My #1 gripe with Forest River...

[Awilson]

I’m not defending FR as I agree they need something. ANYTHING would be better than what I got but I have had to write a few manuals for the operation of things a past company I have worked for has built and it is difficult at best. By the time I got through it the first time the design engineers had changed the way it works. The mechanical engineers had to change the design for practicality. The fabricators had trouble building it as designed so they changed it to be buildable. The component manufacturer made some component changes where some were obsolete, some capabilities of those components changed as did sizes. By the time I recruited more guys to help with chapter and sub chapter rewrites the manual was nothing more than an exercise in futility and was only partially right. Our industry was not as fast paced as the RV industry so I can imagine from concept to completion how difficult it would be to keep up with all the changes not to mention the minimally trained workers on the line changing on a daily or weekly basis. Think about fast food restaurants capability’s to get it your way. When I ask for them to hold the onions it almost never happens in the drive through. They know you will just deal with it rather than wait in line to try again. When I walk in they have to face me because it’s called out as ‘dine in’ so if it’s wrong they have to look me in the eye. Same thing here. The assemblers don’t have to deal with the end user, the dealer does or the person that bought it will educate themselves to fix it or find an independent, as I did, that is knowledgeable and reliable. It’s not great what it has become but that is why we can afford to buy them. Cheap. You would think it would be better than it is, and probably could be, but there are a massive amount of people with their fingers in the pie, so to speak, and a lot of constantly moving parts in these companies. Ginormous companies rarely give personal service and attention but those that do are wildly successful. Jmho.

PS: Our dealer in early June had a first opening in October for a repair. What does this tell you.

Alan

[kevinhen]

Quality control has slipped big time also, just bought a Heritage Glenn 5th and things were not checked.. just 2 quick examples the wardrobe rack in the bedroom closet has holes for 8 screws only 2 were installed that was on the floor along with all the clothes on the first stop. Than we noticed the couch was moving away from the wall, turns out it was not even secured to the floor or the wall... think the quality control has left the building.. and other quality control items.. I tool pic and I'm seriously thinking of sending a nice letter to the board of directors at Berkshire Hathaway. Think it's time for them to sell.. this was our first RV we are going to trade up next year probably .. pretty sure it's not going to be a FR product

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[Awilson]

Originally Posted by kevinhen

Quality control has slipped big time also, just bought a Heritage Glenn 5th and things were not checked.. just 2 quick examples the wardrobe rack in the bedroom closet has holes for 8 screws only 2 were installed that was on the floor along with all the clothes on the first stop. Than we noticed the couch was moving away from the wall, turns out it was not even secured to the floor or the wall... think the quality control has left the building.. and other quality control items.. I tool pic and I'm seriously thinking of sending a nice letter to the board of directors at Berkshire Hathaway. Think it's time for them to sell.. this was our first RV we are going to trade up next year probably .. pretty sure it's not going to be a FR product

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Pretty sure that QC is just someone on the line that’s been promoted, well, if they actually have QC. Remember that QC is a cost and if there is no one there that is more going to the bottom line. Pretty much all companies management answer to the investors and to keep their jobs the bottom line needs to look good. Seen it too many times. Just like your budget at home, you decide what you will tolerate and live with or live without.

[freddie2017]

We were having trouble getting thru to the customer service assigned to our model. I called Berkshire Hathaway who owns Forest River, they gave me a number to call and you can bet we got a call back immediately.

[kevinhen]

Oh I'm sure that's why a letter with pictures to the board Wil soon be sent.. There are many ways to increase the bottom line slipping on QC is not one.. that's how your product goes from first to worse...

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[freddie2017]

Call Warren Buffet!!!

[Awilson]

I think we are seeing how Warren is a billionaire! There will some manager at a factory get a dressing down and he will make a change until he gets a dressing down next month for a loss in profit. Not trying to be negative here but that is the real world in business. Our owner always told us to live by these rules of sales. Price, speed, quality. You can only pick two. I really hope you get some positive reactions and permanent change.

[Capt. Mike]

Originally Posted by Awilson

PS: Our dealer in early June had a first opening in October for a repair. What does this tell you.

Alan

Most dealers sell multiple brands. Maybe what that 4-month delay tells you is that EVERY manufacturer has the same problems with quality control. Or maybe it speaks to the inability - manufacturer and dealer - to get enough help. It is already well known that delivery from the manufacturers to the dealers is terrible because of the lack of people willing to do the work.

[Rdeemat]

Originally Posted by ruggets

Contacted Forest River for plumbing plan for Signature Ultra Lite BSS and they said they don't have one.
Really odd--think plans are available somewhere.

What? Plans from FR on the unit you bought? Parrish the thought. They don't exist anywhere, from the factory where it's made to Amazon or anywhere else on the web. You'd think they build their line of products from thought only. They must not want you to know how their put together or how to work on them yourself. Anyone, (other than a dealer) know how to replace a cracked gray water tank in a 37' 5th wheel? One of my biggest gripes in the world of RVs is how they must make a 1000% profit on common little miscellaneous plastic parts.

[Vern]

All the updated sales brochures and websites in the world could not possibly replace the actual "how to" and "what is this" value of the knowledgeable fellow owners here on FRF.

[Awilson]

Originally Posted by Vern

All the updated sales brochures and websites in the world could not possibly replace the actual "how to" and "what is this" value of the knowledgeable fellow owners here on FRF.

[emoji1303][emoji1303][emoji1303]⬆️⬆️⬆️ What he said!

[grit]

I have worked as an engineer for a big company before. We always kept in touch with the people writing the manuals and kept them updated with any changes so they could update the manuals before they went out. After the manuals went out, if any changes occurred, we would have the technical writers post an addendum on-line so customers could download them as needed.
I don't see any of that happening with FR.

[Cowracer]

Ya know... we have gotten off on to manuals, diagrams and quality.

All I wanted was a few decent pictures on their web page.

Tim

[packrat48]

Originally Posted by heavynlori

It is probably two 30 gal gray tanks.....60 total but it usually does not state it that way in print

If that is the case I haven't found second tank or drain in the 4 years I've had trailer.

[heavynlori]

Your unit is very similar to our Crusader 325RES....there is a black pull and a gray pull directly under the docking center and another gray pull for the kitchen/galley tank on the same side but much further back close to the wheels - if you have not found it in four years that tank must be past FULL or both tanks are plumbed together

[alwaysonguard]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

Forest River is a big company. I mean... REALLY big. 86 plants. 11,000 people, and corporate earnings knocking on 4 BILLION a year.

Is it too much to ask to make a decent website for your products? Case in point...

On the Rockwood Signature Ultralight page, there is 16 different floor plans listed (both 5th wheel and TT). Of those 16, only 5 have pictures of the actual model available. Of those 5, 2 have exactly one picture, 1 has 2 pictures, and 1 has 3. 1 model gets a lush 13 pictures and a 360 'tour'.

There are 3 models that are listed as completely new. There is not a single picture (other than the floor plan) available on any of those.

I know, there are LOTS of FR models, and sometime things change rapidly in the RV world, but how hard can it be to hire a photographer to take a few decent pictures and a couple web-managers to keep things updated? I am particularity interested in interior pictures of a certain new 5er for some friends. I have to google search that model to see pictures taken by a dealership to see any pictures of all of that model. I find that unfortunate.

I'm as big an FR fan as anyone, but their web presence is one place they really drop the ball.

Tim

I rely on sites like rvtrader and youtube for product research. Haylet RV of Coldwater springs Michigan (I can hear the internet salesman's voice as I type it) has full trailer walk through of countless trailers (not a dealer endorsement I have never been there). I agree the manufacturer site is thin on information, but use other resources and you should be able to find plenty of information. This site can be helpful too, just don't start another "can my X vehicle pull Y trailer argument", there's to many of those already. Happy searching!

[Dpelaez]

Agree with comments. Get ready for problems,headaches, long waits and finger pointing when it comes to internal components. It's the way of the RV wirld.

[Rdeemat]

Originally Posted by Dpelaez

I can understand yur gripe but sounds like you are in the shopping process. Wait till you own one and need help. They are very handsoff,difficult to get a hold of and love sending you somewhere else .

Absolutely 100% agree. They'll bend over backwards until the sale is complete and your off the lot with your new unit. After that it's tough luck chuck getting them to help you with anything unless there's more money to be made off you.

[Cowracer]

I belive you are confusing FR with a dealership. Totally different entities.

Tim

[spock123]

We have had really good luck with Cedar Creek from Forest River, the dealer not so much