Looking for some input from those who are WAY more experienced in purchasing. I've found the layout I like, Also found the manufacturer I like but having trouble deciding between the glass siding or the metal siding. I've heard a few rumors about each but i'm looking for the pros and cons of each from those who have been there.
pilotparamedic wrote: Looking for some input from those who are WAY more experienced in purchasing. I've found the layout I like, Also found the manufacturer I like but having trouble deciding between the glass siding or the metal siding. I've heard a few rumors about each but i'm looking for the pros and cons of each from those who have been there.
Thanks!
Fiberglass, filon, whichever is much easier to keep clean than the metal siding...Having owned both over a lot of years, I'm speaking from experience that "I" think the smooth fiberglass/filon type siding is much easier to clean and keep clean.
Pros and Cons? I see far more Pros for the fiberglass/filon type siding than I do for the metal sideing. Cleaning being the major factor to me....
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Our toyhauler is metal and our Son's, same year as ours, who stores it in our lot has fiberglass. Seeing him cleaning, polishing, and waxing his when it gets oxidized doesn't look like much fun. I use car soap in water, a long handled brush then hose it off andI have a shiny trailer again.. IMO..
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The metal siding is aluminum. It has advantages and disadvantages. It's painted with automotive quality paint, so caring for it is easy. It does get "dings" but doesn't delaminate. Smooth Filon can delamiate, is easy to repair and care for, can still get dents and holes.
We've had both, our current Jayco is Aluminum and tho' 8 years old is still shiney and looks new. Most RV brands seem to keep at least on lineup of aluminum sided RV's available. And there are aluminum sided trailers in the RV Museum and on the road that are 60 and 70 years old and going strong.
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Jerrybo66 wrote: Our toyhauler is metal and our Son's, same year as ours, who stores it in our lot has fiberglass. Seeing him cleaning, polishing, and waxing his when it gets oxidized doesn't look like much fun. I use car soap in water, a long handled brush then hose it off andI have a shiny trailer again.. IMO..
ditto. My Class C has a metal skin. I had a cabover leak repaired last summer at a shop down by Eugene, OR and the techs there said that many times it is easier to work on rigs that have the "older" thicker-walled, heavier houses like mine. The traded off is in fuel mileage - I get 5 to 7 MPH - 8 with a tail wind, maybe.
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Glass is nicer looking and is easier to clean. Aluminum is lighter and cheaper to buy and repair. It’s also more subject to hail damage than glass. Personally I prefer aluminum; the advantages outweigh the minuses to me. And also, glass tends to develop a yellow cast from the sun in my area that I don’t like and I hear too many complaints of delamination.
Jerrybo66 wrote: Our toyhauler is metal and our Son's, same year as ours, who stores it in our lot has fiberglass. Seeing him cleaning, polishing, and waxing his when it gets oxidized doesn't look like much fun. I use car soap in water, a long handled brush then hose it off andI have a shiny trailer again.. IMO..
Don't understand the, "when it oxidizes" part of it...You keep up with the cleaning, wash and wax it just like I do any metal finishes I ever owned and I have had no oxidation issues. Guess if you let it go, it'll be a bear to clean up later down the road....I never did that. I've seen metal cover type units, and I don't mean like an Airstream, I'm talking like the rest of them that are set up like aluminum siding...you let those go for a while and it'll take some real elbow grease to get them clean.
bottom line, both should fair well if washed and waxed as they should be...mine still looks as good as the day it left the lot..no oxidation to deal with...I use car soap and a long handled brush also and hose it off....once or twice a year I wax the whole thing....no big deal, I just think the plexiglass/filon type covering looks better and cleans up easier than the regular metal type covering....again, not talking about an airstream, they're pretty easy to take care of also...doubt OP meant that type because he didn't say anything about an Air Stream...big difference.
have never had any de-lamination issues either, but again, I'm just comparing what "I've" owned since 75' and most of that has been aluminum covered TT's and 5er's...only owned the fiberglass/filon type covered units since 03.
Had both, we prefer the fiberglass. Easier to clean and doesn't get dinged up so easy.
Chuck
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If it doesn't delaminate, the filon looks a lot nicer. If it does delaminate, a person could wish they had aluminum instead.
My last trailer had aluminum, and I had to remove some of it to repair some rotted wood. It took some time but was not hard. If I had filon delamination I doubt I would do it myself. It is a major job. All that said, I own a filon trailer and wouldn't hesitate to buy a filon trailer again. Just make sure there is no delam, and make sure to keep up with seam maintenance.
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