First hand Palomino/Forest River TC opinions?

[Mike008]

I've got some specific criteria I'm looking for in a TC, the Palomino Backpack 6601 seems like a good fit for my needs. There really aren't a lot of reviews of Palomino out there, but the sheer number of poor reviews of Forest River quality and customer service is scary. I'm aware Palomino is a company owned by Forest River. I would like to hear from someone who actually owns one of the newer 2010+ Forest River Palomino TC's. I know it's not a Cadillac and not the priciest TC, but I don't want something that will leak and fall apart in 2 years.

Mike.

[mkirsch]

That doesn't sound right. It's an east-west bed so they would've had to widen the ENTIRE camper to accommodate an 80" mattress, if it were limited to 74" previously.

Odds are you probably won't find a used 6601 for sale, in acceptable condition, at a price you can agree with, within a distance you're willing to drive, but I bet that if it doesn't have a full queen size mattress, it can accommodate one.

[Mike008]

I'm driving 160 miles to actually see a 6601 on Saturday. That's the closest one I could find. I will at least get a feel for the build quality. Unfortunately buying used is not going to be an option for me. From 2015 and back the bed is only 74". It's 80" in the 2016 model. I'm 6'5 so a 74" bed is not going to be an option. 😞

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Mike008 wrote:
And a lot of the complaints claim FR won't return phone calls about these issues.

The one thing I've learned about buying a new RV: First - it's all about the dealer. Second - it might be about your "approach"? A good dealer handles the problems that arise (but being polite, respectful, and concise when dealing with the dealer certainly help!) RVs as a whole are a crazy conglomeration of parts made by other companies with various warranties. We're probably lucky, as TCers, that we aren't dealing with as many of those, as the folks who have rolling RVs? But some folks will assume that because Forest River or any other brand is the badge their RV wears - they are the source of all warranties and repairs, kind of like a car company. And that's not the case with most RVs. I say "most" because I'll bet if you buy a million-dollar Class A coach, they WILL handle any and all problems 😉

So going back to buying a used camper: take the time to thoroughly search all the nooks and crannies for signs of problems. Someone who is selling a good camper won't mind you poking around. Bring a headlamp to see into the dark corners. Even if you find something that makes you go "hmmmm" - is it something you can fix? And ALWAYS be suspicious of a big gob of caulk on the outside, because there's going to be a problem behind it on the inside.

[Mike008]

Deb and Ed M wrote:
You have to remember that any forum devoted to angry customers is going to appear "scary". Obviously the majority of people posting there are unhappy

I get that. You can find complaints/problems on the internet about any product or company. I just don't typically see it on such a large scale. And a lot of the complaints claim FR won't return phone calls about these issues.

[mkirsch]

Oh no, not the tarp thing again...

There is constant debate about tarping your RV. Many people say that it is WORSE than leaving the RV exposed to the elements because it traps condensation up against the RV, and doesn't allow it to ever dry out. Some people will have done it and had "no problems."

Personally, I have never had any luck tarping anything with any sort of corners on it. No matter how tight you make the tarp, the wind will cause it to rub on the corners and wear through the tarp in short order. Not fun when you just spent $169 on an expensive canvas tarp.

[Driftwood132]

The other comments are right ,store the RV inside when not in use or throw a tarp over it. Check the seals every 6 months and recaulk as needed . I bought a used palomino pop up truck camper a few years ago , I liked it but I'm 6'6" tall and the bed was a little small for me .In 2014 I went with a friend to buy a new forest River class C ,to me it seemed like a nice RV . but they were not happy with it, was to small for them. They traded it for a 2015 Thor class A . The workmanship is not what it should be in the Thor. As for me I'll keep my 06 Travel Lite 800 SBX ,always have a tube of Dicor or Proflex ,tarp and hope for the best.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Mike008 wrote:


I would hope so. I just hold some reservations about Forest River build quality after stumbling on this site: http://forest-river.pissedconsumer.com/

You have to remember that any forum devoted to angry customers is going to appear "scary". Obviously the majority of people posting there are unhappy - the folks who have NO problems aren't looking for a place to vent. Back to my problem-free motorhome - it was a Gulf Stream. LOTS of people on the RV.net site would spit venom about that company, too....LOL!

While the high-priced campers probably need less maintenance due to quality manufacturing; it's not to say you can't have years of trouble-free camping with a lesser brand.

[Mike008]

Deb and Ed M wrote:

In your case, if you start with a sound camper, it should surely stay that way?

I would hope so. I just hold some reservations about Forest River build quality after stumbling on this site: http://forest-river.pissedconsumer.com/

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Mike008 wrote:
I'm not too worried about issues with the appliances or trim. I'm more concerned about structural issues and leaks. I'm going to store whatever I end up with under a carport and will probably only use it a day or 2 at a time a few times a year.

Mike.

Our motorhome had always been stored indoors - and when we sold it 10 years after we bought it - it looked like new. If I was going to buy a used RV, I'd rather have someone's "baby" that was stored inside, than an expensive RV that had spent its life exposed to harsh weather.

You should be able to view all the tiedown points from the inside; and maybe the leg/jack connections? In the case of my camper, the curbside rear tiedown (located in the LP gas compartment) looked like it had been wet a few times - NOT rotted, but the wood was "wavy", so I added a steel reinforcing plate to the inside, just in case.

In your case, if you start with a sound camper, it should surely stay that way?

[mkirsch]

That's exactly how I use mine. This year I spent exactly NINE nights in my camper. I can't justify spending $20,000 or more for what little use I get out of the camper.

[Mike008]

I'm not too worried about issues with the appliances or trim. I'm more concerned about structural issues and leaks. I'm going to store whatever I end up with under a carport and will probably only use it a day or 2 at a time a few times a year.

Mike.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

As someone who bought a new entry-level Class C for $4495.00 and had 10 years of problem-free fun with it; and now owns a 20-yr-old Palomino Bronco 1200.... as long as you do regular checks and a bit of maintenance, the less-expensive brands certainly don't scare me.

[RWDIII]

I have a 2015 Popup model.
its my second camper from Palomino
mKirsch and I are the only ones on the net that seem to like them.
I second every thing he says
It has good appliances but the QC leave something to be desired.If you don't mind taking care of the small jobs its OK,After my first desert trip had to seal a gap in the front.

[mkirsch]

While I can't comment on the 2010-up models, I can say that if I were in the market for a replacement for my 2000 model, I would probably look at another Palomino Backpack or Real-Lite.

Mine has served its purpose and doesn't seem to be deteriorating at all with use.

On the possibility of leaks, I can only suggest that you start out ahead of the leaks and stay ahead of them. Don't trust that your brand new camper came from the factory completely weather tight; even the expensive high-end campers aren't 100%. Go over every seam and protrusion with a fresh tube of Dicor when you get the camper home, closely inspect the caulk annually, and consider scraping and replacing every 2 years.