Community Forums

JBDISCOVERY · 02-04-2012, 03:15 PM

A visit to Red Bay, Ala. tells the story on quality. Many, many coaches in the fix it yard. Really surprised at that. Took the plant tour. Dirty work floor, messy assembly benches and just a general feeling that management does not look after little things.
Went to the Fleetwood plant in Decatur, Ind. Stayed in the fix it yard. There were five coaches there including some American coaches. Took the plant tour. Very clean plant. Well organized, straight forward assembly line. Clean work stations and benches. The paint area was so clean. The floor was good enough to sit on without pants. Really liked the workers. Talked to several, all were proud of what they do. A number of young persons glad to have a position. My past career is the basis for my comments.
JB

pumper9x9 · 02-06-2012, 05:40 PM

Go to rv.org. Get their product, match it with your use, use their ratings, then go to oodle.com to look for some coaches you maybe interested in then go inspect them. The two top of the line coaches I have found are Country Coach (used they are no longer in business but they made a great product, I have one 2002) or Foretravel they still make a great product and are still around. I have seen lots of used ones of these two coaches on the road and not a lot for sale,but they are out there. Sorry is I have upset some other owners of other products.

colo.kids · 02-06-2012, 06:27 PM

Not anything by the way of comparison, but we love out 2003 Itasca (Winnebago).. We bought is used with 25K and now have 45K. No what I call problems, just some WD 40 in a few places and normal maintenance.

Good luck on the decision

B Bob · 02-06-2012, 09:46 PM

I second pumper9x9 - The only comprehensive (As comprehensive as it gets in the motor home industry) review of individual models I found was the RV Consumer Group information. I used their disks extensively when I was looking two years ago. After looking at and driving many motor homes my own personal experience was pretty much in agreement with their findings.

I also found that most high quality workmanship was fairly obvious but you had to look carefully.

Complex coaches have more things to go wrong than simple ones. We were on a caravan trip a few weeks back with 8 motor homes. 5 of the coaches were what I would call simple ones that did not have many complex systems. Most were Fleetwood and National - Bounders and Dolphins. These owners had few problems.

We have a complex coach and one of our friends that was along for the rally has a 2005 Foretravel. Both of us have had more things to fix than the simple coaches. But by a wide marking the counter tops, floors, chairs, upholstry and so on is of much higher quality than the Fleetwoods or Nationals.

We have owned our Country Coach for 26 months now. Our motor home was beautifully made. If ours burned up and I had to look for another one Country Coach Affinity would be our first choice. Even above Foretravel. Our choices after Country coach would be as follows.

2. Foretravel
3. Beaver
4. Monaco
5. American Coach
6. Travel Supreme
7. Alpine
8. Newmar

I am not including super high end machines like Newell, Marathon, Blue Bird with slides, and so on

Thewellz · 02-08-2012, 05:11 PM

Hi there here is my two cents! I would buy a coach that is used and has gone through the "break in" period already,this way the first owner will most likeky have taken care of issues that have arisen with their warranty, and also you won't see the huge depreciation in price right after you drive it off the lot. I know people with a high end unit that have had the same problems as people with lower end units....leaks, rattles, electricle issues, bulged ceilings and so on. A lot of coach manufactures use the same brands for furniture and appliances as well as their chassis, and a lot of brands fall under the same company(monaco ownes a few, National owned country coach for years).I think in general you can tell fairly quickly if the coach is of poor quality just by the materials used, and the construction of everything from cabinets to bay doors, light fixtures, taps,counter tops, furniture and flooring. If the materials you see are cheap then the ones you can't are probably cheap too.I think most people will defend the choice they made regardless of the manufacturer because they all have their issues good or bad, it's just a matter of taste budget and looking closely when your in the unit.

Mr_D · 02-08-2012, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBDISCOVERY

A visit to Red Bay, Ala. tells the story on quality. Many, many coaches in the fix it yard. Really surprised at that. Took the plant tour. Dirty work floor, messy assembly benches and just a general feeling that management does not look after little things.
Went to the Fleetwood plant in Decatur, Ind. Stayed in the fix it yard. There were five coaches there including some American coaches. Took the plant tour. Very clean plant. Well organized, straight forward assembly line. Clean work stations and benches. The paint area was so clean. The floor was good enough to sit on without pants. Really liked the workers. Talked to several, all were proud of what they do. A number of young persons glad to have a position. My past career is the basis for my comments.
JB

Now, go through the Newmar factory and talk to the people on the line and those in the repair area too. Just remember not to take pictures of the Amish workers without their permission.

anotherone · 02-08-2012, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thewellz

Hi there here is my two cents! I would buy a coach that is used and has gone through the "break in" period already,this way the first owner will most likeky have taken care of issues that have arisen with their warranty, and also you won't see the huge depreciation in price right after you drive it off the lot. I know people with a high end unit that have had the same problems as people with lower end units....leaks, rattles, electricle issues, bulged ceilings and so on. A lot of coach manufactures use the same brands for furniture and appliances as well as their chassis, and a lot of brands fall under the same company(monaco ownes a few, National owned country coach for years).I think in general you can tell fairly quickly if the coach is of poor quality just by the materials used, and the construction of everything from cabinets to bay doors, light fixtures, taps,counter tops, furniture and flooring. If the materials you see are cheap then the ones you can't are probably cheap too.I think most people will defend the choice they made regardless of the manufacturer because they all have their issues good or bad, it's just a matter of taste budget and looking closely when your in the unit.

bought my serrano used; 6000mi 1yr old. Thor says no warranty so now its in the shop with 32 defects some of which wont get fixed because the extended warranty company says the manufacturer just plain builds crap and the defects are not mechanical breakdowns. So much for the previous owner getting everything fixed! How about the original owner bailing out on an obvious poor quality motorhome and getting some piece of mind with another brand!!!!!

woodburner · 02-08-2012, 05:27 PM

Maybe it's time someone sent a printout of one of these threads to Mr. Tiffin. Seems he needs a wake up call of sorts.
I've read the same critiques on here and on TRVN over and over again yet they're seemingly oblivious to the overwhelming amount of criticism and dissatisfaction.
I don't get it...so many seem happy to have to travel to Red Bay on a regular basis as if it's an amusement park.

I sure hope my simple little Allegro doesn't have the issues I've been reading about.

anotherone · 02-08-2012, 06:09 PM

Regarding my thor serrano and lack of customer service from thor with incredible poor quality ; I just made an official complaint with BBB and posted on consumer complaint .com.

anotherone · 02-08-2012, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodburner

Maybe it's time someone sent a printout of one of these threads to Mr. Tiffin. Seems he needs a wake up call of sorts.
I've read the same critiques on here and on TRVN over and over again yet they're seemingly oblivious to the overwhelming amount of criticism and dissatisfaction.
I don't get it...so many seem happy to have to travel to Red Bay on a regular basis as if it's an amusement park.

I sure hope my simple little Allegro doesn't have the issues I've been reading about.

I did send a copy of this thread to adam gudger ; new head of diesel sales for thor a couple of days ago. Not a tiffin but thor has serious issues also. Would love them to buy it back!!!!!!!!!

rvjimmy · 02-08-2012, 07:05 PM

I have a few small items on occasion with my 2002 DSDP but I figure it is a rolling house so , just like a house it needs care. Don't think I would ever buy new, let the first owner take the big hit.

woodburner · 02-08-2012, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBDISCOVERY

A visit to Red Bay, Ala. tells the story on quality. Many, many coaches in the fix it yard. Really surprised at that. Took the plant tour. Dirty work floor, messy assembly benches and just a general feeling that management does not look after little things.
Went to the Fleetwood plant in Decatur, Ind. Stayed in the fix it yard. There were five coaches there including some American coaches. Took the plant tour. Very clean plant. Well organized, straight forward assembly line. Clean work stations and benches. The paint area was so clean. The floor was good enough to sit on without pants. Really liked the workers. Talked to several, all were proud of what they do. A number of young persons glad to have a position. My past career is the basis for my comments.
JB

What?

SarahW · 02-08-2012, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodburner

What?

That must have been some tour!!

RVNeophytes2 · 02-08-2012, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSchleder

Let's hope the US RV industry wakes up BEFORE the Japanese decide to produce RV's here.

I chuckled at the notion.

First, I recently picked up an RV magazine in Tokyo; believe me, they're no competition, at present. Tiny little rigs.

If they took to making American-sized RVs we might all benefit; particularly if the units were built by Americans. Case in point: my Tundra has Japanese reliability, but is made in San Antonio by American workers. In all, it is more genuinely American than a GM Sierra, according to a recent analysis.

Until then, I for one will still enjoy motoring around in a 2005 vehicle akin to passenger cars from the 60's or early 70's, in its safety, reliability, comfort.