Just a rant about workmanship in RV assembly plants

If it has wood in it then over time bad things will happen..its that she simple. . They all leak. Pets pee on the wood floor. Water infiltrations happen. Mold or other issues are the end result. All metal or fiberglass. No exceptions equal long term satisfaction.

goducks10 wrote:
My point is why settle for an RV that has multiple visible defects? Why not look around to find one that's built better. There's a reason why when someone asks about brand X and what everyone thinks about them that you get mixed answers.

You'll always get "mixed answers" because everyone's expectations are different and because recreational vehicles are all built to a barely acceptable standard anyway, even Airstreams ... getting a "good one" has little to do with brand name and much more so to do with LUCK. It's always been this way and will continue to be so until those of us who ultimately fund the recreational vehicle industry - i.e. we consumers - step up to the plate and agree to pay much more for the product we're buying. Since we know that will never happen when we're talking about a product that for most is simply a "want" and not a "need" and also for most sees very little use overall there's no incentive at all for the industry at large to do anything but continue doing what they've been doing - building a product that looks pretty, for the most part works OK, and sells. Anyone who doesn't like this answer still has recourse - don't buy! As for me I'm with those who are happy to be able to buy something the average person can at least afford, accept the blemishes, learn what I can about how these things are put together, whenever possible just deal with any issues as they may come up, and in the meantime GO CAMPING! :B

goducks10 wrote:


I never said to never buy anything. My point is why settle for an RV that has multiple visible defects? Why not look around to find one that's built better. There's a reason why when someone asks about brand X and what everyone thinks about them that you get mixed answers. Lots of those problems people list are clearly things that were overlooked before purchase. Some buyers say "we've only had a few problems" that they fix themselves and others have a page worth of stuff, of which 1/2 could've been eliminated had they moved on to another unit.
My point was to find the one with the least amount of issues.

And that's a fair enough assessment of the situation, for sure. And I was not, and am not trying to single out any one individual person when I make these comments. I suspect I would very much enjoy sitting and sharing tales and drinking a beer with each one of you.

It's just that in my life, I've have "most things" be not just less than perfect, but WAY less. I suppose I just always thought, this is the way it is :E

I've had cars that broke down ( but still I always somehow made it home ), motorcycles that left me at the side of the road ( yet I've still managed to ride almost all the lower 48 and much of Canada ), marriages that failed, had a boat that had to be towed back to the dock ( more than once, and yet we water skied many miles behind it ).
I've had cameras and lenses ( Canon ) that have failed ( but still have tens of thousands of images I love ). I've ridden horses that really would rather toss me on the ground ( and did on more than one occasion ) than look at me...

.....and this little danged travel trailer that's had a few issues. And yet here I sit, in February, where it's 80 degrees, dry and sunny.

I think some of this whole thing is "glass half empty, or is it half full ?"

Besides.... I love tinkering and seeing how stuff is made ! :) I just fix stuff, and move on the next thing in life.

EDIT, ps, I grew up poor and most what we had, we got second hand for little or nothing, because it was broken. Dad taught us how to fix things. That taught me two things: 1. how stuff works and being able to fix it, and 2. work your backside off and make as much of a living as I could....so I didn't have to be so danged poor ! It was a good childhood education.

gmw photos wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
...snip....

x2. I guarantee that if you have 3 of the same model RVs on the same lot that all 3 will have different problems. Just because you look at one doesn't mean you have to buy it. Move on to the next. It just boggles my mind the stuff you see being built.

And what I have been saying all along is, a person may well look at all three of them, and walk away from all of them. And go home without a camper. And then, not go camping. Because you could not find a camper to meet the standards you may see as "minimum acceptable".

Which is fine if that is how you want to do it.

In my case, I bought a camper, brought it home, and literally spent less overall time "fixing the problems" than some on this internet forum have spent typing out complaints about the industry.

I'm camping and traveling right now. That is what's important to me, not whether the Indiana farm boys did a less than spectacular job screwing this thing together. Is this thing perfect ? Nope. Am I having fun ? Yep, beyond belief the level of fun here.

I never said to never buy anything. My point is why settle for an RV that has multiple visible defects? Why not look around to find one that's built better. There's a reason why when someone asks about brand X and what everyone thinks about them that you get mixed answers. Lots of those problems people list are clearly things that were overlooked before purchase. Some buyers say "we've only had a few problems" that they fix themselves and others have a page worth of stuff, of which 1/2 could've been eliminated had they moved on to another unit.
My point was to find the one with the least amount of issues.

gmw photos wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
...snip....

x2. I guarantee that if you have 3 of the same model RVs on the same lot that all 3 will have different problems. Just because you look at one doesn't mean you have to buy it. Move on to the next. It just boggles my mind the stuff you see being built.

And what I have been saying all along is, a person may well look at all three of them, and walk away from all of them. And go home without a camper. And then, not go camping. Because you could not find a camper to meet the standards you may see as "minimum acceptable".

Which is fine if that is how you want to do it.

In my case, I bought a camper, brought it home, and literally spent less overall time "fixing the problems" than some on this internet forum have spent typing out complaints about the industry.

I'm camping and traveling right now. That is what's important to me, not whether the Indiana farm boys did a less than spectacular job screwing this thing together. Is this thing perfect ? Nope. Am I having fun ? Yep, beyond belief the level of fun here.

And there you go! Enjoy.

goducks10 wrote:
...snip....

x2. I guarantee that if you have 3 of the same model RVs on the same lot that all 3 will have different problems. Just because you look at one doesn't mean you have to buy it. Move on to the next. It just boggles my mind the stuff you see being built.

And what I have been saying all along is, a person may well look at all three of them, and walk away from all of them. And go home without a camper. And then, not go camping. Because you could not find a camper to meet the standards you may see as "minimum acceptable".

Which is fine if that is how you want to do it.

In my case, I bought a camper, brought it home, and literally spent less overall time "fixing the problems" than some on this internet forum have spent typing out complaints about the industry.

I'm camping and traveling right now. That is what's important to me, not whether the Indiana farm boys did a less than spectacular job screwing this thing together. Is this thing perfect ? Nope. Am I having fun ? Yep, beyond belief the level of fun here.

I couldn't agree more about a thorough PDI and passing on any RV that didn't meet standards. While I will probably never buy new, if I ever did, I would not sign the paperwork or take delivery until all issues had been addressed and brought up to standards. If a dealership didn't like that I would find one that would agree with that policy. It would seem to me that if the final closing on the RV were being held up by a punch list the sales department would get the service department to get that unit done very quickly. There are certainly some issues that may show up after the fact but that could be the case with any product and the warranty should cover those. There is absolutely a great deal of personal responsibility on the part of the buyer to be certain that they are getting what they paid for and that responsibility is not always taken seriously. However, there is an even greater responsibility on the manufacturer and dealer to sell and deliver products that, in function and appearance, are what the seller purchased and expected.
RichH

I have a brand new Airstream Land Yacht, It has been to the factory and repair shop for 9 months due to shoddy workmanship. no caulking in the shower, take a shower and water runs to the hall of the TT. Remember most of these Mfg's are on the stock exchange including Thor Corporation.

jaycocreek wrote:

To all who think we should shut up and tolerate shoddy workmanship I ask, do you tolerate this attitude for any other products you buy

No and I do not buy any RV that is put together in a way that is not acceptable to me.

That is the issue...There are lots of RV's out there done right so do a complete PDI before buying and if it does not meet your criteria prior to buying,don't buy it!

To many people are buying first then inspect later...

x2. I guarantee that if you have 3 of the same model RVs on the same lot that all 3 will have different problems. Just because you look at one doesn't mean you have to buy it. Move on to the next. It just boggles my mind the stuff you see being built.

To all who think we should shut up and tolerate shoddy workmanship I ask, do you tolerate this attitude for any other products you buy

No and I do not buy any RV that is put together in a way that is not acceptable to me.

That is the issue...There are lots of RV's out there done right so do a complete PDI before buying and if it does not meet your criteria prior to buying,don't buy it!

To many people are buying first then inspect later...