Open Range RVs
My husband has been opposed to even considering an Open Range fifth wheel because the slide system isn't hydraulic. However, I looked at the specs for them and it says the following: Accu-Slide 4-Corn...
Forum Discussion
As I said in my earliest post, I've had all three of the slide out systems and there are pro's and cons to all three. The one I have had the most trouble and mess with was the hydraulic. Other than the leak and mess, the only other negative I had with that system was not being able to operate the slide rooms independently.
Now I see this thread becoming a discussion debate about overall build quality and the presumed reasons for two companies merging. In my honest opinion, it does not matter which trailer manufacturer people buy from, as any assembly line mass produced product is liable to performance and quality issues. Trust me, I have personal; experience in this! Workers have only so much time to accomplish the jobs they are assigned before the product moves to the next station. When companies grow in popularity rapidly, as Open Range has, production has to speed up to meet demand. Is it a good thing, in most cases NO. Comparative issues exist in the auto industry as well, as we have seen in the big three American companies! Couple the increased demand for the products with the outsourcing of components, mostly coming from small companies, their abilities to meet the needs of the trailer manufacturers, and the quality issue trickle down to them as well.
Lets not forget the capitalism economics in play here either. Each company, from the trailer manufacturers, to the outsource suppliers, have a hand in the money pie. They all want their profit margins to be as high as they can establish and hold. Minimalist engineering of the components, sub standard materials, and poorly motivated underpaid workers all play into final quality of the product.
I would suspect even those who can afford and buy custom built trailers, can find some points in their units that do not meet what they consider craftsmanship and quality. Those of us purchasing in the "mass produced RV lines" more or less get what we pay for. and it is not always what we expect. I remember sitting in a trailer at a rally, talking with the President and company owner. I saw and pointed out a splinter in the fascia molding of a slide room and quietly said, "that needs to be replaced before this unit leaves the factory!" I was surprised when his reply was, "The dealer will take care of that, we don't have time to fix that here!" It seems to be the trend in the RV industry where the manufacturer pushes off the get ready and repairs onto the ordering dealer. As we know, some dealers pride themselves in customer service, where others just smile and watch their customers drive off, saying to themselves, " another sucker down the road!"
I own an Open Road and while I was not happy to see the merger with Jayco, I am happy with my unit. Will I have issues over the years of ownership, probably. Will I have as many as I had with my previous three year old unit. I sure as H, E, double tooth picks hope not!
Bandaid
Now I see this thread becoming a discussion debate about overall build quality and the presumed reasons for two companies merging. In my honest opinion, it does not matter which trailer manufacturer people buy from, as any assembly line mass produced product is liable to performance and quality issues. Trust me, I have personal; experience in this! Workers have only so much time to accomplish the jobs they are assigned before the product moves to the next station. When companies grow in popularity rapidly, as Open Range has, production has to speed up to meet demand. Is it a good thing, in most cases NO. Comparative issues exist in the auto industry as well, as we have seen in the big three American companies! Couple the increased demand for the products with the outsourcing of components, mostly coming from small companies, their abilities to meet the needs of the trailer manufacturers, and the quality issue trickle down to them as well.
Lets not forget the capitalism economics in play here either. Each company, from the trailer manufacturers, to the outsource suppliers, have a hand in the money pie. They all want their profit margins to be as high as they can establish and hold. Minimalist engineering of the components, sub standard materials, and poorly motivated underpaid workers all play into final quality of the product.
I would suspect even those who can afford and buy custom built trailers, can find some points in their units that do not meet what they consider craftsmanship and quality. Those of us purchasing in the "mass produced RV lines" more or less get what we pay for. and it is not always what we expect. I remember sitting in a trailer at a rally, talking with the President and company owner. I saw and pointed out a splinter in the fascia molding of a slide room and quietly said, "that needs to be replaced before this unit leaves the factory!" I was surprised when his reply was, "The dealer will take care of that, we don't have time to fix that here!" It seems to be the trend in the RV industry where the manufacturer pushes off the get ready and repairs onto the ordering dealer. As we know, some dealers pride themselves in customer service, where others just smile and watch their customers drive off, saying to themselves, " another sucker down the road!"
I own an Open Road and while I was not happy to see the merger with Jayco, I am happy with my unit. Will I have issues over the years of ownership, probably. Will I have as many as I had with my previous three year old unit. I sure as H, E, double tooth picks hope not!
Bandaid
