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3 best RV brands and models for travel trailers

Jun. 28 2023 RV Tips By Leisure Time Customer Service

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RV inspector’s picks: 3 best RV brands and models for travel trailers

Duane, a certified RV inspector from the RV Inspection and Care YouTube channel, has become one of my favorite vloggers. Yes, his presentation could use a little spicing up, but his information is always rock solid. In the video below he answers a frequently asked question about his personal favorite best RV brands and models when it comes to travel trailers.

Duane begins the video by discussing the benefits of travel trailers and why they are the most popular RV. Chances are you already know this if you are shopping for a trailer.

With an overwhelming variety of travel trailer brands and models to choose from, getting an expert’s view on brands and why he likes them is valuable. Even if you don’t stick with the brands Duane recommends, the reasons why he likes them can provide items to consider when evaluating any RV.

Quality is important when buying an RV. However, Duane rightly points out that quality in the RV industry does not necessarily stay stable. There are some brands that make good quality rigs in some years, then make other models that are not so great. Therefore, it’s important to evaluate who is making the best quality now.

The video below is 11 months old, so while things may change, these travel trailers are still quality models. Plus, with RV dealers currently desperate to get rid of unused “older” models, now might be an excellent time to snag a killer deal on one of these.

Duane says these recommendations are the best RV brands he has seen in the last three years. What is he basing his recommendations on? Three things:

  • Build quality: You want to know you are buying a quality product.
  • Customer Service: You need to know you will have support after the sale.
  • Resale value: You want to be able to sell the trailer later on and get a reasonable amount back out of it.

Duane’s top three best RV brands and models for travel trailers

#1 Grand Design: This company, which has only been around for about 10 years, is known for its high quality and exceptional customer service. Duane recommends the Grand Design Transcend, which will allow you to buy at the lower end of the market, or the Imagine, which is a good mid-range offering. Or for those who want a larger, higher-end luxury travel trailer, consider the Reflection. If you look for models on RV Trader, Duane says to expect models priced from the low-30s to the high-90s, depending on model, age, and features.

#2 Northwoods RV: This company is known for making true four-season RVs. In order to accomplish this, they must be made with quality. This is a smaller brand, so you might have to search longer and harder to find one, but when you do, Duane says the quality is readily apparent. That’s the reason this brand has legions of local vocal fans. Duane recommends the larger Arctic Fox, what the company is most known for, and the smaller Nash. Prices will range from the mid-30s to the mid-80s.

#3 Lance: One of the fastest growing companies in the RV industry, according to Duane Lance makes exceptional quality travel trailers compared to their competition. Lance does not give their trailers names, but rather model numbers. They are all quality RVs. Prices for Lance travel trailers on RV Trader will range from the mid-50s to the mid-90s.

No RV brand is perfect!

Duane puts in the disclaimer that in your search for the best RV brands, no brand is perfect, including the three he recommended. A large part of any RV you buy is still made by hand, so there can be problems from unit to unit on the quality level. Duane says it is possible to get a lemon with any brand. However, quality brands like these will put the odds firmly in your favor.

The video closes with a discussion of the importance of hiring a certified RV inspector before buying any new or used RV. Yes, Duane is himself such an inspector. But the advice isn’t wrong. Especially with the amount of money you will be investing in your RV.

The inspector will give you a list of all the RV’s problems and potential problems. Duane says never take delivery of a new RV until all the problems on that list are fixed.

What are your favorite RV brands?

Of course, there are other quality brands, but Duane had to choose his top three. What do you think? What is your top pick? Have you owned any of these trailers? Share your opinions and experiences in the comments below.