Man, they don't make 'em like they used to

[TurnThePage]

While doing a little online research, I stumbled across a couple videos of newer trailers from a popular brand, that really made me step back. Both videos were of the underbelly. In both cases the lining was peeled back and you could see the water lines and wiring just laying there, unprotected or even fastened down. The holding tanks were held in with just a strap stretched between cross members, and secured with what looked like a self tapping bolt. There was a 2" heater vent to the compartment, but there was virtually no insulation aside from that foil sheet. I can't imagine that working very well in freezing conditions, and one of the owners was complaining about how quick it froze up.

On the other hand, my 17yo entry level trailer has all water lines except the low point drains inside away from the cold. The tanks are all supported by stout cross members securely bolted directly to the main I-beams. The only wiring and plumbing on the outside is necessary. The rest is inside.

I really want a new RV, but they're making it tough. Granted, I could correct the shortcomings of those new trailers fairly simply, but why should I have to? Especially at the price points these guys expect!

OK, rant over.

[JIMNLIN]

I've seen vids of old vs new rv TTs...5th wheel trailers...truck campers that showed how bad those older units were.
JMO but vids message on one particular trailer doesn't mean all trailer brands or brand lines are like that.
Having worked on those older rv trailers I'll take a new any day over those old trailers.

Yeah we had cheap built trailers back then also and their horror stories.

[CavemanCharlie]

I love my 1993 Cobra Sunrise for many of the reason you said. The water lines are inside, the fresh water tank is inside under the bed, and I think may my floor might even me plywood.

Another reason I love it is that it's simple, basic, and only 22 foot long. These days the new ones are all to super long, and have slide outs. I don't want either of those.

Unfortunately the roof is getting purdy bad and it's been though 2 hail storms. It starting to look like a golf ball. lol

Finding a replacement like the one I want is getting so difficult I'm thinking of just getting a really nice big tent.

[jimh406]

I think the problem is still RVs are built one at a time like a house. You never know if an individual one is going to be bad or not.

There’s not a lot of innovation for the past few years other than floorplans. No reason to buy new unless you just want to.

[kellem]

The wife loves to camp so that burdens me to keep junk functional.
We're on our 4th trailer from various manufacturers and always wear my toolbelt.

[TurnThePage]

No doubt minimum wage is too low, but that's not a relative point in this thread.

The things I was calling out were all about design: a thin strap secured with a self tapping screw to support hundreds of pounds of holding tank, water lines not protected from the cold, non-insulated floors, etc.

That kind of stuff has significantly narrowed my choices for the next RV.

[Skibane]

jdc1 wrote:
As long as they are made in a state where the minimum wage is $7.25/hour, don't expect much.

Oh, smug condescension for all those uneducated Neanderthals in the flyover states - Nice!

[NamMedevac_70]

jdc1 wrote:

NamMedevac 70 wrote:
Maybe they will start making todays RVs in the C country and quality will improve. You reckon????

As long as they are made in a state where the minimum wage is $7.25/hour, don't expect much.

Yes well in 2003 in Indiana I doubt if the minimum wage was even $7.00 and my R-Vision there was made good quality for my 15 years of hard use. There were also other Good quality brand TTs made there also during that time according to comments I have read on RV forums over the years. I am not familiar with today's RVs and no longer attend the RV shows.

Management and shareholders attitude about quality is a major player along with complacent buy in a hurry attitudes of many new RVers.

[jdc1]

NamMedevac 70 wrote:
Maybe they will start making todays RVs in the C country and quality will improve. You reckon????

As long as they are made in a state where the minimum wage is $7.25/hour, don't expect much.

[jdc1]

I have a 1999 Sunnybrook 27RKS 5th wheel. Aluminum framed, aluminum smooth-wall exterior. If they actually made something today of this quality, I might be enticed to hand the keys to it to someone and buy something new. So, the premise of past quality holds true for a few units, I know for a fact.

[NamMedevac_70]

Maybe they will start making todays RVs in the C country and quality will improve or how about clf. You reckon????

[ferndaleflyer]

They sure don't make them like they used to. I like my old DP

[Timmo_]

Still loving my 21 year old Nash TT--about 1/3 of the 75k miles on my F150 were all fun, as in towing the TT all over So Cali, Eastern Sierras and now Oregon (about 3k miles thus far in the PNW).

All water lines are inside the well insulated rig and no problems to speak of. Except I decided to replace the roof membrane last year--it looked sad and since I had more money than time, I paid to have the roof done. I had the axles flipped and replaced the toilet valve about 5 years ago, and oh yeah the front window cover cracked about a year after purchase and Nash sent me a free replacement.

You do get what you pay for.

[TurnThePage]

It seems like these "heated basements" are an excuse to no longer insulate the floor. I guess I'm glad that I made my own "heated basement", and my budget trailer came from the factory with an insulated floor.

[mleekamp]

We owned several TT's for 20 years before moving to a C. Our 2012 Salem by Forest River TT, as we were loading it for the first time, I noticed a large group of wiring being STRETCHED across a thin piece of paneling, which was CUTTING THE WIRES. You could have used them as a guitar they were so tight.
The dealer could not get me in for 3 or 4 weeks at the time to even look at it. After quickly dismissing "adding length" to the wires, I spent a day dissassembling part of the kitchen cabinets in order to cut a relief in the panel and make room so the wires would not be cut/stretched. Not happy about that.

In our C, I noticed wires hanging underneath, with wire nuts, just dangling. A few times driving in the rain would destroy the connection...I ended up fixing those wires by soldering them and hiding them up higher. Our C is a Jayco.

Quality is no longer JOB 1 (I know, that's a Ford saying). In the end, I think a lot of us modify/fix/re-design as needed. Which is part of "making it your own".