I've been going back and forth on buying a 1999 Sundowner Sierra w/full LQ. It's exactly what I need and want, but I'm concerned about getting a trailer that's 23 years old. I believe the quality of the trailer is substantial, but I worry about everything that goes into the LQ. Even if it's been taken well taken care of, stuff eventually wears out.
I believe my main question is if given the option between getting a '99 Sundowner with everything I need and an '05 Hart that would do the job, but is missing some features, what's the best bet for the long term?
Posted 2022-04-12 7:02 AM (#185231 - in reply to #185230) Subject: RE: 1999 Sundowner
Veteran
Posts: 113 Location: Wi
With any LQ trailer you can have issues with amenities not working and needing replacing. Make sure all of them work before you purchase knowing that you may have to get some replaced.
In regards to the Sundowner. As a past owner of a 1999 and a 2001 there were to potential problems with them. One is the floor. They put a product on it called Suncoat. It stuck well to the walls but not the floor. Even with regular cleaning urine would get trapped between the coating and the floor. Pin holes would develop and get larger over time. The only way I noticed was when power washing the floor I would see the suncoat rippling. I was able to pull the whole coating off in 10min and could see holes about 1/4"
The other potential issue is that they put a coating on the steel frame. This could cause moisture to be trapped between the coating and the frame causing the frame to rust prematurely.
The trailers were nice trailers but I would make sure if you go the Sundowner route, make sure you check those two items thoroughly.
Posted 2022-04-12 3:23 PM (#185232 - in reply to #185230) Subject: RE: 1999 Sundowner
Elite Veteran
Posts: 788 Location: Tenn/Ala.
Everything Rusty said looks to be true. One item to know, is that Sundowner actually built that LQ. They built the trailer, and their interior shop did the LQ. The interior mechanical quality was to RV industry standards. Hart built that trailer, and then someone else took it to another Co. to do the interior. You should research that Co. Now- both of these have LQ components that are getting older. Plastic lines, vents, domes, and other parts are getting brittle. Electric wires have been riding around inside of walls for a long time. Same with appliances. So yes- check the trailer frame thoroughly, but know that it usually ages more gracefully than the interior. By the way- a '99 Sierra should be all-aluminum and I don't believe the floor will be SunCoated.
1999 Sundowner
