Thor/Heartland buys out DRV

[Travlingman]

Heartland buys DRV

Wonder what the changes will be?

[kakampers]

justme wrote:
Let me guess who the brand loyalists are 😉

Pretty much everyone who likes what they own...:)

[justme]

Let me guess who the brand loyalists are 😉

[goducks10]

It could be worse. You could have 1/8" gaps in your Lippert frame welds. 🙂

[kakampers]

TXiceman wrote:
1/8" gap in the crown molding is totally unacceptable. Our 2013 HH Champagne has no gaps and it does not have a Lippert frame.

Ken

Our Landmark has no gaps either...but does have a Lippert frame as does the DRV...your point?

[TXiceman]

1/8" gap in the crown molding is totally unacceptable. Our 2013 HH Champagne has no gaps and it does not have a Lippert frame.

Ken

[justme]

I tend to favor small family owned operations because that is where the innovations are and they tend to go the extra mile to make a customer happy and are not caught up in bureaucracy to make effective and timely decisions. Also, after visiting many factories, I have found the employee e spree decors is more noticeable in family businesses-- which is most important when they are building the unit.
Large companies like Thor generally have either buy innovation or the small companies that provide it because it is very rare that they have the in-house innovators. Those type of people generally do not fit the big company mold because the are too independent.

[ricatic]

kakampers wrote:
I've owned two Heartlands...a 2008 Bighorn and now a 2013 Landmark. The Bighorn had a few minor issues and one major one, which after Heartland repaired it, we finally realized our MDT was causing the issue because we had no air on the pin or the hitch...beat the******out of it. Yet, Heartland fixed it!! We put over 80K miles on that unit with no problems. Was it built like a DRV no...but it didn't cost half of one either, but served us well as our rolling home.

We now have a 2013 Landmark, which we have lived in for more than two years...it has been virtually flawless! The only thing we had to replace was the ceiling fan which died...Heartland shipped us a new one. What I can say is it is leaps and bounds above what was built in 2008. We expect this unit to last us as long as we care to lug it around the country, we take care of regular maintenance, and our plans are to full time into the foreseeable future!

The Landmark 365 is again, a step above what we have...Heartland, IMO does listen intently to what their different market segments are looking for and work toward producing what is wanted by that particular market. In our case, they have asked for full timing input and we see every year that they are incorporating what is suggested whenever possible. Case in point...they now put 17.5 H load GY tires and disc brakes on the Landmark. They have added a power management system, induction cooking, residential fridge, etc.

As for the acquisition of DRV...I am confident that Thor/Heartland will only allow DRV the ability to improve their product. The Mobile Suite is in a different segment than the Landmark, and I expect they will keep the separation for those full timers which have deeper pockets.

My point is this...can any manufacturer in any market segment produce a less than "perfect" unit...Certainly! They can and have...even DRV! What I know about Heartland after eight years of ownership...they are a company that listens and delivers what is wanted in their different markets...I'm confident they know they just bought a well respected product and KNOW that people don't want it to change, except maybe to improve, and I know they are listening.

...well said my friend...

Regards

[kakampers]

I've owned two Heartlands...a 2008 Bighorn and now a 2013 Landmark. The Bighorn had a few minor issues and one major one, which after Heartland repaired it, we finally realized our MDT was causing the issue because we had no air on the pin or the hitch...beat the******out of it. Yet, Heartland fixed it!! We put over 80K miles on that unit with no problems. Was it built like a DRV no...but it didn't cost half of one either, but served us well as our rolling home.

We now have a 2013 Landmark, which we have lived in for more than two years...it has been virtually flawless! The only thing we had to replace was the ceiling fan which died...Heartland shipped us a new one. What I can say is it is leaps and bounds above what was built in 2008. We expect this unit to last us as long as we care to lug it around the country, we take care of regular maintenance, and our plans are to full time into the foreseeable future!

The Landmark 365 is again, a step above what we have...Heartland, IMO does listen intently to what their different market segments are looking for and work toward producing what is wanted by that particular market. In our case, they have asked for full timing input and we see every year that they are incorporating what is suggested whenever possible. Case in point...they now put 17.5 H load GY tires and disc brakes on the Landmark. They have added a power management system, induction cooking, residential fridge, etc.

As for the acquisition of DRV...I am confident that Thor/Heartland will only allow DRV the ability to improve their product. The Mobile Suite is in a different segment than the Landmark, and I expect they will keep the separation for those full timers which have deeper pockets.

My point is this...can any manufacturer in any market segment produce a less than "perfect" unit...Certainly! They can and have...even DRV! What I know about Heartland after eight years of ownership...they are a company that listens and delivers what is wanted in their different markets...I'm confident they know they just bought a well respected product and KNOW that people don't want it to change, except maybe to improve, and I know they are listening.

[justme]

Seems like subjective brand loyalties primarily guide many peoples opinions rather than quality, engineering, innovation and other rational evaluations. I don't think DRV products will be impacted in the near future and most likely in the far future if the present management structure remains stable. I have not seen any evidence that Thor has any intention to "clean house" and therefore this is most likely a financial move. Companies generaly plan to stay in business, grow and stay profitable. After all that means success and it takes happy customers to achieve those goals.

[justme]

hone eagle wrote:
Forest River is a 1.6 billion dollar company Thor is not even a tenth of that,but there are as many ways to measure a company as you can shake a stick at.

They also manufacture not RV stuff. Also, they are private under the Berkshire umbrella, so it is most difficult to evaluate their financials.

[Mile_High]

So I guess when I saw 1/8" gap in the DRV moulding - it makes it all even, right?

When you throw in more money, you don't get more quality back, you just get more stuff.

[jnharley]

The problem with high quality units us that they last a long time and owners keep them for a long time. There is low repeat business because their satisfied customers do not need to buy a new rig.

[Lantley]

Me Again wrote:

Lantley wrote:

Me Again wrote:
I walked in a new Landmark a couple years ago that the couple across from us in a snowbird park had just bought, and the first I noticed was butt joints in the crown molding with gaps up to 1/8" in many places. Really turned me off as a "quality" unit!

Maybe it was a result of the dry heat!

When evaluating a unit I try not to focus on the frills and glitz. I more concerned about the structural framing. The Frame design. Cabinet construction Insulation quality and type. Tire quality.
Most of my concerns are behind the walls. I don't expect true quality finish carpentry in an RV and would not judge the unit based on trim.

DRV has a stellar reputation. My hope is that Thor maintains the level of quality we have come to expect from DRV.
What we fear is that Thor bean counters will have a negative effect and short cuts will be taken. Only time will tell.

When a manufacture lets down on quality that is out in the open, I tend to be concerned about quality of things you can not see! If paying over 100K for a rig I would expect molding that fit right. In the PDI I would have noted it and not taken it off the lot until it was fixed.

While I do understand what you are saying and the details do matter.
I still must focus on quality construction not crown molding.
I don't expect the crown molding to be museum quality craftsmanship in an RV.
But I do expect the structural integrity to be solid.
I consider my unit well built however there are a couple of loose corner moldings around the bunkhouse slide interior. I won't junk the unit over that minor detail. I'm satisfied that the slide works well and I can tack the slide molding up myself.
The little stuff may come loose or have gaps on any RV that bounces down the road. It's the major stuff I try to focus on. Crown molding is not major stuff.
I would not disqualify Landmark because I saw loose Crown molding. If it bothered me during the PDI I mention it. However I would never take the unit in to an RV dealer to have crown molding repaired

[FlatBroke]

If people wouldn't buy a unit because the crown moulding had a gap Montana wouldn't be a number one seller. Probably wouldn't even exist.

[Me_Again]

Lantley wrote:

Me Again wrote:
I walked in a new Landmark a couple years ago that the couple across from us in a snowbird park had just bought, and the first I noticed was butt joints in the crown molding with gaps up to 1/8" in many places. Really turned me off as a "quality" unit!

Maybe it was a result of the dry heat!

When evaluating a unit I try not to focus on the frills and glitz. I more concerned about the structural framing. The Frame design. Cabinet construction Insulation quality and type. Tire quality.
Most of my concerns are behind the walls. I don't expect true quality finish carpentry in an RV and would not judge the unit based on trim.

DRV has a stellar reputation. My hope is that Thor maintains the level of quality we have come to expect from DRV.
What we fear is that Thor bean counters will have a negative effect and short cuts will be taken. Only time will tell.

When a manufacture lets down on quality that is out in the open, I tend to be concerned about quality of things you can not see! If paying over 100K for a rig I would expect molding that fit right. In the PDI I would have noted it and not taken it off the lot until it was fixed.