Carriage or Excel

[aknavy]

So, after all our searching and looking at roughly a billion Rv's in the last six months, I'm really leaning towards a 2010/2011 version of one of the two. They both seem well built, I've found them with all the important options that I want, and have found some decently priced. May have to refinish the interior to get a color the wife will like, but that's not terribly difficult. With that being said, is there any reason to pick one manufacturer over the other? Any known, common issues with either?

[JDT]

I have no experience with the Carriage and as I said before, we have had 3 Excel's since '97 and hardly any issues with any of them. I think if I were you I would not decide by brand, since they were both good, and go more by floor plan and condition.

[aknavy]

I found a perfectly equipped 33RSE, but it comes in with a dry weight of 14900. Too heavy. Disk brakes, independent suspension, generator, dual pane windows, but too heavy.

[JDT]

The 33RSE is a Limited I am guessing which means it would have a fiberglass roof also. They can get heavy. Our Winslow is 35' 5", has a rubber roof and no generator. Fully loaded for a month long trip to mountains in Colorado it weighs 15,500 with a hitch weight of 3000 and 12,500 on the axles. I towed it with a GMC 3500 srw for the first 2 years and had problems with chucking. We were barely under the limits of the truck but too close for comfort I guess. Sold it and got the dually. All is well now. You would also be pushing the limits of your truck with this one but then again people do it. I did for a while. How does the Carriage compare?

[aknavy]

The Carriages are a little lighter. They won't push the limits quite as bad. There are Excels that should be lighter out there, but until I see the actual sticker....you know the story. I'm ok with being close/at the limit (15-16k), but not ok with being loaded and 17-18k. That doesn't sound like much fun.

[Duoglide1]

I would personally throw in one more brand in the mix. Both of those were on our short list and we ended up with a HitchHiker which we are very happy with. 2 places that we looked at Excel & HH were the New Horizon factory in I believe Junction City Ks and Kansas RV Center in Chanute Ks (old NuWa factory). NH gets many Excels on trade as one of the principals from Excel is now at NH.

Edit-guess my signature doesn't show now that I updated this app. We ended up with a 2012 HitchHiker 363RSB.

[JDT]

I would second the suggestion to add HitchHiker to your list. It was neck and neck between the HH and an Excel when we were shopping in the spring of 2012. The tie breaker was Peterson offered a residential fridge option, a must have for us, and HH did not. Other than that I considered them pretty much equal in build quality and the pricing was fairly close. I was relieved we did not get the HH when they closed up a few months later. Of course, that relief did not last but a couple more years.

[aknavy]

The HH is on my saved search in RV Trader - just haven't found one I like that won't crush my truck! Where else is a good, well formatted place to find used RV's? Seems so labor intensive to search everywhere. And these dealers sure don't seem in a hurry to answer any questions or requests for information! I made several calls this morning, asked questions, and have yet to hear from most.

[bddadles]

I agree with the HH suggestion. We were looking at the 3 brands listed and found our HH on a consignment lot in Houston.

[Half Dimes]

Here's a link to the Kansas RV Center that others have recommended. They sell a variety of new units as well as used trade-ins. They used to be in the manufacturing business (NuWa) and know how to refurbish used units before selling them. We've had our rig serviced there and they are a class act.

[aknavy]

Looked at a Carriage Cameo 37RESLS today. Well built trailer in great condition...but the wife's verdict was that it was cramped. Back on the hunt.

[jacknife]

Chucking has nothing to do with SRW vs Drw.