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
Thanks travelnuts for the detailed information. We too have owned lots of RVs over the years, all used except for the 2013 TT we just had the bad experience with.
Our longest used was a 2003 StarCraft Popup truck camper we used for 10 years and bought used after it had been used once by original owner and returned due to them wanting more RV than it provided. It went to Alaska with us and even helped us out on the Alaska HWY, both directions in the winter!
We have always taken very well designed and assembled RVs to their next logical modification/personalization upgrade. Then came our only NEW purchase, in 2013 and in our psyche we probably expected it to be the best one yet! And it was the worst. :(
Until the disappointingly new 2013, our 2003 was the newest year by a long shot... still having a soft spot for two canned ham 1950's model single axle trailers, one of which inherited the improved appliances out of a '72 TC I parted out. That ones water line didn't freeze until it reached -15 on one particular Elk Hunt near Jackson, WY. But that was due to my engineering when I ran the lines, tanks and pump from the '72.
With your good experiences I can see why you may feel this thread is overly unfair against the manufacturers, and you may be correct. Many will complain for legitimate reasons. Many might complain just because it makes them feel better - that can be human nature.
But I have read manufacturers marketing saying they use "full bead welds as opposed to the competition", implying at least that there are some who DON'T use full weld beads. And I have seen in my 2003 (and the 2013) much worse wood framing than I found in the 1950's and 1970's models we owned so much of. These newer wood problems include non squared cuts, weakened wood from open knots, and splits that run several inches and the piece is used anyway.
Anyway, it just seems and feels that many manufacturers are using the new "lighter weight" spec as an opportunity to justify losing much of what I became accustomed to in older, more well assembled (albeit heavier) units.
Even so, they know (and you all know) no matter what I say, I won't be settling for a tent.
But as I said at the very beginning, that 1970's TC I found on Craigslist with the pretty good condition overall look and the still beautiful birchwood paneling for $500 is looking a whole lot better these days. Especially in light of the fact I can buy many cool appliances and such from the catalogue. And since I'm leaning heavily to a cassette toilet anyway, that new Thetford "Curve" portable toilet with the same size black and fresh water tanks as the cassette... hmmm.
(Dave drifts off into dreaming)
Our longest used was a 2003 StarCraft Popup truck camper we used for 10 years and bought used after it had been used once by original owner and returned due to them wanting more RV than it provided. It went to Alaska with us and even helped us out on the Alaska HWY, both directions in the winter!
We have always taken very well designed and assembled RVs to their next logical modification/personalization upgrade. Then came our only NEW purchase, in 2013 and in our psyche we probably expected it to be the best one yet! And it was the worst. :(
Until the disappointingly new 2013, our 2003 was the newest year by a long shot... still having a soft spot for two canned ham 1950's model single axle trailers, one of which inherited the improved appliances out of a '72 TC I parted out. That ones water line didn't freeze until it reached -15 on one particular Elk Hunt near Jackson, WY. But that was due to my engineering when I ran the lines, tanks and pump from the '72.
With your good experiences I can see why you may feel this thread is overly unfair against the manufacturers, and you may be correct. Many will complain for legitimate reasons. Many might complain just because it makes them feel better - that can be human nature.
But I have read manufacturers marketing saying they use "full bead welds as opposed to the competition", implying at least that there are some who DON'T use full weld beads. And I have seen in my 2003 (and the 2013) much worse wood framing than I found in the 1950's and 1970's models we owned so much of. These newer wood problems include non squared cuts, weakened wood from open knots, and splits that run several inches and the piece is used anyway.
Anyway, it just seems and feels that many manufacturers are using the new "lighter weight" spec as an opportunity to justify losing much of what I became accustomed to in older, more well assembled (albeit heavier) units.
Even so, they know (and you all know) no matter what I say, I won't be settling for a tent.
But as I said at the very beginning, that 1970's TC I found on Craigslist with the pretty good condition overall look and the still beautiful birchwood paneling for $500 is looking a whole lot better these days. Especially in light of the fact I can buy many cool appliances and such from the catalogue. And since I'm leaning heavily to a cassette toilet anyway, that new Thetford "Curve" portable toilet with the same size black and fresh water tanks as the cassette... hmmm.
(Dave drifts off into dreaming)
