Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven Grove
Hey guys, my fiancee and I are looking VERY seriously at the Thor Outlaw (prob new) and today I got online because tomorrow, we're going to the local dealer and initiating our first conversation. When I Googled 'Thor Motorhome Reviews' I got a huge surprise (not a good one), so I am here looking for another perspective.
The number of poor reviews outnumbered the good ones by about 4 to 1! Freaked me out... 
The number one complaint seemed to be poor customer service and shoddy workmanship.
The reviews are on Yelp!, RVT ( Thousands of New & Used RVs for Sale on RVT.com® - Travel Trailers, Motorhomes, Campers and More - Sell an RV Online), Pissed Consumer ( https://www.pissedconsumer.com) and there are the dozens of what looks like 'sponsored' posts / reviews on various sites which I have no confidence in.
I'm interested in an honest conversation about how they treat their customer (before, during & after the sale) and how they treat their team (looked over the reports at Glassdoor - not a good time there either; how they treat their employees is usually a direct reflection of how they'll treat us as customers) - I want to know all of it.
Anyone able to help me here? How is THor to work with, what are the "gotcha's", how would you proceed to NOT be taken advantage of?
Lastly, Thor advertises themselves to be "#1 Motorhome Brand in North America, producing nearly 1 out of every 4 motorhomes sold each year". Quantity does not mean quality, so who is the best manufacturer? Who might I need to look at given I have time and a flexible budget?
Socially Yours,
Steve & Cynthia |
Honest answer from a Outlaw LS owner for a little over a year 2016.5. The number one to get it is it's unique floor plan. Only thing close is a newmar and it's a bit different.
We didn't even go to "buy" and outlaw the day we looked, we went to cross it off the list of many we were looking at. I had come to the conclusion that I would end up in a super C diesel and have to tow what I wanted to bring.
But after 5min in the outlaw the floor plan and immense space sold me. I did a fair amount of googling and reading online before I even went to the dealer so I didn't go in completely blind.
Hindsight I would have wished I would have gone here and read a little more and also the FB page I'm apart of
https://www.facebook.com/groups/235934876593580/
Lots of info in both places.
One thing to keep in mind is all motorhomes have the potential to be POS and all have issues.
The list I have is huge and my coach has spent 4 months at the dealer in it's first year. The rest of the months it barely sat idol. Most of that is due to a dealer that is lack luster in their ability to properly fix things. Colton Mike thompson if you are looking in socal.
As far as what to look for my list is long but here are some highlights.
my #1 issue is the day I drove it off the lot the inverter was broken. despite paying for a walk through and all that BS, they failed to check that and it litterly started beeping at me as I drove off. I didn't realize till later it was bad. We didn't intend to spend the first week or months of ownership having the RV repaired so we had trips lined up already. It was a couple months before I could get it in so I bought the same unit and replaced it my self till I could get it in to be replaced under warranty.
The second most frustrating item was the fridge. The freezer does just fine on the inverter but the fridge barely gets cold and stays there. Thor refuses to admit there is an issue but several people I've talked to have a similar issue. Some are fine with it and work around it others claim no issue and one other person replaced the batteries and inverter and fixed the issue. Thor claims the inverter is not the problem but has no solution.
I'm convinced that they rely on two facts, most people don't use their coaches that much and won't notice and most people run out of warranty in the first year and problem is gone. I could be wrong my new inverter is sitting in my truck and i can't wait to upgrade it.
The over head bunk has been an issue since the first trip out. We bought the Outlaw in part for all the sleeping. We've only used it once with out issues in a whole year. BUT I just figured out how to reset the computer for it so maybe I'll get that figured out.
The windshield wipers thor replaced and those work great now. BUt that was after my dealer had to do body work and paint to the front of the coach when the wipers went crazy and scratched up the front of the coach.
both step modules have gone out. I replaced. I'm supposed to get new ones from thor through my dealer soon. I replaced them my self because I don't have two months for my service guys to screw that job up too.
Various things were loose in the coach, I guess that's normal.
rear mud flap wasn't installed right and flipped up all over the place for several hundred miles till someone told us. and took out the licence plate and light. Thor and or the dealer won't take responsibility for that. Mud flap is kinda trashed too.
all the latches on the outside have issues. I've fixed some my self, dealer has some on order.
Both doors stick, I fixed one, the other one needs replaced.
rear step is sticking again.
Alignment was off from day one. Thor wouldn't take care of it but dealer said they did. I can't tell a difference.
Subwoofer is wired up wrong, works with outside speakers not in dash like it should. I didn't even know that was wrong till I read on a forum someone else had theirs wired right and apparently mines and odd ball?
plastic dash pieces falling apart. lots of cosmetic stuff through out the coach is kinda half ass attached some has been fixed. the 2017 look much much better though in that respect.
Thor when you call is actually very helpful, there is another couple reps on the fb page that help and have even sent parts to us direct. aside from the inverter issue I really can't fault them for much "after the fact".
My dealer sucks, but I now have a reputation with them as "that guy" I bring them list, with how to fix it because frankly they are clueless. They return the favor by replacing parts that i already replaced my self. I keep the old parts and figure I have spares.
You don't buy a RV for it's reliability it's a house bouncing down the road, made by a bunch of 10.00 an hour hillbillies in Indiana most likely late all you can eat wings at the home town buffet on a Friday night. No offense hillbilly's I still love you
Buy an RV for the floor plan, just please make sure you do a really good walk through and make sure you make your first appointment shortly after you take it out for the first time which again should be right away. Test drive it a fair distance. Have them plug it in and run everything you can on it before you take it.
I would most likely still buy one. I would just be way more cautious when I inspected it.
Good luck!
Shopping a Thor Outlaw - Online reviews are freaking me out...
Linear Mode
