2014 Thor Challenger 37KT Owners

[George Lewis]

[QUOTE=StormD;2099722]We purchased our 2014 37KT on Jan 11 2014. We were hoping to spend the next 6 or 7 months full timing it. Unfortunately, this coach is the worst purchase I've ever made. It has been in the shop at least 12 times up to May.

We had to replace the engine (yes, the engine) at 820 miles. All those miles had been service miles.

StormD...What was the problem with the engine...failure under 900 miles is extremely rare. I have had two V10 Ford engines (older two valve models) and both ran flawlessly. My present V10 has 65,000 miles and runs very well. I was just wondering. Thanks.

[gabeears]

Would you buy a thor again?

Originally Posted by StormD

As an update to my earlier post, after posting my disappointments with our coach we began driving home to Ohio from Wisconsin. I knew we would have a few hours of rain before we got south of the worst of the weather. After about half an hour the driver side windshield wiper blade stuck in the upright and locked position and the passenger side blade disappeared completely. Suddenly unable to see, we took the next exit and called Thor. Since we were travelling within a few hours of their plant, they offered to service the wipers there.

I must say that the Thor service center has done its best to make us a happy Thor owner. We arrived on Wednesday evening, set up for the night, met some other less than happy Thor owners, and proceeded to enjoy the area until this morning.

The techs have worked very hard fixing every problem we could come up with. The wipers are done and work now. They've added actual support under the fridge and are finishing it up today. We also had several roof leaks during the rain that they think they have fixed.

We took the factory tour and were quite impressed with the materials used to build the units. Why ours is giving us the headaches I guess is just the luck of the draw. Who knows, maybe we'll be happier after this visit.

[Moscow]

[QUOTE=George Lewis;2106583]

Originally Posted by StormD

We purchased our 2014 37KT on Jan 11 2014. We were hoping to spend the next 6 or 7 months full timing it. Unfortunately, this coach is the worst purchase I've ever made. It has been in the shop at least 12 times up to May.

We had to replace the engine (yes, the engine) at 820 miles. All those miles had been service miles.

StormD...What was the problem with the engine...failure under 900 miles is extremely rare. I have had two V10 Ford engines (older two valve models) and both ran flawlessly. My present V10 has 65,000 miles and runs very well. I was just wondering. Thanks.

Thank you to everyone who responded. Unfortunately, after everthing I've read the Challenger KT sounds like one big headache. Too bad cause the layout is awesome. Is there no quality control anymore?? Plan B - start looking at other units I guess..

[rvbunz]

If you really like the KT and believe you got the unlucky draws I would recommend sending a certified letter to Jeff Lime CEO of the Motorcoach division and explain your concerns. I believe you will get results. I did.

[BettyM1950]

Originally Posted by George Lewis

FYI My local Camping World is a Thor dealer....they carry a huge Thor inventory of motor homes. I don't shop much, but thought all CW's were Thor dealers....I guess not....

Just a general question....just picked up used 2012 37kt....can't figure out
access to light fixture in ceiling of front room to change light bulb. Don't want to force it....tried light turning, to see if twisted off or dropped fixture
cover but no luck....can anyone help? 757-816-5068 Don't check computer that often....thanks....Betty

[bronk]

I attempted to call you at the number provided - no answer. So, I'll post my reply here, hoping you read the Forum. Grab the lens and turn the lens counter clockwise (righty tighty - lefty loosen), and you will gain access to the bulb. You have to get a firm grip on the surface of the lens. I recommend using a foam rubber jar opener. Good luck!

Bronk 2011 Challenger

[JohnG2013KT]

We quite often, this time of year experience weather related electricity outages . some brief others not so ...

My problem is that every time the electricity burps, the thermostats in the RV reset to a bone-chilling 72 ... We normally leave them at 82 just to keep down the moisture and heat in the coach ..

The obvious solution is to upgrade the thermostats to a more robust brand/model, but I first wanted to check around to see if there is something in the settings that I am missing?

Thanks
John

[Hoegee]

Newbies here with lots of questions. Long story short, bought a new Itasca in Sept 2013 went to New Mexico in March 2014 and made the mistake of going to CW where they has a Challenger 36FD. Bought it because wife loved the 1.5 bath we were told the CW in the Dallas area could do all the warranty work, wrong they don't even sell MH's and the local big Thor dealer MHSRV told us that they were to busy with the units they sell. So while coming back from CA we dropped off our unit for 3 pages of warranty work. So here go with a few issues.

Is in normal for a Warranty work to take 3 week just to get authorization from Thor and then another 4-5 weeks to get parts? We left it at CW on June 18th and it might be ready Aug 22nd. That's a lot of missed traveling not to mention having to fly to New Mexico, rent a car, pick the unit up and hope that some of the issues have been repaired. The big issues right now.

The bedroom floor has large indentations from the rollers on the slide-out. We have been told by CW that's the they are and we are going to have to live with the dents and watch them get deeper and deeper. My guess it's a design flaw where the flooring can not hold the load.

Has anyone had issues with the bi-fold door to the bedroom. When closed the only way to open it is to reach between the door and the floor or door and ceiling to pull it open. Have had grandkids trapped several times after naps. Thor put the handle on the outboard door rather than the hinged door. Warranty response from CW that's the way they come. Even if its wrong? I'm not stupid about this I'm a retired builder and know how doors work and this is designed wrong. Everyone that closes the door can't get out and you can not close it from the kitchen.

Lots of other smaller things like the Jensen radio being replace for the 3rd time. Poor poor wood work and joinery. Floor vents had wood shavings from the factory which show little attention to detail by Thor and overlooked by CW at make ready. Oh, but wait, taking off the vent might be warranty work and they did not have authorization.

Sorry for the venting. It's just a shame when things are not done right. Never thought this RV would be a remodeling project but it looks like I will have no choice but to start fixing all the design and workmanship issues.

anyone else in this boat.

[BettyM1950]

New Thor Challenger 37kt owner: Is it recommended to store unit with jacks down or up for extended periods of time? Loving the unit but so many things to discover and find out since we bought it from private owner and not dealer...any two cents on getting an extended warrantee....ones people like....vs....don't like? Feel like we should bite the bullet and purchase one...if only for peace of mind....do any of them cover coach item's or just vehicle? Haven't a clue...obviously...look forward to anyone's input. First time we've had slide outs.

[bigdaddy5120]

Just a heads up ,my Frigidaire microwave started turning it's self on , then none of the buttons would work. I was out of warranty but called Frigidaire anyways and they covered all parts(new control board and touch buttons) and I paid for the labor which was only 73.00 . This was way better than trying to replace or driving a 100 miles to CW for a fix.

[thepalmers]

We purchased a 2014 Thor Challenger 37KT just over a year ago. We had a number of issues with it, the grey and black water tank plumbing issues, the residential fridge not being connected to the inverter and more importantly, the front windshield leaked. After a few trips to the dealer, they agreed that the windshield was not sealed correctly. They also went to the point of telling us that we were very fortunate that it hadn't been blown out while driving. The seal from the factory was not done properly. My advise to you is to ensure that the windshield is removed and properly re installed.

[StormD]

I haven't been on here in some time. Wow, lots of people either loving or hating their Challengers. I still hate ours. We've been full timing for about 4 months now and find ourselves in Dallas. Yes, Motor Home Specialists DON'T work on coaches not purchased there. We had a 2 month wait for an appointment set up by Thor with them, and verified several times over the phone with MHS, drove over 1,500 miles to make it there, only to be turned away.

Our furnace has been out all winter (third time!). We're living on space heaters. On the plus side, our propane costs have been wonderful. I finally gave up on the kitchen faucet and replaced it with a real Moen. That finally fixed our leaks under the kitchen sink.

The drop down bed up front (it uses slide motors to drop from the ceiling. Great idea!!) has bound up and will not slide down evenly. One side stops about two inches down, the other keeps going, putting a lot of pressure on the walls. Our daughter is now sleeping on the couch full time.

Oh, yes. When I bought the unit from Camping World in Indianapolis, I mentioned that the steering wheel was turned a little left when I drove straight. It didn't pull, but it was disconcerting. They said they couldn't fix it, but it wasn't a problem. I mentioned that again to Thor and even several Ford shops when I took the unit in for other issues. Everyone said "Can't fix it, but not a problem." When we did get to Dallas, we found out that our front tires were worn down through the cords at only 8,000 miles. I took it in for an alignment and they said this was definitely an alignment issue from the factory. When they aligned it properly the steering wheel straightened right out. Of course neither Ford nor Thor will cover the cost of alignment or new tires.

Those are just some of our continuing issues on a new coach. I've talked with several coach techs since my first post here, and ALL of them have told me never to buy Thor products. Those are the ones they see ALL THE TIME. They're the worst for quality and they use very cheap components. My experience seems to back that up.

Good luck to us all. We'll need it!!

[BrucFitz]

Sorry to hear about your continued problems. We had purchased a 2015 Thor Challenger KT last April. We traded it in September on a 2008 Fleetwood Revolution diesel pusher. We purchased our coach at MHS in Texas. The reason for purchasing there was the price and availability. There were no Challengers at any dealers in the northeast where we live. We combined a vacation trip with our purchase of the new coach. We were very disappointed in the quality of the Thor. We had a litany of problems from day one (plumbing leaks everywhere, slide that didn't work, water heater etc.) That doesn't account for all of the shoddy workmanship we had to correct. Hundreds of nails sticking through the underneath of cabinets that tore your skin off if you rubbed against them. Trim and veneer pulling away. They also said the coach was prepped for washer and dryer. When we went to have them installed we were informed that the space for the units was not large enough and the coach and to be altered to make them fit. This was going to be expensive. We also discovered that the batteries were insufficient to power the refrigerator through the night. Subsequently, the generator would turn on in the middle of the night and we would get a knock on our door telling us to turn off the generator. When we went to add batteries there was no room in the compartment causing the cost to add additional batteries to sky rocket!

Thor's corporate was actually responsive and as helpful as they could be. I really can't complain about the management or, their customer service people. We did however run into the same problem as yourself in regards to getting service from dealers. Thor advertises their huge dealer network across the country, giving buyers the false assurance that you can get help and warranty work for your coach anywhere in the US. NOT SO! When we returned home with the coach we had a lot of major problems that needed attention. The dealers we called in our area all said that they only service Thor products that they sold. In that regard Thor corporate was of no help. We ended up having to drive hundreds of miles to a dealer and be put on a long wait list because they gave preference to owners who purchased their coaches from them.

We finally became disenchanted with the Challenger and traded it in on the used Revolution. This is a used coach but, Fleetwood/American Coach has been tremendous in helping with some issues. We had a slide that stopped working (seems to be curse for us) and an electrical problem. The dealer fixed the problems and ended up calling and working with Fleetwood to figure out the electrical problem. As new owners of their product Fleetwood registered us in their owners database for our coach and have been a great asset in answering questions. One of their techs offered to stay on the phone and walk me through diagnosing a glitch in the EMS panel. They just sent an email inviting us to their anniversary celebration at their factory. They will be offering tech assistance and answering questions and doing repair work for free (if under warranty) or for a significantly reduced parts cost if the item is not under warranty. In any case there would be no labor charge.

It has been very refreshing to own a coach that is so well supported.

[Hoegee]

It's my understanding that CampingWorld as revamped their warranty repairs. Rather than MH try Ft Worth or Denton CW. We bought our 2014 36FD in Albuquerque and have warranty done in Denton.

We are nearing our 1yr ownership and will be having another 3-4 pages of broken items and just piss poor workmanship. Our biggest issue is cabinetry built by what appears to be unskilled labor or people that just don't give a ****. Really getting tired of being told that's just the way it is when it comes to Thor quality. We have also had our kitchen faucet replaced twice and still not working properly. Will be on our 4 th crappy Jenson radio/camera. This and a lot more. Through all of the Camping World has been outstanding for the most part.

Luck to all and look at orher brands before Thor