Beginner Trailer Family MA

Thanks to each individual that took the time to write a post. We appreciated reading each person's perspective. Kirk W. as well as Franco Bolli thank you for the additional comments! I've been meaning to provide an update and its taken four months now to make it. We picked up the brand new 2022 Forest River Avenger 30 foot travel trailer on Friday, Aug 5 at the dealership on I-87 north of Saratoga, NY. The dealer, Alpin Haus switched the Avenger Oct 2021 built date trailer (rust on frame) to the identical Avenger Dec 2021 built date for no additional cost. We pulled the brand new Avenger trailer west along I-90 and late at night stopped at a rest area south of Buffalo, NY near the PA state border. Slept in the trailer overnight at the NY rest area on a hot, humid, & very muggy night with no AC,.but it all worked out. We arrived at Kelly's Island (Lake Erie) Ohio on Sun, Aug 7 and stayed thru Tues, Aug 16. The toughest part was backing the trailer in the campsite. We departed Kelly's Island State Park after 9 nights and pulled it across the agricultural heartland of Ohio from Kelley's Island towards the I-75 corridor to get to Ohio's Grand Lake Saint Marys State Park. We then departed Grand Lake St Marys State Park on Aug 19 and drove back to Massachusetts, once again staying overnight on the interstate western PA. Bottomline, we made great memories with the family! Catherine age 12 & John age 10 and we had a blast with the new trailer. I can't imagine tent camping again! We ended up not using the trailer again in Sept & Oct and winterized it on the first Saturday in November. Thanks again for the guidance. We are now ready to pull it to our next destination in April 2023 during the kid's spring school break week. Williamsburg, VA has been tossed around as a possible location. Here's to RVing and making more positive memories using the 2022 Forest River Avenger trailer!

Hi Payroll Person, Gary & Larissa, Durangodon, Travelinbob, and Ken, Update: Called first thing this morning (July 27) to speak with the sales associate (located 3 1/2 hours northwest of Boston in another state). I kept professional, forthright, and expressed the concern about the rust on this 2022 model year travel trailer built 10/12/21. Sales associate describes the rust on the frame as "surface rust" and not a big issue on the trailer frame due to the thickness of the steel. Sales associate looked at both identical trailers on the lot. Learned from sales associate that both trailers are approximately 60 days difference in the same company's manufacturing date and two months difference on when the RV dealership received each trailer. The sales associate offered three options: 1. RV Dealership paint the frame prior to pick-up & walk-thru. Cost: $299 2. Switch the travel trailer to the identical brand & model (12/07/21 manufacturer sticker build date) that is on the RV dealer lot. Sale associate described the identical trailer frame as "pristine" compared to the trailer frame we purchased. Cost: $2,132.10 {Reason provided for the additional cost: RV dealership took possession of the identical trailer approximately 60 days after the 10/12/21 trailer and the travel trailer manufacturer cost increased the price to the dealership within two months. Coincidently, when searching for Avenger 26BK for sale, it is listed for same price on rvtrader.com for the exact identical trailer built 12/07/21. Same price listed on rvtrader.com for the 10/12/21 built trailer at the same RV dealership.} 3. Cancel the deal and not purchase the travel trailer. Cost: $115.60 (Cost for the Maxxair brand original roof vent cover that the RV dealership installed on the travel trailer a few days after our purchase date of Saturday, July 16 because the dealer had a $1,999 credit [part of the total price on the purchase agreement] for RV equipment at the dealership's parts division. The parts associate called on Monday, July 18 to recommend the equipment to get with that credit; trailer hitch, sway control system, wire harness for brakes, sewer hose, water hose, vent cover, etc...just checked that this roof vent costs $27 dollars on Amazon, so the remainder of the $115.60 is labor cost to install it.) Appreciate the time that each of you have taken to share your perspectives. We were very excited to finally purchase this brand new 2022 RV travel trailer and now the excitement has worn off and the reality of the RV industry has opened our eyes. We may just return to the simplicity of tent camping for our family vacation to Kelley's Island, Ohio!

Thanks Kirk! Appreciate your thoughtful reply! Some outside pics of our first ever travel trailer purchase on July 16, 2022. We have not taken delivery yet. The pick-up & walk-thru date is scheduled for 12 noon on Friday, Aug 5, 2022. As individuals who thought about buying a starter RV for awhile, researched & researched for two years, tested RV trailers by renting a few times, it was exciting to get the offer within our price range, and make the decision. (My wife Anne was at the point "Just make a decision!" because we are definitely traveling to Kelley's Island, Ohio on August 5th and will be doing an Clark Griswold family style vacation for two weeks!. She kept saying that time is short and the kids are growing fast, and in reality we only have a few more springs, summers, & falls before they are older working jobs and don't have the interest to spend time camping. Anne & I hope that this Forest River Prime Time RV Avenger trailer will be reliable. Yes, a bit concerned about this trailer frame rust on a new trailer (I too think the dealer might have taken it to trade shows during the winter months). I'm will send an email (with the pics) to the dealership sales associate to ask if the trailer could be switched with the identical model trailer on the lot. That trailer has no rust at all on the frame, bolts, or wheel springs. Most people have commented that the frame rust on this Lippert chassis is not normal for a new 2022 travel trailer. Here's to being positive and having a safe trip with the family on August 5th! We are excited to have this travel trailer and making memories for our kids! My best memories growing up in Maryland (Lutherville north of Baltimore) were when we all went camping! Mom bought a brand new 1978 green Eureka canvas style tent with a tall center ridge pole that could hold all five sibling with mom & dad. We went to Shenandoah National Park, Catoctin Mountain (Blue Ridge Mountains of Maryland), Williamsburg, VA; Niagara Falls, Assateague Island, MD; Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, VA; various state parks in Pennsylvania, etc. Coincidently led to my interest in becoming a National Park Service Law Enforcement Ranger and have proudly served 25 years with the agency from Glen Canyon (Lake Powell) to Yellowstone to Everglades to Glacier Bay, Alaska. Since moving to Massachusetts, have enjoyed patrolling three National Historical Parks that preserve & protect the American Revolution history of independence at Lexington & Concord and in Boston and America's earliest planned industrial community along the Merrimack River in Lowell, Massachusetts. Thanks again, be safe, and here's to enjoying the National Historical, Battlefield, & Military Parks and the great outdoors by RVing as a family!

Thank you all. Appreciate your prompt responses. We have been researching/looking & looking some more at RV pull-behind style (no 5th wheels for practicality) trailers in 2020 & 2021 & now half of 2022. We signed on the dotted line after seeing the rust for a few reasons; we had driven 3 1/2 hours from Boston to Saratoga, NY, our family vacation was already planned for Aug 5 thru Aug 21 (we thought about renting a trailer again but thought the $5,100 for two weeks was better placed towards a trailer), this particular Prime Time RV Forest River 2022 Avenger 26BK trailer had the features (per our list written down), and the final total price was within our max limit to spend. Plus our time to searching for another trailer was diminished with full-time work, weekends filled until Aug 5. It was the trip back on Monday, July 25, 2022 to finish the payment (while waiting) for the trailer; that really noticed the difference with rust on the Lippert frames between two identical Forest River Prime Time RV Avenger 26BK model trailers. A difference of 8 weeks on the built dates (Oct 12, 2021 & Dec 7, 2021). I know...I should have spoken up at that moment, but didn't. I decided to submit this post to read the replies from individuals more experienced with RVs. Is it a big deal for this amount of rust to be on a 9 month old trailer frame? Should I call or send an email to the dealership sales associate documenting our concern about the rust? For those in the know; in the bigger picture is this rust going to happen anyway? Personally, I thought purchasing a brand new (I know it has been on a gravel or grass lot are for 8 months or more) the frame would look new. This was an exciting moment for us to buy our first travel trailer. There is so much for the average person to learn & know when thinking about getting an RV. I just want to know if I should ask the dealer in an email to switch this 10/12/21 trailer with the 12/07/21 identical trailer on the lot? Good luck, right?!? I know as one person wrote "Living & traveling in the rust belt; it won't get any better, it will probably get worse." I'm not planning to tow it during the winter months when the salt is caked all over the roads in Massachusetts and neighboring states. Thanks again for each of you that took the time to reply! We are excited about using this 30 foot Avenger travel trailer on Aug 5th for our two week vacation!

We are brand new to the RV world. However spent two years (2020 & 2021) considering the purchase of our first RV pull-behind conventional style travel trailer. July 16, 2022 made the decision to buy a 2022 Prime Time RV (Division of Forest River) "Avenger 26BK" model travel trailer. 30 foot long & dry weight is 4,900 lbs. I looked underneath at the frame and immediately noticed rust that appeared more than what I was expecting. I asked the sales associate about the rust on this new trailer and was shown the Grand Design Transcend travel trailer frame directly next to it with the comment; "Rust happens to all new trailers sitting on the lot. Lippert is the industry trailer frame and the frame will shown signs of rusting whether it's a $45, 000 trailer, $30,000, or $20,000 trailer." I drove to the dealership again today on July 25, 2022 to complete the financial transaction. While waiting took another look at the Avenger 26BK that we are buying and another Avenger 26BK on the lot. Our 2022 Avenger 26BK was built 10/12/21 and the other 12/07/21. The December built trailer had no to little rust compared to our trailer. Pictures attached of each trailer. Is this rust issue worth pursuing with the dealership. We live in Massachusetts and the dealership is located in the Saratoga, NY area (a three hour drive). We are very excited about this purchase and are looking forward to making memories for our two kids; 11 yr old daughter and 9 yr old son. Please give us some knowledge about this rust on a 9 month old Lippert frame of a 2022 Prime Time RV (Forest River) "Avenger 26BK" and let us know how we should proceed. The "walk-thru & orientation" is August 5, 2022. We are immediately pulling the trailer on a two week vacation 730 miles west to Kelley's Island State Park (Lake Erie, Ohio) back thru West Virginia's New River Gorge National Park, north thru Pennsylvania's Ohiopyle State Park (Youghiogheny River rafting) and thru Catskill Mountains before back to Massachusetts. Our trailer use is to take our family (two kids) camping once a month during the three seasons before cold temps set in for the winter months. What should we do if anything about this rust on a 2022 trailer frame? Thanks, "Beginner Trailer Family" of Massachusetts.

Take a look at pics taken July 25, 2022 of a 2022 Prime Time RV (Division of Forest River) "Avenger 26BK" pull-behind travel trailer purchased on July 16, 2022. The the travel trailer "walk-thru, orientation" is August 5, 2022. This trailer was manufactured on Oct 12, 2021. This is our first ever travel trailer purchase. My eyes caught this rust on the frame, bolts, etc. Is this normal for 9 months old travel trailer. It was delivered to the Saratoga, NY area and has been on a dealer lot since last winter. When I asked the sales associate about the rust; I was shown another traveler next to it that had some rust on the trailer (not as much) and told "every travel trailer frame will have rust over time while sitting on a dealer's lot." I'm concerned and looking for more knowledge from individuals more familiar with Lippert frame rusting. Trailer is 9 months old, a 2022 "Avenger 26BK" manufactured by Prime Time RV, and has been sitting on the dealership lot. Any suggestions what we should do? We have already signed the purchase agreement and paid for the trailer in full. We are using for family vacations with our 11 yr old daughter & 9 year old son. First vacation is Aug 5 thru Aug 20. Pulling this trailer 730 miles to Kelley's Island, Ohio from Massachusetts where we live. Our primary goal is to take our kids camping once a month (until the weather gets too cold) during the three seasons. Thanks for helping us. (Unable to attach the pics)