Have you ever thought about why tours of RV factory's are always at 3:00 P.M.? Answer, for one hour the tempo is slowed down, nothing is hammered into place, every predrilled hole gets a screw put into it, if something gets dropped it is picked up and used not kicked out of the way, etc.
That is why I hope my next TT goes down the line at 3:00 P.M.
Bob
2001 2500 Silverado LS 4x4 6.0, 4.10
2007 Jayco Eagle 288RLS
Cocktails for 6, Dinner for 4, Sleeps 2
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End of dirt road, no signs in sight, sun going down: I am not lost, just getting ready to go camping.
Supply and demand. One of these day someone is going to import a high quality RV and take over the market ... just like Toyota and Honda. The US mfg better wakeup now before they end up like GM. I will always purchase US made if possible but when it comes down to US junk or foriegn quality, I will go with quality.
jassrnj wrote: Supply and demand. One of these day someone is going to import a high quality RV and take over the market ... just like Toyota and Honda. The US mfg better wakeup now before they end up like GM. I will always purchase US made if possible but when it comes down to US junk or foriegn quality, I will go with quality.
But for those of us who prefer less bling and more solid construction there is nothing to demand. Looking around at Hershey this year I was seeing cheaply built and blingless, and somewhat less cheaply built with Louis XIV style appointments. All of it made my blingless, reasonably OK-built 1990 Chieftain seem armoured car solid by comparison. I've driven a Honda since 1981. I demand the Honda of Class As.
While the worker usually takes it on the chin for quality issues, these are almost always management issues, or I should say poor management issues…
No worker will turn out a quality product if they are not given the 3 T’s…
Training, tools, and time to do the job right…
Also if attitude in the craft positions is a cause of poor quality, that to can usually be traced to poor management with no or poor people skills…
When the bottom line becomes more than important, more than the customer satisfaction, more than the workers well being, there will never be a quality issue, good quality issue I should say…
Now lets look at the pay differential for these low grade managers guiding these people known to have good craftsmanship skills… there you will find a giant clue to the apex of the problem…
Love my mass produced, entry level, built by Lazy American Workers, Hornet
jassrnj wrote: Supply and demand. One of these day someone is going to import a high quality RV and take over the market ... just like Toyota and Honda. The US mfg better wakeup now before they end up like GM. I will always purchase US made if possible but when it comes down to US junk or foriegn quality, I will go with quality.
People keep saying this, and I don't understand why they don't realize that RV manufacturing does not lend itself to the mass-production methods necessary to attract the foreign manufacturers. Otherwise they would've done it already. IOW it's obvious to me that there's not enough profit in it for them to bother.
I certainly wouldn't do it. Heck, the demand for big motorhomes is not going to go up.
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat
jassrnj wrote: Supply and demand. One of these day someone is going to import a high quality RV and take over the market ... just like Toyota and Honda. The US mfg better wakeup now before they end up like GM. I will always purchase US made if possible but when it comes down to US junk or foriegn quality, I will go with quality.
People keep saying this, and I don't understand why they don't realize that RV manufacturing does not lend itself to the mass-production methods necessary to attract the foreign manufacturers. Otherwise they would've done it already. IOW it's obvious to me that there's not enough profit in it for them to bother.
I certainly wouldn't do it. Heck, the demand for big motorhomes is not going to go up.
Very true. The low production rates of RVs relative to most automobiles does not lend themselves to the production techniques of most automobiles. Automobiles that are built at the production rates of RVs (and few exhibit quality comparable Honda and Toyota) are expensive relative to mass produced ones.
Retired Phone Man wrote: I have seen some of the Amish woodwork and it is very well done. I think the RV manufacturers take advantage of the Amish name to sell their crappy products.
People keep saying this, and I don't understand why they don't realize that RV manufacturing does not lend itself to the mass-production methods necessary to attract the foreign manufacturers. Snip...
Very true. The low production rates of RVs relative to most automobiles does not lend themselves to the production techniques of most automobiles. Automobiles that are built at the production rates of RVs (and few exhibit quality comparable Honda and Toyota) are expensive relative to mass produced ones.
I wonder if the folks at Caterpillar Tractor ever thought this way too. Seems they are now in the minority of heavy off road equipment. How 'bout the small aircraft industry. Or the shipbuilding industry. Never say never. The thing that keeps the foreigners away, is low total industry value. If the industry value is high enough they will come after it. That is why they are in ship building, off road equipment, private aircraft, etc. So the low cost (combined with low volume)of the RV industry is what is keeping the foreigners out of it. So the low pricing, is to the advantage of the USA builders. The foreigners can compete if they want. But why would they. There are better opportunities for them.
'12 F350 SB, CC, SRW, 6.7 PSD, 3.55 RAR, 6 spd auto, Ultimate Lariat pkg
2011 Open Range 393RLS 14,250 GVWR
Pullrite Super Glide 18K
Alright, guys and gals. Let me start by saying I have been a custom builder and carpenter for 40 years.
Regarding the so-called legendary skills of the Amish carpenters, it's a lot of BS and hype. When I was building homes, they would be hired by the builders because they were the cheapest. Why were they the cheapest? Because they built homes like they build RV's. I'm talking about sticks and staples, and joints that were 1 inch gapped. Yeah, I know, production and speed rules. But these were houses in tornado alley, folks. And the exterior trim was all stapled together, and then the depressions were caulked over with cheap water-based caulk, which would shrink to nothing within a year.
To give the Amish credit, there are SOME that are custom woodworkers and do a fine job of building furniture. But the Amish are NOT home builders, nor are they RV builders.
Pay the hype forward, if you like, but please get the facts on Amish building before you do..
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