Very poor quality control on 2012 Lacrosse

canterburyshoe · 07-22-2013, 05:37 PM

We bought a 2012 Lacrosse 308RES in August 2012. The floor plan was just what we were looking for. We towed it to our seasonal site and after going in and out of the camper through out the day setting it up I noticed the steps had a 3/4" crack in the step risers,the fridge did not stay closed the light over the bed did not work drawer under stove did not latch, 2 pieces of trim fell off on the slides, other trim was sagging and The door was warped and would not close. All of this on day 1.
When I went to dump the holding tanks the handle on the black tank was hitting frame and would not close all the way and broke.
When I towed home I noticed the fridge was not working, come to find out the battery cable was not even connected to the terminal on the battery.
The outside storage doors are warped, propane storage in front was off center by 6" to one side which interfered with my load bars and broke the propane cover.
After 4 months in the shop to replace doors and all other problems we went to go camping first time in 2013 and the wardrobe slide motor died. One month later we went camping without issue, we were happy.
This past weekend getting ready to pull out of seasonal site to go to Pittsburg, NH camping the rear stabilizers would not go up. went to dealer and they ordered a motor said it is very common problem.
All these issues and camper is not yet a year old. I don't know how Forest River and Prime Time can let a camper with this many issues pass a quality control inspection. Sorry for being so long but I just had to vent.

**Terier** · 07-22-2013, 05:43 PM

Sorry to hear about the problems with your unit. Did you buy it new or was it pre-owned? Doesn't sound like a detailed PDI was provided prior to you taking delivery.

I do understand how you must be feeling especially with being disappointed. Hopefully all will work out for you soon.

canterburyshoe · 07-22-2013, 05:58 PM

It was brand new, that is what makes it so upsetting. But don't get me wrong I do love the style and the looks of the camper. We shouldn't have had this many issues over 5 years. The Dealer was another issue. Cold Springs RV in Weare, NH I will never use again. We took it for 7 issues and they end up only fixing 4 and then we take it back and they fix 2 more then we still have to take it back again.

**Herk7769** · 07-22-2013, 06:10 PM

Sorry to hear about your troubles.
About half of them are PDI (dealer) issues.
It sucks when dealers blame the manufacturer for their shop's shortfalls.

canterburyshoe · 07-22-2013, 06:18 PM

Thanks, I have high hopes that everything will get better from now on.

Janette Shuman · 07-22-2013, 06:53 PM

When we decided to purchase this new 2012 Lacross camper it was only because I wanted something bigger I did love our small Dutchman. We just couldn't fit our friends in there during bad weather so I decided to purchase the 36,000 dollar trailer, as my daughter says mansion on wheels. I love it. I just can't believe the hard time they are giving me about all of the things that are breaking. The motor, steps, door, light, drawer under stove many of the trim areas and more than I can actually state. When you get lied too more than once beginning with the fact they were supposed to deliver it and oh when my husband called they conveniently forgot I should of got out then. My husband has fixed the minor things like oh the fridge that wouldn't stay closed the front tanks that were off things like that, however when you go to the dealer and they give you manufacture phone number don't bother calling. The customer service only makes you feel like your being treated like a child saying they sympathize with you and start talking about their lemon car. I don't want to hear it. When you ask for compensation, oh they can't do that, the manufacturer won't do that. They do pitch the 1495.00 insurance plan that I already know is a piece of crap. When you ask how long your new motor is guaranteed for which is 3 weeks old and they say until the 28th of July when your plan for the 1st year expires. That really fries my butt. What no 30 day guarantee, and then they ask how they can help to fix things and you again ask for a year for the extended warranty due to the inconvenience of not being able to use the camper and told no because they are in it to make money. Heck yes you make money so now Cold Springs RV may just get this camper pulled into their lot and unpacked in front of all the people buying new campers. Oh and yes I have already told 2 couples last Sunday while I was trying to get help not to buy from them and why. 1 couple did leave. I will spread the word to all my friends and their friends not to go there. I will go up to Chichester to camping world and get a new camper in the fall or spring. Please don't buy from Cold Springs RV. Maybe a news article should go into the Concord Monitor and the Union leader. Send good thoughts please nothing happens on our last camping trip I 2 weeks. If it does this is what I would like to do to the quality control people.

canterburyshoe · 07-28-2013, 05:39 PM

This update is as of today at noon, 8 hours before our warranty expires. The second motor on the wardrobe slide died as we were closing camper to go away for 2 weeks. NOT HAPPY. Dealer is coming tomorrow morning to hopefully fix with motor from one in yard. Please keep your fingers crossed. I cannot go anywhere and enjoy myself without fearing that something will not work when we get there or when we leave.

Wildwood Danny · 07-29-2013, 08:42 AM

We had some issues when we bought our Lacrosse 303RKS, some Prime Time & some dealer. All were taken care of by Prime Time, our selling dealer, & our local Forest River Dealer. Problems with all brands and models. One of our many hobbies is checking out new trailers at dealers as we travel, finding models not being sold in our area, a lot of dealers show new trailers without detailing them out and you find many with a lot of problems that are addressed by the dealer before delivery.

Yes problems are a big pain in the behind, but every brand has them, should the have them, no not for the money spent on our rigs.

Good luck on getting everything resolved, keep us informed, and keep on RVing.

AWright · 07-29-2013, 07:12 PM

Our 2013 PT Lacrosse 318 BHS is lacking in quality control as well. Pretty disappointing considering all the hype. My wife and I have already made up our mind that we are going back to Jayco. I think our Lacrosse will be lucky if it is still on the road in 10 yrs. A little more falls apart every trip out. So we understand your anguish.

yvesm · 07-29-2013, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canterburyshoe

It was brand new, that is what makes it so upsetting. But don't get me wrong I do love the style and the looks of the camper. We shouldn't have had this many issues over 5 years. The Dealer was another issue. Cold Springs RV in Weare, NH I will never use again. We took it for 7 issues and they end up only fixing 4 and then we take it back and they fix 2 more then we still have to take it back again.

Bought 2 campers from Cold Springs RV. Their service department is awful, I don't really think they want to do any service work after the sale. This past spring I decided to give them another chance.....what a mistake. I had them install a slide out awning and they did not install the anti-billow device correctly, snapped off a screw that held the awning tube and let a bag of screws on top of the slide out that got crunched into the side of the trailer. So on my new camper I needed to replace the microwave, baggage doors, AC fan. I had Prime Time send me the parts directly to make the repairs. Buyers beware of Cold Springs RV. Almost forgot...they did not install the WD hitch correctly and I would not leave until it was fixed (had to tell them how to install the hitch)

Mikedboyd · 07-30-2013, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWright

Our 2013 PT Lacrosse 318 BHS is lacking in quality control as well. Pretty disappointing considering all the hype. My wife and I have already made up our mind that we are going back to Jayco. I think our Lacrosse will be lucky if it is still on the road in 10 yrs. A little more falls apart every trip out. So we understand your anguish.

but I hear what you are saying. For 'Luxury Lite', it seems to be very 'litely' put together. Besides the un-square dinette opening we're working through, I just added a missing screw to a rod holder in our closet, made pretty drastic adjustments to the struts on the outside kitchen and now have just bought longer wood screws to re-attach the slide bolt that holds the cooking top in place in the outside kitchen. The stubby little screws they used just go into the foam that forms the stone look façade. No chance those would last very long.

I really think they are just being thrown together a little too fast and they need some real campers to QA some of them before they go out. They would learn what we really think is important.

Wildwood Danny · 07-30-2013, 01:22 PM

I'd like to apply for that QA job.

canterburyshoe · 08-01-2013, 04:02 PM

The tech from Cold Springs came out at 2:00 on Monday (was supposed to be there at 8:30) and did not know how to change motor but he watched a video before he showed up, so it took him 1 1/2 hours to get it out. He could not put the new one in because the sleeve that needs to come off the old one and put on the new one was rusted on. We had mentioned the last time in shop we noticed the slide leaking but they said no it was fine. He had to take back to shop and soak over night (one more day of camping missed).
The tech showed up Tuesday morning at 8:00 and got to work. He got the motor replaced and all the parts back together and ran the slide in and out twice and the other motor quit (replaced two months ago). He drove back to the shop and got another motor and replaced the second one. Only took 8 minutes to remove this motor (practice makes perfect).
He called the tech line for Prime Time and learned that the motors have to be synched at the controller. So he did this and we are off to Ramblewoods campground for a week and a half. I hope everything opens and closes the when we need it to.

Janette Shuman · 08-04-2013, 06:15 AM

The one thing I have found from cold springs. The general Manager is a huge liar. When he says that you are first on the list for 8:00 in the morning and you speak to the tech they don't start until 8:30 number 1 and the tech doesn't show up until after 2:00. HMMM. Then general Manager says that tech just finished watching a video how to take out the motor I said are you kidding? No he just refreshing himself. Well he didn't know how to take out the motor and had to return the next day. Oh and 2 of our friends were there trying to help him out. When I called to tell the General Manager the tech needed to have reinforcements the Manager said he would finish the next day.
Please don't use these lying people. All they want is too do is sell sell sell and don't care about customer service.

Janette Shuman · 08-04-2013, 06:53 AM

I want all to know that while we didn't like the service we received. The price and quality of this camper is horrible. We found out these issues have been on going and Prime Time isn't fixing them any time soon. So far nothing has come out of our pocket for parts, just now we have no recourse for any issues. I called the manufacturer so I think the number they gave was them and they didn't care. They should recall these campers and fix their on going issues not just keep selling them. That would be customer service for the future.

**Platokidd** · 08-07-2013, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildwood Danny

I'd like to apply for that QA job.

I could do that job too! I have plenty of experience with problems units.
I like your line " Let's all keep on talking about RVing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Funny thats all I can do because my Lacrosse spends more time in the shop then at camp!

I have 16 night camping and about 30 days in the shop.
And it still has to go back in for work not completed. UGH
So I feel the pain so much its now funny

F and E Damp · 08-07-2013, 10:06 PM

Quality Control can't fix design problems. it's too late in the production process. The big issue with the RV industry is a serious lack of competent design engineers and production engineers.

My '02 Georgetown give all indications that most of the "engineering" was done by the techs on the shop floor, who made things up as they went along.

As a result of minor water damage in the overhead cabinets in the dinette, I took them out and built replacements. I was appalled at the inadequate engineering of the cabinet attachments to the frames. There are three 1" square steel tubes running the whole length of the slide-out ceiling. The overhead cabinets were attached to a 1/16" layer of lauan plywood glued to the styrofoam insulation in the ceiling. Nowhere was there a solid attachment to those structural members.

Now that I've built replacement cabinets you can be sure they're anchored to those ceiling beams. After disconnecting the wiring to the overhead lights on the cabinets, I was appalled that part of the wiring used white for negative and black for positive 12V while other parts used black for negative and green for positive. I suppose that the production techs just grabbed whatever wire was handy.

**Platokidd** · 08-07-2013, 10:25 PM

Geeeshh...how bout the water damage. Fix the leak?
Cracker jack engineering.
Makes me sick.

Campwell · 08-07-2013, 11:00 PM

The more I read on this and other forums, I have come to the conclusion that our RVs are all leaving the factory with serious flaws. Some dealers make the effort to iron these out before handing us the keys and some do not. To be fair, about half of the defects we found only by using the rig. Frustrating, yes. Can manufacturers do better, yes. Do we want to pay 30% more to not have these issues, not really. If somebody came up with a way to build RVs the way we build cars, there could be actual specifications, quality control and lot more automation to manufacturing. Then our expectations would be met. Until then, we buy raw materials, spend 2 years working out the flaws and then either enjoy them or sell them and start all over again.

**Platokidd** · 08-08-2013, 08:47 AM

Maybe it's time for a little foreign competition?!?!
A modern day Henry Ford for the RV industry?

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