I looked at three Carri-Lites today. All had full body paint---looked really nice. And stickered at $125-127. Two were sold.
I've looked at these before---but took a little harder look today. I was interested in a "Carriage" several years ago---a trim level above the CarriLite. I liked them.
I tend to like lighter colors---wood and all. Seems the current trend is darker wood and such. One thing I hadn't noticed before that I kinda liked was the wood "paneling" on the exterior of the bath/entry way and in the kitchen.
Also saw a Redwood, some folks here have been calling them "high end". Well, the Redwood was no where close to the CarriLites. And the CarriLites aren't top end, that would be the Royal. So---Redwood has a really long way to go.
Really too bad Carriage is gone--as well as Teton and Travel Supreme.
Yep, actually drove to all of these places---in the last eight years. Missed Rhode Island and New Jersey.
Don't know what we will buy next. Had my heart set on a Cameo. Have not found anything that compairs. Sure hope they are back in business someday.
Mobile Suites are nice but not looking to buy a monster truck to pull one
Not sure what you mean by "relatively minor floorplan modification, but Carriage was totally inflexible".
In March 2011 we order a Cameo and wanted to make changes. We wanted a larger couch and have it moved to the rear. Carriage had to make special end tables to fill in. We also wanted euro-chairs that were not standard. We asked for some handicap features. Carriage was willing to make these changes and made some suggests in addition for us. We found them great to work with and are real happy with our new Cameo.
2011 Cameo 34SB3
2008 Chevy D/A, Smartair Air Springs, Trailer Saver BD3 Air Hitch, Mor/Ryde pin box, IS Suspension, Disk Brakes
Nights Camped in 2011 - 165
Nights Camped in 2012 - 142
Nights Camped in 2013 - 101
I agree with many of the above posts----the high ends left are HH,DRV,Excel, and New Horizons--not sure about the newest Newmars. The other brands mentioned in this post may be very nice,but they are a definite cut below in quality and cost.I am on my third high end---Alpenlite to Travel Supreme, to Mobile Suite. Before the last, I really wanted a Carri Lite with some relatively minor floorplan modification, but Carriage was totally inflexible. I see that inflexibility as a total insensitivity to market realities which must have contributed to its demise. In contrast, DRV seems to be thriving in a tough economy---and those folks are FLEXIBLE in spades.
We have a carri lite Carriage and have towed it coast to coast. Have put on approx 30,000 or 40,000 miles and it is holding up well. Since we are full time for last 3 years and bought this one for full time use, it has been great. This is the 4th fiver we have owned. Last two have been bought new. Carriage we ordered built new from factory.
Carriage made their own frames and the slides come out between the frames, is one of the reasons we bought a Carriage and several other reasons. Did research on Carriage 5th wheels for about a year before we ordered it.
2008 dodge 5500, diesel,Laramie
2008 Carriage Carri-Lite, 36SBQ, 4 slides,dishwasher,washer/dryer,2 fireplaces,6500 gen.
D & D
Two Schnauzers and a BIG cat
A salesman at what had been my local Carriage dealer, Toscano RV of Los Banos, California, told me that ALL of their Carriage Royale sales in the past ten years had been for park use (i.e., immobile). All their Carriage customers who actually moved around with their RV's bought other Carriage lines.
Toscano RV still has some Carriage 5th wheels, including some of its "new" Cabo line. I did a side by side comparison of a Cabo to a KZ Stoneridge several months ago, and they didn't seem much different in quality. The Carriage Cabo, though, had an aluminum cage construction with the same frame as a Carriage Cameo, and differed only in having the slides cut into the frame instead of appearing above the frame as in Cameos, Carri-Lites and Royales.
I like the idea of an aluminum cage with a really sturdy frame, but the only ones available in my area are either Crossroads Cruisers (whose local dealer had an "F" rating with the Better Business Bureau which has improved to a "D-") or no-longer-warrantied Carriages. Crossroads Cruisers are good vacation RV's.
I was just about to get my first RV,and would probably have gotten a Cabo, but had to postpone buying for family reasons. I still intend to get a part-timing model in a few years when I retire too, but would not like to pay for a high-end line. Hopefully some dealer with a better BBB rating will offer Crossroads Rushmores by then. The KZ Stoneridge looks OK but the KZ owners forum is dead. The Crossroads forum is doing fine. My only problem with a Keystone Montana is that I'd like to get something which sturdier as I expect highways will become a lot worse in the next few years due to lack of maintenance.
Closed. The topic has been covered and moved on to another topic.
Frank
2011 Palomino Maverick 1000SLLB on a 2004 Dodge Quadcab CTD Ram3500 SRW long bed equipped with Timbren springs, Stable Load bump stops, Rickson 19.5" wheels/"G" range tires and a Helwig "Big Wig" rear anti sway bar.
Traveler II wrote: Not sure what you mean by "relatively minor floorplan modification, but Carriage was totally inflexible".
In March 2011 we order a Cameo and wanted to make changes. We wanted a larger couch and have it moved to the rear. Carriage had to make special end tables to fill in. We also wanted euro-chairs that were not standard. We asked for some handicap features. Carriage was willing to make these changes and made some suggests in addition for us. We found them great to work with and are real happy with our new Cameo.
Well, three different dealers checked on the mods I wanted and came back negative. Yours admittedly were even more minor than what I wanted. I wanted a rear tv as in one floorplan with the entertainment center on off door side a simple finished area with no cabinetry. I started this request again this fall and had no answer, but an "unlikely" from a long-time dealer. Glad youre happy with your Cameo.
Offline
