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Old 03-12-2016, 04:22 PM   #41
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Talking Are they all junk?

No, not really. Unfortunately the industry is still mom & pop in nature. Not many mfg companies would survive long with some of the stuff they throw in these things. And being manufacturers they are concerned with two things: speed of assembly and nickels and dimes. That is the nature of the industry, from the assembly lines at the plants to the suppliers (and they almost all buy from the same suppliers, which compounds the problems.)

But that is the nature of the beast. Within that, there are some better than others, and I believe Rockwood to be one of the better. I used to sell these suckers so I have seen some amazing things that manufacturers let out of their plants and shipped to customers.

We bought our Rockwood Signature Ultralight fifth wheel 8280WS because it was the perfect size and we could easily tow it with an F-150 Ecoboost with the heavy duty tow package. In the first 18 months we traveled 40,000 miles, towing the trailer about 8,000 of those miles. We've been over backroads, through deserts, up and down mountains in Colorado, Tennessee, West Virginia, California, Washington, Montana and Wyoming, across the great plains, and down to the Orlando area. Not one hitch in our fiver. A window in our slide out disintegrated one evening when I put it back down from being open all day, for apparently no reason. Rockwood fedexed me a new one to a nearby dealer and it was fixed in 90 minutes after I arrived for my appointment. Tough to beat that.

Things do and will wear out. To keep things light, they put in mucho plastic. So now I am replacing my bathroom faucet with a real metal one after the handle came off in my hand. And we are getting several day/night shades replaced...under warranty. Having sold them, I bought the additional year warranty when I bought for a mere $150. That more than pays for the blinds replacements. An example of building good but putting in junk: our day/night shades are made in China and are almost 100% plastic. The way Rockwood installs them is ridiculous and it almost guarantees that some will fail. The blinds manufacturer patiently explained that they also make those blinds in the U.S. and they have metal in the important areas. Any guess as to what we are replacing with?

All said and done, those are minor concerns given the great times we have had on the road. have not had to go see a dealer yet, other than that one window mishap. I do have to get my replacement blinds from a dealer and we will be doing that next week.

They also do some dumb design things. I spend 15 minutes on the phone with Rockwood last week, explaining to them the absolute stupidity of where they put the internal water filter. Almost impossible to access and remove/replace. Better off installing a bypass link and using external filters which work just as well. While on the phone with me, the sales guy checked this forum to see if there were as many complaints about that water filter thing as I told him there were - he admitted there were five pages of complaints and fired off an email with a link to the complaints to his engineering department while I was on the phone. Most manufacturers won't listen to customer feedback, but I do believe Rockwood is better than most.

If they sent the engineers out into the field with these things and they had to live in them for a month straight, there would be many improvements made rather quickly.

As for should you or shouldn't you? Hey, we were committed to the lifestyle before we bought. It is the most fun you can have in the U.S. with your clothes on. And we have found it to be an inexpensive lifestyle as well. In 18 months we have made tons of memories that we would be very reluctant to trade for love nor money. The thing is just be prepared to roll with the punches, remember that life is short and memories long, and most everything is fixable. We have learned t slow down, relax, enjoy the moment and the day/week/month, and to appreciate what surrounds us when we are "out there" seeing the world.
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Old 03-12-2016, 04:41 PM   #42
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We have owned 4 campers mover 30 years The last two have been PUMAS I can easily say the quality of the last two has far surpassed the two Fleetwood campers we bought years ago.

Unless you buy sometime like an Airstream for over 100K the quality of all brands is similar.... even cars have issues ............


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Old 03-12-2016, 05:06 PM   #43
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Is Forest River junk?

After reading all the previous post I agree. I've been a FR owner looking to trade up. I have only looked at FR until recently. Iam a retired home builder,and realize that they can't be framed, and buiit like a house, but some of the work is pretty shoddy. I've been to a FR dealer and was not impressed with everything that I saw. The dealer assumes we are all prepared to accept inferior quality work as a trade off for the joys of camping. Having said that I invested in a book written by third party neutral group. Found the book on Amazon for $69.00 IMO it is worth every penny, it gives a point system and a evaluation and summary of almost every major manufacture. They numeric score everything from construction to customer service, dealer service, and resale value. Current issue covers 2006 to 2016 so you can see a trend, and you may find an amazing deal. It's called Travel Trailer and fifth wheel guide by Randall Eaton..hope this helps.
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Old 03-12-2016, 05:09 PM   #44
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Go For It

My experience is only with a single FR product...an 07 Cardinal 5er bought new in 08. But we've been from the east coast to the west coast and back 6 times, with many stops in between, and I've spoken to a lot of RVers about the quality issue. Bottom line seems to be as mentioned above, there are going to be problems regardless of what brand you buy. Try to make sure you have a good dealer and a decent extended warrantee.

I've found that owning an RV is much like that old saying about owning a boat: A boat is a hole in the water you keep pouring money into. I guess an RV is a highway with a hole in it.

Unless you are a skilled mechanic or very talented DIYer, RV ownership is going to cost you more than you initially thought it would, over the long run. However, travelling around the country in an RV is a spectacular and fun way to see this great country. Just understand that some of your adventures may be unplanned, and not pleasant. But RVing is worth the hassles that may arise. I expect to be doing it until I'm too frail to drive, or until I run out of money.
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Old 03-12-2016, 05:42 PM   #45
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We have been RV'ing since 1970, always with travel trailers, which we prefer over 5th wheels and motor homes. As other posts have said, there are going to be possible problems with anything you buy, car, truck ,boat. The key is a good responsible dealer. We currently have a 2013 Rockwood Signature Ultralite, 8415BSS. We have been very pleased with the quality of the unit. Also, as said previously, it's helps to be a good DIY. If you have problems, talk to the dealer and Forest River. Like said earlier, forums get mostly complaints. The Happy Campers just enjoy camping.
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Old 03-12-2016, 05:45 PM   #46
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Oops, I listed the wrong model number of our trailer, it should be 8315BSS, not 8415BSS. Sorry about that
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Old 03-12-2016, 06:12 PM   #47
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Coachman Encounter

We originally had a 2009 Cedar Creek 5th wheel by Forest River and had virtually no issues with it. We decided that driving a unit rather than towing one would be less daunting so we traded up to a 2016 Coachmen Encounter (class A) thinking we would have the same quality since they now manufacture the Coachman line. We bought it in November 2015 and brought it home and started moving in our camping furnishings eagerly awaiting spring and many camping adventures. However, as we were setting it up, we noticed a few things that didn't work or we in need of some tweaking. We weren't concerned because we felt we had plenty time before camping season and thought for sure our dealer (Mcgeorge Rolling Hills) would have us ready in short order. We were overly optimistic. It has been back at the dealer for over two months now and we are told most issues are resolved but we are still waiting for parts for the heating unit. When ever we get it back and actually get to use it, I will update you on the repaired quality of our new Forest River product.
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Old 03-12-2016, 07:12 PM   #48
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Originally Posted by weldon182 View Post
Hey Spock123 which Wildcat did you have just curious


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I had a Wildcat Sterling 32RL, it was a pretty camper, I think it was the first one from the factory with arch ceilings. We had a bedroom fireplace installed from the factory, it had level-up. It had garden windows and dual pane windows. It had a 3D TV installed with a fireplace, we got a lot of compliments on how pretty the camper was


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Old 03-12-2016, 07:30 PM   #49
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Basically, yes.

But it's not just FR.
We went to the Rv show today, they are all junk.

There were only two there, that actually had very nice fit and finish.

The winnibego tour @425k
Also the leisure travel vans.

One is too big ( and crazy $$)
The other is too small. ( 24')

Cmon goldilocks. Where's my middle one!!!???

We're going on a road trip, end of the month, to look at a dynamax Force. Hopefully it won't be a waste of time.....


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Old 03-12-2016, 07:58 PM   #50
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Originally Posted by Jz5g52 View Post
I just bought my first camper last year and here is what I came up with

All manufactures have initial problems some worst than others found this out by going to the other MFG forums

In reviewing and looking over some surveys it seemed that Forest River had fewer issues than most mfg

All feedback said Forest River stood by their products. I have found this true on some of my issues.

Your dealer is the biggest thing, you need to find a good dealer. I drive 3 hours to get mine worked on

That being said there are some horror stories
X2:

#1, Dealer, #2, Very complete PDI, #3, ID independent authorized dealer as a backup for repairs, #4, Hopefully your handy with small repairs. Most dealers are overloaded with a repairs a handyman could easily fix at home.

I am very happy with my Forest River 21FBRS, and with factory customer service. I would buy another.
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Old 03-12-2016, 08:10 PM   #51
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Do i or don't i??

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Originally Posted by Wheels Down View Post
A profound question I know, but looking through the many different forums and discussions on these pages, I am getting cold feet about the purchase of a new (my first) Forest River Surveyor 291 BHSS.
I realize the purpose of these forums is to share ideas and opinions, but I am having a hard time finding positive feedback on most of the FR products and service performance.
And yes I also understand it would not matter who the manufacture. Any of the such sites devoted to product discussion are going to be filled with negatives.
So far as a"newbie" I have identified a PDI inspection list, a list of extra equipment needed and some tips for security of the trailer while in storage (not on my property).
But the real question is, do I really want to do this at all?

A note: I plan to tow the above mentioned TT with a new Ford 150 EB with 11,400 lb. tow capacity. Anybody got a problem with that?
If so, speak up please. I am all ears for doing this right the first time and do appreciate any input that will avoid heartburn on the road.
Thanks,
RMc
Well lets start with (i do not think there is a more fired up question you could of asked with the way you asked!) Now i do not own a ford f150 or a TT or a Forest River Surveyor 291 BHSS, but what i do own is a FR product and it is my second one from FR and for the money i have a tough time replacing them! Yes you are correct you are going to most likely have issues with any rv product, and yes some models seem to have more issues then others, but in the end i still go to at least one rv show per year and i still can spot a FR product by just walking in! There are better products inside, better fit and finish on all the wood work and on and on. So in the end again for the money i would always go with FR product.

Hope this helps and Happy Camping
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Old 03-12-2016, 08:28 PM   #52
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The last 5 cars I've owned have been very good cars and I have been very happy with the purchases. However most all of them had spotty on-line reviews and their share of detractors. RVs are no different. What one person is completely satisfied with another will call "junk". Don't fret over problems that haven't occurred yet and most likely won't. Enjoy your new RV and think about the great memories and experiences you'll have by owning it.
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Old 03-12-2016, 09:20 PM   #53
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I brought an entry level TT in a lower price point line. It been 5+ years and I am very happy with it. Of course I wouldn't mind more space or more bells & whistles.
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Old 03-12-2016, 09:51 PM   #54
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Towing 33' Surveyor

In my opinion, the F-150 EB is not enough truck. A good friend towed a shorter toy hauler that weighed about the same as the Surveyor with a EB F-150. Barely enough truck. He went to a F-250 and has no trouble. The towing capacity numbers of a vehicle don't seem to tell the whole story, including acceleration, sway and braking for instance.
I hope it works for you.
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Old 03-12-2016, 10:24 PM   #55
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And some folks are just not in a mindset or they do not have the ability/equipment to fix manufacturing defects. We have only had one major problem which was a gear on the landing jack, but luckily I had/have the equipment to lift the trailer to take it to the dealer for a new landing jack even though I had to re-install it when I got home due to an inept technician.
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Old 03-12-2016, 10:45 PM   #56
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2nd 5th wheel

10/2016 we purchased our 2nd (1st new) forest river 5th wheel. Because this is not the right venue I will just share what I feel is fact. Get to know a local dealer. Avoid the giant RV sales. Buy the best one with the best features you want. Make sure that they will handle all repairs/warranty work there[/I][/B]. Your 'walk through' will be a blur. The quality of the trailers built today is not there. Maybe the 100k rigs are different but the $50k sandpiper we just purchased is very pretty however it is not quality. So...when there is an issue, you need a local solution. We purchased ours 90 miles from home (and only 10 miles from what we thought would be our local service Camping World). When our first problem arose we were told that our 90 mile away dealer was our only option. That is not true, however the battle with forest river and the dealers is a tough one!
My rx. enjoy your new rig but expect problems with every problem that arises.
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Old 03-12-2016, 11:02 PM   #57
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Are Forest River products junk?

The RV industry sucks, but they won't change so long as we all buy. I'm new to all of this, but I came in with low expectations. After lots of research I learned that travel trailers, fivers, MH's etc are just not built to the level they should be. My unit has had some some small issues, but it was expected. I purchased at a volume dealer but plan to take care of little stuff myself and the big stuff, I'll take to a different shop near me.

Additionally, I work in private aviation, and you can pay 7-40mil for an airplane and still have lots of stupid issues to work out in the beginning. Grounding items. Imagine the frustration of someone paying that kind of money and needing to find another means of transportation for a trip.

Any moving object with complex systems and moving parts will have issues. I just wish the RV industry would pump out units that were 100% at the start.
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Old 03-12-2016, 11:14 PM   #58
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I have a 2012 F-150 EB pulling a surveyor and have no problem. Had a Chevy 5.3 and it couldn't hardly pull a Nomad weighing 1000 lb.s less than the surveyor.
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Old 03-12-2016, 11:44 PM   #59
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I've owned two FR products and currently use one and I have NO complaints. Had a 2006 25RKS Flagstaff, ran it for 5 seasons. Sold it and bought a 2011 28RKS Wildcat, which I still have and logged over 13000km last season alone with basically "0" problems other than regular maintenance. BIG difference in quality on the two trailers but you get what you pay for in any product. I wouldn't even consider doing a trip like we did last summer with the Flagstaff. Everything is built lighter, closer to the ground etc. We ran over 1600km of gravel road on our last season trip. The Wildcat has much heavier running gear ( axles, brakes, spring, shackles) 16, not 14 or 15 "wheels and is generally a much better trailer for back road travel. I'd buy FR again in a heartbeat.
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Old 03-13-2016, 12:44 AM   #60
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Well lets start with (i do not think there is a more fired up question you could of asked with the way you asked!) Now i do not own a ford f150 or a TT or a Forest River Surveyor 291 BHSS, but what i do own is a FR product and it is my second one from FR and for the money i have a tough time replacing them! Yes you are correct you are going to most likely have issues with any rv product, and yes some models seem to have more issues then others, but in the end i still go to at least one rv show per year and i still can spot a FR product by just walking in! There are better products inside, better fit and finish on all the wood work and on and on. So in the end again for the money i would always go with FR product.

Hope this helps and Happy Camping

My wife and I also go to at least one RV show per year. I don't see the same quality that you see. When I pull out a cupboard I still see holes not drilled but just punched through cheap luan wood to run electrical wire. Turning over the drawers in the cabinets I see misaligned screws and/or some that are stripped out. I see wood stretched over too long of a span that they soon become warped with even the slightest amount of weight on them. Did I say misaligned screws? Take a look at the outside seams on these units. Those are only a few examples.

For the same money, you can find superior models from Heartland and Nash (in particular, Arctic Fox ... not desert Fox, which is a step lower).

We've owned two of the top of the line products from Forest River and although they have better cabinetry and some other higher-end features, when you peel away the skin, they still look like everyone else's product. Simply thrown together and run out the door.

Some mentioned boats and how they have problems, too. I agree but if the same workmanship that goes into travel trailers and fifth wheels went into boats, there would be a lot of them at the bottom of lake. Boat companies can't afford to let their products out the door with the same quality control (or lack thereof) that we see in the travel trailer and fifth wheel industry.
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