RV's: The Big Rip!

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Why blame the RV industry for using substandard materials and shoddy workmanship when we continue to buy them. Someone posted one of the manufacturers has $14B in back orders. Stop buying the prices of crap and demand better or quit whining.

I agree completely. I still drive around in my old rattle trap for this very reason.

Thats my point.....

There is no reason for the quality to improve without an alternative.

Unfortunately there is no alternative to turn to. There are what, 3 players with 95% of the market? And they all push the same garbage. I can't hardly tell them apart.

I wonder how many board members are shared between them all...

Kevin
 
the build quality was so bad in a family friends $1.5 million NEW Class A that the first year of "ownership" he had possession of his RV for 3 months. The RV industry lacks quality control at every level is shameful and can not be justified outside of "I don;t give a **** attitude" that someone is still going to pay $$$$ for it
 
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We keep talking quality and how it has gone down hill over the years. And based on some of the things I've read about and seen it's hard to disagree. But to be fair, aren't we part of the problem. Don't we for the most part look at the lowest price point when buying RV's. So to me, it's a bit of a double edge sword. The flip side to quality is discounted RV's.
 
We keep talking quality and how it has gone down hill over the years. And based on some of the things I've read about and seen it's hard to disagree. But to be fair, aren't we part of the problem. Don't we for the most part look at the lowest price point when buying RV's. So to me, it's a bit of a double edge sword. The flip side to quality is discounted RV's.
I don't think a new, $1.5M Class A unit has anything to do with looking for the lowest price point, right? Hard to believe its multi millionaire owner would actually not Lemon Law it after having it for only three months out of the year while the dealer worked on repairing it for the other nine months!
 
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I think, ultimately, that when anyone buys a new RV, that person should take it as a given that he/she will be working the bugs out over the first year, or two, or three. I like doing projects, so no big deal.

A few days ago I literally pulled off the road, near a convenience store in Lubbock, after seeing (in my driver's side mirror) my trim flapping in the breeze. I used spare screws in my tool kit, my hammer, and a Phillips, to puncture the skirt material, and then screw the screws into the wood strips attached to the frame. Problem solved, and I liked the experience!

The above being the case, I think those folks who are not handy, and who don't like near-constant tinkering, are well advised to not get into RV'ing, in the first place, or simply accept that their dealer will have their unit more than they will, during its warranty run.
 
I think, ultimately, that when anyone buys a new RV, that person should take it as a given that he/she will be working the bugs out over the first year, or two, or three. I like doing projects, so no big deal.
Huh? No big deal? It's a huge deal!

It's uncalled for!

It's brand new! There shouldn't be the kind of issues we're hearing about.
 
Meanwhile, in another thread it was mentioned that Forest River has a $14 Billion, 7 month production backlog, RVs that have been purchased but not yet made. Tell me again why they should concentrate on improving their quality instead of cranking out units as fast as they can?
 
I think, ultimately, that when anyone buys a new RV, that person should take it as a given that he/she will be working the bugs out over the first year, or two, or three. I like doing projects, so no big deal.

A few days ago I literally pulled off the road, near a convenience store in Lubbock, after seeing (in my driver's side mirror) my trim flapping in the breeze. I used spare screws in my tool kit, my hammer, and a Phillips, to puncture the skirt material, and then screw the screws into the wood strips attached to the frame. Problem solved, and I liked the experience!

The above being the case, I think those folks who are not handy, and who don't like near-constant tinkering, are well advised to not get into RV'ing, in the first place, or simply accept that their dealer will have their unit more than they will, during its warranty run.
So if you purchased a $50,000-$70,000 vehicle and it started to come apart on the highway you would just pull over, grab your tool kit and start drilling and screwing your vehicle back together?
 
So if you purchased a $50,000-$70,000 vehicle and it started to come apart on the highway you would just pull over, grab your tool kit and start drilling and screwing your vehicle back together?
Yep! What else could I do, in the middle of nowhere? The RAM vehicle helpline and emergency line, with panic buttons over my head, are jokes. I've tried them, in the past, and the operators are dumber than dirt!

While this is an RV forum, I will say that my new Ram diesel pu will now be getting carte blanche service, after I called their national helpline (different from the one in the truck) and told them of my intention to Lemon Law the truck, if I didn't get a new DPF.

I actually don't know if RV's have that same Lemon Law option. Any of you who have that knowledge and/or experience with it, please weigh in, here. Maybe that's what's needed to light a fire under the manufacturers of these shoddy units.
 
I will say that my new Ram diesel pu will now be getting carte blanche service, after I called their national helpline (different from the one in the truck) and told them of my intention to Lemon Law the truck, if I didn't get a new DPF.
What’s a DPF?
 
A diesel particulate filter (DPF) is a device designed to remove diesel particulate matter or soot from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine.Lots of discussion about the problems they create. Just one of the research items that led me away from a DP RV.
 
A diesel particulate filter (DPF) is a device designed to remove diesel particulate matter or soot from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine.Lots of discussion about the problems they create. Just one of the research items that led me away from a DP RV.
Are they expensive?
 
You pays your money and you take your chances...

@SRGuy - Don't sweat that not everyone 100% agrees with you. That's the "opinion-net" for ya. The majority empathize and agree that higher quality and design are a goal but here is the reality we live in...

@Great Horned Owl - I worked on Demming's 6 Sigma since the 80's when it became fashionable, and dare I say a necessity for most companies.

Selling the idea of "Cost of Quality" is tough but I am a true believer and understand why and how production costs go down when proper QA is managed and in place. It literally pays for itself and is cheaper than armies of inspectors finding issues and creating the resultant rework cycles.
 
This whole thread reminds me of something I had first read about 35 years ago. I had kept a copy for quite a while, but eventually lost it. I recently found it on the web.

It is quite applicable to the subject of this thread. I wonder if people other than engineers find it as funny as we do.
 

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Considering the price, I'm thrilled with the quality of my travel trailer so far. But if it turns out to be junk, and the next one is junk, and the one after that is junk, I think I will quit buying them.
actually you quit buying them NEW and let the first owner deal with the mess
 

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