I own both trailers a Cimmaron 4 horse GN & a 4 star 2 horse GN both with living spaces. The 4star is by far a better built trailer.  The aluminum welding is outstanding on the 4 star and the aluminum floor beams are spaced closer together on the 4-star.

I just went through the same thing.  What to buy.The better names were all $60k-$70 for what I wanted.

The mid range trailers were all $40k. I know there is a difference, but is it really worth $30,000 to get a top of the line trailer?

To get a 4 Star, Platinum or Hart LQ used for $40,000 I'd have take a trailer 4-6 years old. Where I could buy a new midrange trailer for that same money. I really don't think any of the problems I'd have with a used trailer would be with the trailer but rather, the bearings, batteries, microwave, fridge tires etc.

I don't keep a trailer for a liftetime.  My needs keep changing. And I keep changing trailers every 4-5 years.

I guess if you are in the horse business and could write it off, why not. To me it's an absolute expense. So I went a mid range trailer.

Darn right, it's fair.  Capitalism.  Free-market economics.  Whatever title you want to put on it.  If somebody is willing to pay, it's fair.  What is inherently bad about profit?  If you are not willing to pay, try to talk the price down.  That's fair, too.  Shop around and arm yourself with as much bargaining power as possible.  You may get a better price than the last person that bought the same trailer.

Have you ever owned a trailer dealership?  Or have you ever managed one?  Or have you ever had a legitament business at all ?  These 3 question's are important to finding out from you why a business would have to charge normal profit margin's......business owner's and the people that work at a business have to earn a income, pay all over head - yes that include's taxes, insurance, health insurance (for employee's), utilities, finance cost(floor plan to stock trailer's for customer's to come and shop), real estate(fiscal location), ad's every month, service, parts inventory, show exspence's, etc.....  You will find that the average stocking dealer has $50,000. to 100,000.00 a month in overhead alone with total business cost of 14% on every trailer before they make a dime.....it takes cash and a lot of work (and being part crazy) to own a trailer dealership.....most dealer's net-net year end about 5%.....so when you talk about dealer's making a killing.....think about them making a nickel on every dollar going through there business....I will assure you that they aren't getting rich.  This I hope will give you a new found respect for the dealer owners and there employee's.  This reply is from experience.

You should look more at a Stidham, you can call and order directly from Robby Stidham and save yourself tons of time and money.  They make a quality trailer for an honest price.  They produced the first slant load trailer...and are still in business, that's saying a TON!  Plus they are wonderful to deal with!

For the dealers, you can control your costs(OKC you brought it up)...don't put that story on your customers.  I find the mentality of car dealerships in OK to be just as horrible, like people are too dumb to shop around?  That's why I go to Dallas to spend my dollar, it seems to go farther and people compete for my business not guilt me into their profit margin.  As far as I'm concerned you can make your profit off the next person that walks in the front door.  A quality product at a fair price will win more business than a guilt trip any day/time/place.