Need honest opinion on TT choices...New? Used?

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sscheitel

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Need help choosing a TT. Here are the facts and what I think we are leaning towards:

- wife, myself and my 7 yr old son
- new to RV'ing with friends that all own Jayco Feathers/lite
- looking to spend around $25k on TT
- have Chevy Silverado 2500 to tow
- want outside kitchen
- want open area in rear for my son (bunk bed or two for friends)
- looking for nothing less than around 28 ft

Looked at Jayco Flight 32BHDS and Prowler 32P BHS

We love this type of layout

It just seems to me that the quality of the Jayco seems cheap compared to Prowler

Can you recommend a brand that is of good quality? Or are they all the same?

What is the rank of these in terms of quality both inside and out?
Heartland
Jayco
Aerolite
Crossroads

I'm not fixed on any one brand or model but would like some guidance on which ones are of better quality. Is it better to buy a Jayco new for $23k or look for a used "insert better quality manufacturer" TT?

Looking for opinion from those in the know.

So many people we know buy a TT only to be disappointed, sell it and buy something else. I'm trying to avoid that pitfall.
 
I have not had a TT for quite some time, but I personally am not impressed with Jayco quality.  One question.  Why limit yourself to a TT?  With your truck, I would think that a 5th wheel would also be possible.  This would give you more options.
 
What quality issues did you notice with Jayco?

I would consider a 5th wheel but it appears that i will get more bang for my buck with a TT.  thoughts? feedback?

Someone had suggested a Lance but they don't appear to come in anything longer than a 24ft

What other manufactures are of the same quality as a Lance?
 
http://northwoodmfg.com/ 

Northwood builds the best trailer in my opinion. I've had four different trailers and the Northwood was the best.

 
A used rig will usually give you more bang for your buck as long as it's been well maintained.  A new rig depreciates quite a bit and you may find you want something different after actually spending some time in it.

Welcome to the forum.
 
We bought our first rig new, over 7 years ago, and still enjoy it, so the depreciation impact is reduced for us. But we spent several years haunting RV shows and dealerships, trying different RV types and floor plans on for size, before we were ready to buy.
That said, we'll buy used next time.

While there is some difference in the appearance of quality between travel trailer lines, in my opinion there's almost no difference in workmanship or engineering in the mechanical bits. At least not enough difference that you could predict a good experience with one brand or line over another.

The defining element should be floor plan, floor plan, floor plan, so you're on the right track there. Make sure you are thinking realistically about what it would be like to spend a rainy weekend inside together and go with a floor plan that feels right.
 
PopPop51 said:
While there is some difference in the appearance of quality between travel trailer lines, in my opinion there's almost no difference in workmanship or engineering in the mechanical bits. At least not enough difference that you could predict a good experience with one brand or line over another.

The defining element should be floor plan, floor plan, floor plan, so you're on the right track there. Make sure you are thinking realistically about what it would be like to spend a rainy weekend inside together and go with a floor plan that feels right.
Click to expand...

As Pop said, the most important thing to look at is FLOOR PLAN!

Almost all manufacturers  assemble their units from the same component suppliers.  Same toilets, same stoves, same water heaters, same fridges, same furnaces, same axles and brakes, etc.  Most of these have only two commonly used suppliers per item. 

Lower cost units will use cheaper fabrics, cabinets and floor covering.  They generally have thinner walls and less insulation.

For a given price, you can get a "higher price" unit with better finishes if you go gently used.
Gently used will not depreciate nearly as fast.
New campers usually have factory oops which are fixed under warranty, but you must take them back to get fixed.  Some dealers are prompt with this, while others can take a month to complete simple repairs.  Meanwhile, you do not have use of your camper, but still make payments.  Gently used campers will have these items already fixed.
 
Grashley said most of what I was thinking (as usual ;)) ... I agree that budget/floorplan/options/condition are much more important factors than year/make/model.  Buying gently used from a private seller will save you a TON of money over buying new from a dealership.  Start looking intensively at floorplans of available trailers, and you can start to limit what you know you do/don't want in terms of design goes. 

PPLmotorhomes.com is a consignment dealer in Texas, and they have a lot of rotating RV inventory (in addition to showing floorplans of all their rigs for sale) so we often recommend that site for browsing.  Nothing can beat seeing actual setups in person though, so a trip to a large dealership or RV show (for research, NOT to get pressured into a sale!) will give you some ideas of what floorplans are available.  Bunkhouse trailers and outdoor kitchens have been around for several years, so you could find exactly what you want in a 2008-2009 for instance and pay $10,000. 

It IS important to do your research and know what you're buying when going used, but that's what this forum is for.  ;)
 
What follows is the exception that proves the rule.
The dealer we purchased this (our first) trailer from:
Settled for as good a price as I expected to be able to find anywhere else, which included:
  • Installed a Prodigy brake controller in our TV.
  • Installed and perfectly set up our Equal-i-zer WDH.
  • Made sure that EVERTYTHING worked. We had zero post-delivery problems. Didn't have to take it back to them for any reason.
  • Spent half an afternoon with us on our delivery walk-through, including a lot of not-in-the-manual tips and shortcuts.
  • Handled all of the registration/license paperwork flawlessly.

Needless to say, that dealer was out of business a year later.  :-\

 
We just purchased a 2015 StarCraft 245DS which was purchased from the Bozeman, MT dealer.  It is in like new condition.  If the previous owner used it, they did so very little.  The same model/package options for 2017 are in the $26-28k.  We saved over $10k on our deal. During our years of researching which type RV we wanted and what brand, I read so many mixed reviews about RV mfg.'s and models that I've come to the conclusion that, short of buying really high end stuff (Airstream, etc.), the difference in mid level market products varies by fractions.  There have been so much consolidation of companies that it stands to reason many of the materials and build methods are starting to morph. 

As to new vs. used, again lots of opinions but, much like buying cars and trucks, I personally hate the idea of being the one that absorbs that initial depreciation hit.
 
My first TT was a used Jayco and it was GREAT.  I have not problems with used trailers as it will save you a lot of money.  I now have a 2016 Jayco White Hawk and my experiences have be so so.  As far as quality goes, they are almost the same.  Look at floor plan and size along with weight.  I prefer an aluminum frame trailer over wood for better strength.  I would look at a 50 amp unit verses a 30 amp because of power needs with the family.  Holding tank size for dry camping and storage needs.  Also, is it solar ready?  May not be a concern for you but it is nice to have if you want it.  Can you turn around in the shower or move freely to bend and wash yourself?  Learned that one with our first TT.  Anyway a lot to think about and this is the place to ask questions.  Whatever you decide, its your money and you get what you like and works for the family.  Good luck.
 
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