I do not share the opinions of one brand being significantly better than another.
It either has what you want...or it does not.
There is no magic underneath one brand over another.
They all use the same stuff inside and the builds are much more subtle in long term reliability than people think.
Same wire.
Same plumbing pipe.
Same cheesy plastic sewer hardware.
Same holding tanks...straps...pumps/drains/valves.
There are differences, but you would be much better off buying a "cheaper" newer unit than a "high quality" aged one thinking its a better deal due to quality.
Time, water and dry rot are the biggest enemies for a non-mechanic/non-RV tech.
Every time you pay to have it fixed, bring another 500-1,000 with you. It adds up VERY fast.
All that said, I do not have Roadtrek info to share. The only RV's I have info on are bloodmobiles/bookmobile type stuff and would have little to do with a unit this small.
The thing to remember is, a GM chassis with any of the V8 engines from 2002-ish right up to 2012...maybe 2015...are your best bet for true trouble free longevity. Even these will bite you with a coil pack or alternator, like any other truck. They do not blow plugs out of the head while driving on the highway. They don't waste chain tensioners with poor designs @ 100,000 miles, either. Get the 3500 and a GM will rarely pop a transmission if you keep good fluid in it.
Most of the units I see in the data have a couple minor warranty QC issues...then they get oil/brakes/tires and a serpentine every 5 years, till they reach 250,000 miles. Some pop a rear end and trannies do happen, but when flushed @ 100K intervals using good trans juice, this is VERY rare. (...and they beat the snot of these vans in the delivery services. No mercy...hammer down all the time. You see the driver in the brake replacements. Some drivers have one set in 200,000 miles. Others ruin a set every 35K...the 35K brake job units are the ones who pop a trans most often. After a while, it becomes obvious why.)
Synthetic oil, letting the thing warm for 15 minutes before driving it (especially after letting it sit for two weeks) and doing an "idle down" when coming off the highway can have a huge impact on life span. Go EASY for the last mile or two before exiting the highway. Let it sit and idle for 90 seconds before getting fuel. Shutting a highway use hot engine without a cool down is a recipe for less life. Flooring it is fine...letting it "eat" and using 3/4 throttle is actually better for it now and then than babying it. They are made to work and bringing the temps up keeps things cleaner, evaps the water/condensation on the engine...gets that cat nice and clean also...but only once it has run for a while.
(Get the layout you really want, is my advice...and don't run scared because of opinions on the net. There are no magic Mennonites/Amish waving Harry Potter wands over certain brands that make them last twenty years longer trouble free than the rest. Thats a fact. Glue, sawdust and plastic are what builds them all in one way or another.
If you go with a small unit, do so because it is what you really want, Not because you are running scared of problems in a normal class C. They all have roofs that leak eventually. Even the high top camper vans crack/leak in the fullness of time, sun and weather.)
