2018 KZ Sportsmen LE reviews

We purchased a new 2018 KZ Sportsmen in Oct. 2017. There were some quality issues that started within the first year. Initially some of the external decals began to peel. We had some replaced under warranty, but others peeled after the warranty expired. I've had to have the water pump replaced twice. About the summer of 2023 we noticed the jackknife sofa (made by Lippert) began to crack and peel. I have since learned this was a very common issue with that sofa. The KZ manufacturer gave me the Lippert manufacturing number to try and get some type of replacement. Lippert's employees will sell a Thomas Payne sofa as an aftermarket solution at a discount. Unfortunately, they have the retail price higher than the Amazon price, which means they're still making a nice profit while supposedly trying to "help" the consumer; however, even with a discount they don't have the sofa we need until June according to one of their aftermarket sales agents. So, I bought from Amazon which will deliver next week. KZ seems to wash their hands of any responsibility, also. Beware, Lippert jackknife couches are still found in many of the new RV's. Show less

We loved this little camper. It was just me, my wife, and our little dog. We originally didn't want bunks, but our dog loved the lower bunk so much it became hers, and served as her bed and "kennel". The upper bunk was mostly a place to store things. The dinette slideout provided more space than you would think, allowed both of us to work on our laptops with extra screens at the same time (we staggered across from each other), and it opened up the walking space near the sink and kitchen area. The two-burner stove and microwave were more than enough to cook for both of us and the fridge and freezer, while not huge, were big enough for us to go 4-5 days without needing to run to the grocery store. We also did occasional cooking on the campfire using the old "meal in a back (tinfoil)" method, which also made leftovers that fit easily in the fridge. The slightly-larger-than-full-size bed up front was comfortable and big enough for both of us, though my wife did have to crawl over me if she wanted to get out, but that wasn't a big problem. There is plenty of storage for clothes and personal items, too, as long as you aren't a 'fashionista' and a hoarder. We lived in it for almost a 2-month stretch once and had approx 10-days of different "outfits" total, each, plust some layers for rain, cold and hot weather. You plan well and pack well, you have more than enough storage in this thing. The "booster" function on the antennae worked really well for air-channels and it even helped our wifi hotspot. I had a friend set me up with the solar hookup outside and it was perfect for the few times we boondocked; never worried about the battery dying for lights and whatnot. The freshwater, gray, and black tanks were all big enough for a few days off the grid (5 was our max and we didn't try hard to maximize their potential). No real mechanical issues with it in over four years of frequent use and PT living in it. I would have given more stars for Warranty if they would've given me a break on the microwave; the warranty was up for only three weeks when it went fritzy and I called them and they said "no dice". Livability is great, but it can get a little tough to shower in after a month of living in it like we did a few times, and we found ourselves using campground showers more than we planned simply to have the elbow room. But otherwise this thing is perfect for two people; I can't say enough for it. Show less

No issues despite full timing for 6 months. Handled road vibration well. Kitchen is a little tight. Tows fine but gas mileage is worse than expected due to high profile and width. Overall happy with trailer. Show less

KZ Sportsmen Classic 180TH, ulta-light toy hauler is an inexpensive and well designed alternative to toy haulers requiring fifth wheels or super duty vehicles for towing. The living space is well designed and the appliances are excellent. There is ample storage for lots of stuff. My only complaint is in the overall quality of materials and workmanship. The cabinet frames are always vibrating loose and have to be inspected, re-glued or re-fastened every Spring before the first camping trip. Similarly, the D-Rings in the floor and all of the outside screws, bolts and fasteners tend to vibrate loose and need to be tightened each Spring before the first camping trip. I have now installed lock-tight on all of the fasteners to minimize loosening and loss. The bottom line with KZ is that you get what you pay for in an economical camper. But if you are willing to put some time into it to improve or upgrade their construction and fastener design, then it is worth the investment to own one of their campers. Show less

Overall, not the Quality we expected. We cannot understand how KZ has remained in business since 1972? The “Climate” package doesn’t do what it needs to for extreme weather below 32ºF or above 80ºF. Fiberglass insulation is poorly packed into the ceilings and walls allowing heat transfer Show less

Avoid this Manufacture. I bought my KZ trailer March 25th 2018. This season we noticed the decals are pealing and has made the whole trailer look 15 years old. I have had a number of campers ask how old my trailer is due to the poor look of the outside. I reached out to KZ to get them replaced. This is what I was told word for word. 'Thank you for supply the photos. I’ve reviewed your history. Your unit was manufactured 8/1/2017. The ending date on your warranty was 3/24/2018. The unit was built 4 years ago and warranty ended almost a year and a half ago. I’m unable to cover the decals under warranty, however, I can sell the decals to you directly." So basically they are saying I bought a trailer with the warranty already ended. I have asked for this to be escalated to a senior manager to discuss and they have now decided to no longer respond to me about the issue with this trailer. I have had a pervious trailer from a better manufacture that never had issues with the decals like this one and that was 10yrs old. Absolutely terrible customer care. There are way better manufactures out there with better customer care. Show less

We love this RV. We haven’t had any real issues. The caps come off of the back bumper, so we had to duct tape them on. And the out door kitchen is to high for short people to use easily. We needed to stand on 4X4s to cook comfortably. The master bed is easy to get around. We put a 1.5 in. egg carton pad on the mattress for extra comfort. Had no problem with any appliances. Our grandchildren are getting to old to go with us, so we got a small 5th wheel for the two of us. We had a smaller bumper pull with tip out beds on both ends first, we like the bunkhouse much better. Show less

This is a great value and nice finishes throughout. It’s spacious and makes a great trailer for toys, pets, kids and fun. The KZ Sportster has a modern interior and nice LED lights. The garage is very large and can fit motorcycles or side by sides up to 10’ long. It’s a lightweight trailer for the size. Many upgrades abound including a nice sized pantry and walk in full shower. Also has a beautiful living area that is spacious. Show less

Very poor manufacturing quality, beware. Started out finding the power in connection labeled 50a but was 30a,black and gray water was mislabeled, Vinyl Trim Insert around slide out window was not fitted properly and shrunk up over 2 inches which I had to purchase and replace myself. Bench seat at the dining table fell through and had to be put back together and reinforced myself. Shower floor had to be reinforced. USB port did not work but 2 times, I replaced it. Worse yet I had to have the siding stapled, as it was separating from the frame and we found that 90% of it was not even stapled on. Problems are seeming ongoing. We contacted KZ numerous times and their response was fruitless. We will continue our complaints and further review. Show less

Since day one this unit has given us issues, floor was ripped out because of a screw in dinette, adhesive paper on all cabinets warped, kitchen sink always loose and not properly caulked, outdoor kitchen warped due to caulking not installed around sink properly, the bathroom black water gauge has never read properly always reads 1/2, the roof flapped over 13 months into ownership insurance stated it was a warranty issue, warranty stated its not.the decals outside of unit have all peeled, screw are always falling out of the exterior bottom trim,unit was in out of shop, nothing was fixed, during the year warranty, extended warranty is a bigger joke.meam while no one is owning up to this lemon. It was made cheap, not sold cheap. Be careful when buying , what the salesman fails to tell you it that even minor repairs could keep your unit in repair shop for months. Theres just not enough time or space to adress my experience with this unit This adds up, prevents full access and usage of your unit. If your like me aNd cant afford to leave it in shop long periods of time due to travel etc, you will be screwed. As warranty will ride out.I. Feel as if they intentionally do this to ride out the repairs,warranty and costs out of pocket. My advice buy an older unit,new ones are not made like they used to be. I handmade numerous attempts to get this resolved, I have yet recieved a response. Show less