Poor build quality article

[LETMGROW]

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/mo...e/10551361002/

[jacwjames]

Yup, read the article this AM.


No surprise after hearing some of the horror stories posted here not only from travel trailers & fifth wheels but all the way to some of the higher end models.

As long as people keep buying the manufacturers will continue with shoddy work.

[jergle]

I just read that as well. Unfortunately, it seems to echo many of the issues that have been posted here. I have to think that eventually consumers (us) will "wise up" and stop buying all of these expensive problems. There are a few simple, reasonably well built campers out there, if you can find them.

[Onyrlef]

No way I'd buy a "Covid" RV, none. Having worked in plants ( albeit years back), I know first hand quality control even then consisted of slogans and banners, I can only imagine what it must consist of now. Even then, the quality control staff worked under the thumb of production management, the minute they slowed the line with a quality issue was the minute they were shown the door. Quality control was and I suspect is even more so today "Kabuki Theater". In a Toyota plant whenever a quality issue is discovered, doesn't matter by whom, the line stops and supervisors are convened at the spot to determine the cause of the cause of the cause of the issue and the line doesn't restart until it's resolved. In an RV or Manufactured Home plant, the workets on the floor know if they slow the line they won't be there long so they quickly learn how to play the quality control game. Those lines are fast moving too, so if for example the kid who was working at Footlocker last week is wiring the inverter, plumbing the shower, installing the a/c thermostats, etc., and he or she hits a snag and the line moves, they have to move on to the next floor and go back to the unit out on the lot after it exits the line. To avoid this they quickly learn how to eff it, and save themselves the trouble. With the high turnover rates in those plants no one really cares anyway.

[creativepart]

Article in the link is behind a paywall and can’t be read by non-subscribers. Just saying…

[jergle]

Originally Posted by creativepart

Article in the link is behind a paywall and can’t be read by non-subscribers. Just saying…

Interesting. It wasn't earlier this morning, but appears to be for prescribers only now.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by jergle

Interesting. It wasn't earlier this morning, but appears to be for prescribers only now.

I just tried to repost it. I got the same message. Sorry.

[Cumminsfan]

Can't read the article but I guess it's just another preaching to the choir poor quality article.
As far as buyers not buying until quality improves goes, I don't think we'll ever see that happen. I've only been in the RV life for 12 or so years and back then my 1st TT had several issues. But here I am like the rest of us.
I don't think the RV industry can actually build a better RV when you consider that even with CNC routers and composites being used that they're still to much hands on construction as well as a massive supply of inferior components being used.
The cost to step up to higher quality components would take most buyers out of the market.
Sadly I'm afraid we're stuck with dismal RV construction for a long time.

[Horizons]

Originally Posted by creativepart

Article in the link is behind a paywall and can’t be read by non-subscribers. Just saying…

Using FF with the extension: Bypass Paywalls Clean. Link works fine.

[Crasher]

Poor quality in Rv products are the fault of every consumer that wants a lower price. Every company competes for our business and unfortunately, too many of us put too much emphasis on price. How many buyers would go out and pay 30-50% more for an RV if it was flawless and perfect in every way. Certainly not enough to keep that company in business. The quality and workmanship of my sons Newell far exceeded our Allegro Bus and any Newmar coach I have been in. All are individually hand built with superior components. Not many buyers want to pay two million for a motorhome. As with any product, the prices is determined by demand and perceived value. The poor quality of most RV's is our own fault. We the consumers have brought it on because "Price" was more important than quality.

[Donskiman]

Try this link:
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/shod...071501136.html

Unfortunately these problems will likely need federal regulations in order to be solved.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by Crasher

Poor quality in Rv products are the fault of every consumer that wants a lower price. Every company competes for our business and unfortunately, too many of us put too much emphasis on price. How many buyers would go out and pay 30-50% more for an RV if it was flawless and perfect in every way. Certainly not enough to keep that company in business. The quality and workmanship of my sons Newell far exceeded our Allegro Bus and any Newmar coach I have been in. All are individually hand built with superior components. Not many buyers want to pay two million for a motorhome. As with any product, the prices is determined by demand and perceived value. The poor quality of most RV's is our own fault. We the consumers have brought it on because "Price" was more important than quality.

Only problem these days is however manufacturers/suppliers/retailers are saavy to the myth that expensive means better. I listened to an episode of "How I built this on NPR" where the founder of Peloton was upfront about how they priced their bikes. They just took an ordinary spin bike, tripled the price, so then the 20 and 30 something upper middle class set would think it was extraordinary. I've got a $300.00 spin bike that is the same in every way to a $3,000.00 Peloton. Admittedly the inverse is also true and to your point, the consumer who shops based on price alone is the legal prey of unscrupulous manufacturers. That goes double for the RV industry.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by Donskiman

Try this link:
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/shod...071501136.html

Unfortunately these problems will likely need federal regulations in order to be solved.

Highly unlikely as long as there are a hundred lobbyists with briefcases of $100.00 bills roaming the halls of Congress for every elected politician. It's far cheaper to buy politicians than build better products. I remember some 40 years back the State of Alabama attempted to enact a requirement that manufactured homes must be set up on a poured slab like any other residential structure. Time the industries lobbyists were finished it was back to blocking manufactured homes up on dirt, the settling issue was the homeowners problem.

[Donskiman]

Originally Posted by Onyrlef

Highly unlikely as long as there are a hundred lobbyists with briefcases of $100.00 bills roaming the halls of Congress for every elected politician. It's far cheaper to buy politicians than build better products. I remember some 40 years back the State of Alabama attempted to enact a requirement that manufactured homes must be set up on a poured slab like any other residential structure. Time the industries lobbyists were finished it was back to blocking manufactured homes up on dirt, the settling issue was the homeowners problem.

These things need the same regulations as homes. Home builders have codes that must be adhered to. Electrical & plumbing are done by licensed people, not some minimum wage worker. Can't imagine a home inspector allowing electric lines to be placed where hot exhaust gas from a furnace or water heater could burn of the insulation and cause fires, yet this kind of stuff is far too common in the RV industry. It's well past time RVs should stop being treated like a vehicle and start being treated like homes.