It seems to me that when a good quality manufacturer is bought out by another company, the quality slides. We researched for a year before buying a NUWA Hitchhiker, new in 2006. We are lucky, only few issues we had were due to dealer, not NUWA. NUWA had shut down for a while this year instead of selling out, they have since resumed production. I suspect the quality reputation and products remain.
Tom,
Sorry for your problems, but they sound kind of minor to me. I have the feeling that it's pretty hard to please you, but I hope you get to enjoy your Cameo eventually as much as we have ours.
Good luck,
Fred Wishnie
2006 Carriage Cameo 35KS3, 2006 Ford F350 diesel dually, fulltimer
See our blog at http://www.mytripjournal.com/wanderingwishnies
“If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll ever get is all you ever got.”
Sure enjoy my Carriage. It is now 10 years old, has been from Florida to Newfoundland, Alaska, Mexico and all parts in between. Other than normal maintenance and one wood interior trim coming loose, I have had one slide bolt snap and a kingpin frame problem - - the company took care of that completely even though I was two years out of warranty. Love our Carriage after owning many other brands.
Bob
2003 Dodge 3500 HO dually 6 speed Laramie, Jordan Controller, RDS aux tank/tool box, Bremen boards, RamAirIII, Jacobs EBrake, Air Safe 25K hitch
Carriage 36' Triple slide Fiver, Onan Gen, Sat, Prosine Inv., MORryd IS and pinbox
We were in Northern Ind the first of the month and I think (not postive) that KZ factory was closed and nothing setting on the lots? I sure hope they are not closed for good. GBY...
2006 FreightLiner M2
Trailer Saver Air Ride (TSLB2H)
Pressure Pro System
2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 C/C (Grocery hauler)
2009 Chevy HHR LT 2
2010 Mobile Suites 38 RSSB 3/4
Blulund wrote: KZ discontinued building the Escalade, New Vision and Montego Bay, so they're out of the market.
Never heard this before, they are still on K-Z's website. Just wondering where this info came from.
Bob M
It was listed in RV News
June 5, 2009 by Bruce Hampson · Leave a Comment
Towables manufacturer KZRV LP will be hosting its 23rd annual dealer open house June 17-18 at its corporate office in Shipshewana, Ind. The combined product review and brief dealer meeting also will include a reception and awards dinner at Das Dutchman Essenhaus, an inn and conference center in nearby Middlebury.
“Having experienced several years of growth, we are now revisiting our history to guide what is the core of KZ and our brands,” said Andy Baer, vice president of sales and marketing, in a company press release. “With strong brands like Durango, Spree, Sportsmen, Coyote and Inferno, we have a solid foundation for the key market segments that are the strongest today.”
According to Baer, new products and floorplans scheduled for unveiling include the Durango 1500, a mid-profile fifth-wheel targeted to owners of half-ton trucks, and the Inferno SST, which Baer called a “value-focused edition of the successful Inferno.”
“Both products are within existing brand to avoid the confusion of adding any additional product lines,” he added.
KZ recently announced to its dealer body that the company is exiting the park model business and is placing a “hold” on the high-end Escalade and near-high-end Montego Bay fifth-wheel lines.
“While we have had tremendous success with both of these products, and have developed a sincere and supportive owner group, we feel that it is time to evaluate both market segments to ensure both ours and our dealers’ mutual success.” Baer added that KZ has a new product in development “that will address these segments and more accurately reflect the consumer’s needs and address the affordability question.”
KZ RV manufacturers fifth-wheel products under the Sportsmen, Spree and Durango brands, and travel trailers bearing the marquees Coyote, Coyote Lite, Sportsmen, Spree and Durango. Toy Hauler brands include Inferno, Inferno SST, Sportsmen Sportster, Coyote Rock Climber and MXT.
Thanks for the info, hadn't heard anything about it. I'm planning a trip to the factory in early Sept, was hoping to get a tour of the Escalade factory. Might have to tour a different product line.
RV building is one of those things with absolutely no ongoing oversight by any inspection agency. Flawless just doesn't exist and neither does indemnity from flaws increasing with price. Fact of life in current times. You buy an RV; you're going to find warts!
Carriage has enjoyed a reputation for building a quality product that was notably better built than the competiton in it's price slot. NuWa is another that previously had a good rep but as recent as 06 one owner (a single female) went through an absolute nightmare trying to get a couple of major problems fixed and ultimately (through prolific posting on these and other forums) ended up being compensated with a more expensive trailer of another brand.
My point is: they can all have a lemon come down the line and in yesterdays thirst for RV's, everything that came out the back door of the factory was hurredly bought by the consumer, which in turn led to shoddy production practices. Things may change now that they have to compete for a shrinking market share.
This economy may have done us a quality favour as probably the only good thing to have come out of the meltdown.
Today is just the tomorrow you worried about yesterday!
'04' International 4400 LoPro 310Hp/950FtLbs 10Spd Harley/RV Toter
'05' Mobile Suites 38RL3
'01' Harley Ultra in the bike barn.
Sorry you're so unhappy with a few very minor problems. You must consider that the Cameo is not a high end unit, more an entry level IMO. And yes, the quality did go downhill after the founder sold out, we had a 1998 Carriage and it was a dandy unit, we just couldn't live with the floorplan.
We had over 50 defects in our sig trailer and almost all were much more serious than yours. We also had to repair/modify our trailer ourselves due to poor factory support!
Sounds to me like you got away clean, so suck it up bud, you're doing better than most of us.
Jim
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