Tiffin Acquired by Thor for 300mil.

When looking to move into a Class A, I looked at Tiffin and others. Every Tiffin I saw on the lot had glaring paint and interior defects which should have NEVER left the factory. I had heard good things about Tiffin but what I saw was pathetic at best. IMO the "quality" of Tiffin was gone long before the Thor purchase.

MrWizard wrote:
I realize that as boomers we are addicted to TV
Maybe Bob Tiffin doesn't share that addiction
And has an affinity for travel and outdoors and considers the TV less important

Merry Christmas

Bob Tiffin has NO COMPUTER. His Admin prints out and gives him the email and PC related communications. Doug

I realize that as boomers we are addicted to TV
Maybe Bob Tiffin doesn't share that addiction
And has an affinity for travel and outdoors and considers the TV less important

Merry Christmas

steelhunter wrote:
Maybe the Thor designers will show Tiffin how to configure a floorplan that allows for TV viewing without neck twisting like an owl.

Wow - do I agree with that one! There are very few Tiffin floor plans I would even consider given the horrible TV placement.

steelhunter wrote:
Maybe the Thor designers will show Tiffin how to configure a floorplan that allows for TV viewing without neck twisting like an owl.

As long as it's not over the dinette so I can't watch or hear the TV if someone is sitting there!

Sad part, and I work in the industry, is Thor's reputation for building cheap junk is now associated with Tiffin.

dougrainer wrote:
Thor, like Berkshire/Hathaway, does NOT buy companies that are distressed or need help. They buy companies they feel are already run by good management. They do NOT replace senior people. Per the deal, Bob Tiffin and existing management will continue operating the company. Tiffin quality has gone down as Bob Tiffin, did not want to expand his work Force after the 2008 melt down. They are pushing out units as fast as they can with their existing work force and will pay the Dealers to fix problems they miss in Red Bay. Bob Tiffin regretted the amount of people he had to lay off from the 2008 melt down. When Thor purchase Jayco, NOTHING was done to change their people or management. Doug

6-7 years ago Berkshire/Hathaway bought a bunch of local family owned car dealerships. The original family had a 5 year deal where their name still was on the building and they still ran most of the day-to-day operations.

The deal has now expired and Berkshire/Hathaway recently sold the dealerships to a Megadealer - the big are getting bigger, competition is shrinking, the consumer is losing.

Many of the long term employees are also moving on.

I suspect the same will happen here.

dougrainer wrote:

gemsworld wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
When Thor purchase Jayco, NOTHING was done to change their people or management. Doug

And your point is? You don't think Thor is going to tell management of acquired companies what to do and how to run the business? I've seen RVs made prior to Thor acquiring a company and the same RVs made after Thor's acquisition. The drop in quality was glaring.

1. I work for a Dealer that sells Airstream/Jayco and Tiffin. ALL have been purchased by Thor
2. I DEAL with all 3 companies almost daily and the Employees tell me not one thing was changed after Thor purchased them
3. I have known Bob Tiffin for 41 years. We have been a Tiffin dealer for 45 years. Doug

So what, all of that means nothing regarding what Thor will do in the future. Thor bought out Dutchmen, rolled the support over to the Keystone division, which effectively amounted to no support at all. The guys who were instrumental in starting Keystone sold out to Thor, then left and started Grand Design. Then they sold that out to Winnebago and Grand Design then became garbage, at least a bigger pile of it than was at the beginning. Fleetwood bought out Coleman, then they drove the quality down and went belly up, were bought out by FCTA, and only lasted 2 years after that. History repeats itself no matter how long you've been an RV tech or who you know.

I drank at a bar one night with Bob Seger, and stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

I await someone telling me of any RV manufacturer whose product quality improved by selling out to a bigger outfit.

Quality will remain the same as long the checks keep arriving at Thor monthly and in full.