2012 Dutchman Voltage Review

tgreening wrote:

Dave Wilburn wrote:
Expecting perfection on something this big and complicated at this price point is a lost cause.
There are RV manufactures that offer lifetime warranties, but you have to write a check in the deep 7 digits.

I'd have to disagree with this. Your average car is WAY more complicated than any normal RV, can cost way less as well, and offers 5 times the warranty at a minimum. Factor in that most vehicles will see mileage that makes most RVs road time pale in comparison and that warranty difference becomes even greater. My last truck cost $33,000, had 66,000 miles on it when I sold it, and had not one single failure that wasn't a wear item, IE tires/brakes/batteries.


You can build a fairly nice HOUSE, on LAND, FURNISHED, for the cost of a middle of the market RV.


Construction quality is crap, plain and simple. You need only pull off a basement wall to view the mess behind it to realize how much pride in work there is in the RV industry.

I am not trying to defend the RV industry. I agree there are a lot of shady practices. The entire industry has quality control issues and there is a lot of room for improvement

Nevertheless what makes an RV so complicated is that it is both a car and a house. It has the basic functions and systems of both. Building a stationary house is simple. Building one that can travel across the country at 65 mph becomes a challenge. Likewise building a car is routine building one with a stove,awning,furnace,central A/C, and a 110 electric system is also a challenge.
An RV has holding tanks,dual freshwater systems,dual electric systems and lots of issues that autos and houses don't have.

At this point the consumer must learn a thorough PDI is a must.
I will add during the PDI the buyer still holds all the cards.
Picking up a new RV is very exciting,however I suggest you curb your enthusiasm and slowly check the RV in a slow deliberate business like fashion.

Make sure your dealer understands you will not be rushed through the process.
Use the list as a guide but take your time and go room by room inspecting everything.
While there is a warranty, the PDI is your time to make sure everything works.
I mean everything! Every:latch, knob,catch,valve,slide,switch,faucet, connection,furnace,AC,pump,hinge and light fixtures. Test all doors and drawers.
Assume nothing works until you check it. That means taking a look at the roof and underbelly. Testing the: awning,shower,stove,water heater,fresh tank,pump, breakers, GFCI etc.
If you don't find out something is broke until you get home its your own fault for not checking it.

I know this advice may seem excessive however a thorough methodical PDI will eliminate a lot of future headaches down the road.
Failure to do a thorough PDI can leave you up the creek with an RV that no one is truly motivated to repair.

Once you leave with your unit the dealer has the upper hand and will deal with you on their schedule not yours.

I understand this info may not benefit the OP but hopefully it will help future buyers of all brands and types of RV.

To the OP good luck, most reputable dealers/manufacturers eventually get things sorted out. However in many cases its a slow stressful process.