New (More) Winnebago Issues

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MN Cake Eater

MN Cake Eater

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 26, 2010
Posts
103
Location
Minnesota
In 2011, we named our family's first summer travel tour (in previous RV) "To Hell and Back Again" because of our visits to Devil's Tower and Old Faithful/Yellowstone.

Then in April 2012, we bought our brand new Winnebago Destination.  Our dream Diesel Pusher! 

To date we've had 28 line item issues and probably haven't had our coach for more than 14 days without it visiting a Freightliner or Winnebago service center.  During August, we've had it for 3 days and I know we won't see it back until September.

Name an issue and we've had it!!!  Is this normal?  At what point do you call a lawyer or consult state "lemon laws"?

I'm sorry to say I've lost confidence in the coach and am afraid to take it anywhere.

This year the tour has been named "The Summer of Discontent Tour 2012!"  Very Sad!
 
I kept a running punch list when our coach was new and after about 10 months it was about two pages long - mostly all minor stuff.  Made a factory service visit and got 99% of everything resolved at one fell swoop.

I'm not sure what your repair strategy is or the situation - insufficient data.
 
MN Cake Eater said:
Then in April 2012, we bought our brand new Winnebago Destination.
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It sounds like this unit sat on a dealers lot for 3-4 years before being sold.  This was a model that wasn't received well by the public, and Winnie discontinued it quickly.  Winnie tried a rear gas engine option in this unit also, and didn't sell well, and the UFO chassis was discontinued by Workhorse shortly there after.  Unless you got a screaming deal, you are now in a 4th year of major depreciation with this 4 year old unit.  Not trying to be the bearer of bad news.

It took me 3 years of nitpicky repairing (mainly myself) to get all the bugs out of ours.  Lots were chassis items, and some were components installed by Winnie.  Very few things were Winnie's fault.

What kind of issues are you having?
 
As Mark says, the year for the Destination was 2009, so that coach had been sitting around for 3+ years when you got it. Not a death sentence, but not good for its health either.

Is your experience normal?  Best I can offer is that it is not unusual. 28 issues isn't even a lot - we had one brand new coach that had 30+ at the dealer and another 25+ within the first 9 months. Took a trip to the factory to get everything straightened out. Between all the things that can go wrong with a house and a vehicle, let alone the marriage of the two, problems are to be expected.

It seems unconscionable, though, not to get the repairs done more quickly when a new owner is suffering from the delays. Have you been in contact with Winnebago directly?

As for lemon laws, they seldom apply to motorhomes, or if they do, they apply to the chassis only.  Also, remember that lemon laws primarily deal with repeated inability to resolve a specific problem rather than multiple, different, problems. Check your states law.
 
My post was mostly me venting, but I appreciate your responses.  Our coach is a diesel on a Freightliner chassis.  Only 2 issues with Freightliner and they were fixed quickly.

The issues with Winnie are small and numerous (and stupid)!  Radio didn't work, satellite radio didn't work, bathroom fan quit working, floor tiles coming loose, toilet cover only secured with 1 nut/bolt and on and on. 

One word.....Carelessness!

One good thing, we did get a steal of a deal!  Less than NADA and less than what used versions with miles are selling for.  We are definitely not upside down in the deal!

Gary-I'm not sure to laugh or cry about your 55 issues.  With only 28 issues, we might have less problems or maybe we are only half way to the solution!!!  I've been in touch with Winnebago and if the local dealer can't get things fixed to my satisfaction, I'll be taking the 3 hour drive to Forest City.
 
We're in Minneapolis.  Lucky???  We get to experience MN winters while the rest of you are sunbathing down south in the winter!
 
MN Cake Eater said:
We're in Minneapolis.  Lucky???  We get to experience MN winters while the rest of you are sunbathing down south in the winter!
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It's probably a three day trip to WB HQ from here.  "Forest City"  really, a "forest"?  Needless to say, we get only a little bit of phone support from WB.  Maybe you don't feel "lucky" during the winter but it sure is nice to be so close to expert help... in the big scheme of things, three hours is not very long.  We drive that far just to go shopping, LOL.
 
Being as close as you are, I don't think I'd bother with the dealer.  I'd go straight to Forest City and make sure it's done right.
 
Gary-I'm not sure to laugh or cry about your 55 issues.
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We cried a lot when it was happening, not to mention a couple bouts of outright anger and no little frustration, but we laugh about it now. Yeah, it is mostly all stupid stuff. Human error and poor quality control.  The [lack of] RV quality has often been discussed here, so I won't rehash it. Suffice it to say that RVs are hand-built under time constraints and it shows in the results.
 
I feel your pain, over 30 repair trips for numerous repair issues ourselves. Our Reyo is back for window and refrigerator issues again. When we do take it out we do like it. Yesterday we saw a new Vista 26 HE that has the ability to let us install a carseat. Has a lot of nice points, but doesn't look as nice as the Reyo and gets less mpg. I liked the two door refrigerator. Our one door Dometic is horrible, but our rep has been great getting us help. Nothing worse then hating your RV and loving it as well.
 
As an old timer I recall going to GNR and have John K Hansen personally ask how you like your motorhome and if there was a problem he personally hooked you up with the right person to get it right.  Not possible today but by beating on the corporate people on these forums I would hope the Powers that are would walk their ship. 

I hate government intervention as it usually goes overboard but sometimes having someone look down their noses at what is coming off the assembly lines is required.

I am on my third Winnebago and this latest one has been a frustrating money pit.

Don WIT 70041
 
I drove 1800 miles to Forest City to get some of my problems fixed right.  After traveling four days on my way back home I am very disappointed.  I STRONGLY suggest that you spend a week after the coach is "fixed" to go around the area spending a night in each place and then returning to Forest City to have the "fixed" items fixed.
 
We own a 2009 Destination also. Ours being the 37G. Our unit sat on the dealers lot for almost two years before we bought it. The chassis was built in May 2007 and the coach was built in May 2008, and delivered to the dealer about July 2008. We had several problems "out the door." The chassis A/C was repaired by Freightliner along with an alternator issue before we took delivery. Then there was the exhaust brake problem. Yes, we had floor tile coming up, a toilet that wobbled and cabinet doors that looked squarely mounted after you had several drinks. Back to the dealer and Freightliner several times. 11K on it now and it is going back to the shop. This time because some idiot(s) decided that we had real valuable stuff inside and they broke out the Driver's sliding window to get it. 12 DVD's taken, all the cabinets open, the bedroom shade wadded up like a used napkin and electric steps that don't work right. Would I trade it? Not on your life - this is the best motor home we have had. Yes, I wished sometimes I was three hours from Forest City - I'd probably go there just to say thanks for building it for us.

Michael
 
Mickey53usa, please look for a PM from me.  I'm curious about a couple things and sent you a message.

Thanks,
Paul
 
This post prompted us to review our spreadsheet of issues we've had with our Tour since we purchased it in Nov. '09. There are 42 items on that list, which includes the replacement of our heat pump which was completed last week after 14 months of visiting Winnie dealers, RVP authorized techs and two trips to Forest City (which just made the problem worse.) Six of the 42 items were chassis issues and were addressed by Freightliner. The rest were problems with the box, or components in the box, such as the replacement of the cooling unit on our Norcold fridge.

Our coach was "born" during an era when Winnebago's primary focus was on cost-cutting (Maybe it still is?), and it shows. That cost-cutting impacted vendors as well. Suppliers like Norcold and RVP had to cut costs on components supplied to Winnebago, and that shows, too. Unfortunately, all of that cutting means it's normal to have a long list of trouble items.

We've made several trips to Forest City. But, we don't think we'll return. Several of the repairs we had done there had to be redone. The Factory Service Center charged us double the MSRP on a replacement part for our satellite radio because, in their words, "we can charge whatever we want." Thankfully, we have found a couple of independent technicians we trust who have become our "go to guys" when we're in need of service.

As our coach nears its third birthday, we're hopeful that we've finally worked out the "bugs". With only two open items, our trouble list is at least manageable. So, that's an improvement.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

 
I've had a Winnebago Dp for a few years, bought new and the quality of what they are producing then and now is lacking. Apologists show up any time someone has a complaint:

"They are complex machines"
"...house that is subjected to hurricane winds and earthquakes all the time"
"everyone has problems for the first year"
"expect problems, it is normal"

To which I say, since when? Every time someone apologizes or explains away issues, it gives the manufacturer an excuse not to make a better product. This isn't a philanthropy and they aren't giving away motor homes. Buyers have a right to demand a product that doesn't come with problem from the factory. Dealers are agents of the factory and if the factory isn't qualifying and checking up on dealers, then what does that say about the factory, rubber stamped dealer qualifications? The more people accept mediocrity and apologies and talk like it will never be like a Honda or Toyota only makes me wish either of those companies would build and sell motorhomes. They used to say you couldn't make cars reliable too, then others figured it out and look today, some but very few problems.

The Winnebago logo on my motorhome was put on crooked from the factory. The trimmings from the floor were left in the floor heater vents. When a company can't take the time to put it's own name on straight, what does that tell you? Look at the logo on the sides of Winnebagos. It fades quickly. That is their name for crying out loud and you'd think they'd fix that at the factory. No, they want to charge for you for it.  If that doesn't say it all, what does? And please, questions about what rig I have or why my first post is like this deflects the issue at hand.  The issue is the fact that there very little actual quality control going on at the factory and almost none by the manufacturer of it's dealers.

Driving to Forest City from almost anywhere is very costly in time, fuel and away from work, to fix things that should be right from day one, not after spending thousands on trips to dealers. Forest City is not a destination, it is a necessary evil.
 
We decided to try what we thought was the best in May 2011, after having a Coachman, Holiday Rambler, Dolphin & now Winnebago. We've been also saddened by so many things, some small, some large that have kept our unit in repair more than all the other coaches combined. Still trying to get some issues resolved & they all came after(of course) warranty expiration. We have been able to resolve many of the issues right here on RV Forum, without which we may have an expensive lawn ornament. Going to do lots more investigation before we trade in the next few months. Thanks to all RV Forum members for their assistance,
 
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