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Old 04-04-2016, 08:33 AM   #1
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Dealer damaged my 17FQ

I picked my less than a month old 17FQ up from Crestview RV in Georgetown on Saturday after getting some warranty work done. Got it home and noticed that the left side looked a bit "wavy" so I began looking much closer.

Found two creases in the siding about 5 feet off the ground exactly 7 feet apart and directly below those two creases the trailer looks like it's caved in about a half an inch.

Looking at the trailer side head-on it's hard to see but looking down the side from either front or back you can tell.

Based on the spacing it looks like they backed another trailer into it. I sent them an email yesterday and plan on taking it back today for them to look at but I'm expecting them to deny any responsibility. Even if they own up to it I'm not sure I want them tearing it apart to fix it.

Any suggestions?
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Old 04-04-2016, 08:07 PM   #2
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Well I took it by the dealership today and let them have a look at it. They said it wasn't impact damage and that when they hit something they tear it up much worse than that.

I asked if it wasn't impact damage was it a manufacturing defect? They said no, that the panels will flex between the studs and since there is nothing holding them back they will sometimes cave in like that. The service manager said they are nothing more than fragile tin cans and that the creases are also caused by stress when the frame flexes.

Except it wasn't like that when I dropped it off with them.
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Old 04-04-2016, 08:24 PM   #3
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Any pictures?
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Old 04-04-2016, 08:25 PM   #4
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Yes, in this thread:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1151548
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Old 04-04-2016, 08:31 PM   #5
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I know it's to late now but everyone should remember to take the time to walk around and inspect any vehicle or camper for damage when left with a dealer or repair shop. I have had two vehicles damaged. One at a dealership when I took it back to have a bed liner installed and by camping world when I had a fifth wheel hitch installed. I noticed both when I did a walk around before I took back my vehicle. I'm so sorry for your troubles. So basically they denied any damage and just let you walk away upset? What's wrong with people? So, what's your next move. Maybe contact the factory and ask them about the flexing thing? I mean is it possible or is it difinantly damage? Let us know what happens. And again, sooooo sorry.
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Old 04-04-2016, 08:33 PM   #6
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Any pictures?
Yes pictures would be good.
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Old 04-04-2016, 08:40 PM   #7
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Yes pictures would be good.
Same pic is in the thread I linked to above but here it is again - sorry it's not very clear but I was running out of daylight. If you look at the rear of the trailer where the top white meets the bottom black you should be able to see where it's caved in:

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Old 04-04-2016, 09:11 PM   #8
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I know it's to late now but everyone should remember to take the time to walk around and inspect any vehicle or camper for damage when left with a dealer or repair shop. I have had two vehicles damaged. One at a dealership when I took it back to have a bed liner installed and by camping world when I had a fifth wheel hitch installed. I noticed both when I did a walk around before I took back my vehicle. I'm so sorry for your troubles. So basically they denied any damage and just let you walk away upset? What's wrong with people? So, what's your next move. Maybe contact the factory and ask them about the flexing thing? I mean is it possible or is it difinantly damage? Let us know what happens. And again, sooooo sorry.
I've emailed Coachman, describing what the dealer told me and asking if it's possible that the side panels can bow, flex, or cave in like that all on their own because according to the service manager it's not due to any impact but because "they are so cheaply made".
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Old 04-05-2016, 09:02 AM   #9
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Well that was fast - I got a reply back from Forest River this morning.

They said they've never heard of that and asked for pictures so they can take a look and see what can be done.

I'm trying to get some decent pictures of this. Here are a couple where I zoomed in on the areas that are most pronounced and I was able to capture with a camera.

Here you can see where the side appears to have been pushed in and the forward side of the outdoor shower enclosure has almost separated from the trailer:



Here's another angle look forward of the trailer at a slight upward angle. Notice the distinctly wavy areas where it looks like it was hit:



The other three sides of the trailer are completely and perfectly flat. It's hard for me to accept their explanation that this can happen with the trailer just sitting there because of poor construction. It wasn't like that when I bought it and it wasn't like that when I dropped it off with them less than three weeks later.
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Old 04-05-2016, 12:13 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Austintatious View Post
Well I took it by the dealership today and let them have a look at it. They said it wasn't impact damage and that when they hit something they tear it up much worse than that.

I asked if it wasn't impact damage was it a manufacturing defect? They said no, that the panels will flex between the studs and since there is nothing holding them back they will sometimes cave in like that. The service manager said they are nothing more than fragile tin cans and that the creases are also caused by stress when the frame flexes.

Except it wasn't like that when I dropped it off with them.
Thats why i photograph things when i drop them off for servicing. i know a bit of intel thats too late for you at this point in time.
they most likely have a sign erected in some corner of the shop stating not responsible for items of products left for servicing as well.
we had a 2012 Salem which was aluminum sided and it didn't do anything like this and we were on some roads that i thought the trailer was going to fall off the sides.
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Old 04-05-2016, 12:16 PM   #11
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try taking a 6 foot level and laying it against the bottom of the panels to take a picture of how far out it is from other areas in the same area which are not affected. measure how far out (in) they are pressed.
we can tell this is damaged but how far in are they.
think like a police officer when doing your report to them and add measurements of length, panels involved, (sticky notes with numbers) and measurements of how far the deepest and shallowest points are on each panel.
take dozens of pictures.
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Old 04-05-2016, 12:35 PM   #12
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Has anyone seen what improperly installed vinyl siding looks like when it gets hot? I can't tell much from the pictures, but this is kind of what it reminds me of. I see waves all the way down that piece of metal. I'm sure seeing it in person would tell a better story. I know that siding like this when hit, will crease easily at standing ribs of the metal. It's kind of like the metal expanded and had no where to go.
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Old 04-05-2016, 01:29 PM   #13
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I've already gotten a decision back from Forest River. They owned it, I admire them for that but don't have much respect for the dealer because they were just going to excuse it away:


"Thank you for the pictures they were a good deal of help.

It is true that we use economical materials as this is an entry level travel trailer which with the heat and the sun can look wavy at times. But that is not the cause of what you are seeing. We believe that the stud in the wall by the refer vent has bowed out. This happens seldom, but it can occur as wood can warp after it cures. This would be considered as warranty.

I have spoken with XXXXX at Crestview and explained this and he is sharing it with your service contact Rick. So please give XXXXX at Crestview RV a call at 512-XXX-XXXX and set up an appointment.

I apologize for the inconvenience and we will get this handled."


Now I'm going to determine just how much they are going to have to tear it apart to fix this.
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Old 04-05-2016, 01:34 PM   #14
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Glad someone stood up and did the right thing. Best of luck and let us know how the repairs go.
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Old 04-05-2016, 01:37 PM   #15
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Hopefully they resolve this quickly for you.
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Old 04-05-2016, 01:49 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Papa-t View Post
I know it's to late now but everyone should remember to take the time to walk around and inspect any vehicle or camper for damage when left with a dealer or repair shop. I have had two vehicles damaged. One at a dealership when I took it back to have a bed liner installed and by camping world when I had a fifth wheel hitch installed. I noticed both when I did a walk around before I took back my vehicle. I'm so sorry for your troubles. So basically they denied any damage and just let you walk away upset? What's wrong with people? So, what's your next move. Maybe contact the factory and ask them about the flexing thing? I mean is it possible or is it difinantly damage? Let us know what happens. And again, sooooo sorry.
Had a propane regulator busted busted seals blew out. When dealer wa filling propane he forgot to open the bleaker valve. When I pulled up to pay you could smell propane every where, of they didn't do it until I told them I had just under a half tank when I came. Little back and forth they changed it.
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Old 04-05-2016, 04:35 PM   #17
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Is this possible damage from horse play-somebody getting pushed into it? If another vehicle or trailer ran into it, it should show some scrape marks or pronounced dents. This looks more like something soft getting bumped hard into it.
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Old 04-05-2016, 05:19 PM   #18
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All good suggestions - I hadn't thought of laying a level across it to illustrate the depth of the impressions but apparently the pictures I had were good enough for Forest River to decide what they think it is and that they'll cover it under warranty.

Already called and made an appointment with the dealer for later this month for them to look at it. Sounds like they are prepared to peel back and replace that entire side while checking that the studs are true.

I asked how involved something like that is and they said they do it all the time but mostly for hail damage; this is the first they've heard of FR authorizing a warranty repair for something like this.
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Old 04-06-2016, 06:34 AM   #19
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glad you have it under control.
someone else above posted that if it were scraped there would be some sort of bruising of the metal and most likely paint finish scraped at one or more locations.
if a stud twisted or pulled back then you would get the same as in your pictures. and if you could see the inside of the same locations you would see distortion inside as well.
we had to replace a 16 foot wall in our house because the 2x4 studs twisted into field hockey sticks and the sheet rock looked the same on both sides of the wall - damaged.
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