Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > THE OWNER'S CORNER FORUMS > Entegra Owner's Forum
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 03-05-2015, 02:46 PM   #43
Senior Member
 
DebbieMH's Avatar
 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,903
Quote:
Originally Posted by RonandBee View Post
Cruzer, thanks for your replies and info you've posted on here! For a long time we were on the fence about what coach to buy as we do our research before going full-time. We were convinced that the Winnebago Tour 42GD was the rig for us. We went to the Phoenix Rally this past weekend and talked to some full-timers who have been doing this for over 20 years. So low-and-behold, we are now convinced that an Entegra Anthem 44B is perfect for us, and especially after seeing what you said about customer service, reliability, etc., it just gives us even more reassurance that we're making the right decision!
It's perfect for us ... I would full time in it in a heartbeat! Trying to sell one of our houses as we speak - to 3/4 time it!
__________________
Lynn & (Dan in spirit ) Fur kids Carl & Alvin
Full time - home base is Myakka River Motorcoach Resort in Port Charlotte, FL
2015 Entegra Anthem 44B with HWH Active Air
2021 Grand Cherokee Summit
DebbieMH is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 03-06-2015, 12:01 AM   #44
Senior Member
 
DSL417's Avatar
 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,686
Blog Entries: 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by edgray View Post
I too have followed many of the threads here in the Entegra forum and hope to find a USED Entegra or Newmar coach after my Irv2.com classified ad finds a buyer for my sig. coach. I cannot afford the depreciation hit on any more NEW coaches.

After following Chuck's issues with his "as delivered" quality, and the additional comments in this thread about the QC issues that USED to exist at Middlebury, I am interested in learning "when" is the time frame during which "poor management" and "QC problems" allowed sub-par coaches to be assembled / shipped.

Can anybody suggest a date range of coaches to be wary of? Thanks, Ed
Gauging the good and the bad, and being somewhat familiar with the management and QC evolution, I'd say hit and miss first through end of 13 model year...issues (and this wasn't every coach, but more misses) from around Dec 2013 through Jun 2014. But those that were misses for the most part have been successfully dealt with by Entegra to the owners satisfaction, or other arrangements have been arrived at. There have been several in 2012, 2013, and 2014 that have not been dealt with to the satisfaction of the owners. These OPs have generally felt like they were attacked on the forum for reviewing their issues. Since Entegra doesn't answer questions in the forum, we have heard one side of those stories (and to some degree, the customer is always right). That said, if you read through the threads in this forum, you will find the vast majority of owners have either loved their coaches or loved the way Entegra Customer Service responded to their issues.

I had a 2013, and I had a number of small issues and a few large issues, and I worked through them with Entegra to my satisfaction. I now have a 2015...the number and level of issues has been minor and the coach is a better build than my 2013...JMHO. Hope that helps. The timing mentioned above is when production was ramped up, but the lead senior manager of Entegra took a leave of absence from the company. They brought him back in late Spring 2014...things seem to be improving significantly every month since then, judging by the types and number of issues brought up on this forum. That said, this forum probably only represents about 25% (of regular participants) of the total ownership of Entegras.
__________________
Dave and Beth
2015 Cornerstone 45J
2020 Ford F-150 Lariat
DSL417 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 04:02 AM   #45
Senior Member
 
brobox's Avatar
 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,569
I have given this post a lot of thought. After reading Dave's post we owe the OP a big Thank You. It is people that have brought their construction problems into the public eye that caught Entegra's attention. We know they monitor this forum and from the problems like mine and the OP's....... great coach are now being delivered. Yes, our problems are being worked through, but a years worth in my coach and 2 years for the OP does get a bit much. The service van was at my MH yesterday and now waiting for parts that were not installed at the factory for the door awning.

I have also not said much about my problems still being worked through as it does upset a few people and at this point, won't do much good. But it IS posts like these that the new Entegra owners have a great quality control dept and two service vans to thank for.

At least I can help others with "most" repairs.....I have been through most them

Terribeck01. thank you for keeping the issues public so the new QC dept does not close or the vans get retired. Those are win-wins for all new Entegra Owners. We are so fortunate that Entegra does watch a listen.
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
brobox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 07:20 AM   #46
Senior Member
 
edgray's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Madison, MS
Posts: 10,521
Thanks to DSL for the reply, that's the kind of info I was seeking. I'll try not to buy a "tadd-less" coach. 😊
edgray is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 07:59 AM   #47
Senior Member
 
DSL417's Avatar
 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,686
Blog Entries: 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by edgray View Post
Thanks to DSL for the reply, that's the kind of info I was seeking. I'll try not to buy a "tadd-less" coach. ��
Its tough to be exact, because there are a lot of coaches that had no problems during that time as well. There are several folks that got coaches within a week or two of my first, in late 2012/early 2013 that had problems that have continued. In fairness, these were similar to other brands... a punch list to work through. There were some coaches that sat on the lot at Entegra during the harsh Winter of 2014, that couldn't get finalized properly, because the workers couldn't get on the roads to get to work, like Chuck's coach (and during the "Tadless" time). I believe it was that period that resulted in Entegra bringing him back and his quest on quality control.

That said, I think all here think that Entegra reads all the posts on the forum. I believe they did in the early 2013 time frame. They don't today. Neither the Customer Service folks or Joyce herself read the forum regularly...they don't have time. So if you have a quality issue or problem, and you feel your CS person is falling short, I'd encourage you to call Joyce. As to buying a used Entegra, I think it is hard to focus in and say a specific time period. Tadd was gone for about five months. During that time, they probably built about 200-250 coaches. I do not believe that 250 of them were lemons. Keep in mind that the INDUSTRY still relies o owners to be the final quality control point. For most brands, that, unfortunately, HAS NOT CHANGED! From folks on this forum, that vast majority of used Entegras that have gone to the market have been in response to family situations or upgrades to a higher level of Entegra. Is that characteristic of all the Entegras on dealer lots or on RVTrader...I don't know.
__________________
Dave and Beth
2015 Cornerstone 45J
2020 Ford F-150 Lariat
DSL417 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 09:49 AM   #48
Senior Member
 
edgray's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Madison, MS
Posts: 10,521
Quote:
Originally Posted by DSL417 View Post
...........
Keep in mind that the INDUSTRY still relies o owners to be the final quality control point. For most brands, that, unfortunately, HAS NOT CHANGED! From folks on this forum, that vast majority of used Entegras that have gone to the market have been in response to family situations or upgrades to a higher level of Entegra. .....
Yes Dave, I agree that is true (about the industry) and until that changes, these forums will remain full of posts by frustrated buyers. I do think Entegra and one or two others are learning that proper QC is cheaper than warranty repairs, and are growing their market share by doing a better job at the factory, rather than on dealer lots.
And, it is the sheer number of Entegra owners buying another Entegra that has me looking at them again. THAT says a lot about customer satisfaction, IMO. Almost all brands have loyal owners who zealously defend their choice of coach builder, but it is repeat buyers who speak loudest to me.
edgray is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 01:16 PM   #49
Senior Member
 
brobox's Avatar
 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,569
Owning a "Taddless" coach, I can assure someone, that it will be in better shape when it is sold than when it was delivered. I also strongly believe that coaches like mine were a wake up call and Entegra probably has one of the best QC depts in the industry now. I liked what I saw when it was pointed out to me. As Dave said, pointing out issues to CS is a must if they are to be corrected on the next manufacturing run.
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
brobox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2015, 07:40 PM   #50
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: NV
Posts: 2,227
I can tell you 1 thing about Dave it may be what you want to hear it may not be what you want to hear However it will be the truth.
johnnyreno is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-07-2015, 01:53 PM   #51
Senior Member
 
bevandtomH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,768
Amen to that JR.
Dave and too many others to name have given invaluable insight.
Priceless to guys like me.
Tom
__________________
___________
Tom & Bev, Riley 7yo Lab
2014 Entegra Aspire 44b, 2017 Jeep JKU
bevandtomH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-07-2015, 07:39 PM   #52
Senior Member
 
wmpbauer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Sun City Center, FL
Posts: 1,847
Send a message via Yahoo to wmpbauer
Edgray,

Maybe I was lucky, but we've had very few "major" problems. A slide motor, a couple of alignment issues, a bad grout job, a stinky valve under the galley, a bad LP gas regulator, kinked Aqua Hot under the galley.

I have a 2013 Aspire built in December, so I guess I got a "good" one. I can certainly say I haven't had nearly as many issues as we had with our 2011 Phaeton, and I can't bear to even think about the 2008 Damon Essence nightmare. All three were new coaches. By comparison, the Entegra has been a walk in the park.

Best bang for the buck in the industry...quietest coach I've had, and certainly the best fit and finish and best insulated, too!

20,000+ miles

Happy!


Wmpbauer
__________________
Pat & Medarda Bauer; Tess and Tighe (our fur kids)
2017 Entegra Anthem/FL/Allison/Grand Cherokee
Entegra Coach Owners Association, President
Sun City Center, FL
wmpbauer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-07-2015, 09:35 PM   #53
Registered User
 
Dawg44b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 290
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terribeck01 View Post
Hello fellow owners,
I am looking for insight as to our Entegra experience. We purchased a new 2013 Aspire about 18 months ago after touring both the Entegra and Newmar factory. We truly believed we purchased a superior coach however it has spent most of its life in a service bay. This is our 3rd RV so we expected several "bugs" to work out but it seems to me our problems have been excessive. I am interested in other Entegra owner's opinions. Here is a list of the major issues we have experienced:
1) Upon delivery the driver side slide out leaked & collected water which dumped on the drivers head. Ultimately it had to be taken to the factory for fix
2) Driver side window leak (3 service visits to fix)
3) Electric step motor had to be replaced after our second trip
4) Aqua Hot System leak, luckily this issue was only a bad clamp
5) High pitched whistle at speed under driver side dash (4 visits)
6) On first trip, air bags didn't fill (gauges indicated ok but very rough ride & we didn't know better - first diesel bus). Spartan said get to service center which was hours away. Ultimately we stopped, lowered & retracted levelers and bags filled. Now we check for at least fist height above tire every time.
7) One leveler doesn't always retract completely. Just need to check it.
8) Leak around outside entertainment door, TV had to be replaced.
9) Bracket of several overhead doors pulled out of wood cabinet.
10) Rear DVD player had to be replaced.
11) Suspension "clunk" in turns. Spartan initially said issue was weak weld on generator frame so we took to Entegra factory. Turned out to be an issue with front suspension.

These are the big ones I recall. I want to point out that Entegra has been very good about resolving these issues. It is just frustrating that we seem to be their quality control with us having to take the time to get the repairs done. Recently service calls have become a bit easier to deal with since Entegra allows Buddy Gregg in Knoxville to hand service work (rather than where we purchased the coach). Buddy Gregg has gone out of their way to help us and I highly recommend them! We are about to head out on our next long trip with a certain level of trepidation. I would love to keep my Entegra but am tired of dropping it off for service after every trip. I'm interested in some perspective from other diesel RV owners whether this level of "break in" is typical or not. Right now feeling like Newmar may have been a better choice. Sorry for the long post but there was a lot of information to share. Any perspective or words of encouragement would be much appreciated. Thank you!
NO big issues with our 14 Aspire 44B. Very Happy with the Coach, the CS and the 2 Year Warranty. If DW and I upgrade it will be in the Entegra Family, We are Very Impressed with Everything about our Coach
Dawg44b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2015, 01:02 AM   #54
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 71
We have to say from reading posts and talking with other Entegra owners! QC has improved leaps and bounds from our model 2011 Aspire DL42. We still have to say though that Entegra has had an angel working for them to correct all of our issues above and beyond what they legally had to do. Thanks to Joyce for being there to help us, 9,000 miles on our 2011 coach and 7,500 of those were to and from factory for repairs. They even arranged for local mobile RV repairs on more than a dozen different issues and even cover a 17 week repair in the shop locally. Even as discouraged as we have been in the past with the coach Entegra has been there! Really am glad to hear QC is stepping up.
SDM1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2015, 01:01 PM   #55
Senior Member
 
Gary.Jones's Avatar


 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 11,530
Blog Entries: 1
We picked up our 2015 44B about a month ago, and have put 800 miles on it while living in it since we got it. We had three or four problems upon delivery (the rear passenger side Girard awning was intermittent and would not operate with controls or remote (still an intermittent problem), the vent fan in the back bathroom did not work due to a poor electrical socket on the PC control board, poorly puttied staple holes on woodwork around the half bath, inside and outside paneling produced either by using the wrong color putty and then not rubbing out the putty so there were dull smears on the adjacent wood, the coach coming in without the trav'ler antenna that we had been told would be standard). The worst issue was that the tech doing the PDI pulled the full gray water valve with no hose or drain on it and innundated the entire wet bay and tank area with water, which then took two days to decide if the water pouring out of the bottom of the coach was due to his dumb move, or a split seam or problem with the fresh water tank (not the tank..... his dumb move).

So, our QC "due to Entegra" problems have been so far (in my opinion) the poor putty work on wood staples on our half bath. The rest were problems produced by the OEMs or the dealer. It took us a week to get out of the dealer's lot but that was due primarily to dealer issues.

Now, 1,000 miles and 30 days is not a lot of experience with a new coach but so far, I am quite pleased . Some of our good friends who have bought new coaches told us firmly: "Gary, DON'T EVER BUY A NEW COACH.....!! TOO MANY PROBLEMS TO IRON OUT WHEN THEY ARE NEW" and we heard it from people who bought high end coaches (higher than I was buying) and low end coaches, and they meant it. I bought new with considerable hesitation because of that advice.

So far, I can't complain. Give me another 5 - 10,000 miles and I will give you a definitive opinion. The OP asked for opinion and experience, and that is mine

Gary
__________________
Gary and Dee, Zowie and Bowie (traveling cat sibs)
2019 Cornerstone 45B, X15-605hp, Imperial, Spartan K3,
2013 Honda CR-V toad, Demco Excali-Bar II,
Demco Baseplate, Demco Toad Light system, 73 de W5FI
Gary.Jones is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2015, 10:04 AM   #56
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: LaFollette, Tennessee
Posts: 75
Entegra Quality Issues Update

Thank you everyone for your responses, most have reassured us that Entegra is a quality manufacturer. We just got stuck with one of the "problem" coaches made in 2013. We have contacted our dealer to make them aware of all the issues (many of the repairs have been done at different dealers) and Don Brubaker from Entegra called us today. It was reassuring that they are committed to resolving our issues but they also understand we are only one more major problem away from being done with this particular coach. We are planning a long trip soon and hope to finally have a trip without a major issue. Thanks again everyone, great discussion!
Terribeck01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
quality



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Newmar Vs. Entegra RRDefector Class A Motorhome Discussions 33 11-16-2014 10:21 AM
HELP- 12v Electrical Issues zzjea RV Systems & Appliances 8 10-26-2014 03:15 PM
Industry Lack of Quality Control hoakken iRV2.com General Discussion 14 08-17-2014 07:05 AM
Entegra Enhancements - A Higher Level View DSL417 Entegra Owner's Forum 2 08-16-2014 04:56 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:31 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.