I think just about every mfr. has put out a lemon or two in their day, whereas they may put a good/great product as well. Maybe if you can list some speccifics that you are looking for in a trailer or maybe a few models of interest, then we can help point out some things.
I had a few small problems with mine when it was new. The dealer took care of them and very happy with my purchase. Look over what you want to buy workmanship ect. Look over the service department to see if its a functioning operation or a mess. I felt pretty comfortable after that.
There are no shortcuts to the answer. It’s a question that probably can’t be answered except by ploughing through the nearly endless threads where quality is discussed. No one, not even those who have owned many RVs from different manufacturers, can offer a valid global assessment of a given company’s products. They can only draw from and share accounts of their own experiences with that example, which necessarily excludes the thousands of other examples also produced by the same company. So, you have to read, read, read, until you glean a sense of the collective experience of this very well informed forum with a particular manufacturer.
Take a flashlight and a mirror to an RV show or dealer's lot and inspect a few in places where the manufacturer doesn't expect you to look. You'll know right away.
When I bought my current motorhome in 1988 I did just that, and found a number of rigs with wood where there should have been metal, with unfinished sharp edges, with visible instead of concealed staples, with goopy sealing, etc.
Another "fun" thing to do is take a measuring tape, and measure the distance from the top of the window frames to the bottom of the overhead cabinets. Do this at a few windows and at both ends of windows. I sorta expected the numbers to be all the same. Nope. You'll be surprised at how sloppy construction can be.
It turns out the rigs that didn't pass my inspection were either made by companies that have since gone out of business or currently appear at the bottom of the various quality and satisfaction lists to be found on the Internet.
Tom and Lynne
Tom is an Electronics Engineer, Lynne a retired teacher.
old rig is a 1988 Winnebago Superchief, currently on tour with the Blue Turtle Seduction (band)
new rig is a 2003 Foretravel 38' U295
We have had 6 TT over the last 40 years and they all use about the same equipment, some may be a little fancier & some a little plainer. If your are looking for something you will enjoy spend time in find a floor plan that's just right for you and your wife. If the TT is comfortable you can fix the lose screws and rattles with little effort & they all have them.
I think the best way to find out if one is bad over another is by personal experiences. If we all list our negative experiences with our TT's then that can help by taking into account what you might be getting into. If several people with the same TT have the same problem, well then you know to possibly avoid that brand. Also, look at what people say about their TT in a positive light because even though there might be a few problems here and there, that doesn't mean one must write that company off completely. So with all that said...I will share by negatives and positives. My TT is a Four Winds 18b Lite (23') TT made by Dutchman. I had to have the water pump replaced in the first year as the check valve that was built into it failed. I also had one drawer slide fail just recently (we have had our TT for a year this past June) and it looks like the drawer hardware broke. I am certain that it is out of warranty, but it also won't be a difficult fix. At the end of last season, I cleaned the whole TT and had my dealer winterize it and stored it outside in my back yard. In the spring, I cleaned and inspected everything and found the caulk around the TV antenna was failing and so when I had them de-winterize it, they took care of that. That's the extent of my problems. Keep in mind that some problems may be prevented by proper care, cleaning and inspection. Overall, my Four Winds (Dutchman) has been a great TT and I would consider another in the future. As for the dealer, it is important to find one that you can trust. Ask to look in their service bays to get a feel for how it looks. If it's a dirty mess, then you can possibly glean some views from that just as if it's well organized and clean. Remember, when they prep your TT for delivery, it will all happen in that same service shop. Good luck and happy camping!
2008 Rockwood Signature Series 8314SS
2001 Ford Excursion w/V10 6.8L
Reese WD Hitch w/HPDC
There can be drastic differences in the quality of 2 RVs which have come down an assembly line one after the other. They all will have "glitches" that the factory didn't bother to fix. Much more important than who manufactured the RV is finding a dealership with a reputation of standing behind whatever they sell. If you find such a dealer, you will be happy with just about any major manufacturer, and usually, the smaller ones, too.
2003 GMC Sierra Crew HD; 6.0L; Prodigy
2006 Thor Tundra 30RL-DSL; Reese Strait-Line & Dual-cam HP
2001 Honda Elite Scooter
Jim & Gayle Bryant
Murphy's Law: "Anything that CAN happen, WILL."
Bryant's Law: "31 years of RVing? Probably already HAS."
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