So, here’s something I think about quite often when we talk about the RV manufacturers, and that’s brand loyalty and travel trailers.
Brand Loyalty can be driven experience, quality, cost, or just plain habit.
- Familiarity/experience – You have owned it and really like it.
- Quality – You feel is is the best quality product on the market.
- It the lowest cost out there and you like that. You think it’s the best value for the money.
- Habit – You’ve probably heard people say, I’ve always been a ford guy, my dad was a ford guy etc.
I must admit I have a few brands, that I am loyal towards.
- Dodge or Ram vehicles, I was a chevy guy long ago. In 1990 we bought our first Ram vehicle, and never looked back. By the way, my dad was always a GM guy.
- Bianchi Bicycles, their expensive but a great machine.
Of course, when it comes to Travel Trailers, I would never say we were “Brand Loyal”. We’ve owned Jaycos, Fleetwood, Mallard, Trail Lite, Coachmen, Grand Design, and now Alliance.
We haven’t been brand loyal primarily because brands have switched ownership over the years. This means what once was an original brand, is now just a name slapped on a unit. So, while you might think it’s your old familiar brand – it really isn’t.
Let’s use an example.
Coachmen RV was started in 1964 by three brothers. Over the years coachmen built a solid reputation for quality. I can attest to that personally, having owned a 2007 model.
In 2008, Forest River, a Berkshire Hathaway company, purchased Coachmen as many RV manufacturers struggled during the economic downturn. Forest River had also operated as a privately owned company until Berkshire Hathaway purchased it in 2005.
Now Coachmen, and Forest River trailers were really just being built by a conglomerate. So, if you purchased after the acquisitions, you were not buying from the same company.
You may say “Well, so what?”. Well, the issue is really more one of decreased competition, with top-down pressure to reduce costs.
When a company acquisition takes place it’s a little naive to think that nothing will change. The management team may stay in place for a while. Even the manufacturing facility may remain producing units. However, over time you can be pretty certain that things will change, as well as company standards.
So, should that keep you from buying a Coachmen or a Forest River product? Not at all.
However, don’t do it out of a sense of brand loyalty, because as I mentioned it is probably not really the same brand. Do your research and make your purchase based on the following:
- The quality of the model.
- The warranty
- Their track record of repairs
- Overall customer satisfaction with the Manufacturer.
- Additionally, I would add, that it the floorplan needs to meet your needs or you’ll be shopping for another unit soon. Ask me how I know.
All of that data is available on the internet. Whether it is Facebook, YouTube, RV recall sites, or the better business bureau, the data is out there. Make use of it before you buy.
You should put as much time into researching your trailer as you would into any other vehicle purchase—probably even more, because people build travel trailers by hand. Maybe someday robots will make them, who knows. Some manufacturers already 3D-print travel trailers.
With very few exceptions, You don’t really gain much from being loyal to a single travel‑trailer brand.
Some manufacturers do offer standout features. For example, some manufacturers have really well‑designed floorplans. Jayco has an exceptionally solid roof (the best I’ve ever walked on). Some manufacturers, like alliance and others, use Azdel in their wall and floor construction. But no brand is consistently superior across the board.
There’s no perfect travel trailer. The best you can do is research the models you are interested in without thinking of brand loyalty and travel trailers.
That’s my two cents for what it’s worth.
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