Is there any REAL quality out there?

[DaveRVman]

We were looking at a Thor A.C.E. and found a video where tons of things broke on it for a buyer.

We also looked into Jayco, Winnebago, and numerous other brands. Over and over there are Better Business Bureau reports of horror stories...

Then comes the promised warranties. That seems like a scam because if anything goes wrong (Let's say in April) the wait is 4 months for the warranty issue to be fixed. Well there goes a big chunk of the season.

What does one do? We went to an RV dealer and a NEW Winnebago had tiles falling off behind the backsplash. Just horrible. Then I hear of people who have such hydraulic problems their RV is now a 100k driveway ornament.

I DON'T mind maintenance issues, I'm handy like that. I just don't want to throw 100k into something that is trash.

Is my only choice a 350k diesel pusher Monaco or Prevost? I don't have the funds for that.

What does one do? Just want a reliable Class A for the family. 100k budget.

[way2roll]

The OP did say he was looking at a Thor ACE. Nothing against them, I owned one myself when they first came out, but it is the lowest end offering from the lowest quality manufacturer. I knew that going in as I was on a budget and just wanted a cheap weekender. The key is realistic expectations. You can't buy a Yugo and expect Bentley quality.

[ferndaleflyer]

The answer to the OPs question is-----NO.

[Ponderosa]

You just have to go in with the knowledge that you are going to have to be a handy"man". It is always something, but most things are within the capabilities of an owner who is not afraid to dig into it.

One thing that has improved over the years is the chassis. Engines, transmissions, fueling, cooling - all of it is pretty reliable these days. Things like refrigerators, stoves, AC units, are not likely to give much trouble either. So that leaves the poor attention to assembly details. It's not that bad, but it is a constant nuisance.

[RetiredRealtorR]

ArchHoagland wrote:
When they start importing RV's made in Japan things will get better just like they did 50 years ago when Japanese cars entered the market.

Until then expect the same old junk and poor service.

You are absolutely correct!

[ArchHoagland]

When they start importing RV's made in Japan things will get better just like they did 50 years ago when Japanese cars entered the market.

Until then expect the same old junk and poor service.

[LouLawrence]

way2roll wrote:

Thermoguy wrote:
Marathon Coaches are built in Oregon. I think those qualify as high quality.

Isn't Marathon built on a Prevost?

YES! If your most important parameter is quality, you can't afford to NOT buy a Prevost. You may have to move back a few more years than you had expected but a Prevost built in 1995 is still better than anything built today.

[BobGed]

DaveRVman wrote:

way2roll wrote:

BobGed wrote:
Tiffin coaches are built in Red Bay, AL, but they're definitely not built any better than a Newmar.

And Thor owns Tiffin now. Not sure if the quality is impacted.

Do you know when this happened? I just don't trust Thor as a company.

Tiffin has had quality control issues for years prior to the Thor acquisition just like many other coach builders.

Thor has left the day to day operations in the hands of Tiffin with Leigh Tiffin as President. There has been no significant change in those operations since the acquisition.

Why would Thor purchase Tiffin for millions of dollars if they didn't want it to succeed? It certainly wasn't for proprietary reasons as the only thing Tiffin had was its PowerGlide chassis which is going to be discontinued.

My 2009 Phaeton was a nightmare coach while my 2017 has been excellent so far (knock on wood).

[DaveRVman]

way2roll wrote:

BobGed wrote:
Tiffin coaches are built in Red Bay, AL, but they're definitely not built any better than a Newmar.

And Thor owns Tiffin now. Not sure if the quality is impacted.

Do you know when this happened? I just don't trust Thor as a company.

[LouLawrence]

Tiffin is Red Bay, AL.

[way2roll]

BobGed wrote:
Tiffin coaches are built in Red Bay, AL, but they're definitely not built any better than a Newmar.

And Thor owns Tiffin now. Not sure if the quality is impacted.

[BobGed]

Tiffin coaches are built in Red Bay, AL, but they're definitely not built any better than a Newmar.

[way2roll]

Thermoguy wrote:
Marathon Coaches are built in Oregon. I think those qualify as high quality.

Isn't Marathon built on a Prevost?

[Thermoguy]

Marathon Coaches are built in Oregon. I think those qualify as high quality.

[way2roll]

Why does it matter where they are built? It's who builds them that's the issue. Geography has a lot to do with parts availability and cost.

Production RV's typically lack lower quality and this can extend to even the highest end offerings. Some brands are better than others. It's quantity over quality. Keeps the stockholders happy and that's the goal, not getting you the best RV. Returns and stock prices are driven by cheapest materials and labor for the highest sales price possible. Some small start ups have tried to build good quality MH's on a budget and usually don't last long. If you want good quality I would suggest looking at Prevost, Newell or Foretravel. You get what you pay for. But even they have issues. Anytime you put a house on the road and it's subjected to what equates to an earthquake in a hurricane anytime you drive it, stuff happens. Custom brands are not immune to issues, even during the build. You're also comparing apples to basketballs. Couple hundred k vs a few million. That kind of money buys better materials and attention to detail.

You could always buy a bus and build your own. What you'd save in money and add in quality would be a cost in your time (which is worth money - probably enough of your time to equate to a brand new production RV). However, most people that start those projects never finish them. After realizing it's a massive time suck, complicated, and also not immune to problems, it's just plain easier to buy turn key off the lot and deal with small issues.

[DaveRVman]

Also to add it may be helpful to me if any of you have knowledge of ANY Class A or Diesel Pushers that are made outside of Indiana. Like which companies? I'll go look at the factories myself.:)