Forum Discussion
- Only time will tell! :) We had a pre-Thor Heartland product and overall I think they make a nice coach. We had great experience with Heartland Customer Service. DRV has a very strong reputation and big shoes to fill!
- I suppose now there will be those who will now say DRV are no good because they are owned by Thor. :)
BB_TX wrote:
I suppose now there will be those who will now say DRV are no good because they are owned by Thor. :)
It won't be better.
chevman- I suppose we'll see if Thor/Heartland leave DRV to operate under its current practices and culture. As an owner of DRV products for over 10 years, I can say that there's a good bit of concern in the DRV owners' community regarding content and quality of future DRV products after this acquisition.
Rusty - It wasn't that many years ago that Thor bought Heartland. Heartland owners expressed similar concerns. Heartland was to be left with their independent company practices. However, not sure if that is the case.
- I hope they keep it seperate, DRV. If it is anything like what I have dealt with Heartland I will never buy a DRV, and I was just looking at a new one on the weekend.
- No one spends $47 million and "leaves them alone"!
In the beginning the key management positions will be transitioned and as time goes on this will trickle down either by design or by the "old guard" folks leaving on their own. I've seen this several times in my career and typically the really good folks leave fairly early for better jobs rather than seeing "their" complany go down hill.
No don't get me wrong, Thor will not intentionally reduce the quality level of ther DRV units but as they dictate cost saving goals (which have an impact on their bonus) the quality will slowly degrade until customer complaints start costing more than the savings, or sales go down.
As when Emerson Electric bought out Skil tools, now is the time to buy before the changes start. Remember when a Skil saw was all you would see at a construction site? Ain't so now! - Remember - Airstream is also a Thor owned company.
I don't hear complaints about their quality going downhill after the purchase in the 1980s.
Frankly, I can't see any reason to acquire DRV unless Thor wants to get into that high-end market and stay there with a highest quality product. - So far, Thor's history has been to acquire, cheapen the product quality and then, try to sell on the names past history.
If you wanted a DRV, better get one quicly, before they head down hill.
Ken - Another one bites the dust.
Dave
