Hard lesson learned: Spidering of Fiberglass

[Sidewinder4]

Bought a 2012 demonstrator Coach from a Dealership in Florida, I am the first registered owner ever and bought my coach in November in 2014. I clearly signed a document that I had no warranty once leaving the dealership. The Coach is less than five years old. Again the rules are: must be original owner to get the warranty support with less than five years on frame ect... (Just offer that for edification not complaining).

From vertical learning from this site, I had read that Spidering of fiberglass can not only be ugly but expensive. I contacted Newmar service and they stated I was not under warranty as expected and they could provide no help.

Called NIRV in Atlanta and to replace the back cap is: $13,500.00.

Do I have any other options; I have read that if the Spidering is all over a panel, only solution is to replace all the effected fiberglass to get rid of the so called cancer. I also read not to long ago that a whole Motor-home would cost $20,000.00 to do entire Coach for Fiberglass repair. So is my estimate outrageous?

Looking for thoughts and recommendations. This OP is not intended in any way to say I am upset at the purchasing dealership or Newmar. I just do not need a $13,500.00 bill only 17 months after purchase. Like a newbie at the time of purchase, I also paid pretty good retail as well. I can say I discovered paint cracking (did not know the term Spidering) sometime after purchase on top of the back cap, but was not fiberglass deep, something I thought at the time I could live with. (also could not be seen from the ground anyway) Last week, I went out to put some wax on the Coach and was amazed (sick to my stomach to be honest) at how advanced the Spidering had become, the Spidering has now climbed down the back of the cap and no longer out of site, but is also fiberglass deep in some places. To state the rather obvious, I saw the fiberglass Spidering I immediately knew I was in trouble.

Do not know if Spidering or paint cracking was there when I purchased Coach. To be honest, I did not know what Spidering was until a couple of months ago while reading on IRV2. I do know the Spidering is growing fast and is isolated to just the back cap so far. Nearest Newmar dealership is Atlanta Georgia about 100 miles away from where I live.

Also contacted Insurance, no help there either.

Sorry for the long OP, recommendations welcome!

[Superslif]

Anyway you can provide a picture or two. Pictures will tell the whole story. It might be that a good fiberglass shop can repair rather than replacing the whole rear cap. Yes, $13k is a lot of money.

[VP Chianese]

Originally Posted by Sidewinder4

Bought a 2012 demonstrator Coach from a Dealership in Florida, I am the first registered owner ever and bought my coach in November in 2014. I clearly signed a document that I had no warranty once leaving the dealership. The Coach is less than five years old. Again the rules are: must be original owner to get the warranty support with less than five years on frame ect... (Just offer that for edification not complaining).

From vertical learning from this site, I had read that Spidering of fiberglass can not only be ugly but expensive. I contacted Newmar service and they stated I was not under warranty as expected and they could provide no help.

Called NIRV in Atlanta and to replace the back cap is: $13,500.00.

Do I have any other options; I have read that if the Spidering is all over a panel, only solution is to replace all the effected fiberglass to get rid of the so called cancer. I also read not to long ago that a whole Motor-home would cost $20,000.00 to do entire Coach for Fiberglass repair. So is my estimate outrageous?

Looking for thoughts and recommendations. This OP is not intended in any way to say I am upset at the purchasing dealership or Newmar. I just do not need a $13,500.00 bill only 17 months after purchase. Like a newbie at the time of purchase, I also paid pretty good retail as well. I can say I discovered paint cracking (did not know the term Spidering) sometime after purchase on top of the back cap, but was not fiberglass deep, something I thought at the time I could live with. (also could not be seen from the ground anyway) Last week, I went out to put some wax on the Coach and was amazed (sick to my stomach to be honest) at how advanced the Spidering had become, the Spidering has now climbed down the back of the cap and no longer out of site, but is also fiberglass deep in some places. To state the rather obvious, I saw the fiberglass Spidering I immediately knew I was in trouble.

Do not know if Spidering or paint cracking was there when I purchased Coach. To be honest, I did not know what Spidering was until a couple of months ago while reading on IRV2. I do know the Spidering is growing fast and is isolated to just the back cap so far. Nearest Newmar dealership is Atlanta Georgia about 100 miles away from where I live.

Also contacted Insurance, no help there either.

Sorry for the long OP, recommendations welcome!

Terry,

As many others will attest Newmar has gone out of their way to help on many things.

I would suggest that you call customer service and approach the problem in this manner.

Start by stating the obvious. That you understand they are in no way obligated to repair the coach under warranty. But now that your are part of the Newmar family you want your Dutch Star to look like it belongs to the Newmar family not brand X. So then you could ask if they would consider some help in the cost of the repair as they know that they have had this problem in the past. Offer to let them do it in the slow time of year on their schedule terms. My thought here is that if you can't get them to do the repair as warranty work, free of charge, maybe you can get them to do a deep discount and repair and paint the whole coach. For the same $13-15 k you might get them to do the whole thing and at least it will look like a new coach. Or if you are lucky they may charge you was less for just the cap.

You have nothing to lose. Just be persistent and don't take an easy no. Ask to escalate up to the person that has the authority to authorize such a repair.
Don't get belligerent or play the "how much I paid " card. They have heard that more than once. Use the Newmar Family and friends card.

Good luck.

[GaryKD]

Hi Sidewinder4,
Do what VP Chianese said. Newmar has bent over backward to help owners.

[Sidewinder4]

Four Pictures I sent to Newmar initially. Issue now is it is worse than these pictures depict!

[loisjop]

I believe Tiffin wanted $30,000 per side to fix that problem, if not covered by warranty, and that was back in 2008.

[Sidewinder4]

Originally Posted by VP Chianese

Terry,

As many others will attest Newmar has gone out of their way to help on many things.

I would suggest that you call customer service and approach the problem in this manner.

Start by stating the obvious. That you understand they are in no way obligated to repair the coach under warranty. But now that your are part of the Newmar family you want your Dutch Star to look like it belongs to the Newmar family not brand X. So then you could ask if they would consider some help in the cost of the repair as they know that they have had this problem in the past. Offer to let them do it in the slow time of year on their schedule terms. My thought here is that if you can't get them to do the repair as warranty work, free of charge, maybe you can get them to do a deep discount and repair and paint the whole coach. For the same $13-15 k you might get them to do the whole thing and at least it will look like a new coach. Or if you are lucky they may charge you was less for just the cap.

You have nothing to lose. Just be persistent and don't take an easy no. Ask to escalate up to the person that has the authority to authorize such a repair.
Don't get belligerent or play the "how much I paid " card. They have heard that more than once. Use the Newmar Family and friends card.

Good luck.

Good points, just to be clear I love my Coach and have nothing but admiration for Newmar and how they treat owners. Even the Newmar Tech when I called initially, stated to hold hope that he can get me some good news, but came back like I already stated: that I signed a statement that I knew I was getting no warranty. In OP four of this post are the pictures I sent to Newmar Service Techs for a call. Damage to the lower cab not shown in these pictures is also in the Fiberglass.

Appreciate the comments.

[Luv2go]

Note that the spidering you are experiencing is not the same as the sidewall issues many of us who have older coaches have experienced. That issue was caused by defective sidewall material from a manufacturer who has since gone bankrupt. The caps are all fiberglass, they do not have a thin wood backing like the bad sidewall material. Your coach will not have the bad sidewall material, 2008 is the last year Newmar used it.

I agree with Vinny, keep in contact Newmar and talk about family, and how to get the work done as inexpensively as possible. We had our coach resided in the winter, the cost was half what it would have been in the summer. To my knowledge spidering of the caps is not common, and Newmar may be willing to spend some goodwill money to make yours right even though you signed the document.

[powderman]

I know you don't have a boat, but you may want to look here.http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2011/december/diy.asp

[MJFZ]

I don't understand why a new coach did not come with a factory warranty, many new coach's are sold from dealers lots that are two model years with a factory warranty; but I learn something new every day.

I believe Luv2go is very accurate and your problem is different then the rash of sidewall spidercracker that was happening prior. Is this just occurring on the rear cap? Do you see the same issue elsewhere on the coach? To me, these cracks look like it could be 1) the cap is flexing and causing the paint to crack; or 2) The cap has been repainted and not correctly ( i.e. without appropriate flex agents, thick filler use); 3) damage to the paint (i.e. hail); 4) the coach lacked the appropriate flex agents during the original paint application.

Mike

[Sidewinder4]

Originally Posted by MJFZ

I don't understand why a new coach did not come with a factory warranty, many new coach's are sold from dealers lots that are two model years with a factory warranty; but I learn something new every day.

I believe Luv2go is very accurate and your problem is different then the rash of sidewall spidercracker that was happening prior. Is this just occurring on the rear cap? Do you see the same issue elsewhere on the coach? To me, these cracks look like it could be 1) the cap is flexing and causing the paint to crack; or 2) The cap has been repainted and not correctly ( i.e. without appropriate flex agents, thick filler use); 3) damage to the paint (i.e. hail); 4) the coach lacked the appropriate flex agents during the original paint application.

Mike

Spidering is just on the cap, however is is all over the cap now! I also just finished and sent a complete letter email to Newmar Service Management and ask them to reconsider for some help in this matter.

Wish me luck!

[Luv2go]

Originally Posted by Sidewinder4

Spidering is just on the cap, however is is all over the cap now! I also just finished and sent a complete letter email to Newmar Service Management and ask them to reconsider for some help in this matter.

Wish me luck!

Good Luck! If you can't get anywhere with the letter I know there are several forum posts from the past year that mention people higher up the food chain at Newmar. Perhaps one of those posters will chime in and give you some better contacts.

[MJFZ]

Originally Posted by Sidewinder4

Spidering is just on the cap, however is is all over the cap now! I also just finished and sent a complete letter email to Newmar Service Management and ask them to reconsider for some help in this matter.

Wish me luck!

Good luck, Terry. I hope Newmar comes through for you. I would take the coach to a competent RV body shop in your area and have them look at these cracks. I bet they have seen this before. This might be fixable without replacing the rear cap. If you elect to have Newmar make the repair, you might get a better price to have it fixed over the winter and not in their busy summer months.

Mike

[Dutch Star Don]

In the past, the "spidering", "checking" and other paint issues couldn't be repaired. In the last few years, they've come up with an epoxy primer that supposedly will solve the issue. They need to sand it down to fiberglass in the affected areas, primer and repaint.

My Monaco had the dreaded clear coat burn along the roof line and a couple of good cracks. in the front cap. A local RV body shop did the repair, but I sold the coach two years later, so I don't know how it has held up.

The price to repair and repaint your back cap should be under $3000.00.