Incompetence across the RV Industry

[workingtorv]

Now with that said I know there are good ones out there that are new. We just have not seen them in our price range. $350,000 to $400.000

Wow, I dream of the lottery win for that budget.  Just being envious not rude.

 

[Mile High]

We spent over a month looking for a new unit! We thought we wanted to upgrade from 1998 35ft Class A.
What we experienced was junk. Not bad assembly. Just junk assembled to look good.
We wanted to get a bit more room to take our two Grand Children.

Now get this the units in our price range had a fold out couch and a blow up air mattress. The Sale Dude said it was the latest and greatest Idea from the RV industry! I asked him if he would like to do a cross country with kids and have to blow the dam thing up every evening and then deflate it in the morning prior to getting underway.
His comment was,(It's really not a big deal!)
No not for him.
I am also aware of a lot of units with slide issues.
A lot that we looked at had cables to pull the slides in and out.
I would like to hear some opinions on that system!!!

We are very happy with staying with our old 98.
My God what were we thinking!

Yes we may upgrade to a used one but never never new.

Now with that said I know there are good ones out there that are new. We just have not seen them in our price range. $350,000 to $400.000

  Funny, that's what I said about all the 98s back in 76!

 

[2dalake]

This topic comes up on all three of the RV forums I frequent.  We've owned TT's and motorhomes and it is no question that quality in construction is lacking in many RV's.  I believe that even with those companies that seem to build the better quality units, there is an overall lack of QA/QC in their manufacturing process. 

Much of this is just simple economics.  Today's RV buyers want fully featured, sometimes glitzy, RV's.  I think many folks want their RV to be equal to or better than their stick built homes in terms of features and finishes.  Manufacturers are faced with tying to give the customer what is a very complex, feature-packed RV at a price that buyers can afford to pay.  Also, it is no question that the RV industry is very vulnerable to swings in the economy so they are making and selling as many as they can while they can.  Make them as fast as you can, get them out the door, make more. 

The enemy of quality is variation.  If manufacturers could focus on building RV's with fewer variances (only one or two floor plans, standard features across the line, etc.) build quality might improve due to better standardization.  However, we all know that buyers want more options not fewer.  If we could live with a more spartan RV that is like most of the other RV's around, they might be built more sturdily.

Regardless, what seems to have worked for us is to buy used motorhomes.  Our current rig was more high end and is built very well.  No staples holding the cabinets together (glued and screwed together), heavier materials, attention to construction detail, well organized wiring and plumbing, etc.  We have been blessed to find some really good independent repair shops and a few really good mobile RV techs to fix things I can't fix. 

All that said, owning a motorized RV is an expensive proposition and not for the faint of heart.  It comes with a full dose of rewards and frustrations.

 

[BIG JOE]

Very Well Said.. 2dalake.

 

[Bill N]

Wow, I dream of the lottery win for that budget.  Just being envious not rude.

  X2

 

[wstalker1]

I have been in construction all my life and in the last 20 years have seen a huge change. You have consumers everywhere that just want cheap price. No consideration whatsoever for quality. These are the same people who complain of poor workmanship. Imagine that. We have politicians that do not want licensed plumbers, electricians, HVAC, etc. They say we can learn it on the job. You have people selling themselves as unlicensed tradespeople " because they don't believe in that government crap" No, what they don't believe in is the school required to properly turn out qualified journeyman. I'm sure the RV industry thinks along the same lines to some degree when they hire people to put these things together. Very frustrating and hard to come up with a solution. Wonder if the more high end RV's hire more competent help. I'm not putting down the workers, I feel this is management issues. 

 

[decaturbob]

I have been in construction all my life and in the last 20 years have seen a huge change. You have consumers everywhere that just want cheap price. No consideration whatsoever for quality. These are the same people who complain of poor workmanship. Imagine that. We have politicians that do not want licensed plumbers, electricians, HVAC, etc. They say we can learn it on the job. You have people selling themselves as unlicensed tradespeople " because they don't believe in that government crap" No, what they don't believe in is the school required to properly turn out qualified journeyman. I'm sure the RV industry thinks along the same lines to some degree when they hire people to put these things together. Very frustrating and hard to come up with a solution. Wonder if the more high end RV's hire more competent help. I'm not putting down the workers, I feel this is management issues.

quality is ALWAYS a management problem.  The standards are set by them, enforced by them and are allowed to go hell by them in the name of profit and schedules.

 

[KandT]

I took my RV in for service at a local yocal shop.  It had been winterized already.  Work was done nicely but the number "2" that was left in the potty was a little off putting.  I am guessing an emergency ensued and was forgotten about.  It couldn't be flushed so must have thought he would get to it later. 

What actually upset me is some liquid froze and made me wonder if the toilet seal will still be good.  Also, I gotta assume he didn't run out and sanitize his hands after this event.?