Another Faded Cap Question

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by bobchap

Yes it was my bad. When I posted all I was thinking was Forest River. Mine is a motor home by Dynamax and this thread is about Cedar Creek. Sorry for posting in the wrong thread.

No, no! No apology necessary. I do just what you did, all the time.....just look at new posts, not at what Forum they are in.

All I was trying to do was get you to the right person. I did think you were Cedar Creek and were talking to a FR rep you stumbled across at a show. That was my misinterpretation. I was just wondering why the confusion.

It's all good.

Maybe tell him other Divisions are taking care of this issue??????

[TL474]

Unfortunately these “things” we all so gullibly purchased require maintenance. And unfortunately, they require maintenance. And unfortunately, much more than any human should have to endure when trying to “relax”. 3M restorer and wax and some WD-40 for your elbows. It sucks, but it works. And as with everything in life, it don’t last forever. Or just paint it. Hell, rattle can it flat black if you like. These things are disposable, built like cabinets purchased at Home Depot, pieces of crap. Regardless of brand, make or model. This is turning into a rant... so whatever it takes, get to it.

[TL474]

That wasn’t a missed step, I meant to put require maintenance in there twice. Shoukd have added it several more times...

[SeventyGTX]

Originally Posted by TL474

Unfortunately these “things” we all so gullibly purchased require maintenance. And unfortunately, they require maintenance. And unfortunately, much more than any human should have to endure when trying to “relax”. 3M restorer and wax and some WD-40 for your elbows. It sucks, but it works. And as with everything in life, it don’t last forever. Or just paint it. Hell, rattle can it flat black if you like. These things are disposable, built like cabinets purchased at Home Depot, pieces of crap. Regardless of brand, make or model. This is turning into a rant... so whatever it takes, get to it.

With this faded cap issue that seems to plague many brands, simply shooting them with automotive basecoat/clearcoat would solve the problems. Then they would hold up like car paint. But they go the cheap route and just use getcoat that does not last.

In the case of my Wildcat fiver, the cap has a radical curve making it all but impossible for the average guy to polish/wax it without some extravagant scaffolding. Many of us with these things are older and have no desire to test gravity 12 feet in the air.

Believe me, I tried buffing it, but it was basically impossible even with a 10ft ladder. Leaning that far into the upper curve was downright dangerous.

[bobchap]

For mine I found Meguiar's Fiberglass Oxidation Removal Kit. The kit has an oxidation removal, a polish, and then a wax. It worker pretty well with a lot of elbow grease. Thankfully my cap is not too hard to reach with a ladder. When they sell a unit to you they should tell you how to care for the finish of your unit. At least now both sides of my unit are clear coat. Only gel coat I have it on the back and the cap.

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by SeventyGTX

With this faded cap issue that seems to plague many brands, simply shooting them with automotive basecoat/clearcoat would solve the problems. Then they would hold up like car paint. But they go the cheap route and just use getcoat that does not last.

In the case of my Wildcat fiver, the cap has a radical curve making it all but impossible for the average guy to polish/wax it without some extravagant scaffolding. Many of us with these things are older and have no desire to test gravity 12 feet in the air.

Believe me, I tried buffing it, but it was basically impossible even with a 10ft ladder. Leaning that far into the upper curve was downright dangerous.

Yes!

That's why CC's latest repairs have been to just paint both caps. They WERE just replacing the gelcoat but now they just throw the old ones away and get a new one and paint it.

Dang trailers should all be full body paint.............I wish I'd picked that option!

[Jim34RL]

I am getting my caps repainted at a body shop approved by Forest River. I worked through my dealer for this. My feelings are it is less money for Forest River to paint the caps than to replace them and the integrity of the unit is not disturbed.

[Jim34RL]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Dang trailers should all be full body paint.............I wish I'd picked that option!

I was at the Frog rally were some individuals had the full body paint on their Creeks. They looked good but some were complaining about the paint peeling around the sealant joints. Nothing is perfect and I think I could use the $7,000 that Forest River charged for the full body paint option on other things. This is what it cost in 2016 when I ordered my trailer.

[spock123]

Originally Posted by Jim34RL

I am getting my caps repainted at a body shop approved by Forest River. I worked through my dealer for this. My feelings are it is less money for Forest River to paint the caps than to replace them and the integrity of the unit is not disturbed.

What was the cost to paint the front cap and rear cap

[Mac549]

I priced 3 shops in my area. Painting my front cap with automotive paint and a clear coat finish will run between $2500 and $3500 depending on how much work has to be done. The $2500 price is to save my decals and paint around them. The shop I am considering told me mine would be the 4th cap they have painted since the first of October.

[SeventyGTX]

Originally Posted by Mac549

I priced 3 shops in my area. Painting my front cap with automotive paint and a clear coat finish will run between $2500 and $3500 depending on how much work has to be done. The $2500 price is to save my decals and paint around them. The shop I am considering told me mine would be the 4th cap they have painted since the first of October.

I posted a pic of mine coming out of the booth on page 2. The cost was $2600 to do it two-tone and apply the decal I bought off ebay for $50. They used Dupont automotive basecoat/clearcoat. I had it done at a shop in Carson City Nv that has done several for the local Forest River/Wildcat dealer in Reno. Would have been about $2k for a single color.

Some prefer no decals because they eventually crack/fade, but I thought it would look naked plus I keep ours under cover. Not to mention I keep the decal coated with 303 vinyl protectant for the couple hours of morning sun it does get.

[keith52]

Did someone say NAKED??

[Paulie1138]

Naked? Is that CREEK??? Or EEEK???

[spock123]

I have seen one like this somewhere, maybe they couldn’t get the decals or they didn’t want to give Cedar Creek free advertising

[SeventyGTX]

Originally Posted by spock123

I have seen one like this somewhere, maybe they couldn’t get the decals or they didn’t want to give Cedar Creek free advertising

The shop that painted mine didn't want to put the decal on, saying it would crack and fade. But I insisted since it is mostly kept under cover.

[dcummins56]

Hi, I have a 2016 Surveyor 251 RKS, I bought new, the cap faded, FR said they would pay $1000 toward a new paint job. I would have had to come up with $1500. I seen a tv show about wrapping a truck, which gave me the idea to find out what it would cost to wrap the cap. I found a place and they said they could do it for $800, my insurance paid $300 of that. I'll post pics.

[Jim34RL]

Originally Posted by spock123

What was the cost to paint the front cap and rear cap

I do not know as of yet! The trailer went to the dealer the week of Oct 29 and the dealer was to take the trailer to the body shop sometime that week. My dealer also has to replace the fireplace on my unit as the temperature display has failed also. When that work is all done, I will be picking the trailer up probably sometime in mid Nov. I will know by then and send you a PM on the cost to repaint the caps.

[gos5]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Question: What IS Forest River's attention to that, specifically? Did they decline?

My suggestion is to email Denise Davis, calmly and correctly describe the situation and let us know what she says. I've yet to hear of a single Cedar Creek (but a bunch of other FR units) that they failed to take care of the cap issue, regardless of age or ownership.

Sorry for the delay in my response. I had left Denise several messages a year and half ago and never received a call back or anything. After a month, I called again and asked to speak with someone else dealing with the Fading issue. I was told she was handling the issue and would get back to me. It never happened. That's why I was disappointed in their attention to the issue. To me, that is a decline.
I may try again since there are many others that are continuing to bring the issue up. My local dealer just laughed and said FR is not going to do anything.
Thanks for letting me vent...

Dan

[SilverbackMel]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Question: What IS Forest River's attention to that, specifically? Did they decline?

My suggestion is to email Denise Davis, calmly and correctly describe the situation and let us know what she says. I've yet to hear of a single Cedar Creek (but a bunch of other FR units) that they failed to take care of the cap issue, regardless of age or ownership.

Original owner and FR declined?

[SilverbackMel]

Sorry; did not see “used”.