2012 berkshire 36fws....nightmare!

[jponyboyace]

Purchased our new 12 36fws aprox 14 mo ago.....loved the rig...First drive home the drivers window rattled so bad ...it gave me a headach....batteries did ot hold charge....fws started hanging up after a leak was discovered in the refrig outer compartment that was not sealed properly.....put plates in lower fws,,,,water warped floor now they want to bring to indiana to replace the entire wall floor!!!!!...cable snapped placing hole in slide roof.... u have got to be kidding me....

[greatlakes]

Sounds horrible and sorry to hear but it goes to show you can sometimes have as much issues with a new rig as a used one. I assume you still have a warranty though do its just the hassle of being without it.

[forest]

Welcome to the world of Forest River and the Berkshire low quality builds.

[Mr_D]

Sounds like normal "teething" problems with a new rig to me.

[IMDSailor]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Sounds like normal "teething" problems with a new rig to me.

Mr D I don't take issue with your comment, I take issue with the thought that this type of malfeasance could be written off as "Teething" problems. Some of these rigs come in at the value of a third world country and others less so, but still a bucket full of money. I just find it totally unacceptable that manufacturers can't get it right with every rig that goes out the door, there should be no teething, they build these dam things everyday and have for years. It's not brain surgery. Has Big Box retail driven down our expectations so low that when we buy something for a bucket full of money we still can't expect it not to fall apart as soon as it's driven off the lot? I have to say I've been very lucky and happy with my rig, but some of the stuff I read in here WRT quality issues just disgusts me.

Rant over, back to your regularly scheduled thread.

[Bruce C]

Sad for a new rig. Quality control would be nice.

[coachmanrvr]

I watched our Tiffin being built and have a much better understanding of the meaning "hand built"! The problem is that a group of individuals some experienced and some brand new to the job build our motorhomes. Some go together like clockwork and some do not. If you have owned more than one, you know they all have issues that appear from time to time. Sounds like the one you have has maybe a few more than normal, but whats normal? Anyway, I hope you get it sorted and enjoy the adventure along the way.

Good Luck!

Originally Posted by IMDSailor

Mr D I don't take issue with your comment, I take issue with the thought that this type of malfeasance could be written off as "Teething" problems. Some of these rigs come in at the value of a third world country and others less so, but still a bucket full of money. I just find it totally unacceptable that manufacturers can't get it right with every rig that goes out the door, there should be no teething, they build these dam things everyday and have for years. It's not brain surgery. Has Big Box retail driven down our expectations so low that when we buy something for a bucket full of money we still can't expect it not to fall apart as soon as it's driven off the lot? I have to say I've been very lucky and happy with my rig, but some of the stuff I read in here WRT quality issues just disgusts me.

Rant over, back to your regularly scheduled thread.

[Coaster1]

Sadly, there has been a marked decline in quality on almost every company's product that Warren Buffet (the owner of Gieco Ins) has taken over. True, he has a great reputation for buying nearly bankrupt companies, and turning them into profit centers. Cheaper components, lower wage workers inevitably lead to this.

Ironic that your Berkshire carries the name of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffet's investment company............mmmmmmmmm.

[CampDaven]

The window and battery issues are supplier issues.
Then there is one build issue (leak) that cascades into all the other stuff. Or was it also a supplier issue? Hard to tell.
Not too bad!
There are some real nightmares reported on this forum that make these few issues look like a pleasant dream.

[RickO]

So sorry to hear of your troubles. New rigs are infamous for having "teething problems" but this does seem to be a bit beyond the norm.

I don't buy the excuse of these types of issues being supplier issues either. I was a director of customer service for a Fortune 50 company before I retired and none of my customers wanted to hear me tell them it wasn't my fault... it was one of the suppliers I had chosen and continue to manage.

I certainly understand the frustration and emotion surrounding the poor quality of nearly all new RVs these days. The problem I see, is that there is no alternative out there doing a stellar job who would attract market share with superior quality. Tiffin may be the closest example but they all have their issues.

Hang in there. You'll get it all worked out and soon it will just be fodder for discussion over cocktails.

Rick

[F117plt]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

The window and battery issues are supplier issues.
Then there is one build issue (leak) that cascades into all the other stuff. Or was it also a supplier issue? Hard to tell.
Not too bad!
There are some real nightmares reported on this forum that make these few issues look like a pleasant dream.

I doubt you would call these issues a "pleasant dream" if it were your coach.

[wnytaxman]

Originally Posted by forest

Welcome to the world of Forest River and the Berkshire low quality builds.

I always find it interesting when someone posts a comment like that. Do you own a Berkshire? What is the first hand knowledge? We have had our Berkshire for three years with very few issues. The quality has been fine and the problems have been resolved quickly by either the factory or the dealer.

Name one brand of motorhome that doesn't have issues. Would you prefer a Tiffin with a cracked roof? Perhaps a Monaco with a checkered history and perhaps no future support. How about a million dollar Marathon broken down on the side of the road?

Should we accept shoddy workmanship? No we shouldn't but we drive increasingly complex vehicles with many components made by many different manufacturers. Sometimes things will happen that amount to the proverbial perfect storm. The law of averages comes into play at times. Forest River sounds like they are willing to step up to the plate and make things right. That should be encouraging that they have customer support that is willing to make things right.

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by F117plt

I doubt you would call these issues a "pleasant dream" if it were your coach.

I had about a dozen issues. About half and half supplier/builder. But they were handled by the dealer and builder very well.

This forum has posts mostly about problems, and few with accolades. That is the nature of iRV2.

I have empathy for the issues experienced by the OP. And I did not intend to be terse in my posting. I do wish them smooth sailing and warmer feelings for their fine rig.

[JohnRR]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

This forum has posts mostly about problems, and few with accolades. That is the nature of iRV2.

I'd say it's more the nature of life than iRV2.