New to travel trailers and this forum

[truegamer]

My wife and I are looking at getting a travel trailer. I have done a lot of research on the various name brands and have been intrigued by the Livin Lite specifically the 2017 21RBS. I like the aluminum construction (no wood, no rot); this trailer seems to be potentially less problematic in the long run than conventional travel trailers. But some of the questions that i am trying to find answers for are as follows.
1. How easy (or difficult) is it to find a place that will service them if something was to happen on the road? Are they serviced in all the states?
2. Are they good with warranty repair.
3. On one forum I looked at, there was a mention of condensation on the inside due to possible lack of insulation; is that a typical problem?
4. Are the seams on the roof sealed well.
5. Are the holding tanks insulated or do the freeze in cold weather?
I know I ask a lot of questions, but $25,000 is a lot of money to me and before I pull the trigger, I want to do my due diligence. Thank you all in advance.

[DavidM]

Let me try to answer some of your questions and hopefully ease your mind a bit.

A lot has beens said on this forum, the old forum and the other forum about post delivery quality and warranty problems. But I believe that the majority of LL trailers get delivered to the customer and nothing more needs to be done. Mine was that way. Many others have minor problems and if you are a decent DIYer you can easily fix them yourself at home.

But if you do have significant problems, your first source should be the dealer you bought it from. But not all of us have a dealer close to home. Any RV repair facility anywhere in North America can do the repair and LL will reimburse them. You need to first get LL's authorization to do the repair. Camping World for example has dozens of service facilities throughout the country.

If you are worried about failures on the road then Good Sams (a division of Camping World I think) has a service program similar to AAA. They will find a local repair facility and even arrange towing if necessary to get it repaired. In general this is for post warranty things.

Some RV repair facilities are good and some are bad, just like cars. I can't speak for dealing with LL in a non dealer repair situation, but I suspect that they are probably decent to work with.

Camplite's have R9 (approximately) insulation in the walls, which helps with the condensation problem. But if it is really cold outside and you are cooking inside then you may get condensation on the walls. But since the walls are either aluminum or synthetic, no worries.

Some have complained about the cosmetics of the new rubber roof sealing but not the water tightness of them.

The water and holding tanks are not insulated. It takes quite a bit of extra doing to insulate the tanks and get hot air to them from the furnace. You find these 4 season trailers on larger more permanent living size trailers. A Camplite is not a 4 season trailer that you can set up in a ski area parking lot for several days and have no freezing worries.

CharlieM and others have discussed winter camping issues extensively on the old forum. There are several things you can do: For moderate freezing temps, put a skirt around the trailer to keep the heat inside. That probably will be ok down to 20 deg if the inside trailer is heated with the furnace, even lower if you put an electric heater underneath. Charlie installed a water circulating system that used the hot water heater to keep the plumbing (but not the tanks) from freezing. I suspect that his system was also good to 20 deg. Below that you need to insulate the tanks and provide heat from the furnace which is not something a casual camper needs.

So, I hope that I have given you a fair assessment of quality issues on LL campers.

David

[djsamuel]

Most of the items in the trailer that can break are standard camper appliances/parts made by a few major companies.  As a result, getting service is not an issue.  In addition, since LivinLite is part of Thor, the base of service centers to provide warranty work is large, including Camping World.  Now as David says above, the quality of that work will vary widely.

After the acquisition by Thor, there have been some teething issues, but they seem to be working out.  I've found their responsiveness to be good, for the small number of issues I had to deal with them directly.  I had warranty work done at my dealer in Lakeland, FL, even though they no longer carried the Camplites.  No problem at all.  I did have a couple of roof leaks, but that was easily solved with a tube of Dicor self leveling caulk. 

To me, the important thing to consider is how will the trailer hold up in spite of the inevitable issues/leaks that will occur.   In the case of the Camplites, they are extremely durable.  If you have a leak, the walls and flooring will not rot.  The camper is extremely solid with even the cabinetry integral to the structure of the camper.  My 21BHS has traveled from Florida out to Utah and Arizona and up to Tennessee.  After almost 4 years, the camper is as solid as it was the day we brought it home.  Over that time, we replaced the air conditioner under warranty due to a split tube, and I've replaced the tires.  Other than that, no issues. 

Look at as many different models of campers you can.  My wife and I did and while many others seemed to look more "luxurious", none seemed as solid as the Camplite.  We found ourselves comparing every camper to the Camplite.  When we realized that, we knew our choice was made.  While it hasn't been perfect, we feel that over the long haul, we made the right decision.  Many people replace their campers every 5 years or so.  The Camplite will last much longer than that.

Hope this helps.

Doug

[MarshHawk]

Thanks for the replies. Just bought mine, haven't taken possession of it yet. So I am still in the "did I make the right decision??" phase.  Nice to hear good things, as these very things that led me to purchase my Camplite.

[edmundoroman]

The blog resonates with readers on a deeper level, leaving a lasting emotional impact.

[xiyoyos]

The Livin Lite 2017 21RBS is a solid choice, especially with its aluminum construction, which minimizes concerns about rot. In terms of service, many RV centers can handle aluminum models, though it's always a good idea to check if they have experience with Livin Lite specifically. The brand is generally good with warranty repairs, but it's important to review the details before committing. Some owners have reported condensation issues due to a possible lack of insulation, but adding extra insulation in colder or humid environments can help mitigate this. If you're planning a trip that includes Oslo nightlife, it might be useful to know that this model works great for those who enjoy traveling and exploring different destinations. The roof seams should be well-sealed, though regular inspection is recommended. As for the holding tanks, they may not be insulated, which could lead to freezing in cold weather, so adding tank heaters or skirting would be beneficial if you're planning to use the trailer in colder climates.

[hepij]

Livin Lite trailers, including the 2017 21RBS, are serviced at authorized RV centers, but service availability may vary by region. Warranty repairs are generally honored, though the process can depend on the issue. If you're planning to travel, consider using Private Tours & Service for added convenience on the road. Condensation can occur in aluminum trailers, so extra insulation might be needed. Roof seams are well-sealed with regular maintenance advised. For cold weather, holding tanks are insulated, but additional protection may be required.

[abbaskhan8008]

Interesting topic! Speaking of handy services, if anyone is involved in construction or renovation in the UAE, I'd suggest checking out Core Cutting Services in Abu Dhabi. They've got some solid experience and reliable tools.

[beckyricee]

New to travel trailers and this forum, excited to start this journey and learn from the community. Just finished some paperwork, including nbi online to get everything in order. Looking forward to tips, advice, and meeting fellow travelers!