Passport Ultra Lite 238ML

[MOshorthair]

I'm looking at purchasing a 2016 Passport and I have not seen to many post praising or criticizing. It's a 25 foot camper and I will be pulling it with a Toyota Tacoma Crew Cab with an electric trailer brake and equalizer hitch with sway bars. Not ideal but it is what I have right now. Will be upgrading to F-150 at some point next year. Came across what I think is a decent deal.

[MOshorthair]

I really appreciate the input here. Sounds like I'm getting what I expect an entry level camper that I'm hoping will last me for a few years until I decide what I want in a camper and tow vehicle. I really do appreciate those who took time to respond. Thank you

[Ralph_Cramden]

TheRealMacGyver wrote:
Read my thread here http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26434

There is a lot of info out there if you search. Many of the ultra lite models out there are built using the bare minimum. If they can save the weight of 10 screws they will!

"Ultra lite", "Lightweight", etc, etc, etc, are all simply marketing. The fact is all the large RV manufacturers will save the weight of 10 screws if they can. They cut corners just the same on their supposed top of the line 5th wheel as they do on their smallest popup, while using the same unskilled and constantly changing labor pool, all working on the piece work model. The emphasis is on getting them out the factory door as fast as possible. Build quality does not matter and the term "Quality Control" is simply for brochures and websites, as there is none on the real sense of the term whatsoever. If you somehow think you're getting something better in a perceived "standard weight" or something model then you're a sucker.


This entire industry is cyclic. Right now they have hit the high curve. All it is going to take is a small bump in the economy or a spike in fuel prices and they'll slide down the slope to the bottom curve so fast their heads will explode while the entire industry implodes. That day is coming and coming soon. Then some things will change....a little....for a little while.

[TheRealMacGyver]

Read my thread here http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26434

There is a lot of info out there if you search. Many of the ultra lite models out there are built using the bare minimum. If they can save the weight of 10 screws they will!

[Ralph_Cramden]

bartlettj wrote:
I have the 2011 model year of this trailer model, I bought it brand new. It has held up well, I've put about 25,000 miles towing it all over the west coast of the US and Canada. I've had to replace the tires because I wore them out, and axle seals because I waited too long to adjust the wheel bearings and one got torn up, as well as the water heater control board. Also, the furnace filled up with water after one November where we got 15 inches of rain in two weeks, and I had it parked up next to a hedge. I was able to pull out the furnace and dump the water out of it, and after drying it out thoroughly no damage. At the time I repaired the furnace I added an extra duct and vent to heat the bathroom, and that has improved the comfort level a lot. The bathroom is a bit cramped for me. I'm 6'2. I can use the shower but the toilet is a bit uncomfortable because there isn't a lot of knee room.

I have a wife and two young girls (5 and 2 years old), and it's getting a bit crowded for us as it doesn't have a slide out, but other than that we've been really happy with it. I replaced the jail quality bunk mattresses with nice memory foam ones from Amazon, so it's comfortable.

It's a good entry level trailer, it tows well, and it has a decent layout. It isn't 25 feet long, though. The interior is about 22.

I tow it with a Tahoe, so your current and future truck choices should be ok.

Our 2013 Keystone Passport 235EXP Hybrid was a solid trailer. We never had a warranty issue or had to return to the dealer for anything. It was put together about 300% better than our 2017 Rockwood Roo 23WS which over the first year required constant attention repairing things that just "fell apart". Keystone does not put much frill on the Passport line, which is a lot of cheap plastic junk that breaks, like is on our Rockwood. In hindsight I wish we still owned it and had never went with Forest River.

An example was the frame. Although both had a POS frame made by Lippert, our Rockwood has a 5-1/2 height on the main frame rails while the Passport had 8", despite the Rockwood being a longer and heavier trailer. The A frame on the Rockwood is 4" tube, the Passport was 6". The plate thickness in the manufactured main frame rails on the Rockwood are 10 gauge, the Passport was 8 gauge.

[bartlettj]

I have the 2011 model year of this trailer model, I bought it brand new. It has held up well, I've put about 25,000 miles towing it all over the west coast of the US and Canada. I've had to replace the tires because I wore them out, and axle seals because I waited too long to adjust the wheel bearings and one got torn up, as well as the water heater control board. Also, the furnace filled up with water after one November where we got 15 inches of rain in two weeks, and I had it parked up next to a hedge. I was able to pull out the furnace and dump the water out of it, and after drying it out thoroughly no damage. At the time I repaired the furnace I added an extra duct and vent to heat the bathroom, and that has improved the comfort level a lot. The bathroom is a bit cramped for me. I'm 6'2. I can use the shower but the toilet is a bit uncomfortable because there isn't a lot of knee room.

I have a wife and two young girls (5 and 2 years old), and it's getting a bit crowded for us as it doesn't have a slide out, but other than that we've been really happy with it. I replaced the jail quality bunk mattresses with nice memory foam ones from Amazon, so it's comfortable.

It's a good entry level trailer, it tows well, and it has a decent layout. It isn't 25 feet long, though. The interior is about 22.

I tow it with a Tahoe, so your current and future truck choices should be ok.

[rrupert]

Keystone RV Forum

[Rover_Bill]

If a TT make (or dealer) is bad, many people will have a lot of bad comments about it. If it's good there is not much to complain about.

IMHO, the Keystone/Passport series is a very good value line of trailers. I don't know anything about your TT but DW and I love our Passport!

[Graycat]

Google Keystone forum. I bet there is one somewhere and that would be a good place to ask.