Is Coachmen really part of FR family?

[cbconway]

My Flagstaff dealer -- a reputable firm -- has recently been carrying a large inventory of new Coachmen TTs. Some years back, before their acquisition by FR, I was suspicious of the Coachmen brand, based upon various reports on RV forums. When FR took over, I expected that the Coachmen units would be included on the FR web site, just as all the other acquired brands have been, and listed at dealers under the FR name. But this hasn't happened and I remain suspicious. What's going on?

[fonzie]

Go under recreational vehicle and then coachmen.....

Forest River Inc., A Berkshire Hathaway Company | RVs, Park Models Trailers, Commercial Buses, Commercial Trailers, Pontoons

[Indymule]

I don't know for sure but it is common practice in buy outs with an established company to keep that brand name separate. They already have an established customer base and name recognition.

Dynamax is similar in that it does not show up on the standard Forest River website but is owned by FR.

[DreiHunde]

Coachmen shows up here....
Recreational Vehicles | Motorhomes, Travel Trailers, Fifth Wheel, Tent Campers

But when you add /rv to the root website page they don't show.
Forest River RV - Recreational Vehicles


As far as Coachmen quality? I'm sure they have their issues but we took delivery of ours back in May (ordered - not off the lot) and the only "quality control" issues were that they could have vacuumed the sawdust out of the floor vents a little better and the TV mount was mounted just a tad crooked. We have gone on 4 trips (not enough), towing about 1000 miles total and other than a few screws loosening up (common with something that moves) we have had zero problems.

Now having said that I will go home this afternoon and find the bumper laying on the ground and the A/C fell through the roof!

knocking on a whole lot of wood right now!!!

[mlangdn]

Originally Posted by DrieHunde

Coachmen shows up here....
Recreational Vehicles | Motorhomes, Travel Trailers, Fifth Wheel, Tent Campers

But when you add /rv to the root website page they don't show.
Forest River RV - Recreational Vehicles


As far as Coachmen quality? I'm sure they have their issues but we took delivery of ours back in May (ordered - not off the lot) and the only "quality control" issues were that they could have vacuumed the sawdust out of the floor vents a little better and the TV mount was mounted just a tad crooked. We have gone on 4 trips (not enough), towing about 1000 miles total and other than a few screws loosening up (common with something that moves) we have had zero problems.

Now having said that I will go home this afternoon and find the bumper laying on the ground and the A/C fell through the roof!

knocking on a whole lot of wood right now!!!

The same guy must do all the TV mounts for Coachmen as our's is a tad crooked also. I think sawdust in the vents is standard across all the RV makers.

[DreiHunde]

Originally Posted by mlangdn

The same guy must do all the TV mounts for Coachmen as our's is a tad crooked also. I think sawdust in the vents is standard across all the RV makers.

Its amazing how much a 1/16th of an inch at the mount will cause the TV to be all jacked up when you extend the arm out!!!

[cbconway]

Originally Posted by DrieHunde

Coachmen shows up here....
Recreational Vehicles | Motorhomes, Travel Trailers, Fifth Wheel, Tent Campers

But when you add /rv to the root website page they don't show.
Forest River RV - Recreational Vehicles


As far as Coachmen quality? I'm sure they have their issues but we took delivery of ours back in May (ordered - not off the lot) and the only "quality control" issues were that they could have vacuumed the sawdust out of the floor vents a little better and the TV mount was mounted just a tad crooked. We have gone on 4 trips (not enough), towing about 1000 miles total and other than a few screws loosening up (common with something that moves) we have had zero problems.

Now having said that I will go home this afternoon and find the bumper laying on the ground and the A/C fell through the roof!

knocking on a whole lot of wood right now!!!

Okay, now it makes more sense. There are other brands besides Coachmen that don't show on the FR RV website. I hadn't seen the other site. Thanks!

[DreiHunde]

[asquared]

Yes coachmen is a division of forest river the same as palomino, shasta, primetime and dynamax. Divisions (ie coaches) are different than brands. A forest river brand would be Rockwood. Coachmen is a division of forest river and make the brand Apex. Basically forest river is the parent company of coachmen. It's the same concept as Darden restaurant is the parent company of both olive garden and longhorn steakhouse. They are two different entities but owned by the same company.

[bud121156]

Originally Posted by mlangdn

The same guy must do all the TV mounts for Coachmen as our's is a tad crooked also. I think sawdust in the vents is standard across all the RV makers.

Same here.

[swannie]

Another answer to your question. I went to the COACHMEN rally in Goshen this year and everything was geared towards the Coachmen way of things. Then went to the FROG rally where most all the Forest River units where brought in except Coachmen because they still think that they are separate. I was able to get service on my 5th wheel after pulling afew strings and rattling some people. The people who represented Forest River really went out of their way to help me but Coachmen was not to happy to help me at this rally. But they were requested too. As to quality of the unit I ordered (Brookstone 334RE) it has been fairly good after about 2500 miles traveled this year.