We purchased a brand new Forrest River Sabre 31IKT in June of 2019. Due to my work schedule we were not able to use it that much and fet all the bugs worked out. We are one our first long trip and this thing has turned into a nightmare.#1. DVD player after a few times the unit did not have any interior sound. Due to the covid virus, I would have to take the trailer to another city, 3 hours away, leave it, and return and pick it up. I decided to pick up a cheap DVD.#2. Mattress split. The dealer did deliver a new one to my house as a worker was coming close to me.#3. There is a small metal bracket on the bottom of the window shades that came off on 3 different shades.#4. The wall board seperated from the wall.#5. The clothes rod in the closet was only held up by 4 screws and the first time we put more than a few clothes on it, the clothes rod pulled the screws completely away from the ceiling.#6. The negative ground wire was not properly connected to one of the batteries and the battery discharged.I contacted Forrest River and all they said was return it to the dealer. After I complained about a lack of apology, nothing about we are sorry for these issues, we will look into this, then I got an apology.

I figured out your problem when I got 7 words into your post.bumpy

It seems that way, our 2016 was similar. Emergency exit window came open twice on the road, the second time it fell out. Plywood on the dinette seat was so thin, a 150lb person went through it. Screws fall out almost every trip. Both fender skirts have came off. Ours is a Forest River Heritage Glen, so on the lower end. But reading the forums it seems even the higher end ones aren’t much better.

Yes, I think this is generally normal. Just one of the many reasons I recommend buying against buying new - the small inconveniences due to poor build quality have been addressed by the first owner.It's sad that this is how the industry operates, but it is reality.

Bumpyroad wrote:I figured out your problem when I got 7 words into your post.bumpy+1

yes there quality has gone down ,always has ,I seen a unit one time back ten years you could see day light ,standing in the kitchen looking at the corner of the floor and wall. YEP thats sun shine I see, sales guy says easy fix with some putty.

Are all new RVs built this bad or is it just mine?

midnightsadie
Explorer II
Aug 22, 2020
new rv,s should come with a three year warrenty, after all they spend the first two years sitting in the dealers lot waiting on repairs.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
Sounds like you got one of the better ones, my list would make yours look like nothing.
valhalla360
Navigator
Aug 22, 2020
Bumpyroad wrote:
I figured out your problem when I got 7 words into your post.
bumpy

Only took me 5 words...Every new RV I've seen, the owners complain about having to do quality control and losing access to their new RV for weeks or months the first year.
JimK-NY
Explorer II
Aug 22, 2020
Fortunately when I looked for my RV, I found a dealer who could help. He recommended a manufacturer who does a quality job. Maybe the fashion and style were a bit lagging, but the construction and design were not.
GDS-3950BH
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
Forest River is no worse than anyone else including Grand Design. Our Grand Design Solitude 3950BH was a hastily assembled piece of total garbage. Despite the claims of Solitude being their luxury line, theyre made from the same trash everyone else uses and slapped together by pieceworkers with no QC or QA whatsoever. Lippert junk everywhere from frame, to windows. The frame deflected at suspension and leveler attachment points. All the AC units failed. The Furrion TVs and other electronics failed. 2 of 4 slideouts have had major issues. Front cap leaked from day one and due to frame flex can not be kept sealed. Kept it for 14 months, basically using it for what amounted to one season. Thanks to Covid we were able to unload the POS without taking too much of a hit.
ksg5000
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
Made in America used to mean something - I still drive my 91 RV and tend to spend more time fixing my neighbors newer RV's than mine .... go figure.
goducks10
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
wanderingaimlessly wrote:
jdc1 wrote:
Forest River products are made in Indiana...a Republican state with a minimum wage of $7.25/hour. You can't expect much for $7.25/hour.

Any more you hear the same complaints about the west coast mfr's. And its not limited to the fr and Keystones. And paying higher labor cost does not change the available labor pool, same people, same lousy attitude, but now at a higher cost. Wal Mart being a perfect example.

100% true. Wages are only reflective of cost of living standards. Cheaper to live in areas have lower wages. Wages have nothing to do with worker skills.
Out here on the West coast the same MFG that're in Indiana build the same junk while paying a higher minimum wage.
Latner
Nomad
Aug 22, 2020

Really? The same junk could be made in Cali, but nobody could afford or would want to buy it because it would cost twice as much.
Latner
Nomad
Aug 22, 2020
sch911 wrote:
Is this your first RV? The only way for the RV lifestyle to be sustainable is for you to learn to deal with these kinds if issues yourself. You gotta be able to fix stiff.

X2
wanderingaimles
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
jdc1 wrote:
Forest River products are made in Indiana...a Republican state with a minimum wage of $7.25/hour. You can't expect much for $7.25/hour.

Any more you hear the same complaints about the west coast mfr's. And its not limited to the fr and Keystones. And paying higher labor cost does not change the available labor pool, same people, same lousy attitude, but now at a higher cost. Wal Mart being a perfect example.