Newer RVs....ugh

Our 2007 Montana 5er, bought new July 2007, has been as troublefree as we could have ever hoped for. Still in great shape. :C And it is paid for. No new RV in our near future.

BB_TX wrote:
Our 2007 Montana 5er, bought new July 2007, has been as troublefree as we could have ever hoped for. Still in great shape. :C And it is paid for. No new RV in our near future.

Same here 2008 Montana fifth wheel ,no plans to get rid of it. Graphics are getting a little ragged ,replaced some, still have some to replace. Other then that, its been basically trouble free ,did replace the cheap hydraulic lines . Also this year replaced the shear springs , but that is a wear item .

Why sell theTC unless you need the money, need the yard space or don’t use it?

Nothing's new under the sun. 20 years ago when I started RVing people were seeing, saying, & experiencing the same things.

I thank goodness that there are people out there wanting & willing to buy new RVs. Without them those of us that know better (or at least think we do b/c of bad past experiences w/new stuff) wouldn't have a better alternative to turn to.

Having to talk/deal with RV Dealers, dealer high prices, high sales taxes that come with a dealer purchased coach, warranty trips to the dealer (or factory), all are things towards the very bottom of my 'prefer to be doing' list.

New 2019 Montana High Country purchased September 2018 ... I've had to fix something every week since we've had it or it went back to the shop for warranty work. I'm talking broken shelves, broken doors, outside underskirting, brakes, stuff like that. Small stuff I fixed myself, I rebuilt the bedroom closet with a wall inside the wall to support the shelf and clothes rack better. I've tightend, adjusted, and fixed until I thought there simply could not be anything left.

Well, the last 4 week-end trips out, we've returned with nothing to fix. Maybe it's a good camper now! But ... it's 100% paid for! So, I'm keeping it.

The best years of recent were from when sales tanked in 2008/2009 until around 2012. When the sheet hit the fan the RV Industry retained the best workers and dumped the garbage. When sales picked back up starting in 2012 and onward they simply filled holes with bodies.

Take a factory tour or two. If you open your eyes and have an IQ above 70, you'll come away wondering why you ever bought one to begin with or second guessing yourself if you're considering buying one.

We were at the Hershey show the other week. It's hard to fathom they can fill 20+ acres with hastily assembled junk, but they can. The current strategy seems to be fill them with all types of plastic bling, electronics and electronic controls of which the quality was better in a 1960's pocket radio, and lots of LED lights inside and outside. It's an attempt to get people overlook the obvious stuff that's really going to bite them in the rear end down the road.

Another thing that is at play is Lippert Components. They have cornered the market when it comes to supplying everything from the frame, windows, furniture, even the bling. Anything with their name on it is garbage. The sad thing is its almost impossible to get away from it.

Everything is designed to make it one second past the warranty expiration.

Not a single problem with my Haulmark, ordered it 5/16 picked it up 10/16 been on the road ever since.

Estimated 1700 nights & certainly well over 100,000 miles on our late 2007 Alpenlite. Never spent a night at a repair place. New fridge, new A/C, various wear items replaced by it's owner/repair guy. Never a thought of replacing it.

Most campers made are delamninating before they reach the dealer. The junk single axle garbage trailer dominating the newbies are ready to self destruct this winter.

Roughly 1050 nights and 158,325 miles.