A decade ago the brand became part of the Jayco family but carries on their values. They focus on providing peace of mind, residential amenities, and smart floorplans. Their models are backed by a 2-year limited warranty.
Popular Entegra models include the Aspire. They provide a variety of model options that make it easy for individuals and family to create memories on the road. It has grown to over 90, members.
Newmar brand has stood the test of time for over 50 years. The company was founded on the principles of the Mennonite faith and still operates on those same principles. They produce Class A motorhomes and were the first in the industry to include slide outs. Thor Motor Coach is one of the most popular brands in the industry. According to their website, a quarter of all motorhomes sold every year is a Thor Motor Coach.
The brand has been in the industry for over 80 years. The company was started out of a dream to provide people with a way to keep the comforts of home while traveling.
They have many different models and sizes to choose from so there is something to fit every need. The KZ brand was established back in with the fabrication of a truck camper. However, the brand continues to strive for improvement and now has a good selection of RVs including toy haulers, travel trailers, and fifth wheels. RV Pro magazine even awarded them with Best of Show in Popular K-Z models include: Escape, Connect.
When Keystone first opened their goal was to build quality RVs that are loaded with features and more affordable than the other options on the market. They put their customers first and always strive to deliver a high-quality product that will last. Popular Keystone models include: Cougar and Montana. Consider whether the RV manufacturer provides good service after the sale.
Is the service department easy to reach? Does it work with dealers to provide quick service? Online knowledge bases and forums can also go a long way toward helping you diagnose and solve issues on your own.
Most RV warranties last one year, and some are transferable to secondary owners during that time. Grand Design, for example, offers a one-year warranty against factory defects on the entire RV, plus a three-year warranty on structural components. Having a relationship with your home dealer is important.
This means you should look around for a dealership while shopping for the RV. Find out how dealers treat their customers before and after a sale. Would you get the service you needed if you had an issue with your RV? Of course, nothing substitutes for comparing RV floor plans in person. Spec sheets can only tell you so much. Take time to sit inside the RV and imagine being with all your family members and friends who might come along.
You should be able to test drive a motorhome if you present yourself as a serious buyer. You can also rent a fifth wheel or camper for a few days to get a feel for how it tows with your vehicle.
Below are several issues that RV owners have reported across brands:. The key to successfully buying an RV is comparing as many quality RVs from as many brands as possible. Shop around by visiting dealers and attending RV shows. This will help you find the best product for your RV lifestyle. Grand Design is one of the most reliable brands in the RV industry today. In terms of finishing and appliances, Newmar Class A motorhomes are hard to beat.
Some RV brands have reputations for poor customer service or build quality. These include brands such as Hurricane, Keystone, and Fleetwood. Oliver RVs have very good customer reviews. Owners love their Oliver RVs, but the company only offers travel trailer options. For motorhomes, Newmar has some of the best customer reviews. Oct 27, at am ET. Nice to see someone actually did their research instead of just copying the top ten list off the intent and changing a few words around like everyone else.
People see high sales numbers and see that as a good thing, it means nothing. It seems as if the author just randomly pics RVs that look pretty, have a nice floor plan, or picked using some other irrelevant metric. Park models are a totally different beast and not a subject we venture into. Just discovered your site as we are one of the many who have jumped into the camping world due to the pandemic.
We rented a jayco class c and had a great time. About 2 days into the trip, I decided I wanted some sort of rv! Fast forward several weeks, and we are now the owners of the lance Glad to hear that you have liked the lance.
Anyway, wanted to let you know that your site has been very informative and I really appreciate how you respond thoughtfully to all these comments. Keep up the great work!!!! You have a shorter version of my trailer. Welcome to RVing! Hello again!
Any resources come to mind? Should keep you out of trouble for a while! Any recommendations for resources on shopping used from — ? You can read our thoughts on what to look for in a rig by reading our post on the best RV for full-time living.
Marshall, I need to know why you purchased a Lance camper, but Lance is not listed in your favorites for travel trailers. My husband and I are strongly considering a Lance trailer.
You said you researched for years before your first RV. Why the Lance? You are correct in that I purchased a Lance trailer in and have been living in it full-time for the past 6.
Lance is a great brand and just barely missed making the top list. They were purchased by the REV Group in and had a slight hiccup in their quality. As I mention on this page, we highly recommend you join the RV Consumer Group and check out how they feel about Lance quality.
Thanks for your prompt response. We have joined the RV Consumer group based on your recommendation. It is on the top of our list for size, features, price, quality. They certainly help you become a much more informed RV buyer. Marshall, for retirement — year round living, doing some traveling across U. I did read your entire list, but hands down — if you were a sales men, where would you steer me?
While I understand your reasoning for asking your question, I cannot give you a exact answer. There are sooooo many questions that only you can answer before I can even start to narrow down an RV manufacturer. Here are some of the questions:. If you get a self-contained RV motorhome , do you want to tow a small vehicle so you can explore without taking your house?
And then once you narrow down what type of RV is right for you, then you can look at what the different manufacturers on this page offer to narrow down your choice. Super helpful read! It got me looking at grand design. I would like to travel in for a longer period of time in it. There are good manufacturers who use wood construction The Nash trailer line from Northwood Manufacturing is one example.
But there is also a large number of poor quality manufacturers that use wood construction as a base. Another hint at cost cutting is the sidewall construction. The corrugated aluminum is a cheap way to make an RV sidewall as there is no laminating required.
You simply build a wood frame, throw in some pink household type fiberglass insulation, and slap on sheets of corrugated aluminum outer paneling. Cheap, quick, simple. If you are aiming to live in the rig full-time, why not go with a couple year old rig? But my advice is try, try, try! Thank you for the advice Marshall! I will be patient and see what I can find.
Hi Marshall, this is super helpful guide! What brands or models are best for winter? Think — Montana or Canada winter which we would love to do. Thank you!! You are correct about Airstreams not being great in cold weather. Just keep in mind that most RVs will not handle severe cold weather situations well. Thank you so much, Marshall — I greatly appreciate you being so responsive! Will look into the Fox and Outdoors RV models.
Thank you for this article. RV Consumer does not seem to cover hybrids. Thanks for checking out Camp Addict and good luck with your search!
I like your website. I have a 13 ft Scamp I pull w a vehicle rated tow lb. I have over nights in my Scamp. Floor plan I like best is R-pod , there smallest, no slides. Will probably not use toilet much. If you are fine with an RV that may have more quality issues than better manufacturers, then only you can determine if a particular model and floor plan works for you.
Thank you Marshall! Hi Marshall. I want something with good quality. I value your opinion. That floorplan looks pretty cool! Thank you so much for creating this website. So very helpful. Details on us: Family of 3, traveling with an 80 lbs dog, and we want a separate bed room for us and an area for our 8 yr old daughter to sleep could be a bunk. We want to do short weekend camp trips at least a couple times a month…and also some 2 week or longer trips as well.
Runs great for around town which is all we use it for…so logically its hard to part with a paid off fine running SUV…. Would that be a more fiscally logical choice? We also know, that if we get a Class C then we are stuck unhitching it every time we want to leave camp to go somewhere and gives us less spaces for our bicycles etc. So thank you for hanging in there with me and for any input you can give us to help with this vicious cycle of what about this…or this!!! Glad to hear that you find that Camp Addict cuts through the noise!
Which RV, or rather, which type of RV should you purchase? A Class C would be fine if you have a vehicle you can tow. Sounds like you do. Especially a house the size of a Class C. But the Sequoia is an awesome vehicle to use for exploring and it can tow an alright sized trailer. Get a trailer that checks enough of the boxes for your family, is a few years old so it depreciates slower, and is able to be towed by your existing truck so initial out of pocket expense is lower. And a trailer that you could tow with the Sequoia would most likely be a lot less expensive than a Class C, so less financial risk.
Less potential regret. You have been planning long enough. Precious years slipping by. Do it now before your daughter is too cool to go camping with her parents. Definitely smart not to sink a whole bunch of money on your first RV.
Get something that will work well enough. Thank you so much for getting back with me and sharing your experience. Hope you had a great 4th of July. I assume I start out by looking at the smallest trailer size, such as length, but even that can be deceiving. However, a lot of websites will have a shopping tools section that may shows the main specs of a trailer.
The number you are looking for is the GVWR gross vehicle weight rating which is the maximum weight allowed for the trailer. Yeah, with a tow capacity of you may be limited, though my Lance has a GVWR of pounds and the vehicle I towed it with for the first 5 or so years had a tow rating of pounds. Would I like to have had more margin in the tow capacity?
Did I struggle sometimes in the mountains of Colorado? Will you get exactly what you are looking for bunk area for your daughter? Probably not. But like I said before, in order to limit your initial expense and to see if RVing is really what your family wants to do, you are going to have to make some compromises. Thank you ever so much for getting back with me!
Agreed, on compromises. We will take a gander at the brands you listed. Enjoyed reading your blog. We are in the market for an RV and I learned alot from your blog. We want a small travel trailer with a slide out. I see that Rockwood and R pod did not make your list of best quality. Can you recommend something similar with great quality? Thanks in advance. I do highly suggest that you join the RV Consumer Group and do some poking around on your own.
Hello Marshall…your site has been more than helpful.. Do you have anything particular to say about the Grand Design Reflections series RD fifth wheel? The one thing I see immediately that may be an issue with that floor plan is access to the bathroom and bedroom with the slide closed.
You will find yourself in situations where you cannot open the slide, yet need to sleep such as when you are overnighting in a Walmart or other such place as you are traveling from one spot to another. Or if you simply want to use the bathroom while traveling during the day. They are owned by Winnebago , which is also a very good brand. Hi Marshall, This is a wonderful resource! We are not ready to buy at this point, but would really like to travel in one this summer.
Are there any reputable companies you might recommend? Thank you, Mark. I assume you are asking about a company that allows you to try before you buy, like an RV rental company? In year 7 of living in the same rig full-time so I guess I made an alright choice.
Or you could try one of the peer-to-peer rental websites like Outdoorsy or RV Share, that allows you to rent RVs owned by individuals. Hi Marshall, Finally found a good review sight. What do you think about the Genesis brand toy haulers? Hi Marshall, New fan here. So sad. Now considering a travel trailer. The idea of choosing a camper with so many available, and it being a big ticket item, is mind boggling. So the figuring out is all on me. I so appreciate your breakdown of manufacturers and quality!
My number one requirement is quality. Offroad capability 3. Looking for the same in a travel trailer. I have become enamored with the OPUS line, and wondered what your thoughts are on that brand. However, I want hard-sided and that is not our price range. But I love the look, capability, functionality, the minimalist interior and finishes, and seemingly good quality.
Any advice on other comparable brands, or advice on this brand, or anything all to guide me would be so appreciated. Please let me know if you offer consultations to help individuals narrow down the choices. Thank you in advance! They are sister companies out of Oregon and have very well-built trailers that do well on Forest Service roads and such that you might take this type of RV on. Airstreams have some of the nicest. But it sounds like you are looking for more of an off-road capable, overland style trailer.
We do not offer consultation services. New Fan of yours! Quick question on quality comparisons between Phoenix Cruiser and Dynamax Isata. Love the Factory direct quality of Phoenix. Just do not know the history of Dynamax product…Thx! Were purchased by Forest River in Dynamax is the rare exception. Given the choice between Phoenix Cruiser and Dynamax, I personally would lean heavily?
Casita is a good brand and they seem to be popular when it comes time to sell them. Marshall, Any thoughts about the Nucamp Avia? Heard anything negative? The Avia is new, as you mentioned.
Hi Marshall, great information here. Have you had any experience with the Itasca Navion Class C? I am looking at a low mileage but am a little concerned about maintenance costs on the Mercedes diesel. Another question for you, do all RV slides have a manual override? I would hate to be stuck with my slide out and the motor fails!
This will be my first motorhome. The real question is, how much of a PITA is using the override? Take my slide for example. It uses the Schwintek slide mechanism. This means it has two small electric motors at the top of each slide side. These motors have to be disengaged from the gear mechanism before the slide can manually be pushed in.
I have had to replace one of the motors, a few years back. It was the one that was easier to get at, but it was still a pain.
OK, Mercedes question. And trying to find a place to work on them. I think the switch to the emissions that has the problems was somewhere around the vintage you were looking at.
Maybe is OK? Just something to be aware of and look into. I just wanted to bring up a potential problem spot for that vintage Mercedes Sprinter that you really should look into.
Funny, the more research I do the more I am in agreement with you. No slides, no Mercedes. Oh well, the search continues….. They have used Ford chassis a lot, which would be a better choice from a maintainability stand point.
Problem is they are pricey and rare. But if you could find one in your price range that checked the boxes, it might be worth looking hard at.
I am thinking about buying a rv and this is my first one. I would like to buy a 26 inch class c motorhomes- or a 26 inch class a. Your info is really helpful. On a side note, I prefer smaller RVs. Easier to deal with. Easier to drive. We looked at class B RVs for a year…. We are very surprised that the Airstream Interstate Grand Tour is not on your list….
We are full time and purchased ours used…. The Airstream Interstate missed the cut-off by a single point. We list multiple manufacturers — not just one. Hi Marshall, very nice work. I do not agree with your rating for class A motorhomes. We had a new class A diesel pusher 34 Ft for 7 years and quality was well below expectations.
We do regular winter travel and we were just miserable in the Rv despite the heated basement and two furnaces. Now in our Arctic fox under very cold winter conditions we are enjoying life again! I love the Arctic Fox floor plan! High Level of Agreement. I think we need to watch Endeavor model quality post-Thor purchase. Also, cannot tell you how disappointed we are in our MB Sprinter-based chassis.
Too expensive to fix or maintain. Too many problems for a supposed high-end manufacturer. Would recommend avoiding all models built on this chassis. From a maintenance stand point, and if something should ever go wrong outside of warranty. Also, there are a lot less Mercedes dealers to chose from than say Ford dealers.
Seems like it makes a lot more sense to go with a chassis brand that has a lot more dealership availability for the inevitable times you need to have your RV serviced.
We purchased a used Thor Siesta. We had never heard of them before. We sold our Fleetwood TT because my wife did not want to tow it. To big with truck and trailor. Guess maybe we were just lucky but the Thor has great. Everything seems to be good quality and fits very good.
Only one problem was the batteries but when I changed them they were 6 years old. Very happy we purchased the Thor. I guess you are correct just depends on the luck you have no matter what you buy. Yeah, with RVs it certainly seems like it comes down to the luck of the draw, even with the best of brands. And not everyone who purchases a brand not on this list has bad luck. Hey Marshall, great write up. I am a first time buyer and looking for a toy hauler.
Not sure to buy new or used. With a family of 4 it would be weekend use and possible a week vaca in the summer. Aside what you stated above do you have any other recommendations or where I can find the others on the list?
When in doubt, always buy used! Some people, especially private sellers, are going to think their rig is worth a lot more than it really is. Make, model, year, price, location, etc. Get a feel for the market. Smartest move you can make. Thank you so much for the info.
I think that will be the way I go is used. Putting aside the one million variables that you cannot know, nor can I, what do you think of buying a much older lazy daze with only 11k miles and was stored inside all of these years. They added watts, 4- 6v agms, banks power and more. They drove it once a year, only some years, to an rv park in state. That is all. Do you think a lazy daze mostly sitting is still valuable with such little use?
Lazy Daze definitely is one of those brands. Very informative site. We are considering a Fleetwood Jamboree Class C.
We have researched the Winnebago Aspect and the Jayco Greyhawk. I know how you feel about the Jayco Brand and the Winnebago is on your top brands list. The Fleetwood Jamboree has a king bed and also the cabover bunk, which are both important to us. The Jamboree appears to have been redesigned a bit with some added features etc.
So… can you tell me what you think overall of Fleetwood and any other tidbits possibly about the Jamboree model if you can? Thanks for any input that you can provide. Jayco used to be a good brand, until they were purchased by Thor, who seems to be really good at tanking the quality of the brands they buy.
I am glad to see the Grand Design brand I just purchased made your top travel trailer list. I have purchased many other brands in my lifetime. There is just something about the fit and finish of the Grand Design that is so much more appealing. They are really proud of their construction and customer service. I think a many of the owners are too. They actually hold rallies every month for their customers. Thanks for all the great information!
Also glad to hear that you are happy with your Grand Design. They do seem to be trying to do the right thing. Why did ATC not make your list? We looked for a long time before narrowing our choice to the GD. They are not the cheapest TT around but seem to give you a better quality toy. This winter we are spending 4 months in Bullhead city, AZ. We have a few issues with the layout but we plan to correct when we purchase an upgrade in a few years.
Overall a good product for the price. As well as learn what to look for in quality RVs. Looking at Greyhawk vs Odyssey but the research is all over the place.
Entegra is a higher-end motorhome builder that is part of the Jayco family. Jayco is owned by Thor and has been since They were an independent brand until then. However, it appears that Entegra has been able to maintain quality after the purchase.
So with the Jayco branded RVs you may have quality issues. Entegra Coach seems to be alright. Keep in mind that most people go to forums to vent so that may be a skewed perspective, but should give you a general idea. Thank you For your response. Thank you for your research. I am in the market for a class c that will make my wife happy and if she is happy I r also. What is your opinion on pull outs? Many RV manufacturers, especially those that are know for lessor quality, will not do such a great job with slides.
They may use an insufficient slide mechanism on too large of a slide, or they may just do a really crappy install job at the factory that will lead to issues down the road. I have had a Lance travel trailer one of the better brands for 6 years.
My next RV will be without slide if I can help it. Just not worth the added headaches that having a slide can bring. Just know that if you choose a rig with a slide, you are greatly increasing your chances of issues down the road.
Lance just barely missed making the cut and it will be interesting to see if their quality has improved over the last year. They still make a good rig. As far as who they compare to quality-wise, they compare well with many of the top brands. As mentioned in this article, we highly recommend you spend a small amount of money and join the RV Consumer Group so that you can see for yourself how the different brands stack up.
I believe they just released their latest rating guide. We need to get our hands on that to see what changes in quality have been made over the past year. So glad I found Camp Addict. We have been tent camping for over 40 years. Now we are actively researching travel trailers in our budget looked at 10 s yesterday. I read the info on the best and the other information. Can you please comment on these?
Thanks so much! Jayco was purchased by Thor in and has seen decreasing quality ever since. As far as the other brands you mentioned, we highly recommend that you join, and support, the RV Consumer Group and educate yourself on the top brands, and how to tell junk from decent RVs.
Upgrading to our first travel trailer from a pop-up. Which would be best purchase? Both brands would be a decent choice. Depends on your needs, what your tow vehicle can handle, how much cargo carrying capacity each rig offers and you need, etc. In other words, a specific rig is totally dependent on you and your specific needs. I can only suggest what brands you might want to check out, and other of those would make my list.
Spot on with your recommendations. We had purchased a Class C motorhome from Forest River. Almost 60 days in the shop, with less than miles on our maiden voyage! Then we had two major issues within a few months of when we got it back, of course, like you stated, it was out of warranty by this point. Sorry to hear about your experience. Well-made brands can also have horrible problems, but are much less likely to have them.
So the most expensive travel trailer brands are the best! One thing I have learned after owning two, you better be handy.
Rv service departments are just below motorcycle ones imo. And I am an automotive service advisor. We are back in the market after 6 years without one. My top pick is the Holiday House 18RB. The Apex is not, but closely fits what we want. Let me know if you have any thoughts on this. You often get what you pay for when it comes to RVs.
I sure do like the rear dinette units as they often have great windows in the back. And one can never have too many good windows in an RV! What floor plans might work for you, as well as alternative manufacturers, is up to you. Big help, right? I do hear you about you get what you pay for with rvs. I did just find a Micro Minnie FB for a steal brand new. We may just step up in price and get something made to use and last. We used ours at least 10 weekends a year. Thanks for all the research and info!
Go with something used, from a reputable manufacturer to cut back on the initial cost and to keep from taking that initial depreciation hit. That way you can get a quality unit and maybe stick more to the price range you really want to pay.
Hi Marshall- First time on the site and it has been very helpful!! I will eventually be a first time RV owner this Spring and plan on living in it full time. I am focusing on a Travel Trailer. I do like the Grand Design Imagines!
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