What's wrong with TrailManor?

I don't know who said it first, but I like the line "do it right the first time".

My customers may act like critics but I don't give them that label; I just get to repairing the problem so I can keep calling them customers.

[T and C]

Originally Posted by T and C

Another thing to keep in mind about screws coming out etc., is that while travelling down the road an RV is shaking and bouncing constantly. I have no idea how many shakes they get, but it must be several hundred thousand per year.

What would your house be like if you shook it up and down a few hundred K?

Tom

After I had posted the above it dawned on me that I have actually had experience with my house being shaken. I live in Southern California and the ground sometimes decides to move around. I have lived through many earthquakes but they are usually centered many miles from where I live.

I said "usually". In 1992 we had an pretty strong quake centered in Northridge, CA. My house was very near the epicenter. So the answer to my question about "what would your house be like" is that it would need thousands of dollars of repairs. In my case, $20,000!

[Northwoods]

I'm 79 year old and 5'1 and I can open our TM. Go to the dealer and open and close it yourself and you'll see that they are quite the engineering marvel. Olga

[Unstable_Tripod]

I agree that trailer bounce and vibration is hard on components and we must expect routine maintenance. To put this in perspective, here is part of a post I wrote on another forum about a long trip I took with my TrailManor last Spring:

"I have some musings about trailer wear and tear on a 61-day, 8,100 mile trip. Remember, most folks use their trailers within a few hundred miles of home and for 2-4 days at a time. If one uses the comparison of five two-day weekend trips a year that are an average of 100 miles from home, I put six years’ worth of camping days on the trailer and eight years’ worth of mileage on it in just two months. With 26 set-up/tear-down cycles I put over five years’ worth of use on it from that perspective. That’s a lot of use and, as we all know, things break, wear out, get out of adjustment and so on."

I've camped in tents, a popup tent trailer, the back of my truck and in my TrailManor. The TrailManor is my favorite, far and away. Its huge list of advantages overwhelmingly outweighs its few issues.

Do any of the original posters from 2005-2008 still love their TM's? It's been a good couple of years and I want to know your input! People after 2008 can reply too! Has anyone noticed quality changes, i.e. has it increased or decreased over the years? I really want to buy one, they seem much more practical to me than owning a RV, my parents and in-laws both have RVs and they seem like such a hassle sometimes (driving, fueling, dumping etc.)

Either way thanks for your help in advance!
<3
Annie

[Speckul8r]

Love is a pretty strong word but I like mine a lot. We've been on some pretty decent trips, length wise, and it still seems pretty easy to tow and maneuver. I'll be converting to 15" wheels soon and that is the only real problem I can see with the older models. Someone here said that TM has moved on to 15"ers standard and that will be a big plus.

In regards to vibration, I owned a Jayco pop-up for 11 years. I think that the TM has actually shown less tendency for loose nuts, bolts, screws and components than the pop-up. At the same time, those little 12" tires went around a many a time and I never had a flat/blowout with it. Have had 3 with the TM. Glad I installed a plumbing guard on it!!!

We are the original owners of a 2005 TM 2720.

We have no complaints. It has met our needs well. Only nominal routine maintenance, plus a few items during the warranty.

Our needs have changed. In the past year DW has had knee replacement surgery for both knees. Crawling on her knees is no longer an option.

We took delivery of a new motor home yesterday. As soon as I take some pictures and write something up the TM will be up for sale. So will the truck, 2002 Chevy Silverado 1500HD.

Getting old sucks, but it is better than the alternative.

I have come to appreciate the flexibility of the TM especially as it relates to handy storage. Being able to keep your TM in your garage is a real plus from both a convenience and longevity perspective. Storing an RV out side can be really hard on it and it fitting in your garage beats those nagging storage fees.
I also like being able to tow it with a lighter duty tv. And while gas prices are an issue, they don't become the primary driver determining the feasibility of a trip.
I will be spending more time in Florida and look forward to exploring all that great state has to offer.

[HIKERZ]

Fl has a great park system. Lakes. Rivers beaches. Just book ahead

[LoveToCamp]

Annie, we only purchased our 2714 TM in February, but we moved up from a canvas pop-up. We took the TM on a 2400-mile trip this summer, and I took it for a long weekend with two other men in November.

On the long trip, the low profile of the TM was a huge plus. We had headwinds for 600 miles, and only lost about half-a-mile per gallon (diesel, with a 3-litre in a Grand Cherokee - not a huge engine or vehicle), and I drove 75 on the interstate the entire trip (I'll catch flack for 75, but I worked up to it, and was very aware of what the TV and TM were doing).

My folks had a Four Winds travel trailer, and they lose much speed and mpg when they tow into the wind. They also notice cross-winds, which I don't, with my TM.

We were in some 40+ mph winds the first few nights, and inside, we didn't feel any drafts. TMs are not air-tight, but there are only a couple of places I stuff filler, and it doesn't get drafty. I see no advantage with a regular TT when it comes to wind.

After my November weekend, I only had to open my drain valves, and faucets, and drain the entire system. I don't have to winterize like you do on a regular TT.

I recommend a TM to anyone who wants to travel. It is simple to set up (really, two minutes to open and secure the shells, then a couple minutes inside.) I think that is worth it, when I likely get at least 5 mpg better when towing the TM than I would if I towed a full-height TT.

Fit an finish of my TM are very good. Nothing has come loose, and I am finicky. I check the entire unit after each day of travel (we did some 4-wheel roads to get into one campsite, and had no issues at all).

In my mind, a TM is a great unit, and the collapsible shells are a big plus, not a detraction. It makes travel so much easier and less stressful.