8 Worst Travel Trailer Brands To Avoid In 2022 (And Why)

The travel trailer is one of the most expensive accessories when you want to hit the outdoors. However, they are essential, but the worst trailer travel brands should be avoided. Since these travel trailers or worst RV brands lack some important features or they simply don’t hold up, you must avoid some of them.

We should mention that just because one person has had a bad experience with a travel trailer, does not make it one of the worst travel trailer brands to avoid. We have done some in-depth research and looked at some of the cumulative opinions of individuals that have used these brands to find out which of them should be avoided. 

 

As you might note, there are plenty of travel trailers on the market today and we had to work through all of them to ensure that we could isolate some of the options that do not offer the same value as the top brands. In this article, we will look at some of the worst travel trailer brands that you are better off avoiding.

Worst Travel Trailer Brands To Avoid:

Instead of keeping you up with some additional information, you might be here to see which brands you need to avoid. We will jump right into it and immediately reveal the worst travel trailer brands to avoid. Once seen, you can also use the buyer’s guide that follows to ensure you understand what to look for in the best travel trailer brands.

1. Coachmen:

Coachmen might not be a brand on their own and they are a subsidiary of the Forest River RV Brand, they tend to be the cheaper version of these high-quality RVs. Unfortunately, they do not match up in quality and many people have noted that the brand has plenty of complaints. Additionally, they also lack good customer service.

The most notable issues are in the handling off-road. These RVs are not made from traveling off-road and they tend to lack handling capabilities. Additionally, the internal structure of the RVs tends to be incomplete. You will note with one of their latest products that the freshwater valve is missing and will cost you extra to replace. 

2. Coleman:

With Coleman products, it can often be hit or miss. They are one of the best brands when it comes to quality and Coleman is also one of the oldest brands. However, the RV and trailer world has not done them well. There have been plenty of complaints surrounding the quality of their workmanship and some of the internal appliances.

While finding spares for these products tend to be easy, they often overreach by marketing the products as far better than they are. There have been some complaints surrounding the assembly of the products and this has swayed people to look into something else that tends to be a little more reliable for the long-term.

Being a huge Coleman fan of all their other products, it is hard to list them and this is why we would suggest that you decide for yourself whether they are bad or not. Based on reviews, only a couple of their products have bad reviews, which is what many people are currently holding against them.

3. Gulf Stream:

Gulf Stream might not be one of the most popular brands and while the outside of their trailers do well to keep you going, their biggest faults have been found on the inside. These internal issues are what many people are complaining about. For instance, they have big drainage issues in certain models.

If you do want one of these trailers, you might need to add a rustproof coating to ensure that everything remains durable and that the trailer can hold up. However, it could also be specific to models, but it is often hard to find replacement parts and customer service is not always the most helpful.

4. Winnebago:

Winnebago is one of the brands that has given us the most mixed reviews and many people will swear by the brand for the value that it offers. Since many people will swear by the brand, we have found many mixed reactions and this is why certain people tend to avoid the brand when it comes to buying a new trailer.

The biggest complaint is that certain parts of the trailer lack durability or will arrive with bent internal walls. Some people mentioned that the warranty offered by the manufacturer is not always honored and this makes them frustrated and they have to buy the replacement parts and pay for the replacement labor on these trailers.

However, it has also become a popular trailer in pop culture with Eric Church even using the brand in one of his country songs. Due to the use of Winnebago in pop culture, it seems like the brand still has a decent following. As mentioned, many people still swear by the brand as one of the best on the market today.

5. Keystone:

If you love camping in your trailer and spending some time outdoors, you must have heard about the Keystone brand. It is one of the most popular brands in the United States. Additionally, it is marketed as one of the most durable trailers that should give you the best fuel consumption of any other competitors.

While some of this might be true, the internal setup and controls are what put many people off and some people prefer having better communications and controlling the RV with more ease. However, the biggest complaint once again lies with the customer service. People often have to wait for ages for replies to their emails.

If you can live with some of these minor faults, Keystone might still be one of the top brands for you to consider. However, looking at some of the complaints, you might want to move away from Keystone and consider choosing one of the other brands that are slightly more efficient and give you better customer support that will take action.

6. Hurricane:

Hurricane RVs are not the worst RV brand, but they have some limitations when compared to some of the other top options. When it comes to the interior design of these trailers, they might be some of the best. However, many of their flaws lie on the outside, with the hydraulic line being one of the most prominent issues to deal with.

The risk that these hydraulic lines pose can be dangerous, with people stating that they can randomly fly off while you are driving and this tends to be a big issue for many people. However, they can also be amended to ensure they remain durable, but with poor customer service, it can take some time.

When it comes to fixing this trailer, many people take it into their own hands and this could also be dangerous if you don’t have the right experience. It might not be one of the worst travel trailer brands to avoid, but some of these issues could have been avoided when it comes to looking for a good quality RV.

7. Fleetwood:

You might be surprised to see a brand like Fleetwood make it onto our list. After all, it is one of the most respected and valued brands currently on the market. However, it is not what it used to be, and while many people struggle to understand why, they are looking elsewhere for different brands that have good customer support. 

The battery and charging issue seems to repeat itself and many people are looking elsewhere due to this brand not following up on customer complaints. Some of the internal issues like water coming through can be solved, but you need to do it yourself. Due to the lack of customer support, it might be a travel trailer brand to avoid. 

8. Jayco:

Jayco is another controversial brand to make it onto our list and while the overall sentiment of the brand is not bad, it does get worse as the product starts to age. When buying one of these trailers, you will notice that everything should be working and for a couple of years, you might not have to deal with any issues.

However, once the internal components start to get damaged, it might take some time for you to fix them. Looking at the brand we have also seen that these issues tend to follow on one another and this could be daunting for many people. If you have to fix issue upon issue, it can cost you a lot of money and the trailer might not be worth it.

We have noticed instances where the trailer starts deteriorating and people simply leave it standing. While this is good for the manufacturer when no one complains, it does not look good if the RVs are not being used. This is not one of the worst travel trailer brands to avoid, but you might second-guess yourself once you have it. 

How To Choose A Good Travel Trailer Brand?

Now that you have seen some of the worst travel trailer brands to avoid, you might also be wondering how to select the best ones. We have isolated a couple of important features that we deem important when selecting a travel trailer. Here are some of the best travel trailer brands currently on the market today.

A) Materials:

The materials are the most important thing to consider and a product is only as good as the materials used in the construction. The first thing you would want to look for is the materials. This does not mean only the external materials but also looking at the appliances and the quality of the furniture used on the inside. 

B) Durability:

Another important factor is the durability of said materials. While the materials can be durable, they also need some form of protective layer or coating to make them last even longer. You don’t want a product that needs replacement every couple of months as this could cost you a lot more than simply saving for a high-end RV trailer.

C) Reliability:

Your trailer needs to be reliable in every way and when you are driving the trailer, it should not be damaged or have any issues. Looking at some of the comments of individuals that are interested in the same trailers, you can easily spot whether a trailer is durable or if there are some issues. The reliability also stretches to the engine.

D) Customer Service:

If you find any faults with the trailer, the customer service would be the people that need to assist you. However, you need a brand that offers good customer service. For some of the worst RV brands, you will notice that customer service is lacking. It is a good idea to even look at the customer service before buying a new trailer. Additionally, the warranty also gives you some insight into the confidence the manufacturer has in the product.

E) Replacement Parts:

If you are keen on buying and using an RV often, it is best to look at some of the parts that have been used. If you can readily find these replacement parts, it should be a good investment and you will get some great value for your money. The replacement parts should not take months to ship and you should be able to fix them at an affordable price.

Things To Avoid When Purchasing A Brand New Travel Trailer:

Much like when you are looking to buy a good travel trailer, there are also a couple of things you might want to avoid. To ensure that you get good value for your money, you might need to avoid some of these things. It is often things that are heavily marketed, but in the broad sense, they don’t matter. They should also give you more insight into whether a brand is worth it for you to buy.

A) Size:

One of the first things you will need to look at is the size of the RV. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is buying a trailer that is too small. If the unit is too small, you might find that it is not ideal and that you will need to make upgrades. Additionally, it will hamper the level of luxury you have and space on the inside.

B) Condition:

Another thing that people tend to do is buy them second-hand. When buying a second-hand RV, you might not be aware of all the issues and this could back to bite you. You must look at the condition. Keep in mind that an RV loses 20% of its value when you drive it off the lot and this could be as much as 10% depreciation in value each year. 

C) Tow Weight:

One additional thing to look at is the tow weight of your vehicle and to consider whether your current vehicle can tow the trailer. Nothing can be more frustrating than having to buy a new vehicle just because the RV is too heavy. However, it is one of the issues that many people tend to skip over when buying.

D) Warranty And Service Plan:

Much like your vehicle, the warranty and service plan is very important and you would want to consider the warranty to ensure you have some backup if anything goes wrong. Additionally, it can be very expensive to service these vehicles. A good service plan should make almost every RV a little more attractive. 

E) Features Not Included:

When you think of an RV, there are a couple of features that we might take for granted and assume that they are in all of these trailers. However, this is not the case. The best thing you can do is to make a list of the most important features. These features will help you to form a guideline that you should use when buying them.

Wrap-Up:

Buying an RV can often be a time task, but when you have all the right features and gear, you should have happy camping or traveling trips. You must understand what are the worst travel trailer brands to avoid and focus on looking for the brands that offer you the best value for your money.

You can use these tips as some form of a guideline and they will make it possible for you to get the best value for your money. Let us know in the comment section which of these brands you deem the best and if we have included any RV or trailer brands that you love. 

Also Read:

• How Much Does It Cost To Live In an RV
• Best Travel Trailer Brands
• Where To Purchase RV Cabinets