Motorhome Magazine surprises me!!

[SarahW]

Originally Posted by csrrsr

OK Then.........I would rather see a review done on a coach that was built on Monday!! I would think as consumers we would demand excellent quality from a coach builder no matter what day or time of the year they're building it.....unless your money is worth less on Monday!!

And we have a winner.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by csrrsr

Any given single coach can have problems
I would think as consumers we would demand excellent quality from a coach builder

csrrsr
That's an excellent idea.
However we consumers are stuck between a rock and a hard place, because nearly every RV sold has it's share of problems and those problems are seldom discovered by the buyer until after their money is spent.
Exactly how do you suggest we consumers go about convincing manufacturers that we will not except troublesome RVs?
Mel
'96 Safari

[csrrsr]

Mel, I think we've started in that direction right here....on this forum. It also starts when a motor home magazine comes out with scathing reviews of a companies MH and doesn't pull any punches whether or not the builder's advertising dollar may or may not be involved. You can only hope consumers put on their smart hats and take quality control issues into their own hands before pulling off the lot. For $200,000 +/- tell them to fill the water tank, turn on the water heater and take a shower...flush the toilet and do some dishes!! Make some ice wash the thing including the roof. Empty the tanks. Work the slides several times and on your test drive take a steep hill. Your not buying a car so a walk thru and test drive are only the beginning of a MH consumers investigation. For all you do there will always be items that come up, but you can alleviate a majority of the headaches and disappointment by using your own investigative work, advice on this forum and honest reviews from a national magazine. As consumers....we can make or break any company. When a builder realizes that....things will change.

[RodgerS]

Today, I was at a dealer looking at a used 2013 mh on consignment. I ask some detailed questions about their inspection process.
1) I found that they do a pre-acceptance inspection for themselves, that they document, and I could look at. However, if I had not dug into their process with my questions, I would not know they do this and I don't believe they would have told me about it. However, I think it is not that detailed.
2) I found that they do a pre-deliver inspection for buyers. It is a three page checklist and I can look at it as well. However, again I don't think they normally volunteer it, but they told me based on my questions and agreed to provide it.
3) Then I got serious. I told them I had a very detailed checklist that might take me a week or more to go through and that I wanted to include it as part of the subject to conditions of the contract. They agreed and of course said I would have to make a refundable down payment for them to go that route.

I declined to buy the rig because I decided the storage was insufficient for my needs.

The point here is that some or maybe even many dealers will do the least to close the deal. Only the buyer, when the buyer still has the leverage which means the money hasn't changed hands, the paperwork not completed, and the deposit is still refundable, can make the process work for the buyer. Once you complete the deal and drive off, you really lack a lot of leverage and are relying on the good graces of the dealer to fix things.

I told them I'm not the buyer from hell, but I would not close the deal and drive the rig off the lot unless my detailed checklist had been completed and all items were cleared up to my satisfaction.

It starts with us, we do not have to be victims, just savvy and insist on protecting ourselves.

[Fred and Bonnie]

Originally Posted by RodgerS

It starts with us, we do not have to be victims, just savvy and insist on protecting ourselves.

Rodger, I don't believe first time buyers ever get past the glitz. Reading the stories of people buying units unseen and uninspected just don't get it. Put gas in, foot to the floor, it's just a big auto.

Fred

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Fred and Bonnie

Rodger, I don't believe first time buyers ever get past the glitz. Reading the stories of people buying units unseen and uninspected just don't get it. Put gas in, foot to the floor, it's just a big auto.

Fred

Probably true. Looks like many of them figure the RV warranty covers every part of the rig, including tires for the life of the RV and they expect service at their location forever with no cost to them along with payment for lost use time.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by Fred and Bonnie

Rodger, I don't believe first time buyers ever get past the glitz. Reading the stories of people buying units unseen and uninspected just don't get it. Put gas in, foot to the floor, it's just a big auto.
Fred

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Probably true. Looks like many of them figure the RV warranty covers every part of the rig, including tires for the life of the RV and they expect service at their location forever with no cost to them along with payment for lost use time.

Mr_D
I don't think you are giving first time buyers enough credit.

IMO, most first time buyers naively expect that they will "live happily ever after", (and enjoy the RV life style), when they purchase their first RV... (as Fred said most first time buyers are "dazzled by the glitz").

Because of the high prices of RVs, and how beautiful they look, I think most first time buyers simply expect RVs to preform as well as the cars, (and the thousands of other well built reliable products), they have purchased in their lifetime.
In other words... they assume that RVs are "relatively trouble free".. "reliable" vehicles... built by companies "that care" and sold by "honest dealers".

Most first time buyers have no idea what they are "getting themselves into".... until after they they are the proud owners of their very own MONEY PIT.

Mel
'96 Safari

[mojoracing]

The magazine is just one big advertisement. The rv community needs a new magazine to turn to for real info.