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What has happened to Winnebago Quality?

Jim_Stehn
Explorer
Explorer
I am a dedicated and loyal Winnebago motor home owner. I purchased my third new Adventurer several months ago. My first a 2000 35U, my second a 2005 38R, and my latest a 2015 38Q. I purchase Winnebago products because of the superior workmanship, design, and engineering. But I am very disappointed in my 2015 38Q. It does not measure up to the high standards I have come to expect from Winnebago. In terms of workmanship, cabinet doors are warped and misaligned, latches improperly installed, switches miss wired, screws in the bathroom light fixture not seated & heads stripped, window casing damaged, the main door holder was not installed, and in one bathroom, the gas heat duct was not even connected. . Where was Quality in all this? And most distressing of all, in nearly every case, the installer knew the job was not done right and let it go. In terms of design and engineering, the thermostat remote temperature sensors are located above the gas heat floor vents, ignoring the most basic principle of HVAC design. In one bathroom, the light switches are mounted above the fan and pump switches. In the opposing bathroom, the light switches are mounted below the fan and pump switches. How unnecessarily confusing is that? The Ideal Rest bed is a poor substitute for the Sleep Number bed in terms of ease of use. The controls are hard to use and the corded control is an unnecessary nuisance. The galley faucet runs slow and I called Customer Relations to inquire about it. Not only did Winnebago not know the specification for flowrate but gave me the name of the manufacture which turned out to be the supplier not the manufacturer and a part number that no one recognized. A major disappointment in your Configuration Management system which I have so often lauded. This whole experience has severely eroded my loyalty.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out and defiantly shouting "Geronimo".
65 REPLIES 65

aerbus32
Explorer II
Explorer II
The mentality of too many RV manufacturers appears to be along the lines of construct them as fast as possible then let warrant work resolve the issues for those with the time & patience to bother. (Our first boat, a Sea Ray, had loose screws lying on the floor. When I discussed this with the service department, they related that it is more cost effective to waste screws than to search for a dropped one.) We have a 2012 37f Adventurer that I am finally getting all the bugs worked out of. When the back slide failed to work THE DAY AFTER WE PICKED IT UP - I was furious. Had the dealership been open, I would have taken it back and demanded my old coach, an Aerbus, back. Warranty work to resolve it was a joke. Took way too long and then their fix didn't last. I am finally to the point of resolving, many with my own two hands, the design flaws of what truly has the potential to be a great coach. I thought that Winnebago built a quality coach. Not this one. Our plan is to pick up a used 2014 Newmar Dutch Star in 2-3 years. Recently looked at new ones at a dealer that also carried Winnebago DP's. Salesman tried to show me one. Plenty of other potential customers heard me state that Winnebago had its shot at my business.
American MBA's have quickly forgotten when consumers stood in line to acquire Hondas & Toyotas while everything from Ford Pintos to Cadillac Cimarrons sat unwanted.

smacdiesel
Explorer
Explorer
I believe most new class a's are just junk, hear this same mantra with almost all manufacturers.
2015 Winnebago Vista 35B
1983 Jeep CJ 8 Scrambler

chuckftboy
Explorer
Explorer
Its marketing. 70 percent of the public buy on price while only 30 percent will pay more for quality. Rush them out fast, saves money. When I was young, I was always looking at price, but I don't do that much anymore.
2019 Horizon 42Q Maxum Chassis w/tag
Cummins L-9 450 HP / Allison 3000
2006 Jeep TJ and 2011 Chevy Traverse Tows

darsben
Explorer II
Explorer II
As long as the economy is price driven INSTEAD of quality driven this is the result.
Few people will pay 10-15000 more for a really quality rig specially when it is their first rig. For quality you have to go more high end manufacturer instead of mass market rig
Harbor freight, Walmart etc all know this
Traveling with my best friend my wife!

gbopp
Explorer
Explorer
I went to the Hershey RV Show a couple years ago. I noticed the quality was lacking on several different makes of class A units.

The workmanship was like you described.
It surprised me that they sent something with obvious quality flaws to a RV Show.

I commented on a post about the poor quality of the units at the show.
One forum member replied that 'you can't tell much about quality by looking at something.'

Maybe that's the problem, too many people don't know and accept poor workmanship as quality work.
I'm sure manufacturers will continue to cut back on quality as long as consumers continue to buy the products. JMO

jwmII
Explorer
Explorer
What!!! You just noticed? I am surprised you didn't see it in the first two you had.
jwmII