5th Wheel Brand Input Needed

[Top_Speed1]

Being that we came from a 34' Sunnybrook 5th wheel, we were already "in the hood" and already had seen many many models at campsites. It's pretty easy actually especially around happy hour times. Folks love to show off their tin-cans! But, my best recommendation would be to hit up some of the big RV shows. Come with lots of energy as they will drain you down, but after a few of these shows, you start to know what to quickly omit from your shopping list, cut the fat out and only preview (touchy-feelly) the "good ones". Always subjective of course!

Good luck!

[Gigattime]

We owned a Jayco TT for 12 years and was very happy with it. It was a solid travel trailer.

We sold it last spring to get a toyhauler/5th wheel. We went with the Grand Design Momentum M-Class and are very happy with it at just over a year.

I would be happy with either brands, but fell in love with the floor plan and construction of he Grand Design. Things like heat registers that are not in the floor to collect dirt, but are hidden in the sidewall of the island are the kind of touches found in Grand Design's units. Also found wiring , ducts, underbelly, etc. to be neatly done (at least on our 2016) especially in the storage compartments/basement/cabinets.

Good luck on your search. Happy camping!

[TBS-POPS]

Look into a vilano by vanleigh. A tiffin family company. Quality and service above all. I just orderd a 2018 375fl. They only have 4 floor plans now.

[Oldelevatorman]

Do yourself a favour and purchase the Travel Trailer & Fifth Wheel Comparison Guide by Randall Eaton. Best money I've ever spent. May be able to get at the library as well. We liked Jayco better than Keystone but wanted a full time warranty so we purchased a Heartland Landmark!

[jtbuilds]

Originally Posted by Gary magic

Looking into new fifth wheel. Comparing keystone to Jayco. Any advice.
Was told jayco are built better. Also looking Columbus compass by Palamino.
Newbie here Thanks

At a minimum spend a year teaching yourself about trailer frames, pin box deflection, wiring, laminated vs. hung wall construction and the one things that keep escaping everyone......the famous 4Season trailer.

For comparisons go look at used Excel Teton Carriage Nuwa trailers.

Look at new Arctic Fox, Silver Fox. All RVs are a long ways from auto industry quality but at least AF is huge on structure and low on bling.

[cb1000rider]

I was treated better as a 2nd hand (I bought used) Jayco owner than I was buying a new Keystone. The difference was absolutely night and day.

I hear a lot of good things about DRV and Artic Fox, if you can find them.

Jayco's warranty service is generally good. Grand Design's warranty service is top notch in the industry. Quality between the two seems to be a harder call. Keystone shouldn't even be considered to be in the same ballgame (service stinks) as GD and Jayco, but you're going to pay less.

[minnow]

Akways check the carrying capacity of any model you look at in person. Sone are abysmal. One of the brands previously mentioned here was recently reviewed in Trailer Life. It was a 36' fiver. Only had a 350 pound carrying capacity.

[Brad W]

Originally Posted by minnow

Akways check the carrying capacity of any model you look at in person. Sone are abysmal. One of the brands previously mentioned here was recently reviewed in Trailer Life. It was a 36' fiver. Only had a 350 pound carrying capacity.

how about sharing which you are talking about

[raineman]

Originally Posted by cb1000rider

I was treated better as a 2nd hand (I bought used) Jayco owner than I was buying a new Keystone. The difference was absolutely night and day.

I hear a lot of good things about DRV and Artic Fox, if you can find them.

Jayco's warranty service is generally good. Grand Design's warranty service is top notch in the industry. Quality between the two seems to be a harder call. Keystone shouldn't even be considered to be in the same ballgame (service stinks) as GD and Jayco, but you're going to pay less.

Hi again,

Respectfully, I believe you are mixing apples and oranges based on the poor Keystone dealer you dealt with. I had the exact opposite experience with Keystone all due to having a dealer that cared and had everything taken care of and then some.

The dealers that sell Keystone products have the choice on how to treat you post sale. They accept the conditions of being a Keystone dealer including how warranty work is handled. If the dealer chooses to kick you to the back of the line for warranty work, that is on the dealer, not Keystone.

I keep trying to tell people that the dealer will make or break the buyers RV experience when buying new. Some make the sale and could care less after they have your money. While others actually do care and it shows. The latter know you maybe back someday for another RV.

I am sorry you are mad at Keystone, but all due respect, I think your dealer is the culprit of your negative experiences with Keystone.

[cb1000rider]

That's a fair assessment. However, if I was running a business and got paid $60/hr for warranty work or $110/hr for retail repairs, how would I do it?

And I DO blame Keystone. Why? because when the same dealer attempted the same repair 3+ times and I contacted Keystone asking for an alternative repair facility, they simply told me to that I'd need to take it back to the same dealer again. They provide no alternatives, no escalation, etc.

Keystone did not authorize replacement of the OSB when doing a roof. I can show you photos of other owners that are in the same circumstance and have the outcomes of 2 court cases where Keystone lost the litigation associated with sub-standard repairs and retail loss-of-value on new vehicles. Keystone (IMHO) authorizes "bare minimum" - at least on roof repairs and relies on an escape clause in the warranty of "costmetic not covered". No, I'm not happy. Lots of consumers agree with me - see BBB and PissedCustomer reviews and compare with other brands.

I won't buy another. I gambled on getting a "good" one and I'm picky, I could have dealt with a crappy looking but held-water roof.

Grand Design doesn't do this stuff to their owners. That's why they have been so successful.

[raineman]

I hear ya man. You did get messed over and there is no excuse for that. Man if Toyota built RVs, Keystone and the rest of them would be out of business. Period. LOL

[Airmech]

All it takes is for 1 company to actually take the steps and build it right. Might sell less and might cost more, but it would force the competition to change or fade away. Once people start to get educated and see the difference.

[ChuckV1]

We have Kz Durango Gold G384RLT, has all the features of the high end 5th wheels with a mid price range in the low 60's and well built, no cheap press board, no plastic drawer rails, real steel ball bearings drawer slides ...

Not much bing, so if your looking for bing look elsewhere at the cheap built 5th wheels

Safe travels

[Bob_C]

Forest River also has a 2 year warranty....but you have to ask for it.....check out the Rockwood and Flagstaff lines