Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough
I personally don't think the manufacturers (or customers) are wanting better quality. Here's why;
I think at one point they may have had a QC dept. or person but as time went on, the push for more units daily kept growing and the clamoring customer base kept growing, they put less and less emphasis on QC. As time progressed they kept pushing quantity as quality kept falling further into the rear view mirror. The more they made, the less quality they provided, the more units the customers bought. I do think they monitored for any drop in sales due to less and less quality but it didn't happen. Customers anymore want something that can be pulled by a Prius, as large as an apt. and costs no more than a can of beans (metaphorically).
With all that going on the dealer IS the QC for the manufacturer. Do they want to do it? Who knows and it varies. If they don't do a PDI then the customers just get what came out; good or bad. If they are a quality dealer they may find tons or nothing. The problem for them is that the manufacturer zipped the RV through the assembly line not caring what went on and expecting the dealer to "fix" it, but, NOW the manufacturer wants to pay reduced rates for repairing a "new" trailer. In their minds they think they just shipped out a perfect product and now "someone" is questioning it (that could be you) and you need to provide a book to prove that the unit they shoved out the door, with zero oversight, no QC....nothing, wasn't perfect; when most are far from it. And here we are. But, outside, in the parking lot, the crowds get ever larger, the clamoring gets ever louder and the units roll out of the dealership faster and faster. Do we think that scenario is going to make them want to change their business model? Nah.
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I have owned a Keystone product until March of this year and jumped ship for another manufacturer. And I can relate to the problems the initiator of the posting is experiencing.
And yes, good quality control would be a start-a good process oriented manufacturing program, a good quality program, if you have been in manufacturing I would suggest an ISO9000 system. However, we would not be able to afford the RVs as those costs would be high for a product that is cobbled together with, in my humble opinion, insufficient drawings and instructions, pump them out the door as quickly as possible and let the dealer, and us, deal with the aftermath.
Virtually every towable manufacturer relies on the RVIA as their guide (whatever that is worth) and all assemble their RVs using the same vendor-supplied items and techniques.
However, I have found one towable manufacturer based out of Kansas who builds to order, one at a time. And the price reflects that attention. And it is a price I cannot afford, thus, my Grand Design fifth wheel.
We shopped around and gave Keystone the benefit of the doubt in hoping there was improvement in quality from 2017 models to 2019. Nope. We looked at both the Cougar and Montana line. In looking the Montana appeared to be a rebadged Cougar with a few more shiny baubles.
Is my Solitude much better? Maybe, maybe not. But, I haven't needed warranty work in the 8 months of ownership as I did with my 2017 Cougar.
So, they all have their workmanship and quality issues.