We went looking at bunkhouse 5th wheels yesterday and it was a pretty good time. We looked at quite a few and found one that we like, good price, decent weight, blah blah. The thing that really gets me is the overall quality level just isn't what I'd expect in a (avg) 50,000$ product. Yes they are nice, maybe I'm expecting to much.

Doing research it appears most brands you see out there are all built by forest river, owned by Thor. The Highland Glen we liked (mostly because of the layout) the Montanas, you name it all come from the same company. Different trim and features inside as price rises, but essentially the same thing. What scares me some is reading online the issues people have had out of all models built by the same parent company.

For instance, ac ducts not installed right, windows that hold water, leak, even installed upside down. Tons of water/sewer line issues. There are numerous issues with frame welds cracking on 1-2 month old 5ers! I know most people never post about how great everything is going, and instead you get the people complaining online-no matter the widget/product being sold. Obviously there are going to be minor issues to fix when new, just like a house, but some of these seem a little rediculous.

Maybe I'm just used to airplanes, but even walking through a 100k product I find things that should have easily been caught by some better quality control at the factory. What scares me is everything you can't see. Is this just how it is and deal with it or are there better manufacturers out there for a resonance price?
Maybe it's just market saturation, but every major issue I find is on units built by Thor and labeled as whatever brand.

Am I just over analyzing and these are isolated issues, compounded by the interwebs?
Is this just the build quality on trailers and you learn to deal if you are into RVs? At least at our price point?

Who else builds these things other than this parent company, and is there better quality control?

Have you guys run into major issues on your purchases or has it been easy fix stuff?

Sorry for being long-winded but it just gets me how something that can costs so much has assumed problems when new. Just for reference we are looking at a Heritage Glenn (forest river) 356qb. Bunkhouse, slides, etc. List for 60k, 5 on the lot for 37-39k depending on options. Don't even get me started on the markup vs actual price across the board!

Thank you. Hopefully I'm just over analyzing, or just need to reach a little deeper for a smaller, better built parent company.

Brian

 

Thor and Forest River are competitors.

Quality control is very poor across the industry whether you choose a model built by one of Thor's companies or Forest River's. Thor sells 80% of their total production to Camping World.

The few companies that use to have the best quality control no longer exist. Entry level units are decidedly worse, but if you own an RV it is best to either be good at fixing things yourself or knowing someone like me.

Three days ago I was called to service a $500,000 diesel motor home. Three air conditioners on the roof. The fan motors tore out of the mounting bushings on all three leaving the owner without AC in 90 degree weather. The coach was 4 months old and had less than 1,000 miles on it.

Steve

 

From what I am hearing, probably all RV manufacturers are having assembly/warranty problems. Problems stem from them not wanting to pay for GOOD and EXPERIENCED workers. The best one can do now is to purchase NOT by cost alone, but by owners postings on which manufacturers are having the LEAST problems.

Now the question is WHO is doing the posting?? Best bet is to try to find each brands FORUMS and hope you can find the truth in their postings.

I know my Arctic Fox, made by Northwood is a pretty good brand and even they are having assembly problems. Happy to post the forums website, Northwood RV Owners Association Forum .
I know that the manufacturer has nothing to do with the site, so you do get pretty much the truth there. Problem is they are made in Oregon and have only one dealer here in the east and I believe that is in PA. Don't know if they even stock any tho....

 

Our new 2015 Puma (FR product), had some significant QC issues. From everything I'd read prior to ordering it, I knew there would be issues. The dealer even admitted it with the words at delivery of "Just make a list". Ours is far from a top of the line toyhauler, MSRP was around 46k. Not that I paid anything close to that, but just for reference.


We took it to the dealer with the list (yes, there was plenty), and had some work done. I talked to the tech at the dealer for a bit when I picked it up, and he said they are basically assembled with tape and staples and the QC isn't any better on a 500K coach. He also said he's pretty sure they use a calibrated string to measure rather than a tape measure! And that its that bad regardless of what you spend.


I just passed a new Berkshire coach yesterday getting hooked by the wrecker. Looked brand new, but one of the street side slides was about and inch from seated also. One thing I've come to terms with, if you're looking for perfection, you're not going to find it with RV's.

 

Sorry, I thought I'd read thor owned FR. Either way, the point is still the same.

I'm glad to hear the issues are common...I think? I mean, it sucks that they all have issues, but at least I know there's nothing particular wrong with what we're looking compared to anything else.

We've been looking at nicer models like you guys suggested a few years old. The price vs quality in used is great, but it's hard to find the right model. We want/need a bunkhouse with 3 munchkins. Each brand has one, and that's about it.

Found a guy local on GL selling a package deal-2012 sandpiper bunkhouse loaded, awesome, with a 24v cummins 2006 Dodge ( not awesome) for 60k. Just seems like a pain to get both financed separate but the same week.
Maybe I can get him to split them up. Although, a loaded 5.9 3500 is about the only truck I'd take if I couldn't get the ford I wanted.

 

Try to take your time, especially if this is a first buy. If possible, if this is new turf for you try to take along someone who has owned an RV or several. Structure is the big thing, everything else is really small potatoes. Bunkhouses are plentiful with lots of different floor plans. To really examine an RV means getting up on the roof as well as going underneath.

Good hunting,

Steve

 

I have a KZ. It is now a Thor product.


It was flawless for the better part of two years, Then I had electric element go back for the hot water heater, left rear stabilizer jack quit.


I expect things to go down hill from there.


KZ-RV.com
they have forum as well. Link on their website.

 

In addition to what Bud said about paying experienced workers, there is also the issue of quality control from the suppliers. No matter what brand of trailer, they all purchase the same junk from the same suppliers - Drew Industries has bought up all of the major suppliers through their Lippert Components Industries, so there's very little competition. They all use the same water heaters from either Suburban or Dometic, same refrigerators from either Norcold or Dometic (unless they install a residential fridge), same furnaces, same air conditioners, Lippert leveling systems, Lippert slide mechanisms, many use Lippert frames, the list goes on and on.


You could look at a New Horizons toyhauler, but you won't get it for $50K.

 

Kind of seems strange folks keep buying em, when most everyone just seems to accept the fact there will be problems. Reminds me of owning British sports cars back in the 60s or, from what I hear, owning a boat. Crazy thing is, everyone knows it and it just keeps going along.

That big fancy dancy motor home I mentioned above, the owners told me they had owned the same model a year older and traded for this one because they had so much trouble with the last one. Then, when I called into the factory, I was told they knew about the problem as they had seen it before. Hello! Isn't there a problem with the logic here? Jeez, it seems like if you run your hand through a table saw, you would only do it once, but that rule doesn't seem to apply to RVs.

Steve

 

We bought a NuWa Hitchhiker as our full-timing RV to get away from the mass produced lines like Thor and Forest River. It is a higher quality trailer (and more expensive), but unfortunately they went under just like Cameo, Excel, and others that made this class of trailer. Obviously not enough folks are willing to pay the extra money for the higher quality trailers.

There are still companies like New Horizons out there, but you'd better have a ton of money and a very large truck if you want to haul one of those around. I'm hoping that another NuWa type company enters the market before we need to replace our current trailer.

 

Hard to be optimistic given the overwhelming majority of buyers chase price rather than quality and there is so much smoke and mirrors in the RV industry.

Steve

 

Comes down to which one tells the BEST lie!

 

People like to think it wont happen to them. I don't know what I'll do when it comes time for a newer fulltime rig. Maybe just update the one I have now. Better the devil you have than the devil you don't.

 

I have a 2007 31' Jazz made by thor of Ca. which was closed in app. 2010. All the bugs seem to be worked out with the latest done with the assistance of RV Tech. Thanks Steve. Asside from fading graffics I think I'd be ahead a couple of years from now to just have the graffics etc. redone for app. 5 grand and keep it. Why start all over? Can't buy anything decent for 5 grand.

 

Thanks for all the replies. Like I said, I guess I'm just used to airplanes and boats, and then get disgusted with most rv products out there. They all look nice until you start digging. I know the interwebs consolidate all the complaints, but there are still a ton. Anyone see FR just (in july) has to pay the feds 35 million over quality issues?

I've been looking into northwood, jayco, and used models of nuwa, excel, etc. You guys are right...they're heavy!

As unfortunate as it is, we might just have to suck it up for now and pick our poison. Just be really picky before we take the rv off the lot and be prepared to fix and redo stuff. I'd rather pay more for a quality product, but if things need worked over anyway there isn't much point in spending the extra money!

I suppose we'll find a layout we like, get the best price, and be prepared to make it right....