Best value/quality brand

[Tommyhawk07]

I was looking for opinions on the best value and quality for popular brands around St. Charles County, MO. I'm interested in best bang for buck. I understand there are a lot of criteria that can effect this, so I'm just asking general opinion of brands. For example... Jayco, Coachmen, Forest River, Starcraft, Heartland, Evergreen, etc.

Thanks in advance!

[1bigmess]

We need to know where you are. Some brands are only sold in some regions.

[Brad Wilf]

This forum is a good place to start. For us, we knew the rough kind of floorplan we wanted, started researching as you are doing now. Came across Outdoor rv at a tradeshow, just walking into the trailer I knew it was built well, but would be heavy. (non issue for me) then started researching the manufacturer, and found this forum, looked long and hard at issues people were having (not many) IMO, find a floor plan, then hit some dealers or tradeshows, you'll get a "feel" for a quality built trailer, find one or two that would work for you and research the heck out of them. It took me a full year of researching, asking questions, being a pain in the butt to dealerships. It's my hard earned money that I'm investing...I'm not getting sucked into salesmen pitch. You will learn a lot, Good Luck.

[Tommyhawk07]

Originally Posted by 1bigmess

We need to know where you are. Some brands are only sold in some regions.

Updated. Thanks!

[1bigmess]

OK everyone, they're in Missouri.

[richardcoxid]

X2 on the outdoors RV, mountain series, creek side class, timber ridge class and Blackstone class. Including 2 5th wheel models.

Their motto- “Designed for mountain tough four season camping”

No partial board or random chip board used! “mountain extreme thermal pane windows” etc

All models come with 14” G/Y Endurance E range tires many models have a optional 15” G/Y Endurance E tire available.

What ever you buy check the “Cargo Carrying Capacity”

[billyw]

Just about all the "standard" brands are pretty much identical as far as what they're made of and how they're constructed. Very little quality control is apparent. A unit from any of the mentioned brands could be great, or it could be garbage. Most likely it's somewhere in between.

Go into the process, knowing what features are important, and find a model that meets your criteria. Then start going over it with a fine tooth comb. Be prepared to walk.

The brands you mentioned fit into this description. Except I don't think Evergreen is around anymore.

Many people choose to find a dealer that they trust, and buy whatever they have available.

[xrated]

Grand Design is a relatively new company (2011 I think), but they have built a solid reputation for a very good product and most importantly, customer service after the sale of the unit......even after the warranty has expired in some instances. Do they have issues sometimes? Every manufacturer does, bar none. But when your customer service is as good as theirs is, you get them resolved in a timely fashion in most instances. That was one of the factors that led me to them for my most recent purchase.... a Grand Design Momentum 394 M Toy Hauler

[Highway 4x4]

Grand Designs built such a good trailer that Winnebago bought the company. Just like they did Sunnybrook a few years back. Sunnybrook plant was to build the Winnebago trailers and the Sunnybrook line. Well, that didn't work out well for Sunnybrook as they are now gone. So now they own Grand Designs with the same promise that they will stay in business. Remember,,, the best way to beat your competition is to own them.

[Cumminsfan]

Of the brands listed just pick the one that serves your needs the best. It'll be a crap shoot between all of them as far as quality goes.

[tuffr2]

Best bang for the buck will be a trailer you enjoy towing as well as staying in as well as being reliable.

Heavy trailers usually have better (more capacity) axles, and general better construction, better tires, better insulation and dual pane windows.

Top two heavy trailers:

Outdoor RV and Artic Fox
Best light weight trailer is Lance

Best of the rest

Winnebago Micro Mini, Mini, and Mini Plus trailers. A size for most trucks.

Grand Design (owned by Winnebago) Reflection and Grand Design Imagine.

I have owned 2 trailers and a 37' 5th wheel. All 3 units I would rate as a 'B'. Everything worked as designed most of the time. I was able to fix (tighten screws, plumbing, reseal shower) kinda things.

Outdoor RV and Artic Fox are cousin builders. Typically you will need a 3/4 ton truck to tow these.

Lance trailers can be towed by 1/2 ton trucks.

Winnebago makes travel trailers various sizes 1/2 to and 3/4 ton trucks can tow their travel trailers. These trailers have better than average build quality but to me they have the very best fiberglass with the very best finish. The can be optioned in colors like: Blue, Orange, Red, Yellow, Pewter and a few others. I think it would be cool to have a Red or Blue tow vehicle with a matching trailer.

The other 15(ish) manufacturers from Indiana use the same pool of workers. Their build quality can be ok or not ok...it depends.

You are kinda in the middle of the country so you have access to more RV's than you think. What is your tow vehicle? That will dictate somewhat what you buy. Plus you do not really say what kind of camping you want to do.

Example a pop-up offers a good camping experience IMHO. A T@B teardrop trailer also you have A-liner type campers.

Then you have small travel trailers like Winnebago Micro Mini with one slide.

Mid size trailers like the Winnebago Mini with one bigger slide.

Then Larger trailers like the Winnebago Mini Plus with 2 slides and one 37' trailer with 3 slides.

The 15 plus other builders will have the same sized trailers. Small to large.

Oh, stoves, refrigerators, hot water heaters, a/c units, water pumps etc. are all from a handful of suppliers.

Outdoor RV, Artic Fox and Lance are all built in the west. Most other trailers are built in Indiana.

Good luck

[Camper25]

Everyone buys the best, sells the best or owns the best.

The brand I've had good luck with is a Jayco.

[snapper23]

I purchased a Highland ridge brand trailer. Open range travel trailer makes a nice quality unit with great reviews and good craftmanship. Check out their videos on You Tube. Checkout there factory videos and great floor plans.

[rockriver]

i'm new to camping.
in 2017 i bought a coachmen prism. a new one.
the dealer was a large one. there were a few small problems. dealer said...
"we'll fix these for you as soon as the parts come in."

they were smiling and reassuring me... but the delay continued... so i decided i'd help them. and wrote down a detailed list of the parts they needed...

i then tried to call coachmen... no live person would come to phone... so then i emailed them... computer response but no live person response...

i repeated this process... same result... i couldn't talk to coachmen employee.
right now they have a good deal on a coachmen motorhome that has all the options that i want.

"nope! ain't gonna do it!"

by contrast, i've now called tiffin 3 different times with simple questions..
spoke to thomas once. and turner twice..
real live fellows who work at the factory...

i hope coachmen gets their act together, but i would suggest you take coachmen off your list.