TT shopping

[jnslprd]

Hello all.
This is my first post, been lurking for a while. My wife and I are in the market for a new TT in the 23 to 30 foot range. After going to the dealerships and doing a lot of reading, we are at a stand still as to which way to go. We had our hearts set on the Coachmen Catalina 243rbs. My wife is all about the interior looks and we like the floor plan. After doing some reading I am noticing nothing but horror stories about Coachmen products as well as most of the Forrest River products. Now we are uncertain of our pick and have started looking at better quality products with our next alternative being the Artic fox 25w. I liked the Grand Design offerings, nut my wife hates the dark interiors.

Here is my question. We plan on being only weekend worriors and will hopefully get out a few weekends a summer and maybe a week or 2 vacation. Do you guys think it pays to purchase something that costs twice as much for the amount of camping we will do.

When looking at used trailers my wife is repulsed no matter how clean they are, so this unfortunately` wasn't an option from the beginning.

Thanks everyone, sorry for the long post.
Joe

[Maury82]

jnslprd wrote:
Hello all.
This is my first post, been lurking for a while. My wife and I are in the market for a new TT in the 23 to 30 foot range. After going to the dealerships and doing a lot of reading, we are at a stand still as to which way to go. We had our hearts set on the Coachmen Catalina 243rbs. My wife is all about the interior looks and we like the floor plan. After doing some reading I am noticing nothing but horror stories about Coachmen products as well as most of the Forrest River products. Now we are uncertain of our pick and have started looking at better quality products with our next alternative being the Artic fox 25w. I liked the Grand Design offerings, nut my wife hates the dark interiors.

Here is my question. We plan on being only weekend worriors and will hopefully get out a few weekends a summer and maybe a week or 2 vacation. Do you guys think it pays to purchase something that costs twice as much for the amount of camping we will do.

When looking at used trailers my wife is repulsed no matter how clean they are, so this unfortunately` wasn't an option from the beginning.

Thanks everyone, sorry for the long post.
Joe

Grand Design are really nice trailers, and you might have to overrule your emotional driven wife in order that you get a quality product, as opposed to what is "cute".

[2edgesword]

While I wouldn't say ignore the negative things you've heard I would say take them with a grain of salt. A lot of people find forums because they are looking for a solution to a problem so what you see on the forums is usually skewed heavily toward people having issues.

Beyond that I've found a lot of the issues could have been avoided had the dealer done a proper job of prepping the RV and/or the customer had done a proper job of doing a pre-purchase inspection.

I would go back to the unit you both liked and go over it with a fine tooth comb running EVERY system, turning EVERY knob, opening EVERY door, flipping EVERY switch, looking in EVERY cabinet and storage space, etc., etc. Don't let the dealer just tell you how things work, have them show you that they work including running hot water, heating water in the microwave, sticking a DVD into the DVD player and seeing/hearing that all the speakers work, checking the frig temperatures and A/C outlets with a laser thermometer, plug in a outlet tester into every electrical outlet, look at all the walls, ceiling and floor with a flashlight from different angles, do the same regarding the outside walls, under and on top of the RV with the slides in and out.

Then, if you find issues see what kind of cooperation you get from the dealer regarding taking care of them (of course before you sign any paperwork or make a payment).

I think you get my point. I have found that a significant number of the problems posted on forums are issues that were first discovered during the maiden voyage with the camper and could have been avoided had the dealer done their job correctly. Doing a thorough pre-purchase inspection says nothing about long term reliability of the camper but you at least want the confidence that when you left the dealer's lot everything was in working order.

Beyond that the issue of long term reliability is very much associated with how the trailer is going to be used. As someone else mentioned, reliability concerns are going to be much more an issue depending on the amount of abuse the trailer has to endure. The abuse is going to be much different for a weekend warrior versus someone that is a full timer driving towing 12K miles per year.

[HuckleberryHunt]

Similar to cars, every brand/make will have it's mix of lemons vs. no problems at all . You can try to pay more for a "better quality" brand, but that's no guarantee you'll not have defects or poor construction issues. Research will show plenty of consumer complaints about any brand, so don't let that be too much of a factor. My advice is to find a floor plan/length you want then go look at the options and determine for yourself if that particular rig looks good for you (quality, layout, etc).
We just got done with trailer shopping (second TT). Based on our research (online and RV shows) I thought we were going to walk away with a Jayco, but after a lot of perusing we ended up going with a more expensive Outdoors RV based on various things. It's not without it's defects either, but so far so good.
My DW had me looking at Forest River trailers as well and the options the dealer had on the lot did not impress me. That doesn't mean they're not ok, I was just looking for specific things besides build quality (enclosed underbelly, holding tank clearance, etc. ). Most dealers will only carry a small subset of of options produced by a manufacturer as well, so one model from a manufacturer may not be the same as a different model carried somewhere else. FWIW. Good luck on your decision!

[Takamine]

When discussing quality issues, I think one of the most overlooked issues is how far you're planning to tow your TT. We take mostly weekend trips and usually only an hour from home, with an occasional 3-4 hour trip thrown in. Our use (and abuse) is a lot different than someone towing their trailer thousands of miles across the country. No matter how well built a TT is, driving thousands of miles at highway speeds puts an enormous amount of strain on the unit and everything in it.

[JBledsoe]

.

I like buying used. Used can be cleaned up with a bit of effort, however, new must be cleaned as well so I don't see that as an issue.
Used will normally have all/most of the defects repaired or corrected. Depreciation is not a factor with a used TT. I expect to need changes in a TT to fit our needs. If quality is a requirement maybe an Airstream is called for.

[lfcjasp]

donn0128 wrote:
You will not be disappointed with an Arctic Fox. But be aware they are heavy, so plan on having a big enough truck. It is never wise to buy new if its your first RV or you dont plan to use it much. Depreciation is a killer in the first 10 years of ownership. Alao for a weekender think smaller not bigger.

One of my sisters has had a Northwood Arctic Fox for several years and just traded in for a newer one. Another sister also owns an AF. AFs are well built, but yes heavy. One is pulled by a Chevy 2500 and the other by a older Ford van. I'd love to have one myself, but DH will spring for a bigger truck (has an F-150 now) and AFs seem rare to find in the Middle Atlantic...

[fx2tom]

Jayco (Thor) and Forest River are the 2 main players in the industry. Thor (who owns Jayco) has a 48% market share and Forest River has 34%.

[jnslprd]

Thanks everyone for the knowledge.

I have to start looking around at different brands, unfortunately all that is around me is Jayco and Forrest river. Jayco is the most sold in my area, but my wife doesn't like the interior color schemes. All if the other dealers are 2+ hrs away which is another issue for after sales support.

Again thanks so much

[SoundGuy]

APT wrote:
The difference in average quality of build between any RV brand is negligible. So much is hand assembled compared to say the automotive industry where automation improves quality and consistency. There is some variance in quality of materials and design between brands, but that is each person's preference. You will find horror stories about any brand. If you are willing to learn and perform the regular inspections and maintenance, then pick your favorite. Warranties expire after one or two short camping seasons. You then are then on our own or making trips to the dealer for every little thing.

I've been in this game for 20 yrs now and this sums it up nicely. Sometimes you're unlucky and experience more issues than the norm, other times you get lucky and have few issues, but overall there's not much difference between brands, anyone who believes otherwise is kidding themselves.

[APT]

The difference in average quality of build between any RV brand is negligible. So much is hand assembled compared to say the automotive industry where automation improves quality and consistency. There is some variance in quality of materials and design between brands, but that is each person's preference. You will find horror stories about any brand. If you are willing to learn and perform the regular inspections and maintenance, then pick your favorite. Warranties expire after one or two short camping seasons. You then are then on our own or making trips to the dealer for every little thing.

[owenssailor]

friends had a Coachman for several years. It was used for an annual trips Ontario to Florida plus a week or two for their adult kids at local parks. They were quite satisfied with the trailer. They replaced it just to get a different floor plan since circumstances had changed and they no longer needed a bunkhouse.

[jnslprd]

Thanks all!

I still have hard choice to make and appreciate all of the help.

Joe

[rexlion]

Buying any TT is a roll of the dice, to some degree. It might be quite good or it might have a ton of problems. Most are ok, a few small things to fix, and if you keep it under cover and maintain the roof seams they will last ok.

Outdoors RV has a good reputation. Long drive for you, though. Oliver makes a quality trailer in TN but they are $$$$.

[ScottG]

You'll find horror stories about every brand. Our Forest River Wildcat was a great TT and we had no serious issues with it in the 13 years we had it.
My Arctic Fox has dismal quality. Everything is put together VERY sloppy and it immediately required a new roof because of mistakes made. Factory support was fraught with lies and more sloppy work.
I will probably not buy another.