I should apologize too. I am sorry if you took my original post to mean I was offended, I wasn't. I just don't understand the reason everyone is exicted about this. It doesn't change the fact that a holding company bought FFT and that they will probably turn around and sell it to the highest bidder in a few years if they can make it profitable again. I suspect that they wanted the Coleman name for just that reason, an attempt to bring back the image associated with the name from a long time ago to help increase profits.
I, for one, don't buy into it and will be looking elsewhere for my next new camper even though the floorplan of the current Westlake model is my favorite of all. I just won't take a chance on buying from a company with such an uncertain future. I know they may all go some day, but at least it isn't as obvious with the other brands as it is this one! I wish this had happened before I bought my used Coleman by Fleetwood. I would not have bought it due to worries about parts avialability in the future. That was one of the reasons I did buy it, I imagined they would be avaialable for a long time as they have been and probably still are. Who knows about a couple of years from now?
Thanks for the post. However, the Coleman name means garbage to me and many I know that camp and are familar with their products. Their tents are about the worst. I have yet to see quality as bad on any other along with water leaks.
The name means little if not poor quality today so this could be a curse to the new camper manufacturer.
Coleman does make a few good things which are obviously made by another company. I like their laterns, stoves, grills, and sleeping bags. The rest is garbage IMO. For that sake, even their quality of their stoves and grills has really suffered lately. They use to be built solid. Now they're only slightly better than brinkman, redhead, and ozark trail brands which I believe are all brinkman made.
I LOVE my '83 Coleman Jamestown Ltd.! Even bought the rear bunk and canvas(originally had just a front bunk/tent).....it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'!! (After 130,000 miles, and on a relatively new 3,500# axle/springs, w/brakes and 13" wheels & tires!)
One of the best $800 investments I've made! Even the original tan w/brown graphics are in good shape....
J
This is good news. Coleman IS camping. My first trailer was a Coleman PU, Fleetwood-made or not. I also prize my Coleman lanterns and stoves dating back to 1954.
There will be something right again when new Colemans are on the market, despite that I am no longer in that market. Like probably a lot of us, whenever we go camping, we like to look at other campers' rigs. I especially enjoy the Popups, like Coleman as we have a lot of great memories with 'em.
* This post was
edited 08/06/08 06:46pm by matt7591 *
As far as tents go, the tent that I've used that's leaked the worst was a Eureka. The cat in the Coleman next to me stayed dry, though, as did the guy in the Columbia and the one in the Guide Series. I have since ditched the Eureka and purchased a large family Guide Series tent and a smaller three man Columbia tent. Neither of them have leaked a drop.
I'm not sure when this became a Coleman bashing thread, all I meant to do was point out that the purchaser of the Fleetwood Folding Division was reentering a license agreement with Coleman.
All the Coleman products I've ever owned have been fine. My lantern is one of my favorite pieces of equipment, and it's a Coleman. My Coleman Cool Zephyr fan/lights have performed flawlessly and turned what could have been a crazy miserable night in a tent into a bearable night in a tent. My Coleman stove hasn't missed a lick since it was purchased in 1973. I wouldn't trade my Coleman 5 Day cooler for any other cooler I've ever seen.
Does everything bearing their logo perform flawlessly forever. No. But few things do, no matter who makes them.
The only name that is synonymous with garbage in the rv world to me is Forest River. But unless someone specifically asks me about their quality I don't feel the need to start swinging my bashing stick. This was merely to point out that the Coleman name would once again be on campers. I thought it was interesting.
* This post was
edited 08/06/08 05:57pm by jtbeck *
Me (69), DW (69), DD (95), DS (00), DS (01) and 1 camping toy fox terrier (08)
95 Fleetwood Utah, 02 Ford Explorer Limited (V8)
campingrandma wrote: Coleman built camping trailers in their plant in Somerset, PA until 1989. Coleman owned and operated the plant.
Wow, I didn't know my 1985 Coleman Newport was made by just Coleman. I thought it was made by Fleetwood. I wonder if it is a collectors item. Well, it's not for sale because I'm still using it. :-)
I may have this all confused, but didn't Fleetwood just buy the rights to use their name on campers? That would be when they quit manufacturing PUPs, but what about all the other stuff? The stoves, sleeping bags, etc., etc.? Did it all happen at the same time?
I should probably just look it up online, but my laziness gene is kicking in!
Actually there is no "Coleman" company. It exists solely as a brand name owned by, last time I checked, a company called American Home. Which also licenses the Sunbeam name.
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