Well I went looking at travel trailers today and I have found two different brands with the same floorplan and the same price... One is a Jayco SLX264 BHW the other is a Coachmen Catalina 26??? Same price same floorplan Jayco touts their 2 year bumper to bumper warranty and I think Coachmen may offer something similar.  Does anyone have any thoughts about either, or toss a coin?

All I can say is I will suggest you buy used RV. Most new RV's tend to have a few runs back and forth to the dealer with all kinds of miscellaneous issues from roof leaks, plumbing issues, electrical even propane. If you will to deal with that go for it. Now if you do consider buying new then I highly suggest you do some close to home camping till you feel confident of the RV and make sure there is no issues.

There are two very large dealers in Tulsa Oklahoma that seem to have some competition going between them. The size and floorplan I`m looking at is selling for $13,995 at both places before taxes, which includes warranty.  After searching Craigslist for over an hour I came across a 2015 Coachmen Catalina for $12,000. 

 

The dealers can hook up with some very attractive financing through their local lenders. I could probably knock a few thousand off and get the same financing with a little research??

Mike is right about new RVs and some of the bugs. I bought new and had 4 leaks I can remember right off. The first year of ownership you have to be very proactive. Every rain storm I had to look inside uncommonly seen places for leaks. It was an education. But once you chase all the bugs it is great having an old reliable.

I would look at the Jayco as they are one of the better quality brands. 

 

Yes new TT's often have some bugs but who is to say the used RV had those issues fixed? Or it doesn't have a host of other issues. 

 

Quite often maintenance on a TT is neglected and used is a crap shoot. New doesn't have to be bad, nor is used. I only took my TT back once or twice in the year warranty period and it was nice to have that warranty vs fixing the stuff on my own... but it's all preference. 

 

But don't let new bugs scare you away from buying new... the new bugs are often much easier to deal with than the used bugs. 

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/rvd/5605366535.html   Here is a used one I found really close by. They are closed for the Holiday So I will have to follow up next week.  It doesn`t seem like RV`s depreciate too fast in this part of the country unless they are trashed.. At least the asking price indicates people are pretty proud of them.

Edited May 29, 20168 yr by angus

Bought my first one new in 98 in Arkansas. Stayed there 2.5 months and moved on back to the east coast. Traded that one in in 2005 on my current one. Never had to take either of them back for warranty. Had a few small issues but was too far away and just fixed them myself. I live in mine and it is not as easy to take one in. Something major and I would have found a way. But, knock wood, I never did have any major issues.

My Dad bought a 1976 Dodge Jamboree Class C motohome. I bought it from him in 1993. When I got it he had all the paper work in the cabinet above the fridge. It been back to the dealer over 7 different times if I remember right. Also the oven valve had a propane leak that flash fire his face once lightly the front stove burner. There was several issues with wiring, stereo, propane leaks, cold start of the engine.

 

Ownership of the Jamboree I had to rebuild the interior ceiling from a water leak, new carpeting, replaced the plumbing (water supply), 2 water pumps, rebuild the wet bath floor (water leak). Remove the oven valve could replace because it was too old. At the point of the trade in I lost the rear main seal on the engine at 60k miles so I was no looking forward to having to figure out how do that in a van head body. Then fight to replace the rear brake wheel cylinders on a 400 Dodge frame the drum are heavy! 

 

So I trade that Jamboree in on the 2000 Jayco Eagle in 2010 and the only things I've down is brakes on a front axles. 2 sets of tires now, and re done the roof with DiCor coating. Then added the solar and inverter. More or less all I got is clean up the RV, fill propane bottles and a water tank and yearly packing the wheel bearings. One reason I got a trailer and not a motorhome. So now you kind of see why I'm not really a new person plus reading other RV forums also and seeing the back and forth trips too. Some people get lucky and other OMG get absolute lemons for RV's.

 

 

 

Edited May 30, 20168 yr by Mopar1973Man

32 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

My Dad bought a 1976 Dodge Jamboree Class C motohome. I bought it from him in 1993. When I got it he had all the paper work in the cabinet above the fridge. It been back to the dealer over 7 different times if I remember right. Also the oven valve had a propane leak that flash fire his face once lightly the front stove burner. There was several issues with wiring, stereo, propane leaks, cold start of the engine.

 

Ownership of the Jamboree I had to rebuild the interior ceiling from a water leak, new carpeting, replaced the plumbing (water supply), 2 water pumps, rebuild the wet bath floor (water leak). Remove the oven valve could replace because it was too old. At the point of the trade in I lost the rear main seal on the engine at 60k miles so I was no looking forward to having to figure out how do that in a van head body. Then fight to replace the rear brake wheel cylinders on a 400 Dodge frame the drum are heavy! 

 

So I trade that Jamboree in on the 2000 Jayco Eagle in 2010 and the only things I've down is brakes on a front axles. 2 sets of tires now, and re done the roof with DiCor coating. Then added the solar and inverter. More or less all I got is clean up the RV, fill propane bottles and a water tank and yearly packing the wheel bearings. One reason I got a trailer and not a motorhome. So now you kind of see why I'm not really a new person plus reading other RV forums also and seeing the back and forth trips too. Some people get lucky and other OMG get absolute lemons for RV's.

 

 

 

I got very lucky.

12 hours ago, dripley said:

Bought my first one new in 98 in Arkansas. Stayed there 2.5 months and moved on back to the east coast. Traded that one in in 2005 on my current one. Never had to take either of them back for warranty. Had a few small issues but was too far away and just fixed them myself. I live in mine and it is not as easy to take one in. Something major and I would have found a way. But, knock wood, I never did have any major issues.

Dave how do you deal with condensation in winter? Do you use a dehumidifier system?

 

I got a lemon when new. Surprising to find so many problems that steming from lack of quality control. I once thought I got everything fixed ,but more things showed up, like a structural failure from crushing under it's own weight.  I never gave up believing eventually I'd have a good unit though, so I kept going since my work was better than the dealer.

That was a tough one getting in and out of a storage basement for 2 days to properly structure failing basement sides.

I have never bought a trailer from a dealer but I imagine that they would let you run up each system before you make a purchase?  Right? If you found something you like, whether it be at a dealer or private, I would run up each system.  Spend on hour or so making sure it all works.  Ask spray the sides and roof with water.  I am sure that this wouldn't catch everything, but it would make me feel better.  Maybe go RV shopping during a heavy rain.

 

I just sold my fifth wheel and I spent an hour with the new owner and ran up everything.  I showed him how everything worked (this was his first trailer). 

 

Edited May 31, 20168 yr by Hawkez

Even when I bought mine used I crawled all over the RV looking in all the cabinets, pushed on the walls and ceiling looking for soft spots, had the fire up everything verify it worked. (fridge, a/c, heater, water heater, etc.)