Hey there from Southern Colorado-

[lilyb]

We're about five years from retirement, and recently gifted our son with the Coleman tent camper. : ) We're doing our homework, to learn more about fiberglass travel trailers. One of the dealerships in Co. Springs has four 15 ft. Sidekicks for sale - Great West Sterling trailers? We can't find much information about these guys, and were wondering if anyone on this site had experience with this company.
Any guidance or information would be most welcome! Thank you!

[Borrego Dave]

Welcome to FGRV. I have no info on that brand trailer. This site is dedicated to all molded fiberglass trailers. Other than the shell build we can answer all your questions as all RV's use the same appliances.

[Jon in AZ]

Welcome, Lily!

Dave, I believe they are molded fiberglass- one of the Trillium clones. They set up in Arizona for a while, then tried (unsuccessfully, I believe) to locate in Alabama, then back to Canada. I don't know what their current status is. The GreatWestVans website says "coming soon," but I think it's said that for a while.

It's a nice design, and the 15' is a nice size: like the 13'ers but with more space and a bigger bed. Unlike the Outback (another Trillium clone) the Sidekick incorporated one of the best features of the vintage design: all-around jalousie windows. I have heard a couple of reports from buyers of numerous assembly defects- mostly of a minor variety, but concerning, especially when the manufacturer may not be around to support warranty repairs. The bottom line, though, seemed to be that the owners liked their trailers well enough to work through the initial issues. If the price were right, I might take a chance on one. Buying an orphan trailer is not like buying an orphan car brand- most of the parts and components other than the fiberglass shell are standard RV stock.

Not 100% sure, but I think member P. Raz has one. You could send him a PM, or perhaps he will chime in.

[lilyb]

Hi Jon- many thanks for you quick reply. have spent several hours on this site, and other fiberglass sites, and am thankful for all of the knowledgeable folks, who are willing to share their time, and passion for the eggs. Your tip about warranty support is a good one, and although the hubs is very handy, not sure this is something we would consider. We've gotta do some comparison shopping with a Casita, Scamp or the Escape. There is a Bigfoot for sale down in Pueblo that we will see today, and I would love to tour an Oliver. Love reading everyone's opinions and perspectives, and can't wait to form my own!

I'll post anything that we discover today about these fiberglass trailers.

[Donna D.]

A quick search of the FiberglassRV community brought up several members that own a Sidekick. I've seen Stephanie & Mark's trailer (sbergeron00) Very nice! Perhaps contacting one of the members directly will give you the answers you seek?



Best of luck!

[alan H]

Another option you might consider is the " little joe" by Weiscraft
They are made in colorado... A very cool little trailer
We visited their site last summer and i was very impressed with these trailers... Just a thought
Good luck in your search and welcome


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Jon in AZ]

Lily, I hope I didn't sound too discouraging re the Sidekicks. The lack of manufacturer warranty support is not as big a deal with an RV as with an automobile. All of the major appliances carry their own warranties independent of the trailer.

If you were able to hook up power and plumbing and test out all the systems carefully and/or work out a written agreement with the dealer to provide, say, 90 days of warranty support, enough time to take a trip or two, try everything out, make sure there are no leaks in the plumbing or shell, I think you'd be as well-assured of a good experience as anybody buying an RV.

Again, if the layout meets your needs and the price is right...

[lilyb]

Hi Jon- thanks for your continuing support in the quest for fiberglass. The Sidekicks we looked at were fairly nice- loved the windows, and the simple clean designs. All four of them needed good homes, they were a little scruffy. A 15 foot trailer doesn't have enough floor space for us, we usually travel with a spoiled Newfoundland and his retriever sidekick . . . The 21 foot Bigfoot was amazing- too heavy, and expensive, but so sturdy. We plan to tow with a 2010 underpowered Volvo XC90, so it's back to the drawing board for us. This is a just the beginning of many grand adventures . . .

[BillE]

Lilly

I looked at the 2015 Side Kick last year in Ramsey MN and although nice, the wall coverings seemed to be coming loose. I thought very seriously about buying one.

Ultimately when there is NO warranty or customer support, it is a tough decision. I bought a 2016 Scamp 13 deluxe and although it has a "factory warranty" if you have a claim... THE OWNER needs to address it with the manufacture of the ..axle, furnace, awning, refrigerator, fantastic, fan, air conditioner.

The good thing is that Scamp is around to support and they stand up to any "Structural" issues.


Looking at what the Side Kicks are listed for $18k front bunk and $20k for the front bath, I would think hard about it.

[Jon in AZ]

Lily, have you looked at Escape trailers? Based on what I'm hearing you say, they might be more what you're looking for.

[keekers]

Welcome Lily.

[lilyb]

Thank you Keekers! I'm looking forward to learning so much more!

[lilyb]

Jon- thank you for the link to the Escapes- you're right, it is a trailer I would like to seriously consider- now, to find one.