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Veteran
Posts: 100
| I'm finally able to buy my first living quarters trailer and I have NO idea what to buy! I found a Sundowner I am in love with but I don't see anyone hauling them! I also see the Bison trailers are soooo affordable. I was advised Sooner, Elite and C and C are great. I would love to hear what you are hauling and why. Thanks! |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
  
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Older Sundowners were good solid trailers, if not as nice as the "high end" ones. I had a 99/00 model with 6' LQ that I sold last fall after upgrading. It was still in awesome shape, we fixed a few cosmetic things the horses had torn up, but the trailer was structurally sound. My new to me trailer is an 06 Cimarron. Love it! I hauled in my friend's Platinum again today and was doing a mental comparison. There were things I like better about my trailer. The only place hers is superior IMO is the metal latches on the drop windows. |
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Veteran
Posts: 100
| Thank you for your response, the trailer I'm looking at is listed as a 2015 Sundowner, so I wonder if the quality will still be as good as an older one? |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Congrats on getting to buy your first LQ trailer. Have fun shopping  |
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 Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Contact Cindy Hamilton on here and yes that is her board name as well. She owns a trailer dealership in Shawnee Oklahoma and is wonderful to deal with. Along with Platinum trailers she carries a Hoosier Maverick that is very well made and VERY reasonably priced and a whole line of used trailers. For the money I dont think there is a better made trailer then the Hoosier Maverick. I wouldnt own a Bison. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 832
Location: Kansas (but Great Lakes member since 1978) | Contact Duba's trailers in Chambers NE. They have a few extremely nice awesome LQ trailers on their lot and if you want a custom design made to order trailer they will work wonders for you. Extremely awesome to work with
Edited by goldcard 2014-07-26 10:28 AM
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | A few years back I looked at a Sundowner with their own LQ's. The quality was very substandard. Their cabinets were press board instead of wood. It reminded me of a cheaply made travel trailer. You can buy the best trailer in the world but you won't be happy if the LQ part is made cheaply as you will have nothing but trouble with that part of the trailer. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 153
Location: Oklahoma | Sundowner is not one of the best made trailers out there I have owned one and was not happy with it at all . If you want an honest opinion go with either Elite , Bloomer, or Platinum they are made to hold up, I am talking about the trailer shell itself . Now for conversion Outlaw is the best there is out there but there you go you get what you pay for. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 141
Location: Centerville, TN | Congrats on buying you LQ trailer. I have wanted one for years but I don't see it happening. Good luck in your search and you find one that will make you dreams come true.  |
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Veteran
Posts: 154
Location: Tennessee | Loved my Elite! I was very hard on it and it never gave me any problems at all! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 103
Location: Georgia | I have a Cimarron that is a great trailer. Built like the higher priced trailers but not priced like them. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 268
| LOVE our Cimarron  |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Also there is a facebook page called Living Quarter Horse Trailers for sale.
The older Sundowners are good solid made trailers. The newer are not. Other trailers that are cheap and cheaply made, are Bison and Trails West. They look tempting because of the price but you dont want to get in a wreck with one, and be prepared for alot of dents, broken latches and hinges and broken axles. Not good.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 832
Location: Kansas (but Great Lakes member since 1978) | Duba's makes absolutely the highest quality interiors you could ask for and they are all custom and exactly what you want. They are also very fairly priced and they don't cut corners. You'll get more for your money. I've seen lots if their interiors and have to say they are beautiful. |
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Veteran
Posts: 192
Location: Canada | Buy only 4 Star, Elite or Platium |
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Veteran
Posts: 129
Location: So. MN, to close to IA | The best trailer is called "PAID FOR"! After that it is not what somebody else thinks, it's what you want and can afford. Take your time and look. What may be the perfect trailer for someone else may be the worst one for you. Look ,at all apects.
I personally wouldn't get anything but 8' wide and 8' tall. I want all aluminum, but I live in the rust belt. Aluminum is not necessarily lighter than steel, etc...
Don't be in a hurry. Sometimes the best deals happen when you aren't looking for them. Goodluck in your search! |
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Veteran
Posts: 100
| Thank you so much to everyone for all of your help! I have found the perfect trailer but it is a sooner, it's a newer model. I love it, the quality looks amazing and I've always liked spooners but NO One will mention them. The floor plan is perfect, it's my dream trailer but I'm so worried because no one is saying they are good or bad. |
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 Night Watchman
Posts: 5516
Location: Central Montana | My LQ experience is on a little bit older models.
We recently bought an older (1997) Sundowner - 8ft wide with 8ft shortwall - and I think it is a very well made trailer. I have no experience with the newer models.
The one that we have for sale is a 2000 Featherlite with a 4ft LQ shortwall. We have had it for 5 or 6 years now and it has been great.
Some friends have a brand new Lakota, so far it has been a nice trailer for them but they haven't had it even a year yet. Some other friends had a Logan that was also bought brand new and it was an absolute lemon. I would stay away from that brand. |
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 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
Location: southeast Texas | The new Sooners are in the mid quality range. They were bought out around 03. Quality shot, down hill, quick.
Become educated on what you want and your price range. You can find used upper quality for a great price compared to new. Check out different trailers at barrel races. You can quickly see how they hold up. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1479
Location: rabbit run | I had a 1995 Sundowner that I just sold this spring. It was a great trailer. My new to me trailer is a 2000 Sundowner and It is very well made as well. I am extremely happy with it, it was immaculately taken care of and I upgraded to 8' wide and all aluminum. The newer ones are not made as well.
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 Friendly horse swapper
Posts: 4122
Location: Buffalo, TX | busdriver - 2014-07-27 9:07 PM The best trailer is called "PAID FOR"! After that it is not what somebody else thinks, it's what you want and can afford. Take your time and look. What may be the perfect trailer for someone else may be the worst one for you. Look ,at all apects.
I personally wouldn't get anything but 8' wide and 8' tall. I want all aluminum, but I live in the rust belt. Aluminum is not necessarily lighter than steel, etc...
Don't be in a hurry. Sometimes the best deals happen when you aren't looking for them. Goodluck in your search!
I agree 100%....buy the trailer that fits the options you want in the price range you feel comfortable....I sell all brands of used trailers and just like a horse, there is a trailer to fit everyone's needs and price range, and entry level trailers will be perfect for weekend warriors on a budget, that's why there are choices...not everyone needs a high end Platinum, Elite or 4-Star...if you aren't hauling professional and beating the road, then you will be just fine in a Sooner, Sundowner, Cimarron, or other mid range trailer, or even an entry level (just stay away from Bison...sorry).....just make sure the trailer is sound and in good repair, look at all the welds and floor, and check the brakes, and have the dealer walk you through the LQ to see that everything works 100%.... |
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 Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | Cindy Hamilton - 2014-07-28 12:32 PM busdriver - 2014-07-27 9:07 PM The best trailer is called "PAID FOR"! After that it is not what somebody else thinks, it's what you want and can afford. Take your time and look. What may be the perfect trailer for someone else may be the worst one for you. Look ,at all apects.
I personally wouldn't get anything but 8' wide and 8' tall. I want all aluminum, but I live in the rust belt. Aluminum is not necessarily lighter than steel, etc...
Don't be in a hurry. Sometimes the best deals happen when you aren't looking for them. Goodluck in your search! I agree 100%....buy the trailer that fits the options you want in the price range you feel comfortable....I sell all brands of used trailers and just like a horse, there is a trailer to fit everyone's needs and price range, and entry level trailers will be perfect for weekend warriors on a budget, that's why there are choices...not everyone needs a high end Platinum, Elite or 4-Star...if you aren't hauling professional and beating the road, then you will be just fine in a Sooner, Sundowner, Cimarron, or other mid range trailer, or even an entry level (just stay away from Bison...sorry).....just make sure the trailer is sound and in good repair, look at all the welds and floor, and check the brakes, and have the dealer walk you through the LQ to see that everything works 100%....
Cindy, do you come across many Logan trailers? Are they well made? |
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Friendly horse swapper
Posts: 4122
Location: Buffalo, TX | Logan's are made in Utah, so we don't see them hardly at all...I had one older one a few years ago on trade, but it was a 90's model, so I don't know much about them, sorry. |
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 Thread Killer
Posts: 7545
| CanCan - 2014-07-28 2:59 PM Cindy Hamilton - 2014-07-28 12:32 PM busdriver - 2014-07-27 9:07 PM The best trailer is called "PAID FOR"! After that it is not what somebody else thinks, it's what you want and can afford. Take your time and look. What may be the perfect trailer for someone else may be the worst one for you. Look ,at all apects.
I personally wouldn't get anything but 8' wide and 8' tall. I want all aluminum, but I live in the rust belt. Aluminum is not necessarily lighter than steel, etc...
Don't be in a hurry. Sometimes the best deals happen when you aren't looking for them. Goodluck in your search! I agree 100%....buy the trailer that fits the options you want in the price range you feel comfortable....I sell all brands of used trailers and just like a horse, there is a trailer to fit everyone's needs and price range, and entry level trailers will be perfect for weekend warriors on a budget, that's why there are choices...not everyone needs a high end Platinum, Elite or 4-Star...if you aren't hauling professional and beating the road, then you will be just fine in a Sooner, Sundowner, Cimarron, or other mid range trailer, or even an entry level (just stay away from Bison...sorry).....just make sure the trailer is sound and in good repair, look at all the welds and floor, and check the brakes, and have the dealer walk you through the LQ to see that everything works 100%....
LOTS of good info about Logans here: http://mrtrailer.com/logannew.htm
Also check Horse Trailer World. the forums there are invaluable!
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Expert
Posts: 1956
Location: Ky | Every Sundowner I've ever seen was poorly made. That's old one and new ones. The people owned them complained of roof leaks and poorly fitting windows and doors.
Sundowner sold a ton of trailers because they would trade and finance almost anyone with a pulse.
I was always partial to Elites and owned 3 of them. If I were for a trailer today I would start there again. |
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What living quarter trailer to buy????