Community Forums

jcthorne · 03-08-2010, 05:30 AM

So CW has to contact Damon to get permission to have a glass company apply a bead of sealant in the seal for the windshield? Get real. Its an hour labor and about $10 worth of sealant. This really sounds like a CW problem not Damon.

Sorry to hear your DVD player quit. These things happen. Im sure Damon will give you a new chinese dvd player.

Really, these are all very minor issues that would mostly be easier solved directly than all this futzing with warranty claims and Camping World. Has it occured to you that CW is making this more diffecult than it need be because they just don't want the zero profit warranty work?

Id get the suff fixed and enjoy life rather than waiting and watching my new motorhome sit for 7 months. Do you really think other brands are different? No excuse but the way it is.

Bill98116 · 03-08-2010, 05:40 PM

So you think I should just ignore the problems and go on with the rear cameras not working, live with the 5 water leaks in the fresh water system, not use the DVD player, not listen to the surround sound system, not use the levelers on the motor home, replace dead batteries, replace the charging/inverter system, repair the windshield leak all myself??? I should just accept all these problems with a new motor home and not take it back in for warranty work?? Why should I pay for all that??? That is what the warranty is for. Other brands may not be different but an owner should not just accept "that is the way it is". A manufacturer has an obligation to provide a quality product and I'm not shy about holding their feet to the fire.

powerboatr · 03-08-2010, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill98116

So you think I should just ignore the problems and go on with the rear cameras not working, live with the 5 water leaks in the fresh water system, not use the DVD player, not listen to the surround sound system, not use the levelers on the motor home, replace dead batteries, replace the charging/inverter system, repair the windshield leak all myself??? I should just accept all these problems with a new motor home and not take it back in for warranty work?? Why should I pay for all that??? That is what the warranty is for. Other brands may not be different but an owner should not just accept "that is the way it is". A manufacturer has an obligation to provide a quality product and I'm not shy about holding their feet to the fire.

no way
heat some feet.
it should be right. no matter what.
use your gifts from being a sailor....tactful, full of grace and stern in your requests.

jcthorne · 03-09-2010, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill98116

So you think I should just ignore the problems and go on with the rear cameras not working, live with the 5 water leaks in the fresh water system, not use the DVD player, not listen to the surround sound system, not use the levelers on the motor home, replace dead batteries, replace the charging/inverter system, repair the windshield leak all myself??? I should just accept all these problems with a new motor home and not take it back in for warranty work?? Why should I pay for all that??? That is what the warranty is for. Other brands may not be different but an owner should not just accept "that is the way it is". A manufacturer has an obligation to provide a quality product and I'm not shy about holding their feet to the fire.

I think you need to go somewhere else than camping world that has some talent and can actually fix things. If that means fix these yourself or pay someone for the more difficult ones then yes, that is better than wasting away the very limited time you have left to enjoy the motorhome. Do you think things like these will stop needing repair after the warranty? You need to develop the skills to fix minor gremlins yourself or a VERY cozy relationship with someone that can or you will NEVER enjoy traveling in an RV. I think you are letting very minor problems get in the way of any enjoyment you might have had the last 7 months.

Only you can decide if you will be happy.

If you would rather fight with CW than use your coach, that is indeed your right. Enjoy your time at the CW service desk.

Bill98116 · 03-11-2010, 10:51 AM

Well, I will have to say Damon is all over the problems we are having with our Tuscany. I have been in contact with their customer service and they have responded quickly and positively. They promise to take care of all the problems plus, and this is way above and beyond I think, they want me to take the RV to their service center for their technicians to re-inspect the unit. I can't ask for any better treatment, they have really stepped up.

buckeyeduffer · 03-12-2010, 11:18 PM

Bill:

Glad to hear you are on the recovery road. We too were terribly frustrated but now at the six month ownership point I thing we have most of the gremlins corraled. We are going on a four month trip here in a few weeks and really wring her out. I have also had to suck up my ego and treat the MH like we do our house. Always something wrong or needs fixed. Just a fact of life. I always rhought that the "big dogs" Prevost etc., did not share our pain, but have recently found out that they have the same type problems we do.

Happy Ownership

DGShaffer · 03-13-2010, 05:32 AM

I found Damon to be reasonable with taking ownership of issues. Thankfully there haven't been many. The techs at my local CW (Lakewood, NJ) seem to be very good as well so I consider myself fortunate.

There will always be issues with new productions of most large items, even new homes have problems that need to be sorted out in the beginning. Throw a set of wheels under it and drive it around the country and your bound to have things go wrong.

I'm glad to hear a bit of a smile in you last post, hopefully you'll start enjoying it soon and begin making great memories.

Enjoy!

Bill98116 · 03-14-2010, 03:17 PM

Thanks guys, hopefully we can get this thing wrapped up and underway soon. We have jobs in Yellowstone Park this summer. If you stay at Grant Village Campground, I might be the old guy at the desk checking you in. We signed on for 3 months, think it will be fun working/living at Yellowstone for the summer.

LouM · 03-21-2010, 09:51 AM

We had our share of problems with our '08 4055. It spent 2 months in the shop after our original shake-down cruise. Rear Jensen was lousy until we forced them to install the am & fm antennas (internal) that the factory forgot.. We went through 3 front entertainmrnt centers (design issue w/speaker system when you adjust balance left & right or front to back). They finally put the new '09 system in with no problems. Had some quality issues with cabinet doors and trim but they finally got resolved. It's to a point now where things are right and we simply love the coach. Our local dealor was great but the factory folks weren't customer friendly. Quality and workmanship could have been a bit better but we're pleased. Love the layout!

SteveE9C6 · 03-31-2010, 07:07 AM

We pick up our 2004 Damon Escaper in 2 days. It has virtually every option listed in the brochure, including inmotion satellite. It also has the Freightliner chassis with the 400HP Cummins, which was a special order for the model 4076. The coach looks almost new and has new tires all around as well as new batteries. We bought the Platinium warranty for 4 years/48k. All of this for under NADA low value. We have looked for some time. This was a tremendous amount of coach for the money.

Ed Steele · 04-05-2010, 08:57 PM

We bought our first RV, a 2005 Damon Astoria, on 3rd. March 2010. The rig had 19,000 miles on it and over the next three weeks we drove it an additional 4,128 miles. We made a shakedown run from Santa Fe, NM to Deming, NM and back, to see what all the buttons do and then did a circuit from Santa Fe to San Antonio TX, Donna TX, and San Diego CA to pick up a TOAD we bought on E-Bay (1986 Suzuki Samurai). Then back to Santa Fe. Average fuel consumption 10.48 mpg with the last 1,000 miles of the trip hauling the Suzuki “4 down”. The only problem was when we got to San Diego we discovered that the towing hitch was “locked” and we didn’t have the key. Fortunately the previous owner is a doll and she FedExed the key to us.

I bought some tire valve extenders for the rear duals but need to remove the wheel covers so I can drill them in order to pop-rivet the “L” brackets that hold the valve extenders in place. How do I remove the wheel covers? I have this tinny little “T” shaped socket that came with the Astoria but so far the “nuts” won’t budge. I assume that the already bent and scratched nuts are the ones that unscrew but this may be a false assumption. Perhaps the previous owner bent and scratched them trying in vain to remove them.

1) Do the “nut covers” unscrew?
2) If so, are they conventional counter clockwise unscrew on both sides of the vehicle?
3) How do you tell which 2 (?) nuts are the ones supposed to maybe unscrew?

gasser 38 · 04-15-2010, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Steele

We bought our first RV, a 2005 Damon Astoria, on 3rd. March 2010. The rig had 19,000 miles on it and over the next three weeks we drove it an additional 4,128 miles. We made a shakedown run from Santa Fe, NM to Deming, NM and back, to see what all the buttons do and then did a circuit from Santa Fe to San Antonio TX, Donna TX, and San Diego CA to pick up a TOAD we bought on E-Bay (1986 Suzuki Samurai). Then back to Santa Fe. Average fuel consumption 10.48 mpg with the last 1,000 miles of the trip hauling the Suzuki “4 down”. The only problem was when we got to San Diego we discovered that the towing hitch was “locked” and we didn’t have the key. Fortunately the previous owner is a doll and she FedExed the key to us.

I bought some tire valve extenders for the rear duals but need to remove the wheel covers so I can drill them in order to pop-rivet the “L” brackets that hold the valve extenders in place. How do I remove the wheel covers? I have this tinny little “T” shaped socket that came with the Astoria but so far the “nuts” won’t budge. I assume that the already bent and scratched nuts are the ones that unscrew but this may be a false assumption. Perhaps the previous owner bent and scratched them trying in vain to remove them.

1) Do the “nut covers” unscrew?
2) If so, are they conventional counter clockwise unscrew on both sides of the vehicle?
3) How do you tell which 2 (?) nuts are the ones supposed to maybe unscrew?

there are 3 nuts on each the ones with a depression or line in them are the ones that come off. conventional right hand thread. Forget the t handle and use a 1/2 : drive ratchet, extension and socket. When you reinstall use a little anti sieze on threads.
I thought the Astoria had 22.5" Al. wheels ?

dboliek · 05-15-2010, 05:11 AM

We just got lucky. Were looking for a beginning level MH and found one on Craig's List. Saw it. Did scant, but at least some, research. Had never heard of Damon, but tho it's a '94, it's a real peach. Any problems we came up with have been addressed by Damon/Thor Industries so well I wrote the chairman and CEO to say thanks.

wmpbauer · 07-01-2010, 08:34 AM

My wife and I originally bought a Four Winds Chateau 31' C. Drove from Tampa to Little Rock, where we stopped at for a ladder. Three hours later, we walked through a new 2008 Essence. 40' DP/Cummins 425/FCCC. Loved everything about the coach. We've had lots of issues...many from dealer neglect as it sat for a year on a lot. Damon is working through the issues with us. They really do want satisfied owners who speak highly of their products and their company.