What's wrong with RV service?

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More than 90% of all RVs are produced by 3 companies, Thor makes more than 50% of all US manufacturing, Forest River another 30% or so, and Winnebago at around 10-12%. The rest, from Rev group to Tiffin to Northwood trailers are just bit players in the overall scheme of things. I know these smaller mom and pop manufacturers make some of the best RVs, but they really are playing against a stacked deck. When they do start to get ahead, or get big enough to attract the attention of 1 of the big 3, they get bought and absorbed by the Borg. Jayco to Thor, Grand Design & Newmar to Winnebago are examples.
 
We've had many RV's in the last 40 years.  Tent trailers, 5th wheels, and Travel Trailers.  I have never relied on a dealer for service.  Most of the time I do it myself.  I have been very fortunate to have a Mobile RV repair guy here in town that I have been able us ask for help for the last 20 years.  He has the experience to solve any problem I couldn't handle.  Without his help, I would be less likely to own an RV, especially as my aging makes it more difficult to do the work myself.
 
- quality control of RVs coming out has always been a problem whether if its $20,000 trailer or a $400,000 Class A, so dealerships have to contend with this ALL the timer and the factory ALWAYS short changes the dealer's service dept.
 
docj said:
  There's nothing wrong IMO in telling buyers "that's just the way we make them!"  You can buy one and modify it later.
Joel (AKA docj)
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I always heard that Henry Ford told the Model T customer, "You can have any color you want, as long as it's black."
 
Originally Ford offered the Model T in different colors but he standardized on black when the T's popularity increased.  Black enamel paint dried faster than the other colors so it didn't slow down the production line.
 
docj said:
One of the reasons there are no real specifications is that many manufacturers permit way too much customization IMO.  ... There's nothing wrong IMO in telling buyers "that's just the way we make them!"  You can buy one and modify it later.  Plenty of people do that with cars and trucks.
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That's what Alfa did on their motorhomes.  I don't recall any options at all, other than choosing a private bath or split bath.

Still didn't help them build them any better.  :)
 
All production line managers want to narrow the choices but all customers want more options so they can "have it their way".  Customers also think they can save money by eliminating features they don't care about, but that's usually an illusion.  Competition among brands drives things in the opposite direction, giving customer choices simply by buying a different brand.  Ford was able to reduce the color & model choices because it enabled him to produce a much lower-priced car, but when competitors caught up he was forced to build more models and use more colors.

The bottom line is that buyers will accept limitations only if there are enough other benefits to make the whole package attractive and no alternative source for what they want.
 
I've been thinking about this - both as a personal issue and a business opportunity.  I'd really like your thoughts on some possible solutions...

Short term, I/we can't fix underlying quality issues.  How can we improve RV service now, given the quality issues you mention?

One big issue, I think, is the huge variety of things that need maintenance - appliances, plumbing, electrical, slides, awnings, engines, roofs.  The variety makes it difficult to develop expertise, and makes it challenging to stock all of the needed parts.  Is there room for specialization - a repair shop that just focuses on 2-3 frequently needed services?  What would those services be?  (maybe that differs around the country - I am in Florida, and AC would be high on the list!)

Thanks
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Customers also think they can save money by eliminating features they don't care about, but that's usually an illusion.
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This gets especially complicated when a customer is charged for a third-party product, such as a WiFiRanger when it is included as OEM hardware.  If a customer were to ask that it be deleted on his RV, he's definitely NOT going to have the full retail price deducted from his invoice.
 
In many cases deleting an option costs the factory as much as simply leaving it in place.  And deletions or substitutions are highly prone to causing side effects that impact quality.  We could digress into the many entertaining stories about this, but that's really off-topic here.

I intended this to be a Service topic, not factory quality. I understand that lack of design & build quality is one of the major root causes, but let's stick with the situation as it is.
 
One big issue, I think, is the huge variety of things that need maintenance - appliances, plumbing, electrical, slides, awnings, engines, roofs.  The variety makes it difficult to develop expertise, and makes it challenging to stock all of the needed parts.  Is there room for specialization - a repair shop that just focuses on 2-3 frequently needed services?  What would those services be?  (maybe that differs around the country - I am in Florida, and AC would be high on the list!)
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Good question!
When I began RVing back in the 70's, and even to the early 90's, RV specialty shops were fairly common. There were repair shops for RV a/c, for fridges, for electrical components, etc. Few of those are left, perhaps because folks like one-stop shopping? Admittedly it's a hassle to have to go to several different shops to get a set of repairs done.  People buy tires & batteries at RV dealer shops for that reason.  But if repairs were prompt and done right the first time, maybe that could change?  There are still some fundamental roadblocks, though. What does an RV a/c shop do in the winter?  Can they get authorized to do factory warranty repairs? Is there enough demand every day to keep the shop solvent? 

I personally always opt for a specialist shop if I can find one. The chances of getting a decent repair are much better, and the cost is often lower than a general RV repair shop as well.
 
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