2020 Black Series HQ 17 Review Part 2

[JumpJ]

Warranty parts arrived. They sent an erroneous shower head for the outdoor shower that is the wrong one. Then told me 4-6 weeks for them to order a new faucet. I'm fascinated by the way they fraze that-they are the manufacture you would think they would have kits available for a brand new market-USA so again not impressed. Am seriously considering re-doing all the plumbing to be able to get easy fix items. Stay tuned

 

[Grassland]

There was a thread on here that people shared their viewing experience of the HQ series when it was first introduced in the U.S. Their observations were basically the same as this review. That thread has since been deleted. There was legal action threatened against a few members here if they didn't cease and desist there comments. The deleted thread got very heated when a dealer promised he could do an impartial review of HQ campers.

Seriously there is a line of campers built in the U.S. that offers offroad capable suspension with 4 season insulation and fully enclosed underside. And no they aren't stick and cardboard construction either. Granted they don't have leather interior and fancy countertops like the HQ. Cost is about half of the HQ.

it states it in the title of the post 2020 Black Series

This unnamed trailer is what was being asked about, not your HQ17

 

[JumpJ]

Buyer Beware-After further investigation if you take the HQ 17 and I am assuming same for any other HQ series in any kind of cold weather you are going to have freezing water lines-tanks can't heat off grid. In Australia this probably would not be an issue but Moab or Colorado where I like to go it is an issue. So unless you just want to look good at an RV park be prepared to spend some hard earned money on insulating and probably changing out poor chinese plumbing for USA. The bill for doing so is $750 and not complete. Keep in mind I do not have the talent many of you do to complete this so I am paying a pro to do the work. Also the camper is poorly insulated so in its current state it will never be a 4 season camper.

 

[mep1811]

Buyer Beware-After further investigation if you take the HQ 17 and I am assuming same for any other HQ series in any kind of cold weather you are going to have freezing water lines-tanks can't heat off grid. In Australia this probably would not be an issue but Moab or Colorado where I like to go it is an issue. So unless you just want to look good at an RV park be prepared to spend some hard earned money on insulating and probably changing out poor chinese plumbing for USA. The bill for doing so is $750 and not complete. Keep in mind I do not have the talent many of you do to complete this so I am paying a pro to do the work. Also the camper is poorly insulated so in its current state it will never be a 4 season camper.

I don't believe the Black Series is advertised as a four season camper.

 

[JumpJ]

It may not be but USA but I just want people to be sure they know what they are getting. It looks so impressive but once the onion gets peeled there are going to be problems..

 

[Matilda19]

There was a thread on here that people shared their viewing experience of the HQ series when it was first introduced in the U.S. Their observations were basically the same as this review. That thread has since been deleted. There was legal action threatened against a few members here if they didn't cease and desist there comments. The deleted thread got very heated when a dealer promised he could do an impartial review of HQ campers.

Seriously there is a line of campers built in the U.S. that offers offroad capable suspension with 4 season insulation and fully enclosed underside. And no they aren't stick and cardboard construction either. Granted they don't have leather interior and fancy countertops like the HQ. Cost is about half of the HQ.

can you tell us who that might be?

 

[QQQ]

We should screen grab the posts in this thread so it can be revived easily when it is taken down. Why anyone responds to threats of a lawsuit is beyond me, this is an open forum and I am free to say that based on many posts found on other forums black series campers are nothing but overpriced junk.

 

[JumpJ]

QQQ I would suggest that if Black Series made any threats and certainly engaging with me they would regret it. It's really easy to fix. They need to invest more capital into their US support team. But importantly invest in the damn trailer. If you are going to import into the USA make it fixable in the USA-now on week 4 with not a peep from them in regards to my faucet. Meanwhile, I took the trailer to a specialist who is removing all the Chinese junk and replacing it with USA/EU proper fixable kit. I should get it back later this week.

I was asked by someone this week how did I think the trailer would perform offroad. I have not taken it off road yet for one. But I think it all boils down to where you want to take it. I bought it to be a base for us to go from and explore. I am not planning on taking it down the White Rim. It is a heavy caravan at 5200. Once filled with gear and water you are seriously getting up there. A 2020 Off Road suburban suffered pulling it. I'm even considering taking a loss and trading it for a lighter camper or upping my game to something substantial to tow it like and Earthroamer or?? As soon as I get it back I will review it with the specialist. Thanks.

 

[adam88]

I don't believe the Black Series is advertised as a four season camper.

The thing is, it might not even be a 3-season trailer.

 

[JumpJ]

Latest Update-After I had to chase Black Series for an update on the warranty replacement shower/sink faucet - "I requested an update from manufacturer no later than tomorrow I will have an update for you. "........hmmmmm I though they were the manufacture of the Black Series. It is a joke that this company is in business. Stay tuned.......................hoping for good news as Spring Break not far off.

 

[BuckinghamBuilt]

This is from someone that has not personally toured a Black Series camper but I'm very interested in a HQ12 or HQ15 (which means upgrading my tow vehicle). I have however looked at other US manufacturers at a recent RV show in my area and they claim to be off road ready travel trailers around the same length but based on quality I'm not sure why some members in this thread keep bashing "Chinese made".

This has been asked before but I'd also like someone to point me to an off road trailer as an alternative to the Black Series Campers HQ series (I have only found little information on The Spark Off-The-Grig (OTG).

In my opinion, just because a manufacturer throws on a set of rugged off road tires and gives it a lift does not make it off road capable.

 

[Grassland]

This is from someone that has not personally toured a Black Series camper but I'm very interested in a HQ12 or HQ15 (which means upgrading my tow vehicle). I have however looked at other US manufacturers at a recent RV show in my area and they claim to be off road ready travel trailers around the same length but based on quality I'm not sure why some members in this thread keep bashing "Chinese made".

This has been asked before but I'd also like someone to point me to an off road trailer as an alternative to the Black Series Campers HQ series (I have only found little information on The Spark Off-The-Grig (OTG).

In my opinion, just because a manufacturer throws on a set of rugged off road tires and gives it a lift does not make it off road capable.

Mainstream US as in anything Thor or Forest River make are worse than "Chinese made"

 

[calicamper]

This is from someone that has not personally toured a Black Series camper but I'm very interested in a HQ12 or HQ15 (which means upgrading my tow vehicle). I have however looked at other US manufacturers at a recent RV show in my area and they claim to be off road ready travel trailers around the same length but based on quality I'm not sure why some members in this thread keep bashing "Chinese made".

This has been asked before but I'd also like someone to point me to an off road trailer as an alternative to the Black Series Campers HQ series (I have only found little information on The Spark Off-The-Grig (OTG).

In my opinion, just because a manufacturer throws on a set of rugged off road tires and gives it a lift does not make it off road capable.

For one thing Chinese made means broken or poorly done items don’t typically match off the shelf replacement parts here. In the RV owner world thats a huge pain in the ********.

 

[Raspy]

Generalizing about Chinese quality, and then projecting that onto Black Series is ridiculous. Black Series Caravans are partially built in China, in a factory they own and set up where they could get good employee loyalty and quality work. They are then finished in Los Angeles. All of the appliances, heater, and water heater are Dometic which are available in the US and installed here in the US. The fit and finish on the entire trailer is second to none, especially the interior, which is gorgeous. The axles bearings, drums and backing plates are all standard style 5200 lb parts available anywhere. The water plumbing uses Shureflo pumps and 12 mm polyurethane tubing which is a metric standard. The frame is a hot dip galvanized steel box with doubler plates at all high stress areas. Tires are Cooper. All 12 volt wire is fine stranded and tinned, marine style wire. The inverter/charger is an Aims unit built in Reno Nevada. The exterior is heavy gauge aluminum diamond plate. The sketeton is welded aluminum tubing and the roof is a one piece aluminum sheet. The drinking water system has a triple filter system with cartridges available at Lowes and many other places.

Black Series trailers could never be offered at this price if they were built from the ground up here in the US. And they are selling all that they can make as more people are discovering them.

 

[JumpJ]

That all sounds great on paper but attention to detail is just not there. I know I bought one! It arrived with screws floating around in cabinets, sawdust everywhere. Their customer care is rubbish-no inventory on parts-6 weeks for a replacement faucet. No owners manual. I would say Raspy is a Black Series employee by the sounds of the write up. All the plugs had to be tightened up. The rear lights flickers when they want. The thing has not even been off road yet. Yes there are really nice features but if you can't support it-don't sell it. $50K is a lot for many Overlanders. 6 weeks with no use is a non starter.