Rugger007
Member
The stick frame is definitely heavier than aluminum construction. This is one of their best styling lines (grew wolf and wolf pup) but 99% of those sold either get parked or never go farther that 100k away from home.
New RV woes!
- Thread starter Rugger007
- Start date
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Rugger007
Member
I spoke with the owner of the dealership this morning and they are just starting to get everything ready to send off for claims. We also noticed the front A frame for the hitch is slightly bent upwards and definitely not straight. Definitely not happy.
She did offer me a rental unit at no cost until we get our sorted out. Unfortunately, we already canceled all of our remaining reservations. Looks like we’ll be tenting again for a bit.
At this point I’m requesting a new rig, absolutely unacceptable build standard.
She did offer me a rental unit at no cost until we get our sorted out. Unfortunately, we already canceled all of our remaining reservations. Looks like we’ll be tenting again for a bit.
At this point I’m requesting a new rig, absolutely unacceptable build standard.
CrosbyDave
Member
Interested in Northern Spirit opinions as well.
The Coachmen Freedoms sure look nice to me.
Mark_K5LXP
Well-known member
This is a bit beyond a bad day on the assembly line, not sure how one would trust anything from the OEM much less another copy of the same model. Maybe the dealer will step up and move you to another line but that would be a remarkable dealer indeed.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
steveblonde
Well-known member
Pictures?
MoInEd
Well-known member
Not saying it's your fault but bent A-frames can be easily caused by using WDH and improper tension on the springs. A bump on the road and you get a bent A-frame (worse it can break).
Rugger007
Member
Definitely wasn’t a WDH issue. I’m using an Andersen No sway which has been amazing. I set it up every time using the smart hitch on my F150. Sets it perfectly every time.
Frizlefrak
Well-known member
niget2002
Well-known member
We bought our trailer new in June and have taken a few trips in it. Ours is a similar quality line from Forest River. So far I've had to fix a few small things.
Screws on one hinge stripped from the light-weight cabinet wood panel.
LED strip fell from mount under the fireplace.
Screen door stuck when the heat of the sun hit the side of the camper and caused the metal door frame to swell.
Bathroom door knob could pivot around one bolt and cause it to not stay latched
Just little things here and there.
I debated taking it in for warranty work on all of this, but ended up just fixing it all. A few minutes of work has usually fixed most of them.
I will also be spending some time when it cools down to install some structural foam in the outdoor kitchen. It's pretty much just open to the underside of the kitchen sink area. You can feel the cool air from the AC coming out the outside access door when it's open.
Good luck with your trailer. I hope they make you whole.
Screws on one hinge stripped from the light-weight cabinet wood panel.
LED strip fell from mount under the fireplace.
Screen door stuck when the heat of the sun hit the side of the camper and caused the metal door frame to swell.
Bathroom door knob could pivot around one bolt and cause it to not stay latched
Just little things here and there.
I debated taking it in for warranty work on all of this, but ended up just fixing it all. A few minutes of work has usually fixed most of them.
I will also be spending some time when it cools down to install some structural foam in the outdoor kitchen. It's pretty much just open to the underside of the kitchen sink area. You can feel the cool air from the AC coming out the outside access door when it's open.
Good luck with your trailer. I hope they make you whole.
Rugger007
Member
I have an appt with my dealer in the morning to look at a few different units. They want to make this right!
SargeW
Site Team
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!
jymbee
Well-known member
Well there 'ya go. Perhaps FR needs to advertise their new models as "driveway use only".
MoInEd
Well-known member
We all complain about the low quality/cheap crap that comes out of some factories in China yet we (in NA) seem to tolerate the generally low quality of the RV industry. I understand there should be a difference between a $30k unit vs. a $150k unit (as there are differences between a Kia and a MB S-class) but you don't expect (and don't see) such terrible build quality in low end of car market. I wonder what does it take to hold this industry accountable. The number of things that go wrong with these new RV's is terrible and everybody has accepted that we should expect some things to go wrong and often we are expected to fix things on our own
For example our current RV (purchased new) had many little problems (leak around slide, leak from the nose under heavy rain, squeaky floor, etc) that I have fixed all myself although the dealer offered to fix them. It's just not worth my time to take the unit there for each and I don't trust the work they do.
For example our current RV (purchased new) had many little problems (leak around slide, leak from the nose under heavy rain, squeaky floor, etc) that I have fixed all myself although the dealer offered to fix them. It's just not worth my time to take the unit there for each and I don't trust the work they do.
SargeW
Site Team
My EX bought a FR 5ver and spent 100K for it. Didn't ask me, or I would have recommended against it. Had it about 8 months, about 6 of it at the dealers getting repaired. Traded it in on a Hi Lo. Sometimes price doesn't matter.
Frizlefrak
Well-known member
Foreign competition did it for the auto industry. 45 years later, the "Big 3" are still playing catch up. If Samsung built high quality RV's at a competitive price, the Indiana boys wouldn't survive 5 years.
SeilerBird
Well-known member
You don't speak for me. I have never complained about low quality/cheap crap from China. I just wish the Chinese built RVs and imported them to the US. i would buy one in a heartbeat.
DonTom
Well-known member
Tommy (Chinese) used to tell me the only reason China builds cheap stuff is because most Americans will only buy cheap stuff. But they are capable of very high quality, if we want to pay the $$$.
But I find their quality to be everything from junk to quite high.
The electric motorcycle I take on this trip says on it "Crafted in California". It is assembled at the plant in Scott's Valley (Near Santa Cruz). But I think every part in it comes from China. All high-tech stuff that rarely gives anybody any problems. Such as the motor controller and MBB (Main Bike Board). Even the DC2DCC (for the 12 volts) is made in China. Not everything made in China is junk, but a lot of it is.
-Don- Weed, CA
SeilerBird
Well-known member
I must be lucky. I cannot recall buying anything that was junk from China. But what I am most impressed with is South Korea. My big screen TV, my car and my cell phone are the three most expensive items I own besides my fiver, and they are all spectacular.
steveblonde
Well-known member
The original post is from Ontario i belive. The poster (rugger007) being from ontario lemon laws etc that apply in the states are not the same as they are here. Having said that without making any comments as to if they will or will not aid my fellow citizen in his dilemma , i wish him well and
Rugger007
Member
Our dealer has been amazing! I’m picking up a rental unit tomorrow to use until we sort out what our new trailer will be. These are the three we are looking at and all are well within spec for my truck. We are leaning towards the Northern Spirit, now it’s just size to consider, 30’ or 34’. Our current one is 32’.
Keystone Passport 2951BH
Northern Spirit 2963BH
Coachmen Apex 256BH
Keystone Passport 2951BH
Northern Spirit 2963BH
Coachmen Apex 256BH
