7 Worst Travel Trailer Brands to Avoid

Last Updated on September 19, 2023 by

I have rounded up a list of the worst travel trailer brands to avoid while buying a travel trailer according to my personal experience. 

Here are my picks of the worst travel trailer brands that you must avoid at all times:

  1. Hurricane
  2. Coachmen
  3. Jayco
  4. Coleman
  5. Keystone
  6. Winnebago
  7. Fleetwood

Worst Travel Trailer Brands to Avoid and Why?

Brand Name Why Worst? (Reason)
Hurricane Unreliable Floorplans, Low-Quality Material
Coachmen Missing Essential Features
Jayco Poor Craftsmanship
Coleman Poor Build Quality
Keystone Leakage Issues 
Winnebago Poor Customer Service
Fleetwood Low Stability

LogoBrand NameQuality RatingsPrice
HurricaneHurricane
1
Check Price
CoachmenCoachmen
1.5
Check Price
JaycoJayco
2
Check Price
ColemanColeman
2
Check Price
KeystoneKeystone
2.5
Check Price
WinnebagoWinnebago
3
Check Price
FleetwoodFleetwood
2.7
Check Price

Here is a short video summary of the worst travel trailer brands to avoid if you don’t have the time to read the whole article. 

What are the Worst Travel Trailer Brands to Avoid?

1. Hurricane

Hurricane

Hurricane is the brand that earned the top spot on my worst travel trailer brands list that you should avoid buying.

Hurricane is one of the least popular brands, people run away from, and rightly so because of their low-quality material products.

Don’t let yourself get fooled by their low price tag. Once you are lured into buying one of Hurricane products, you will be helpless and find your dismay this worst camper brand is a hub of issues.

To begin with its problems, their products are built with extremely low-quality and cheap material that customers deride as scrap.

You will see poor-quality hydraulic lines that are used for the auto-stabilizer jacks, and they ooze hydraulic flood. These lines are so flimsy and might fly off when you are driving.

Moreover, these trailers also feature faulty brakes which are a big concern and serious safety issue.

Furthermore, these worst travel trailers are also fraught and have poor workmanship, which means they have a seriously bad fitting and installation both inside and outside.

Camping Gear SALE!

We have teamed up with Ape Survival to give you a huge 25% off EVERYTHING on their store! They have camping gear, hiking gear, survival gear and much more, all at 25% off when you click the link below.

SHOP NOW

Hurricane travel trailers are the worst brand that took the traveling world by storm because of their low-quality travel trailers.

Pros
  • They are budget-friendly and have low-price tags.
Cons
  • They are built with low quality and cheap structural material.
  • They have low-quality hydraulic lines that might fly off when you are driving.
  • They have faulty brakes that are a serious safety concern.

2. Coachmen

Coachmen

Don’t get fooled because of the fact that Coachmen is a subsidiary of Forest River Inc., which is one of the best motorhome brand in the market.

However, Coachmen recreational vehicles have earned a massive number of complaints in the last couple of years.

Despite the fact that Coachmen is around for quite a long time (1964) and has manufactured various recreational models and types of vehicles, these vehicles failed to fulfill the needs of the majority of travelers and satisfy them.

Although Coachmen recreational vehicles have elegant designs and impressive features, there are various other reasons why I have included them on my travel trailer brand to avoid.

For instance, Coachmen Brooks doesn’t feature a valve on a freshwater drain. If you move its part and things like screws, the electrical insulation will fall off. It means it has crooked screws that describe all about the quality of these travel trailers.

Some other issues that it has include leaking showers, broken electric levelers, weak lounge chairs, and most importantly, very low-quality material.

You should especially avoid buying 2015 Coachmen Freedom Express and Coachmen Prism, 2016 Coachmen 276RKDA and 2016 Coachmen Brookstone.

Due to both on-road and off-road technical issues and problems, it is no surprise why travelers run away from Coachmen products.

However, you might see some owners with Coachmen recreational vehicles arguing that they work great, but you should take no risk when investing a serious amount of money.

Camping Gear SALE!

We have teamed up with Ape Survival to give you a huge 25% off EVERYTHING on their store! They have camping gear, hiking gear, survival gear and much more, all at 25% off when you click the link below.

SHOP NOW
Cons
  • They lack and don’t have a valve on the freshwater drain.
  • They have crooked screws that can fall off at any time.
  • They are built with low-quality materials.

3. Jayco

Jayco

Jayco is a well-known brand among travelers and RV enthusiasts. However, it also falls in the bad travel trailer brand when it comes to its unreliability and low quality.

There are some travelers who adore Jayco travel trailers, but there is no shortage of travelers who don’t want to own a Jayco vehicle as well.

Jayco concentrates on manufacturing vehicles with certain unique features. However, these features prove to be nothing but more troublesome for travelers.

They produce more hassle than the majority of travelers can tolerate.

Suppose you are considering buying a Jayco vehicle mainly because it has some unique features. In that case, you might end up spending a serious amount of money on the maintenance of these features when they start falling apart.

There are chances of recurring maintenance expenses because of their plumbing, installation, and repetitive ventilation failures.

Don’t be surprised if you feel cheated when your Jayco travel trailer dawns on you that it is not dependable. Although these vehicles have a great towing ability and offer a great environment, there is a limit to both these qualities to what you can endure.

Jayco doesn’t compensate when things start falling apart without any warning sign. Because of all these issues, it is clear that Jayco is yet another worst travel trailer brand to avoid since they cut corners to save costs and, as a result, compromise on durability and reliability.

Don’t let yourself get fooled by the aesthetically beautiful exterior of Jayco travel trailers, since there is a high chance you end up struggling to keep the interior in its functional order.

Travel trailers are great if they offer great functionality, so stay away from Jayco.

Pros
  • It is a well-known and well-established brand.
  • Jayco vehicles come equipped with some unique features.
  • Jayco vehicles have great towing ability and offer a great environment.
Cons
  • You might end up spending a serious amount of money on its maintenance and keeping its features in working condition.
  • These vehicles have constant ventilation failures, as well as installation, and plumbing is also subpar.

4. Coleman

Coleman

Coleman is significantly a new brand in the market but has managed to create quite some waves and rightly so since it is known for all of its notorious reputations, so stay away from it.

Coleman is among the top brand to avoid in the RV market. The main reason why travelers and RV enthusiasts run away from Coleman is their very poor structural quality which disappoints the majority of customers.

If you are considering buying a Coleman travel trailer because you find them low-price products, there is a high chance that you feel cheated in the very first week of use.

Coleman’s both finishing and fit are disappointing since they are assembled poorly and lack durability.

It shouldn’t be surprising if you found the first owner of Coleman complaining about its issues and problems in the first week of its use.

You might end up fixing its refrigerator issues while camping with your family, and before you finish fixing it, you might have to deal with heater or AC problems as well.

Moreover, you might also confront shower issues when it starts blowing water everywhere.

It means it has more issues than the number of features it has. However, the most common one that I have seen is its design. Everything gives away too easily, and it could be a bedroom door, outside lights, or something else.

Another thing that I have noticed is its bunk windows that are known to open out when you are driving on an open road. Furthermore, the furniture it has might not last even for a year. I have seen the majority of Coleman travel trailer owners who feel that they are not livable and usable.

The brand can be discounted since it is relatively new in the RV market, but you should not include it on your list when buying a travel trailer and going for something better.

I sincerely hope that Coleman will start manufacturing reliable and durable products, but stay away from them until then.

5. Keystone

Keystone

Keystone is another well-known brand, and the first Keystone travel trailer was introduced in1996. It is among the well-established RV manufacturers of towable campers in North America.

It has manufactured various campers, toy haulers, and fifth-wheel vehicles.

Keystone recreational vehicles are fuel-efficient and spacious, but they also come with a fair amount of technical and structural issues.

I have seen a lot of owners of Keystone trailers complaining about issues and problems, which makes it one of the travel trailer brands to avoid at all costs.

The majoring of RV enthusiasts found its furniture quality and fishing mediocre. Some of them complained about its cabinet door that fall off within a short time.

Moreover, the control board of Keystone recreational vehicles is hard to manipulate, which offers substandard experiences.

Furthermore, suppose you are considering buying a Keystone travel trailer. In that case, you should know that Keystone’s official website is also nothing but a headache that will give you a tough time, and it will be a daunting task for you to navigate to find your desired travel trailers and other relevant information.

Keystone helpline also fails to provide proper assistance to its customers, making its customers feel Keystone is not dependable and reliable in terms of post-buying support.

Regardless of the fact that Keystone is extremely popular among travelers and enthusiasts and earned fame in a short time, it still has to reconsider its quality control.

Before Keystone fixes all of the drawbacks of its products, it is not a great option, and that is why I have included it in my unfavorable travel trailer manufacturers to avoid the list.

Pros
  • It is a well-known, and popular camper brand that manufactures various travel trailers that are popular among travelers and RV enthusiasts.
  • Keystone recreational vehicles are fuel-efficient and spacious.
Cons
  • The furniture of these recreational vehicles is made of poor quality.
  • These vehicles have a fair amount of technical and structural issues.
  • The control board of Keystone recreational vehicles is hard to manipulate.
  • They don’t have a reliable and dependable customer help center and don’t provide the proper customer.

6. Winnebago

Winnebago

Winnebago is also a latecomer in the RV industry, and despite the fact that it has an innocent name, it would be wise to not get fooled by its name.

It is a brand that has received both good and bad reactions from its customers, but they do manufacture some good travel trailers and motorhomes, but the poor customer service has bought down the brand’s name in the market. 

However, Winnebago is not the worst travel trailer brand in comparison to what I have mentioned above, but the massive number of complaints from its customers requires close scrutiny.

On the one hand, you will see customers who are happy with their Winnebago camper and seem to have no issues at all, while on the other hand, you will see customers who feel cheated.

Because of this, Winnebago has accrued a group of loyal customers, but it is also a fact that many are unsatisfied and demanding their money back.

So, let’s discuss why these angry customers want their money back and why they are unhappy.

The majority of Winnebago consumers often complain about the front wall of their Winnebago vehicle, and the wall finishing as well. They think that inner walls aren’t straight, and therefore they are unsafe.

Moreover, the majority of Winnebago vehicles are built with low-construction quality. If you are buying a Winnebago travel trailer, there are chances that you might end up doing nothing but time-consuming and expensive repairs.

In addition to their low-quality construction, you might also confront electrical issues that you will have to deal with. Furthermore, the interior finishing of Winnebago vehicles is also not very convincing, and the majority of its consumers find it subpar.

All of these and some other minor issues clearly tell that Winnebago vehicles have low-quality material and construction quality.

What’s more, I have seen a lot of Winnebago customers complaining about their customer support. The Winnebago representative may not even have an answer to the issues you are facing.

Last but not least, I have also seen some cases where this brand failed to honor its warranty. So, it is wise not to put your faith in a brand that doesn’t provide reliable customer assistance to its unhappy customers.

Pros
  • Winnebago vehicles are extremely popular among travelers and RV enthusiasts.
  • Some of their consumers are highly satisfied with their Winnebago travel trailers.
  • Winnebago vehicles have fewer technical and structural issues compared to the other travel trailer manufacturers mentioned on this list.
Related Post:  8 Excellent Travel Trailers With Washer And Dryer
Cons
  • They have low construction quality.
  • You will be required to spend a lot of dollars on their maintenance and repairs.
  • Sometimes it fails to honor its warranty.

7. Fleetwood

Fleetwood RV

Fleetwood is yet another well-known travel trailer brand in the RV market that has been around for quite some time now.

Fleetwood travel trailers were known for their impressive performance and good manufacturing quality. However, over time, the latest Fleetwood travel trailers have received numerous negative comments from its angry customers.

The latest Fleetwood products have displayed various shortcomings and defects. That is why the brand quality is consistently dropping below.

The majority of customers are complaining about their poor quality interior.

In comparison to other travel trailer brands to avoid that are included on this list, their inner bodies age much faster.

Moreover, I have seen some cases where the trailer battery has refused to recharge, which, as a result, rendered various functions of the RV entirely useless.

If you are going to buy a Fleetwood travel trailer, you might also end up stranded in the same situation. You will have to spend some additional dollars to replace its battery with another to get better and more stable performance.

Another common problem that I have seen in even the newest models of Fleetwood RVs is that the black water tank is prone to leaking.

Moreover, if you want to speak to a Fleetwood customer support center, it usually has no answer to your problem.

All of these issues and problems make Fleetwood nothing but another worst camper brand to avoid.

Pros
  • Fleetwood has done great for many years.
  • These RVs have some unique and amazing features.
Cons
  • Fleetwood’s latest vehicles have many structural and technical defects and shortcomings.
  • They aren’t reliable anymore like the one brand was known for.
  • These RVs are hard to level even when you park them.
  • They are built with low-quality materials.

Factors to Consider While Choosing a Travel Trailer

I have listed these manufacturers on the following basis.

1. Material Quality

A travel trailer’s material quality tells about its durability, performance, and manufacturing quality. This is the most important aspect of a travel trailer, and that is why I have investigated the material quality of all the travel trailer brands mentioned below.

2. Durability

When buying a trailer, you should explore all the features of a travel trailer, and they should be constructed using the best possible design practices, precise manufacturing methods, and top-quality workmanship.

This is essential for the durability of all the parts of a travel trailer. The inferior travel trailer brands try to cut corners so that they can save a little cost. The corner-cutting comes at the price of its durability.

3. Reliability

Regardless of whether it is fixtures and fitting or appliances, reliability is yet another important aspect since you are not willing to waste time and spend your vacations fixing things off your trailer instead of enjoying nature at any cost.

You should keep an eye on the reliability issues that the majority of travelers confront with the lowest quality travel trailer brands since there is a possibility that you also might end up confronting the same issues if you purchase one of these travel trailers.

Wrapping Up

Buying an RV means you have to invest a serious amount of money since they aren’t cheap. This is why you should thoroughly research before making a decision so that you can get the one that not only gives you high performance but is also durable, and reliable, and that you can take with you wherever you go.

There are various travel trailer brands that manufacture the best products, and you can choose one of them. However, it is also a fact that there are brands that are known for their notorious reputation in the RVing world.

Above, I have created a list of the worst trailer brands to avoid. Make sure to check this list, so you don’t end up getting an RV that is unreliable and not durable.

FAQ

What are some worst travel trailer brands to not buy a trailer?

Coleman, Coachman, Forest River, and Jayco.

What is the most reliable travel trailer brand?

The most reliable travel trailer brand in the RV market include Airstream, K-Z RV, and Newmar.

Table of Contents

About Ted Mosby

I am Ted Mosby from Cleveland, Ohio. I am a Freelance Architect. I live in New Jersey, USA right now and I take my RV every alternate weekend. I own a Forest River Berkshire XLT Diesel 45A Class A Motorhome. As I am a Freelancer I can work anywhere so most of my work is done inside my camper remotely.