Quality Travel Trailer

[coloelk]

Looking into travel trailers for summer camping as well as snowbirding for a couple of months. What Manufacturer do you think produces the best fit and finish as well as quality. I want something that rivals nicer 5th wheels for amenaties and finish.

[GoHorns]

This is akin to asking which is better: Ford, Chevy, or Dodge... or asking about the designated hitter in baseball... Nonetheless.. I will offer my free opinion (which is worth every penny). We purchased an Imagine 2150RB by Grand Design almost two years ago. Since then we have pulled it around ten thousand miles, and spent 93 nights in it. Temperatures ranging from in the teens to well over 100 degrees. We pull it with a half ton Dodge Ram and have an Equalizer WDH. We spent four or five months shopping, looking for a balance between quality and price, along with a few features based on personal preference. In the end, we ended up with our 2150RB, and in hindsight I can say that we would make the same purchase again.

[Huntindog]

Low cost, light weight, high quality.

Pick two.

All manufacturers struggle to find the balance of the three that will make them successful....

If it were so simple and easy, everyone would be doing it.

Couple those three competing factors with the fact that the industry has found most new TTs are used by the original owner 2-3 times a year for three years.... And then never again.... That explains why TTs are built the way they are.

It is much easier to build a heavy TT that is high quality,,,,, but then that leaves out the 1/2 ton crowd as potential buyers.

My 2010 Sabre was such a unit. Sabre doesn't make TTs anymore. Only 5th wheels. 5vers are generally heavy, and expected to be so. Those consumers generally don't mind driving a HD truck.

I am not sure who makes the best right now, but keep in mind that the components such as ACs, fridges, heaters, water heaters,etc are the same.

In my mind, the frame is the foundation. Get a stout framed unit. It will likely be a heavy one. Then get a capable truck for it

[whjco]

goducks10 wrote:

whjco wrote:
We purchased a Forest River Cherokee 274vfk and are very pleased with it. For starters, it is towable by a 1/2 ton pickup but sits on 5000# axles and Load Range E 15" radial tires. The outside is a bonded finish siding. The floor is 5/8" tongue-in-groove marine plywood and the walls are 2x3" studs on 12" centers so the structure itself is strong and well-built. The fit and finish is excellent and the only problem we've experienced has been a small piece of loose trim on the ceiling of the bathroom that was easily fixed with a little contact cement. The pressure-bonded counter and table tops are waterproof and durable. We're very happy with our purchase.

Park model?

Travel Trailer. The 274vfk has several minor configuration differences. One has the outside TV, speakers and electrical receptacles mounted higher up on the side for use with a deck and they call it a park/destination model. Our model has them but they're lower down on the side.

[goducks10]

whjco wrote:
We purchased a Forest River Cherokee 274vfk and are very pleased with it. For starters, it is towable by a 1/2 ton pickup but sits on 5000# axles and Load Range E 15" radial tires. The outside is a bonded finish siding. The floor is 5/8" tongue-in-groove marine plywood and the walls are 2x3" studs on 12" centers so the structure itself is strong and well-built. The fit and finish is excellent and the only problem we've experienced has been a small piece of loose trim on the ceiling of the bathroom that was easily fixed with a little contact cement. The pressure-bonded counter and table tops are waterproof and durable. We're very happy with our purchase.

Park model?

[tatest]

Oliver and Bigfoot will approach the construction quality of the most expensive fivers. However, the range of designs is limited, and sizes are smaller than most mass-market products, and these models are about construction quality, not about luxury amenities.

[whjco]

We purchased a Forest River Cherokee 274vfk and are very pleased with it. For starters, it is towable by a 1/2 ton pickup but sits on 5000# axles and Load Range E 15" radial tires. The outside is a bonded finish siding. The floor is 5/8" tongue-in-groove marine plywood and the walls are 2x3" studs on 12" centers so the structure itself is strong and well-built. The fit and finish is excellent and the only problem we've experienced has been a small piece of loose trim on the ceiling of the bathroom that was easily fixed with a little contact cement. The pressure-bonded counter and table tops are waterproof and durable. We're very happy with our purchase.

[goducks10]

dmatt wrote:
For quality builds, Artic Fox/Nash, Outdoors Rv and Lance. There are still some minor issues but you won't see major things like axles, cheap/weak frames, roof and slide leaks. Solid walls, well insulated and quality built cabinets, etc.

x2.

[FrankShore]

Look at how a Lance is built:

Lance Factory Tour

Also, bear in mind, even their smallest unit, a 1475 and 1575 are candidates for "4 Season Packages" - They also offer a new, lovely model with a king bed 2465. Azdel (Lamilux 4000 Fiberglass, LitePly is used throughout all models!

Hope this helps!

[Last_Train]

SoundGuy wrote:
I'd say Coachmen is typical of what the RV industry as a whole produces ... adequate but nothing special in terms of quality despite the manufacturer's claims otherwise. They're basically all the same so sadly getting a "good one" is more a matter of luck than anything else. 😞

Yep, probably a lot attributable to luck. We have the same TT as SoundGuy (although two newer model years) and have used it for 3+ seasons and towed it for only ~17,000 miles. Functionally only 3 issues: (1) the OEM China made tires failed prematurely (since replaced by a set of Goodyear Endurance); (2) a slightly misaligned bathroom door (easily corrected); (3) an even less slightly misaligned cabinet door under the galley sink (not worth messing with).

Quality wise, we just balanced expectations for the hobby vs. economics. It's a heck of a lot better than a tent . . . But it ain't an Airstream, either.

[36guy]

Look at grand designs products, we bought an imagine tt and so far, very happy with how its built and the standard features that are options on other brands. Plus, the three year warranty on the unit helps.

[dmatt]

For quality builds, Artic Fox/Nash, Outdoors Rv and Lance. There are still some minor issues but you won't see major things like axles, cheap/weak frames, roof and slide leaks. Solid walls, well insulated and quality built cabinets, etc.

[colliehauler]

K_and_I wrote:
Oe I wouldn't go with:

Heartland

I'm done with any Thor product. Fooled me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

[K_and_I]

Oe I wouldn't go with:

Heartland

[RobertRyan]

Fordlover wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3um9gdMElM

If they could sell something like that for a 30-40% premium over the junk on the market, I predict they would sell very well.

But when I can buy 4 or 5 of my trailers for what one Airstream goes for, it's just not practical $$ for a "toy" in my family.

*Edit: just went and looked at Airstreams, I could buy more like 6 to 7 of my trailers for a similar sized Airstream.

A copy of the Slovenian Adria Caravans, the Aviva model name is one of their names