Coachmen: 2012 Coachmen Mirada and Coachmen Quality in General

[CSMRod54]

We purchased our 2012 Coachmen Mirada 32DS in Oct 2011. We have around 20 days in it with around 1000 miles. So far so good. Great value for the price. I researched the Ford chassis prior to our purchase and everything I read was positive. We have had minor issues, DVD player quit working, some drawers didn't stay closed, and the black water sensor. Our dealer has taken care of everything. So my wife and I are pleased with our rig.

[SarahW]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSMRod54 We purchased our 2012 Coachmen Mirada 32DS in Oct 2011. We have around 20 days in it with around 1000 miles. So far so good. Great value for the price. I researched the Ford chassis prior to our purchase and everything I read was positive. We have had minor issues, DVD player quit working, some drawers didn't stay closed, and the black water sensor. Our dealer has taken care of everything. So my wife and I are pleased with our rig.

Howdy and welcome to the forum! It's great that you took the time to post a positive experience. Congrats on your new coach and I hope it continues to provide you with lots of happy travels.

[Jrf4865]

Purchased a 2011 Mirada 34BH in April '11. Have not had many issues with it, really like it. This is an inexpensive MH, price was right for our first one. Will be adding steering stabilizer before the next trip.

[SarahW]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jrf4865 Purchased a 2011 Mirada 34BH in April '11. Have not had many issues with it, really like it. This is an inexpensive MH, price was right for our first one. Will be adding steering stabilizer before the next trip.

Howdy and welcome to the forum. "Inexpensive MH"??? Is there any such thing?? Glad to hear that you have had a good experience with your Mirada.

[Rikmac]

We bought a 29DS two weeks ago and love it. A few minor problems but nothing that gives me a bad feel on there product. One question, inside the coach on the tank/LP display panel I have a button marked AUX Tank. Any ideas on what this tank is for? IT always show empty when I push the button. I have tried filling up all other tanks and this one still is empty. I will be back to the dealer in a few weeks and I will ask him when I return if no one here knows the answer. Thanks in advance...

[jimbooth25]

i have a 32 bh with the same aux tank dealer said thats there just in case i would want to add a extra tank but that it should read emptty since its not hooked up

[Rikmac]

Thanks for the reply, I am going into the dealer in about 10 days and I will make sure I ask him. If I hear differently I will let you know.

Rick

[dilarson]

I would not recommend Coachmen to anyone after our experience with our 2012 Encounter 36bh. We sold our home last Sept and purchased this coach to travel in full time for the next year or two. After spending the last 4 months in it in Florida we have changed our mind!!!
Just a few of the issues we have had:


A leak in the kitchen faucet- which led to water flooding the kitchen floor while we were sleeping and made the "PAPER" covering on cabinet bottom peel off. Basement bin also got wet.

The toilet continues to run water in after flushing, which resulted in flooding the coach while we were sleeping.( We always try to remember to pull lever up with our foot after flushing!)

The shower head leaked and had to be replaced.
Replaced all screws in the shower due to rust.

The kitchen table is screwed to the THIN wall with no reinforcement to hold it in and all the screws pulled away from the wall.
I had to pay for replacement foam for the dinette booth cushions which were all sagging and looked old after one month and had to install it ourselves. (Coachmen rep told me to call furniture manufacture myself)
The warped Corrianne counter top cover for stove. Which Terri (sales person) said is like that in all of them. (that doesn't make it right)
The air-conditioner cools well but does not want to shut off when running and keeps kicking right back on. (sometimes but not all the time)
The furnace ducting makes horrible noises when running. (We think it is due to the metal duct material heating and cooling)
The floor in front of fireplace has loud squeak whenever we step on it.
Staples are wearing thru the bedroom carpet.

Finish is wearing off the bathroom door edges. ( Probably paper covering too like kitchen cabinets.)

Wall paper is wrinkled all along wall behind bathroom sink faucet.

Poor design in cabinet for direct tv receiver- above tv.You have to keep the cabinet open all the time to change stations.
Poor design in silverware drawer- can't fit any divider trays in to divide silverware. Just have to throw it all in together. (Too narrow)

Cheap front windshield curtain that doesn't even have a lining and allows sun to shine thru.

Had to buy 4 inch foam topper for bed to make comfortable.
The water heater pressure release valve leaks a lot at times and none at other times. Should it do this??


Additional problems on way home from Florida in March 2012
Both the driver side and passenger side slider windows rattled non stop on the way home. Could not get them to stop no matter what.
Loud wind noise around windshield when driving against the wind.
When cruise controll is on MHO shifts too hard and revs up the engine.
Husband says MHO needs stabilizer bars so he doesn't have to keep fighting to keep straight even when not windy.


We have contacted our dealer to get our coach in for repairs since we are back home now but they are not taking any responsibility in the below grade quality. They say they sent e-mail to Coachmen factory rep and have not heard back. Also said all other Coachmen owners love their coaches with no problems. Hmmmm I guess we are just lucky.

[Roll]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilarson I would not recommend Coachmen to anyone after our experience with our 2012 Encounter 36bh. We sold our home last Sept and purchased this coach to travel in full time for the next year or two. After spending the last 4 months in it in Florida we have changed our mind!

I have a 2011 Encounter but my floor plan is the 37TZ. Build quality is probably about the same however.

I have to wonder if this is your first experience with a motorcoach. Is that the case?

I have great empathy for you regarding these problems and can't imagine how disappointed and frustrated you and your husband must be.

There are a couple of things that come to mind I thought worth mentioning however and I mean no disrespect; just trying to help.

I have had no water problems at all though I have had many other issues all dealing with Coachmen quality control. I say quality control because once the issues were discovered, my dealer has been nothing but helpful in resolving every single problem. They are issues with assembly primarily. The number of issues is a little alarming though.

I was counseled to camp near home several times, to use every system and door handle in the coach and then make notes about the problems I discovered, which I did. In this way I was not caught out, far from home, with serious difficulties but rather had time to get the coach back to the dealer for repairs. Lots of trips back to the dealership but the coach is straightened out now.

I am really suspicious of all the water problems you cite. I hate to ask but did you use a pressure reducer when connected to shore water? All these leaks and flooding overnight scenarios sound like over pressurization to me. If you did not use a pressure reducer in the water line, you might well blow lines and connections due to high pressure and then with a constant flow from shore supply, the coach would flood as you slept. This is one of the first things taught when the dealer does the walk-around with you. You must limit the pressure when connected to shore water. The valves are inexpensive and attach to your water line.

I suspect you were using shore water since I know that the water pump Coachmen installs is annoyingly loud. If you were using your water tank and pump, the sound would have woken you up. It’s so loud, I had to have ours replaced with a high end, quiter, pump just so my wife could sleep at night.

Finally, I am not convinced, (others will no doubt object to this) that a coach like ours is practical for full timing. I believe it is built and intended for weekends, vacations, and extended trips (I hope) for a couple of months at a time. Full timing is best in a coach built for extended use. High quality fixtures, systems, cabinetry, and drive train too, can take the day in and day out use. I don’t think the Encounter is in that class.

If this is the life style you want, perhaps you might look for a 4-5 year old diesel from Winnebago, Newmar, or Tiffin, all quality builders that make solid, durable, coaches that last for years. There are other quality builders, research in this area is helpful for a buyer. Just a thought.

The good news is that the coach can be repaired and with some training and patience you can get good service from a Coachmen.

Best of luck

Gary and Cindy

[Rikmac]

I to have a Coachmen Mirada and agree that the quality is not like other coaches. Saying that, my dealer has been great getting everything repaired. It seems to me that your coach is still under warranty. If you are having an issue you should directly call coachmen and tell them about the problems if the dealer is not helping. Just a note, I am currently in a campground watching someone with a new prevost trying to fix his AC which not working... Makes the coachmen seem more valuable at this moment! Life in Florida, you got to love it...

[dilarson]

Roll
Our problem with water was not due to pressure, but loose fittings. The one that flooded the kitchen was where the pull off faucet connection was loose and water ran back into the faucett and ran all over the floor. The problem with the water in the stool is the flush lever won't always shut off and water in the stool fills up and runs over. This is not our first coach. We traded in a 2003 Damon Intruder for the Coachmen. When I say we wanted to go full time in this coach I mean of course winters in Florida and summers in Illinois and traveling in the summer only for one or two years before buying a house again just to see the country out West & East as much as possible in that time frame. Our Issue with service is that we live near Springfield and our
dealer we bought the Coachmen from is in Rockford which means a 200 mile trip one way and we are living in the motor home right now so -no home to stay in while repairs are made. We drove all the way from Fort Myers (which is where we winter) up to Winter Garden fl to get the seat belt fixed that was locked up since we bought it. All warranty work for the first year of course has to be done at a Coachmen dealer, none of which were near Fort Myers. We did camp near home for the first couple of months and we thought the problems we were having could be addressed in Florida but once again with us living in the coach it just wasn't easy. (we also have 3 little Boston Terriors which limits us on other places to stay)
I guess our greatest disappointment is QUALITY. Why would they not use rust proof screws in the shower, why use foam in the cushions that is useless, why not use fasteners for the table that will hold it to the wall, why use duct work that makes horrible noise, not to mention all the wind noise from the windshield and windows. We too would have preferred to buy a DP but could not justify or afford spending twice what we spent on this coach. We wanted something newer with a warranty. Ha!
Enough said. We did get an e-mail from our sales person saying she is having top Coachmen rep call us tomorrow to see what we can work out. I can't help but think most of these issues are below grade quality things that are not acceptable for a brand new coach.

[dilarson]

Rickmac
After my first contact with Coachmen and them telling me to call the furniture builder about our dinette cushions and hearing from them through my sales person that all the corrian stove covers are warped I didn't think I would get a lot of help from them:( Our sales person has forwarded all of our issues to Coachmen.
We too love life in Florida!!!

[jimbooth25]

I too had some issues last month in Florida with my plumbing the line from the water pump broke here at the factories they spliced two lines together because they cut the one too short and the fitting they used wasn't suppose to be used right next to another fitting. I had mine fixed at giant outdoor world just out side Orlando they are a coachmen dealer. And I too have had lots of issues with my coach 2012 Miranda 32 bh lots of water leaked from out side around windows and roof kept leaking where the front cap meets the roof and tons of electrical things after finally getting a coachmen rep at the local Rv show here in Harrisburg pa and making a seen in front of other potential buyers and having a lawer ready did I finally get my coach back to how it should be. Just for example after the water leak I was having issues in the front dash from the water they said there's no issue until finally they turned on the ac and. Ater was spraying out the vent ans since it was closed up you could see water condensation on the windshield comming fron the dash they ended up replacing the dash and all it's components at a campground I was at because I went to leave and a loud pop came from under the dash and lots of white smoke some electrical shorted out and almost burnt down my coach. But now that things are all better life is good but yes this will be my last coachmen

[mariogeneau]

Love my Mirada! But it's an old one.