New owner with some questions

[exploreco]

We just bought a new 2014 Rockwood 2514G this weekend. Will take delivery on it next Saturday. They are installing air and cleaning it up. We are excited to for extra room over the camper we have. Not sure if we will get to use it this year or not as it is getting cold, but felt we just couldn't pass up the deal.

Anyways, have a couple of question. The dealer gave me this paper about a "Forest River Optional Folding Camper Trailer Lifetime Protection Plan" for $100 that you have to mail directly to FR within 10 days. He didn't try to push any type of aftermarket extended warranty on my but said this would extend some of the items to lifetime coverage. Seems like a decent deal for $100.

Any advice for care of this unit? Any thing extra I can do to preserve its quality of life. We intend on having it for years. It will be in a covered shed in the winter months. Although it gets the perk of being in my garage this winter.

I noticed the underside is sprayed with a black coating? Any other preps that can be done to preserve anything underneath?

Thanks for your feedback and look forward to being part of them group!

[F.R.O.G.]

Exploreco, congratulations on your new camper! I hope it brings you years of great adventures. Double check, but I'm not aware of an option to extend a warranty for life. The one that I'm aware of through Forest River extends through a second year and is a really good deal. If it's lifetime and I just don't know about it, so much the better.

Hope to see you at some FROG events@

[iceblaze580]

I've never heard of a lifetime warranty just the one year extension what dose the lifetime warranty include or exclude

[bikendan]

also never heard of a "Lifetime" FR warranty.
what i have heard is that the optional 2nd year factory warranty costs $100 for popups/A-frames and $150 for the other bigger towables.

[exploreco]

Originally Posted by iceblaze580

I've never heard of a lifetime warranty just the one year extension what dose the lifetime warranty include or exclude

This is what the paper says that the salesman gave me. It even has a Forest River logo in the top left corner. He said it was up to me if I want to take it or not.

Title says "Forest River Optional Folding Camper Trailer Lifetime Protection Plan"

The $100.00 optional warranty plan extents the existing warranty against manufacturing defects on the suspension, frame, subfloor, exterior sidewalls, bunk base and frame, and the interior cabinet frame, face and sides. This lifetime warranty is to the original purchaser.

The warranty provides lifetime parts and labor protection against manufacturing defects attributable to Forest River with the parts freight covered for the first 3 years. This coverage's is against manufacturing defects and extends beyond the standard warranty, but it does not include all exclusions contained in our standard warranty.

This warranty does not apply to normal maintenance and requires the same regular maintenance as outlined in the owners manual. Also excluded are damages arising from abuse or the failure to have such maintenance performed.

All repairs made under this optional warranty program are to be made at an authorized Forest River or one designated by Forest River.

To qualify for this protection this registration form must be sent along with a check for $100.00 to Forest River Inc, Attn: Protection Plan Dept, 1803 Century Dr. Goshen IN, 46528 within 10 days of the purchase of your unit. The bottom copy is for your records.


If I get a chance, might call in to Forest River and see if they can give me any additional info about it.

[iceblaze580]

I would jump on it then and get it

[BigBaron]

The two-year is recommended. Lifetime? The frame is covered by LCI, the appliances by their respective manufacturers. Only the interior/exterior construction is FR. I wonder if this is legit...

[KMP44]

Originally Posted by exploreco

Any advice for care of this unit? Any thing extra I can do to preserve its quality of life. We intend on having it for years. It will be in a covered shed in the winter months. Although it gets the perk of being in my garage this winter.

I noticed the underside is sprayed with a black coating? Any other preps that can be done to preserve anything underneath?

Congrats! We enjoyed our popup for 13 seasons and it held up well. I think keeping it under cover in the winter is going to be the best thing you can do to keep it looking good. The sun kills everything. The underside shouldn't need any special treatment. When we sold ours the underside still looked like it did the day we bought it, other than a few spots of surface rust on the frame itself. The only other thing I would add is wash it a couple times a year. Keeping the roof clean will cut down on streaks and a good washing keeps the black streaks from getting established on the sides. Once that happens, it can be hard to get them off. I never used anything other than mild car washing soap and then waxed it a couple times over the years.

And jump on that warranty of the factory is offering it for $100...

[RoadTrip]

I would buy that in a heartbeat and ask questions later!

[F.R.O.G.]

I've just traded voice mails with Brett Doberenz at our Rockwood / Flagstaff plant. The lifetime warranty is legitimate, but there are some limitations and exclusions, so be sure to read it. It's available on popup trailers, not on fixed wall trailers, which have a second year extension available.

There should be a letter in the packet of manuals describing the coverage.

The letter that Exploreco quoted sounds very much like what Brett described to me in his voice mail.

Brett is going to send me a scan of the warranty, and I'll see if I can get it posted on here. In the meantime, it sounds like a no-brainer for $100.

[exploreco]

Originally Posted by F.R.O.G.

I've just traded voice mails with Brett Doberenz at our Rockwood / Flagstaff plant. The lifetime warranty is legitimate, but there are some limitations and exclusions, so be sure to read it. It's available on popup trailers, not on fixed wall trailers, which have a second year extension available.

There should be a letter in the packet of manuals describing the coverage.

The letter that Exploreco quoted sounds very much like what Brett described to me in his voice mail.

Brett is going to send me a scan of the warranty, and I'll see if I can get it posted on here. In the meantime, it sounds like a no-brainer for $100.

Thanks for the follow up. I too called FR and spoke with someone in their warranty dept and he confirmed what you are saying as well. It matches the paper the dealer gave me (not that I wasn't trusting the dealer, they have been great, just wanted to see what it was all about since all I could find in the Dollar and Sense section was about the two year one for TT). Most of the items are covered by the 5 year warranties that come with the camper, but it will be good to have some extra protection for the bunk ends, sides, and cabinets and we will have it more than 5 years I plan. Unless we get the itch to go to a hybrid or TT, but don't tell the wife I said that already, the ink isn't even dry on this one Worth $100 as I see it.

Appreciate everyone's input and look forward to participating in discussions!

[exploreco]

Originally Posted by KMP44

Congrats! We enjoyed our popup for 13 seasons and it held up well. I think keeping it under cover in the winter is going to be the best thing you can do to keep it looking good. The sun kills everything. The underside shouldn't need any special treatment. When we sold ours the underside still looked like it did the day we bought it, other than a few spots of surface rust on the frame itself. The only other thing I would add is wash it a couple times a year. Keeping the roof clean will cut down on streaks and a good washing keeps the black streaks from getting established on the sides. Once that happens, it can be hard to get them off. I never used anything other than mild car washing soap and then waxed it a couple times over the years.

And jump on that warranty of the factory is offering it for $100...

All great advice. Already have a cover for it when it sits out in the summer months. It will get the use of the garage this year. I will keep it pretty clean. I am particular about my cars and keeping them clean so this will be no different. It is hard giving up my garage space, but the camper is new and I don't want it to sit out in the snow, and I figure I might want to mess around with it in the garage a little bit this winter so I won't store it at the in-laws farm this year. New toy

[HONDAMAN174]

Sounds like you need a camping trip in your near future! Good luck and enjoy! Don't forget to make sure everything works when you pick it up.

[exploreco]

Originally Posted by HONDAMAN174

Sounds like you need a camping trip in your near future! Good luck and enjoy! Don't forget to make sure everything works when you pick it up.

Yeah, I am trying to convince the wife we need to stop off at Starved Rock SP on the way home for the night and try it out. She thinks it will be too cold, even wit the heater. We have never camped this later in the year. First time for everything. If not, I will take it out with my dad the following weekend to try it out

They are supposed to show me everything and how it all works. Said it would take a couple of hours. Then they will winterize it after they show us how it all works. I looked it over pretty good on Saturday and found some minor issues that needed adjusting so those items should be taken care of when we pick it up.

[HONDAMAN174]

Originally Posted by exploreco

Yeah, I am trying to convince the wife we need to stop off at Starved Rock SP on the way home for the night and try it out. She thinks it will be too cold, even wit the heater. We have never camped this later in the year. First time for everything. If not, I will take it out with my dad the following weekend to try it out They are supposed to show me everything and how it all works. Said it would take a couple of hours. Then they will winterize it after they show us how it all works. I looked it over pretty good on Saturday and found some minor issues that needed adjusting so those items should be taken care of when we pick it up.

If they are going to winterize it for you, that's pretty much going to put a done stamp on your camping season.

[exploreco]

Originally Posted by HONDAMAN174

If they are going to winterize it for you, that's pretty much going to put a done stamp on your camping season.

I thought we could probably get by if we didn't use any water. I have not had a camper before that requires winterizing. Isn't that all that is involved in winterizing? Antifreeze in the water lines and tank? Would that keep us from using the camper a couple of more times?

Thanks

[KMP44]

Originally Posted by exploreco

All great advice. Already have a cover for it when it sits out in the summer months. It will get the use of the garage this year. I will keep it pretty clean. I am particular about my cars and keeping them clean so this will be no different. It is hard giving up my garage space, but the camper is new and I don't want it to sit out in the snow, and I figure I might want to mess around with it in the garage a little bit this winter so I won't store it at the in-laws farm this year. New toy

One last thought - if you cover it in the summer, make sure your cover is a breathable fabric so you don't build up too much heat.

One nice thing about a popup is it is easier to garage. We never had the space to do it, and even still, our Coleman really held up well, but the decals did fade a little bit.

We had a similar floorplan with the slideout dinette - what difference that makes. The 2514 has a few more amenities than ours had. Looks like a great unit.

[exploreco]

Originally Posted by KMP44

One last thought - if you cover it in the summer, make sure your cover is a breathable fabric so you don't build up too much heat.

One nice thing about a popup is it is easier to garage. We never had the space to do it, and even still, our Coleman really held up well, but the decals did fade a little bit.

We had a similar floorplan with the slideout dinette - what difference that makes. The 2514 has a few more amenities than ours had. Looks like a great unit.

Yeah, I can't wait for next spring to arrive. My son who is 2 going on 3 really got into it this summer.

I do have a breathable cover that I had from my very first camper, so going to get it out and see if it fits. My first one was only an 8ft box, but I remember the cover having extra on it.