Manufacturers - How Do You Answer This
This is one aspect of why I am leery of an aluminum framed camper, not to mention a newer, expensive camper. Of course the extremely poor quality craftsmanship could be duplicated in a wood-framed cam...
Forum Discussion
I have visited -one- factory where I was actually impressed with their QA, and that would be Sportsmobile. They are not cheap (and I hope they never go down that road of sorrows), but they do appear to do the job right.
No RV maker is 100% perfect, but I've not read too many horror stories about Winnebago, so if people are not griping, that is a good sign. Of course, there are other decent makers (Lazy Daze, Nexus RV.)
What I end up doing is pulling vehicle statistics, then looking at various items to check if it is something worth the cost.
For certain, a rubber roof is a definite no sale because even though the roof can last 10 years, the caulk that gets waterblasted at 65-70+ MPH will crack and allow water in. A fiberglass roof doesn't have that issue, since the seams are not at the high pressure corners.
After that, I check how the rig's owners manual is laid out. If it is just a "generic" book or a folder with appliances, that is one thing. However, if a RV maker makes a manual specific to the model, with wiring and plumbing layouts, it shows that they stand behind their product.
After that, it is pulling drawers out and seeing how they are mounted, or looking at plumbing. Cinch clamps are one thing, expansion fittings and fittings that can handle vibrations without leaking are another.
No RV maker is 100% perfect, but I've not read too many horror stories about Winnebago, so if people are not griping, that is a good sign. Of course, there are other decent makers (Lazy Daze, Nexus RV.)
What I end up doing is pulling vehicle statistics, then looking at various items to check if it is something worth the cost.
For certain, a rubber roof is a definite no sale because even though the roof can last 10 years, the caulk that gets waterblasted at 65-70+ MPH will crack and allow water in. A fiberglass roof doesn't have that issue, since the seams are not at the high pressure corners.
After that, I check how the rig's owners manual is laid out. If it is just a "generic" book or a folder with appliances, that is one thing. However, if a RV maker makes a manual specific to the model, with wiring and plumbing layouts, it shows that they stand behind their product.
After that, it is pulling drawers out and seeing how they are mounted, or looking at plumbing. Cinch clamps are one thing, expansion fittings and fittings that can handle vibrations without leaking are another.
