Need help choosing travel trailer - Coleman or Keystone

Hi all! We are new to RVing and looking to purchase a travel trailer. We've been shopping for about a year so we've looked at a bunch. We have it narrowed down to two we saw today...a used 2009 Keystone Bullet 282BHS or a new 2010 leftover Coleman CT225.  They are asking $20,500 for the used Keystone and $18,500 for the Coleman.  Any recommendations?  We like the floor plans for both. We have as 2009 Nissan Titan that can tow either.  The Coleman weighs more but it shorter (when the king size bed slide is in). The Keystone is lighter but longer. The Coleman has 2 bigger slides. The Keystone has one smaller one.  We like the bunks better in the Keystone (they're a bit bigger) but the Coleman is brand new and comes with a warranty.  There is no warranty on the Keystone b/c it's used.  Any advice?  We read the "buying a used rv" document and we will go back and look at all that stuff closer.  Anyone have any experience with Colemans? Can't find too much info or reviews online about them. Any help/advice is appreciated!

Welcome to the RV Forum.  I can't help with the pros and cons of those two trailers, but wanted to say "hello".

Not sure those are your two best options.  Here is a link (pardon the language but not mine) for Keystone; read with a grain of salt as obviously irritated customers.  Warranty support seems to be an issue.  http://keystone-rv.pissedconsumer.com/

As for Coleman, "As of January 21, 2011 FTCA, Inc. went out of business" (FTCA manufactured the trailers so beware).  Just a heads up that you may want to keep looking for some better trailers with better support.

Look at Heartland RV we have been happy with ours. Had some warranty work done and was happy with process and time. No other problems. Our dealer was great and the factory responded quickly.

I don't think the prices sound so good that I would limit myself to one of these.  But if you do, I think the warranty is worth something.  Will the local dealer honor it?  Could be worth something going forward.

As for Coleman, "As of January 21, 2011 FTCA, Inc. went out of business" (FTCA manufactured the trailers so beware).  Just a heads up that you may want to keep looking for some better trailers with better support.

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FTCA built the Coleman line of folding trailers (pop-ups). I don't think they had anything to do with the larger travel trailer brand that is in question here.

The Coleman brand name is licensed to various manufacturers - there is no single Coleman company building RVs or any other Coleman brand outdoor gear.

AvrilandEric said:

Anyone have any experience with Colemans? Can't find too much info or reviews online about them. Any help/advice is appreciated!

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We purchased a Coleman Cheyenne back in 1994 pop-up trailer. When we did our searches and reviewed various brands, they seemed to be among the better built trailers. I was always appreciative that our unit had more robust tires rather than the typical skinny ones you see on so many single axle trailers. We did not have any slides on our unit - we opted for the largest non-slide unit that we could afford at the time. The windows on ours had a heavy clear plastic to go along with the mesh and canvas window. That enabled the ability to trap the cold air from the AC or warm air from the furnace inside - much more efficient. I don't know if the build quality on the travel trailers is similar or even if the same companies manufacture them.

Never had any trouble with the unit. Finally sold it in 2002 when we made the jump to a class A. We simply outgrew the trailer.

Depending on what you choose, you might need to consider a sway control on your hitch as it greatly improves the security of the ride. That can always be added afterward. You'll know after you hitch up and go on the first trip or two.

Good luck!

Here's my two cents worth. My DW and I have a 2010 Coleman CT250. We love it. The layout is perfect for just the two of us and we've enjoyed many week long outings this year with very few problems. We got ours at Camping World, which I believe is the exclusive dealer, and as a leftover 2010 model at a considerable deal, about $10K off the 2010 MSRP. The only issues that we've had have been with the AC unit and the TV.  First our Northeast Region official insect the "Stink" Bug had found it's way into the drain and plugged it up causing water to drip inside and the other was during a particularly humid week the AC froze up due to exclusively using the ceiling duct work and not allowing enough air volume to pass through the unit. The bugs were cleaned out and I've learned to leave the main vents open during high humidity and there has been no other issues. The TV wasn't hooked up correctly and the warranty took care of that.
What you ultimately decide to get should be based upon your own desires and needs. We're happy with our Coleman and should be for some time to come.
Happy Camping
Mike

I had a Coleman popup (different than the new Coleman TTs) and I have a Keystone Outback now, which is our second Outback. Both Outbacks have been absolutely fantastic and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

The price of that Bullet should be a few thousand less than what you've been quoted. Keystone sells a ton of trailers, and like every manufacturer there are some that aren't as good, sometimes right off the same assembly line. It's been my experience to look over each individual new unit very thoroughly. For example, when we bought our current trailer, the one next to it (same year, make, etc.) didn't look as good as the one we actually bought (little things like the slide out seal wasn't as tight, etc.). Stupid, but true in a lot of instances.

For used units, you're at the mercy of your good common sense since you rarely know the history of what you're buying and are subject to a sales pitch, or how much the seller wants you to know. Now, that doesn't always mean you can't get a great deal, but you just have to be more of a detective there and devise your own checklist to ensure the big stuff looks as good as can be (slide outs work as designed, no delamination/warping of exterior, no water damage inside, etc.). There are many great checklists online for this, so arm yourself with a good one for peace of mind checking out used units. (And, this would also apply for new ones, too).

I actually like the new Coleman TTs a lot. Saw them at an RV show last year. Really impressed with what you get for that price-point. If I could only choose between the Coleman and used Bullet, I'd probably go with the new Coleman, because it's new and you have a warranty at least for some items for the first year. 

Make sure you really do your research because there are a lot of great deals on new units out there if you're ultimately looking in that ~$20k range. The markups on new trailers are NOT what you actually end up paying for them, so keep that in mind when you look. I've often mentioned checking with Holman and Lakeshore RV on here when looking at TTs online because they tend to have the best prices around and they deliver. If nothing else, they can help you know a true retail price and help you in your local negotiations if you end up going new.

Hope this helps somewhat! Best of luck in your search!

Ehh the search continues. We will definetly check out those websites! Hopefully we can report back soon what we end up with! Theres just too many choices!!!

We went with the used 2009 Keystone Bullet. Got it for $17,400. Hope that was a good deal! Pick it up Friday! We are very excited!

Congratulations!! Have fun in the new trailer!!