Saw the post about Exiss LQ trailers - I am considering buying an used Sundowner Valuelite trailer w/ LQ = any opinions on the these trailers.  Also anyone one have one with the smooth aluminum over steel frame?  Was wondering if they hold up in damp weather conditions as far as rust to the frame.  Are the stalls big enough for a large QH weighing 1300 lbs.

Thanks!

i own a sundowner and they are one of the best made trailers we have ever owned. as for the stall question yes they should be wide enough length depending on how long the horse is our tail wall is starting to get rub marks on it.

Get in there all of ya!  Don't miss a chance to bash those Sundowners!

Throw in a few jabs at the Brenderups if there is any way to work it in.

I just love all that bashing that doesn't take into account how the product was maintained/cleaned . . . like they are all falling apart while they are being pulled off the dealer lot.

"That is moving from the Cadillac to the Chevy "

Now let's not bring Chevy into the picture........then the bashing war would start on the Ford vs. Chevy vs. Dodge.

We all have our opinions and experiences on different brands of trailers. I have found it amazing how much Sundowner (and Bison) have gotten so bashed on this forum.

Well, having owned both a Sundowner and a 4 Star, I guess I would consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on this. I will have to say, I was happy with my 1997 Sundowner. It was a solid trailer and served me well. It did have some pretty bad rusting in a few areas, but I bought the trailer used so I cannot comment on the care prior to owning it. When I decided to get a new trailer, the first place I looked was Sundowner. I will have to say that I was somewhat disappointed in the quality of the new trailers compared to some of the other brands on the market. After lots of research and visiting many trailer lots, I decided on a 4 Star. In my opinion, the quality of the 4 Star was noticeable better than Sundowner and the price was better than a Sundowner. It made my decision easy. Someone else had mentioned some specifics on features as well. It seems like a lot of other manufacturers have put some thought and engineering into the trailer features that Sundowner has not. All the little things that make hauling easier are a definite plus for me and Sundowner is behind the industry in a lot of those.

I do think Sundowner makes a good trailer, but it was not the hgihest quality for the price when I purchased a few months ago.

4 Star is all aluminum and the steel Sundowner you are comparing was all steel(You also mention this trailer developed rust in a 3 year time frame, well how used was it when you bought it to begin with?). Huge difference!! So when you compare a Sundowner Valuelite to say a 4 Star, you can't compare! The Sundower is steel/alumy and the 4 Star is all alumy.

The only negatives I have heard, actually read about Sundowner were on the internet, through message boards. I haven't heard anything from people in person that own them. Not that I don't believe some of the stuff I read, but I wonder. Could be that there are so many Sundowners out there being used and some things can go wrong, so you will hear more. Kind of like hearing how many things go wrong with minivans, well have you noticed how many GD minivans there are on the road?

Thanks for all the comments I've gotten about 4 Star versus Valuelite Sundowner - because I live on the coast with alot of rain I'm thinking it's best that I stay with all aluminum.  I don't want to set myself up for problems down the road with rust.  If anyone knows of a 4 Star GN -  2H with a weekender package reasonably priced please let me know.

Thanks!

I believe that sundowner is a cookie cutter company. Anyone can produce 120 trailers if all they build are a certain style, not custom. I looked at every trailer manufacturer at congress this year and I could tell a big difference in the quality and structural integrity in all the trailers. There are top name brands and also not so top name brands. Pulling safety and horse safety are the main things that everyone should be concerned with. A nice LQ is just a luxury. Rust causes the structural integrity to be not the safest so thats one thing that needs to be taken into consideration when purchasing a new trailer. Welds and huck rivets also need to be looked at. The bottom line is, look at the trailer for the safety of you and your horses.

I love the Sundowner ramps.. nice and easy to pick up.  I am not fond of their windows, at the time I looked at them, the drop downs had the latches at the top and the trailers were too tall for me to get to them easily. This could be said about all trailers.

The thing I didn't like about the 4 Stars were that the ramp was too heavy, the step ups were too high, so I would need a ramp for the trailer.  The other thing I didn't like is the size of the windows in the trailer.  They are probably the smallest of all the trailers out there.  Maybe that is why their windows don't fall off, but none the less, I like light in the trailers.

I also like the 4 Star latches.  But when all was said and done, I bought a Trailet because I like the windows in the trailer, the bulkhead window.. I bought a straight load because my hubs 17 hand TB didn't fit in the slants --or it seemed she was too long for even the wider ones.

I would buy a 4 Star tomorrow if they had bigger windows, but since they seem to have those tiny ones that keep the inside of the trailer darker appearing, I will have to wait.

Hope you are listening 4 Star...!!!!

Jbsny

sable812,

What, sundowner by far had the best loans, that is a first, no mfg really offers any type of financing.  The mfgs can point you in the right direction for a loan officer, but have no say in any type in rate or term.  MFG's are not banks, they are trailer mfg's, personal and nationally recongnized banks determine financing, not mfg's