Objective Quality Reports for RVs

[TucsonJim]

Does anyone know of a website that provides objective ratings, comments and feedback on recreational vehicles of all types that is available to consumers?

When shopping for a new RV, it would be very refreshing to see honest quality comparisons between various brands and manufacturers.

I've done some searches, but everything I can find appears to be sponsored by manufacturers and biased.

Thanks,

Jim

[Homer1]

Of course you are joking. Most of those workers are unskilled and new hires. They are driven like animals to get the procuct out the door. There is no real quality control in most RV manufactures. I have toured many of them and it is an eye opener. Some the inside work area resembles a tornado stricken community. Wires all over the place wood, screws,pipes you name it all over the floor. Quality control consist of a person walking around with a clipboard, but has no authority to stop the line. Other plants are just fine, well run, and orgainized. Still the emphasis is getting it out the door. You need to take a few tours to see for your self, some will not allow tours, obvious reasons.

[Homer1]

westend wrote:

jonrjen wrote:
Good point on the assembly line. When we were looking at the Rushmore line of trailers we had also planned on looking at the Redwood product. One of the salesmen we talked to on the Rushmore told us that the Rushmore and Redwood 5th wheels were assembled on the same production line side by side. One lane did Rushmore and one lane did Redwood, but the same people assembled both using the same parts inventory with exception of cabinets and hardware fixtures.
After looking into the quality of a few different Rushmore trailers and reading the owners forum it was enough to scare me away from the Rushmore. And with the given knowledge of both brands being assembled on the same production line we never further considered the Redwood brand.
Now I'm not saying that ever one of these trailers to come off of the line were or would be bad, but the percentage didn't look favorable to me.

I guess in truth it is more of a crap-shoot as to what your individual unit may be in the way of quality control. It would be a matter of was the assembly worker having a bad day, as we all have from time to time.

Maybe of more importance is does the company have a good reputation for service after the sale? Do they back up their warranty? And how helpful will your selling dealer assist you along the way?

I'm thinking that the assembly worker having a bad day and therefore affecting build quality is an urban myth. No Mfg. would put up with that type of behavior.
Also, nearly all have quality control and that will turn up any glaring mistakes. If anything, poor management or lack of quality control is to blame for fit and finish. Anything beyond assembly line problems should be laid at the feet of engineering or production management.

[TechWriter]

TucsonJim wrote:
Does anyone know of a website that provides objective ratings, comments and feedback on recreational vehicles of all types that is available to consumers?

Maybe not what you had in mind, but I used the NHTSA recall database when I started looking for an RV.

While pretty much every RV manufacturer has had to recall one or more vehicles, I found a couple of manufacturers who seemed to be doing the same dumb stuff over and over again for years. I eliminated these manufacturers from my consideration.

Another source are YAHOO groups and the like that are brand specific. Owners in these groups tend to be more candid than the comments you find on forums like this.

[mlts22]

Overall, the quality I've found in all but class "B" rigs and custom built trailers has been fairly disappointing. In most rigs, I would not ever plug in a 1500 watt electric heater just because the wiring in an RV is not even near a residential code. In fact, most RV types, they have an "expiration date" stamped on them because of how the roof is made. One small crack in a caulk seam, and that $100,000 rig is now worth scrap value.

If I were buying a RV, there would be one overarching qualification: Would this be a rig built well enough that it could be passed onto the next generation in camp-ready condition without a major rebuild? (Rebuild as in replacing appliances like water pumps is one thing, having to rip and replace all furniture and wood is another.) Looking at things from this angle, one is going to pay a lot more than for an "entry level" rig. However, the RV will always be ready to go when needed in the future. I learned the hard way that a high price of a high quality rig hurts once, but cheap stuff hurts constantly.

Were I buying a TT, I'd be probably getting with either Livin' Lite and buying one of their models (no wood to rot), or going with a local aluminum cargo trailer maker and having it done right from the ground up, with no wood construction... so water intrusion would mean a mop or paper towel, not a new RV loan.

Motorhomes are different. "B"s tend to be high quality/high priced, and "C"s can range from one piece fiberglass shells like Coach House's offerings to wooden boxes. "A"s have a wide range as well, from stick and tin tossed on a Ford frame to mansions on tag axles.

[westend]

jonrjen wrote:
Good point on the assembly line. When we were looking at the Rushmore line of trailers we had also planned on looking at the Redwood product. One of the salesmen we talked to on the Rushmore told us that the Rushmore and Redwood 5th wheels were assembled on the same production line side by side. One lane did Rushmore and one lane did Redwood, but the same people assembled both using the same parts inventory with exception of cabinets and hardware fixtures.
After looking into the quality of a few different Rushmore trailers and reading the owners forum it was enough to scare me away from the Rushmore. And with the given knowledge of both brands being assembled on the same production line we never further considered the Redwood brand.
Now I'm not saying that ever one of these trailers to come off of the line were or would be bad, but the percentage didn't look favorable to me.

I guess in truth it is more of a crap-shoot as to what your individual unit may be in the way of quality control. It would be a matter of was the assembly worker having a bad day, as we all have from time to time.

Maybe of more importance is does the company have a good reputation for service after the sale? Do they back up their warranty? And how helpful will your selling dealer assist you along the way?

I'm thinking that the assembly worker having a bad day and therefore affecting build quality is an urban myth. No Mfg. would put up with that type of behavior.
Also, nearly all have quality control and that will turn up any glaring mistakes. If anything, poor management or lack of quality control is to blame for fit and finish. Anything beyond assembly line problems should be laid at the feet of engineering or production management.

[jonrjen]

Good point on the assembly line. When we were looking at the Rushmore line of trailers we had also planned on looking at the Redwood product. One of the salesmen we talked to on the Rushmore told us that the Rushmore and Redwood 5th wheels were assembled on the same production line side by side. One lane did Rushmore and one lane did Redwood, but the same people assembled both using the same parts inventory with exception of cabinets and hardware fixtures.
After looking into the quality of a few different Rushmore trailers and reading the owners forum it was enough to scare me away from the Rushmore. And with the given knowledge of both brands being assembled on the same production line we never further considered the Redwood brand.
Now I'm not saying that ever one of these trailers to come off of the line were or would be bad, but the percentage didn't look favorable to me.

I guess in truth it is more of a crap-shoot as to what your individual unit may be in the way of quality control. It would be a matter of was the assembly worker having a bad day, as we all have from time to time.

Maybe of more importance is does the company have a good reputation for service after the sale? Do they back up their warranty? And how helpful will your selling dealer assist you along the way?

[ncrowley]

I used the RV consumer group and I found the information very useful. I used their information with information from other sources, such as this group, an independent RV consultant and looking at a lot of RVs.

[Ron3rd]

TucsonJim wrote:
Does anyone know of a website that provides objective ratings, comments and feedback on recreational vehicles of all types that is available to consumers?

When shopping for a new RV, it would be very refreshing to see honest quality comparisons between various brands and manufacturers.

I've done some searches, but everything I can find appears to be sponsored by manufacturers and biased.

Thanks,

Jim

Jim,
The report you're looking for does not exist. The problem with RV mfgs is "inconsistency". 2 rigs can come off the same line and one will be flawless and one will have problems. The best you can hope for IMO is to buy from a reputable mfg with good customer support. Jayco and Forest River products are in that category IMO but both with produce a lemon now and then. We went with Forest River for our new Rockwood Windjammer and are really impressed with the attention to detail. This rig is a bit "higher end" then their cheaper lines so I can comment on their less expensive rigs. Both companies have user forums. FR's is FROG for Forest River User Group and that site has a lot of good, specific info.

[Free_Range_Huma]

Homer wrote:
...visit as many RV factories as possible. Indiana is one very good start. I did and absolutely eliminated several brands from my list for their shoddy and unorganized manufacturing facility.

Care to list them? 🙂 We can't afford to travel to Indiana at the moment.

If you don't want to do it in the forum, could you PM me with your opinions and observations?

[eightyeightkeys]

Homer wrote:
.....visit as many RV factories as possible.....I did and absolutely eliminated several brands from my list....

Care to share which companies are on your list ?

[2012Coleman]

One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of people who are happy and pleased to not post as such. Those whos expectations have not been meant or have experienced problems will voice their displeasure loud, clear and as often as they can find a audience to listen.

This point can be proven right on this web site. One only has to read the Dear Marcus forums to see that satisfied customers don't post about their happy experience.

My position requires doing research so I know how it's done. I put in a lot of effort when buying my first TT. As stated, I used this service near the end when we had narrowed the list down to a few and was very dissapointed. Of course this my personal opinion, but this is what you get from here - others opinions, which may or may not help you form your own.

Luckily, we have a lot of different RV outlets in my area and We went to them all. So I knew what brands had the crappy fit and finish, and all the other points one looks for when making this type of purchase.

While I wish there was a consumer reports style service for RV's, there isn't one.

[Homer1]

A lot of people will not admit they bought a "dog" for an RV. They never admit thier make is way short of good. One thing I do (recommend), visit as many RV factories as possible. Indiana is one very good start. I did and absolutely eliminated several brands from my list for their shoddy and unorganized manufacturing facility. They obviously could care less about the end user and it's out the door and to the dealer. Look around their storage lot is the in- process just setting out in the weather, are axels rusted, tires flat, frames rusted and stacked askewed. You will learn a lot quick and have fun doing it.

[jonrjen]

Problem I have seen at RV Shows is that they are packed so close together your limited to viewing the interior and front side of the RV only. And there are usually so many people that sometimes it is difficult to get a real good look at details.

However, they are a great place to find many different manufactures in one place and view a lot of different floor plans, saving time and fuel in the long run.

[PAThwacker]

If you go to a RV show you can see glaring examples of shoddy trailers from all of the mfg.