Please tell me I did not make a $60,000 mistake

[USCG 4 LIFE]

After buying our 2014 385BH two weeks ago we noticed the living room slide out floor had dropped down on the side with the couch. The black plastic trim they use on the out side to cover the ends had broke off and you could see where the floor dropped about 1 inch. After taking it back to the dealer and having them look at it, they tell me the floor did not drop but they cut the slide out wall to short not covering all of the floor. You could tell the the floor had been wet on the end that dropped. They said they would get a piece of angle iron and mount it to the side to cover the end of the floor. I called Columbus 4 time and Palomino 3 times last week and left a message each time to have someone call me back and still have not got a return call. Does Columbus have that poor of customer service? I would think since the Columbus is one of top line they would take care of there customers. We had a Fleetwood motor home before this and any time you called fleetwood you spoke to some one not a machine.

[Ford Idaho]

Only you can be the real judge of that.
I wish you well.


https://www.google.com/search?q=mad+...iverforums.com

[Paul M]

check my thread (columbus factory advice needed) and also madmomma & maddaddy ? Might give you some idea of what your up against. The factory warranty guy is Cel Lopez - # (574-821-1487) Be for-warned, he is gonna tel you he is backed up well over a month due to weather. The other problem is the factory warranty and the production are one in the same. It appears the folks have to split their time.

[Weezer]

To the OP;

You posted this in the "bulge under slideout" thread:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...t-53345-3.html

I have one spot just like yours on our new 385BH at the front of our bedroom slide and the dealer said they called the factory and was told to put a relief cut in the outer panel and even sent them the strip to cover the cut.


Say WHAT???? They expect you to settle for a "relief cut in the outer panel" with a patch over it?

[dleighb]

I have been through the process too, and believe me....as upset as I was and as much as I dreaded it.....things eventually did work out beautifully. We are planning our trips now, and cannot wait to take her out.

[USCG 4 LIFE]

We had three problems, the first was in the rear BH the top conners of the slide out trim was rubbing the back wall. Dealer said factory told them to remove the Conner blocks and cut off about 1/2 inch on the side that's hitting the wall. The second problem was the bulge on the front under the bedroom slide and the 3rd was the floor dropping down in the living rood slide. I just don't understand how the factory could miss these problems.

[dleighb]

Wow! That does seem a bit much! All you really can do at this point is run it up the chain....

Forest River will make it right!

[mike06081969]

Stand your ground, and try to maintain a positive relationship with your dealer. RV warranties are not like automobile warranties, and your dealer can be either your best friend or your worst enemy when dealing with the manufacturer. I will say this: I had several problems with a brand new FR product in 2011, and my dealer and FR took care of every single complaint I had, even the nit picky stuff. I was furious to have paid so much for an RV and it not meet what I thought were acceptable quality control standards, but at least they took care of it and I ended up with a very good unit. It isn't just a FR issue, you can go to other forums for other brands, and all of them have disgruntled customers. Apparently the RV industry as a whole does their QC after the sale. My best advice is to fix what you can, be firm and frequent in getting what you can't fix repaired by FR/dealer, and then relax and enjoy your new camper. Good luck, and happy camping!

[USCG 4 LIFE]

Originally Posted by SYE

This same problem has happened to a few of us Columbus owners over on our Columbus Owners Group pon Facebook. The factory even took one from Texas and called it back to the factory. From all that I have read it mainly seems like the 385's are cursed!!

Why would you say that, seems to me if one has problems they all should have. My dealer did say since there's 5 slides there more to go wrong.

[USCG 4 LIFE]

Here's a picture of the living room slide floor.

[USCG 4 LIFE]

Originally Posted by SYE

Yep, that looks like the ones posted on our Columbus Owners Group!!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forest River Forums mobile app

Do you know what the out come was? Are you talking about the owners group on Facebook?

[SargeW]

Originally Posted by USCG 4 LIFE

Why would you say that, seems to me if one has problems they all should have. My dealer did say since there's 5 slides there more to go wrong.

It's not just your model unfortunately, it is spread across the product line in all of the models. The major cause that I can see thus far is the over torquing of the screws that bind the floor to the walls.

I had a 320RS that about half of the screws holding the side walls of the slides to the floors had been over torqued and stripped.

[SammySabre]

Look for the phrase 385BH and red headed stepchild in previous postings. The 385BH has been problematic for Columbus although there are many good ones out there too. The big bunkhouse model has more slides, 2 bathrooms, more stuff to go wrong so you are correct. You have a 1 year bumper to bumper warranty - use it wisely!

The red headed step child comment below. A guy trying to live out of his in harsh MN winter a few years ago. Complete failure!
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...-30764-16.html

[lgray]

For the Columbus factory, it is all about manufacturing and profit. Parts and service for them is an inconvenience. When you are selling as many as you can crank out, why worry?
When we bought our early production 320RS, we could not believe what we were getting for the money…too go to be true? For some yes, others were more fortunate. Regardless, the factory continues to turn out lemons, more frequently that what is sustainable.
Factory support, lack thereof, was the tipping point in our trading for a Trilogy.

[SammySabre]

Ah, Dynamax Trilogy after it got bought out by Forest River a couple years ago just turned into an even more expensive Forest River product and the typical issues that go with it. Most of what I read is lack of dealer support, not factory support. In any case, happy reading - here is the Trilogy section. Dynamax DynaAire and Trilogy - Forest River Forums

[lgray]

Originally Posted by SammySabre

Ah, Dynamax Trilogy after it got bought out by Forest River a couple years ago just turned into an even more expensive Forest River product and the typical issues that go with it. Most of what I read is lack of dealer support, not factory support. In any case, happy reading - here is the Trilogy section. Dynamax DynaAire and Trilogy - Forest River Forums

Member since November 2013...you may want to "read" a little further back if your conclusion is that dealer support is the primary issue.

[SammySabre]

Dealer support WAS a primary issue. I trust by now, they got over it. Columbus went through the same problems in late 2012 and part of 2013. Now Columbus is letting some incompetent and underperforming dealers go. SammySabre may be newish on FRF, but believe me, this ain't my first rodeo.

[lgray]

Originally Posted by SammySabre

Dealer support WAS a primary issue. I trust by now, they got over it. Columbus went through the same problems in late 2012 and part of 2013. Now Columbus is letting some incompetent and underperforming dealers go. SammySabre may be newish on FRF, but believe me, this ain't my first rodeo.

OK, now validate...which dealers were let go and how were those selections made? Information source? If this anything like your knowledge of Dynamax/Trilogy, you lack credibility. After FR purchased them, the product line was actually expanaded to include a lower cost Touring model. Prior to the purchase, they were always very high priced. It is always better to know what you are talkng about rather than just having something to say.

[SammySabre]

Columbus dealer in Temecula, CA got dropped recently. I know Ross the Columbus factory rep and have talked with him at RV show in Minneapolis a couple weeks ago. There is you validation. But you are correct, I know little about Trilogy but if you are happy with yours, I'm happy for you.

[AnchorsAweigh]

Originally Posted by SammySabre

Columbus dealer in Temecula, CA got dropped recently. I know Ross the Columbus factory rep and have talked with him at RV show in Minneapolis a couple weeks ago. There is you validation. But you are correct, I know little about Trilogy but if you are happy with yours, I'm happy for you.

You talked to one side and accepted it as fact? Could the truth be the dealer has dropped Columbus do to repeatedly being caught in the middle of issues like USCG is experiencing?