If I had to make one specific suggestion to RV makers for quality improvement, I would probably ask the ones who use rubber/EPDM roofs to use properly applied EternaBond on all roof joints and seams from the factory, and use caulking as a secondary measure to keep the EB edges from getting dirty as opposed to being the primary/only means of keeping water out.
I wonder what other people's suggestions would be.
Having driven a couple of motorhomes with slide outs, the drivers seat does not have adequate room for a 6' tall driver to be comfortable, that is why I have not bought a slide out room yet.
Also the slide out walls do not need to slide in all the way. Have they never heard of a pocket door? How about a roll top desk?
I can't wait for the 2013 Ford full size vans to come out, perhaps with the 4.6L Ecoboost? That will provide great mileage, and power to climb the hills too! And no worry about power loss in Colorado.
Take it on the road and live in it for a year. Then make all the improvements necessary to insure that whatever failed doesn't happen to customers who buy your products. Warranty repairs will be greatly reduced.
They need to stop paying the dealers for full inspections since they only do a walk through and look for obvious cosmetics and maybe hose the unit off. The price should be adjusted (yeah right). Many times its too cold to connect water anyway so why should we be paying for something that is not being done? I know, the dealers need to make money..... but it should not be causing buyers to think anyone has really inspected their rig, its just not safe or fair.
They should produce a document that shows what really needs to be done and let the buyer either hire someone or do it themselves. Most of the issues with new rigs can be eliminated by having a real inspection performed. We all know that most rigs only get partially inspected during the first camping trip by the owner using the systems. This is not enough.
I had mine delivered in the winter so I had time to really inspect it. I did more inspections later on as I learned more about it.
Here is what I found during the total of over 8 hours of inspecting and fixing:
Crimped main PEX water pipe inside rear stereo cabinet. Would have only gotten 40 percent flow if not found beforehand.
Sawdust shot out of all the supply registers the first time air was run.
Loose drain pipes under tub.
Loose wire inside convertor.
Tire pressures varied from 40 to 70 when delivered (should have been 50 on those initial cheap tires)
Loose structural bolts that hold the walls to the frame.
Bruce and Donna
2007 Forest River Wildwood 27RLSS
2003 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 towing package
Putnam XDR hitch
Equalizer WD with 1k bars
Tekonsha Prodigy brake control
Quote: I wonder what other people's suggestions would be.
.... for the manufacturer to offer more A or B (or C) type options in the RVs they sell so consumers could make buying decisions based on either minimizing price or instead, improving quality or reliability in any particular floor plan.
- Always offer no solar or plenty of solar, instead of no solar or marginal solar.
- Always offer 2-way refrigerators or 3-way refrigerators.
- Always offer incandescent lights or LED lights.
- For motorhomes with a diesel chassis engine, always offer propane appliances or diesel appliances.
- Always offer built-in generators or fuel cells.
- Always offer single pane windows or dual pane windows.
- Always offer tire size and grade choices.
- Always offer more storage with smaller tanks or less storage with larger tanks.
- Always offer built-in dehumidifiers in addition to an air conditioner.
- Always offer propane vented catalyctic heaters or a propane furnace, or both installed, in their RVs.
- When offering a propane furnace, always offer a single speed propane furnace or a variable speed propane furnace.
- Always offer a drinking water filter.
We may really want to buy from a particular RV manufacturer, but have to look elsewhere because they don't offer some key items or features that we really wish they had so as to clinch the deal for us.
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, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever(RIP
), 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LS, 2007 Rockwood Roo 23SS w/Equalizer and Prodigy, and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes
