Camper trailer recommendations

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  • Engine4

    Curmudgeon
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2012
    6,983
    Ok, been thinking of buying a used camper. Nothing fancy, no 5th wheelers, around 25 foot long. What brands should I look for, which ones to steer clear of? Which amenities are good to have? Thanks!
     

    noidea01

    Member
    May 7, 2014
    25
    first start with what type of vehicle are you towing it with .....make sure you get a good sway control and weight dist hitch....reese make an excellent setup ......
     

    Mack C-85

    R.I.P.
    Jan 22, 2014
    6,522
    Littlestown, PA
    They are out of business now, but Sunline built one hell of a trailer. They were built in Denver, PA. I would not have an issue buying a well kept 15 - 20 year old Sunline over some of the new junk out there.

    Truth in Advertising......as far as we know.....we own the a last custom ordered trailer Sunline built.....a 2007 T-276SR.
     

    Shinny

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 20, 2012
    1,428
    My family has been camping for the past 10 years. We just bought a new 5th wheel from a wholesaler in Ohio and saved $20k. Look at floor plans you like, figure out if your tow vehicle can safely tow it and go from there. Some RV's are high quality and some are not. I have a Forest River, Sierra and love it. Some have had serious issues with Forest River and the other manufacturers. My advice is to internet shop, go to an RV show or two, narrow your options and go look at them.
    Best of luck
     

    nedsurf

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 8, 2013
    2,204
    Don't buy it from a pack of pikeys.

    PIKEYS.jpg
     

    RustinRifle55

    Active Member
    Feb 24, 2013
    280
    St. James MD
    Totally agree on the leaking roof. I have had my roof repaired four times and now it leaks again. Once it is out of the shop I am selling mine and getting out of the RV business. Guy at RV shop told me I should have traded mine in when it was less than 10 yrs. old. Mine is 13.
     

    IjustCantAim

    Active Member
    Jan 20, 2010
    738
    Most are made out of the same parts. I don't know what your budget is but you can get in a new one pretty cheap. You never know what kind of ****** rigging the previous owners did..........
     

    itsslow98

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 8, 2010
    2,018
    Harford County, MD
    They are all pretty much equally crappy. Cheap materials and craftsmanship throughout. The basic rule is after about 10 years stuff quits working and maintenance goes way up.
     

    Kagetsu

    Active Member
    Feb 4, 2009
    448
    Totally agree on the leaking roof. I have had my roof repaired four times and now it leaks again. Once it is out of the shop I am selling mine and getting out of the RV business. Guy at RV shop told me I should have traded mine in when it was less than 10 yrs. old. Mine is 13.
    tvblogmyaa.png

    I repaired them for Fleetwood for a few years. Roofs, windows, side walls. there are alOt of seams. The putty drys out, the rubber roof will sun rot, but it's mostly the putty seams. Sliders really let in the rot. I wouldn't have a slider on one. They aren't made to last. 5 to 7 years is their built life and tearing the rot out is hard work. Sikaflex needs air chisels to tear it free
     

    ar1131

    Active Member
    Jan 31, 2013
    119
    Rockwood signature ultra light. My suggestion is to get one that still has part of an extended warranty with it.
     

    slsc98

    Ultimate Member
    May 24, 2012
    6,746
    Escaped MD-stan to WNC Smokies
    Just came across this article and a recent thread here on MDS regarding shopping for (perhaps even renting) used RV’s / campers came to mind; however; last post this one appears to be 2015 so obviously, “this” ain’t “that” thread but, I’m parking the article link here cuz chances are good I’m gonna get distracted by other browsing and the article’s gist is exactly our strategy / plan of action: waiting for a flood of lightly used rv’s to hit the market. (Trick for me in ‘21 or ‘22 will be finding one that wasn’t stored left out in the sun all 2020-21 ... we’ll see ...!)

    Looking For An RV? Here’s The Best Time To Buy: https://assetbuilder.com/knowledge-center/articles/looking-for-an-rv--heres-the-best-time-to-buy

    ETA: tried searching for the more recent thread (iirc, had the term “rv” in title; however; no bueno as that search term is “too short” so for better of for worse, ^article^ can stay larked here; hope it helps any thinking ahead to ‘21 / ‘22

    (perhaps by that time rv mfrs will be offering roof mounted turrets and firing ports for when the Griswolds hit the flame-fanning Pelosi-Schumer-ALC-Biden-Harris, BLM/Antifa interstate shutdowns ....)
     

    bmonast

    Active Member
    Feb 1, 2011
    258
    Gamber, MD
    Morning, if by camping trailer you mean "pop up" I would strongly recommend against based on our much less than reliable but mint condition (to the eyes) Jayco. Hidden water leaks causing floor rot necessitating expensive repair, lift mechanism somehow gave out and roof partially collapsed during mid-day at Tall Pines (great place by the way). So we are in the process of upgrading to a Hybrid (expandable). After our 3 years of headaches we've learned a lot. Water is the enemy and it can come in from all places, particularly those that you cannot easily see (so bring your Surefire and look deep inside cabinets etc.). We did go to Timonium for the show a few weeks back. Most, if not all the major brands we looked at, were "meh" on quality of materials and construction, including hard sided trailers in 20ft range. It appeared to us there is a lack of quality control and the units are rushed to complete (overdriven screws holding window frames in place bending the metal flange, trim pieces too long, sawdust in the cabinets, missing gaskets on through coach body fittings etc.) We were not impressed at all. At the show the Winnebago was the standout as far as obvious quality goes. During our epic Tall Pines adventure that necessitated jack posts and 2x4s to hold up the roof we were strolling around the park and saw an Oliver Trailer. This thing was of the quality/fit and finish one would expect to see given the fact it will be bouncing down the road at 60 mph but....there is very little storage. Then we checked out an Airstream. again high on the quality/fit and finish scale but little storage. We concluded in order to get the highest quality build/fit/finish we would give up a good amount of storage, oh and pay double if not triple the price of a Rockwood Roo. The storage issue is kind of big deal for us as it directly impacts hitch weight as the stuff you would want to store in the RV is now in the back of your vehicle. On our drive to DE after the show we figured it would be best to wait until this "frenzy of trailer buying" subsides and hopefully the quality/fit and finish improves on the common brands (not Oliver or Airstream as they are built as expected). And those two premium brands, well based on their owners, they still had post deliver issues such has hot water heaters, etc. Sorry for the long post, i just hope you can avoid all the headaches I've had during the misadventures of rv ownership. And don't even get me started on trying to get an authorized Jayco dealer to do some recall work...that fiasco will fill the page. BLUF: if you did not buy from this specific dealer in DE who's name rhymes with "Witch" do not expect anything from them. Appointment 6 months wait, do not even order the recall part when appointment made and then refused to do the work saying they are too busy with other jobs and you should take it to our guy who subcontracts for us...yes true story. PM if you would like more...
     

    steves1911

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 2, 2011
    3,026
    On a hill in Wv
    We have been really happy with our forest river. It gets used daily on the farm and we take it out camping a few times a year. I know you said you were looking used but buying new has its incentives like warranty and being able to write off any interest paid.
     

    budman93

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 1, 2013
    5,267
    Frederick County
    With the exceptions of some like air streams that last they are pretty much all garbage. Buy them cheap because thats how they build them. I would never buy a new one, the depreciation is insane. The best thing to do is find a used one that is already heavily depreciated but still in decent shape and use it until it falls apart. Then get another.
     

    spoon059

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 1, 2018
    5,332
    Ha, lots of horror stories here. This is the problem with buying used... you don't know how well the previous owner maintained them. I have a Jayco and we love it. Jayco tells you to check the caulk seals on the roof 3 times a year, most manufacturers make similar requirements. I would bet a large amount of money that most people do not check and reseal the roof seams at recommended intervals. Water is the worst enemy of trailers, a little leak can let in LOTS of water while they are sitting. Water will rot the roof, walls, floors and anything in between. Keep the water off and they work great!

    I store mine under cover the 310 days a year we don't use it, keeping 310 days of water off the roof, walls and floors.
     

    Sundazes

    My brain hurts
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 13, 2006
    21,287
    Arkham
    Ha, lots of horror stories here. This is the problem with buying used... you don't know how well the previous owner maintained them. I have a Jayco and we love it. Jayco tells you to check the caulk seals on the roof 3 times a year, most manufacturers make similar requirements. I would bet a large amount of money that most people do not check and reseal the roof seams at recommended intervals. Water is the worst enemy of trailers, a little leak can let in LOTS of water while they are sitting. Water will rot the roof, walls, floors and anything in between. Keep the water off and they work great!

    I store mine under cover the 310 days a year we don't use it, keeping 310 days of water off the roof, walls and floors.

    I dont have a RV and always wondered why people covered them. That must be a huge PIA to cover the large one's, but hey, do what you gotta do.
    My sister had one. We went to some park in southern VA. We were elbow to a$$hole the whole week. Mostly hillbillies and unruly kids. That killed it for me.
     

    Dalebert

    Active Member
    Apr 15, 2020
    105
    Baltimore County
    After having had a camper (admittedly it was old when we bought it), my suggestion would be a tent...or maybe a permanent cabin on some land in the woods. It means that you're always going the same place, but it also means that you have a place to enjoy instead of the misery.
     

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