Very Strange.....or is it?

[egarant]

Hi All,

I purchased a new 2013 EC 950 in July....washing it this morning I noticed when I pushed up on the front fiberglass cap, under the bed (over the cab) there was about 1-1.5" of play. What I mean is the fiberglass is not attached to the bottom of the cab-over. This starts about 1 foot in from the front and sides.

Is this de-laminated or a flaw that I need to have corrected before the warranty runs out?

[U_F_O_]

There are hundreds of EC built over the years theirs 2 or 3 that i have ever heard about on the EC forum that had cap leaks. So the odds are petty slim, NoBODY builds a perfect camper, customer service is the big thing.

[billtex]

lincolnmatthews wrote:
they don't build to many of these campers so there seems to be a high % of them with problems IMO.

I have never seen any published numbers on annual production for RV's...but if I had to guess, I would say AMLRV (EC's parent Co.) is #2 behind Lance in the US for production/sales volume, and likely they are #1 in Canada.
As noted, there are issues with all brands. Very few with EC.

Bill

[lincolnmatthews]

Well here I was already this Spring to go buy an EC 995 but after reading this I don't know anymore. I know all TC's have problems now & then but this is a major problem, especially if its caused by a leak somewhere! like the fellow with the EC 1050. I don't know what to buy anymore, they don't build to many of these campers so there seems to be a high % of them with problems IMO.
As one member stated they had a "dust & temp " issue going on at the factory whats this all about? I guess at least living in Bellingham Wa I'm only about 3 hrs from Yakima. I guess I'm to paranoid about hassles with a new camper that maybe I should just fix my old Lance & forget about it. I guess the EC management reads these forum's from time to time maybe this will "rattle there cage" a bit!!

[dadwolf2]

Sounds great. Seems like a BIG step forward in the right direction. Keep us in the loop.

[CAJW]

Wow! What an odyssey to get to this point! Good for you on sticking to your guns and looks like EC is doing the right thing. You might ask (demand) that step by step photos be taken, (send along a disposable/cheap camera with the camper) to document the repair. If they are up front enough to admit there is a problem to fix, hopefully they'll document the repair so you'll have the confidence that they did indeed remove the front cap to repair it, if that's the route they go. Good luck with all of this, sounds like you're keeping your wits about you and hopefully you'll be able to smile when this is all over out enjoying your TC.

[kerry4951]

Hats off to AMLV. Thats all you can ask for. This action speaks volumes for their customer service. If you lived where I live having the TC gone for the first few months of the year would be no big deal. It was 0 degrees here this morning. Good luck.

[egarant]

UPDATE!!

Brad from AMLV called last week and proposed that that my camper be picked up from their closest dealer in Ventura, CA ( 2 hours north) so they can take it to Yakima, WA to do the repair work. The next time they will be delivering units to that dealer will be sometime in mid-February.

I've stressed to them that I want a moisture test done to see if that is the cause of the loss of adhesion. He assured me that if that was the cause, then the entire front cap would be removed. I have asked to speak to the assigned technician after their inspection to review their avenue of repair.

While it is in the shop they will address a few other items that need attention. I'll probably ask them to do a few upgrades in lieu of any travel reimbursement or the inability to use the camper during this time.

The 3 year structural warranty will start over on the delivery of the camper to me.

All in all, I am OK with this, I want the camper fixed in back on my truck ASAP. I only wish I could be closer so I could lay eyes on it when they inspect it.

[egarant]

RamTC wrote:
Lots of good info, but what are the terms of the EC warranty as to how it applies to your issue?

This repair would fall under the 3 year structural warranty of which I am only in 6 months.

[RamTC]

Lots of good info, but what are the terms of the EC warranty as to how it applies to your issue?

[kerry4951]

egarant wrote:


I see only two options:

1. Completely re-move/inspect/replace the front cap
2. Buy back the camper

I think #1 is your only viable option. But I also think the manufacturer should fit the bill to have the unit picked up and brought back to the factory where they could certainly repair it properly. We are not talking about a leaky water pipe or a loose fixture. This is a new TC with a structural problem,that could get worse over time. The repair should not be some cock and bull jury rig.
Its obvious that you probably wont find an RV dealer anywhere that would attempt to fix it the way the company is recommending anyway. They all know better.
The offer to pick up a unit and have it brought back to the factory for a proper repair at the expense of the manufacturer has happened before so don't give up hope just yet. You will have to stay persistent.

[egarant]

Rettrooper wrote:
Egarant,

First, I am sorry to hear of your issues with your new camper! I know how discouraging this can be with a new purchase! I am wondering what month your EC was built? I, after reading your post went out and looked at my 2013 EC 1160 to see if I have the same deflection in my front-end cap as you describe. I have some, but not to the extent that you describe. But, we too had a problem after our recent purchase with the grey-water plumbing leaking (running) out the bottom the unit. I took it to the factory in Yakima for the repair. The next day it was running out if the bottom of the camper AGAIN! I drove back to where I purchased the camper (Apache in Tacoma, Wa), mad as hell, and they had to tear out the whole grey water plumbing and re-plumb it! This is after the factory, "repaired it, at their facility!"

I highly recommend giving Brad Boyle at the Yakima plant another call and he'll do his best to help resolve the problem.

Here was our situation, we live in NH, bought our EC in Tacoma, Wa. (Highest Praises go out to Apache Campers in Tacoma). We hadn't even left the state to head back to NH when the problem occurred. It has been repaired to our satisfaction. Had some other minor issues and have dealt with my dealer(Kevin Baker) and Brad Boyle and have nothing but high praises for both.

I really hate to think that our rig would ever have to go back to the factory again...4800 miles one way! If we had a real problem, we'd reach out to Bill at Truck Camper Warehouse, we hear, he too is excellent.

It has been my experience that no matter what you spend on something like this, something is bound to creep up from time to time. Whatever the problem is on your rig, IT CAN BE RESOLVED!

We really love the quality of our EC 1160 and wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China.

Please keep us all posted on your situation, I, for one would like to see how your issue is resolved. Good luck, Mark

I have a date of 10/23/12 as a build date.

[shellbackcva59]

egarant wrote:

shellbackcva59 wrote:
I'd insist the manufacturer pick the unit up at the closest dealer to you, return it to the factory for repair, then ship it back to the same dealer. The methods mentioned from external screws to drilling and gluing from the inside may work, but that's not why you bought a "NEW" camper.

The BIG problem I have is even if I do bring the camper back to Yakima OR, they will fix it with the same method that they have suggested earlier. OR, they will fix it with the same method that they have suggested earlier. One that two experts said would not be the correct way to fix the problem. I feel that they are taking the shortcut fix, one that will cost the least and just get them through the remainder of the 3 year structural warranty.

What do you think their response will be when I bring it back in 3 years to re-address the problem?

I see only two options:

1. Completely re-move/inspect/replace the front cap
2. Buy back the camper

Like I mentioned earlier, I have a call into Brad to discuss.

I kinda went through a similar situation. I bought my camper used, though only 6 months old and had never been used. Had a structural problem which showed up on the trip home. Talked to the factory about it, letting on like I was the original owner. Anyhow I seemed to get a lot of excuses for the cause of the problem, none of which seemed logical to me. They wanted me to return it to a dealer for repair. Now I could have had the original purchaser just take it in for repairs as if he never sold it. But it was a 600 round trip to deliver it, and another 600 mile trip to pick it up. I bit the bullet and tore into the camper and fixed it right. Of course I had bought the camper at 40% discount below MSRP. Personally, I think if I was you, and had doubts if they were going to repair it properly, I'd like to be there for the repair to see that it is done right.
t's done right

[egarant]

shellbackcva59 wrote:
I'd insist the manufacturer pick the unit up at the closest dealer to you, return it to the factory for repair, then ship it back to the same dealer. The methods mentioned from external screws to drilling and gluing from the inside may work, but that's not why you bought a "NEW" camper.

The BIG problem I have is even if I do bring the camper back to Yakima OR, they will fix it with the same method that they have suggested earlier. One that two experts said would not be the correct way to fix the problem. I feel that they are taking the shortcut fix, one that will cost the least and just get them through the remainder of the 3 year structural warranty.

What do you think their response will be when I bring it back in 3 years to re-address the problem?

I see only two options:

1. Completely re-move/inspect/replace the front cap
2. Buy back the camper

Like I mentioned earlier, I have a call into Brad to discuss.

[egarant]

egarant wrote:
Well here is the latest news on the subject:

Originally, Camping World and El Toro RV Service both spoke with AMLRV who manufactures Eagle Cap and they both said that the described work can be done and that they would both perform the work as outlined by the manufacturer.
AMLRV will guarantee the repair work for the remainder of their 3-year structural warranty.

OR….They would do the repair at their plant in Yakima, WA but not reimburse me for any travel expenses to get there and back Yakima is 1,100 miles each way).

Today I brought the camper to Camping World.

Upon review, they stated that the suggested repair by AMLRV was not appropriate for the following reasons:

The possibility of piercing the fiberglass while drilling through the floor.

The uncertainty of the proper spreading of the glue.

They did not think it was appropriate that the interior of the camper be compromised in effecting the repair

Camping World is in agreement with my original email that the cap should be completely removed, the area inspected then re-attached to the camper properly.

Let me make this point, this is the first time anyone has actually seen the problem after it being only described to them, including the manufacturer.

I am currently composing a letter to Eagle Cap/AMLRV that I will share with their response.

I just brought back the camper from El Toro RV Repair, and upon inspection came to the exact same conclusion as Camping World.

Strike two.

I have a call into Brad Boyle at AMLRV.

[mkirsch]

You're just asking for trouble and/or disappointment if you try to involve a repair shop from a whole other industry. It might be the same materials but it's not the same construction techniques.

Ideally you want the manufacturer to fix it. You're already two degrees separated by trying to get Camping World to handle the fix. They don't sell the units and while they *should* be able to make the repair, there's always "reasonable doubt" and if the repair fails, both parties will have plausible deniability. EC will say CW did the repair incorrectly. CW will say EC gave them bad information for repairing the camper.