Community Forums

suiteowner · 04-18-2015, 09:36 PM

I went to a RV Dealer today to buy a few small items I needed for my new Mobile Suite RV...There was a new Carriage 40' 5th wheel open and on display so I walked in and around it just to take a look...What a disappointment these 5th wheels used to be spectacular units but no more...Everything about them is low end and cheaply done...Thor has ruined the Carriage brand I just hope DRV doesn't suffer the same fate as Thor bought DRV this past February...

tuffr2 · 04-19-2015, 03:34 AM

It is my guess Thor has a bunch a bean counters. They will sifen off as much profit as they can. They will funnel the money to the top brass and let the product suffer. It is nothing for these companies to fold up and go out of business once they are not profitable. The top brass walks away with a ton of $$$.

The worker bees get screwed along with the buying public.

Ever notice new rigs coming into the market as others disappear? It is one big shell game trying to find a good unit.

caissiel · 04-19-2015, 07:23 AM

I never judge a unit by the bling of the inside. Practicalities are more important. Like mid W/D for decent pin weight. Heavy I beam frames and proper axles and tires.

missourijan · 04-19-2015, 09:36 AM

I'm with you suiteowner. That was the subject of much speculation at the suites owner's rally just held in Las Vegas. The rep from Drv says they have been told to just do business as usual. The only changes so far have been in the accounting dept since Thor is a publicly held company. There is more reporting that has to be done. We'll see how it shakes out but can't imagine there won't be changes down the line. Hoping for the best.

glennwest · 04-19-2015, 10:46 AM

Carriage actually went out of business and was started again with Thor. The LifeStyles are the new Carriage.

suiteowner · 04-19-2015, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caissiel

I never judge a unit by the bling of the inside. Practicalities are more important. Like mid W/D for decent pin weight. Heavy I beam frames and proper axles and tires.

Neither do I wouldn't be in an MS otherwise...

rollondown · 04-19-2015, 01:50 PM

You have to rethink how the name Carriage is used. It was a company as well as a brand known for quality and factory support. Today "Carriage" is a sub-name for a 5th wheel line of a parent company that also has other mid-high price lines and then the newly acquired DRV company. Thor bought the name, nothing else.

tuffr2 · 04-19-2015, 07:48 PM

Does anyone know what Thor company is building the new 5th wheel they are calling 'Carriage'?.

Evergreen builds the LifeStyle which is the old Carriage Cameo 96" wide frame while the old Carriage Carri-lite was wider 102". Evergreen builds the Alpha Gold (in name only) which is wider than the LifeStyle. The Alpha Gold is wider at 102" than the 96" wide Lifestyle. Throw in the Bay Hill and Evergreen now has 5th wheels that compete with just about anyone.

So I wonder who builds the new Carriage and where does it fit in?

Fulltimer · 04-20-2015, 09:07 AM

The new Lifestyles are also 102" wide. While Evergreen is the parent company for Lifestyle, Lifestyle makes the Alfa Gold. CrossRoads uses the Carriage and the Cameo name.

tuffr2 · 04-20-2015, 10:11 AM

Lifestyle update, Yep...I see an asterisk "specifications changed 3-6-15". They are now listed as being 101".

And wow - 8,000lb. axles, disc brakes, known box frame, H rated tires. Looks like a direct competitor to DRV.

And I see the Carriage name belongs to CrossRoads.

glennwest · 04-20-2015, 11:28 AM

The Lifestyle is built by the same people that built the Cameo. Uses same frame, same building technicians. Basically same unit with upgrades. The only feature that wasn't offered was wide body and now they do so the Carri-lite is back.

rollondown · 04-20-2015, 06:14 PM

In the old Carriage line up, Royals Internationals was the top, Carrilite was next, then the Cameo line. A Carrilite with all options was a Royals International. If ours had been ordered with disc brakes and 17.5 wheels it would be a Royals, and there is nothing "Lite" about it...