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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
 
Location: Oklahoma | I think I've decided on Platinum... My husband is really liking the Lakota trailers, but I'm not sure I'm fond of it.. I've never been in one or know anyone that pulls one. He likes the idea of being able to get a slide out for the cost of what we're looking at in a Platinum and already have an awning included. The trailer will mostly be for me and use at 2-3 day shows thru the year, but my husband will most likely be taking it elk hunting for 1.5-2 weeks out of the year... so then it'd be used for two men, three max. Would the guys be able to set up their cots (they're usually in a tent) in the slant area and maybe run a space heater for warmth? I'm trying to not get anything larger than 8' SW as this will mostly be my trailer and I don't want anything too big.
Does Platinum put LQs in, or do they just build the base model and the dealers send them off? My husband was talking to a dealership yesterday and they have one coming at the end or beginning of September, but I think it still has to go to the conversions place... it would be 7'6" with 8' shortwall.
Or... I have found a ready to go 8' SW Platinum (pretty much same trailer, just has a hayrack added, but no stovetop)... that's only 7' wide. Are those 6" of width going to make a world of difference? Everyone says go with 8' W, but everyone I've found is just a bit too out of budget.I'm not too worried about the hayrack as I'm only hauling one horse and I think it'd just be easier to add the stud divider and use front slant for storage.
I've also found an Elite that I really like. It's an 8'8" SW. It has a foldout couch (that would be nice to have for my mom in case she decides to go w/ me overnight.. or one of the guys to sleep on while hunting) and already comes with an awning... but I'm pretty sure it's only 6'6" W. That's going to be too small, right?
.. & then there is the Cimmaron. Would love to have a Cimmaron, but I've found them to be just a bit out of budget (now wanting to keep trailer around $40k). This on is about $5k over what I wanted to spend.. but it might be worth it? I haven't heard anyone say anything bad about them. Already has stud divider & awning. only downfall is no mangers...but I'm only hauling one horse... surely that's enough room for all my stuff??
(I'm sorry everything is crunched together... can't seem to get the spacing to work!)
Edited by Longneck 2014-05-30 9:59 AM
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 Porta Potty Pants
Posts: 2600
 
| wish I could help .. but I'm interested to see the comments!
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
 
Location: Where I am happiest | We know a couple people who have Lakota's and they are loving them! We have been looking at them and they are NICE!! Someone made a comment about the workmanship w/ the welds not being to keen. Since I heard that we have looked very closely specifically at the welds and workmanship and I have no clue what they were talking about because the workmanship in the 20 or so Lakota's we have seen since then have ALL been very well done. A#1 . Let me tell you, that slide out makes a world of difference. |
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Location: WI | mangers really do make a huge difference, whether there is only one horse or not. I would highly recommend having them. I also do love having a door through the LQ area and horse area and using the first stall basically as a mud room.
I will also add that I purchased my 3 horse Cimmaron LQ earlier this year and officially used it for the first time overnight this past weekend. It has an awning on it and was my first time having one, those things are SO NICE! I would probably survive without it, but if you can make it work in your budget, you won't regret having it! |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I wouldn't get anything less than 7'6". It makes a huge difference. 8' is even better, but I understand budget. I bought a used Cimarron because new wasn't in my budget. Love my Cimarron. I have hauled in friends' Platinums and Elites and I like Cimarron better because of the floor and the insulated roof. The roof makes a big difference in the summer. I can totally live without mangers. Would actually prefer to not have them. |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Three 4 Luck - 2014-05-30 10:44 AM I wouldn't get anything less than 7'6". It makes a huge difference. 8' is even better, but I understand budget. I bought a used Cimarron because new wasn't in my budget. Love my Cimarron. I have hauled in friends' Platinums and Elites and I like Cimarron better because of the floor and the insulated roof. The roof makes a big difference in the summer. I can totally live without mangers. Would actually prefer to not have them.
Yes it does and thats another thing about Lakota trailers is the horse area is also insulated. |
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Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | ThreeCorners - 2014-05-30 10:42 AM
We know a couple people who have Lakota's and they are loving them! We have been looking at them and they are NICE!! Someone made a comment about the workmanship w/ the welds not being to keen. Since I heard that we have looked very closely specifically at the welds and workmanship and I have no clue what they were talking about because the workmanship in the 20 or so Lakota's we have seen since then have ALL been very well done. A#1 . Let me tell you, that slide out makes a world of difference.
I recently went over a Lakota out of curiosity. LQ looked super nice. Horse area had some unfinished edges that I could see causing injury. If you compare the horse area interior finish, my trailer is way better done. No edges or corners, everything is smooth and rounded. I didn't look at welds or floor construction since I wasn't serious. |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Thanks so much! I've read until I can't seem to read any more about the Lakotas... I wouldn't know anything about construction (my husband would be much better for that)... I just know that my husband is pushing for the slide out... but he lives in a 5th wheel during the week and he has to have all the space he can get! Also finding out that we must have a collapsible tack (which the Cimmarons have) if my husband is going to load the 4wheeler or Ranger in the back. Anyone know if the Lakotas are collapsible?
I've found a 2011 Cimmaron that is 8'W, 10' SW with mangers and hayrack (again, hayrack not as big of deal as long as I can get stud divider) for about the same price as the new, more narrow and shorter LQ Cimmaron. I'm really thinking I'm torn on those two! I would love to have a "new" trailer, but when I think about the "extras" I'm getting those 3 years probably isn't going to make much of a difference.
Hoping Rodeomom3 can come and share her must haves in the Cimmarons. I think she's had a few of em! |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | hmm89 - 2014-05-30 10:43 AM mangers really do make a huge difference, whether there is only one horse or not. I would highly recommend having them. I also do love having a door through the LQ area and horse area and using the first stall basically as a mud room. I will also add that I purchased my 3 horse Cimmaron LQ earlier this year and officially used it for the first time overnight this past weekend. It has an awning on it and was my first time having one, those things are SO NICE! I would probably survive without it, but if you can make it work in your budget, you won't regret having it!
I have never had an awning.. but it's always been on my list of things "I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WANT"....
My horse has to have a constant eye kept on him while he's tied.. not fortunate enough to be able to tie him inside in the cooler/covered arenas. I think he'd appreciate the awning. lol |
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Location: WI | I bought my Cimmaron used; it is a 2008. It looks and feels brand new to me! They are good trailers. I also would not be able to afford a brand new with everything i was looking for. |
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 Playing the Waiting Game
Posts: 2304
| I'd do without mangers.... My friends horse feels cramped with the manger... He's the size of a giraffe. THe manger is right up against his chest.. Love the lakota |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Texas | Longneck - 2014-05-30 11:11 AM Thanks so much! I've read until I can't seem to read any more about the Lakotas... I wouldn't know anything about construction (my husband would be much better for that)... I just know that my husband is pushing for the slide out... but he lives in a 5th wheel during the week and he has to have all the space he can get! Also finding out that we must have a collapsible tack (which the Cimmarons have) if my husband is going to load the 4wheeler or Ranger in the back. Anyone know if the Lakotas are collapsible?
I've found a 2011 Cimmaron that is 8'W, 10' SW with mangers and hayrack (again, hayrack not as big of deal as long as I can get stud divider) for about the same price as the new, more narrow and shorter LQ Cimmaron. I'm really thinking I'm torn on those two! I would love to have a "new" trailer, but when I think about the "extras" I'm getting those 3 years probably isn't going to make much of a difference.
Hoping Rodeomom3 can come and share her must haves in the Cimmarons. I think she's had a few of em!
I have recently bought a Lakota. I also wanted the slideout. I special ordered my trailer so I could get all I wanted. Yes, they do come with a collapsable tack. I really like my trailer so far. I have not found anything I would have changed. To get this same trailer in one of the other brands would have cost me a lot more so for my budget this fit the bill. The other folks I have talked to who own a Lakota really like them as well.
Good luck to you! I am sure you will love whatever you get. Oh! and I agree...the 8 wide is the best but less than 7'6"....I wouldn't. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 212
| I would say to get the widest and tallest trailer you can afford... it makes a huge difference... There is not a whole lot of difference in the inside otr outside of trailers that are only a few years different in model year.. We bought a brand new LQ trailer that was the narrower and less tall option and absolutely hated it.. so cramped... The one we have now is 6 years old but is taller and wider and makes all the difference.. The extra inches or foot of width will make a difference |
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 Friendly horse swapper
Posts: 4122
Location: Buffalo, TX | Hi Longneck....I was the one who talked to your husband....unfortunately, all of my slots at Platinum are sold until Sept. Because of this, I wanted to add another brand of trailer...something that was a more affordable entry level trailer like Lakota or Hoosier (I would never sell Bison).....so we decided on the Hoosier brand because of the 8 yr. warranty and 3 yr. LQ no leak warranty.
No entry level trailer is built with the same quality as Platinum, but they can give years of good service and fun at an affordable price, especially for people who haul on weekends and therefore don't put the trailer to as much use as a pro would hauling daily up and down the road. Even the Hoosiers have sold fast, as your husband saw when he was here. I won't even have any more of them for 6-7 weeks unless I buy the slide out demo from the sales rep tomorrow.
Platinum only manufactures the shell part of the trailer, then we send it to an LQ company for the interior. We are using Outback Customs in OKC now. All of your better brands will operate like that...shell first, interior next...
Brands like Lakota, Hoosier, Bison are made in Indiana (RV capital of the world), and have in house LQ's and only sell LQ models...that makes them cheaper to build. I think Sundowner is doing some in house interiors and of course Exiss uses Sierra (another entry level brand)....
Some of the Texas Platinum dealers do sell 7' wide LQ's with mangers...I choose not to do that because as a horse person, I put the horse first and most people don't want their horse in a 7' wide trailer with mangers for very long at a time....Elite is making a model called the "Colt"....it's more of an entry level trailer that they advertise on their site as being built lighter structurally (nothing like the custom Elite, which is built like Platinum)...and they are 6'8" wide with mangers...they are built and nmarketed to the entry level people who purchase based on price...they are at a good price point...so I built a 7'6" wide Platinum with 8' Outback LQ and mangers to compete with them at the same price, and getting great response from people who want the better built trailer that is also wider with the same LQ (they use Outback also)...so that's why all of my slots are sold.....also, don't pass up a nice used older 4-Star if you are in a price bracket that doesn't include newer brands with the options you want....older 4-Stars are much better built than the new ones....
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Regular
Posts: 85
| I just bought a Platinum from Cindy ...Platinum 3 horse mangers 8 foot short wall 7'6 wide... I absolutely love it ... I absolutely love having the managers. My last trailer did not have managers and I hated every minute of it. They are excellent places for storage especially for all your hook up stuff... water hose and electric cords... I took almost 2 years to buy a new trailer... I would research, research, research, decide I wasn't sure so when in doubt I didn't buy....I looked at millions of trailers ... some of cindys trailers at trailer depot at the beginning. I will tell you from all my shopping that the 7 foot wide is a joke with mangers! I walked inside of one and was like really my poor horse has no room! All of my horses are smaller but my friend put her 15.3 1500lb horse in my new platinum trailer and it was just fine and it is a 7'6 wide.. He is a beast STOUT STOUT and TALL and he fit fine no rubbing or anything... I tried out the living quarters this weekend ... It worked great... I would rather have a new one than a used trailer...I wanted the warranty and no one elses problems. My friend has a platinum that is 12 years old and you would think it is brand new!... I did add a few features.... a hydraulic jack, hay rack, and pre wiring for a generator... I plan on keeping this trailer for a long time... definitely worth every penny.
Edited by rhinestone25 2014-06-02 1:08 PM
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | Cindy...I would love your input on using a toy hauler to haul horses as you know how trailers are built. I bumped the thread up. |
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Veteran
Posts: 161
Location: Right Where I'm Meant To Be :) | We now own a Lakota and love it! Prior to that we had a Platinum. Our only complaint on the Platinum was the living quarters. It was done by a third party manufacturer (we bought the trailer new but did not order it). Every time we went out there was a problem associated with the LQ. When you are paying that much for a trailer and you depend on it since your hundreds of miles from home it's very frustrating!! We finally said enough is enough! Now a few of our friends have Outlaw living quarters in their trailers and towing the same size of a trailer, they were always in a heavier weight class on the turnpike which meant higher tolls. The only difference was having the Outlaw LQ because the wood s very heavy (could ba a positive or a negative whichever you prefer). We ordered our Lakota and have had it for about a year and LOVE it. Quality of the trailer is excellent (welds, insulation, etc.). I would Never buy another trailer without a slide out NEVER! It makes that much of a difference. I also would not buy one without mangers either. You can't believe the storage you gain from them. The stud stall is also a must for the fact I can pack hay bales, coolers or whatever and not worry about them sliding back. One more thing is a door at the stud stall. This comes in very handy when it's wet or muddy outside, we use that door as our entrance and all the dirty shoes and boots stay in the horse area and not inside (there's an entrance to the LQ from the stud stall). Finally, I'd get an awning if you can afford one (you could always have this added on). It's nice to set up chairs and table for snacks so people aren't running in and out of your trailer. Ours is automatic (push a button to put out or in) boy does that spoil you! Especially if You're by yourself and ours will automatically and dump the water when it's ponding on it. Good Luck and gat what you want!!!
Edited to ad; Lakota makes their own Living Quarters so its nice dealing with One company and no one is passing the blame!
Edited by spanky 2014-06-02 3:28 PM
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 Double Standards Don't Fly
Posts: 1283
Location: At the barn | I personally would not have a Lakota. I would go with the Platinum or Elite. But I also would not have anything less than 8 wide. You need to always consider resale value and width along with Brand is Where your resale value is. I could also do without mangers. Having two horses with allergies as of this year I strongly dislike the fact they can't lower their heads and I will never feed hay in a manger again.
If I had to choose from what you listed I would go with the 7'6" Plat
I also would never get a slide out as all the ones I've known leaked when it rained just the right way.
Edited by trotncowpony 2014-06-02 10:46 PM
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Porta Potty Pants
Posts: 2600
| Nevertooold - 2014-06-02 1:23 PM
Cindy...I would love your input on using a toy hauler to haul horses as you know how trailers are built. I bumped the thread up.
Interested in this too as my husband and I saw an ad for the stall boy or stall buddy that you add to the back of a toy hauler. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 683
Location: Ohio | When it comes to slide outs you get what you paid for... Friends with cheaper brand trailers are always complaining about leaks, blowing fuses ever time they use them and other misc problems. Is the Cimmaron price firm? I would try negotiating for a better deal where it is so close to your budget. |
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