Travel Trailers-Is there really any difference?

[jonhuffington]

Over the past month I have look online for a new TT.  Over the past week I have been to 4 different dealers.
What I have found in the $25K and under market (new only) is that the TT's don't seem to be much different.

They have the same floorplans, they are constructed with the same materials, heck they are even made in the same area.  Is there really any difference?  Sure there are some small differences, such as one has a glassed in shower and the other has a curtain, but nothing really of any great consequence.
 
So honestly, at this price point, any difference?

Thanks,
Jon

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Not a whole lot. But do check the little details once you find one that suits you. Sometimes a manufacturer will skimp on something important in order to provide an extra, or sometimes they just overbuild on a platform. The industry is rife with examples of models that are stretching their weigh  limits, overloading tires/axles, etc.

 

[jonhuffington]

Gary,
Kind of what I thought. 

So if they are similar, would it be more beneficial to focus on the company building the TT?  I have narrowed it down to the North Trail (Heartland), Cruiser (Crossroads), Kodiak (Dutchmen), and Ever-Lite (Evergreen).  I know the first 3 are all under the Thor umbrella?  Does Thor make a quality product?  Do they provide good after the sale support? 

I really like the Ever-Lite, but I'm afraid of it being such a new company.  Any thoughts?

Thanks as always.

Jon

P.S. I did purchase the J.R. Consumer ratings guide.  Both Heartland and Evergreen scored very well.  The others did ok too.

 

[seilerbird]

I personally would not pay much attention to the name of the manufacturer. All they really do is buy a bunch of subsystems and assemble them into an RV. They are six of one and a half a dozen of another to me. What I feel is more important is floor plan. If you are not in love with the floor plan you will never really love the RV. And if the wife doesn't love the floor plan then forget about it.

 

[Phil Hyde]

I would also think where you buy is equally if not more important than what you buy.  I would try to choose a well-established and reputable dealer.  I've seen a few people report that a particular dealer went out of business after a sale.  I wouldn't like to have to search around for warranty support.

 

[carson]

TomS, don't take this the wrong way....

  You seem to hung up on floor plans. Great for a medium or large Motorhome. But in small trailers <25K the floor plans are obviously very limited. Bedroom, Loo and sitting/eating area. That's about it.

  Re-read Gary's post which is more important in considering quality.

JMHO.. Carson

 

[seilerbird]

There is no other way to take your extremely rude remark. So what if I am hung up on floor plans? I am offering my opinion. You don't seem to understand everyone has an opinion and everyone else's stinks. I guess that in the future we should all just let Gary answer every question since you don't approve on my opinion. I didn't think Gary's opinion was very good personally. If you don't like my posts then leave me alone.

"Before I reply to a post I always ask myself... can I contribute anything of value?"

And the answer is usually no, especially in this last post.

 

[Icemaker]

There is no other way to take your extremely rude remark. So what if I am hung up on floor plans? I am offering my opinion. You don't seem to understand everyone has an opinion and everyone else's stinks. I guess that in the future we should all just let Gary answer every question since you don't approve on my opinion. I didn't think Gary's opinion was very good personally. If you don't like my posts then leave me alone.

Hey for what it's worth...I think you were wrongly blindsided...

 

[Lowell]

I agree with seilerbirds's first post.  When we were looking for a TT, we saw the same appliances in all mfg TTs.  But there is quite a bit of differences in floor plans. Kitchens in front versus kitchen in back, one entry door or two, bedroom enclosed or not, bunk beds versus recliners, etc, etc. And a lot of people change their minds and decide on a different floor plan after a year or two in the RV. I suspect we looked at 8-12 different manufacturers TTs and I only saw one brand that I thought was a cut above the rest in regards to quality.  I didn't buy that brand due to its very high expense and a dealer that wouldn't deal.  Have heard since that that brand (Pilgrim) has gone out of business but don't know for sure.

 

[ArdraF]

In my opinion the floor plan is of utmost importance regardless of the RV type, e.g. motorhome, travel trailer, fifth wheel, toyhauler.  If you don't like the floor plan then you won't really love the rest of it either because you're "settling" for second- or third-best.

ArdraF

 

[path]

Depends on what you consider a difference?  Some things might mean a lot to the individual.  We were so impressed with a 4 burner stove we overlooked things such as a walk around bed.  Turns out the 4 burner stove doesn't make that big of a difference after all .  We thought we would not like 2 doors on a 22 footer.  Turned out to be real handy in summer when boondocking. But they all have basically the same components.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

If I was to do it all over again... I would still look at floorplan, work space (counter space), and trailer frame construction.

Like a post above its all the same part more or less inside... Just placed the parts in different places. But since I travel dirt roads with my TT I figured I better have a strout frame. The dealer was very smart and had taught us what to look for...  8)

 

[Foto-n-T]

Our daughter and son-in-law are both in the RV sales industry and that has given me a little insight into these things that I otherwise wouldn't have.  There are some makers that basically have a better reputation than others.  I've owned two Thor manufactured rigs, one was made in California and the other in Illinois.  The California made rig was our first and had some issues.  The Illinois made one seems to be of a lot better quality, I think RV mechanics that have worked on both might agree that west coast Thor isn't the highest quality.

Manufacturers aside, once you've found a floor plan that suits you, I suggest if possible to take an experienced RVer with you to walk through anything that you buy, before you plunk down any money.  There are dozens of "little" things that some of us have learned to look out for that can become everything from a small annoyance to a major issue.  If you don't have an experienced RVer available to you, at least go find and independent RV repair person to talk to, NOT one that works for the dealership!!  An RV mechanic can clue you in to certain aspects of the different makers and what you might want to watch out for.  I personally would recommend "paying" a mechanic to come with you and do a walk through, he knows first hand what fails and where.  I would hope that few of us would actually purchase a truck or car without an inspection by an independent mechanic.  Of course if purchasing new, we tend to rely on the warranty to protect us, but with an RV that mechanic might just open your eyes a bit.

My wife was a service writer/office manager for an auto repair shop for years.  If I had listened to her years ago I would never have bought a Chevy Blazer and I'd still have thousands of dollars that could have been better spent on diesel fuel and beer.  Lesson learned.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Does Thor make a quality product?  Do they provide good after the sale support?

Thor is a conglomerate, owning numerous RV brands and manufacturing companies.  Some they have combined/merged and produce pretty much look-alike products, while others have been kept as independently designed products. And some brands are made in more than one factory (east vs west), with slight differences in design and quality standards (though I'm sure Thor doesn't intend that). Heartland, for example, is a recent acquisition and probably still pretty much on their own, while Thor's motorhome brands have been pretty much merged to form one product line.

I don't know about Thor after-sale support, but few trailer manufacturers have much of any direct support. They put that burden on the dealers. And low priced brands don't have much margin set aside for warranty repairs and customer support - the focus is on keeping the price down.

Evergreen may actually have an advantage in the support arena - new companies are usually trying to establish a good reputation and small companies are generally more accessible if you ahve a problem.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The floor plan variations in the range of trailers under discussion are probably not going to be great, but whatever they are, they are important to your personal enjoyment. Seemingly little things like a few extra inches in the shower or size/location of the galley work area will make the difference for each individual buyer.

 

[bttravel]

Great discussion for a newbie. Without "some" direction you can look at TT's until the cows come home and still not have a choice. I've had a TT since 1985, a 74 Shasta, 77 Layton, 04 Keystone (just sold it), a 5er down at the farm for deer season and just ordered a 2012 Grey Wolf 22' (17BH). We went to the local annual RV show and spent quite a bit of time wandering, looking, making notes, looking again and all I can say on this is the minute I stepped inside the Grey Wolf I was impressed. It just struck me as a step above the others. And when comparing prices they had everyone beat hands down by at least $2k. What really caught my attention was the factory rep was there and answered a lot of questions as did the dealer staff. They are a local family owned operation, which I like. The company was throwing in a lot of goodies free and that really helped keep the cost down and raised the value of the TT. Electric tongue jack, electric levelers, power awning, keyless entry, etc. Yeah, more things to break, but I'm mechanically capable, etc. All brands have good and bad reviews and many can be attributed to improper care or treatment. TT's are happiest when you are using them. If you get a new one that doesn't have a bug or two to be fixed you are damn lucky. This unit had a great floor plan, sleeps 6 easy and is in a good weight range. Excuse my rambling but I do agree with those that go with floor plan as a major item along with does it catch your eye along with construction. Look it over very close for fit and finish. Not just the inside but inside the storage areas and underneath. Does it look clean and correct. And inspect the roof, new or not! Go back and ask yourself, what are you looking for in a TT? Make a list of 5 or 6 major things and turn that into your shopping guide. Good luck and hope you find the perfect one. Safe travels all.

 

[jonhuffington]

Really great posts!

While I'll say that construction seemed to be very important to me at the beginning of this post, I think floorplan and dealer services are now on my radar.

I really appreciate everyone's feedback, I can't tell you how invaluable this information is to someone who has never owned an RV.

Thank You,
Jon

P.S. I hope someday to be knowledgeable enough to help others out; sometimes I feel bad that I really don't have anything to contribute at this point.

 

[jje1960]

All outstanding responses, many perspectives!  Our first TT was a hybrid expandable, 21', however with the front, back and a side fold-down, the unit was very spacious... However the kids were small, plenty of room... but wow, the noise and moisture that came through the material was.. not for me.  Our second TT was awesome, floor plan open, bunks, slide, queen bed.... fantastic memories... However, lot's of quality and maintenance issues... still having fun.... Time to really go for it.... 5Ver!  I want to haul a golf cart to save big bucks, want more room and larger bathroom, want more space...... Here we are with current unit.  Floor plans, quality, affordability... all come in and out of the experience!  Just our 2cents, the RV experience is great!

 

[seilerbird]

P.S. I hope someday to be knowledgeable enough to help others out; sometimes I feel bad that I really don't have anything to contribute at this point.

Jon - Please don't feel bad. The entire reason that Internet forums exist is to be able to get answers to your question. We are all here because we want to be here and because we enjoy helping each other out. This forum has saved me thousands of dollars over the last few years because the wonderful people here were able to answer questions and make suggestions. Please continue to ask as many questions as you wish.

 

[jonhuffington]

Tom,
I know this has nothing to do with TT's, but I followed the link from your post.  Did you take those photos?

If so, they are AMAZING!  Are you a professional photographer?

Wow!

Jon