RV quality (moved from another thread)

[WolfPup2018]

Just another piece is **** camper rolled off the line built with poor craftsmanship. I’m tired of how cheap these things are, and the workers not giving a **** about their work. We pay for brand new equipment and get crap in exchange. The manufacture needs to get their nose rubbed into all the problems on these campers like a dog being punished for taking a **** on the floor. (I think back in the day people thought by sticking the dogs nose in the pile would teach it a lesson) LOL

[caseymyers]

Really?

[WolfPup2018]

Originally Posted by caseymyers

Really?

Yes really. Does it come as a surprise? I’ve seen countless threads here of new owners complaining of stuff broken or not well made after paying tens of thousands of dollars.

Look at the pictures I submitted on previous threads. I’m going to the RV show today to see the new latest and greatest. It will be interesting to see the quality in these.

[Bill Davis]

Originally Posted by WolfPup2018

Yes really. Does it come as a surprise? I’ve seen countless threads here of new owners complaining of stuff broken or not well made after paying tens of thousands of dollars.

Look at the pictures I submitted on previous threads. I’m going to the RV show today to see the new latest and greatest. It will be interesting to see the quality in these.

Your posting a lot of complaints but from your profile I can’t tell what Dynamax you have. In fact not much information at all. What are you afraid of?

[ARICE]

Originally Posted by NMIsata5

We bought our brand new 2019 I5 in Aug and before we got it home, the toilet paper holder was on the floor and one of the blinds had fallen down.
The tech that did the PDI explained to me when I picked it up that the pullout legs were too short, so he crafted up some wooden blocks in case we needed to use it.
The first night we used it, the batteries went low enough that the multi function screen went blank and had to manually start the generator.
The first time using the shower, it leaked water from under the lower cover.
We cut the trip short and decided to return back to our home town. On the way home, one of the drawers flew open and broke out a piece of the wood cabinetry.

Once we were home, I tried to open the slide and it would not work. We called the dealer, and booked it in to get the repairs done at end of September.

We were called to inform us that the harness had failed and the multi function screen should be moved to remedy the problem.

The bathroom door was also not mounted correctly, the staples used on the walls were not covered properly, and numerous screws used were stripped out.

We were also informed that one of the outside speakers did not work and was being repaired.
We still do not have it back, and have had to change our plans to so some travelling this winter.
I know RVs have some snags, but is this normal? My wife now wants nothing to do with it and neither Forest River or the dealer wants no part of taking it back.

Really not sure what to do with our new "luxury" RV that we laid almost 200k for. (Cdn pricing)

I had the exact same problems in relation to toilet paper holder , blinds/shades,drawers,and doors. Exactly the same on my Hemisphere GLX.
Is the same production line worker working on the Isata and the Hemisphere lol.
Sorry for your trouble.

[IsleDog]

Originally Posted by Bill Davis

Your posting a lot of complaints but from your profile I can’t tell what Dynamax you have. In fact not much information at all. What are you afraid of?

Like me, they do not have a Dynamax. they have a WOLFPUP 16BHS 2018.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...er-172271.html

WolfPup2018:
quality gets brought up all the time here on the forum and we go round and round on it. as consumers we ask for lighter and cheaper. there is a trade-off for that. the fact that Brian is stepping up to the plate and going to bat for these owners is simply amazing. who cares if the rig is still under warranty? he is here listening to everyone's issues and is trying to offer any solution he can update the new rigs so this is not an issue going forward. you ask for something and the Dude Abides.

as a side not, my non dynamax product has had zero issues that i did not cause myself.

[Bill Davis]

Originally Posted by ARICE

I had the exact same problems in relation to toilet paper holder , blinds/shades,drawers,and doors. Exactly the same on my Hemisphere GLX.
Is the same production line worker working on the Isata and the Hemisphere lol.
Sorry for your trouble.

I’ve had all the same problems on all 7 of the RVs I’ve owned over the past 40 years or so. It’s the nature of the beast. If you look at the cost of them compared to a loaded pick up truck there quite the bargain considering they are mostly hand built. Most of us couldn’t afford to buy one if they were all built to a standard of quality that people compare them to. I can live with the minor repairs as I go along to keep them affordable.

[I5PhilGa]

Originally Posted by Bill Davis

I’ve had all the same problems on all 7 of the RVs I’ve owned over the past 40 years or so. It’s the nature of the beast. If you look at the cost of them compared to a loaded pick up truck there quite the bargain considering they are mostly hand built. Most of us couldn’t afford to buy one if they were all built to a standard of quality that people compare them to. I can live with the minor repairs as I go along to keep them affordable.

True and well stated Bill. In fact, my Dynamax is much better built than any of the other 4 motorhomes I have owned from other manufacturers.

[dannko]

Yes Bill, your keyword is MINOR, but so many have MAJOR and MULTIPLE MAJORS from day one.

[caseymyers]

Actually, I don't think many of us do, a few perhaps. And many of your problems seem minor to me. I've fixed problems on my coach that you might consider major, but with a few hand tools and parts we were on our way in a short time. It's probably a perspective thing or expectation management thing?

[bclemens]

I was actually thinking about this a little bit today driving back from lunch.

I had a house built in April. When doing a walk though in the basement, my wife was VERY concerned about a 2x4 in the basement that was severly bowed. She was concerned about "their structural integrity". Interior wall, non finished and I'm like "it happens...as they dry out, they can start to move, not a big deal, I'll add some blocking later if we we finish it", but the builder said "no problem, we'll just add some blocks in between the two".

So flash forward. I stapled white tyvek to the interior walls to match the exterior walls as that is now my fitness room and I just wanted a quick and easy "sort of" finish. I then added a whole house humidifier that happens to be on the opposite side of that wall. A month later I notice tears in the tyvek. I walk around and realize that due to the drying and then added humidity that 4-5 studs on that wall are now bowed 2-3" and the staples ripped the tyvek. I will tape those off and move on as they are likely to move again.

The point to this whole story is that was a 2x4 wall. If I asked anyone and offered 2x6 versus 2x4, everyone would take it....IF weight was not a factor. As we try to make these things lighter and lighter...we build the interior walls out of 1x2's, 2x2 and every single day, I am walking the line, trying to figure out ways to take out MORE weight without sacrificing quality. Quality is heavy, options are heavy. How many times does CCC come up. I have never heard anyone say, they need less.

So imagine my house, with the 2x4 walls kept in relative constant humidity and CERTAINLY constant 72 degrees (at least now). So it is no surprise that doors, drawers, etc need some adjustment when we will ship one this week where it was built in a heated building. Relative humidity 25%, 68 degrees. It will then head outside, 25 degrees 60% humidity and head to Florida, 80 degrees, 80% humidity. There it might sit "unopened" for weeks.

This is not to defend or ask anyone to accept defects. Simply that, when you take out a lot of the little stuff. Drawer, door adjustments, a blind falling, it may not be as bad as one might think. BUT, when you add ALL of them up, yes it seems like a big deal. I do think EVERY vehicle will require some minor door, drawer adjustments. Or when vinyl trim shrinks, or staples move, that is the nature of using natural wood products and exposing these things to extreme temperature variations. It is my job to figure out how to keep trying to eliminate those potential concerns and as more composite materials come onto market, at an affordable price, we will adopt them.

Again, I understand some of these defects have nothing to do with this...but as I said, when you add these little ones, to some user error or educational ones, plus the real error....then it can feel overwhelming if you don't acknowledge the difference.

I take this all as just another problem to solve.

[I5PhilGa]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I was actually thinking about this a little bit today driving back from lunch.

I had a house built in April. When doing a walk though in the basement, my wife was VERY concerned about a 2x4 in the basement that was severly bowed. She was concerned about "their structural integrity". Interior wall, non finished and I'm like "it happens...as they dry out, they can start to move, not a big deal, I'll add some blocking later if we we finish it", but the builder said "no problem, we'll just add some blocks in between the two".

So flash forward. I stapled white tyvek to the interior walls to match the exterior walls as that is now my fitness room and I just wanted a quick and easy "sort of" finish. I then added a whole house humidifier that happens to be on the opposite side of that wall. A month later I notice tears in the tyvek. I walk around and realize that due to the drying and then added humidity that 4-5 studs on that wall are now bowed 2-3" and the staples ripped the tyvek. I will tape those off and move on as they are likely to move again.

The point to this whole story is that was a 2x4 wall. If I asked anyone and offered 2x6 versus 2x4, everyone would take it....IF weight was not a factor. As we try to make these things lighter and lighter...we build the interior walls out of 1x2's, 2x2 and every single day, I am walking the line, trying to figure out ways to take out MORE weight without sacrificing quality. Quality is heavy, options are heavy. How many times does CCC come up. I have never heard anyone say, they need less.

So imagine my house, with the 2x4 walls kept in relative constant humidity and CERTAINLY constant 72 degrees (at least now). So it is no surprise that doors, drawers, etc need some adjustment when we will ship one this week where it was built in a heated building. Relative humidity 25%, 68 degrees. It will then head outside, 25 degrees 60% humidity and head to Florida, 80 degrees, 80% humidity. There it might sit "unopened" for weeks.

This is not to defend or ask anyone to accept defects. Simply that, when you take out a lot of the little stuff. Drawer, door adjustments, a blind falling, it may not be as bad as one might think. BUT, when you add ALL of them up, yes it seems like a big deal. I do think EVERY vehicle will require some minor door, drawer adjustments. Or when vinyl trim shrinks, or staples move, that is the nature of using natural wood products and exposing these things to extreme temperature variations. It is my job to figure out how to keep trying to eliminate those potential concerns and as more composite materials come onto market, at an affordable price, we will adopt them.

Again, I understand some of these defects have nothing to do with this...but as I said, when you add these little ones, to some user error or educational ones, plus the real error....then it can feel overwhelming if you don't acknowledge the difference.

I take this all as just another problem to solve.

Great analogy Brian. Now that I think bout it, I picked up our I5 last April in Iowa and it was 20 degrees. Drove it home to Georgia, 50 degrees, went to a state park in late May and it was 88 degrees and real humid. I noticed the crown molding bulging in a couple of places. Was it a big deal? Not to me, I fixed it. I just appreciate the great job your guys did that makes this motorhome the best one I have had in a long time. I also appreciate you sharing running changes you make throughout the manufacturing process so I can possibly use them on mine.

[caseymyers]

Couldn't agree more Phil, one of the best coaches I've ever owned. We are really enjoying this rig. And like with any RV (or any home), I have a set of hand tools on board.

[WolfPup2018]

Originally Posted by Bill Davis

I’ve had all the same problems on all 7 of the RVs I’ve owned over the past 40 years or so. It’s the nature of the beast. If you look at the cost of them compared to a loaded pick up truck there quite the bargain considering they are mostly hand built. Most of us couldn’t afford to buy one if they were all built to a standard of quality that people compare them to. I can live with the minor repairs as I go along to keep them affordable.

Screwing the bed frame down with a screw that cracks through the entire piece splitting the wood and leaving it, what do you call that? That’s not standard that’s called doing the work correctly to begin with.

Most of these quality issues can be solved with the proper training, leadership and process at the factory. But these manufactures lack the most basic understanding of how to build anything close to quality. A lot of these manufactures don’t even own up to the issue despite it being under warrinty and out you through hell trying to get it processed.

Most of what I’m commenting about is all posts seen from this site regarding quality issues. So it’s not just me, it’s all of you too!