O/O dry van Great Dane vs Utility vs Hyundai vs Vanguard

http://www.greatdaneutah.com/pdf/SSL.pdf

This was the last one I bought, probably as good as any I've owned. They call it the SSL, the plywood wall panels are lined with steel, so it can be considered a food grade van with the aluminum roof, some food plants won't load a trailer with the translucent roof or with plywood side panels.

 

I bought a new Hyundai trailer and have a few issues. First is the door latch. The hook where door chain latches is too short. I have rubber straps to hold them because doors always come unlatched. Second is every roof rib has become separated from the tin roof. This occurred within a few months of picking up trailer. The third issue is the warranty. Hyundai has a good warranty on paper. Just don't expect them honour it! Took trailer into dealer where I bought the van. Hyundai refused to cover the repair to reapply adhesive to ribs and roof.

 

I regret buying my hyundai. When I went to pick it up, it was missing the license plate light -- as in someone forgot to install it. Not a big deal, but it should have been a clue... how does that leave the factory? How does that make it through the dealer check list?

I had a strap pull out of one of the logistics posts. It just splayed the slot like an exploding cartoon rifle. What good is a 5,000lb strap if the wall mount only holds 1,000?

The coating on the plate walls is nearly non existent. After 6 months, the interior walls look worse than the 15 year-old American-made trailer it replaced.

The ABS system has had multiple warranty repairs.

The alignment varies depending on how far back you slide the tandems.

The tandem air button releases the pins easy enough, but the tandems are still a ##### to slide. My cab torques over enough to make the sleeper curtains open before the tandems start to move.

 

Great Danes my personal choice. They have a good dealer network around the county for service and OEM parts. Utility are probably second choice.

 

First time I've seen "no utility trailers" on a rate confirmation:

 

I've had zero issues with my Great Dane 53 vab and do not regret paying an extra $1,500 for it versus Vanguard, Hyundia, etc. I like it a lot better than my old Utility. The door frame is much better design than Utility. What you guys will find in 10 to 15 years when you go to sell a Vanguard, Hyundai, Wabash, etc is that they be commanding a couple if not several thousand less on resell. As far as typical freight box 53 vans go had an equipment dealer tell me that Stoughton, Utility, and Great Danes hold their value better than anything else. Everything else, forget it, you're just not going to command as much on resale.

 

They specify plate trailers. Utility does not make any plate trailers.

 

True, though they market their 4000dx composite trailer as an upgrade over a plate:

 

Because You had exceptional deal on Your Great Dane.
When I was pricing mine differences were several thousands.