Keystone RV & Thor Industries

[ka0dqz]

To Whom It May Concern:
If you are considering purchasing or know someone who is you/they may wish to consider a manufacturer other than Keystone RV and Thor Industries. These two companies do not stand behind their products.
I have a 2013 Keystone Cougar High Country 321RES, purchased July 05, 2013. This unit has had numerous issues most that should have been caught on a final inspection prior to be shipped to a dealer.
The unit was taken back to the dealer, Century RV in Longmont, CO, on September 30, 2013 to have 7 issues addressed. As of the date of this posting all of the issues have not been completed. March 26, 2013 the dealer was notified of a crack that has appeared on the exterior wall of the main slide. This problem has not even been addressed as to when it will be repaired.
However, the largest issue is that also on March 26, 2013, it was discovered that one of the seals on the P-trap for the shower drain had never been installed. This allowed all of the shower water to drain into the belly of the RV. I was concerned about mold and mildew. I wrote Keystone and Thor Industries, the parent company of Keystone, and told them of my concerns. As of the date of this posting I have NEVER heard from Thor Industries. On June 12, 2013, I was contacted by Mr. Stephen Holmes, Manager of Owner Relations for Keystone RV, who promised to have an answer for me by close of business on June 13, 2013 and said he would call me. I did not hear from Mr. Holmes on Friday June 13th nor as of the date of this posting have I heard from Mr. Holmes.

[Ex-Tech]

Lantley wrote:

Ex-Tech wrote:

ka0dqz wrote:
I went from a tent trailer to this. The PDI lasted all of 30 minutes

The PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) is done by the mechanic before the RV is presented to the customer. This is when all of these defects should have been discovered by the dealer.
The process where the customer and dealer go through the coach before taking delivery is called the Walk-Through, not a PDI.

Don't confuse semantics. Call it what you want.
A wise owner/buyer will take their time and slowly and methodically check out the entire RV before driving it off the lot.

I am not the one confused. My point was a follow-up to my previous post that stated that most manufacturers pay the dealers for the PDI process to find these defects before the coach is delivered. My other point is that the issues that the OP listed were totally the dealers fault for missing these problems.

[afishinado]

What I've learned in the very brief time that I've had my Toy Hauler is that RV's as a whole are not done very well. I guess a really good quality unit (like boats) are far more expensive than the ones most people buy. I just have trouble understanding why they can't all be pretty darn good. They aren't that complex, and what is a little complex wouldn't be problematic if the manufacturers just did it right to start with (again, same as with boats)

[kennethwooster]

We had two Fleetwood products, that also was broken down a lot. Course they no longer make trailers anymore due to bankruptcy. Then I bought a 2011 Cameo. What a difference. Yes they are also out of business, but just does not take that many repairs. My next unit will be a Lifestyle. Best ways to handle is go buy another brand when you can. I'm tires of products barely put together.

[JiminDenver]

We may end up replacing our low end unit and I really like the Passport 28rl or something like that. Nice floor plan for us and not to heavy for the truck. Threads like this make me want to go hug our TT.

I guess we got lucky on the PDI, it didn't last long and we wouldn't have known what to look for if we needed too. We took it as a basic run down on how to use the trailer, not look for issue. Then again this was our first new trailer so I guess we hit the lottery as nothing went wrong. (so far)

[kakampers]

Lantley wrote:

Ex-Tech wrote:

ka0dqz wrote:
I went from a tent trailer to this. The PDI lasted all of 30 minutes

The PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) is done by the mechanic before the RV is presented to the customer. This is when all of these defects should have been discovered by the dealer.
The process where the customer and dealer go through the coach before taking delivery is called the Walk-Through, not a PDI.

Don't confuse semantics. Call it what you want.
A wise owner/buyer will take their time and slowly and methodically check out the entire RV before driving it off the lot.

I agree...our dealer gave us a technician, who was told to stay with us and do nothing else.

He spent 9 hours with us as we simultaneously went through the unit section by section and moved our stuff from one unit to the other. He checked every single water connection, had the basement wall down and checked everything and installed a brass backflow valve on the water heater we had purchased. He repaired every minor problem we found and even moved my stained glass window from one unit to the other for me. Due to this detailed PDI we have had no issues with our rig that could have been found during this process...can't blame anyone for the failed ceiling fan which died several months later...

Needless to say we would definitely buy from this dealer again...this is the way a walk thru/PDI should be performed.

[Lantley]

Ex-Tech wrote:

ka0dqz wrote:
I went from a tent trailer to this. The PDI lasted all of 30 minutes

The PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) is done by the mechanic before the RV is presented to the customer. This is when all of these defects should have been discovered by the dealer.
The process where the customer and dealer go through the coach before taking delivery is called the Walk-Through, not a PDI.

Don't confuse semantics. Call it what you want.
A wise owner/buyer will take their time and slowly and methodically check out the entire RV before driving it off the lot.

[Ex-Tech]

ka0dqz wrote:
I went from a tent trailer to this. The PDI lasted all of 30 minutes

The PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) is done by the mechanic before the RV is presented to the customer. This is when all of these defects should have been discovered by the dealer.
The process where the customer and dealer go through the coach before taking delivery is called the Walk-Through, not a PDI.

[calewjohnson]

I have not read through all the responses, but I can say this.... We bought a Keystone Outback 323BH in Oct 2013. We have been full timing in it for 8 months now (2 adults, 2 kids, 1, dof, and 2 cats). About 4 months ago, our black tank broke at the outlet to the waste gate. I had a mobile repairman come out to stop the leak, then I contacted Keystone though their warranty department. They told me to return it to the dealer, but the dealer said it would take 4-8 weeks to repair. I called the mobile repairman and he gave me a quote for parts/labor of $600 on site and all original parts. I contacted Keystone, they approved the repair, but capped at $475... I was OK with that, since the on site service call is $99. I paid for the repair, scanned/emailed the receipt to the service representative and had a check 2 weeks later.... I am very happy with that.

Another one, the selling dealer damaged a bunch of decals when they washed it, after fighting with them for a couple months, I contacted Keystone, sent them pictures, and two weeks later I had a box with replacement of the decals I needed and some nice directions on how to replace them.

So far, I love the quality of this TT. Keystone has come out with a new Outback series (Terrain I think), it does not look as well made....

A lot of times, I think it is the way they are approached which will determine how they help you. I start all my correspondence with Sir/Ma'am and end with Very Respectfully. I have found that will go a very long way in getting needed service.

Cale

[rhagfo]

720Deere wrote:

ka0dqz wrote:
I went from a tent trailer to this. The PDI lasted all of 30 minutes

In all fairness, you set the pace of the PDI not the dealer/salesman. The dealer walks you through the operation of everything, but it is the responsibility of a prudent buyer to careful operate and inspect all systems prior to accepting the unit. A thorough inspection includes filling the tank with water and operating all water systems. On my list this is one of the most important checks because I want to make sure nothing leaks prior to me accepting and signing the paperwork.

Yes, so true, our PDI on current 5er lasted 2 hours. It was a great day for a PDI rainy and cool.

[BillB800si]

meharms wrote:
I bought a 2014 Dutchmen Denali 3371BH Trail Edition. STUFF CUT:
Many of the problems were the norm. We expected a few bugs. Not a whole colony of them. I have to give Dutchmen a thumbs down. Many people don't have problems, but we sure got their portion of them. Last time we buy Dutchmen.

=======================================

And that was one of the reasons we didn't buy a 2014 Denali 287RE.
Hope all works out to your satisfaction.

[bigcitypopo]

davosfam wrote:
We just purchased a Keystone Cougar and this thread is scaring me a little bit. It is our first new RV purchase. I've read enough on here that I know there will be issues within the first year. I feel confident in the dealer we purchased from and I think that will make a world of difference when we need to have warranty work done.

Dave... As with any company there are people who are happy and people who are not... sometimes things are screwed up... These threads become a rant vest. I've had two keystone rigs, different lines, different styles. Both of mine have been flawless. I maintain my stuff. I keep track of things that are likely to give me problems and I do what I can to prevent or better the product.

There are many products that go into your rig. Know the manufacturers. Read the manuals. Build a good relationship with the dealer..

Enjoy.

[meharms]

I bought a 2014 Dutchmen Denali 3371BH Trail Edition. Dutchmen also being a Thor Industries product. We were so excited about getting a new larger TT. Our trade in was a 2008 Jayco Jayflight 31' BH with one slide. Good camper. Just needed a bigger one with 3 kids. On 6/23/2014 we traded in the Jayco for the Denali. Couldn't wait to hit the road. The day we picked up our Denali, there were problems. First, the radio/DVD player wouldn't work. Dealer had to replace it right there. One of the pieces of rubber trim on the slideout fell off. Then, when we went to hook up to our truck and leave, the power jack would not work. Dealer replaced it there. We live approximately 15 miles away. When we got home, we discovered in our short trip, the bunkroom doorframe came apart, the valance over the door fell half off and the shower surround popped out at the bottom. We sucked it up and said there will be problems. Unfortunately, there was too many to come. When we hooked it up at the house, we discovered that the air conditioning in the front part of the trailer didn't work. Upon investigation, we found that the duct feeding the front part was completely blocked off during installation. There was a plastic board over it. The rear duct was leaking also. The diffuser over the TV was broken. Easy enough fix. Then we found that, while making up the bunks, the bunk with storage cabinets underneath wasn't even affixed to the wall. There was a 1" gap and could see daylight through the bunk to the outdoor kitchen on the outer part of the trailer. Several pieces of trim also came down. When plugging in the fan in the main bedroom, the outlet fell out of the wall. One screw was all that was holding it in. After all of this, we did a MAJOR inspection. We found that all the outlets were installed crooked and many with only one screw. Light are all crooked. The trailer is satellite ready. Problem is, there is nowhere to install a receiver, except the floor. Had to rewire and install receiver in closet. In the main bedroom, we were going to hang our tv on the wall. The designated area for the mount was wrong. In order to hang it up in the spot the manufacturer says, then we could not shut the bathroom pocket door. The mounting screws were too long. So, we used shorter screws, which are not very secure. RV walls aren't very thick and you don't have much to work with. After we thought we had everything back in order, we hit the road. We traveled 300 miles total. Within that 300 miles, the passenger side fender blew off at some point and the back panel on the kitchen island fell off. Never had a screw or nail in it. Two flimsy staples. It was only loaded with a few cleaning supplies and paper towels. After we used for 2 nights, we found that we couldn't keep the trailer very cool. The A/C is not powerful enough. And we cannot use the A/C and electric waterheater at the same time. We started to wonder if we were cursed. I am not bias or favor any particular brand, but, Dutchmen has been a nightmare. My old Jayco and Airstream had only minimal problems. Those complaints were within 6 days of owning the Denali. There are design flaws also. Like the entertainment center shelves are approximately 1/2" too short to store dvd's straight. They all have to be turned sideways. The bottom shelf under the bathroom sink was blocked off. Not sure why. We removed the board and the water lines were in the corner and that was all. No need to block off extra storage. And the light switch/slideout panel is around the corner from the front door. No switch next to the door. The thermostat is cheap. Many of the problems were the norm. We expected a few bugs. Not a whole colony of them. I have to give Dutchmen a thumbs down. Many people don't have problems, but we sure got their portion of them. Last time we buy Dutchmen.

[GaryWT]

I feel it is a poor dealer. The dealer should be talking to Keystone and fighting for you, mine does. I am sorry you are having issues but get after the dealer and make them work for you.

[bfast54]

For the original poster sorry you are having problems with your rig things do happen.......... however I may ask a question here??


When you first started having problems and contacted your dealer ,and keystone so many times .......did you walk in with a box of donuts or bag of Flaming......S@#=%#@......????????


Strange as it may sound if you went in there hot under the collar ..... they may choose to ignore you right from the very beginning...........Your attitude can set their attitude .......it's not right .....but that's the way it is....;)