Which would you pick? Trailer park queen or Road Warrior?

[jondrew55]

Recently when we were choosing between two trailers we compared a 2019 27’ Serenity and a 2021 25’ Globetrotter. Lots of differences between the models 30 amp 1 AC vs 50 amp dual AC, bed orientation, differences between the models etc). But there was another difference I did not think about a lot at the time. The GT we ended up buying immediately went on a journey from Oklahoma City to Colorado, then to Moab and then back to Orlando. First time RV’er I believe and had his wife and two teenagers along. The Serenity went directly from the dealer to a trailer park and sat there for 2-1/2 years. Never moved. The guy was a business owner and really only used it as a crash pad. This got me to thinking, what decision would we have made if the trailers were the same model and age (each 1 year old or less) and one had been used frequently and the other had just sat in a trailer park?

I think I’d go with the one with some road use on it. There’s stuff that happens when your traveling that will expose problems that won’t show up just sitting still. Twisting and shaking, wires rattling all that fun stuff.

[ROBERT CROSS]

As would I 👍

Bob
🇺🇸

[Fungus]

Road warrior, for sure. There’s a lot of bouncing in a home on wheels.

[Fungus]

Another thought…perhaps from one too many Scotches…

In the zombie apocalypse which would prefer to be your travel companion?

[djb75]

Not to mention the time left on the warranty!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

If both trailers had 2 years left on the warranty, I'd probably go for the one that sat there. Far less wear and tear on all sorts of things.

There is no guarantee that the guy towing the trailer paid any attention at all to issues that popped up .... We all love to think that the PO was some sort of super duper obsessive who tracked down every squeak and immediately had it repaired. My observation is that 99% of PO's who sold quckly really didn't pay that much attention to things ....

Bob

[jondrew55]

Originally Posted by Fungus

Another thought…perhaps from one too many Scotches…

In the zombie apocalypse which would prefer to be your travel companion?

Funny you should mention scotch…

[jondrew55]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

If both trailers had 2 years left on the warranty, I'd probably go for the one that sat there. Far less wear and tear on all sorts of things.

There is no guarantee that the guy towing the trailer paid any attention at all to issues that popped up .... We all love to think that the PO was some sort of super duper obsessive who tracked down every squeak and immediately had it repaired. My observation is that 99% of PO's who sold quckly really didn't pay that much attention to things ....

Bob

I did ask what air pressure he ran in the tires. He was like “no idea. Is that something you need to check?”

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by jondrew55

I did ask what air pressure he ran in the tires. He was like “no idea. Is that something you need to check?”

Hi

I'd say that is pretty typical....

Some folks dive into this and "learn up" on the details. That allows them to fix minor stuff and keep on going. Those folks mostly hang on to their RV. Others get a few trips in, look at what still needs to be learned and go looking for a different hobby .....

Bob

[Air Cruiser]

Well, there is one other point to plug into all of this.

We have replaced the axles on two of our Airstreams in order to be able to run 16” Michelins on them — our ‘99 Safari and our ‘56 Bubble. While ordering these and discussing axles, I learned that the type of axles Airstream uses (torsion I believe) have rubber in them and that they need to be run down the road every three months or so to exercise the rubber to keep them flexible.

So, the trailer park queen would not have received that necessary treatment.

Deb

[jamieb1086]

Taking a chance no matter which one you choose. Who knows what might have happened to the one on the road trip? And the campgroung queen? Flat spots in the tires, little or no cleaning, whatever. Take your pick.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Air Cruiser

Well, there is one other point to plug into all of this.

We have replaced the axles on two of our Airstreams in order to be able to run 16” Michelins on them — our ‘99 Safari and our ‘56 Bubble. While ordering these and discussing axles, I learned that the type of axles Airstream uses (torsion I believe) have rubber in them and that they need to be run down the road every three months or so to exercise the rubber to keep them flexible.

So, the trailer park queen would not have received that necessary treatment.

Deb

Hi

Same would be true of roughly 99% of AS trailers stored in "cold winter" climates if the number is 3 months ....

Bob

[Air Cruiser]

Bob,

That is true, and we are very cold and snowy during the winter here in Ohio, so we have 4-5 months, roughly, that ours sit. That would be 4-5 months vs 30 months (2 1/2 yrs.) for a trailer park queen.

We bought our first set of new axles through Andy at Inland Marine, and I think, if I remember correctly, he may have been the one who first told me about exercising the rubber in the axles — it’s been a while so I could be wrong.

I don’t think this is something which would normally rule out choosing a TP queen, merely something to factor in. Everything else could be exactly what a person is looking for, including the price. If need be, axles aren’t that difficult to change out and while doing it there would be the opportunity to go larger diameter and that would give larger brakes (in our case, we went to 16” wheels and 12” brakes). And if bought for a good price, that would help with buying the new axles.

Deb

[uncle_bob]

Hi

I have no data on what's right or wrong in terms of the 3 month number. I'm just hoping that we all don't have to pull trailers a couple times a winter

Bob