Community Forums

Kias · 09-30-2013, 05:13 PM

Hi! New guy here...

I have to say, after reading all the nightmares about Thor products here, it almost made me look elsewhere for a motorhome. Until I started reading about nightmares with every other motorhome out there. I guess we'll just have to bite the bullet and pick a company. I guess if there's a silver lining anywhere, it's the fact that we live an hour and a half from Elkhart. Since I've never heard anything bad about the treatment you receive at the factory once you get your RV there for service I guess we'll take the best of the worse!

We're on a five year plan right now. The savings has started as we want to pay cash for the motorhome, I'm tired of payments for everything. I've pegged our budget at right around 100k, and we've been looking heavily at the Windsport/Hurricane 34F lately. (Though I'm still trying to discern a difference between these two. Just the outside?) I know a lot of things can change in 5 years, but I like to start early.

3 out of 4 kids have flown the coop, and we're going to move into a tiny house in a year or two. This giant house is just too big for us to keep up with these days. (Guess that'll put us 2 hours from Elkhart...) The wife is an RN finishing up her Masters Degree and currently a charge nurse at a level 1 trauma center ER. She's also a flight nurse, ICU Nurse, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, a cardiac cathertization nurse, and we both belong to a Disaster Medical Assistance Team that get deployed to various disasters by the federal government. (Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, etc...) She does Medical Stuff, I make sure she has computers/electricity/whatever else she needs.

I, on the other hand, am a certified aircraft mechanic.

So...

She will become a travelling nurse.

I will buy this hat:

Change my name to James, and will say things like, "Where to m'am?", "Whatever you say, m'am!" and "Heading to Colorado, m'am!" You get the idea...

Anyway... After reading about loose screws in tanks, and screws laying on the slideout tracks, slideout tracks not even put together right, sawdust in the ductwork (Not really that big of a deal, but sheesh!), washer drains not even connected to the tank, the list goes on and on and on it seems. I'm just completely shocked! So, I've already added a flashlight, inspection mirror, and a borescope to the list of stuff I'm taking for inspection purposes. Wondering if I should take some NDT equipment.

Anyway... Not much to say here. I'll probably be lurking for a few years whilst we save our pennies.

tcopeland · 09-30-2013, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kias

Hi! New guy here... I have to say, after reading all the nightmares about Thor products here, it almost made me look elsewhere for a motorhome. Until I started reading about nightmares with every other motorhome out there. I guess we'll just have to bite the bullet and pick a company. I guess if there's a silver lining anywhere, it's the fact that we live an hour and a half from Elkhart. Since I've never heard anything bad about the treatment you receive at the factory once you get your RV there for service I guess we'll take the best of the worse!

We're on a five year plan right now. The savings has started as we want to pay cash for the motorhome, I'm tired of payments for everything. I've pegged our budget at right around 100k, and we've been looking heavily at the Windsport/Hurricane 34F lately. (Though I'm still trying to discern a difference between these two. Just the outside?) I know a lot of things can change in 5 years, but I like to start early. 3 out of 4 kids have flown the coop, and we're going to move into a tiny house in a year or two. This giant house is just too big for us to keep up with these days. (Guess that'll put us 2 hours from Elkhart...) The wife is an RN finishing up her Masters Degree and currently a charge nurse at a level 1 trauma center ER. She's also a flight nurse, ICU Nurse, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, a cardiac cathertization nurse, and we both belong to a Disaster Medical Assistance Team that get deployed to various disasters by the federal government. (Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, etc...) She does Medical Stuff, I make sure she has computers/electricity/whatever else she needs. I, on the other hand, am a certified aircraft mechanic. So... She will become a travelling nurse. I will buy this hat: Change my name to James, and will say things like, "Where to m'am?", "Whatever you say, m'am!" and "Heading to Colorado, m'am!" You get the idea... Anyway... After reading about loose screws in tanks, and screws laying on the slideout tracks, slideout tracks not even put together right, sawdust in the ductwork (Not really that big of a deal, but sheesh!), washer drains not even connected to the tank, the list goes on and on and on it seems. I'm just completely shocked! So, I've already added a flashlight, inspection mirror, and a borescope to the list of stuff I'm taking for inspection purposes. Wondering if I should take some NDT equipment.

Anyway... Not much to say here. I'll probably be lurking for a few years whilst we save our pennies.

Good luck !
Loved your story.

Finhawk · 09-30-2013, 05:58 PM

I have a 2012 Itasca Meridan and found no screws, sawdust, extra furniture , or engines stuck in any nook or cranney on this thing. After reading those other comments, I feel as tho I was cheated.
Do you think Winnibage could throw in a few goodies to make me feel better??

Kias · 09-30-2013, 06:06 PM

I'd take the extra screws and sawdust if I found an extra engine in a nook or crannie!

tanstaafl · 10-01-2013, 06:21 AM

The 34F is a great floorplan, but the full wall slide in ours has been problematic, along with the levelling jacks, outside storage doors (especially the outside kitchen door) and other minor stuff.

bodycoach2 · 10-01-2013, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finhawk

I have a 2012 Itasca Meridan and found no screws, sawdust, extra furniture , or engines stuck in any nook or cranney on this thing. After reading those other comments, I feel as tho I was cheated.
Do you think Winnibage could throw in a few goodies to make me feel better??

Desperately looking for the "like" button on this post!

Arizona · 10-01-2013, 10:37 AM

That $100.000 coach now will be around $50.000 in your five year plan. I've always payed cash for this hobby and never regretted it. Winnebago products have been the best for us.
Good luck

tcopeland · 10-03-2013, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finhawk

I have a 2012 Itasca Meridan and found no screws, sawdust, extra furniture , or engines stuck in any nook or cranney on this thing. After reading those other comments, I feel as tho I was cheated.
Do you think Winnibage could throw in a few goodies to make me feel better??

Don't know about your coach. Have a friend with a new Winny. He has plenty of left over screws and stuff in his. Maybe he'll send you some.
Actually he's headed back to the factory next week to have the junk removed before it tears something up & a long list of other stuff to fix.

Guess it's across the board with manufacturers. No one is exempt.

rvbunz · 10-03-2013, 04:46 PM

I agree it is acros the board. I have a friend who was suppose to go on a Yellowstone caravan with us this summer, but his View by Winny died and they had to cancel. He even had to trade it in for a Tiffin. His dealer took care of him because the coach couldn't get repaired. At last conversation he tells me it;s still at the shop. So go with what fits your needs and likes. There are problems with all. Good luck.