- RV manufacturers almost never buy a rig back. They view it as bad policy and they would rather haul it back to the factory and rebuild it than do that.
Unfortunately Gary is 100% correct. In 2013 I purchased a Forest River Columbus 5th wheel that I owned for exactly 6 Months. This was back when the Columbus line was still fairly new. Aesthetically it was great, but the build quality was horrible. I experienced many of the same issues that the OP did and more.
Wall cabinets falling off of the wall, the bottoms of cabinets falling out with nothing in them, warped entry doors, sagging baggage doors, soft spongey sub floors, leaking plumbing that soaked the under belly and saturated the rolled insulation that was used, and a horrific set of parts used the chassis wheel assemblies that constantly leaked wheel bearing grease onto all of the drum brake pads rendering the brakes useless.
Because of my experience with dealers in Ca around me, especially the selling dealer, I did most repairs myself on my dime. When the brakes failed on the way back to Kentucky on our one and only trip, I contacted Forest River and they sent 4 brand new brake assemblies to a RV dealer in KY where I had them replaced. I stood and watched the tech do the replacement from 6' away while he removed each wheel assembly one at a time including the backing plate, and bolted on the new assembly. The only mechanical thing needed was to attach 2 brake signal wires together.
I left the RV dealer and headed for home. Less than 100 miles down the road the TPMS started flashing a heat warning on one of the trailer wheels. The temp showed one wheel at over 150 degrees. This was towing on flat level interstate on a 80 degree day. I verified the heat with a IR no touch thermometer.
When I pulled into the campground about 50 miles later and pulled the wheel, the entire wheel drum and brake shoes were coated with grease.
That was my last straw, I cleaned up the drum and brakes as much as I could, put the wheel on and headed for Ca where I got rid the trailer.
Unfortunately mine was not a isolated story. We had met a group of Columbus owners on FB and joined when the rig was new. We met dozens of new Columbus owners that we are still great friends with. Many of them have experienced horrific build quality requiring their rigs to go back to the Forest River factory for extensive repairs, usually for several months. One close friend has had his rig back to the factory 4 separate times. Forest River will not take a rig back unless legally forced into it. Who pays for the extensive repairs is the biggest question. They will decline responsibility if there is any way possible.
Unfortunately I don't see FR taking his rig back voluntarily. It may go back to the factory for repairs, but he will also lose the use of it for months, all the while still making the payment. That is my educated guess, based on real life experience. I wish you great luck.
That would be an exceptional dealer. If they offer you another brand that is not FR, take it and run!