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Old 07-14-2016, 04:11 PM   #41
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I can say the fit, finish and quality is as good but IMO better in my 2015 Columbus then it was in my 2010 Sabre.


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Old 07-14-2016, 04:53 PM   #42
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Zero Quality control

We are fairly new to this lifestyle, but have friends that have TTs Fivers and MHs. I kind of knew what I was getting into, but it has opened my eyes to a total lack of quality.
My take on the manufacturing end of the equation is this, does it "kind of work", ship it out.
The dealer gets it, does his minimal precursory PDI with a "yep most of it works".

Then the final consumer, who has laid out enormous sums of money, is the "quality control" Nothing as it should be, things that make you wild, things that end trips, and things that make you wonder what the aptitude test is for those at the manufacture.

The consumer then takes it back to the poor befallen upon dealer , who gets ripped and has to go the manufacture for all the warranty work.

And the consumer sits at home fuming as his repairs take 2 months.
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Old 07-14-2016, 05:24 PM   #43
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My forester is coming back from a cross country trip. The friends using it are total newbies but they have copious amounts of cheater notes written by yours truly. They are going on three weeks and not one phone call, not one complaint and not one issue. Just lots of quick chat updates and facebook posts as it should be. That has to speak to the quality of the rig at some level. That being said I did have to replace a worn vent lid, a torn slide out topper and a camera that died due to a seal failure before their departure date but none of those items had anything to do with the construction of the vehicle and all to do with wear and tear (and some to bonehead maneuvers).
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Old 07-14-2016, 06:41 PM   #44
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I'd have to agree with most that the article said.

Numerous problems have plagued my unit.

Why, just last weekend. I was sitting on the bed, looked down where the wall meets the floor, and saw daylight.

I think if the factory just cut back a half dozen units a day, they would catch a lot of the problems..


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Old 07-14-2016, 07:22 PM   #45
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Earlier this year I had a chance to visit with a FR factory rep at an RV Expo. While we were talking inside one of the RV's we both continued to notice little quality issues on the interior. Loose knobs or trim panels, excess gobs of caulk around a sink, things like that.

He made the comment that he couldn't believe the dealers would put their inventory on display in that condition.

I bit my tongue but wanted to say I couldn't believe the factory would ship their merchandise in that condition.

Antecdotal, but it reminds me of the boating industry in the 1990's. High demand for a product produced by manufacturers focused on increasing revenue and reducing costs shipped to a somewhat renegade dealership network focused on increasing revenue and reducing costs........"quality" was a foreign concept.
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Old 07-14-2016, 07:52 PM   #46
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I would love to meet a rep and show them my unit.


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Old 07-14-2016, 07:58 PM   #47
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Hopefully ~~ when the next recession cuts the number of units ordered hopefully one or more brands will focus on quality control. The same for the component manufacturers. I believe they would find enough of us are willing to pay for a quality unit that is serviced properly.
My 5er is in the shop now. In 50 nights and 3000 miles nothing has been found with the build in 7 months. Had a furnace problem Atwood took care of quickly with a mobile tech. Now it seems the controller is bad and ate a battery.
What I would like to see is more, many more, campgrounds being built and expanded. From my experience, campsites are still in the '70s as far as size and numbers. Units are much longer and have slides that require more width as well.
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Old 07-14-2016, 09:53 PM   #48
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Hello Mr Havercamp,

To address one comment you made. Some of use enjoy the comraderie of actually sitting in the Fairground with some really great people! Many who post here on daily basis. I can call many good friends now that we enjoy the time we spend with each other in the very same packed hot Fairground even if there is a muck pile or overturned golf carts close by.
Fair enough and I have no problem with that whatsoever. I attend a few rallies with another group but they tend to be in wooded areas with few hookups. I do not remember saying that anyone that attends that event were not great people. I guess that saying, and I am taking the liberty of combining some sentences from that post into this quote "I find the appeal of that interesting also. I did not buy a Rockwood Roo because I am in love with Forest River or want to join some group. Personally the last thing I would ever want to do is be packed tight into some wide open Indiana fairground, in the middle of the hottest month of the year, but if that's what floats your boat have at it. I certainly do not expect anything for free as that's never been my style." in response to Igray's post, comes across as a personal attack or an attack on that event. If so I apologize. I find it amusing that the ones who flamed me never commented on this 3 day old thread until I made that post except one, but whatever.

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As far as the article the guy who wrote it has no idea what reality is, I too have read his diatribes in the past.

Well you're certainly entitled to your opinion and I respect that. But over on his site, in the comments to his editorials, he has some interesting commenters who agree with him, that must also have no idea what reality is. An owner of a KOA, an apparent soon to be small scale RV manufacturer, some RV techs, line workers, a dealer, people who have been in the industry for 20/30 years, and a number of owners who agree with him. I guess he could be making all that up and posting it himself in support of his editorials, or those commenters are not who they say they are. Interestingly his comment section is wide open for anyone positive or negative, and he responds to them also.
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Old 07-15-2016, 12:30 PM   #49
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he didn't write anything we don't all ready know .
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Old 07-15-2016, 12:44 PM   #50
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the voice of reason bus apparently just showed up.
here's a question for you . Why does the manufacture think the dealers Techs should diag a unit for free under warranty ? this is one reason i will never do warranty work nor work for a dealer . the flat rate does not cover the diag time .
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Old 07-15-2016, 07:30 PM   #51
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Thanks for sharing! Enlightening... however we are one of those consumers that have a relatively new (2014) trailer...and have had nothing but problems with it form day one... and we use it almost EVERY weekend.
We have spent a lot of our own money trying to get it to stop leaking every time it rains... this SOB will rot into the ground before we ever get it fixed!! NEVER AGAIN! This is our last RV... when it dies.. that's it...NO MORE!
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Old 07-15-2016, 08:09 PM   #52
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Sounds like the author of the RV series is a Thor owner. Been there, done that......(7 trips to the repair shop in 18 months of ownership!)
Thank God for our well built Forest River Berkshire! We have seen the promise land! RVing is fun once again!!!
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Old 07-15-2016, 08:11 PM   #53
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RV Industry Death Spiral – Part 5: Campgrounds losing capacity

RV Industry Death Spiral – Part 5: Campgrounds losing capacity




RV Industry Death Spiral – Part 5: Campgrounds losing capacity | RV Daily Report
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Old 07-15-2016, 08:25 PM   #54
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Sounds like the author of the RV series is a Thor owner.
He owns a Winnebago Adventurer.
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Old 07-15-2016, 08:38 PM   #55
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I like this guy!


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Old 07-15-2016, 08:50 PM   #56
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Originally Posted by RKNOLA View Post
Sounds like the author of the RV series is a Thor owner. Been there, done that......(7 trips to the repair shop in 18 months of ownership!)
Thank God for our well built Forest River Berkshire! We have seen the promise land! RVing is fun once again!!!
X2 I am completely blown away at the difference between a Berkshire and our previous 5er - I had NO idea. Sorry if this offends some but it is what it is.
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Old 07-15-2016, 08:54 PM   #57
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Oh, you know what goes here...

IMO,

This installment pushes the envelope.

The author has made some good points mixed in with many personal perspectives. The articles are not leading to enlightened discussion but to divisive points.

Pay parks? People vote with their feet. They will stop going there if it is bad.

State parks, I am in Illinois , they do the best they can with what they have. I know several camp hosts and yes, a couple of them will knock on your door, others will not. None I have seen get offensive. Pay your bill as prescribed in the park rules on time.

I am sure everyone has seen over-nighters cruze in late and bug out early, so not to pay. Those are the leaches.

Just a knee-jerk response...

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Old 07-15-2016, 09:13 PM   #58
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You know the old saying -

A pessimist (or cynic) is simply an optimist with better information

I resemble that.....

I was proud and happy when I took her home.... and two weeks later, I wish I had my old girl back....
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Old 07-15-2016, 09:29 PM   #59
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FWIW, we cannot be happier with our Unit or our dealer - Total Value RV in Elkhart IN!
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Old 07-15-2016, 10:48 PM   #60
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RV Industry Death Spiral – Part 5: Campgrounds losing capacity




RV Industry Death Spiral – Part 5: Campgrounds losing capacity | RV Daily Report

This guy isn't even close as to whats going on with RV parks , maybe 10 or 15 yrs ago what he said may have fit but not now . More and more campgrounds are being built , more spots ADDED to existing . Having spent two summers in yellowstone one of the rv capitals in the summer there are more spots available this yr then last and there will be even more next yr . lots of the forest service campgrounds outside of the park almost always have spots available first come first serve . Now in Florida you see tons of established campgrounds with the seasonal sites . there are still plenty available . i had no issues getting into a place last winter and see no issues this yr . some fill up others don't .

the rv indrustry has a long way to go with product and quality . the tools are there for them to get it right . it's just getting them to do it . people over profit .
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