Hoping For Positive Comments About No Bo Quality Control at Factory...

[Stingingfork]

Hi All,


I placed a deposit down on a new No Bo 19.6 in early June with a projected pickup around October 1st. It's just my wife and I that will be traveling now since the grand kids have outgrown our travel adventures. We both liked the layout of the 19.6 and the amenities that were included and I imagined it would be built tough since it was supposedly designed to stand up to off-road adventures that we may plan but based on a number of reviews related to different No Bo models I've seen descriptions from owners where cabinets fell off walls since as they put it they were held on by screws with glue in the foam insulation, showers leaked under the base, microwave falling out of the cabinet frame, structural frame cracked, etc. so I'm getting a little worried about the FR quality control and will I get one that will fall apart or one I will be proud to own. I had received a call from a Forest River District Sales Mgr. after sending in a inquiry about the 19.6 and he assured me that the No Bo would be a step up in quality from the FR R-Pods and their E-Pros.

One review site for the No Bo's that I found today had 16 reviews with an average of just 2 to 2.5 stars out of 5 which made it sound like I'm going to regret my decision but I'm hoping to hear from the No Bo owners on this site that have hopefully had no major issues with their trailer since they purchased it.

Was I wrong in assuming that due to it being promoted as an off-road and off-grid camper that its' not going to be built tough enough to handle a mix of mostly on road but maybe a few off road adventures?


Please No Bo owners any comments would be helpful...

[Spey]

See the thread three down for some recent feedback.

We have two on order and we are proceeding with the knowledge that stuff happens and we will deal with it.

[rsdata]

Hopefully you will be reading thru the some 300 threads and numerous posts per each thread in the No Bo forum and find some positive comments

Understand that few people that have a great camper post that they have a great camper, while people that have cabinets falling off the walls certainly will post here. Kinda like being in a doctor's office where all you see are sick people there.

Some owners have the attitude that they laid out a lot of money and want their camper perfect at delivery and for many years. Other, usually more seasoned camper owners understand that a light-weight home that bounces down a road and is built as light and as cheap as a trailer is going to have issues.

The walls are sandwiched, very thin plywood panels with a Styrofoam core surrounded by an aluminum frame. Sometimes screws miss the mark during assembly and you will have failures. Be aware of these possible shortcomings going in and don't be too disappointed when something fails. Don't load up your cabinets with your good china until you are in-tune with your new off-grid home.

If you are handy you can usually solve 90% of the problems you encounter yourself in a timely and inexpensive fashion, and bring the unit up to the quality that you desire. If your not handy and want the dealer to fix everything under warranty, then plan to be without your camper for long periods of time.

The whole idea of this forum is to share problems and solutions that others have found for similar problems. Subscribe to and keep reading all of the threads in YOUR No Bo forum and some of the others here and you will gain more insight and hopefully get a better feeling about your new trailer.

When you do get the new unit, plan on doing some "driveway" camping before pulling it down the road, just to get familiar with all of the systems.

Good luck

[Larry5594]

My NOBO 16.8 rolled off the assembly line Jan 2020. We bought it just before the Covid lockdown started. Knock on wood - I have only had a few minor problems that I took care of myself. Ended up installing Lithium batteries (with solar & inverter) and a lift kit to save on scraping the bottom of the frame and bumper traversing a national forest fire road to a favorite boondocking camping spot.

[ependydad]

Every RV brand and model has issues. They’re built by humans and at a run’s pace. There is no brand, make, or model that is immune. Heck, my friend’s custom built Space Craft Mfg RV has some of the same growing pains as the rest- squeaky air conditioner and leaky windows. Every brand has good units, a few great ones, and unfortunately turds.

The other challenge is forums and groups like this are super helpful for when problems do occur. It’s less common for someone to post, “used my RV- all was well.” And when it does get posted, it gets a few likes, no discussion, and falls off the recent topics list pretty quick.

Pick the layout that works best for you. Do a thorough walk-thru or even hire an inspector. And enjoy the rig you buy. When problems come up, I rarely use dealers and either self-fix or opt for mobile RV techs or independent service centers.

Best of luck with your decision!

[Stingingfork]

Originally Posted by Spey

See the thread three down for some recent feedback.

We have two on order and we are proceeding with the knowledge that stuff happens and we will deal with it.

I spotted your thread and like you I won't mind the occasional minor fixes but probably won't be impressed with my new camper if I find that one or more cabinets have fallen off the wall or the microwave has fallen from its' cabinet as some owners have mentioned...

I was told that when I ordered my No Bo I would be getting a 2022 model from the factory due to the 4 month projected wait and that if Forest River jacks up the price to the dealer beyond what I've been quoted that I could get my deposit back but hopefully the dealer has figured a price increase into their pricing and I won't have to make that decision... I'm really looking forward to doing some Fall and Early Winter Camping this year!

[Stingingfork]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Pick the layout that works best for you. Do a thorough walk-thru or even hire an inspector. And enjoy the rig you buy. When problems come up, I rarely use dealers and either self-fix or opt for mobile RV techs or independent service centers.

Best of luck with your decision!

Having never purchased a new camper before I was wondering about how I would go about finding a listing for an inspector, mobile RV techs or the independent service centers? Is there a online network that you might be aware of where I could search for reputable techs if I ever need one while at home or on the road?

[Chuck_S]

Forest River is not a homogeneous company with a singular quality reputation. You should be interested in the "No Boundaries" quality, not "FR."

-- Chuck

[charles l]

Originally Posted by Stingingfork

Hi All,

Hoping For Positive Comments About No Bo Quality Control at Factory...

One review site for the No Bo's that I found today had 16 reviews with an average of just 2 to 2.5 stars out of 5.

I hope yours will be trouble free. Generally the words quality and RV do not go together.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Stingingfork

Hi All,


I placed a deposit down on a new No Bo 19.6 in early June with a projected pickup around October 1st. It's just my wife and I that will be traveling now since the grand kids have outgrown our travel adventures. We both liked the layout of the 19.6 and the amenities that were included and I imagined it would be built tough since it was supposedly designed to stand up to off-road adventures that we may plan but based on a number of reviews related to different No Bo models I've seen descriptions from owners where cabinets fell off walls since as they put it they were held on by screws with glue in the foam insulation, showers leaked under the base, microwave falling out of the cabinet frame, structural frame cracked, etc. so I'm getting a little worried about the FR quality control and will I get one that will fall apart or one I will be proud to own. I had received a call from a Forest River District Sales Mgr. after sending in a inquiry about the 19.6 and he assured me that the No Bo would be a step up in quality from the FR R-Pods and their E-Pros.

One review site for the No Bo's that I found today had 16 reviews with an average of just 2 to 2.5 stars out of 5 which made it sound like I'm going to regret my decision but I'm hoping to hear from the No Bo owners on this site that have hopefully had no major issues with their trailer since they purchased it.

Was I wrong in assuming that due to it being promoted as an off-road and off-grid camper that its' not going to be built tough enough to handle a mix of mostly on road but maybe a few off road adventures?


Please No Bo owners any comments would be helpful...

I don't believe you were wrong at all but it does sound as though you have a huge case of buyers remorse.

Why not wait until you own it and use it to determine how YOUR unit's quality is rather than the ramblings of folks on the internet that may or may not be happy with theirs, no matter the quality.

Some folks have preconceived thoughts as to how something should be based on how much they spent or how long it took to save up to get it and regardless of the quality, they are not happy.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Stingingfork

Having never purchased a new camper before I was wondering about how I would go about finding a listing for an inspector, mobile RV techs or the independent service centers? Is there a online network that you might be aware of where I could search for reputable techs if I ever need one while at home or on the road?

There's no one good site unfortunately. For inspectors:
http://nrvia.org/

For service folks, I use:
RV Service Reviews

The site looks like it's straight out of the 1990s and didn't work on my phone the last time I tried it, but it had good data and I've had decent luck with the service providers I've picked off of it.

[Stingingfork]

Originally Posted by 5picker

I don't believe you were wrong at all but it does sound as though you have a huge case of buyers remorse.

5picker, you're exactly right about the buyers remorse I was experiencing after coming across so many horror stories by previous No Bo owners. I know that most reviewers are driven by bad experiences either with the product they purchased or the company's customer service experience when it comes to backing up their warranty so I was expecting some of the issues I found but not ones where appliances fall out of the cabinets and cabinets have fallen off of the walls.


That was the main driving force of my post was to find owners of No Bo's that were satisfied with their purchase and were proud to admit that they own one.


I don't mind saying I know nothing about what expectations I should have when it comes to buying a new camper other than expecting that it would be built and designed to a standard that would match the use that the manufacturer advertises for it.


I guess it comes from working in an engineering department all of my life prior to retirement and we never short-cut our designs for our product and we worked with our quality control inspectors to make sure it was built to match the blueprints that we sent to the shop.


All I can do now is wait and see when my camper is delivered if it lives up to its' use as promoted by the manufacturer without any major failures.

Do you think it would be worth my paying an inspector to check out the new unit for me since I have no experience of what to look for as I do the walk through or would you expect that any major issues would only show up once I put it on the road?

[Wolf26]

Probably the most important thing is to buy from a dealer that is willing to step up and fix things in a timely manner. There are always small things that pop up thats easier to fix yourself. I would buy and not worry about it.

[Spey]

Originally Posted by Wolf26

Probably the most important thing is to buy from a dealer that is willing to step up and fix things in a timely manner. There are always small things that pop up thats easier to fix yourself. I would buy and not worry about it.

Agreed. I just wish there was a dealer who stocked the trailer we want, 19.8, within 3 hours of us. Getting warranty work done will be a problem for us so I will probably be doing as much as I can or have my local repair shop do the work.

[Rorschach]

I have a 2019 19.5 that I bought new. I did a lot of reading here and elsewhere before I bought it so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect as far as quality of these light weight, mass produced campers before I picked it up.

There have been some minor issues with it, along the lines of what I was expecting. The medicine cabinet came off the wall. The microwave came unplugged every time we traveled. Some of the small trim pieces have come off. The furnace cover plate unscrews and pops off no matter what when we travel.

When I remove panels to fix or work on things, I find construction debris left over from manufacture - wire snippets, saw dust, wood chunks.

Local repair place put the cabinet on better, dealer fixed the microwave plug. I glued the trim pieces back on.

Of note, my trailer is a single axle and that really gives the trailer a beating when on rough roads. The cabinet came off after a trip out to the midwest. Man, those roads suck. With a 2 axle trailer, you should get a smoother ride for your trailer, and so less wear and tear.

None of the issues I have had were major, and did not stop my camping. Overall, the camper is what I expected it to be: a fairly low cost, lightweight camper. If I was in the same place I was in when I bought it (tow vehicle was the main restriction) I would buy it again.

TLDR - you will probably have some minor issues that you will have to fix, but it is a fun little camper that works well.

Happy camping.

[Bcollins]

I think generally people with NoBos like their trailer, and after camping even a single trip a chat with anyone with a trailer regardless of brand will have plenty of examples in where there trailer came up short in terms of quality. It’s worth the trouble though, true overlanding trailers are not reachable for anywhere near 25k. The nobo is marketed differently but performs the same as other trailers. You might get additional payload with a nobo with load range E tires where others might not offer that but, things are still stapled without glue and inevitably panels will either pop out the stables or rip through them depending on road conditions. Another example of where I just shake my head, in my bathroom below the shower there is a vent, remove the vent and you’ll find a hole in the paneling that was 100% put there with the business end of a claw hammer.

Don’t get me wrong, at the end of the day, these are not really issues and each trailer (for the money) will have them, I’m sure. It’s just a little shocking that it’s considered pretty standard for the industry.

You’ll love and enjoy the nobo, we do.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by Spey

We have two on order.

Good idea — one for camping and the other to sit at the dealer awaiting service in constant rotation. Either that or one for use and the other for spare parts.

Bruce

[Jarhead1970]

Hi. I've had my 2021 16.8 since March, have traveled from PA to Wyoming with it, and have lived in it since late May here in Yellowstone NP where I'm a park volunteer. I, too, was somewhat concerned about the quality but have encountered only minor issues" Within a week of buying it the drop-down shade over the sofa broke. A local FR dealer grudgingly ordered a new one for me under warranty and I hung it myself. The small door to the bathroom under-sink cabinet half fell off due to having only tiny screws to hold it. I put a bigger wood screw in it. The shower curtain upper surround support came off because each end was missing a tiny screw. Again, I put them in.

The biggest problem was probably my fault. I stupidly gently kicked the black tank valve to close it and the handle broke off. Now I cannot close it. I'll have to have it fixed when I return. Luckily, it broke in the open position so using the toilet isn't a problem when using a sewer hose. At least in my limited experience, the 16.8 has otherwise performed as expected.

[dalford]

Originally Posted by Jarhead1970

Hi. I've had my 2021 16.8 since March, have traveled from PA to Wyoming with it, and have lived in it since late May here in Yellowstone NP where I'm a park volunteer. I, too, was somewhat concerned about the quality but have encountered only minor issues" Within a week of buying it the drop-down shade over the sofa broke. A local FR dealer grudgingly ordered a new one for me under warranty and I hung it myself. The small door to the bathroom under-sink cabinet half fell off due to having only tiny screws to hold it. I put a bigger wood screw in it. The shower curtain upper surround support came off because each end was missing a tiny screw. Again, I put them in.

The biggest problem was probably my fault. I stupidly gently kicked the black tank valve to close it and the handle broke off. Now I cannot close it. I'll have to have it fixed when I return. Luckily, it broke in the open position so using the toilet isn't a problem when using a sewer hose. At least in my limited experience, the 16.8 has otherwise performed as expected.

Get one of these to put on your dump outlet. This will allow you to close off the black tank. Don’t use the black tank dry like you are or you will create what is commonly referred to as a poop pyramid. Black tanks need lots of water built up to flush the contents of the tank.

Once you get your main vale fixed leave this on as a secondary backup in case a valve leaks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Spey]

We ended up buying two units from Camping World in MO. Buying sight unseen is a bit scary but I have to say, other than minor little things I am very impressed with the units we received. Compared to other units we looked at while shopping the NoBo is night and day better construction.

I spent three days going over our new trailer with a fine tooth comb. The only things I have “fixed” have been caulking the shower tub which was not caulked. I also modified the trim on the base of the slide because it was catching on the ottoman lid when putting the slide out. I basically cut the plastic so it wouldn’t catch and all is good. The intervac was hose was not connected but that was an easy fix. Tomorrow I am going to pick up some self leveling roof caulk to touch up a couple spots the might be suspect.

As preventative maintenance I sprayed all the slides lube points per lipperts instructions. It moves noticeably smoother now.

This weekend is our maiden voyage so I will post up any negative results.