailer. Add about 100 lbs for the hitch. Subtract the weight of all passengers etc from the payload value on the sticker. That gives you the remaining payload you have potentially available for a trailer.

2. Then go looking at trailers. Each one you look at that you think is a possibility, take pictures, to include a picture of the make and model, and the weight sticker on the drivers side of the trailer. To determine if the trailer is a POTENTIAL candidate, find the GVWR for the trailer. Multiply that by .15 (15%). That will give you the potential tongue weight you will have to deal with. Subtract that 15% value from the remaining payload you had in item 1 above. If that is below the payload, it's a candidate for further consideration. If not, it's not, unless you plan on upgrading your tow vehicle.

By the time you look at a few, you will know what the GVWR has to be at or below for it to be a viable candidate. When wife and I were shopping, she went inside, I looked outside. First place I went was the sticker.

Since you have a year to look, I would encourage you to go to one or two RV shows. You can get really overwhelmed, so be careful. I followed the above process to eliminate things, and took a BUNCH of pictures. Came home and reviewed them, did research on the models etc online.

I also went to three local dealers (fortunate or unfortunate to have three separate dealers here). Gave me other opportunities to browse. Some (Camping World) wouldn't leave me alone. Others I never saw a salesman unless I asked.

In terms of quality brands, they are all about the same. They all have lower end and higher end (theoretically), but one thing to remember, these things are thrown together in rapid fashion, with no real care of workmanship. And they are rolling earthquakes.

Hope it helps

Mike

optimusprime wrote:
Hey all. I am new here and am wanting to get a TT for my family sometime next year. I would like to hear opinions on what brands to look for regarding reliability, comfort and durability and which ones to stay away from if ya'll wouldn't mind. What do ya'll use and why? I am looking in the 26-30' range with at least 1 slide out. I will be wanting a quad bunk option if I can find it. What say you? Thanks in advance for any tidbits ya'll throw me.

Some great responses so far.

If you advise what tow vehicle you have, you'll get even more information. If you're open to buying a tow vehicle, get more tow vehicle than you think you'll need. You'll be happier in the long run, especially if you plan to do any sort of travelling in the mountain West.