RV newbie looking for guidance...

[mannyotr]

I am a first time buyer. Looking to buy a used travel trailer and right now I am looking at two different ones.

One is a 2006 Forest River 27BHLE. The other is a Used 2009 Sartcraft Travel Star 21SS0. Both are about the same price.

I am leaning very heavily towards the Starcraft, but any opinions or information you guys can provide will be appreciated.

[Georgia_Popcorn]

Stay away form extended warranty's and Roadside Assistance plans AND "Environmental Plans"
WATCH the finance guys!

(All those plans you can buy at SAMS later..."Environmental" has to do with spraying it down with 603, about like HC, just another joke at your expense! )

[bobndot]

The unknown to you : 10 years is a long time for an rv to be exposed to UV rays etc., it must be maintained during its life to limit potential leaks.
"Protect yourself by buying something that's easy to repair in sections by someone with basic skills and basic tools." By doing this, it could mean you keeping your TT and not saying goodbye to it due to a costly repair exceeding its value.

Due to the age, if I were buy used 2006-09 , I would buy aluminum.
Not only is it lighter and easier on the tow vehicle, aluminum is a lot easier to repair by non specialized methods.

Filon, is installed by specialized methods because its glued down by pinch rolling (some MFG's and dealership method) or vacuum bonding (MFG. method , which uses very expensive specialized equipment that takes up a lot of space that most dealerships do not have) and both CAN and DO delaminate from water intrusion.
When you get into these glued Filon exteriors, you get into a more specialized type of work where an entire side gets replaced as one piece.
Filon I have worked with, gets delivered in a roll and has a backing , like cardboard , so it can bend without cracking. This backing is what absorbs water when it intrudes the caulking. It soaks it up like a sponge and causes the glue to let go, causing delamination.
This delamination does NOT occur with aluminum skin, no glue to delaminate.
You still can have a leak, but YOU can fix it.

[SouthpawHD]

Had a hybrid last year and loved everything about it, EXCEPT the noise. Canvas does NOT block out the campground noise. Something for you to think about when comparing models.

[Jayco-noslide]

Significant difference in size but I guess you've factored that into the decision?

[RoyB]

The one advantage with the Hybrid drop down tent bed ends is you will have more move around room not having the bed inside the trailer...

The very large drop down doors are all prone to water leaks over time. I guess they warp slightly and loose the water seal around the edge

Tent beds are noisy too...

Wife woke me up in the middle of the night saying there is something outside the trailer. So I get up with my trusty ole flashlight and do a walk around... Sure enough I start hearing the snort and grunts and walked around to where the noise was coming from which turned out to be the neighbor camper sound asleep snoring away... They was a good 40 feet away from us haha...

Roy Ken

[DutchmenSport]

Yea, the Starcraft is a hybrid, Has tent end like a pop-up. Would not want that myself. I'd take the Forest River if I had to choose between the 2.

[gbopp]

Welcome to the forum.
Do not be in a hurry to buy. There are many units available. Look at several and decide on the floor plan that fits your needs.

Take your time, go to RV shows (even if you want a used TT) and dealer lots. Learn what is best for you.
Ask lots of questions on the forum BEFORE you spend any money.

Make sure your tow vehicle is capable of towing the TT you are considering.
Do not take the word of the sales staff that your car/truck will pull anything on their lot. They are there to sell you something, nothing more.

Enjoy your search, it will be an enjoyable learning experience.

[midnightsadie]

take your flashlight and look every where for water marks, if you find any move on.

[mannyotr]

Thanks. I will look into the roof and tires.

93Cobra2771 wrote:
One is a hybrid, and one is aluminum sided, correct?

I had no idea about this. Thanks for pointing it out. I just did a little more research on this.

http://blog.glrv.com/aluminum-vs-fiberglass-rv-siding

[93Cobra2771]

One is a hybrid, and one is aluminum sided, correct?

First thing, can you tell if either have had roof maintenance done? How does caulk look on roof? Leaks?

How old are tires on both units?

That is first things you look for.

After that, it's all about preference. I don't care for hybrids so I would go with the aluminum sided unit.