Camping World / Forest River Review (Spoiler Alert- Its bad)

[Firstime RVer]

This is the reason I bought mine at a privately owned RV dealer.
No high pressure sales or financing bull. Sales person knew almost everything about the trailer and how things operated, and what the didn't know he called the service manager in on.
When I went to pick it up, the service manager did the walk through. Very thorough and answered all my questions.

Bought mine at RV value mart in Manheim Pa. At the time the financing they offered was very reasonable as well. Couldn't be more pleased with the experience in dealing with them...

 

[old RV guy]

Camping World is now a training ground for new salespeople as good sales people cannot make money there. They instituted a new commission policy that states that in order to get commission a salesperson must sell at least 20% of that month's sales. Sounds wonderful until you discover they try to have at least 15 salespeople on staff. Makes it impossible to get to that 20% mark. Plus the fact that salespeople have been instructed to charge a $400 fee that is disguised as a variety of things but is just there to add $400 to the price. Reputable salespeople walk away from tricks like this so only the sleazy are left.

Sounds like something from Glen Garry-Glen Ross.

 

[Oldgator73]

Sounds like something from Glen Garry-Glen Ross.

Is Glen Garry-Glen Ross a reputable dealer?

 

[old RV guy]

Is Glen Garry-Glen Ross a reputable dealer?

Just bring your own coffee, coffee is for closers there.

 

[SargeW]

And it is NOT the salesman's' responsibility to make sure you have the right vehicle to tow it with, that is on you.

I disagree with this logic. There is a core principal in law enforcement that says failing to disclose a known fact is in itself, a lie. So when the OP went to pick up the RV and the salesman stated that he could not tow it with his current tow vehicle, that is proof that the salesman and thus the dealer KNEW that fact and failed to disclose it. That is willful intent to deceive the purchaser no matter how you dress it up.

I have purchased 4 new towables in my 25+ year RVing history, and every time at some point someone from the dealership had asked me what I was planning on towing with. Was that info required to be asked? No, but what it is are called "ethics". Unfortunately, Camping World has been accused of a lack of ethics many times.

My very first RV purchase was a 26' TT I purchased at a RV show in CA. I had a 1/2 ton Ram gasser pickup at the time. The dealer specifically checked the weight limits on my truck and outfitted it with a hitch to safely tow the trailer.

There are dozens of examples that come to mind as I type this where withholding information is unethical, or down right dangerous. But what that also says to me that the lack of PDI by the dealer after charging the OP $1000 to be "camping ready" is also unethical and thus a lie. Buyers willing to except that conduct as "SOP" just fosters and condones the conduct by the dealers like Camping World, and guarantees that the practices will continue.

 

[Gr8bawana]

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

Well, we all know the OPs experience is probably about 99.9% of what the RV industry is made of. Somehow, we all have gotten through the beginning experience too being here today offering opinions, insight, solutions, and maybe just an ear for newbies to vent to.

I don't know what led me to my first RV forum 16 years ago when my wife and I first started talking about getting into the world of RV'ing. But, I am thankful we did with the information we gathered from brands, pricing, things to look for, and so forth. It's a shame that more people who start out don't do the same and seek out the world of information found on forums on Rv'ing, and most other products available to today's consumer.

 

[Lbirge]

Lets just start this off with, I know.....I should have listened to all the reviews. Lesson learned. This is a multi-review of both the dealer and the camper itself (You'll understand when you read it).



Let this be a learning moment for those researching camper dealers, or campers in general. I'll take you on a brief story about my "time" with Camping World and Forest River.



So my family and I decided we wanted a camper. I work in public safety and my wife is a nurse manager so we wanted to go a step above our every now and then tent camping weekends with the kids. I was told by a friend that Forest Rivers were decent campers, so off we went to our local dealer.....Camping World. They were located on Alcoa Highway south of Knoxville Tennessee, but are moving to Exit 407 on I-40 in Sevierville.



We were greeted at the door by a receptionist who makes sure she gets all your info to spam your phone and email before you can even talk to someone. I suggest give them a fake email and phone number unless you're sure you are purchasing from there. We are introduced to a salesman, asked a few questions about what we want, and we were off to the lot.


We had our eyes on the View series and really liked the 2024 28' model. After a few days of shopping around, we decided to look into it more heavily and see what price we could get. All in all the price point and monthly payments were ok, so we decided to go for it.


Now. You would think a salesman would MAKE SURE that trailer can be hauled by the customers truck right? No. Didnt ask until the day I was supposed to sign paperwork. THEN has the audacity to state "Well where can we deliver it to since you cant tow it?" Yes, let me buy a brand new camper AND truck. The wife will approve that no problem. (Thats sarcasm......)



Well, we had already gave a $500 deposit (which we were verbally told is refundable, but apparently is not), and I didnt feel like loosing that much money on behalf of an idiot salesman. They also would not refund it because its our issues if we couldnt tow the trailer. Fair enough.


So we found an XDBUD 2024 model we liked and could tow. So lets jump to purchase day...


My name on the paperwork was wrong. The PRICE was wrong. The down payment was wrong.



Did you know that any deposit needs to be a cashiers check? We didnt until the day before. Had to have it overnighted because we used an out of state bank (Navy Federal).



Tried to sell me the extra warranty....no thanks. Then this $1000 "Vacation ready" package. Well whats in it? They say its a Good Sam membership, propane, making sure your camper is ready to go camping out the door, a walk around making sure you know how to use it, and a $100 gift card to the store.


Well, I took it.



Fast forward to the "walk around". The service guy was completely UN-interested, and high. Did a terrible job and couldnt answer basic questions.


Drove the unit home.


Wife and I started to set it up. Front jack was broken. Ok. Being a new camper owner, I didnt realize I should have checked the jacks too. Thats on me I guess. Continued to set it up (jack was safely down just had some issues), and my wife took her shoes off getting in the camper.


Well, the carpet on the slideout was SOAKED. On further investigation...there was mold under the carpet on the plywood. Mind you, this is a NEW camper not USED.


We continued to set things up and test everything. Here is our list of things we had issues with:


1. Jack damaged
2. Water/mold problem
3. Toilet would not hold water OR spray water
4. Both front transverse compartments would not lock
5. Outside blackstone grill would not self-ignite
6. Oven wouldnt turn on.


So, contacted the dealership, they didnt really care. Finally got someone from Forest River to call me back, and she was nice and helpful. Dealership took the camper back, and I was told everything would be covered under warranty.


It has been a few weeks since they have had the camper. Last Friday, I was told I could pick it up and it was ready.


Today I drove 45 mins there. Waited around for them to get it out. Then went to inspect the work. Everything started off fine, until I asked if we could hook it up to water to check the toilet. The work order states "Toilet will not flush or hold water".



Guess what didnt work? You guessed it! The toilet. The service guy comes over dumbfounded. Well something inside the toilet is broken and will take either all day or a few days to get approved and completed.


Why would you not hook the unit up to water to check your work?



45 minute drive home. Day wasted.


I have paid 2 payments already on this camper that I havent been able to use. Forest River has given no sort of compensation or even a glimmer of empathy. Camping World has given no sort of compensation nor does it seem like they care about their customers. Its VERY aggravating not being able to use a camper that was supposed to be "Ready to go" and I had paid $1000 to make sure of. A camper that had a major water seal issue on the slide out to which had water damage and mold. BRAND NEW CAMPER.


After really looking at the quality of work that was done inside the camper....I'd say Forest Rivers quality has gone by the wayside.


Staples all over, crooked pieces of wood and cabinetry, laminate pealing, etc.



I've learned my lesson. I will try to get rid of this thing as fast as I can and spread the word about this horrible experience.


0 out of 5 stars. Stay Away.



Please feel free to message me if you have questions. I'd be happy to answer them!


- Dave

Totally! Stay away from Forest River Travel Trailers. Their customer service is awful. My brand new 2024 Forest River Cherokee Timberwolf 16ML, which is permanently parked, was delivered with the gray water (and black water) pipe broken and they won’t send someone out to fix it and they won’t pay the full bill to fix it.

Here is my experience.
1. My brand new Forest River trailer was delivered with a broken dishwasher and broken gray water pipe which means the black water pipe is also broken because the gray water drains out the black water outlet; so, because the gray water pipe isn’t connected, there is a huge hole in the black water pipe.
2. The dealership gave me 3 numbers to call to get help because the trailer is under warranty because it is brand new, and I’m too far away from the dealership for them to fix it. I called each number several times but only 1 number answered and there were no voicemails to leave messages at the 2 that didn’t answer. The people that did answer the phone told me they couldn’t help and gave me a new number & email. (So this is contact #4 at this point.)
3. I emailed and called the new contact. The person who emailed me back told me they couldn’t help me (in all caps like a lunatic) and gave a different email (contact #5) which was supposed to be directly to the warranty people.
4. I sent 2 emails to the warranty email address & waited. & no one ever responded.
5. I looked on the Forest River website for a contact and it said call the dealership.
6. I called the dealership again. They gave me a 6th contact’s phone number and email. I sent an email (with pictures of the broken pipe) to explain the situation. Note: I also called but I dialed incorrectly and left a voicemail on a complete stranger’s phone. Whoops! But that nice stranger actual texted me the correct phone number 10 minutes later. I got better service from that stranger than anyone at Forest River. Sad.
7. Apparently, my email got forwarded around and after almost a week of waiting, a Forest River representative told me they can’t send a tech out and gave me a list of mechanics who “might” help. And the representative told me to review the warranty; so, I don’t violate some condition and can’t get reimbursed.
8. I reviewed the warranty & learned that the warranty won’t cover the full cost of the repair for a problem that existed when the brand new trailer was delivered to me. (Have I mentioned the trailer is new and has never been used? )
9. I looked at the list of mechanics. The closest one is 60 miles away but most are 100+ miles away. No mechanic is going to travel 120 miles round trip to fix a pipe on a trailer. Recall: The trailer is permanently parked and the Forest River rep was told this repeatedly.
9. I reached back out to the Forest River rep and (and I was pretty irate at this point - so I wasn’t super nice - cuz I’m only human) explained I need a real solution that will actually fix the brand new Forest River trailer that was delivered to me broken. I explained no mechanic is going to travel 120 -200 miles (round trip) to fix the pipe on the brand new trailer. I also pointed out that it is ridiculous that Forest River will not pay for the entire repair cost. I asked for a real solution that will actually fix the brand new Forest River trailer that has never been used and can’t be used because it was delivered broken. Note: I’m not off the grid. I’m on the CA coast.
10. I got no response. None.
11. So I now have had a brand new Forest River trailer for almost 2 months that I cannot use and that has never been used because it was delivered to me broken & I am, of course, still paying for it.

Do not buy from Forest River. They do not stand by their products or provide any customer service that will actually fix problems & their warranty is useless. You are throwing money away if you buy from Forest River.

 

[old RV guy]

Totally! Stay away from Forest River Travel Trailers. Their customer service is awful. My brand new 2024 Forest River Cherokee Timberwolf 16ML, which is permanently parked, was delivered with the gray water (and black water) pipe broken and they won’t send someone out to fix it and they won’t pay the full bill to fix it.

Here is my experience.
1. My brand new Forest River trailer was delivered with a broken dishwasher and broken gray water pipe which means the black water pipe is also broken because the gray water drains out the black water outlet; so, because the gray water pipe isn’t connected, there is a huge hole in the black water pipe.
2. The dealership gave me 3 numbers to call to get help because the trailer is under warranty because it is brand new, and I’m too far away from the dealership for them to fix it. I called each number several times but only 1 number answered and there were no voicemails to leave messages at the 2 that didn’t answer. The people that did answer the phone told me they couldn’t help and gave me a new number & email. (So this is contact #4 at this point.)
3. I emailed and called the new contact. The person who emailed me back told me they couldn’t help me (in all caps like a lunatic) and gave a different email (contact #5) which was supposed to be directly to the warranty people.
4. I sent 2 emails to the warranty email address & waited. & no one ever responded.
5. I looked on the Forest River website for a contact and it said call the dealership.
6. I called the dealership again. They gave me a 6th contact’s phone number and email. I sent an email (with pictures of the broken pipe) to explain the situation. Note: I also called but I dialed incorrectly and left a voicemail on a complete stranger’s phone. Whoops! But that nice stranger actual texted me the correct phone number 10 minutes later. I got better service from that stranger than anyone at Forest River. Sad.
7. Apparently, my email got forwarded around and after almost a week of waiting, a Forest River representative told me they can’t send a tech out and gave me a list of mechanics who “might” help. And the representative told me to review the warranty; so, I don’t violate some condition and can’t get reimbursed.
8. I reviewed the warranty & learned that the warranty won’t cover the full cost of the repair for a problem that existed when the brand new trailer was delivered to me. (Have I mentioned the trailer is new and has never been used? )
9. I looked at the list of mechanics. The closest one is 60 miles away but most are 100+ miles away. No mechanic is going to travel 120 miles round trip to fix a pipe on a trailer. Recall: The trailer is permanently parked and the Forest River rep was told this repeatedly.
9. I reached back out to the Forest River rep and (and I was pretty irate at this point - so I wasn’t super nice - cuz I’m only human) explained I need a real solution that will actually fix the brand new Forest River trailer that was delivered to me broken. I explained no mechanic is going to travel 120 -200 miles (round trip) to fix the pipe on the brand new trailer. I also pointed out that it is ridiculous that Forest River will not pay for the entire repair cost. I asked for a real solution that will actually fix the brand new Forest River trailer that has never been used and can’t be used because it was delivered broken. Note: I’m not off the grid. I’m on the CA coast.
10. I got no response. None.
11. So I now have had a brand new Forest River trailer for almost 2 months that I cannot use and that has never been used because it was delivered to me broken & I am, of course, still paying for it.

Do not buy from Forest River. They do not stand by their products or provide any customer service that will actually fix problems & their warranty is useless. You are throwing money away if you buy from Forest River.

I suspect Forest River would pay the entirety of the repair costs if you took it in to the dealer. I likewise suspect they will pay the cost for the repair(s) which would occur at the dealer and the additional costs which occur because you choose to have the repair done at your remote location is your responsibility.
Otherwise, PVC repairs aren't exactly neurosurgery or requiring of an RV tech. It's only plumbing. If you can't do it call a plumber.

 

[Babe2201]

I guess we must have really lucked out when we bought a FR TT in 2020 because other than having a couple of very minor issues which the dealer got the parts in at no cost to us and I was able to install myself in a matter of minutes.

 

[Lbirge]

I suspect Forest River would pay the entirety of the repair costs if you took it in to the dealer. I likewise suspect they will pay the cost for the repair(s) which would occur at the dealer and the additional costs which occur because you choose to have the repair done at your remote location is your responsibility.
Otherwise, PVC repairs aren't exactly neurosurgery or requiring of an RV tech. It's only plumbing. If you can't do it call a plumber.

I’m 5 hours from the dealership and the RV is in a permanent location. And they delivered a product that was defective (pipe and dishwasher). And your suspicions are incorrect. They are choosing not to fix it & not to pay the full cost to have someone fix it.

 

[old RV guy]

I’m 5 hours from the dealership and the RV is in a permanent location. And they delivered a product that was defective (pipe and dishwasher). And your suspicions are incorrect. They are choosing not to fix it & not to pay the full cost to have someone fix it.

What does the warranty say?

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

This is in there:

Owner shall deliver this RV for warranty service within a reasonable time after discovery of the Substantial Defect and within the applicable Warranty Period. All expenses incurred in obtaining warranty service, including but not limited to gas, mileage, and accommodations, shall be the Owner’s responsibility.

Seems any accommodation beyond that would be at the grace of the servicing dealer.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

Totally! Stay away from Forest River Travel Trailers. Their customer service is awful. My brand new 2024 Forest River Cherokee Timberwolf 16ML, which is permanently parked, was delivered with the gray water (and black water) pipe broken and they won’t send someone out to fix it and they won’t pay the full bill to fix it.

Here is my experience.
1. My brand new Forest River trailer was delivered with a broken dishwasher and broken gray water pipe which means the black water pipe is also broken because the gray water drains out the black water outlet; so, because the gray water pipe isn’t connected, there is a huge hole in the black water pipe.
2. The dealership gave me 3 numbers to call to get help because the trailer is under warranty because it is brand new, and I’m too far away from the dealership for them to fix it. I called each number several times but only 1 number answered and there were no voicemails to leave messages at the 2 that didn’t answer. The people that did answer the phone told me they couldn’t help and gave me a new number & email. (So this is contact #4 at this point.)
3. I emailed and called the new contact. The person who emailed me back told me they couldn’t help me (in all caps like a lunatic) and gave a different email (contact #5) which was supposed to be directly to the warranty people.
4. I sent 2 emails to the warranty email address & waited. & no one ever responded.
5. I looked on the Forest River website for a contact and it said call the dealership.
6. I called the dealership again. They gave me a 6th contact’s phone number and email. I sent an email (with pictures of the broken pipe) to explain the situation. Note: I also called but I dialed incorrectly and left a voicemail on a complete stranger’s phone. Whoops! But that nice stranger actual texted me the correct phone number 10 minutes later. I got better service from that stranger than anyone at Forest River. Sad.
7. Apparently, my email got forwarded around and after almost a week of waiting, a Forest River representative told me they can’t send a tech out and gave me a list of mechanics who “might” help. And the representative told me to review the warranty; so, I don’t violate some condition and can’t get reimbursed.
8. I reviewed the warranty & learned that the warranty won’t cover the full cost of the repair for a problem that existed when the brand new trailer was delivered to me. (Have I mentioned the trailer is new and has never been used? )
9. I looked at the list of mechanics. The closest one is 60 miles away but most are 100+ miles away. No mechanic is going to travel 120 miles round trip to fix a pipe on a trailer. Recall: The trailer is permanently parked and the Forest River rep was told this repeatedly.
9. I reached back out to the Forest River rep and (and I was pretty irate at this point - so I wasn’t super nice - cuz I’m only human) explained I need a real solution that will actually fix the brand new Forest River trailer that was delivered to me broken. I explained no mechanic is going to travel 120 -200 miles (round trip) to fix the pipe on the brand new trailer. I also pointed out that it is ridiculous that Forest River will not pay for the entire repair cost. I asked for a real solution that will actually fix the brand new Forest River trailer that has never been used and can’t be used because it was delivered broken. Note: I’m not off the grid. I’m on the CA coast.
10. I got no response. None.
11. So I now have had a brand new Forest River trailer for almost 2 months that I cannot use and that has never been used because it was delivered to me broken & I am, of course, still paying for it.

Do not buy from Forest River. They do not stand by their products or provide any customer service that will actually fix problems & their warranty is useless. You are throwing money away if you buy from Forest River.

We bought a brand new 2023 Thor Quantum. Ours has been a true nightmare but we’re DIY fixing everything ourselves. We’re in Ohio, the dealer is in Alabama.

We haven’t used the warranty or the dealer. Support at Thor is a joke.

We’ve been locked out, faulty lock, the blackwater tank fell off, the generator quit working after 1000 hours, the leveling system failed to name just a few.

Thousands of dollars in repairs, but we’re on the road and nobody else has touched our rig so we know what’s been fixed is good, well at least we hope it is and now know where to look if there’s a hiccup.

We’re writing a letter to Thor listing all the issues, we’re up to 20 major ones and a slew of little things but don’t send the letter because things keep failing. We’d probably be able to use the lemon laws but we’re not willing to play those games. We also don’t expect our letter to do anything but it’s cathartic writing it and will be cathartic licking that stamp to send it snail mail - how fun is that?

A thought from that letter: You may read this and wonder why we didn’t use the warranty, because between you and the dealer, some of these issues should have been caught and remedied and they weren’t. Both of you let it out the door this way. We just don’t trust you to do the right thing.

Here’s the thing, you paid good money for something you thought was going to be wonderful. It now sucks. If you truly want to keep it use the expertise, experience and resources you found here to solve the problems. You have to be a little MacGyver like to have an RV - even a permanently parked one. If you’re not going to keep it, checkout the lemon laws or any other law California may have cooked up to protect consumers. A letter from a lawyer may go a long way.

Good luck!

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

If Lbirge could please explain "a permanent location" perhaps the forum members would have more suggestions.

I thought TT are mobile and could be moved from A to B, of course, some may be without their own tow vehicle to do so which would put someone in a pickle.

 

[Lbirge]

What does the warranty say?

Great question! & I have looked at that extensively already and included pertinent info in my post.

 

[old RV guy]

Great question! & I have looked at that extensively already and included pertinent info in my post.

It's pretty clear then isn't it? If FR is offering to pay a % of the cost for a mobile tech you should take advantage of it. A little bit of something is better than an abundance of nothing, which is apparently what you're getting now.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It seems to me all your problems are result from wanting to do something the warranty doesn't cover, and FR's warranty isn't much different than any other RV manufacturer. Basically, the warranty is guaranteed to be good only at the selling dealer location and you are unwilling to take it there for service. Yes, that sucks, but it's standard warranty practice in the RV industry (and many others as well).

The selling dealer could go the extra mile and try to help more, but he is not obligated to do so and clearly isn't interested. I suspect that's because you are obviously not a candidate for a return customer or a local shopper who might buy future accessories or repairs. A one-time buyer, in other words.

 

[Lbirge]

It's pretty clear then isn't it? If FR is offering to pay a % of the cost for a mobile tech you should take advantage of it. A little bit of something is better than an abundance of nothing, which is apparently what you're getting now.

Thank you for the pragmatic advice. The problem is that it’s not just which is why I’m telling my story; so, other people don’t get caught up in their poor customer service and warranties.

 

[Babe2201]

After rereading the original post one thing stands out and that is you ask shouldn't an RV salesman ask if you have a truck that will tow the camper you are looking at. To be honest the answer is no it is up to them. I have bought several pickups and not one of the salesmen asked if or what I might be towing with it so why should an RV salesman be any different. If you asked them directly and they lied that is a different story.