โJan-16-2015 06:25 AM
โJan-24-2015 07:53 AM
"Escapees RV Advocacy Coalition"
We aim to alert RVers to potential problems, organize grassroots campaigns when necessary, and, when possible, push for solutions before detrimental laws are instituted.
Escapees has the top reputation for standing up for RVersโ rights! Over the past 35 years Escapees has fought to uphold RVers most fundamental rights (including the right to vote!) and has helped defeat unfair RV-specfic taxes.
Stay informed through Escapees Advocacy E-News, a critical alert hotline for legislative and advocacy issues affecting RVers.
โJan-24-2015 06:03 AM
mark1228 wrote:4X4Dodger wrote:Coach-man wrote:
First, government is not your friend! If they get to involved, they will be telling you what to buy, and/or price RV's out of the reach of most people. Magazines get revenue from two sources, advertisers and subscribers. If you subscribe and do not like what they are publishing, letter to the editor followed by canceling your subscription will get the message accross. Knowledge YOU get will help you avoid problem manufacturers, if problem manufacturers do not start putting out quality products they will go out of business. It comes down to us as individuals to take the responsibility to do our dilegiance and educate ourselves before we buy. That should keep most honest!
As the OP I did not suggest getting the government involved...I suggested a group to REPRESENT THE INTERESTS of RV owners and buyers TO government.
However more to your argument: The government has been involved in regulating the automobile almost since it's inception.
It is thanks to the government that we have seatbelts, airbags, anti lock brakes and many more improvements that are universally recognized to save lives...
And last I looked there was no government agent outside the car dealerships telling me which car I could or could not buy..
An organization that represents a group's interest is called an Association. Why don't you start one for RV owners?
โJan-24-2015 05:46 AM
kcmoedoe wrote:4X4Dodger wrote:Actually, they do tell you what you can and cannot buy. You can't, for example, import a foreign made auto that has not been safety certified (crash tested). The government imposes Gas Guzzler taxes on certain vehicles. The impose fleet mileage requirements on manufacturers. They place stiff tariffs on imported trucks. All that affects what cars and trucks you can and cannot buy. RVing is an outlier when it comes to personal transportation. It would be awfully easy for a bureaucrat to decide that no one really needs a 45 foot pusher designed for two people that gets 6 miles per gallon and then implement a taxation policy that makes them even more unaffordable than they are now, all in the best interests of the country. Does anyone really think that bringing the industry further under government oversight would really be good for the industry?Coach-man wrote:
First, government is not your friend! If they get to involved, they will be telling you what to buy, and/or price RV's out of the reach of most people. Magazines get revenue from two sources, advertisers and subscribers. If you subscribe and do not like what they are publishing, letter to the editor followed by canceling your subscription will get the message accross. Knowledge YOU get will help you avoid problem manufacturers, if problem manufacturers do not start putting out quality products they will go out of business. It comes down to us as individuals to take the responsibility to do our dilegiance and educate ourselves before we buy. That should keep most honest!
As the OP I did not suggest getting the government involved...I suggested a group to REPRESENT THE INTERESTS of RV owners and buyers TO government.
However more to your argument: The government has been involved in regulating the automobile almost since it's inception.
It is thanks to the government that we have seatbelts, airbags, anti lock brakes and many more improvements that are universally recognized to save lives...
And last I looked there was no government agent outside the car dealerships telling me which car I could or could not buy..
โJan-24-2015 05:04 AM
โJan-23-2015 05:58 PM
4X4Dodger wrote:Coach-man wrote:
First, government is not your friend! If they get to involved, they will be telling you what to buy, and/or price RV's out of the reach of most people. Magazines get revenue from two sources, advertisers and subscribers. If you subscribe and do not like what they are publishing, letter to the editor followed by canceling your subscription will get the message accross. Knowledge YOU get will help you avoid problem manufacturers, if problem manufacturers do not start putting out quality products they will go out of business. It comes down to us as individuals to take the responsibility to do our dilegiance and educate ourselves before we buy. That should keep most honest!
As the OP I did not suggest getting the government involved...I suggested a group to REPRESENT THE INTERESTS of RV owners and buyers TO government.
However more to your argument: The government has been involved in regulating the automobile almost since it's inception.
It is thanks to the government that we have seatbelts, airbags, anti lock brakes and many more improvements that are universally recognized to save lives...
And last I looked there was no government agent outside the car dealerships telling me which car I could or could not buy..
โJan-23-2015 04:08 PM
4X4Dodger wrote:Actually, they do tell you what you can and cannot buy. You can't, for example, import a foreign made auto that has not been safety certified (crash tested). The government imposes Gas Guzzler taxes on certain vehicles. The impose fleet mileage requirements on manufacturers. They place stiff tariffs on imported trucks. All that affects what cars and trucks you can and cannot buy. RVing is an outlier when it comes to personal transportation. It would be awfully easy for a bureaucrat to decide that no one really needs a 45 foot pusher designed for two people that gets 6 miles per gallon and then implement a taxation policy that makes them even more unaffordable than they are now, all in the best interests of the country. Does anyone really think that bringing the industry further under government oversight would really be good for the industry?Coach-man wrote:
First, government is not your friend! If they get to involved, they will be telling you what to buy, and/or price RV's out of the reach of most people. Magazines get revenue from two sources, advertisers and subscribers. If you subscribe and do not like what they are publishing, letter to the editor followed by canceling your subscription will get the message accross. Knowledge YOU get will help you avoid problem manufacturers, if problem manufacturers do not start putting out quality products they will go out of business. It comes down to us as individuals to take the responsibility to do our dilegiance and educate ourselves before we buy. That should keep most honest!
As the OP I did not suggest getting the government involved...I suggested a group to REPRESENT THE INTERESTS of RV owners and buyers TO government.
However more to your argument: The government has been involved in regulating the automobile almost since it's inception.
It is thanks to the government that we have seatbelts, airbags, anti lock brakes and many more improvements that are universally recognized to save lives...
And last I looked there was no government agent outside the car dealerships telling me which car I could or could not buy..
โJan-23-2015 03:53 PM
Coach-man wrote:
First, government is not your friend! If they get to involved, they will be telling you what to buy, and/or price RV's out of the reach of most people. Magazines get revenue from two sources, advertisers and subscribers. If you subscribe and do not like what they are publishing, letter to the editor followed by canceling your subscription will get the message accross. Knowledge YOU get will help you avoid problem manufacturers, if problem manufacturers do not start putting out quality products they will go out of business. It comes down to us as individuals to take the responsibility to do our dilegiance and educate ourselves before we buy. That should keep most honest!
โJan-23-2015 07:39 AM
โJan-23-2015 05:53 AM
โJan-23-2015 04:27 AM
โJan-22-2015 03:23 PM
4X4Dodger wrote:. These are very good points. Maybe a way to accomplish this is a section of this fourm called RV Reviews would be needed where owners could post this data along with problems they are having with their units. Mpg, 40-60mph times, wts, handling,etc are not easily found on the mfg web sites. This info is even harder to find on used units.rv_russ wrote:
"It is a Call to the RV PRESS to step forward and become more like the Automotive press and Criticize bad quality, design and questionable products when they see them...ie Take More responsibility."
Having freelanced in the RV media for years, and written for Motorhome, Trailer Life, FMCA, and plenty of regionals, I can say, sure, there's plenty of financial incentive not to "bad mouth," the advertiser. But as others have commented, it's difficult to get a handle on poor quality -- other than really obvious poor quality -- until some time of bouncing down the road with your unit. Yes, I hear complaints about this rig or that, but oftentimes, the problem is again, subjective, not objective.
If you pick up a copy of Consumer Reports that goes back and evaluates autos from a historical perspective, they base their ratings on a wealth of (hopefully) quantified data, something you can sink your teeth into. If the press had that intestinal fortitude to report on the no-goodnicks, they'd still need to have solid facts to work from.
The poster who suggested a genuine, ongoing survey, may be on to something. But then, there'd need to be an independent, non-advertiser-driven medium to put out the information. Consumer Reports appeals to a wide audience, is the niche market of RVers enough to really financially support something like it? Since I'm on the editorial side, rather than the dollars and cents, I couldn't comment. Wish there really was a clear-cut answer to this ages old, and frustrating issue.
You make some good points.
But bad quality is not hard to spot. For instance if the magazine took an editorial stand that every trailer should be equipped with a minimum of Shock Absorbers, an enclosed underbody,and a battery of sufficient size,(these are just examples) Then everytime they did a test on a new product that didnt come up to those simple standards they would call them on it and ask the factory for a comment to be included in the test...Watch how fast then these items would make it into the next production run.
And of course there are many other issues of quality but IMO they are pretty easy to spot.
And how about a series of articles on the build quality of some of the major brands? With factory tours and photos? It would give the quality builders a boost and would encourage the others to step up.
What about some real world testing of stopping distances, real weight vs factory weight, etc etc. These are all things the RV press could start doing immediately in their product tests and accompanying articles. But I believe they live in fear. And they need a push from the RV'ing public to get them to step up and do some real testing and real reviews.
โJan-22-2015 01:33 PM
rv_russ wrote:
"It is a Call to the RV PRESS to step forward and become more like the Automotive press and Criticize bad quality, design and questionable products when they see them...ie Take More responsibility."
Having freelanced in the RV media for years, and written for Motorhome, Trailer Life, FMCA, and plenty of regionals, I can say, sure, there's plenty of financial incentive not to "bad mouth," the advertiser. But as others have commented, it's difficult to get a handle on poor quality -- other than really obvious poor quality -- until some time of bouncing down the road with your unit. Yes, I hear complaints about this rig or that, but oftentimes, the problem is again, subjective, not objective.
If you pick up a copy of Consumer Reports that goes back and evaluates autos from a historical perspective, they base their ratings on a wealth of (hopefully) quantified data, something you can sink your teeth into. If the press had that intestinal fortitude to report on the no-goodnicks, they'd still need to have solid facts to work from.
The poster who suggested a genuine, ongoing survey, may be on to something. But then, there'd need to be an independent, non-advertiser-driven medium to put out the information. Consumer Reports appeals to a wide audience, is the niche market of RVers enough to really financially support something like it? Since I'm on the editorial side, rather than the dollars and cents, I couldn't comment. Wish there really was a clear-cut answer to this ages old, and frustrating issue.
โJan-22-2015 01:17 PM
2012Coleman wrote:Please do not presume to know what my logic is. It is really simple. Take responsibility for your actions and do not place that responsibility in someone else's hands. Use the fact that you are paying for the commodity to put the Responsibility back on the manufacture. If you do not have the ability to correctly access the good and bad in your purchase then take someone with you that does and listen to them. The RV industry produces what the RV buyers are willing to buy.Gee - isn't that the root of the problem? So if you have an RV then your part of the problem - right? The rest of that quote makes absolutly no sense in the context of the original post.
Everybody on this board wants a quality product to do what they love to do, but the blowback the OP is getting says lay down and take it!
:H
โJan-22-2015 08:22 AM