Quality with Thor Products vs Loving the Floorplan?

[retiredrn]

We own an 2011 Dutchmen Aerolite and love it until the roof had a leak this summer but we failed to get on the roof (to big a fall risk for us) or have our dealer check it out for a year and a half.

I got scared when I saw a Facebook page that warned people of the quality of any trailer made by Thor Industries which the Aerolite and Cougar are made.
There are claims about warranty work not being honored to poor customer service.
I searching for our next trailer we really liked the Cougar's floorplan but gun shy now.
I am wondering how many people out there do not have issues with these trailers?

[myredracer]

Friends of ours have a Keystone Cougar 1.5 yrs old. Absolutely terrible workmanship on cabinetry, dinette seating, etc. Worst I've seen. Spent 2 days while camping with them redoing hinges & catches, re-aligning drawers and repairing the dinette seating that was falling apart. Should never leave a factory like that. One of their wardrobe doors kept opening and it's because the roller catch pieces were installed about an inch apart as in the photo below.

Saw the exact same model at an RV show and you couldn't even close the upper cabinets they were so wonky. You'd think at a show with thousands of people walking through the dealer would have fixed it.

I think it is the particular factory that makes a difference, not Thor, at least as far as workmanship goes. A dealer told me that Thor likes to have RVs built with more bling type features to attract buyer's attention.

KZ was bought out by Thor last year. No obvious changes I can see except that their website has had a total makeover. Don't like the new one much...

[rbpru]

Think about it, almost all TT are built from the same materials in the same way, the bulk of which are built in the same area. (Elkhart Indiana) They all use the same labor pool, the same build building techniques, they copy each other floor plans and innovations and many of the managers worked their way up through several other different companies.

In the economic crash, many companies were merged, Thor and Forest River becoming two of the biggest players. Since all the RV manufacturers build to the same price targets, you will find the same features in similarly prices models. One may boast of metal stud vs. wood studs, this that or the other type of laminate construction, or one roofing technique over another etc. But in the end, THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET. They all have their issues.

The RV Industry builds 300,000 plus units a year as fast and as inexpensive as they can. Some are going to have problems. They all would like to build half as many at three times the price; but the market will not pay that.

In answer to the OP, I would go with the floor plan I want and a dealer I trust.

[Dream_Girl]

What you really need is a good RV dealer to support your make/model.

I got a Jayco (a good brand if you ask me), and my Jayco RV dealer in my neighborhood has jump through hoops on fire to make sure all my warranty issues has been solved to my satisfaction.

More the one time the owner of that RV dealer has approach me in person and ask what else can he do for me, and keep asking me to not hold back my worries or complaints.

Last week my salesman call me to make sure I didn't forget to winterize the RV, and reminded me that they are having free winterization seminars on Saturdays + coffee and doughnuts.
They also supplied a color printed step by step winterization instructions that are specific to my model/unit - so I will not screw it up.

IMO, a good RV dealer that fully backup and support the brand he sell is the KEY.

[JimNH]

OK, I learned i am not buying a Dutchmen...

[B_O__Plenty]

minnow wrote:
To the OP; Cougar is not a Thor product. Cougar's are made by Keystone.

And Keystone is owned by Thor, even though like many others, it operates as a separate company..

B.O.

[Gdetrailer]

retiredrn wrote:
Thank you everyone for the advice. In one way it's a little clearer but then again confusing.

Shouldn't be confusing if you take "opinions" with a grain of salt.

In a nut shell, every manufacturer turns out a lemon or two, there is no "perfect" trailer or manufacturer.

You however do need to do maintenance.. Roof maintenance is KEY to keeping your RV as dry as possible. you really need to find a good trustworthy person who can do roof maintenance. Needs checked once a year and caulking needs repaired when cracks are found.. Otherwise you will simply end up with another rotted trailer..

[retiredrn]

Thank you everyone for the advice. In one way it's a little clearer but then again confusing.

[campincandice]

minnow wrote:
To the OP; Cougar is not a Thor product. Cougar's are made by Keystone.

And Keystone is now owned by Thor...

[minnow]

To the OP; Cougar is not a Thor product. Cougar's are made by Keystone.

[Gdetrailer]

retiredrn wrote:
We own an 2011 Dutchmen Aerolite and love it until the roof had a leak this summer but we failed to get on the roof (to big a fall risk for us) or have our dealer check it out for a year and a half.

I got scared when I saw a Facebook page that warned people of the quality of any trailer made by Thor Industries which the Aerolite and Cougar are made.
There are claims about warranty work not being honored to poor customer service.
I searching for our next trailer we really liked the Cougar's floorplan but gun shy now.
I am wondering how many people out there do not have issues with these trailers?

EVERY manufacturer over the years have "earned" a "black eye" or two..

I chalk it up to sort of being like "Ford VS Chevy VS Ram" or Tire "brand VS tire Brand" or "ST vs LT" type debates..

Each PERSON has their own ideas as to what "quality" is on top of that..

Pretty much it comes down to OPINIONS..

The ONLY opinion that counts to YOU is YOUR OWN.

YOU have to make up your own mind, not let others influence your decision..

Each and every RV that comes off the line no matter what the manufacturer brand is WILL have SOMETHING either not right or will need some fixing.. It is the nature of the beast.

Go and look at the RVs for yourself, personal touch, feel and eyeball the trailers you like then decide from there..

Don't let a bunch of opinions get in your way, many folks come to forums to VENT.. Many MORE owners that are happy with Brand X or Y NEVER EVER come to the forums.

[CT51]

I've had several Thor products, and several Forrest River products. In my opinion, they are about the same. Every RV I have ever owned had some really dumb mistakes in it's manufacture. Most I easily fixed, but I'm handy. If you aren't comfortable caulking, reinforcing, packing bearing etc, then RV ownership can be very stressful. I've had 13 RV's in my lifetime, and have never had one back in a dealership for repairs. It's my experience the dealer will not fix a problem as well as I can, and will cause some other damage while attempting repairs.

I live in a large city, and there are several respected mobile RV repair individuals. If I were not comfortable making repairs, I would establish a relationship with one of these folks. Sealing roofs must be checked and done properly yearly if your RV is parked outdoors. This could be done by one of these guys in one day, vs leaving it at a dealer for weeks and then having the trainee give it a shot. Same for wheel bearings, unsupported shower floors, plumbing leaks etc.

You didn't mention any other problems with your Thor other than the roof leak, which could happen to any trailer. I would advise buying the trailer you like, and finding someone you trust to check the roof when you take delivery, and yearly thereafter.

[Bionic_Man]

3oaks wrote:

B.O. Plenty wrote:
Thor is a holding company for many RV companies ie: Heartland, DRV, Airstream, Dutchman, Keystone and others. They don't have a lot of actual involvement in building the RVs other than to provide financial backing...Like any product, the brand you chose is a "you get what you pay for" type of thing.

B.O.

I disagree with "...Like any product, the brand you chose is a "you get what you pay for" type of thing."

Many times purchasers do not get what they pay for.

That said, purchasers must understand any type and brand of RV is a high maintenance item which is the responsibility of the owner.

There is a significant difference between high maintenance and poor build quality.

On my Dutchman, I had the welds that connect the axles shackles to the frame break. Twice. Had the aluminum siding blow off the side of the trailer because it was improperly secured. Twice. Had to replace a window that shouldn't have passed QC, learned it was improperly installed causing a leak, then had to wait 2 months for Dutchman to send a replacement.

That doesn't talk about the floor beneath the shower that had to be reinforced because there was a secontion that had no support underneath it, or the furnace that had to be rewired because the original wiring had a nail through it and shorted out. I could go on....

High maintenance and poor build quality are two different things.

[3oaks]

B.O. Plenty wrote:
Thor is a holding company for many RV companies ie: Heartland, DRV, Airstream, Dutchman, Keystone and others. They don't have a lot of actual involvement in building the RVs other than to provide financial backing...Like any product, the brand you chose is a "you get what you pay for" type of thing.

B.O.

I disagree with "...Like any product, the brand you chose is a "you get what you pay for" type of thing."

Many times purchasers do not get what they pay for.

That said, purchasers must understand any type and brand of RV is a high maintenance item which is the responsibility of the owner.

[B_O__Plenty]

Thor is a holding company for many RV companies ie: Heartland, DRV, Airstream, Dutchman, Keystone and others. They don't have a lot of actual involvement in building the RVs other than to provide financial backing...Like any product, the brand you chose is a "you get what you pay for" type of thing.

B.O.