Question about new TT's and 5er's

[Steelers1407]

Much of what I have been reading about lately discusses problems people having been having with there new TT and 5er. Are many problems common with a new purchase or are these just rare? A quote I read on here stated the following "The best days of owning an RV is the day you buy it and the day you sell it." Should I really expect a lot of problems with one I purchase or is it more likely that I won't have problems? Just to reafirm what I'm speaking about, this would be a new purchase, not a used RV.

 

[Lowell]

"The best days of owning an RV is the day you buy it and the day you sell it."

I've heard this said about boats and airplanes too.  But I think for the most part, it's just a comment to get a chuckle. 

We have had our TT for 5 years and have not had to do anything to it other then repack the wheel bearings annually and replaced the tires once.  Both of these should be considered normal maintenance.  Every once in a while, a person gets a lemon in RVs or other equipment.  ButI don't believe it is prevalent in RVs. I think that people are more apt to post problems that to post about good experiences.  If, you look through most of the posts, they deal with addressing some problem or a question RVers have.  I'm sure you will get several comments from forum members both good and bad.  Good Luck.

 

[Carl L]

How shall I put this....RV manufacturer QC could be a lot better.  That said, new rigs do have a warranty and all the appliances carry their own OEM warranties. 

My personal experience with trailer QC is the new unit had minor and obvious 12VDC miswiring and fit and finish stuff -- nothng I could not handle with DIY tools.  All the major stuff -- brakes, appliances, converter/charger, etc. -- worked just fine and have served wel for a decade. 

Remember folks with problems post more messages than the happy folks.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

At a rough guess, as many as 5-8% of new RVs have either significant problems or  large number of small ones. No science in this number - just my gut feel based on years of reading reports here and on other RV sites. Problem an equal or even larger number have few problems at all and the rest are scattered in between.

There are also ongoing problems, i.e. continued maintenance. This can be a significant burden too, if the rig is used a lot and travels a lot of miles.  The shake, rattle and roll of a mobidential estate is hard on it.

It is not going to be as trouble free as the family car or even the family abode.  But it isn't necessarily a disaster either.

 

[rjf7g]

I had a few issues with my new trailer, but my dealer was able to address everything under warranty.  The QC process leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[diesel99]

>

A quote I read on here stated the following "The best days of owning an RV is the day you buy it and the day you sell it."

I thought that about my used trailer, but I'm still here and want to make it work.  If you go used, pay a mobile RV person to inspect it.  You will miss stuff on your own.

I had a few issues with my new trailer, but my dealer was able to address everything under warranty.  The QC process leaves a lot to be desired.

This is the problem.  You can buy a leak-proof reliable new car for the same money(or less) with a 5 year warranty.  How much do fridges and stoves really cost?  Not as much as an engine plus transmission for sure.

I thought of buying a new trailer, but "voted with my wallet".  Things won't change if people keep buying them.  The manufacturer I was considering recently chopped their warranty down to 1 year.  That's not worth the premium over used IMO.  Some of the new trailers I saw, not necessarily from this manufacturer, had sawdust and big sloppy cutouts in the storage areas.  Large cutouts for rat access.

I have a question for the regulars.  What does factory delivery mean?  I saw on another thread that all new RVs should be "factory delivered".  What does this mean?

Here's an interesting thread from 2006 about RV industry quality issues.  IMO, things are worse now because the warrantees are shorter.  If the quality improves and the warrantees go up, I'll gladly buy a new one.  Also, maybe I haven't found the right maker yet.

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=6205

 

[Tom]

[quote author=rjf7g]The QC process leaves a lot to be desired.[/quote]

Correction, it's the design &/or manufacturing processes that leave a lot to be desired. The QC person didn't build the defective product. But all this QC stuff is years, maybe decades, out of date.

From someone who has run factories, managed suppliers around the world, and been a "QA/QC" guy.

 

[Jammer]

My sense is that perhaps over half of all RVs arrive at the dealership with some defect in materials or workmanship.  The better dealers will catch most of these.

The RV industry is driven more by cost than quality.  It isn't hard to figure out how to make sure all the drain pipes are properly glued and it doesn't take x-ray inspections to do it.

 

[diesel99]

Correction, it's the design &/or manufacturing processes that leave a lot to be desired. The QC person didn't build the defective product. But all this QC stuff is years, maybe decades, out of date.

From someone who has run factories, managed suppliers around the world, and been a "QA/QC" guy.

I stand corrected.  It is the design. QC is irrelevant.  As more and more makers shorten the warrantees down to nothing; and more and more drop plywood floors for chipboard (or paper mache if they could) to save a few bucks, something has to give.

This is how opportunities arise.  Someone is going to see this and they'll be new trailers on the market.  I also see a return to the build your own trailer era where you buy the plans and materials .

 

[edjunior]

A quote I read on here stated the following "The best days of owning an RV is the day you buy it and the day you sell it."

Wow.  I had never heard this applied to an RV before.  Boats certainly.  However, I have loved every bit of my RV ownership.  My boat too for that matter, but for different reasons (don't want to hijack the thread). We have had some issues with our RV, but they have been relatively minor in the grand scheme of things.  And the biggies (AC motor and converter unit) were repaired under warranty.  Now going on 5 years with this trailer, there are other things popping up (time for new tires, "glued" things coming undone), but again, they are minor and for the most part just general maintainence and fair wear and tear type items.

 

[Jim Dick]

Diesel99,

Factory delivery is offered by many Motorhome manufacturers and, possibly, for TT's & 5ers. Well, it was before the melt down and may still be offered. One picks up their coach at the factory service center. Before the new owner arrives they do a complete Pre Delivery Inspection. It's here where many of the manufacturing problems are found and corrected. It is better than dealer delivery since they have highly trained technicians with all the parts available almost immediately. They also give a very detailed orientation before you leave the service center. At the American Coach service facility I've seen new owners on site for several days while all concerns are addressed. It does cost more but you won't have to pay delivery charges. Well worth it in my opinion.

Steelers1407

Many new RV's have minor problems that are usually caught and corrected by the PDI. Unfortunately, one cannot find each and every one of them so a few slip through the cracks. The important thing is how the dealer handles those instances. I have been doing PDI's and orientation part time for 13 years. It is very difficult to catch everything since there is a limited time in which to perform the inspections.

An RV is a house moving down the road. Things are naturally going to happen that normally won't happen with a stick built house. I'd say the majority of problems will have to do more with stuff like sealant drying out causing leaks, things coming loose and water fittings leaking than actual failures of appliances, etc. Appliance failures will happen to some but not as frequently as the other problems.

Someone mentioned the shabby workmanship of rough holes, sawdust, etc. Yes, they are common in many trailers and not something the dealer can fix, except for cleaning up a mess if found. Many times I will remove drawers and find a lot of sawdust. We get the cleaning person to take care of it before the coach is delivered. Most of that stuff is hidden from view and won't affect the integrity of the coach to any degree.

A normal PDI will include the operation of each and every appliance to make sure it works. All tanks are flooded and each faucet is run to find any leaks in the system. Brake systems are checked; electrical systems are tested; the roof is checked for any defects that might cause leaks; drawers and doors are checked for proper operation. We have a full page list of four columns, in small print, with items that must be checked off before the PDI is signed by the tech. Believe me, we want to be sure we have done the best we can since our name is on the sheet. You know the boss will find you if something is wrong!! ;D

Just so everyone knows, I am not a certified tech but whenever I find anything that doesn't look right, and I can't fix it, I contact one of the techs in the shop and they take care of it immediately. Since it's a small dealership this works very well.

You may or may not experience many of these problems. It depends upon the quality of the manufacturing as to how many things might be wrong. Even the top rated companies could have problems that are not detected before you take delivery. I would suggest shopping around and asking for input from owners of those rigs in which you are interested. Just keep in mind you could still have a few problems that others do not. Quick and positive resolution of those problems is most important.

 

[threeful]

I personally will not buy a new TT or 5'er, I would buy 2-4 yr old and get an extended warranty.  If you use the check lists developed on this forum you should be able to pick up the majority of major and minor problems.  The ones that have not yet developed are the ones that bite us but I am not sure how to eliminate those.  However, I feel this risk is reduced by a quality extended warranty . 

I followed my own advice and have not regretted my decision.  I had problems not covered by the warranty but the money I saved by buying used, I am still thousands of dollars ahead then if I bought new.

Unless the smell of new is worth thousands of dollars to you....buy used and use a "new smell" Glade Plug In and save thousands!!

 

[Dave W]

I can't afford to see that many dollars in depreciation disappear as I pull out of a dealer's yard any longer so I am buying used for my RV wants as well as my TV. My TV was a year and a half old when purchased with about 30K miles. So far my repairs have been a set of brakes and a pair of front rotors. My 5er was 3 years old when purchased and actual required repairs have been a TV antenna (a neighbor hood tree) and a Maxi Vent. I've made a few changes, but nothing actually required. It will need tires this spring, but that's maintenance. The prices I paid for each - w-a-a-a-y below book. Now, as far as quality - I have a fairly high level Glendale Titanium 5er, but there are discrepancies behind the basement panels that should never have been allowed out of the manufacturers shop. Many have been "cleaned" up with a few yet to be done - eventually. None are much more then cosmetic and sloppy workmanship, none compromise the operation of any system.

 

[Steelers1407]

Thanks to everyone for your responses. It was helpful.