Cedar Creek 30RLBS and 30RGBS

[Woodenhead]

Hi All,



I've been looking at 5'ers for a while and am trying to find something around 28-30' with a couple of slides to live in for 1-2 years while I travel for work. I figured on spending likely over $20,000 but probably no more than $30,000 and ending up with something slightly used. I stopped at a dealer yesterday and he had two 2004 Forest River Cedar Creeks, one 30RGBS and one 30 RLBS. Both were brand new and very nice looking trailers with lots of options (dealer printed me out data sheets on both).



Of all the trailers I've looked at so far these are by far the nicest and seem very well layed out. The price seemed quite reasonable especially for a new trailer. I was quoted the following:



30 RGBS MSRP (with options) = $42,238. 72 and would sell to me for $30,400

30 RLBS MSRP (with options) = $43. 022. 88 and would sell to me for $31,400



Anyone own one of these or have any helpful advice. This is my first 5er but I'm having a hard time not jumping on one of these. I've tried to do some online price comparison but am having a hard time finding info.



Any advice greatly appreciated.



Mike

 

[DIESELMAN]

Mike - My advice, Before you blow 30K, look here... .



http://www.rvwholesalers.com/



You already know the Forest River, they have a few nice rigs. The Gulfstream Coach's look nice but they are 8" Frames. If you are working out of it like I frequently do, be sure to get a built in generator, satellite is nice, so are the units with recliner options for the chairs, and 21" Television for Rainy days.



The Forest River SandPiper 285RG ( http://rvwholesalers.com/design/Sandpiper_5th/Sandpiper_5th.php?floorplan=285RG ) and 325RG ( http://rvwholesalers.com/design/Sandpiper_5th/Sandpiper_5th.php?floorplan=325RGT )are really nice Rear Galley models, they are very similar but the 325 is heavier and a bit larger in all dimensions with its triple slides, and has a higher GVW of course.



I need to buy another 5ver and I'm thinking one of these two, I like the rear galley because housekeeping is much easier if you don't have to walk through the kitchen that often.



Good Luck!

 

[Fireman]

Mike,



Before you do anything, I would suggest joining the RV Consummers Group. New membership is expensive, about $100, but you will get their RV ratings guide. It is a huge data base that rates almost all RVs, and they send you books on how to shop for RVs without getting burned. The information you get could save you thousands $$$ . I might add, two fine trailers in that price/size range would be an Excel RT 28 or an Artic Fox 29-5T. Excel is built by Peterson Mfg and Arctic Fox by Northwood Mfg.



Fireman

 

[KBalzuweit]

Check out rv.net too. Carraige makes a nice unit, too. Excel is a great unit, did not know you could get one that cheap. The one I priced out ended up around 70k. I am lokking at a Carriage, I have hauled many and they tow NICE!! Built very well. The unit I am loooking at has a msrp around 78k and I took a look at the invoice before I delivered and saw the cost was under 50k. I have found a dealer that will go 2500 over invoice if I factory pick it up. The have lower priced units that may fall into the range you are looking at. Also if you have the time set it up to p/u at the factory, that will save you about 1. 30 a mile on what the deler gets charged to get it to them.

Karl

 

[SnoKing]

Look at the Cardinal 30WBLX, similar floor plan to RLBS, except you get a King Size Bed. SNOKING

 

[Fireman]

You're right Karl, I forgot carriage. They make highly rated trailers. Excel has a new line called RT (RV Trekking) which is a sturdy little trailer and is much less expensive than their other lines. They are very wel built.



Fireman

 

[chi440]

Check out the 'Keystone - Laredo 29GR' Has a nice living space arrangement - No Bed Slide - but nicely laid out. .



Have a Coachmen Chaparral and it has a similar rear living space that most have with that layout and after a year living in it on the work site - its going up for sale - and would like to replace it the the above mentioned - unless I find a better layout before then. .

 

[Woodenhead]

Thanks for the tips guys. I checked out the RV Consumers Group and am now a member, your right it looks like the $100 could save me much more in the future. I'm checking out the other trailers you've all suggested. It's good to look around online but tough to really see what your getting until you actually go inside. So many different builders models... so many decisions. There's a lot of dealers out towards the coast here and I'll be heading back east for a while in March so we'll have plenty of time/locations to shop around. Picking up at the factory (if I do buy new) is also an option (good idea).



Mike

 

[tractorseller]

Woodenhead,



Don't forget to work the sales tax angle if you can. There are places advertised in the RV magazines (Montana for instance) that say they don't charge sales tax on RVs. I don't know if there are others. The rub is usually that depending on where you register it you'll get dinged for the state tax when you get plates. I've heard of a lot of people setting up LLCs in Montana to take advantage of the sales tax savings.



I haven't done it myself, but if you can legally save $2,500 in sales tax on a $35,000 trailer by spending a few hundred to set up an LLC in Montana it may be worth it to you depending on where you live (I see you live fairly close to Montana). I would at least look into it .

 

[Fireman]

Mike,



Just noticed you were in WA. Northwood Mfg is in LaGrande OR, and there is a dealer just a few miles from the factory that sells alot of Arctic Fox and Nash coaches at a very low no hassle prices. Can't remember the dealers name, if you visit afnash.com you can find more info.



Ain't the internet great !

Fireman

 

[JThiessen]

Woodenhead - what dealer did you get your qoute from? I'm heading up to MT Vernon tomorrow am to look at the Forest River Sandpiper's and Wildcats (I think they also have a used Cardinal that I may be interested in).

 

[Woodenhead]

I was in Louisville, KC at the time. I'm actually up near Mt. Vernon right now (Diablo actually) and may stop there on my way home next week to check things out. There are a few big RV dealers up here.



Good Luck,

Mike

 

[JThiessen]

Just a word to the wise if you venture down to the Everett area to look. The best two dealers down here are Fifth Wheel Place and Travel Time - every time I've stopped in to browse, I've been treated with respect and not pushed into anything. The one that I would definitley stay away from is Pouslbo RV. Everytime I've been there I get one of the sales drones that tries to lie their way into your pocket book. The last time I was there, they tried to tell me that if I had a one ton, I could legally tow one of the new Alfa See-Ya's (the one with the big flip up forward bedroom window cover). On the one they had in stock, the hitch weight was 3300 lbs, and if I remember correctly, the dry weight was 16K. I've always been treated well by the car dealers up in MT Vernon, and I'll let ya'll know what I find out this afternoon. The wife has just done an end around and wants to look at a Keystone Larado... . gotta do more research!



BTW, we love the Diablo area. One of our favorite places to camp is the National Park in Newhalem.

 

[SHobbs]

2004 Cardinal by Forest River here. Absolute quality and they stand behind them as well, customer service is top notch. As far as the trailer goes I have had no service issues at all except for minor things like a CO2 detector, awning adjustment and a small leak at one slide. The one thing I really like about mine is that the slides are on one switch and they all work off of hydralic cylinders, One moves till it's all the way in then the next and so on. Great storage and livibility and very well insulated. If you find a Forest River in your price range you will not be disappointed.

 

[JThiessen]

Well, I ended up getting a Keystone Laredo 29RL (http://keystone-laredo.com/) up in Mt Vernon. The price was right there with the Sandpiper and Cedar Creek. It feels much more like a Cedar Creek inside (or even a Cardinal - just not as much frilly stuff in). My wife found the floor plan this morning on and it doesnt have all the slides I wanted, but it has a very open and spacious floor layout, plus amenities and the feel of the higher end rigs. I'm absolutely thrilled with the trailer, hopefully it will turn out to be as well built as the Montana's that many other people I know have.



ps..... cant believe I have a 5'er with a freakin fireplace!