Community Forums

baraff · 11-08-2018, 05:42 PM

Most RV's these days have an RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association) sticker on them.
From what I see in the posts here and talking to people buying new RVs, quality is worse than ever.
What is the point of this? Supposedly to show the manufacturer has met "standards"?
What standards?

TinCanTee · 11-08-2018, 05:53 PM

From their web site: (bolded mine)
The RV Industry Association’s standards inspection program is one of the organization’s signature industry initiatives and its greatest member benefit. The standards department maintains a professional team of full-time inspectors that promote the enhancement of safety by monitoring adherence to the standards adopted by the Board of Directors
Seems their standards are about safety more than quality. You can see more at their site RVIA.ORG

Dutch Star Don · 11-08-2018, 11:05 PM

It's just like your house.....you have building codes. The inspector doesn't look at the quality of the work.....just that it met code. Same with RVIA.....trying to keep RV safes by making them adhere to codes, especially ones that keep you from getting electrocuted or death by carbon monoxide.

The quality is up to you.....if you shop for the cheapest coach on the market, you'll get what you pay for!

Old-Biscuit · 11-08-2018, 11:09 PM

RVIA is NOT about 'quality'

QC will never be part of the picture when MFG use 'piece-work' to produce their product

Isaac-1 · 11-08-2018, 11:23 PM

Well the thing the the RVIA does is to determine mandatory design features, like the RV must have LPG and CO detectors, and the fire extinguisher must be mounted within X distance of the door, ....

Arch Hoagland · 11-08-2018, 11:23 PM

My big beef with RVIA is the size of the dinky fire extinguisher they approve.

60sumtin · 11-09-2018, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

My big beef with RVIA is the size of the dinky fire extinguisher they approve.

What size should it be?

barmcd · 11-09-2018, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

My big beef with RVIA is the size of the dinky fire extinguisher they approve.

Their fire extinguisher guidelines falls in line with the state of Texas, and probably all other states, requirement for fire extinguishers in commercial vehicles.

charliez · 11-09-2018, 06:50 AM

You can always just get a bigger one or another one.

Arch Hoagland · 11-09-2018, 02:55 PM

After having two new tires blow out years ago at the same time and almost catch on fire I realized the dinky fire extinguisher that came with the trailer was lacking in capacity.

I now carry five extinguishers.

TonyMac · 11-09-2018, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

It's just like your house.....you have building codes. The inspector doesn't look at the quality of the work.....just that it met code. Same with RVIA.....trying to keep RV safes by making them adhere to codes, especially ones that keep you from getting electrocuted or death by carbon monoxide.

The quality is up to you.....if you shop for the cheapest coach on the market, you'll get what you pay for!

That is exactly the point. Seems regardless of price point, these things are very poorly built. More expensive units have more expensive components, installed with the same unprofessional carelessness as the lower priced rigs. If I've learned anything from iRV2, it's that these things are obviously built by untrained and/or careless people, led and managed by untrained or careless people. The components are different for different price points, but the assembly is the same.

wingnut60 · 11-10-2018, 07:49 AM

I personally equate the RVIA group to the JD Power group--lots of bluster with little substance. If JD Power had any real meaning, no other mfg would outsell GM....
There is a video making the rounds of the RVIA director espousing how to sell more units--no mention of better units.

Gary RVRoamer · 11-10-2018, 07:53 AM

I believe that at least some of the higher end models are built better, i.e. assembled with more care. Still a long way from perfect, but the assembly lines move slower, workers are trained in those models and are given some additional incentive to get it right. They also take the time/care to mount and support wires and plumbing adequately, use grommets where holes are rough, that sort of thing. The quality difference in the wiring harness alone on my 2004 American Tradition vs my 2002 Dolphin were dramatic.

Unfortunately, I see an increasing tendency to consolidate brand & model production such that one assembly line ends up building multiple brands & models. That dilutes the training for the workers and the line speed and procedures are a compromise between the entry level rig and higher end models. In my opinion, that always leads to lower quality at the high end. Rev Group has done this, and Thor Motorcoach as well.

Ray,IN · 11-10-2018, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

It's just like your house.....you have building codes. The inspector doesn't look at the quality of the work.....just that it met code. Same with RVIA.....trying to keep RV safes by making them adhere to codes, especially ones that keep you from getting electrocuted or death by carbon monoxide.

The quality is up to you.....if you shop for the cheapest coach on the market, you'll get what you pay for!

That's the bottom line! RVIA adopted the safety standards, as published by the National Fire Protection Assn. Which are then published in the Federal Register, which makes those standards federal law.