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Old 07-24-2016, 05:32 PM   #1
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Regretting my decision to buy my coachmen

We bought the chapparal 371mbrb and have several little issue's like wallpaper rips. Mis matched cabinet doors. Trim popping out, then it started I couldn't get the back tank to drain the handle was locked up towed it 200 miles home. Then this weekend my wife wakes me up about 4 am for a very strong gas smell so I felt the floor it's ice cold I run out side and it sounds like a blow dryer were the tankers are just soaked in gas from the tank that I've never used. My alarm never went off in the camper very disappointed in that luckily she caught it or it could of killed me and her and the dogs and luckily nothing was turned on gas that would of been very dangerous if it lit for are safety and everyone around us.. so we go to leave today and she pulls the back slide in and the switch starts smoking no idea why?. And to top it all of the outside fridge quit working.. any help on what I should do on here. Unfortunately the DW doesn't even want to sleep in it anymore thinking its never going to be safe again.. really hate to sell something that's 6 months old.. anybody know who I could talk to about this at coachmen? Thank you
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Old 07-24-2016, 05:47 PM   #2
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Alex, I'm sorry to hear about the issues you've encountered with your Chapparal.

Please contact Joe Schueneman, Service Representative at Coachmen's Fifth Wheel Division. You can reach Joe at (574) 825-8360 or by e-mail at jschueneman@forestriverinc.com.
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Old 07-24-2016, 05:52 PM   #3
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Thank you sir!! I will be contacting him in the morning..
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Old 07-25-2016, 03:45 PM   #4
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Please keep us updated on what his response is and what happens. It is issues like this that really make a company sink or swim (from a customer perspective) in how they handle it.
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Old 07-25-2016, 04:29 PM   #5
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Yeah I talked to them have to take it to the dealer this week is what they said to do.. my only problem with all this is I don't think people/dealerships understand or should I say care about how dangerous this situation was and how it could of ended I can say we got very lucky I just keep thinking luckily noone had a fire going around us with all the fumes in the air. It would of ended bad with the truck and boat in front of the camper not only us the campers next to us.
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Old 07-26-2016, 08:20 AM   #6
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Glad everyone is safe and sound. And your right, that type of issue could have been disastrous for not only you and yours, but those around you.

I just hope you have had better luck with your dealer and Coachmen's response to such a serious issue than we did. In the first year alone, our trailer was at the dealership for 8 out of 12 months. And even during the 4 months we had the trailer, and 1500 miles from home, we had to work around continuing issues that kept happening. Everytime we called Coachmen, they said we would just have to wait until we got home so our local dealer could address them. They were unwilling to authorize a remote repair. From the common issues to just about every major component of this TT failing at one point or another, and some more than once, we are at wits end with both the trailer and Coachmen.

And to make matters worse, we still have to deal with an intermittent electrical issue that causes us to lose power to the entire trailer. At the very least, that should make anyone leery, and at worst, has the potential of some serious consequences. Their response has been that because they cannot "see" the problem during the short time they have it in a service bay, neither the dealership or Coachmen is willing to do a thing to help, nor do they seem to care that this could have life threatening possibilities.

They now basically have told us that we are on our own. I for one am not willing to start throwing money down a rabbit hole in the hopes of figuring it out for ourselves, nor am I willing to live with an issue that could have life threatening possibilities.

OUR response? We are trading ours in and moving on. I really hope you have better luck.
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Old 07-26-2016, 08:25 AM   #7
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Glad it was a positive result the morning and not the other, I have read your post twice and have a questions what was causing the gas (I assume propane) leak?
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Old 07-26-2016, 09:22 AM   #8
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Oh man, I can't tell you how upset I am reading this. I purchased a 2016 371mbrb for myself and 3 children to live in ft on a permanent lot a month ago. So far we've had, a leaky ac unit. The dealer says that's just because it's scorching hot in our area. Our cabinets are all good, the DVD player doesn't work and Boat N RV refuses to come out and look at it...and I have no way to move it. The fan in the full bath is broken, the piece that goes over the top of the dining bench popped off on one side, I can't pull the gray lever for the rear bedroom to save my life. As of right now I'm not super happy....here's hoping nothing else goes wrong :/
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Old 07-26-2016, 09:41 AM   #9
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Oh, and there is hot air pouring in from the stairs. That's super awesome.
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Old 07-26-2016, 10:22 AM   #10
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Our gray tank valve has frozen up on our brand new trailer and I had to go under and disassemble it so I could empty the tank while on our trip to California.. Can't understand why it worked once and then it's as if the cable is completely welded in the outer covering and will not move at all. At least we have not had any gas issues like that.
We've also had our bunkhouse slide bind up and stop working while I was trying to retract it. I'm not sure what happened there. I manually closed it and it worked fine after. I'm assuming somehow it got out of whack. We'll see if it happens again. Worked fine on our trip after that.
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Old 07-26-2016, 11:42 AM   #11
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I hope I don't have to disassemble anything. I'm not at all mechanically inclined.
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Old 07-26-2016, 12:08 PM   #12
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I had to take a guess on where I thought the cable might go into the valve on the bottom. I just cut a three sided opening in the belly to access it and I got lucky I was right on it. I haven't completely disassembled it but I did remove a piece so that I can manually open and close the valve. Not perfect but I'm able to empty it until I get it to dealer for repairs.
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Old 07-26-2016, 12:46 PM   #13
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After retirement the wife and I were excited when we purchased our first TT, a Coachmen Freedom Express. This excitement soon disappeared with many, many issues including THREE sets of windows due to leaks, big leaks! Other leaks as well. We also had some of the same issues you are having with no resolution. It was a lemon under Texas law. No satisfaction from Coachmen. One year later, (not wanting the hassles working thru the lemon law) and we traded it for a Lacrosse......AWESOME TT and quality! We are happy now and enjoying retirement.
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Old 07-26-2016, 01:42 PM   #14
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Coachmen

We bought a 2016 Chaparral 28BHS 5vr in July of 2015. Had it home a week and had to take it back with 12v issues. Dinette light was not connected to power. After first weekend of use it went back again for flush valve leak on the toilet. Took it back a 3rd time in January due to ceiling molding bowing out because it was simply cut too long. Also AC was not cooling so they replaced the entire unit. Just got it back Saturday from the fourth trip to dealer. Screws in cabinet hinges stripped or not tightened at all. Trim around Dinette loose. Black tank flush has never worked and they discovered the hose was routed across a beam and flooring screwed down on top.of it so the water could not flow through. Also black.tank valve has been replaced due to sticking. I don't believe they have a quality control department at all. Never mind the guys and gals that work there should be so happy to have a job after what the rv industry has gone through and the recovery it.made they should do a better job. Saying that I love the layout of the coach and have a ball when we get to use it but a lot of money for so many issues.
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Old 07-26-2016, 03:57 PM   #15
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I had the same with the gray and black in the back jlaw and the hot air under the stairs same as mine I was told it's from the electric hot water heater who knows. I haven't been to happy with it my favorite thing of the whole camper is how well it pulls lol. And it's at the dealer now yes it was pouring out of the tank and the regulator also I come to find out not good news. I understand there issues with everything but I've had 20+ in the 6 months I've had it according to my paperwork.. when I pulled the slide in this morning to take it after getting everything out the rear slide switch started smoking like halfway in so who knows. Why I was waiting for new storage unit to be built we had a bad storm and somehow the wind blew the back door open with both locks locked and on the way home Sunday I look in the mirror and see that it was open again. I could go on and on I'd just rather not
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Old 07-26-2016, 03:58 PM   #16
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I traded my FR product for an Open Range product and had an interesting situation last week. I emailed the manufacturer Thurs about 9:30 AM and actually got a phone call back at 12:45 PM the same day. The factory rep walked me through my question and then emailed supporting documents to me the same day. WOW that's what I call customer support AFTER the sale.
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Old 07-26-2016, 04:02 PM   #17
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Lacrosse40 before we bought this we had a 2014 lacrosse 318bhs loved that camper we just needed more room. Sad part is we are thinking since we're not sunk on this one we might trade it in on a gateway 3750pt. Seems like issues are with everything think the camper industry needs to slow down a bit and take a little more time they save a crap ton of money in the long run not having to pay for all this warranty work and parts if you just do it right the first time
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Old 07-26-2016, 08:58 PM   #18
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So to all of you who are having these types of issues. It's generally going to be more of an issue with your dealership than with Coachmen. Yes, MOST RVs are assembled about as well as a Chinese Rolex. The dealership you purchased it from should address any issues during make ready and pre inspection. This of course never happens so YOU the buyer must suffer with a poorly assembled product. In my case, I went into it with the understanding that I'm probably going to have to break out quite a few tools and do many many repairs myself if I plan on being happy with our purchase. (Fortunately our RV only suffered from a slow drip past a valve into our freshwater tank) Yes, I agree that a brand new anything shouldn't require this type of forthought, but unfortunately, that's symptomatic of the industry. Several several owners of brand new Montanas, Jaycos, and even Luxe fifth wheels have had similar issues. Go to YouTube and look up "the deprey's" and you'll see that their $90k Jayco Pinnacle has had even more issues that most of the ones listed here.

Now all that being said, there is something you can do to get your deadership to "prioritize " you much quicker and until your satisfacted......

Ready for it?

Call the dealership (or go by), ask to speak with the Sales Manager and Owner.....

Tell them that you need all the problems fixed by X date (be realistic) OR you will leave them a scathing Review on Google..... Believe it or not, negative Google reviews do more damage and stress out more business owners than any other, since it is the first review most people see when researching a new RV dealership.

tell them that you will blast their dealership on Google and they will all of a sudden be much easier to deal with. Because, you impact their wallet now.
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Old 07-27-2016, 10:15 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex.mcintosh40 View Post
We bought the chapparal 371mbrb and have several little issue's like wallpaper rips. Mis matched cabinet doors. Trim popping out, then it started I couldn't get the back tank to drain the handle was locked up towed it 200 miles home. Then this weekend my wife wakes me up about 4 am for a very strong gas smell so I felt the floor it's ice cold I run out side and it sounds like a blow dryer were the tankers are just soaked in gas from the tank that I've never used. My alarm never went off in the camper very disappointed in that luckily she caught it or it could of killed me and her and the dogs and luckily nothing was turned on gas that would of been very dangerous if it lit for are safety and everyone around us.. so we go to leave today and she pulls the back slide in and the switch starts smoking no idea why?. And to top it all of the outside fridge quit working.. any help on what I should do on here. Unfortunately the DW doesn't even want to sleep in it anymore thinking its never going to be safe again.. really hate to sell something that's 6 months old.. anybody know who I could talk to about this at coachmen? Thank you

I think Ohio has a lemon law for RVs.
You should get a lawyer if they do. These manufacturers need to start having consequences.


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Old 07-27-2016, 11:57 AM   #20
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They do have one I've been thinking about it. In all honestly I think there trying to blame the dealer since they filled the tanks saying that they are only suppost to be at 80% filled but it's just kinda odd now that we been talking about it after Two months of maybe two or three times of using the camper the other tank was empty never used heat just cooked a few times so I'm thinking it's been leaking for awhile
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