Please help the new kid !

[tlhdoc]

I many have missed it, BUT having a GREAT DEALER, is more important than any brand of PU that you many buy.  All brands have problems, getting problems fixed quickly and correctly is very important.  

FYI: There aren't any new Coleman trailers being produced and Fleetwood doesn't offer a life time warranty on their roofs anymore.  I wonder why???

[talltom]

I many have missed it, BUT having a GREAT DEALER, is more important than any brand of PU that you many buy.  All brands have problems, getting problems fixed quickly and correctly is very important.  

FYI: There aren't any new Coleman trailers being produced and Fleetwood doesn't offer a life time warranty on their roofs anymore.  I wonder why???

Don't anything about that last reply.  I've had 3 coleman popups before moving on up to a TT and then a fiver.  Now I'm back to a popup.  This is really camping, -- had a tent an cots for the past year but am getting to old forb that.
Ok, everybody's pop-up is the best.  My opinion for whatever its worth.  Take a look at how they are made, Check everything out, crawl under them and ask lots of questions.  Don't let the salemen intimidate you, they need to make that sale either from you or somebody else or else they won't get any $$$.  You'rde in charge!
Now, don't know if its changed bt my money went to Colemen -- now Fleetwood.  Unfortunately fleedwod tries to cut corners I think, - is- see above article - .  But here's my story;  We had a Sequoia back around 92 and were in a storm.  Long after the storm passed ( 4 in the morning) a tree branch weighing about 1000# fell and land on the right rear corner of our roof.  This branch fell about 20 feet and really woke us up.  Now we had friends sleeping on that bed where it hit.  The roof shook, bent, boot ripped over or heads but it statyed up.  Why!  If it had been any other pop-up Ithink it would have come down on our heads and reallybinjuring our friends.  And I think that the only reason it stayed up is because of it being a Coleman.  Now don't forget, Fleetwood had already bought Coleman several years before.  Also look at the lifter arms on all the others and then compare them to a Coleman/Fleetwood.  All the others are aa incg in diameter while the Fleetwoods still continue to use Colemans 2.5inch lifter arms.  Thanks but if I can afford it I'll still go with a Fleetwood/coleman.  They may cost more but I feel there the better rig. :-()  :-()

[tlhdoc]

Don't anything about that last reply.

What does that mean?:yikes:

[Camping Coxes]

Okay -- This poor "new kid" asked basically what to look for, how old is too old, and we've turned it into crowing about our brand's superiority over others!
 
The thing to remember in age of a pop-up is that it's not like a used car this was driven every day.  A trailer isn't used daily and is usually used for 3-7, 14 at a stretch at a time.  So let's say over the course of a summer it's used a total of 21 days or so (just a number out of thin air -- I know some of you are able to get away much more than that!), you're only look at just over 100 days for a five year old trailer.  Pretty good.  
 
Look at how clean it is.  If the trailer is filthy, you know it's not been well maintained.  When we were looking, we drove two hours to see a "very clean, in great shape" trailer.  We got there and it was dirty, dish detergent had leaked in the cabinet under the sink and was all gooey, clothes and junk were all over the trailer from the last trip (two weeks prior), and the frame and tongue of the trailer were all rusty.  I'm sorry, that' s not my definition of very clean and in great shape.
 
If you can afford to buy new, go for it.  That way you can pick our your floorplan that works best for you.  That is the most important feature.  
 
And as for brand preference:  I preferred the Coleman/Fleetwood.   I did my research and was well aware of the roof issues.  By the way, let us remember this wasn't a ten year run of bad roofs, but two years from what I understand.   My trailer was manufactured before the issues; however, teh previous owners had had the roof replaced because of slight cracking and didn't want to take any chances -- good for me!
 
My preference for Coleman was because they used the thicker, heavier upholstery fabric (vs. heavy cotton) on the upholstery, the kitchen gally didn't flip over for storage, ergo I didn't have to empty the drawer under the sink everytime we broke down, and the stepper door was a definite plus.  I hated the bounce I felt when I tried to use the steps that pull out, and I'm known to be a klutz, so the bigger the target for me to step on, the better!  (By the way, I've still fallen off the stepper door -- I did mention I'm a klutz, didn't I?)  These things might not have mattered to someone else, but to me it did.

[AustinBoston]

By the way, let us remember this wasn't a ten year run of bad roofs, but two years from what I understand.

Actually, the bad roofs were closer to 10 years than 2.  The worst were from 1996 to 1999, when they changed manufacturers and made process improvements.  They "improved" the situation again in 2001, and didn't fix it until mid-2003 (halfway through the model year) when they abandoned the ABS roof altogether.  By my reconing, that's about 7 years of bad roofs.

Austin

[tlhdoc]

Actually, the bad roofs were closer to 10 years than 2. The worst were from 1996 to 1999, when they changed manufacturers and made process improvements. They "improved" the situation again in 2001, and didn't fix it until mid-2003 (halfway through the model year) when they abandoned the ABS roof altogether. By my reconing, that's about 7 years of bad roofs.
 
Austin

That is correct and more roofs are failing every year.  I thought I had a good one until it went in 2003.  I really liked the ABS roof.  I wish they could have go that right.