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Old 01-03-2017, 03:52 PM   #1
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Leading in recalls? Interesting reading, More to the story.

Interesting reading to say the least.


Opinion: Gearing up for a new year of change | RV Daily Report
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Old 02-23-2017, 06:34 PM   #2
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Sounds like FR is from the "It's my ball, play by my rules or I'll go home" school. While recalls aren't necessarily the fault of the manufacturer, they are the ones who buy the products that go into their products, so ultimately, it is their quality that suffers. The problem is, RV's are built to a price point. The old function follows form rule. And, as consumers, we buy these faulty products, say things like, "my slide out stuck open, the furnace don't work, the roof leaks, the tires go flat, but they were all fixable so this is a very good product". As long as we, the consumer, head out with that mindset, why would ANY manufacturer want to spend more money to make their product better. Why would ANY company want to have a quality control department. If you watch the YOUTUBE videos on RV construction, you would think the manufacturers go over each product with a fine tooth comb. BUT, if that is the case, how do you get a motorhome where the trim is not matched? Where the carpet doesn't reach to the end of the floor? Where a door doesn't close because it is hung crooked? Where tools are left in storage compartments? Where pipes leak because they forgot to put clamps on the ends? How can a manufacture, with a straight face, say quality control? They can because we consumers say, other than those problems, this is a great unit. Reminds me of auto makers back in the 60'. They didn't care because they knew if you wanted a car, you had to buy theirs. Then the imports started and the makers cried "buy American, help your neighbor" but guess what... your neighbor was the one building and pawning off the junk on you. So, they HAD to improve or go out of business. We need to start NOT BUYING JUNK and force them to make a decent product. But, we won't cause "other than these few problems, it's a good product"........ I have told my dealer.. I WILL DO A COMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE UNIT AND WILL NOT SIGN UNTIL EVERYTHING I FIND WRONG IS FIXED FIRST, NOT AFTER I SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE. Maybe something along those lines is the answer. Fix first, not under warranty.
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Old 02-23-2017, 08:15 PM   #3
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The original article was worded in such a way that it made FR look like the champion on recalls but the devil is in the details. Also at the top of the list was Newmar, explain that. The list showed each Thor owned company separately, had they been lumped together as they did with FR corporation divisions Thor would have been at the top. I'm not defending FR, they are no better or no worse than any other manufacturer in the industry. The difference with FR is that they are much better at accepting responsibility and resolving the issues. Just go to the International FROG Rally and you will see evidence of that. The auto industry went through the same thing some years back but now the automotive assembly lines are highly automated. No more Friday or Monday cars.
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Old 02-24-2017, 04:52 PM   #4
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Color me a skeptic

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Originally Posted by BooBoo23 View Post
The original article was worded in such a way that it made FR look like the champion on recalls but the devil is in the details. Also at the top of the list was Newmar, explain that. The list showed each Thor owned company separately, had they been lumped together as they did with FR corporation divisions Thor would have been at the top. I'm not defending FR, they are no better or no worse than any other manufacturer in the industry. The difference with FR is that they are much better at accepting responsibility and resolving the issues. Just go to the International FROG Rally and you will see evidence of that. The auto industry went through the same thing some years back but now the automotive assembly lines are highly automated. No more Friday or Monday cars.
Having read the consent order and taking note of the fine paid by FR (small potatoes I admit), I'm not exactly convinced that this is true.
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Old 02-24-2017, 05:03 PM   #5
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Old 02-28-2017, 10:21 PM   #6
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Whew!

I wish I could have read or heard about all this before deciding to order a new RV. Now I'm scared to death to see what might come from the factory. I purchased my last RV from Trail Manor in 1996. I don't remember any real problems with it and used it for about 8 years. Everything was still working on it when I sold it. It even had to be trailered back to the factory for repair after a tree found on a section of the roof 1 month into ownership. Trail Manor was great about everything and there were no problems with it when I got it back. Apparently things have gone down hill since then. I guess I'll keep my fingers crossed.
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Old 05-01-2017, 05:23 PM   #7
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We purchased our Georgetown 360 XL 2014-2015 in Des Moines, IA. We did our walk through and found items that needed to be fixed. The Dealer we bought from took forever to fix problems. We only camped 2 times that summer. Rest of time it was sitting waiting for parts and repair. Things kept adding to the list of repairs until Finally I wrote to Forest River with the problems that kept mounting. We happened to have a excellent person from Forest River call us. To make a long story short Forest River sent a driver here, picked up our motorhome and took it to the factory in Indiana. THEN when they fixed it properly the driver brought it back. THE DEALER we bought it from had nothing to do with it. It was ALL the person we were blessed with at Forest River that made it all happen. IT'S WHO YOU HAVE help you that matters. FOREST RIVER stood by us and we are so grateful to them.
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Old 05-01-2017, 07:02 PM   #8
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A contrary viewpoint

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Originally Posted by Donna from Iowa View Post
We purchased our Georgetown 360 XL 2014-2015 in Des Moines, IA. We did our walk through and found items that needed to be fixed. The Dealer we bought from took forever to fix problems. We only camped 2 times that summer. Rest of time it was sitting waiting for parts and repair. Things kept adding to the list of repairs until Finally I wrote to Forest River with the problems that kept mounting. We happened to have a excellent person from Forest River call us. To make a long story short Forest River sent a driver here, picked up our motorhome and took it to the factory in Indiana. THEN when they fixed it properly the driver brought it back. THE DEALER we bought it from had nothing to do with it. It was ALL the person we were blessed with at Forest River that made it all happen. IT'S WHO YOU HAVE help you that matters. FOREST RIVER stood by us and we are so grateful to them.
If it were me, I would be angry at Forest River for manufacturing and then delivering a motorhome that possibly should never have left the factory.

How much depreciation occurred over the time the MH was at the dealer and at FR? How many potential camping days were lost?

I find it hard to blame the dealers for their poor warranty service. FR does not reimburse them their cost of performing the repairs. Further, it appears the dealers are no obligation to provide warranty service.

Thanking FR for finally delivering to you the motorhome you should have received in the beginning is somewhat perplexing to me. I recognize my view is very much in the minority.
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Old 05-02-2017, 04:16 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by KatanaPilot View Post
If it were me, I would be angry at Forest River for manufacturing and then delivering a motorhome that possibly should never have left the factory.

How much depreciation occurred over the time the MH was at the dealer and at FR? How many potential camping days were lost?

I find it hard to blame the dealers for their poor warranty service. FR does not reimburse them their cost of performing the repairs. Further, it appears the dealers are no obligation to provide warranty service.

Thanking FR for finally delivering to you the motorhome you should have received in the beginning is somewhat perplexing to me. I recognize my view is very much in the minority.
I agree with all of that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna from Iowa View Post
We purchased our Georgetown 360 XL 2014-2015 in Des Moines, IA. We did our walk through and found items that needed to be fixed. The Dealer we bought from took forever to fix problems. We only camped 2 times that summer. Rest of time it was sitting waiting for parts and repair. Things kept adding to the list of repairs until Finally I wrote to Forest River with the problems that kept mounting. We happened to have a excellent person from Forest River call us. To make a long story short Forest River sent a driver here, picked up our motorhome and took it to the factory in Indiana. THEN when they fixed it properly the driver brought it back. THE DEALER we bought it from had nothing to do with it. It was ALL the person we were blessed with at Forest River that made it all happen. IT'S WHO YOU HAVE help you that matters. FOREST RIVER stood by us and we are so grateful to them.
Perhaps if you refused to sign on the dotted line the dealer and FR may have pulled their heads out of their collective rear ends and corrected the defects faster before you owned it.......but my own experience going that route tells me otherwise. As far as dealers dropping the ball they are the agent for FR so ultimatly I look to FR who does nothing about dealers who drop the ball.

Having a manufacturer apparently step up to the plate, after I have owned something and made payments for months and went through lack of use, hardly qualifies as being blessed IMO. Especially when words/phrases such as "finally" and "took forever" are used to describe the situation. I would use another word to describe that scenario.
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