Winnebago Adventurer Roof issues

fenwickfam wrote:
We are still trying to work with the insurance company. We spoke with Winnebago who said that this is not a defect, as they have been using these roofs for many years producing over 10 million of these and if it were a defect, they wouldn't be using this design. They did state that it does happen, and in our situation, it was a wind issue, not a defect or a design flaw. So... now, back to the insurance company....

We are on our second used Winny. I just wanted to caution you as to the difference between reality, and reality as viewed by Winnebago Industries. For example, they spend years ( IIRC a decade) bonding windshield glass to raw steel frames. They knew, several years into that decision, that it was not the right thing to do, as they started seeing evidence of water penetration, corrosion behind the glass, and even stress cracked glass, from the pressure of the rust expansion behind the glass. In response to this they did absolutely nothing, and continued to build tens of thousands of coaches with this defect. Second example. My 2007 Vista has side skirts that extend from the floor line down, and have cut-outs in them for the basement storage doors. These skirts are built of the same material as the walls,(paneling, foam board, and glue) but "protected" from road dirt, moisture, salt, and corrosion, by a poorly installed patchwork of thin aluminum skins, that are "sealed" by thousands of lineal feet of caulk joints. This might be a reasonable technique for a park model trailer, but it's a joke when used as a road going vehicle. I spent almost $2K dealing with the windshield corrosion, and 40-50 hours laying on my back, grinding and patching the underside to get that mess under control.

At a trade show I was discussing this with a Winny regional rep. who had been with the company for decades. He avoided the windshield mess entirely, and dismissed the pathetic design and workmanship on the underside as a "maintenance issue" since the owner is responsible for "inspecting and maintaining any sealants under the coach, at least every six months" I just laughed, and moved on.

Bottom line? Winny priority is to first do what's in their best interest, and what will not result in warranty issues that would bite into their profits. Telling a customer that they couldn't possibly have a defective product, since they build tens of thousands that way, is simply BS.