The NEW Carriage

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I know they are not like the old Carriage in build but as anyone seen the new ones yet and if so what do you think? They look to be built like the Redwood some and what the factory rep told us is their closest competition, like that you can get 8000lb axles, disc brakes & 17.5 H rated tires, just trying to get another persons opinion, thanks

[avvidclif1]

Did either of you ever see a boxed frame on a 53' flatbed, dry van, stepdeck, or any other commercial trailer meant to carry a load. Next time you're around a truck stop look under one of them. Or if there look at one of the RGN double drop trailers hauling 150,000lb on 6 axles.

[Mile_High]

Actually I am an Engineer, thank you, if it actually had any relevance here.

Nobody is arguing with you that the stacked box frame is stronger than the I-beam, that goes without saying, but it doesn't mean that is the ONLY way to build a fifth wheel. As you say, it's expensive, and it raises the floor to a nosebleed level, (we won't mention the rust out potential).

You are a Lippert slammer, and have been for years on this forum, and that is OK, but we all don't have to drive a Bentley man! I'm not a fan of Lippert as a company either, but the 12" Lippert frame design has proven out so far to be reliable, without the additional cost of the tubular stacked type. We all don't have to drop Bentley money on a camper to enjoy camping. We all don't have to live in a gated community. Getting kind of tired of you looking down your nose at anyone with anything less than what you think is perfect - that's called arrogance!

Carriage mismanaged their company and they were liquidated as a result. Perhaps selling their name to Crossroads was the last mismanaged piece of their heritage they left behind for the prior owners! I personally would not have jinxed my Crossroads product by putting that name on it, but that's just me.

PS, we looked at Lifestyle when we were shopping. They were nice, but kind of unremarkable. Styling was pretty dated with the flat front, and this one only came with a queen bed and 2 dr fridge, so we moved on. It's not always all about the frame.

[TXiceman]

Mile High, are you an engineer...probably not. The stacked box frame used by the old Carriage, now Lifestyle and DRV is far stronger than the cheap Lippert I-beam frame. The rectangular sections are more resistant to bending than a simple I-beam.

Rectangular box section material cost more to begin with and then you stack and weld them which adds more cost.

The big manufacturers are run by bookkeepers that keep the bottom line numbers as high as possible. This means they keep production up and cost down by using lesser quality materials.

I just do not like seeing big corporations dupping the public by trying to live off the success of a successful name. You can slap all of the lipstick you want to on a pig, but you still have a pig.

I looked at a NEW Carriage, it is not the same as a previous Carriage. If you want the higher quality of the previous Carriage, look at the Lifestyle line .

Ken

[Mile_High]

Blackcell wrote:
no back end cap, etc, etc. Basically slapped a BMW logo on a prius.
The closest brand you can get to a real improved Carriage is Lifestyle.

huh? Have you even seen one?



OP- you'll never get a straight answer here - you're just going to have to decide for yourself. There is a Carriage cult here that just can't handle their "bankrupt" name being put on a Lippert frame by a surviving company, followed a few steps by the DRV group that are really nervous they just fell through the same crack. I guess when you sleep on a square tube frame like the old Carriage and DRV, you wake up with an arrogance like those that just put an FMCA or AOPA sticker in their back window, you know, the kind that pull their Motorhome with their Hummer toad up to the only diesel pump and insert the nozzle, pet the poodle, and go in to have lunch disregarding the whole line behind them.

For the rest of us that don't have worlds revolving around us, yes there are the "other" 90% of the trailers that set on Lippert frames. There is a great selection out there and the new Carriage is one of them, probably with a lot more modern features that the old Carriage dinosaurs. Besides, I would much rather have that Prius than the BMW.

[Blackcell]

The CrossRoads units at first seem quite nice..... until you take a closer look and discover that it's on a Lippert Frame (I-beam frame), sub-standard welding, cheap floor structure, bad cabinet construction, no back end cap, etc, etc. Basically slapped a BMW logo on a prius. THOR did buy the rights to the Carriage brand name and logo/trademarks so I guess the marketing dept are free to deceive all they want.
The closest brand you can get to a real improved Carriage is Lifestyle.

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If you guys get this thread closed for so far off topic I will not get ANY info at all. Please play in another sand box, Thank You

[RustyJC]

Mile High wrote:
no - not snow, but sure trying to shovel a pile of arrogance out of the way 🙂

The ability to use the English language correctly is now considered arrogance? Interesting.... I realize that Colorado residents have a somewhat stereotypical view of Texans, but we're not all Bubba down here. Perhaps it was drilled into me since my mother was an English teacher.

Here - if it helps: Them thar Thor boys seem to be doin' OK so far. We're all a'hopin that they don't muck thangs up too bad.

Rusty

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Ok back to the original question, please. I know the new Carriage is no where near the old build or the new build in the Lifestyle, I was curios as to what folks think of it. Say compared to other brands in the price point like pros or cons of how they are made. Not even sure if many have seen them yet as there are not many on lots yet. Yes DRV is another good built unit and hope they continue in that way but are also getting very high in price. The Lux is another new brand I would like to see and form a opinion on but also hard to find.

[Mile_High]

rupprider wrote:
Milehigh--- Are you shoveling snow or what? I always get acerbic when I shovel snow.

no - not snow, but sure trying to shovel a pile of arrogance out of the way 🙂

[TXiceman]

My original comment about Thor purchasing DRV is based on Thor's approach to other operations they have taken over. I would hope that Thor management has acquired additional management skills and can see that they have a Golden Egg here and to treat it as such. If it is not broken, it does not need fixing.

Ken

[Monty-Rob]

We have a 2014 Lifestyle and love it.
The TV/living area is a duplicate to our old Carr-Lite 36xtrm5.
As far as we can see the quality is like our old Carriage

[rupprider]

Milehigh--- Are you shoveling snow or what? I always get acerbic when I shovel snow.

[RustyJC]

Mile High wrote:

RustyJC wrote:

Mile High wrote:

RustyJC wrote:

TXiceman wrote:
And look who just bought DRV....Thor, so there they go.

Ken

I wouldn't write DRV off yet. Thor seems to understand so far that they are better served leaving DRV management, marketing methodology (limited custom builds) and manufacturing processes in place to protect DRV's brand identity. Thor has opened their checkbook for DRV to make improvements in their Howe, Indiana facility. Rest assured that current DRV owners are watching carefully for any deterioration of the DRV brand under Thor ownership.

Rusty

And what exactly are the current DRV owners going to do if the DRV brand deteriorates? Not buy one again? hahahaha -they don't care. They can't keep up with orders now. The improvements will be in productivity, not customer satisfaction.

Deterioration of a premium brand's image when so few premium 5th wheel manufacturers are left actually is a matter of importance to an astute acquirer. I think it would behoove all of us to let the chips fall regarding the Thor acquisition before rushing to a (premature) judgement.

Rusty

Astute acquirer - is that a friggen buyer? 🙂

astute: having or showing an ability to notice and understand things clearly : mentally sharp or clever

acquirer: one that acquires; especially : a company that acquires another company

Rusty

[Mile_High]

RustyJC wrote:

Mile High wrote:

RustyJC wrote:

TXiceman wrote:
And look who just bought DRV....Thor, so there they go.

Ken

I wouldn't write DRV off yet. Thor seems to understand so far that they are better served leaving DRV management, marketing methodology (limited custom builds) and manufacturing processes in place to protect DRV's brand identity. Thor has opened their checkbook for DRV to make improvements in their Howe, Indiana facility. Rest assured that current DRV owners are watching carefully for any deterioration of the DRV brand under Thor ownership.

Rusty

And what exactly are the current DRV owners going to do if the DRV brand deteriorates? Not buy one again? hahahaha -they don't care. They can't keep up with orders now. The improvements will be in productivity, not customer satisfaction.

Deterioration of a premium brand's image when so few premium 5th wheel manufacturers are left actually is a matter of importance to an astute acquirer. I think it would behoove all of us to let the chips fall regarding the Thor acquisition before rushing to a (premature) judgement.

Rusty

Astute acquirer - is that a friggen buyer? 🙂