camper trailers to stay away from

[wolf308]

Was alomost gonna buy a camper trailer this year,but had to put it off till next year.

cant make up my mind which brand to get.

wanted a 22-24 ' trailer ,what brands are the best bang for the buck/which ones to stay away from????

i wanted the model/style that had the large bed up front

thanx for your time friends

[Shaggy]

Stay away from Jayco Jay Flight. I bout one a few years ago and its falling apart. Cheap parts, and cheaply put together.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Our family likes our Travelaires, if you don't mind buying used. One RV tech recommended redoing the caulking at all the seams, though as the original workmanship was lacking.

There's a nice hardwall with a great layout in the buy and sell section (I would have bought one like that if my truck could have pulled it...)

[archercurt]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Stay away from Jayco Jay Flight. I bout one a few years ago and its falling apart. Cheap parts, and cheaply put together.

All trailers today are built the exact same way, with the exact same parts. I fix these things evry day and have seen a bit of evrything. IMHO the hardwall forest river products are prob the best bang for your buck. The thing to remember is most any tin wall travel trailer is classified as "entry level" and with that quotation comes a little less than satisfactory fit and finish. The above poster is correct the travelaires are one of the better if you can find a good used one, it's really to bad the whent out of business. I guess the moral of the story is, if you are buying a bran new trailer.... Pick the one you like and buy it. Get all the bugs worked out and fixed on warranty in the "year" of warranty and hope for the best! You will never have a perfect Rv that wont have a problems. Let us know how you make out!

[Wileycoyote]

I personally am a big fan of the Tango. It is made by Pacific Coach Works and so far has been awesome. I got the 289BH model which is half ton towable but does push the limits when loaded with gear. I would suggest checking them out....they have a great 257 model....I think it is around 24 feet.

[beerhunter]

Originally Posted by Wileycoyote

I personally am a big fan of the Tango. It is made by Pacific Coach Works and so far has been awesome. I got the 289BH model which is half ton towable but does push the limits when loaded with gear. I would suggest checking them out....they have a great 257 model....I think it is around 24 feet.

I would agree these are a very good model. I have seen the factory in California and it is a very cool operation.

[ditch donkey]

I would stay away from anything with the words, "lite, light, flight, or sport." such models, tend to made a little more on the cheap side.

I havn't owned alot of trailers, but I look at alot of them. And unless you start spending some fairly major dollars, they are all fairly similar. Same Magic Chef stove-oven combo, same size fridge, same thermostat, same toilet. Site some have nicer fake wood, but it's still fake. Some have nicer wall paper, but it's just a giant sticker.

Layout is as much a consideration as quality, aswell as storage. Also, how long will you have this trailer? Will you have kids in the next 2-3 years? I bought mine when I was single working on the road, and it served me excellent, but now married with a brand new boy, our trailer needs will be different for the next few years.

Ultimately, find a layout you like, assess the quality of the build, and go from there. Make sure there is enough Axel underneath, something my traer and alot of others lack in.

Myself, I like the Jayco line. And my next one will be used, there are tons of them out there that are 2,3,4,5 years old, practicly brand new.

Good luck, let us know what you decide on.

[huntin]

Stay away from anything made by fleetwood

[Tankman]

IMHO the hardwall forest river products are prob the best bang for your buck.



......and I've got one for SALE !!
TANKMAN

[Albertadiver]

Nash or arctic fox.

I had a puma 19ft, and just bought a used 22H arctic fox. The difference in quality is outstanding. There's very few fox's for sale in alberta (used) and I picked mine up in montana.

It has so many 'little' things that add up to make a huge difference in quality.

More info here..

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=96435

[psd911]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Stay away from Jayco Jay Flight. I bout one a few years ago and its falling apart. Cheap parts, and cheaply put together.

I have had the Jayco Jay Flight for 5 years now. Been all over the north and Alaska and the unit has held up great. Only issue was with some caulking on the tub kit. It's good to me.

[beerhunter]

Originally Posted by huntin

Stay away from anything made by fleetwood

Fleetwood went out of business a few years ago so you won't find any new ones. Some of their models are OK. Prowler/Terry. Just like all the brands there are some lemons.

Jayco is all around one of the best manufacturers in the business. They have everything from entry level to luxury.

[new2ab]

Stay away from Jayco's if you can. They have some excellent floorplans, but that's where it stops. Our experience is that they are nothing but a money pit. Issues over the past few years were too numerous to mention, but latest is frame cracking on paved highway. their materials aren't up to snuff.

Many $$ in repairs. Cost half again and problems still not solved.

[BigBuck$]

Go to a few dealers and instead of looking inside crawl under the trailer and have a look at the frame and axles first. The better built trailers will have heavy axles and 16" rims. Next have a look at the cabinets,good trailers will have plywood drawers not the cheap OSB junk that will fall apart the first time you hit a bump.

Like someone had mentioned earlier the lite models are built with less strength than the regular models. This is great if you want to pull a 30 foot trailer with your smart car but they won't stay together.

Watch some of the floor plans as well, while some of them look nice they can be a pain later on. My parents have a 5th wheel with a rear kitchen and a master bathroom in the front. Nice layout but the water heater is near the back so if you want hot water in the bathroom you have to run all the water from 25 feet on line out before it gets hot, this fills up the holding tanks in a hurry!

Some of the better ones are the Canadian built one like Triple E, TravelAire etc but they have all pretty much gone out of business because they could not compete with the cheap American built trailers.

I bought a Cougar 2 years ago. I has the "polar package" on it with the thermo-pane windows and insulated tanks. I was surprised last fall when i went to winterize it they did not put in a manifold to suck antifreeze though the plumbing (apparently that was an option) but yet it has polar package stickers all over the thing???

I'm happy with it but like anything you find all the faults once it is sitting in the driveway...

Good luck with your trailer!

[elkbrooks]

If your looking and serious about what you get, try looking at the Silver Fox trailers. they are a bit more money although are built! Great trailer.

[elkbrooks]

Sorry I meant to say Arctic Fox. Thanks

[Albertadiver]

arctic fox is so well made it blows everyone else out of the water. Not only the weather resistant construction, but the rest of the fit and finish of the trailer is simply AMAZING!

[beltburner]

i have a 04 24' komfort trailblazer i'll sell you..triple bunk in back and queen in front

[Boss442]

I have a 2006 Jayco Jay Flight rls I bought when it was a year old. The only disapointment since owning it was that the linoleum flooring cracked our second year during the winter, other than that it has been awsome!

[6gunner]

I love my arctic fox 235 and my okanagan truck camper. I had a Komfort Kampsite and it was junk.

[Mike_W]

Buddy is having nothing but problems with his new Tango
Pretty happy with my fleetwood prowler regal

[coldredneck]

We picked up a Vanguard in 2004 just as the origional company went under.
They were made in North Battleford and it has been absolutly zero problems.
Solid wood oak cabinet doors with plywood used everywhere ( IE : NO chipboard or MDF)
Highly recommend you look at a hardside. the extra weight is worth it for the extra resistance to flex.

[Mickey]

I have an original Vanguard as well from 2004. It is a tank. It is heavier than alot of the newer models, but I get apprehensive when looking at all of the new ones because I know that the particle board just wont hold up as well.

I have found alot of models that I like, but they come with the blasted outside kitchen that I am just not a fan of. I would rather have the extra storage.

[Coldone]

We picked up a 2008 Jayco FLight.. Other then the previously stated floor lino cracking.. it's pretty much the only issue I've had with the trailer that I didn't cause myself.. Even then it was covered under warranty.. Oh the Joys of new trailer owners.. Next time however.. I'll be selling off the trailer and building on the lake lot.. the cost to haul it anywhere just blows my mind..

[artie]

check the welds holding on the spring shackles. I bought a new mallard fifth wheel in 92 and soon that company went out of business. I was driving down the road and a the back axle, springs and wheels fell off. I checked the welds and they were terrible. how can something like back axle welds have been done so terrible? I brought it home and welded the crap out of it and since then it has been good.

[skidderman]

What about Kodiack? I like the idea of a fiberglass roof but don't know much else about them.

[Ishpah]

Originally Posted by skidderman

What about Kodiack? I like the idea of a fiberglass roof but don't know much else about them.

I sold my 1995 Kodiak 8½ ft extended cabover camper for $8500 this past August. They hold their value like no other. Of course, two days after selling it I was in major regret mode.
Just bought a '07 FunFinder XTRA toy hauler by Cruiser RV. Anybody got the good, bad or ugly on these units?