Wait...what!?

[shoebox303]

Hi guys! My wife and I did a bunch of research and pretty much settled on the Heritage Glen 24BHHL travel trailer for our very first travel trailer. We thought we had it all settled...then we went to an RV show and discovered what many of you probably already know.

The Forest River Heritage Glen 24BHHL looks exactly like the Forest River Salem Hemisphere 24BHHL which looks exactly like the Forest River Rockwood 2509S which looks exactly like the Forest River Flagstaff 25BRDS.

So now we feel a bit lost again and are wondering:

1. Why does Forest River make the same floorplan under several brand names?
2. Is one better than another?
3. What do you like or hate about any of these sub-brands of Forest River?

Thanks for any help! We're total rookies and are trying to be smart consumers. We've emailed Forest River for some clarification, but they never responded, so I'm hoping this community can help us figure out what's going on here.

[Tucson Joe]

They do that so dealers in the same area can sell the same floor plan. They do not like dealers selling the same brand unit. Other manufacturers do the sam thing. I had a Thor Tahoe and was the same as the Thor Wander.

[donanddona]

Start at the basics. Floor construction composition, Tires are important (types & size), R-value is more important in a RV that a house. Options; From the factory and what can be done after (50amp will support a 2nd later AC), so is it wired.

Like the saying goes "Devil is in the details" Go slow....

[shoebox303]

Originally Posted by Tucson Joe

They do that so dealers in the same area can sell the same floor plan. They do not like dealers selling the same brand unit. Other manufacturers do the sam thing. I had a Thor Tahoe and was the same as the Thor Wander.

Ah, I see. So, everything is basically the same as far as construction and quality, etc. It's just different branding so they can spread their products around more. Is that about right?

[Kimber45]

I was aware the hemisphere and heritage glens were the same and that the rock woods and flaggstaffs were the same. Floor plans could be the same but there could be a big difference between a hemisphere and roockwood as far as construction.


Basically selling more units at different dealers under a different name. Chevy GMC Chrysler Plymouth (well not any more) Beware of sales people who tell you one is build better to try and get you to buy theirs. I was at the Heritage Glen plant for a tour to see my unit get built and the hermisphers role off the same line.

[bikendan]

Certain floorplans are common in all brands.
Many RV manufacturers have twin brands, including Winnebago, for the reasons Joe mentioned.

[DieselDrax]

Some brands and models are regional as well, meaning you can get one trailer on the west coast that's not available in the midwest, etc.

The other differences would be interior design. Different brands will offer different color and cabinetry options.

Plus the other reasons mentioned. I see pros and cons with doing it that way, but it is what it is.