Bounder: Death Trap

[Tha_Rooster]

Not to bash the op because this topic comes up all the time, but why buy a car without a test drive why buy a house without having it check out and the important one here is why buy a rolling house without a good test drive but it happens all the time. Help me I bought this and it sways the problems didn't just start they where like that when they bought it.

[Gordon Dewald]

I wonder at times if there is an expectation that exceeds the ability of the selected unit. Most likely if there is it is because of lack of experience.

[Infotogo]

We too have been disappointed in the quality control obviously lacking at the factory. We bought a new 2016 Storm in 2015, and it has had many trips to the dealer to fix stupid things. The windshield wipers were faulty and were replaced but only after a harrowing trip through the
Blue Ridge mountains in a rain storm. The shower leaked all over because someone failed to caulk the frame under the door. The propane gauge leaked and had to be replaced. The list goes on, necessitating the RV being at the dealers many weeks, so we had no use of it. Latest thing: the kitchen window is flapping in the wind as we travel up I 95. The frame seems to have come unglued. I am unglued over the failure of Fleetwood to be sure they are sending good products off their production line.

[z3406]

Info
I agree with you that RV QC (Fleetwood is not alone) could stand a major improvement. I think the wiper problem presents a definite safety issue. I don't think that the term " Death Trap" is appropriate to any of the issues I've seen in this thread. Hope you get all your issues resolved to your satisfaction,

[GlennLever]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

A Bounder is not an entry level coach.

OP needs to do us all a favor and sell his motorhome and buy a condo.

If you buy a C5 ZO6 Corvette thinking it is a track day car off the showroom floor, you are in for a rude awakening . You will have to put money into it just as you will have to put money into a motorhome to improve it's drivability.

If you have installed a safe-t-plus and track bars and you still don't like the way it drives, you need to sell it and go in a different direction. Maybe a 5th wheel as it will drive like a pickup.

I have been watching this thread for awhile now, holding my comments on the bashing the OP has been taking.

It is true you do not buy a "C5 ZO6 Corvette thinking it is a track day car off the showroom floor".

However you do buy the cheapest Hyundai and expect that you can drive it down the road.

Instead of giving the OP a hard time how about expending that effort writing manufactures about the know quality problems across the industry?

[sdennislee]

Originally Posted by GlennLever

I have been watching this thread for awhile now, holding my comments on the bashing the OP has been taking.

It is true you do not buy a "C5 ZO6 Corvette thinking it is a track day car off the showroom floor".

However you do buy the cheapest Hyundai and expect that you can drive it down the road.

Instead of giving the OP a hard time how about expending that effort writing manufactures about the know quality problems across the industry?

Well stated

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by GlennLever

I have been watching this thread for awhile now, holding my comments on the bashing the OP has been taking.

It is true you do not buy a "C5 ZO6 Corvette thinking it is a track day car off the showroom floor".

However you do buy the cheapest Hyundai and expect that you can drive it down the road.

Instead of giving the OP a hard time how about expending that effort writing manufactures about the know quality problems across the industry?

Well stated indeed. However IMO the comparison is not totally relevant. American RV industry would certainly pick up if Japan or Korea entered the industry. Much the same as the quality of American cars improved when Japan and Korea entered the competition. Even then the first imports had serious quality issues (my recollection was serious rust perforation issues among others) that made one wonder if they could continue to compete. As it turns out they learned quickly and became a market force.

[GlennLever]

Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald

Well stated indeed. However IMO the comparison is not totally relevant. American RV industry would certainly pick up if Japan or Korea entered the industry. Much the same as the quality of American cars improved when Japan and Korea entered the competition. Even then the first imports had serious quality issues (my recollection was serious rust perforation issues among others) that made one wonder if they could continue to compete. As it turns out they learned quickly and became a market force.

Competition is always a good thing.

[NLOVNIT]

Originally Posted by GlennLever

Competition is always a good thing.

Exactly what Ford needs. They've gotten to where they know they've got a sub-par product (i.e. the headlights we all know have the voltage drop issue) but have no incentive to fix/improve it.

Lori-

[BobMontgomer]

Originally Posted by Hit_the_Rhod

The obvious answer to your last question, is that if they were up front with potential buyers, telling that they needed to add a bunch of expensive upgrades in order to have a more comfortable or safer ride, then people would not buy them. If factory installed, the price would go way up, and people would look elsewhere. The Bounders while I have heard are good vehicles for the price, they are definitely entry level coaches.

I for one am tired of people telling us $90-$115K motorhomes are "entry level coaches." I suppose a $90K-$115K auto is an entry level automobile as well. I mean, you could spend much more on a Bently etc.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by BobMontgomer

I for one am tired of people telling us $90-$115K motorhomes are "entry level coaches." I suppose a $90K-$115K auto is an entry level automobile as well. I mean, you could spend much more on a Bently etc.

In 1998 we paid $98,000 for a '98 35' Santara Type A MH. It WAS definitely an "entry level" unit.

[lonfu]

My inlaws have a 2001 31ft Admiral on a ford v10 chasis. After thinking about it for a while I remember over the last 15 years I've driven it about 10 times. It always feels like a spongy boat or a huge 70's Deville going down the road compared to my souped up suspension 26 foot Itasca. While it isn't all over the road, the entire coach feels like I'm on a boat in rough seas. It does ride smoother, but rocks side to side at every chance it gets. Father in law rarely drove it over 63 mph. When a truck passes it the coach gets thrown around in the lane pretty hard. When I mentioned it to my FIL he said that he slows down when a lot of trucks pass him on the interstate. Guess you give up handling for a smoother ride.


As a mechanic, when folks talk about entry level like it was a plague I think of foolish folks that are helpless to make things themselves and are certainly only interested in having "the best" some else will build for them. Some of the "stupid expensive mark ups" that are on some of the DP's never fail to amaze me as do the cost of repairs to them. To me, uninformed unskilled folks who buy these over priced units get exactly what they want.......a thing to show off their wealth and something to complain about!

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

A Bounder is not an entry level coach.

Originally Posted by SarahW

Sorry, but you don't know much about Bounders. They are definitely not "entry level."

Sorry if I ruffled any feathers, I did not mean to disparage the Bounder line, but a coach needing thousands of dollars of handling "upgrades" or "repairs" straight off the dealers show room (as most of the people responding to this forum seem to suggest) in order to have a comfortable or safe ride definitely doesn't fall into the category of a top of the line coach IMHO.

I totally agree with the suggestions that perspective buyers do an extensive test drive, city, highway, and interstate, at least an hour or so in order to get a better feel for the coach they are looking at. Can't really expect the dealership to allow the tester to load up the vehicle with all their "stuff", but I would at least fill the water tank, fuel tank, and waste tanks to add as much weight as possible.

If the dealership doesn't want the mileage put on the vehicle, or the time taken to fill/empty the tanks, make that a condition of sale AFTER the deal is signed, right before the full inspection of the coach/chassis by a qualified (not dealer affiliated) inspector, with right of refusal and refund of all monies if it does not perform to your expectations.

If the dealership refuses to allow the inspection, or extended test drive, walk away and find another dealership.

[z3406]

Hit
I'm now on my second Bounder and have to disagree with you. I don't think most of the respondents in this thread are taking their coaches in for repairs that effect the ride comfort or safety. Yes I had issues that that needed attention after the first look at the coach, none of them were drivability issues that compromised vehicle safety. There is a big difference between water leakage, cosmetic, appliance issues and owning a "Death Trap".
There are quite a few companies that make add on chassis components for the F53 chassis, most of them make the same components for DP's. Is it possible to improve the ride,swaying and handling of an F53 coach, Yes most definitely. Is an unmodified coach a "Death Trap" definitely not.
Will the first drive of a new Class A coach give the driver white knuckles, speaking for myself it sure did. Do I get white knuckles driving the coach now, of course not.


I couldn't disagree more with the OP's calling his coach a "Death Trap" but as quite a few other posters in this thread have said I'm not intending to bash the OP. I do think that for a variety of reasons 100% of the population will never be able to operate a vehicle the size and complexity of a modern Class A RV. That inability does not make the Class A coach a 'Death Trap"