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Are you in the market for a new, or your first, RV in 2022? Getting a new RV is an exciting prospect, but with more and more RVs shipping out, quality can be dodgy. Learn what to look for to get a reliable RV.
In this article, you’ll learn which are the best brands on the market and why they’re reliable. Let’s start by learning what makes an RV reliable.
What Makes an RV Reliable?
A reliable RV requires less maintenance than others. Reliable brands put a lot of care into their construction and quality control. When looking for an RV, it’s important to research how the brand has performed and held up over the years.
Paying attention to quality assurance and the small details increases reliability. For example, Newmar produces a chassis engineered for their motorhomes. They don’t simply put any old chassis on their coaches. This is a sign of reliability.
Are RVs High Maintenance?
You can prevent major maintenance on RVs by keeping up with regular fluid changes, safety checks, and other general inspections. But all RVs have the potential of requiring maintenance. This is because they go down the road at high speeds, which means they regularly go through the equivalent of a hurricane. Therefore, things can break on used and new RVs no matter how reliable the brand is.
Why Do RVs Have So Many Problems?
RVs are prone to problems because they’re frequently moving. We can’t emphasize enough that this is why inspecting your RV regularly can help prevent significant issues. The most common problems are tire wear and tear or blowouts. Keep an eye on your tires’ tread and replace tires as needed.
Pro Tip: A quality tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) should be one of the first safety features you purchase for your RV — you’ll appreciate having a heads up about any potential tire issues!
Other problems you can encounter on an RV are roof and window issues. Keep an eye out for any broken seals that may lead to leaks. Toilet and water line issues are also common sources of maintenance.
The Most Reliable RV Brands of 2022
Some brands stand out when we’re talking about reliability in RVs. Let’s take a look at the most reliable RV brands of 2022.
Newmar
Newmar has been one of the most reliable RV brands for more than 50 years. The manufacturer is committed to customer service and reliability. They almost exclusively build Class A motorhomes, along with two super C motorhomes.
Every Newmar is on a premium custom chassis. Their quality engineered chassis is a standout in the industry, which is why it’s pretty standard for Newmar owners to keep their motorhome for years and even decades. The custom chassis is designed for on-road comfort and maneuverability, and it has safety technology.
Newmar also crafts the interiors with care. For example, they bond the flooring with high-quality adhesives so it doesn’t lift, and the grout doesn’t crack. This is vital for a coach that moves regularly. In addition, they cut the carpet back, so it doesn’t attach directly to the wall. This helps keep moisture out.
Leisure Travel Vans
Leisure Travel Vans consistently make it to the top of the most reliable RV brand lists. Their luxury Class B motorhomes are compact, innovative, and liveable. The Canadian manufacturer has been producing RVs for more than 50 years.
Leisure Travel Vans’ reliability makes a big mark in the industry, but it’s the little things they do that make them stand out. For example, they use double screwed face-framing, number-coded wiring, and powder-coated chassis components. They also pay special attention to functionality. You’ll find that each part of their RVs has a function so you can maximize how you use the space.
They also focus on quality and craftsmanship. Leisure Travel Van uses in-house steel fabrication, hand-crafted fiberglass molds and parts, and woodwork components. In addition, the drapery and fabrics are handcrafted. Essentially, they touch every aspect of the RV, ensuring reliability.
Heartland RV
Heartland RV makes travel trailers, fifth wheels, and toy haulers. When they opened their doors 17 years ago, they committed to customer service, quality workmanship, and on- and off-line quality control.
They also continuously work on innovative technology. Some of the technology that adds to Heartland RV products’ reliability includes carpet-free slide-outs. Having laminate flooring on your RV’s slide-outs can help reduce the wear and tear that carpet shows.
Heartland RV has also designed tight turn technology. The invention improves the tight turning radius when pulling a fifth wheel with a short-bed extended cab truck.
Pro Tip: If you like the sound of Heartland RV, you need to check out The Best Travel Trailer Brands This Year!
Winnebago
Winnebago is one of the most well-known RV brands and one of the most reliable. The company started producing RVs in 1958. Since then, they’ve been results-driven, customer-focused, innovative, and quality-focused. What has changed is the types of RVs they manufacture. Today, they make Class A motorhomes, camper vans, Class C motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and accessibility-enhanced RVs.
They emphasized quality control to ensure the reliability of their RVs. You can observe their attention to detail on a factory tour or learn from Winnebago owners. As a result, the manufacturer gets consistently high reviews regarding reliability and customer service.
Winnebago also pays attention to cabinetry and interiors. You can commonly find real wood in their RVs. This helps prevent maintaining flimsy particle board cabinets and doors. These types of features ensure the longevity of a Winnebago RV.
Airstream
Airstream is well-known for its “silver bullet” travel trailers, which they’ve made since the 1930s. In the 1970s, they added motorhomes to their fleet. Today, they make Class B touring coaches and travel trailers.
You’ve likely seen some vintage Airstreams out on the road. There’s a reason for that; Airstreams are reliable and, with proper care, can last decades. It takes an average of 350 hours and 3,000 rivets to build one of their aluminum travel trailers. The quality construction shines through on each of their products. Likewise, Airstream implements high standards into their touring coaches.
Airstream is also environmentally conscious. For example, the insulation comes from recycled glass, and they use recycled water when testing products. These types of conscious choices help paint a picture of the care they put into their RVs and why they’re reliable.
Did You Know? Quality construction is just one part of what makes an Airstream so expensive. Read more on it here →
Grand Design RV
Grand Design RV is started in 2012. They build travel trailers, fifth wheels, and toy haulers.
Grand Design prides itself on its quality construction. They have multiple Quality Circle awards to show for it. Every one of their products goes through several quality inspections that are standard in the industry.
However, they take it one step further by doing an additional rigid point-by-point inspection process. This step does reflect in the price of Grand Design RVs, but it’s an important process for their reliability.
Grand Design is also customer-focused and has listened to customers who want to live full-time in an RV. They design and produce their RVs with full-time livability in mind. Grand Design owners who fall into this category can attest to their reliability.
Riverstone by Forest River
Riverstone is a luxury fifth wheel and toy hauler brand that Forest River owns. While Forest River as a whole doesn’t have the best reputation in the RV industry, Riverstone is one of the better-built fifth wheels on the market. Riverstone makes five fifth wheel models and two toy haulers.
Riverstone is a reliable RV with high-end, residential-style furnishings. They use real wood on the cabinetry and doors. In addition, they don’t weld the walls, which allows for the sway and movement that happens when going down the road.
They also put a lot of effort into quality assurance. This means going over each unit meticulously and ensuring the customer gets the best possible product. As a result, Riverstone is one of the best luxury fifth wheels for 2022.
Are You Buying a Reliable RV?
Buying a reliable RV is a no-brainer, in our opinion. This list is a great place to start for the most reliable RV brands of 2022. If you’re in the market for a new RV, check these out to see if one fits your travel style and needs.
What do you look for in a reliable RV?
My research has always led me to the Tiffin class A motorhomes. They also have a class C line.
What about DRV Mobile Suites 5ers a division of Tiffin?
And my research has led us to Outdoors RVs made by Northwood RV in Oregon.
We are in the process of buying an Outdoors fifth wheel from Thompson RV in Pendleton, OR. Lots of research has led us to drive over 1,000 to pick it up too! Please check this brand out and see if you agree the Outdoors brand and that particular dealer are very reliable also.
Coach House motorhomes.
Winnebago is not a good choice they’re exterior Skins are notorious for Rippling and Winnebago does not stand by their product
Winnebago is crap. I purchased a travel trailer in Feb 2022 and the dealer or Winnebago have had it for 10 of the last 12 month and it still isn’t fixed. You have been warned.