Paint Chipping and Sofa Splitting 10-mos out of warranty

[Sagecoachdriver]

Originally Posted by Creativepart

On the list are
1. Winnebago Adventurer 37F (aka Itasca Suncruiser)
2. Fleetwood Bounder 35K (aka Holiday Rambler Vacationer)
3. Tiffin Open Road 36LA
4. Newmar Canyon Star 3710

This is pretty much in order of preference. They are all a bit longer than I'd like (35' to 37'). But my wife loves the bath and a half layout.

Yes, I dealt directly with Williamsburg. Forest River gave me the old "it's too far out of warranty" excuse. Of course, the sofa has a 2-year warranty that they neglected to mention to me.

So you're going long! We have to keep ours at 28 feet to keep in our driveway. Not many out there. Plus the DW wants to be able to view the campsite from the dinette. Needs windows and best if dinette is on passenger side. Our 2701ds has the large window over the passenger side sofa and the dinette is raise directly across so she has her view. So many that we've seen don't have windows on the camp side (passenger side). Just the door window, maybe a small window over a seat behind passenger seat or a small window over the sink.

[Creativepart]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

So you're going long! We have to keep ours at 28 feet to keep in our driveway. Not many out there.

I'm torn about the length actually. I started out wanting no more than 33' or maybe 35' max. I do worry about 37 feet of our No. 1 choice. The Forester is 31' So, we're talking 6' extra length for the Adventurer. Yikes.

Will it fit in our driveway??? We'll find out later when we get home, I guess. We park it at a storage place and I'm guessing we may need to find a new storage place.

[Creativepart]

I just finished touching up one of the colors of chipping paint on my Forester 3051S and it worked great. I'm very happy with the job. I'm taking it a step at a time so, I'll wait to show before and after photos when I complete the entire job.

Ordering the paints to be custom mixed was the right way to go. I was even able to break up and remove the dried touch up paint in the bottles that came with the coach so I could refill those bottles with my new paint and then with lacquer thinner clean the brushes so they worked again.

I cleaned the area to be painted, lighted sanded it to give the paint a grip and tapped it all off to prevent drips, etc. BINGO. Worked like a charm.

I'm still waiting for the new sofa bottom cushion to arrive so I can get that all fixed.

One set back... when I picked up the coach at the RV Storage lot today the Rear View Camera showed NO SIGNAL. Not Again!, I thought. I had one camera replaced 2-years ago when the RV was new. I got out and went around to the back and sure enough the camera was gone. It had been stolen. They even unscrewed the mount and put the screws back in the holes. The idiots cut the wires at the back of the camera. They didn't know that there was a short pigtail and a screw on connector just 5 inches inside the hole.

I ordered a replacement camera for $99 and since the 5-way connector is still there and whole all I have to do is plug in the new camera and screw on the new bracket. The storage place is going to reimburse me for the camera, too.

I've stored trailers and RVs there for 12 years and this was a first. The crooks didn't touch any other thing - just carefully removed the camera.

[Creativepart]

OK, check out the touch up job on my Forester's full-body paint. I got the paint formulas from the company that painted the RV (Herr Custom Paint) and had a local auto color house that specializes in BASF Diamont paints to mix up 1/2 pints of each.

This turned out much better than anticipated. My goal was to keep these paint chipped areas from attracting attention from a future buyer or dealer at trade in time. But the end result was really nearly good as new. Certainly miles better than before.

Here's the before and after photos:

[newRVer]

Nice Job!

[Sagecoachdriver]

Looks GREAT Creativepart!
On the door of my 2016 Forester 2701ds I found a paint tag. Going to call CB Custom Painting tomorrow and see if I can get more touchup and the paint codes for future issues. I understand FR using a few different paint shops in their area.

[Creativepart]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

On the door of my 2016 Forester 2701ds I found a paint tag. Going to call CB Custom Painting tomorrow and see if I can get more touchup and the paint codes for future issues.

Hey Sage, Herr Custom Paint told me they can't ship paint. So, they couldn't ship me more touch up. The paint "codes" were on a slip of paper along with the 4-touch up paint bottles that came with my Forester.

However, the paint shop said the codes were worthless. They needed the formulas not the codes.

Herr had their paint supplier email me the codes. Here's what one or mine looks like:

[Sagecoachdriver]

I know they can't ship to me in California. WE have such strict restrictions on EPA stuff. So yours was painted by a different shop than mine I guess. I will call CB Custom Paint and see what they say. Did you just dab the paint on the trim? How about the panel behind passenger door? Shame about your camera. At least you can replace it yourself since you know where the connector is.

[Creativepart]

I think it's more the post office and shipping companies that don't want to ship paint.

I guess it was a different company that painted ours. But CB Custom Painting is in Elkhart, IN just like Herr Custom Paint. I'll wager that they both use Industrial Finishes to get their paint.

CB Custom Paint
56769 Elk Ct, Elkhart, IN 46516
(574) 209-1142

Industrial Finishes and Systems
Address: 1123 Verdant St, Elkhart, IN 46516
Phone: (574) 293-9920

Yes, I did just dab it on. Except for that strip along the bottom of the front body panel, I used a 1" brush and brushed it on in three coats. By the way, ALL of my chipping paint was on the passenger side. Not a bit of it on the driver's side. That can't be a coincidence - something must have been misapplied on the passenger side.

[Sagecoachdriver]

Creativepart, mine has the trim chipping also on the passenger side, but not too bad? Thanks for the info, I'm sure they use the same paint at the various shops. I will give them a call tomorrow. Thanks

[AbdRahim]

Keeping the paint on these things seems to be a challenge. I have concluded over the two years that I have owned mine that to keep it looking good, it has to go to the body shop every two to four years. oiyyyy! I am constantly touching up paint here and there.

[Sagecoachdriver]

I called CB Custom Paints and they will get me the formula emailed on Friday. In the mean time, I called Industrial Finishes and they tried to find it, but because mine is made by Sikkens, they don't have it. So Friday I hope to have my formula for Forester Indigo.

[Sagecoachdriver]

I got a email reply from CB Custom Painting with paint codes and formulas for 2016 Forester Indigo paint. I will call around my area for a paint store that can mix some up Sikkens brand.

[GL1800Rider]

Sorry to hear you guys are having so much trouble with the paint chipping. So far(knock on wood) mine is still perfect. Two years June 18th. I do know Forester uses two paint shops. Our first unit which we refused because they messed up by not eliminating the bed window and did not install the pull down shades also had a very botched up paint job. Big difference in the two builds. I have a hunch somebody (possibly Brian Clemons) checked it thoroughly before it left the plant.

Sage, would be interested in getting a copy of the pain codes once you have them just in case. We plan on keeping ours for quite while.

[Sagecoachdriver]

Originally Posted by GL1800Rider

Sorry to hear you guys are having so much trouble with the paint chipping. So far(knock on wood) mine is still perfect. Two years June 18th. I do know Forester uses two paint shops. Our first unit which we refused because they messed up by not eliminating the bed window and did not install the pull down shades also had a very botched up paint job. Big difference in the two builds. I have a hunch somebody (possibly Brian Clemons) checked it thoroughly before it left the plant.

Sage, would be interested in getting a copy of the pain codes once you have them just in case. We plan on keeping ours for quite while.

GL1800Rider, which paint shop did your paint job? Seems FR used different paint shops around Elkhardt. Herr Custom Paint and CB Custom Painting, may be others and the paint codes could be different. Do you have the same tag I posted earlier in your driver's side door frame? Looking at the photo of yours, I see it's the Indigo vs. the Clay but the swirls are totally different than mine, so perhaps yours was done by a different shop with a different brand of paint like CreativePart.