Primetime like all others

[wmcclay]

Motor vehicles are built mainly by robots. Every process has been or is overlooked by a computer. Wiring harness's are standardized. It is a different animal. Iam not defending the mfg's just saying. With all the different sub systems in a rv and as they are mainly hand built, mistakes will be made no matter how much quality assurance is present. To top it off it is sometimes cheaper to have a dealers fix the small problems at warranty rates than to bring it back on the production line and make the repairs at factory rates and hold up production for other units. It is all about costs. Mfgs do spend a lot of money on qa, sometimes problems will not be found until filled with water, refers turned on, sewer tanks used. Electronics especially are prone to failure in the first few hours.
I have worked at heavy truck dealerships and you would be VERY surprised at the problems caught by dealers at the pdi.

Wayne

[rockfordroo]

I'm new to the RV world with my first RV this year. What amazes me is the acceptance of the RV community (manufacturers, dealers, and buyers) that all RVs have problems when you first get them, that you have to do a shake-down trip to find all the issues, and then you have to go back to the dealer to get them fixed.

Nobody would ever buy a car from a manufacturer where 100% of their cars have to go back to the dealer for repair after your first couple days driving it.

I've had my Roo for 3 years. Hasn't been back to the dealer, except for a recall inspection on the bathroom skylight (no fix required). Only problems I've had is two bad valves for the water heater (fixed myself), and that was in year #2.

If you're judging the industry by just this forum, then you're getting a skewed view.

[kohai]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

I've had my Roo for 3 years. Hasn't been back to the dealer, except for a recall inspection on the bathroom skylight (no fix required). Only problems I've had is two bad valves for the water heater (fixed myself), and that was in year #2.

If you're judging the industry by just this forum, then you're getting a skewed view.

If I was somebody making comments that hadn't experienced the weakness of the RV industry's habits, maybe I would agree with you.

[kohai]

Originally Posted by wmcclay

Motor vehicles are built mainly by robots. Every process has been or is overlooked by a computer. Wiring harness's are standardized. It is a different animal. Iam not defending the mfg's just saying. With all the different sub systems in a rv and as they are mainly hand built, mistakes will be made no matter how much quality assurance is present. To top it off it is sometimes cheaper to have a dealers fix the small problems at warranty rates than to bring it back on the production line and make the repairs at factory rates and hold up production for other units. It is all about costs. Mfgs do spend a lot of money on qa, sometimes problems will not be found until filled with water, refers turned on, sewer tanks used. Electronics especially are prone to failure in the first few hours.
I have worked at heavy truck dealerships and you would be VERY surprised at the problems caught by dealers at the pdi.

Wayne

My point is that there are best practices that can be implemented to reduce problems. The best practices would be unique to this industry. It is my opinion (yes, it is an opinion) is that there is limited effort in the RV industry to implement best practices because they can rely on the dealers to fix things, rely on the customers to be OK with the repeat trips to the dealership, and rely on the fact that they have a very short warranty where they are responsible.

The dealerships have these same problems, just on processes that are unique to their part of the sales/service process.

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

If you're judging the industry by just this forum, then you're getting a skewed view.

I think most folks here on the forum , like my self are speaking from first hand experiences.
2013 tracer, 2014 lacrosse and a few others over the years.
But I will say one thing for Primetime, I think for the money there one of best units on the market in my price range. And for the most part pt stand behind the units they mfg..
PT just did a repair on my unit outta warranty at no charge to me.
Thanks primetime!
Just my 2 cents

[The_Rhino]

IMO many businesses enter a crowded market by emphasizing quality & then reduce that quality as they gain market share & demand for their product increases. Rather than pushing their workers to turn-out quality units, they push them to meet increasing quotas. IMO the newest PTs are not put together as well as older units...

For instance, when we were looking at used TTs I purposefully headed over to the local dealership during/just after heavy rains to check the TTs we liked for leaks. The used 2011 Tracer we eventually purchased was bone dry whereas a new 2014 was leaking badly, and not from a vent or window left open... When I told the dealership about it, they got right on it, but didn't act surprised...so definitely not the first leaky PT product they had to deal with. This makes me wonder how many other "new" TTs are sold that had water penetration all the way from the manufacturer to the dealership...

Also, upon closer inspection, I felt the fit & finish on the 2011 was better than the 2014. I took pictures w/flash behind every access panel & wall I could poke the camera through. IMO the 2011 had better welds, cleaner wood cuts, and squarer framing than the 2014. Because the 2014s were heavily discounted that weekend, they dropped the price on the used 2011 as well so I got a better deal than buying one on Craigslist, etc.

That said, the fit & finish of the 2014+ PT Tracer & Lacrosse products still appeared MUCH higher quality vs. the Keystone Passport & Bullet Premiere products we looked at. One new Passport had all kinds of problems and our salesperson seemed very disappointed that the dealership chose to start selling the lineup...

[ntrlz]

I am disappointed with PT and have issues that have been turned over to legal to resolve. I have not had good follow up from them. Fleet wood was much better when I got the no good dealer out of the way. We spent too much money for items not to work for three years. I have read grand design may have cracked the quality/warranty nut. I read on another forum they were offering lifetime warranty on major components at a camper show a few months ago.


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[ironj]

Afaik gd has the same 1 yr warranty as all the other 'amish' trailers? ?..and a 3 yr 'structure'...but lets be honest. ..the MAJORITY of issues we allllll have are neither major nor structural....sure they happen, but the same can be said by many on the 'forums' about my ford 6.7 and its fuel system....truth is its NOT common....anyway, I digress...

I can only speak from personal experience and pt has gone above and beyond what I figured any 'crappy trailer maker' would. ...

Im sure your issues are legitimate and I hope pt steps up....for most of us they have...

And fwiw many rv dealers offer 'lifetime' aftermarket warranties on major components with some stipulations....so thats nothing new...

Now a manufacture with longstanding q/c and 'auto like' warranty service??..one can dream....lol

sent from fat fingers via a space dish thing with no regard to grammer.

[rockfordroo]

I had a 1988 Coleman Sequoia popup for 20 years. Only problem was a broken hose connection for the freshwater and the fridge stopped working on gas. Of course, this was about year 15 or so. So I'll say it again:

If you're judging the industry by just this forum, then you're getting a skewed view.

That doesn't mean you or others haven't had problems. But because some of you have had problems doesn't mean "that ALL RVs have problems when you first get them, that you have to do a shake-down trip to find all the issues, and then you have to go back to the dealer to get them fixed."

It's just that folks who do have problems tend to find this forum more than those that don't. And when they get on here, they tend to feed off each other. Next you know, every RV is a POS.

[ntrlz]

I guess my point is - no matter who or what it is - you spend over 50k one would expect it to work or fix it!


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[ironj]

Originally Posted by ntrlz

I guess my point is - no matter who or what it is - you spend over 50k one would expect it to work or fix it!


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I absolutely will not argue with that sentiment!!.... Don't matter if its 10$ or 100k.... if its brand new, I expect it to at least work till I break it!

which with these trailers don't take much, and happens often around my house!!..lol

[rockfordroo]

Go to Traverse.com and read up about Chevy Traverses there. You'd wonder why anyone would buy one. Power steering issues, timing chain issues, water pump issues, computer glitches. And they don't usually have kind things to say about GM or "the stealership." But I've got 45,000 mi on mine with none of these issues. So not every Traverse is a POS (at least up to 45K miles - ) and not every RV is, either.

MY POINT is to not paint them all with the same brush.

[ntrlz]

So you would buy another traverse if yours had timing problems, you couldn't use it and GM wouldn't fix it?

Be careful coaching people on how to paint the brush.


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[rockfordroo]

So you would buy another traverse if yours had timing problems, you couldn't use it and GM wouldn't fix it?

Be careful coaching people on how to paint the brush.

No, I wouldn't buy another. But I also wouldn't say that ALL Traverse's are POS's, either, just because I got a bad one; just as a few Roo's that leak doesn't make ALL Roo's POS's. That's painting with too broad a brush IMHO. If you painted everything you could buy that way, you wouldn't be buying anything, because nothing is perfect.