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mannebk · 03-18-2025, 05:33 PM

they didn't even bother to take the trash out

2 speakers, 2 cut outs... and i was wondering what made such a racket in the overhead compartment....

mannebk · 03-18-2025, 05:39 PM

found it while upgrading the rear mirror

Domo · 03-20-2025, 06:51 AM

Is that all?

Welcome to RVing...

3pedal · 03-20-2025, 06:57 AM

That's funny. I loved my Seabreeze. Still miss it some times. Overall, the build quality seemed better than most.

yeloduster · 03-20-2025, 07:38 AM

I once had a Ford that had clunk when you closed the drivers door. I eventually took the inner panel off the door and discovered that there had been a Coke bottle rolling around in the door.

Apparently a factory feature!

By the way, I resent the implication that the slob HAD to be a man. Girls can be big slobs too!

twojayhawks · 03-20-2025, 07:40 AM

Newmar utilizes same construction practices. First time I lifted bed, unfastened panels to access slide motor bolts for tightening I found similar. The concealed void under a king bed is quite large. Enough loose screws, Romex scraps, carpet scraps, luan scraps, etc. to fill a small trash pail.

bigb56 · 03-20-2025, 07:54 AM

I was on a construction site one day when someone mentioned a trash can and someone else replied "There's a trash can inside every wall!"

PanJH · 03-20-2025, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twojayhawks

Newmar utilizes same construction practices. First time I lifted bed, unfastened panels to access slide motor bolts for tightening I found similar. The concealed void under a king bed is quite large. Enough loose screws, Romex scraps, carpet scraps, luan scraps, etc. to fill a small trash pail.

Same with my Newmar.... all kinds of trash found in the areas that were not readily accessable. Like you experience, a lot of stuff in the bed motor compartment. I had to get under snd behind the kitchen sink. There is a panel you need to take off to get ot the wiring chase and the subwoofer. All kinds of junk in there too.

mannebk · 03-20-2025, 02:08 PM

looks like National was in good company...

yea i consent, women restrooms look usually way worse than mens after festivals. i was just playing the usual role model fiddle.

man @ National they wherent even able to mount speakers and certainly where even short on screws. ive found plenty prefilled stuff that never ever had a screw in it. and now, 60k miles later, it rattles and squiggle, caus there where screws missing in the first place. And now i can patch the stuff back together, cause at National someone had a lazy day getting bonus payments for work never done.

thats how you run companies into the ground. cause sooner or later someone opens up that trashcan of a wall/RV and gets annoyed by having shelled out a substantial amount of money and received rubbish filled by trash for it.

any worker on my ships, if they don't learn that lesson real fast, their gone. we dont sell cheap, cause our customers know they get 100% quality... no shortcuts.

mannebk · 03-20-2025, 02:10 PM

even me, having shelled out just 4k for the trash can, im anoyed

d23haynes57 · 03-20-2025, 02:21 PM

I purchased a 1999 Tropi-Cal Gas and 2004 Tropi-Cal Diesel new. In fact, both were built to order. The 99 wasn't too bad. Worst was the Genecrap generator. Having the dashboard come loose and fall was a bit annoying. 4-1/2 years traded for the Diesel. That unit had all sorts of defects. Later found out it had an exhaust fire while being built. Found that when the hydraulic jack lines failed due to them being burned.
After it was gone, and I got the itch to replace it I was forbidden to even consider another National RV product. Even got a lot of pushback looking at Country Coach. Didn't make its first trip home without problems. Really sucks because I really enjoyed that coach.

dons2346 · 03-20-2025, 04:50 PM

I took our '99 Tradewinds to the factory (we lived in Orange County) because of the dash being loose. Told me that the front cap would have to come off. Late told me that they figured out a way to do it from the inside.

There were no marker lights in the front of the coach. Was told that that was aa special option. I then asked why the wires were hanging in the wheel well

Needed some rubber gaskets installed around the slide arms. Guy comes out with the gaskets, a hand full of wood screws and proceeded to screw them to another piece of rubber.

I do have a few more National stories but don't want to bore you.
The mechanics they had for cheap labor would after 6 months or so, go over the hill into Orange County and get a job with a dealer for 2 times what National payed them

mannebk · 03-20-2025, 08:34 PM

so exactly as i thought. they kicked themselves out of business by delivering trash cans to paying customers.

long time ago, when digital cameras where the newest thing i heard a story about a roofing company...

they had a guy inspect the roof periodically while at work and after they where done again, then he would print all those pictures and sit down with the owners and show them how they fixed the roof and that it was all clean when they left, like no cigarette butts, and the gutters all cleaned out free of charge and such... and then they had the pictures for the sales guy too, who used it to tell soon to be customers, hey if you contract us, you get this service too.

gave them a boost like you wouldn't believe...

the moral of the story, do good and talk about it.

and never ever deliver trash cans to paying customers, sooner or later your going to trip over that trash problem.

TechWriter · 03-20-2025, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dons2346

I took our '99 Tradewinds to the factory (we lived in Orange County) because of the dash being loose. Told me that the front cap would have to come off. Late told me that they figured out a way to do it from the inside.

There were no marker lights in the front of the coach. Was told that that was aa special option. I then asked why the wires were hanging in the wheel well

Needed some rubber gaskets installed around the slide arms. Guy comes out with the gaskets, a hand full of wood screws and proceeded to screw them to another piece of rubber.

I do have a few more National stories but don't want to bore you.
The mechanics they had for cheap labor would after 6 months or so, go over the hill into Orange County and get a job with a dealer for 2 times what National payed them

I think you're confusing bad SERVICE with bad RVs. Not the same.

I've owned two National RVs. The first, a 2004 Sea Breeze, had quality materials but a horrible ride on its Workhorse chassis.

Our second and current National RV is a 2001 SeaView. Solid and excellent ride.