travel trailers- from best to worst

Sometimes it is helpful to live temporarily in a travel trailer while building a new home, or to have a place to stay while working at a remote farm or property. From those who have owned them, what brands would you recommend to others, or advise against? Jack

I have a 04 Rockwood lite-weight 30 foot fifth wheel. I have had it back twice with the rear of the trailer coming lose from the frame. At the tone of 1000.00 bucks in repairs. I don't know if mine was built on a Friday before a holiday or what but I would not buy another. As far as that goes, I would not buy a lite weight travel trailer period. I think they are made too lite and won't hold up. Just my opinion. Although the roads in Mi. where I life are some of the worst in the country which doesn't help matters any.

Most of the major brands have a wide range of models which differ in quality. Following the recent recession, there have been good brands getting into financial difficulties and then being bought up by big name companies that do not support the quality of the company they just acquired. So if someone tells you a certain brand that is a 5 year old trailer is an excellent choice, it may not be true in the 2012 or 2013 models. Sunnybrook 5th wheels were excellent quality 5 years ago, but have slipped greatly in quality since they were bought out by Winnebago. This is true of many other current models as well. They are being sold on the reputation that the prior company had successfully built. Buyer beware!!

My current trailer is a 2010 Heartland Eagle Ridge. I felt it was a good compromise of cost and quality. 2 years ago Heartland got bought out by one of the big companies and the prices have gone up, and I am not sure the quality has even stayed the same.

Many trailers are sold with insufficient (my judgement) frames and tires and axles. Check the weight ratings on the axles and tires vs the trailer empty weight (on sticker on left side near front). Then add 8.3 lbs/gallon of fresh water and gray/black water, plus the RV coach batteries, plus the full LP tanks, and then add about 1500 lbs for food, clothes, portable grill, outdoor furniture, bicycles you might carry on back bumper, tools, jacks, leveling blocks, portable generator, etc, etc, and you have overloaded the suspension very quickly. Most trailers come with tires made in China with questionable quality, so they may not be able to carry their rated load (but maybe they do for 2 or 3 years).

I don't think there is any rating system from best to worst. Every manufacturer claims they are best for the price point they aim to sell at. I have been to the annual RV shows and find no "real winners". There are just too many compromises. My advice is to find something that fits your needs in the 4-6 year old used catagory and buy it for about half price of new. If the trailer has any major problems, it will have shown up by then.

Good Luck

Paul in MN

the things i learned is make sure the trailer has what they call a arctic kit on it, this does things like keep the fresh water completely inside the heated living space, preventing frozen waterlines in cold weather,as well as some other features, and on bumper pull trailers make for sure and certain the trailer has a steel frame structure in the walls, there are still some wood stud types in the cheaper lines, and they arnt worth a nickle after a few years i had one in the '80's that had the whole wall fall away from the roof, and it hadnt been pulled in 9 months also fit and finish is a good example of what the rest of the unit is like, some of these are slapped together so fast that their just junk even new

I have a 32 foot Springdale with one slide out. It is one the cheaper made/ inexpensive units but has served me well. No leaks or problems. I trailer it wherever I go and its held up well. Good value for the money.

(quoted from post at 10:26:52 03/01/13) Sometimes it is helpful to live temporarily in a travel trailer while building a new home, or to have a place to stay while working at a remote farm or property. From those who have owned them, what brands would you recommend to others, or advise against? Jack

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I have had some different ones but currently have a 99 Excel and like the quality of it. It is built from quality materials and seems durable. Travel trailer is the way to go over a camper because the heavier insulation and the water lines etc.

I bought a 32', former FEMA trailer this morning.
It is a "park model". No 12volt lights or anything, also no water or sewage storage. It has a full sized, electric refridgerator, a regular, porcelan toilet, not a camper toilet. Microwave, gas cook stove and oven. It has central, ducted heat. A king sized bed in one end, and two bunk beds in the back. Plus the sofa and kitchen booth can be converted to bunks. It would sleep six.

It is a 2006 model, and has been used twice, two weekends. It looks brand new.

I paid $5800 for it. It lists for around $7000.

I am putting it up at the farm while we wait and consider building a permanant cabin.

It is just what we wanted. Lots of people on the camper blogs knock them, but we were not looking for a travel trailer to go to parks every other weekend. We are putting it in one spot and leaving it.

Good luck, Gene

Another alternative:
If you need to house a family for several months a used mobile home has a lot more space and amenities than a travel trailer but is still less expensive than renting an apartment.

I have a 96 Mallard that I live in all week & go home on the week ends. Nice warm, well insullated camper. Sure saves a lot on motel expenses. Sure hope when I get laid off this time I won't need the camper anymore to live in, but like the dummy I am, if they call, I'll go right back out to work again. I'm getting too old for this stuff. Keith

At a camper show last weekend and looked at Jayco. If you are looking for new and top of the line they seem very good. Looked at fifth wheel and bumper hitch. Big fifth wheel lists over $68,000!!!

I will start by echoing what GeneMo,Paul in Mn and ss55 said,there is no best.
Lots of considerations have to be taken in to account if you want the most bang for your buck. As far as reccomending somthing that will not let you down,I can only speak for earlier years. Airstream is head and shoulders above the crowd for quility but it's next to impossiable getting a woman to imbrace because they think it is ugly. Attractive appearance and high quility go's to Holliday Rambler. Well thought out desighn,floor plans and quility materials are what NuWa is about. HHII by NuWa is what wife and I own after 40 years of rv ownership of several different brands. My wife and I both like it much better than anything else we have owned. An Airstream is what " I " own for camping,hunting and fishing with my sons,grandsons and friends. Why Airstream,one of the most expensive brands on the market? Number 1 thing that sends RVs to the scrap yard is water leaks through roof and walls. Airstreams leak only if a hole is punched through the skin and thier skin is tough. Two times that I hit something and put a hole in the skin,I repaired it with a rivited patch good as new for about $50 material and 3 hours labor. Durability of skin is just as good on Holliday Rambler and easier to repair if you can work fiberglass. A hole in the majarioty of rvs can cost thousands to repair unless the owner is highly skilled and does it himself.
If money is a big consideration,used mobile homes can be bought real cheap if you can move it yourself or find a mobile home mover that treats you right.

we have a 73 airstream on our parcel that we love having there, a heavier model than others for towing, but cant beat the entire shell being out of metal. quality is first rate, and holds value, the older models are sought by collectors and rebuilt. If I did not go with airstream and was just me, I would look into the all fiberglass shells such as the Scamp.

Used ones are a real bargain if you look around, our 30ft 4 year old bumper pull was 1/3 of a new one. You will want a 4 season trailer to keep the water in a heated space. (mine is not, but for the money I could not go wrong).