Posted 2014-08-18 1:30 PM (#160445) Subject: 4 star 2 + 1 GN Runabout
New User
Posts: 2
Location: Montana, FL
We are about to by a 4 star 2 + 1 GN Runabout from a dealer. There's a 2 + 1 GN Sundowner for a little less. It sounds like most people think the 4 Star makes a better trailer. We are in Montana so these are hard to come by - the one we found is 900 miles away so we will have to have shipped or drive and pick it up.Have spent weeks looking for a good trailer to travel 2900 miles twice a year across country. This would give my 2 horses more room and us more room for our "stuff".Any other advice out there?Thanks
Posted 2014-08-19 9:13 AM (#160464 - in reply to #160445) Subject: RE: 4 star 2 + 1 GN Runabout
New User
Posts: 2
Location: Montana, FL
More specifically, does anyone know if this runabout is as well built as other 4Star trailers? Trying to figure out if the big price difference from their regular 2+1 is just due to extra "bells and whistles" or are they more sturdy. I don't care about all the extras and would rather save my $, but don't want to give up any structural integrity.Thanks
Posted 2014-08-20 8:17 PM (#160492 - in reply to #160445) Subject: RE: 4 star 2 + 1 GN Runabout
Regular
Posts: 76 Location: Michigan
You need to find out what the frame is made of and what year for the sundowner. Sundowners are notorious for bad frames, this happens when the powder coat on the steel frames fail. I would check it out very carefully.
Posted 2015-05-05 6:27 PM (#163338 - in reply to #160445) Subject: RE: 4 star 2 + 1 GN Runabout
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
The Runabout is the "value" line of 4-Stars. They are not the same heavy built trailer that the brand quality is built on, these haven't been around long enough to have much feedback from owners regarding the durability of this lighter built trailer. The Sundowner should be all Aluminum or it's not worth your time. Keifer, Exiss, Cimmaron, Cherokee, Kingston and Featherlite also make this amazing floorplan. You might check around and look at the quality of the construction and not the brand name. My next trailer will be a 2+1, so I've spend 100's of hours in research on this exact trailer. Good luck and have fun!
Posted 2015-05-09 5:20 PM (#163369 - in reply to #160445) Subject: RE: 4 star 2 + 1 GN Runabout
New User
Posts: 3
I am a 4-Star dealer and I would like to try to help you out on what the difference is of the Runabout model vs. the deluxe model. 4-Star is known for building one of the strongest all aluminum trailers on the market. In doing so they spared no options on their deluxe trailer which made it a little out of reach in price for some new clients or 1st time buyers. What 4-Star wanted to do is be able to build a trailer that all clients could afford when shopping for an aluminum trailer. The Runabout model is going to be built on a 6' 10" wide platform vs. the 7' wide platform the deluxe model is built on. On a straight load it will make the trailer 2" narrower which is not a lot on a straight load so the stall is not compromised. They use the same 4" I-beam construction as their deluxe trailer, they also use the same marine grade aluminum floor as their deluxe trailer. By building the trailer 6' 10" wide they are able to directly attach the axles to the trailer vs. having a steel sub frame assembly that houses the axles like on their deluxe trailer and their LQ models. Here is where the main difference starts from the deluxe model to the Runabout model, it is all in the options the trailer starts with. If you were to order a standard Runabout model in a 2+1 it would look very similar to this unit we have here. http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=840804Th... trailer is going to start off without any of the features like Slats (the aluminum material under the white skin) that you would see on the deluxe trailers. Instead it will come smooth white skin. It will come with drop down doors at the horse head but on our trailer we upgraded those to the deluxe version drop downs because we like them better. Standard would be a manufactured drop down door like all of the competition is using. This unit will have all of the same dividers, ramps, walkout doors and dress area doors that the deluxe version would have. So it will give us a platform to start with that is less than the deluxe trailer in price.This is another 2+1 4-Star that we have in stock that we added all of the options to so it would have features like the deluxe model. http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=840803On this unit we added options like the "Quiet Ride Technology" which is one of the quietest divider and butt bar combinations on the market. We also added the Slats ( aluminum material below the white skin), deluxe drop doors w/bars, Ez lift Ramps for the rear and side ramps and larger stalls. The options are endless for this style of trailer which can make the price go right back up but it gives the buyer some control over what they need/want. We have been in business for a very long time and I am here to tell you that 4-Star would not put their name on anything that will not last. They have some of the smartest people in R&D and anything that is going to be put on the market is rigorously tested before doing so. We only deal the very best in horse trailer manufactures so if you do buy a 4-Star buy it with confidence that it will last and that it will have the Best resale value on the market today!Adam Crouch - Triple C Trailer Sales Inc.
4 star 2 + 1 GN Runabout
