Are Keystone Cougars the same quality they use to be?

[oregonnativekory]

Hi there,

I did a quick search but was unable to find an exact answer.

I am looking at purchasing another Keystone Cougar to full time in and am wondering if they are still the same quality? I lived in a 2007 Cougar for 3 years with no issues aside from normal wear and tear. I was very happy with the quality and am looking to purchase another Cougar anywhere from 2010 to 2017. Are they still as good and built more like a home than other trailers? Im not concerned about weight as it will be in one spot. Any other great brands you would recommend for full timing? Any input or advice is much appreciated.

 

[Prior member]

I don't know the answer, but if you don't get any answer then see if you can find out who the principal owner is now, and if they have changed hands be alert.

In my case, I never had a Forest River, but knew that in the past they were a reliable travel trailer, so this past year we sprung for a new one, based on the floor plan.  Since October we have had nothing but one problem after another and their workmanship is horrendous.
The tech that has handled our warrantee problems that I could not take care of on my own and seems very knowledgeable told me that except for the few high end RV manufacturers, almost all of them are now owned by two people and just about all of them have terrible quality and poor workmanship.

jack L

 

[scottydl]

From my experience (ownership and this forum) I don't think there have been considerable differences in building techniques/materials from 2007 until now.  The majority of entry/mid level RV's are built with "sticks and staples" (on the inside anyway) and can have related problems.  Added components such as A/C, furniture, awnings, motors, pumps, even roof vents, etc. are usually made by a small number of 3rd-party companies and not the RV maker itself.

For most RV'ing including fulltiming, I'd be less concerned with year/make/model, and more concerned with the features/options you liked about the 2007 Keystone you had and the condition/care of any used RV you buy.  Depending on your climate and whether you'll be moving the RV around (or parked in one place most of the year) might determine what class of RV you should consider.

 

[Triple Slide Jayco]

Agree, poor craftmanship on all. Cheap materials and cheap high production labor= you get what you get.

Pay a visit to a dealer and walk the lot, look at things with a conscious eye on quality workmanship, you will be shocked.

One outdoor speaker higher than the other, dings and scratches on interior and exterior parts, unlevel unstraight lines everywhere, rust beginning to start on brand new metal.

When I asked the sales guy about the bad quality, he said that the "quality control guys on the lot will fix this stuff after we agree to a price, blah blah blah. " I laughed.

My opinion, they are all cheap, however the nice add on accessories and higher end features such as more and larger slides etc. open floor plans, upgraded appliances, lighting, really make them nice. All the bells and whistles is the way to go, but the price really goes up.! Buy a loaded used one.

 

[Dodgersmom]

I guess this should make me feel better about the horrific experience we've had with the NEW Winnebago Towable we purchased last April.  It's been a disappointing purchase as far as quality and the trips back for warranty work.  Among many issues, our rig actually had a window in the main slid-out that was installed UPSIDE DOWN!  It took us a couple of times cleaning up inside puddles before we noticed where the leak was coming from.  I mean who looks for a window that's installed upside down? 

We pulled around a 2001 Prowler for 10 years (purchased used) and never had any issues that we considered poor quality.  In fact, I?d love to have that Prowler back right now.  Headed in for more warranty fixes next week.  After 5 camping trips, the awning motor has failed.  :-[ 

I asked the Tech one time if the number of problems we've had is typical for Winnebago and if we had just chosen the wrong brand.  He said that it?s typical for all brands now days.  Although, he had never seen a window installed upside down in his 28 years in the business.  :-\

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A major problem with RVs is that quality is terribly inconsistent.  Two examples of the same make & model may well have entirely different quality experience for the owner, due to inconsistent manufacturing procedures, seemingly minor changes in options or layout, component substitutions, etc. A good [or bad] experience with a brand does not mean the next one will be just as good [or bad]. I don't believe you should make any assumptions based on your one good Cougar. Nor would I agree that a Cougar is "built more like a home than other trailers".  It's construction is pretty much typical for its type and price class and has little in common with residential construction.

The Cougar is a reasonably well-designed RV, but it is not Keystone's top-of-the-line in either quality or amenities. There are also multiple Cougar models, e.g. the "Half Ton", X-Light, and vanilla Cougar. They are also available as travel trailers or 5 wheels, substantially different but sharing the Cougar brand name. By all means consider another Cougar, but I would not focus on just one brand.